Here for sale we have a very special Fender Custom Shop Limited Edition NAMM '56 Thinline Stratocaster in Heavy Relic Wide Fade 2-Color Sunburst finish. Released as part of Fender's Winter NAMM 2018 Custom Shop Annual Collection, this incredible instrument was produced by Fender's finest luthiers in 2018, and is based on the '56 Stratocaster specification. Of course featuring a bolt-on construction, this guitar comprises a semi-hollow Ash body & one-piece Quartersawn 'AA' Flame Maple neck & fingerboard. Aged Chrome/Nickel hardware is fitted including an American Vintage 6-point Strat bridge & Vintage-Style split-post tuning machines. A trio of Fender Custom Shop Hand-Wound Fat '50s Stratocaster single-coil pickups are installed, with the middle being RWRP. These are wired to a 5-way blade switch, master volume, neck/middle tone & bridge tone controls.
The Quartersawn 'AA' Flame Maple neck plays exceptionally well, with the 10/56 'V' profile offering an incredibly comfortable playing surface across the entire register. Certainly, the neck is substantial enough to sustain a firm grip for chords, whilst remaining slim enough for fast, articulate playing. The 'AA' Flame Maple is absolutely stunning in appearance and with its nitrocellulose finish adds a real sense of mojo to an already opulent playing experience. The heavy relic wear leaves a large section to the rear of the neck with no finish at all. This makes for a sublime playing surface which feels supremely soft & tactile in the hand. The Sanko 6105 frets can be classified as 'Narrow Tall', and offer the best of both medium jumbo & vintage-style frets.
The trio of Fender Custom Shop Hand Wound Fat '50s Stratocaster Single-Coil pickups installed in this guitar are nothing short of incredible. They deliver a crystal clarity that is unlike any other pickup. The warmth and roundness of the neck pickup retains its typical 'Strat' character whilst also offering a glass-like purity. The middle pickup is a similar story of the 'typical strat sound' that you might expect, but with a level of refinement that elevates it beyond what anyone could reasonably hope for. The bridge pickup is bright and twangy, with a higher output that drives the amp beautifully, whilst retaining clarity and control that is not so common with Strat bridge pickups. This is an absolutely stunning instrument that beautifully exemplifies why the Fender Custom Shop is the absolute pinnacle of electric guitar building.
Please be aware that for international buyers import fees are not included in our postage and packaging cost, this only covers the cost of the guitar being sent to you. Import fees will be charged by Customs upon the guitar's arrival in the recipient country. Due to Brexit, this also applies to EU buyers. We advise checking the total import cost with Customs as this is not information we are able to accurately provide.