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 Graffiti Yellow and dressed in a 1 Ply Black Phenolic pick guard presents one of the sweetest looking guitars we have had in some time. The patina on the finish is amazing. Sweat spots, nicotine and tar stains, all the stuff that makes a relic look legit is here.
Built as a 1962 Strat, it has a 9mm 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 Upgraded Vintage fret wire. 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. At the 1st fret we have .790” and at the 12th we have .930” with a somewhat fuller feeling taper than some skinny necks.
A set of Fender Custom Shop Texas Special Pickups are installed but these have the extra special secret sauce: being hand wound by Josefina. These single coil’s have some nice heat to them without stepping into truly high output sounding pickups. They clean up and warm up beautifully but they also push any tube amp into drive mode a little earlier, so this is great for the lead guitarist or rock player who needs some extra grit.
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'ed Finish
- Graffiti Yellow
- Black 1 Ply Phenolic Pickguard
- 2 Piece Alder Body
- Weighs 7 lbs 4 oz
- 60 Style Oval C Shaped Neck
- .790" - 930"
- 7.25" Radius
- 1.650" Nut Width
- Vintage Fret Wire
- Rift Sawn Maple neck
- AAA 9mm Rosewood Fingerboard
- Handwound Texas Special Pickups
- Master Volume
- 2 x Tone Controls
- 5 Way Switch
- John Cruz Signature Neck Plate
- Certificate of Authenticity
- Original Hardshell Case
The Music Gallery
(847) 432-6350
Musicglry@gmail.com