Name: Fender Custom Shop Masterbuilt Andy Hicks 1967 Stratocaster HSS Journeyman Relic Daytona Blue Metallic
Brand: Truetone Music
SKU: fender-custom-shop-masterbuilt-andy-hicks-1967-stratocaster-hss-journeyman-relic-daytona-blue-metallic
Availability: InStock

Home Store

Fender Custom Shop Masterbuilt Andy Hicks 1967 Stratocaster HSS Journeyman Relic Daytona Blue Metallic

Masterbuilt Andy Hicks 1967 Stratocaster Daytona Blue

Truetone Music is proud to have a long and close relationship with Fender, especially with the Custom Shop. Every so often, a new Masterbuilder joins the ranks - when that happens, we jump right into it with them to forge a new partnership. This killer 1967 Stratocaster is a result of that approach.

When we got word that Andy Hicks had joined the Fender Custom Shop as a Masterbuilder, we immediately set up a meeting to cook up a batch of very special guitars. We always like to ask the builders what they would like to build, colors they want to use, etc., in an effort to truly collaborate on guitars that they are excited to build. That was the genesis of this amazing '67 Strat Journeyman Relic. The first was Lime Gold. For the second, we went for something different. Keeping up with Fender's long association with car culture, especially 60's era hot rod cars, we have a '67 Strat in Daytona Blue Metallic This one takes you back to that era, but with some serious modern tweaks.

We asked Andy to hand-select a great piece of Flame Maple for the neck, and he picked a winner. It's rock solid, and he also did the aging work on it perfectly. We agreed that it should have a 60's Oval C neck shape, the most popular of all options for Custom Shop guitars. It's a great, slim neck that is easy to play, and having the finish worn off the back makes it an even more pleasurable experience. The first modernized tweak we added is that this guitar has a compound radius (9.5 - 12") and Medium Jumbo (6150) frets. This makes it great for playing high on the neck when bending notes and digging in. To make it even better, we also went with a contoured heel for easy access.

It's not just about looks and feel - the third element - the sound - is where this guitar really shines. We spent a lot of time with Andy choosing the pickups. In the end, we went with a killer combination of Handwound Custom Shop Tomatillo Strat pickups for the middle and neck positions, and a Sonic Pickups The Cult Leader humbucker in the bridge position. Here's why:

Clean-sounding, with plenty of chime, the Tomatillo pickups are crafted around alnico 2 magnets, simulating what an aged alnico 5 pickup from the ‘50s might sound like today. That gets you the classic Strat sound, with a higher output. For the bridge, Andy suggest the Sonic Pickups The Cult Leader - one of his all-time favorite humbuckers. Built on PAF platforms but with alnico 8 magments, it hits the amp hard but with classic humbucker tone without harsh highs. It's high output, and a great match for the Tomatillo neck & middle pickups. As soon as we plugged the guitar, we realized why Andy suggested this - it's an amazing sounding humbucker!

We stayed period correct for the hardware, going with vintage tuners, bridge, etc. The idea is to have everything you'd expect in a vintage Strat from 1967, with some modern features and an amazing custom set of pickups. The guitar comes with a Custom Shop case, strap and Certificate of Authenticity.

A Masterbuilt instrument is like no other, and this is truly a one of a kind. When it's one of the first Andy Hicks builds, it's truly something special. Come to Truetone Music to experience it today, or make it yours right here.

ABOUT THE MASTERBUILDER: ANDY HICKS
Andy Hicks grew up in a household filled with music lovers. He received his first guitar on his 11th birthday – a gorgeous 3-tone burst Fender Stratocaster. Andy spent his teenage years playing along with his favorite Nirvana, Black Sabbath and Metallica records. He played in local rock bands and by his early 20s he became increasingly interested in experimenting with guitars by modifying pickups and wiring.

In 2009, Andy decided to take this passion for guitar building seriously by enrolling in the Guitar Craft Academy in Hollywood, a 6-month program focused on electric guitars. Within a week of graduating, he started working at Fender in the Jackson Custom Shop dressing frets. From 2013 to 2018, he worked as an assistant to Gretsch Custom Shop Senior Master Builder, Steve Stern. Andy worked with various artists during this period and is very proud of his involvement with the Malcolm Young “Salute” Jet. In 2018, Andy seized the opportunity to become the lead builder and production manager for a high-end boutique guitar company and was subsequently recruited by James Tyler to oversee production for his shop in the San Fernando Valley.

On his return to Fender, Hicks said, “coming back to Fender, becoming part of the most prestigious custom shop in the industry, and being around so many talented builders is incredibly exciting and humbling. It also feels like I have returned home.”

When it comes to guitars, Andy incorporates his two passions: playing and building guitars. He firmly believes that these two passions are deeply connected, uniting Andy’s core approach to creating guitars. “I love interacting with guitarists,” Hicks said. “Bridging the gap between builder and player, listening to their desires and implementing them into my builds is incredibly rewarding,” and to create such guitars in the Fender Custom Shop, “nothing could be better,” he added.

When not building guitars, Andy plays in an epic doom metal band, Stygian Crown, enjoys playing Dungeons and Dragons and goes on incredible Disneyland trips with his wife and 3 boys.