Fender Strat Plus Deluxe, crimson frost, made in Corona USA 1991. The Strat Plus launched in 1987 to wide acclaim: it was a Strat, but with clever hardware and some modern features that struck a chord with players and critics alike at the time. The Plus Deluxe launched in 1989, adding an ash body and an updated set of Lace pickups to the mix. The classic Strat Plus specs are there: 9.5" radius 22 fret neck, smooth two point tremolo system, Wilkinson roller nut and passive TBX treble booster. The updated pickups are a win in my books. Lace Sensor golds have a lovely clarity to them, but these Red/Silver/Blue sets offer a whole lot more midrange, a bit more output and a thicker, rounded low end. The little treble boost means you can wind as much extra snap and zing in as you need, and combined with the metal roller nut, there's a certain piano-like clarity and sweetness to the tone. Being solid ash, this weighs in at 4.4kg: heavy, but not as bad as some late 70s examples. Plus, the ash body and maple board combo offers a mountain of glorious midrange presence and punch. The neck is in great shape, still stable and straight after all these years. It's a comfy modern C style profile, and combined with the flatter 9.5" radius and the smooth tremolo, this feels very quick to move around on and very fun for big lead lines. Now, this finish: heck, it's superb. The ash grain is on full display, the rich red is a nice change from a standard two tone burst... it's like a sunburst Strat but for a vampire. The original trem arm, case candy and ABS hard case are all included. These are increasingly collectable, especially in a rare finish like this, so get ahead of the game while it's still pretty affordable. Very plus, much deluxe.

Model: Fender Strat Plus Deluxe
Made: USA, Corona plant, neck date 22 Mar 1991 (serial N994031)
Finish: crimson frost, 3-ply cream guard
Body: ash
Neck: maple with maple board, 25.5” scale, 9.5” radius, slim C profile
Weight: 4.400kg
Mods: none
Pickups: Lace Sensor blue/silver/red single coil x3, passive treble boost circuit
Case: original Fender Plus ABS moulded hard case

Cosmetic condition notes: minor finish wear. The headstock has some minor dimples on the end and bottom edge. The neck is clean and smooth in the hands, very minor dimples and some glossing from play on the back only. The back has a handful of minor scuffs around the whole body, mostly surrounding the cavity, no major marks. The sides have no major marks, just some light scuffs in the elbow area, near the jack and on the bottom horn. The front is also very tidy, just some very light scuffs around the jack and in the elbow area and some play wear on the guard and top horn. Overall: excellent condition (9/10).

Playing condition notes: Action is low, neck is straight, intonation is good, truss rod works. All electrics tested and working properly. The frets have some minor wear only, 8/10 for fret life left. Wearing fresh 10/46 Moonshiners.