John Cruz constructed this Masterpiece for us and it is every bit as awesome as we expected! We waited quite awhile for this guitar to show up and it was certainly worth the wait! An expertly aged guitar finish in Fiesta Red and dressed with a 1 Ply Black Phenolic pick guard presents one of the sweetest looking guitars we have had in some time. SRV vibe all the way, minus the lefty trem.
Built as a 1963 Strat, it has a AAA Rosewood Fingerboard that sits on top of a Rift Sawn Maple Neck that has been shaped to a 60’s Oval C shape. The fretboard radius is 7.25” and the fretboard is loaded with Sanko 6105 Fretwire. Classic Fender neck width of 1.650” and 25.5” scale length give you a nice taught feel on the strings but with a manageable width and depth.
A set of Fender Custom Shop Hand Wound John Cruz LTD Pickups are installed but these have the extra special secret sauce: being hand wound by Josephina. These single coil’s warm and sweet for days. Even the bridge pickup is smoother and sweeter than say a Texas Special, by far. These lower output single coils fair beautifully through pedals also, especially gainy pedals. A master volume, 2 tone controls and a 5 way switch are all present.
The Fender Custom Shop has always taken the best of the best employees and helped elevate them to the highest possible level. With Jay Nelson, Master Painter at the CS and Josefina winding the best pickups ever to bare the Fender name, then having John Cruz select the woods, hand carved a neck, roll the edges, dress the frets, literally handle ever other step along the way ensures you get the absolute pinnacle of the Fender Brand.
The Music Gallery has been a Fender Custom Shop dealer since their formation in 1987. We keep a bevy of about 50 Fender Custom Shop instrument in inventory at all times. Whether you're looking for Stratocaster's, Telecasters, Precision Basses or Jazz Basses we are able to help you design or find whatever the special instrument you're looking for may be!
- Fender Custom Shop
- Masterbuilt by John Cruz
- 1962 Stratocaster Relic
- Fiesta Red
- 1 Ply Black Phenolic Pickguard
- Weighs 7lb 8oz
- 2 Piece Alder Body
- 60 Style Oval C Shaped Neck
- 7.25" Radius
- .790" at 1st Fret
- .930" at 12th Fret
- Rift Sawn Maple Neck
- Vintage Fret Wire
- AAA Rosewood Fingerboard
- Chrome/Nickel Hardware Package
- Handwound John Cruz LTD Pickups
- Master Volume
- 2 x Tone Controls
- 5 Way Switch
- Certificate of Authenticity
- Original Hardshell Case
The Music Gallery
(847) 432-6350
Musicglry@gmail.com