Fender Custom Shop Stratocaster 62 Reissue Black NOS 2012

Few guitars carry the same mystique as an early-sixties Stratocaster, and Fender's Custom Shop built this 62 Reissue to bring that feeling within reach. Finished in classic Black with a three-ply white pickguard, it is understated and elegant, and it plays and sounds every bit as good as it looks.

The Stratocaster first appeared in 1954 and had settled into its classic form by 1962, with a rosewood fingerboard, three single-coils and the smooth contours that made it so comfortable to play. Fender's Custom Shop recreates that era with real care, and this NOS (New Old Stock) model is built to look the way a 62 Strat would have looked when it left the factory, clean and crisp rather than relic'd.

At its heart sit three hand-wound Texas Special single-coils, and these are something special: they were wound and signed by Abigail Ybarra, the legendary Fender pickup winder whose work is prized the world over. They give the guitar a punchy, lively voice with plenty of midrange bite. The alder body and flame maple neck, with its 60s Oval C profile and rosewood fingerboard, make for a resonant, fast-playing instrument, finished off with gold closed-back tuners and a six-saddle gold bridge.

This 2012 Custom Shop Stratocaster is in excellent condition. It has picked up some light playwear and a few small dings along the way, nothing out of the ordinary for a guitar that has clearly been enjoyed. It has also been given a tidy upgrade: the pickguard, potentiometers, pickup covers, hardware and backplate have all been replaced, fitted with a set of CTS pots and neatly done throughout, while the original Abigail Ybarra wound pickups remain in place.

The original pickup covers, hardware and backplate are included as well, and it is supplied in its hardshell case with a Certificate of Authenticity, the original Shop Floor Traveler and a TFOA Passport.

This guitar has been carefully inspected for condition and playability, then set up to our Gold Standard by a luthier. We make sure it arrives in your hands exactly as it should: sounding its best, playing effortlessly and ready to be enjoyed from the very first note.