(SOLD) Fender Japan '57 Stratocaster ST57-75TX Ocean Turquoise Metallic 2003
Fender '57 Strat, ocean turquoise, crafted in Japan 2003. A luthier friend of mine once declared 'every guitar should be ocean turquoise!'... maybe he's right, right? This looks superb: the colour is rich and deep, but with a few marks around the edge to keep it honest and a tasty golden syrup maple board to maple it pop. This was the high end model Strat in the Japan catalog at the time, so you get a set of tasty USA pickups and an alder body. That translates to a thick, fat punchy take on the chiming Strat-spank. A previous owner did you a big favour and upgraded all the electronic components, including the bridge pickup, and shielded the cavities... geez, you're welcome! That adds a certain purity and sparkle to the tone and lowers the noise floor dramatically, so this is sounding gorgeous. The neck is a moderately chunky round D style profile, which is very intuitive in the hands and encourages a measured, musical approach to lead lines. Really, you've already seen the pics and decided if you're in love already, right?
Model: Fender '57 Reissue Stratocaster (ST57-75TS)
Made: Japan, 2002-04, Tokai plant, (serial Q034656)
Finish: ocean turquoise metallic (OTM), 1-ply white guard
Body: alder
Neck: 1-piece maple w/ skunk stripe, moderate 'D' shape, 7.25" radius, 25.5" scale
Mods: electronics upgraded: CTS pots, Switchcraft jack, Emerson Paper-in-Oil cap, shielded, deluxe switch. Bridge pickup replaced, knobs replaced
Pickups: Fender USA Texas Special single coil (neck, middle), Seymour Duncan SSL-1 single coil
Case: basic non original gig bag
Cosmetic condition notes: mild finish wear. Headstock has some minor marks on the end. The neck is clean and smooth in the hands, minor dimples on the back only. The back has a few dimples around the cavity, plus some scuffs around the edges of the body. The sides have a few things to note: dimples on the top horn, a pair of chips and some marks on the elbow area, another pair of chips and some dimples near the jack, plus some dimple son the bottom horn. The front has a few scuffs along the back edge and in the elbow area, plus some standard play wear on the guard and top horn. 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 light wear, they're looking good overall, 8/10 for life left. Setup with fresh 10/46 Moonshiners strings.