Candy Tangerine FCS Stratocaster

2010 New with COA, Case & Candy

Candy Tangerine is described as an "opaque metallic" finish application. Just looking at the pics gives me that tart Lifesavers buzz in my jaws. 

We're seeing more & more custom colors on the headstock face too. Panther Guitars of Princeton, NJ lists this Strat, as well as several other very nice pieces at their Top-rated eBay Store. This dealer likes to post TONS of photos too-- and you can check this tangerine finish in some different conditions. They also currently list a desert sand Strat with a cute photo reference of a 50's Chrysler Town & Country of the same color.

Hi-end Strats!

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What are the Limits for a Ukelele?

A Little Bohemian Rhapsody Just to Warm Up!

Y'know, I've never posted about Ukelele. Never had the urge. But here's something to see! Any musician who arranges instrumental covers for a single instrument will appreciate Jake Shimabukuro's arrangement and performance of Bohemian Rhapsody on the uke. He did a great job working out the original vocal sections and instrument melodies into something that really works overall. And in spite of the uke's limited range, he performs with enough dynamics to put it over. As a guitar player, this is a tremendous reality check!

This video is from the TED Conferences website, where one can be amazed and inspired in many ways. TED stands for "Technology, Entertainment & Design". Check it out!

Thanks to Darren for the tip!

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Bonamassa's Goldie Sparkle Strat Auction!

Bonhams NYC, March 9, 2011

photo credit: Wooder's Pics @ Flickr.com

Looks like Joe Bonamassa is letting go of his classic gold sparkle "Goldie" Strat! Proceeds from the upcoming Bonhams auction will go to Eric Clapton's Crossroads Centre rehab facilities in Antigua. Some of EC's gear will also be on the block in the March 9, 2011 sale. The Clapton Auction page at Bonhams doesn't currently include or mention Bonamassa's guitar (update: here's a LINK), however Flickr pics at the above photo credit link include the Bonhams info. with coinciding 3/9/11 date reference.

Anyway, a Joe Bonamassa fan, who's in the loop with this stuff sent me the links and scoop. Go to the Flickr image link for lots more cool photos of Goldie!

Oooh! Check this Youtube Clip too!

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Joe-Rat by James Tyler - Friday Strat #203

Friday Strat #203 "Rat" Style Guitar

Now that's a headstock!

 click images for close ups!

photos: www.godlyd.com

Somewhere between retro, heavy relic and steam punk... and not quite post-apocalyptic, exists the rat-o-sphere; guitars that are rode hard, put away wet and modded for quick rat gratification until the next idea pops up on Tuesday...

Grosh New Retro-Classic Tie-Dye

Don Grosh Strat-type

This one caught my eye! They call it "Tie-Dye", although we might also call it "Sea Foam Sand Blast". It's pretty cool though for someone tired of standard finishes. Grosh makes great boutique guitars too! This one has an alder body, 6100 frets and the builder's own pickups, plus a hardshell case.

It's new, and listed by Atlanta, GA based Grosh Dealer Boutique Guitar Exchange

Hi-end Strats!

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Bruce Arnold Jazz Fusion Strat-o-Teacher!

Two New Releases

Bruce Arnold's credentials and teaching materials are almost endless. This East Coast Jazz guitarist/professor is immersed in playing guitar, teaching guitar, creating guitar curriculum material and recording with hot rhythm sections. When not teaching at NYU or Princeton, he's either doing clinics or gigging. So anyway... what do ya wanna know already?

Native American Hendrix Woodstock Wear

Voodoo Chile Style Apparel

When I find some crushed blue velvet bell bottoms, I'll let ya know... But the stuff below is the real deal, handmade in the traditional ways by Native American craftspeople.

All Things Native & More - Dear Skin Powwow Shirt

Jimi' at Woodstock baby!

Cree Indian crafted moccasins from SHMM

SCHMM is a store specializing in Native American handmade beaded moccasins. Check out their wide variety of groovy riffage for the feet. Feel the holy ground when you're on it!

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FCS 60 Relic Gold Strat

Fender Custom Shop Gold & RW with Tortoise

 Firemist Gold Finish Stratocaster

I dig this gold - tortoise combo with the rosewood and gold hdwr! Still debating about whether or not black pups and knobs would look better though... ooooh!!! how 'bout gold (brass) covers! The pickups are Fat 50's, and it's a quarter sawn neck. Relic treatment isn't radical; mostly in the areas of finish checking a few small dings, light neck tinting and wear to the metal parts.

This is new Strat with candy, COA and early 60's style brown tolex case.

Seller: STREETSOUNDS NYC -Top-rated Seller, Auth. Fender Custom Shop Dealer.

Hi-end Strats

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JP Winocaster

Oregon Pinot Noir Rocks!!!

Here we are noodling a bit yesterday at the Coleman Winery in McMinnville, Oregon, where a bunch of crazy folks were bottling the debut vintage of nearby J Wrigley Vineyards. John & Jody Wrigley were joined by several old friends who arrived from around the country to help with bottling and labeling followed by much celebration! Another story... Special kudos to Kim & Randy Coleman for providing their facilities and expertise!

When I'm not enjoying fine Pacific NW brewed IPA's, there's always Oregon Pinot Noir; the best Pinot on the planet!

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New International Guitar Lines at CGB!

Custom Guitar Boutique NYC

 Netherlands based Aristides - 010 Aluminum finish Composite Body

 Finland based Roukangas Guitars - Duke model

 Italy based XOX Audio Tools "The Handle" Carbon Weave

Magneto Guitars is a French-Japanese designers collaboration - "T-Wave" model

Our good friend Kelcey Alonzo of Customguitarboutique.com is constantly searching the planet for interesting guitar builders with fresh ideas and designs. Above are a few of the more recent lines CGB has taken on. 

Kelcey runs an exclusive by-appointment, exotic guitar boutique in NYC. Most of the above guitars are currently in stock. Not sure about the Aristedes (endorsed by Adrian Vandenberg), but I'm sure there's one on the way. The Magneto line incorporates interesting retro style touches with superior craftsmanship, and includes an S-type model. If you know Roukangas, you know this is an ultra fine but very limited production line-- and the Duke pictured above is currently in the house at CGB! The Handle is a pretty crazy design that's getting attention from some heavy players out there, and is just the kind of radical & sexy ergonomic approach we expect from an Italian outfit.

For quotes and product details, see the contact links/info. below:

Web: www.customguitarboutique.com -see contact link
email: sales@customguitarboutique.com
Blog: www.customguitarboutique.com/blog - Interviews with luthiers
Follow us on Twitter at: cguitarboutique
MySpace: www.myspace/customguitarboutique

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Suhr Custom Classic Bengal Burst - Friday #202

Friday Strat #202 - John Suhr Custom

Gold hdwr!

With its ONE piece flame maple body, birdseye neck and jumbo stainless frets, you gotta bet this Suhr Strat has a serious tight bottom end! This guitar is brand new with case, and includes F-L pickups, SSC system, Sperzels and 10-14" compound radius. Looks and performance all in one package!

Suhr trivia: I recently read in a Rudy Pensa interview that John Suhr was working as a chef when they first met. Now Suhr is cookin' with tones!

Seller: Wild West Guitars (top listings link) - location: Riverside, CA

Friday Strat Archive

Hi-end Strats!

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Making Fender Guitars in 1959

Footage of Leo and Fender's Facilities in 1959

Maybe some of you wondering why I didn't feature any Fender stuff from the recent NAMM show will at least appreciate the above video. If you really dig retro, relic and all those descriptions, check out this video originally made in 1959 by Forrest White. I know that in many ways things are much better now, but I ache inside for something about those old days when things were so much more simple and straight forward.

Here's a good description by the person who uploaded the clip:

"Films shot in 1959 by Forrest White. Editing by Ross Lenenski. Music by Russell "Daemonzed" Eldridge. Russell's Stratocaster guitar is from the American Deluxe Series made at the Corona Plant (Fender), USA in the Year 2000.

Leo Fender is in the second shot. No CNC machines back then, everything was done by hand. It is amazing to realize that every guitar made that year is now worth a small fortune. Archival High Resolution film transfer by CinePost. If you know the names of the employees, please let us know and we will annotate them. For more info please call 678-238-0800."

Special thanks to Dax Montana!!!

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Vote for Little Kids Rock!

Arts in Education Needs Your Help!

Little Kids Rock is competing for a $200K grant from American Express Members Project. They need your contribution or at least a vote. The most votes gets the AMEX grant, so even if you can't donate any $$, your VOTE is still a big help!!! Below is an update, along with easy instructions and links on how to help:

"Last week, we had a 14% surge in the number of votes we received, thanks to your help, but we are still about 100,000 votes behind. There are only five weeks remaining to help Little Kids Rock capture the top sport in the "Arts and Culture" category for the $200,000 prize, so please stay with us!"

In FOUR Easy Steps... Here's How:

1. Visit: http://www.takepart.com/membersproject/vote

2. Register to Vote (you only have to do this once!)

3. Select Little Kids Rock in the "Arts & Culture" category...

4. Vote

You DO NOT have to be an American Express cardholder.
You DO NOT have to sign up for a card.
You DO NOT have to subscribe to a mailing list or receive unwanted emails.

Thanks again for giving our children the right to rock!

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Eric Gales at NAMM 2011

Gales Burns up at the Dunlop Booth!



Eric Gales at the Dunlop booth at NAMM 2011 from Dunlop Manufacturing on Vimeo.

Mr. Gales is soundin' better than ever! We're so proud of him for gettin' through some rough times and rolling again. Eric has been touring, including in Europe-- and continuing to promote his recent "Relentless" release on the Shrapnel label.

In 2010, I got to know some of his crew in putting together our interview. Gales has some great people around him, and we wish them all a very successful 2011!!!

Previous Posts, Interview and EG links

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Don Kirshner R.I.P.

Brought Heavy Rock to TV

Way back in the 70's, before internet, many of us old timers saw some of the original metal rock bands for the first time on "Don Kirshner's Rock Concert", a very late night weekend television program. Whereas shows like "Midnight Special" and the Dick Clark stuff brought us mostly lip-synced pop acts, Kirshner gave us the real goods! In this context, you might call him "Television's Bill Graham".

I discovered bands like Rush, UFO (with Schenker), Golden Earring, Focus and Uriah Heep on Kirshner's program, even before hearing some of them on my local FM Rock radio stations. Usually, the show was on at about 1:00 A.M. in my area, so the typical scenario was coming getting home from partying, and catching Kirshner's Rock Concert. And also having to keep the volume way down, so as not to wake up the parents. That was tough!

I still recall first seeing Michael Schenker and Alex Lifeson on this show. I even discovered Larry Carlton on an edition featuring The Crusaders, which was really different. He was the only white guy in this Jazz-Rock kind of band, and he was just wailin' on a 335! I'm very proud of myself for remembering anything from this show, cause I was often pretty "impaired". I hardly remember learning anything my junior and senior high school years. But you remember the important things. 

And Don Kirshner's Rock Concert was very very important!!! Some of that stuff is on Youtube too!

So Thank You Don Kirschner for your valuable contributions!

L.A. TIMES FEATURE

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NAMM too Big for Anaheim?

Time to Move it to Vegas?

"I gotta tell you this, man... NAMM has really cracked down on the name tags and the IDs. Gone are the days of borrowing a friend's badge and sneaking in. That being said, it is way more crowded than EVER! Last year and this year it was PACKED with bodies. You cant move in that place. It's really outta hand. Ridiculous. It's so hard to navigate through the sea of people to get to the various places you want to go."

The above is from a friend describing Friday at NAMM, the only day he attended this year. He's attended the last 10 years. Maybe time to do it like the CES show in Vegas. This would be inconvenient for several SoCal members, but what about everyone else from everywhere else? And what about the fire codes? How do you efficiently evacuate an Anaheim Convention Center packed with bodies?

From a slightly different perspective, this was also overheard, "NAMM still needs more cowbell! It's just gotta have MORE COWBELL!!!"
(music producer & industry consultant, Mr.Bruce Dickinson)

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Cort and Cor-tek Guitar Workers Action

World's Largest Guitar OEM has Sweat Shop Issues

This has been a situation for awhile now, and it isn't resolving. Without trying to explain, or give my spin on it, I'm just providing the links below so you can be informed and keep up. This specific scene is likely to worsen before it gets better, and the ramifications could extend broadly throughout the gear industry & market.

http://cortaction.wordpress.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cort_Guitars

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MLK and Jimi Hendrix

Tribute to Dr. King

"...Again and again, we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force!" 

Dr. Martin Luther King

Today being Dr. Martin Luther King's birthday, I surfed around for a way to pay tribute from a Stratoblogster perspective. Some will recognize parts of this audio from the "Captain Coconut" tune off the controversial posthumous Hendrix' "Crash Landing" release. The original tape this recording came from is said to have been labeled, "MLK". I haven't cracked into the entire story myself, but the person who made this video is obviously running with it. 

They also obviously dig both MLK and Hendrix. And we dig that! So enjoy!

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Cee Lo's Guitarist - Sharon Aguilar

Petite Strat-o-Sister With Big Strat and Bigger Gig!!!

Cee Lo Green should re-do Robert Palmer's "Addicted to Love", since he'd have the added bonus of an all girl band who REALLY play their instruments.

Guitarist Sharon Aguilar got her Cee Lo gig audition while attending Musician's Institute. Click Here for her MI/GIT promo clip. Sharon is from Miami, and she plays violin as well as guitar, and has already scored endorsement with Fender. Don't waste any time Sis!!!

I just noticed Aguilar last weekend on SNL. My kid recently turned me on to Cee Lo Green, otherwise I might have skipped through those segments. Gotta keep up with the pop music culture to some degree... never know where that next Strat-o-Sister is gonna show up!

 Aguilinks:

www.youtube.com/sharonaguilarrocks www.twitter.com/Sharon__Aguilar www.myspace.com/sharonaguilarrocks

www.facebook.com/SharonAguilarRocks

Strat-o-Sisters Directory

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Winter NAMM 2011 Report from Bobby D

Bobby DeVito Shares some NAMM  Fun!

Bobby D between Jukka & Harri at Mad Professor booth
"PEDAL GEEK SANGWICH"

Stratoblogster contributor Bobby DeVito was kind enough share his Anaheim NAMM '11 adventure with us! Bobby is a Florida based working musician, author, recording artist and popular Youtube gear demo personality. Below, Bobby provides an interesting cross section of his NAMM experience. How he managed to narrow it all down is beyond me! His links are at the bottom of this post. Visit our Facebook Page for Bobby's NAMM pics (go to Photo Albums).




"Hey JP!

It was a crazy couple of days at NAMM - I probably walked about 15 miles in two days, between walking the show floor and walking around Anaheim.

I have been going to NAMM since the mid 90s, and really only about 2% of what I see at the show catches my eye anymore. Here are the products I saw that I really felt strongly about:

EB Music Man's "THE GAME CHANGER"

Guitars & Basses With Cool Switching Technology

2011's Winter NAMM has revealed a very interesting development from the folks at Ernie Ball/Music Man.

Instead of another freak, nerd, gadget stuffed guitar, they've simply designed a passive switching system which allows you to utilize all possible pickup settings combinations. Wanna know how many combinations there actually are? Well, if you have a standard 2 humbucker configuration, there are literally over 8 MILLION combinations of series/parallel/in-phase/out-phase settings possible. And now they can all be accessed, configured and organized without altering the organic qualities of a basic electric guitar OR getting yourself overwhelmed.


I know this sounds wild, so just CLICK HERE to get the whole story on video at the EB site. Let players like Steve Morse, John Petrucci & Steve Lukather demonstrate and explain what this is all about, and why "The Game Changer" is so cool. I've never been into guitar synths and robot guitar junk. This is different. It's clean & simple. So watch the videos & hear the tones! Real tones!!!


Available soon from these and other popular online sources:

• ZZOUNDS
• GUITAR CENTER
• American Musical Supply
• MUSICIAN'S FRIEND

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New Black Sanyo Pedal Juice!

Eneloop Pedal Juice Now Available in Black or White!

Sanyo is cleverly using the "Back in Black" theme at Winter NAMM 2011 to introduce the new BLACK Pedal Juice unit. 


So, if you've put off getting one because the standard refrigerator white just wasn't doin' it for ya, that's no longer an issue. Sanyo has traveled to the opposite dichotomy of the universal color spectrum just to bring you pure lithium ion satisfaction from the dark side!

Just take it from Uncle Darth:  

"F#*K 9 VOLT ALKALINE BATTERIES!!! Wheeze!"


Previous Product Review

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Fender Custom Shop "Air Guitar" Strat - Friday #201

One-off 2003, Painted by Pamelina H
From Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame Auction

 Click image for close-up.

Fender Consumer Relations 1 (800) 856-9801 can verify a ser# and provide/confirm background info on an instrument.

Our 201st Friday Strat is early because I couldn't restrain myself. Every square inch of this guitar, except for some of the hdwr, is finished in clouds and sky. All of the neck/fretboard, headstock face, pickguard and even the pickups. Pretty celestial if I do say so!

Strat-o-Sister Jodee Frawlee

GP 2010 Guitar Superstar Finalist

Anyone who follows Guitar Player Magazine's guitar competition thing should remember Jodee Frawlee, who made the top 10 finalist group in the 2010 series, and was the sole female finalist as well. I wasn't in the loop, so I only just discovered this Strat-o-Sister from our friend Laurie Monk of Truth In Shredding. 


The Boston area guitarist fronts the band Starr Faithfull in which she handles lead vocals as well as all guitar duties. And being a Boston girl with monster chops, ya gotta assume she's put in some Berklee time, and you'd assume right. Jodee Frawlee from Berklee-- whole lotta "E's" going on there! The tune above is one of two song clips she submitted to GP. The one she performed in the final was more of a Satch Boogie type offering.

Winter NAMM 2011 Coverage Resources

Our Recommended NAMM Stalkers

Winter NAMM 2010 in beautiful, sunny, snow-free Anaheim, California is now underway. I'm not personally attending, but here are a few friends who are either there or at least providing good NAMM content.

The Guitar Channel - Rich Murray will be on site and posting to his blog throughout the show, as well as a post show wrap-up. Rich usually focuses on the jams, shows, after-hours events and hot guitar players at NAMM.

Musicians Institute NAMM Hot Clinics - thanks to Carl Verheyen!


Guitar Noize - Jon has already been posting plenty of new gear release info. Get over there for a taste of what people are seeing at NAMM.

MusicRadar - Joe Bosso is still trying to get out of snowbound New Jersey, but should be reporting lots of good stuff from NAMM by Friday.  Joe knows everybody!

Premier Guitar Mag - Coverage hi-lites, daily NAMM editor's picks.

Guitar Player Magazine (Facebook) - Lots of post show wrap-up rolling in!

Youtube gear demo personality Bobby DeVito aka Bobby D let me know he'll be sending me tidbits from NAMM as he roves about. I'll post some of that stuff as it shows up in my email. 1/17: Here's Bobby's Report!

Finally, you MUST add NAMM Oddities to your favorites, and check there in a couple weeks. Each year Barry Wood compiles the weirdest finds at the Anaheim show and presents them to you totally uncensored.

If YOU are at NAMM, and wanna share anything, feel free to post at the Stratoblogster Facebook page. I may repost your news and finds here at the main blog too!

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Paul Gilbert Interview

Jan. 2011



"As a player, I think I've grown a lot, mainly in my ability to improvise with a blues-rock style. It's taken me about 30 years to recover from hearing Eruption, but I'm finally getting back to where I was going before Eddie Van Halen came along and made everyone want to follow him." 

Paul Gilbert

The above quote instantly made me think of Gilbert's tune "Radiator", in our video feature. Joe Bosso's recent interview with Paul, for MusicRadar.com, is a great read covering several topics. Besides touching on the Mr. Big reunion and new "What If..." album, they get heavily into Gilbert's roots & influences as both a guitar player and songwriter, and what he thinks of the term "shred". There's also a very insightful discussion about tinnitus-- which may not seem like a very glamorous subject, still, I personally found fascinating. Although I've read a number of guitarists describe their tinnitus situations, Paul Gilbert has an honest & candid, yet sort of twisted, artsy perspective on his own condition. 

Click Here for Paul Gilbert & Eric Johnson jam clip!

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Eric Johnson on NPR Weekend Edition

Jan. 9, 2011 Public Radio Interview

photo credit: Max Crace

Eric Johnson's new UP CLOSE release continues to draw attention and gain momentum as he joins NPR's Liane Hansen for a cozy chat in standard NPR "schwetty balls" sound and mood. Catch the full interview in the player below, and get all schwetty! Good times...

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Suhr Classic SSH Shoreline Gold

2008 Model with SSC Silent Coil Option

This Suhr Classic model is config'd similar to Michael Landau's Suhr guitars, with the FL HB in the bridge. It's 7.7 lbs and comes with large stainless steel frets as well as case and orig. Suhr paperwork. Unit is pre-owned with low miles. We see so many shoreline gold relics-- it's nice to see this color in straight new condition for a change.


Listed by G-Brats Guitars who has a nice little inventory of hi-end gear and excellent sales history.

Hi-end Strats!

Current listings - Top Dealers

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Stratoblogster on Beer - Hop Head!

Laurelwood Workhorse IPA #1

Taking a break from all things Stratocaster to share my current beer loves. IPA is my favorite variety of brewed condiment. My #1 beer of choice these days is Workhorse IPA by Laurelwood Brewery of Portland, Oregon. The Pacific Northwest USA is a mecca for great beer makers. Below are some other fine IPA's I enjoy (not confined to Pacific NW).

Stone - Ruination - San Diego area
Dogfish Head 60 Minute - Delaware (Haven't tried the 90 & 120 yet)
Ninkasi - Tricerahops - Eugene, OR
Double Mountain - Hop Lava - Hood River, OR
Lagunitas - Hop Stoopid & Maximus - Petaluma, CA
Amnesia - Copacetic & Desolation - Portland, OR
Ice Harbor - Hop Warrior - Kennewick, WA


Not unlike the Stratocaster, a fine IPA enjoys a full tonal & frequency spectrum range in the flavor department. So my beer preferences only make sense.

I'm so glad to share this moment of beer culture with you!

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1955 Fender Strat with Case - Friday Strat #200

Collector's Stratocaster - A Strat for Friday #200

From Listing: 

"Q: How much is just a 1955 fender statocaster case worth? need info! the one that i have is in very poor condition but i was wondering how much it might still sell for, if u have any info you can give me i would love to hear, thank you so much. Brady Nov-25-10

A: I am afraid to let you know this but we can not sell the case only. So we are not sure how much worth the original 1955 strato case. I am sorry such inconvenience in this time. Thank you very much. Best regards."

 NO KIDDIN' BRADY!!!

"I wanna come back home now!"

"Even Kansas will do!"

I thought we should celebrate our 200th Friday Strat feature with something totally vintage and extravagant. And the above pics display just that. Tokyo based Ishibashi Music is listing this '55 w/case at $61K. Ishibashi is a big gear retailer with 15 stores throughout Japan. They stock a very large inventory of hi-end and vintage gear-- and ship internationally. USA shipping on this guitar is $160. Then you'll probably wanna tack on some insurance too. Only a suggestion...

Myself, I'm just sittin' here diggin' the photos and the wide grain of that old growth ash body. Then I plan to move on with my life, and maybe have some lunch. Oooh! And check out the wear-thru on the pickup covers! click images for close-ups.

Friday Strat Archive

Hi-end Strats!

Current listings - Top Dealers

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