Name: Fender Custom Shop 1957 Stratocaster NOS Santa Monica Sparkle Truetone Color Set With Case
Brand: Truetone Music
SKU: fender-custom-shop-1957-stratocaster-nos-santa-monica-sparkle-truetone-color-set-with-case
Availability: InStock

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Fender Custom Shop 1957 Stratocaster NOS Santa Monica Sparkle Truetone Color Set With Case

Truetone Color Set - Santa Monica Sparkle

As part of a close partnership with the Fender Custom Shop, Truetone Music cooked up an exclusive run of guitars, known as "Truetone Color Sets". It's where we do a quartet of instruments - Strat, Tele, Jazzmaster and Jazz bass - all in the same color, as a matching set. For the colors, we picked unique ones that are rarely ever seen. In this case, it's one never seen, as it's never been done. Officially, it's called Silver Natural Sparkle, but we're going with the moniker of "Santa Monica Sparkle", as it was dreamt up right here, and represents the beach city well.

This one of the coolest and most finishes we've seen. It's not shown in the list of Custom Shop colors, as it's never really existed. Credit goes to Truetone vet Louis Castillo, who made the suggestion for a "natural sparkle" while we were dreaming up unique guitars to do. At first, it elicited a laugh - and then we realized the potential. We worked directly with the Fender Custom Shop's paint expert, Jay Nelson, who ran several prototypes until we settled on the final version. It started as a single guitar - but once we saw it, we knew it had to be done as a full set. This is the first Stratocaster to arrive, and it's even better than we thought it would be.

We'll pause now to allow time for viewing of the photos - which came out great but don't truly represent how cool this finish is. Faced straight on, you don't see the sparkle that much, but at an angle or in certain light (especially when moving) it really comes out.

While the majority of Custom Shop guitars have some level of aging, from Closet Classic to Super Heavy Relic, we went in the opposite direction - we chose to do this guitar as an NOS (New Old Stock) piece. The reason is simple: this one is just too beautiful to do anything besides NOS! The wood grain looks great behind the clear finish, and the sparkle is the definition of eye-catching. The silver anodized pickguard ties it all together, and the matching headstock is the perfect finishing touch.

Ever since the Stratocaster debuted in 1954, it has evolved, even in the earliest days. The Strat has continued to change over the years, but for many, stepping back to how it was done in the 50's is the way to go. The Fender Custom Shop excels at recreating the look, feel and sound of these guitars, often with special tweaks. That's where we decided to go with this one.

The two-piece Ash body sports the iconic shape that has become legendary across the universe. Light, ergonomic and comfortable, there's a reason why people have been in love with Strats for decades. For the maple neck, we decided not to stay period correct with a '57 "V" profile - on this guitar, we chose something that may be more accessible to more players. We went for the '59 Esquire "C" neck profile, to give it a vintage feel, but with a "C" shape that is a touch more familiar. The fingerboard has been updated to 9.5”-radius, with 6105 (Narrow Tall) frets. So, it's a vintage vibe with a modern feel.

For the pickups, we chose the Custom Shop Fat 50's set, which is the most popular on Strats being spec'ed out from scratch. These recreate the sound of a classic mid-50's Strat, using formvar wire, Alnico 5 magnets and a vintage stagger, with strong output and a nice, even response across the tonal spectrum. Enhanced bass response provides power without a harsh midrange. It's a calibrated set, and very balanced. The middle pickup is reverse wound/reverse polarity for hum canceling in positions 2 and 4.

The abalone dots on the neck add a nice finishing touch. Other features include an American Vintage synchronized tremolo, vintage-style tuning machines, bone nut and a silver anodized pickguard. Also includes a Custom Shop tweed hardshell case, strap and certificate of authenticity.

This could be one of more "special" Stratocasters that we've had come through here, and one of the most gorgeous. It's a truly unique, one-of-a-kind piece. Come to Truetone Music to check out this amazing guitar, or order here right now for it to be sent straight to your home.