This Fender Custom Shop Masterbuilt 60s Stratocaster Heavy Relic by Dale Wilson in 3-Color Sunburst is brand new and includes its original hardshell case, certificate of authenticity, and paperwork. We sold this guitar to someone about 3 months ago, and they changed the pickups and then traded it back in. We did not get the original pickups back, but it now has a set of '60s Spec pickups by Pete A. Flynn, and we can assure you this guitar has never sounded better!
As soon as we pulled this guitar out of its case, the SRV Vibes were obvious. As the Shop Traveler indicates, this is a Super Heavy Relic, as though the guitar was someone's #1 as they traversed the planet over and over again. It has about every conceivable type of relicing, from weather checking to the 'strummers rut' on the bass-side edge of the pickguard. The strummers' rut (as I call it) always provokes a reaction as it seems unrealistic to some, since it would take hours of being subjected to less-than-ideal environments and fairly aggressive play to achieve this amount of wear. And most of us will never be THAT guy... touring the planet, pouring sweat on the same axe, night after night during visceral, high-energy performances. So, while the extent of the wear may seem extreme to some, it's not as uncommon as many of us think.
Dale Wilson's relics are always something special. They look great, they feel great, and they always result in an exceptional guitar. With much of the finish removed, this guitar is lively and resonant, acoustically speaking. We wait years for Dale's guitars; this one took about 3 years, from the time we ordered it.
Dale chose an exceptional-looking piece of Brazilian Rosewood for the fingerboard on this guitar. It's like old-school Brazilian with some nice color variation, beautiful striations, and that marbling effect that is both mesmerizing and captivating.
The neck is made from a nice piece of plain grain maple and carved to the 60s Oval C Profile. It has a little extra meat on its bones, measuring .820" at the 1st fret and .980" at the 12th. Many 60s oval C measure .790 - .980, so this one has a little fuller feel in the 1st position. The fingerboard radius is 9.5" and it has 6105 Frets installed. It's a great neck, from the profile to the stripped lacquer from the back, this thing feels amazing!
A set of Pickups by Pete A. Flynn is currently installed in this guitar, as mentioned before. These pickups are exceptionally dynamic and touch-sensitive with unbelievable string separation and headroom. You'll surely be impressed with all the colors you'll find along the volume and tone controls. A 5-way pickup switch grants access to all the quintessential tones.
Well, act fast on this one! Dale's guitars never stick around for long and with the bevy of easily appreciated things on this instrument, it's sure to find a home soon!
