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This gorgeous
Stratocaster marks a major turning point in Fender's history. As told
by A.R. Duchossoir in The Fender Stratocaster - 40th Anniversary
Edition - Hal Leonard 1994, page 30, the "Mary Kaye"
reissue was the very first limited edition produced by the newly
established Custom Shop: a total of 1000 guitars were built, all with
the V serial number of the regular vintage series, of which one half had
'57 style maple neck and one half '62 style rosewood boards.
The choice of this particular version as starting point for the Custom
Shop production was not accidental. The see-through blond finish and
gold hardware Mary Kaye Strat, associated by Fender collectors to the
name of the famous hawaiian-born Lounge Music singer
and guitarist, earned to this elegant version a
special reputation. It was always considered as the best of Fender
esthetics and the accurate reissues built by Custom Shop from 1987
to 1989 reproduced all its beauty. Real Vintage had already offered
one of these rare Stratocasters, and you can still see it in our archive.
But the one you see here is even more beautiful and in almost perfect
conditions. The only flaw is a little damage in the finish in the neck
plate area, which we have carefully documented here. Aside from this detail, the
guitar is in like-new conditions, comes from the first year of
production and is 100% original. Not one single ding, no playing wear at all. Inside of the original tweed hardshell
case you'll find all the accessories and tags, including the original
trem-arm, the gold-plated bridge cover, the original strap buttons (now
it comes with gold security lock).
The body is made of light ash and the beautiful wood grain shows
through the blond finish. The maple neck has a gorgeous rosewood
fretboard. Neck shape is a typical '62, very comfortable and with
great easy action. All-original pickups and electronics, all-original
hardware. Beautiful sound, full and balanced. Really a perfect guitar.
Our experience suggests that among all the "limited editions",
of which today we see an "unlimited" variety, a very few
will stand time's test and will become true collectibles: and these
will not be the guitars tied to popular recording stars of the day,
but only the guitars which mean something in american guitar history.
The birth of Fender Custom Shop surely is one of such milestones, of
which the guitar you see here is a rare and wonderful witness.
front -
in case - body1 - body2 - body3 - body4 - back - body back - headstock -
fretboard - knobs - bridge - circuitry - pickups - pots - neck date - neck pocket - neck plate - tuners - springs
- stamp - tags
- case
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