Every now and then, an amazing guitar we had here as a new piece boards the bus back here and reappears on the wall – and sometimes, we’re extremely happy about it, as it’s a guitar that we all coveted. That’s the case with this one.
It’s the Fender Custom Artisan Spalted Maple Stratocaster Thinline. You haven’t seen many like it, as not many like it have been made. Built in 2020, it was part of a run of Artisan Series guitars that the Custom Shop did. This guitar compellingly combines several great tone woods into a fantastic new model, with top notch sound, style and playability. Its hollow roasted ash body has an NOS lacquer finish, with a spalted maple top that imparts an elegant aesthetic and tremendous sustain. You’ll notice how beautiful it is right off the bat, as well as the fact that it’s a semi-hollow Stratocaster, which in itself makes it a rare bird.
The roasted AAAA birdseye maple neck really stands out – we haven’t seen many necks as stunning as this one. It’s not just about the look, it’s also a great feeling neck. It has a comfortable 1960-style oval C profile, topped by a Macassar ebony fingerboard with a compound radius (9.5-12) and 21 narrow tall frets for ultimate comfort and playability.
The guitar features Handwound Fat 60’s Strat pickups. They provide mellow vintage tones but with enough bite to cut through the mix with crisp articulation, and are over-wound for a hefty low-end punch. Alnico 2 magnets, Formvar magnet wire, period-correct cloth wire, and a fiber bobbin keep it accurate to what you would expect in a vintage Strat, with a warm, sweet output. The reverse-wound, reverse-polarity middle pickup eliminates hum for whisper-quiet performance. In addition, Strat 1/2 Blender wiring (blends in the neck pickup in switch positions 1 and 2 for extra tonal options) increases the versatility of this guitar.
The tortoiseshell pickguard fits the vibe perfectly. Additional highlights include Custom Shop vintage style synchronized tremolo, vintage-style tuning machines with Fender logo, bone nut, and wing string tree.
This Custom Shop Artisan Thinline Stratocaster is a unique build that will stand out wherever it goes. Thankfully, the previous owner took great care of it from the day he got it here at Truetone. It’s in excellent condition, comes with the orginal hardshell case, strap and certificate of authenticity, and has been setup to play perfectly by the techs in our shop. Also, it’s a light one, coming in at just 6.7 lbs.
If you’re looking for a special guitar, you’ve found it. We have a feeling this won’t last long.
Serial # CZ547326
Product Specs
Model Name:Artisan Spalted Maple Stratocaster Thinline, Roasted Ash Body with Spalted Maple Top, Ebony Fingerboard, Aged NaturalModel #9235001197Series:ArtisanCountry Of Origin:USColor:Aged NaturalBody:Roasted Ash with Spalted Maple TopBody Finish:Nitrocellulose LacquerNeck Material:Roasted AAA Birdseye MapleNeck Finish:Nitrocellulose LacquerNeck Shape:’60s Oval “C”Scale Length:25.5″ (648 mm)Fingerboard:Round-Laminated EbonyFingerboard Radius:9.5″ to 12″ Compound Radius (241mm-305mm)Number of Frets:21Frets Size:Narrow TallString Nut:BoneNut Width:1.650” (42 mm)Position Inlays:Mother of Pearl DotBridge Pickup:Custom Shop Hand-Wound Fat ’60s Single-Coil StratMiddle Pickup:Custom Shop Hand-Wound Fat ’60s RWRP Single-Coil StratNeck Pickup:Custom Shop Hand-Wound Fat ’60s Single-Coil StratControls:Master Volume, Master Tone, 1/2 BlendPickup Switching:5-Position Blade: Position 1. Bridge with Neck Blend, Position 2. Bridge and Middle with Neck Blend, Position 3. Middle, Position 4. Neck and Middle, Position 5. NeckBridge:Custom Shop Vintage Synchronized TremoloHardware Finish: ChromeTuning Machines:Vintage Style with Tortoise Shell ButtonsPickguard:1-Ply TortoiseshellControl Knobs:Vintage WhiteCase: Deluxe Hardshell
Includes Case Candy & COA
Serial # CZ547326
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