Fender Custom Edition '57 Strat, trans green with gold hardware, made in Japan 1993/4. The Custom Edition was the spicy section of the mid 90s catalog, featuring some previously unseen shapes and setups and some bold finishes on classic models. This twist on the '57 Strat has a body made from American Basswood, a different species from the standard basswood seen on many MIJ models, selected for it's delightfully streaky grain. The trans green finish really shows off the grain lines; it's similar in appearance to ash but without the extra weight. Tonally, this is tasty. The noiseless pickups offer a super crisp, clear sparkly take on the classic Strat spank, and the hum is... gone. The bridge pickup is especially satisfying, it cranks out an assertive, rich snappy tone that's hard to resist. The real magic here is in the feel; the neck has been played and played and feels very smooth indeed, and the lightweight body has an instantly-familiar charm like that of a vintage leather armchair. There's a lot to like here, plus you can enjoy stirring up strong opinions on the vibrant green and gold finish... is it tacky? Is it lush and luxurious? It's surely not boring, that's for sure.

Model: Fender '57 Reissue Stratocaster (ST57G-65)
Made: Japan, 1993/4, Fujigen plant, (serial N039702)
Finish: transparent green (CCG), 1-ply white guard
Body: American basswood
Neck: 1-piece maple w/ skunk stripe, 7.25" radius, 25.5" scale
Weight: 3.385kg
Mods: pickups and second tone pot and knob replaced
Pickups: Fender USA Gen 3 Noiseless single coils
Case: none

Cosmetic condition notes: mild finish wear. The headstock has a few minor scuffs on the end, bottom edge and back; nothing nasty. The neck has a couple of minor dents on the back but feels very smooth; there's also a couple of tiny marks on the board around the 16th fret. The back has a few chips on the bottom horn, the bottom edge behind the jack and above the cavity. The sides have a few marks on both horns, as well as the shoulder area and around from the jack. The front looks pretty good, there's a minor chip up from the bridge, some dimples on the top horn and a couple of dimples around the jack and behind the bridge, as well as some play wear and slight lifting on the guard. Overall: good condition (7/10).

Playing condition notes: Neck is straight, action is low, intonation is good, truss rod works. All electronics tested and working properly. Frets have some normal wear inc minor pitting, they're fairly even with no major buzz issues,  5/10 for life left. Setup with fresh 11/49 strings.