Fender '62 Strat, purple sparkle, made in Japan 1993. It's been a while since we did a Topshelf Hot Rod job, and oh boy, it's fun to be back in the game. This one came to us from Japan with the original finish missing, so we knew what to do. Our friend Ed from WellWood Guitars did a new finish for us: purple sparkle over black, with a gloss poly topcoat. He knocked it out of the park, the thing looks outstanding. The sparkle is in the glass-glitter type genre, so it catches the light beautifully. From there we had our house tech do his thing with the wiring, so it got a gold anodized guard, a Fender USA 5-way switch, CTS pots, a combo of orange drop and tropical fish caps, cloth wire and a Gilmour-style push/pull to activate the neck pickup for that fun 7-way switching vibe. The guitar 'underneath' was already good: resonant body, super comfy round neck, played in with plenty of personality, so once all that good stuff was under the hood... friends, it rules. The tone is extra Stratty: snappy, glassy and clear, with plenty of heft on the low end and a breathy, open midrange. This one really does look like a million bucks, right?

Model: Fender Japan '62 Stratocaster ST62-55
Made: Japan, 1993-4
Serial: O023523
Finish: purple sparkle over black, gloss poly, refinished by WellWood Guitars
Body: basswood
Neck: maple, rosewood fretboard, 25.5" scale, 7.25" radius, vintage C shape
Weight: 3.595kg
Mods: refinished, new pickguard, fully re-wired with Fender USA switch, CTS pots, orange drop and tropical fish capacitors, Switchcraft jack, push/pull tone control to add the neck pickup to any setting
Pickups: Fender Japan ST-Single single coil x3
Accessories: padded gig bag

Cosmetic condition notes: minor finish wear. The headstock has a dent and scuffs on the end and dimples on both edges and the back. The neck is clean and smooth in the hands, the back has some dimples, rub wear and discolouration from a 'stand burn'. The body has a new finish, so there's just a couple of underlying dents near the jack and rear strap pin that are still visible.
Overall: very good condition (8/10)

Playing condition notes: Action is low, neck is straight, intonation is good, truss rod works. All electronics tested and working properly. Wearing fresh 10/46 Moonshiners strings.
Fret life: 8/10, minor wear only