Although the Fender Custom shop is now one of the most recognized sources of high end custom guitars in the world, in early 1987 it was nothing more than a scrappy insurgency of eager luthiers using one of their garages as a workshop, building custom guitars for people like Eric Johnson, Jerry Donahue and Cesar Rosas.
Though this guitar bears the stamp "Fender Custom Shop", the designation was actually a method of distinguishing from non-regular production models made by the Custom Shop for a specific run, either handed to the custom shop from the factory, or ordered specifically by music stores or famous artists.
This lefty '57 Reissue Strat, in a gorgeous faded Fiesta Red, is from 1990, by the time the Custom Shop was fully housed, staffed and funded, and was churning out a steady stream of guitars of all price points; many of which, like this particular model were identical to the AVRI series in all but color and hardware.
This guitar features an alder body, a one-piece maple neck with walnut skunk strip, gold hardware, and a gorgeous Fiesta Red finish that's faded into a light orange.
The neck profile is a slim 50's style with a slight V, exemplary of the late 80's reissues.
The pickups are the all black bobbin later 80's reissue pickups, with AlNiCo magnets, the only ones from this era to feature cloth wrapped wire. The pots are CTS, with the large orange Sprague capacitors tying things up.
This guitar is in good condition, with some chunks missing from finish and some wear on the hardware, but overall plays great and sounds even better!
Serial #V046361 comes with the original hardshell tweed case.
