The Pinnacle of Masterbuilt Stratocaster Artistry
Adorned with one-of-a-kind custom artwork, this Fender Custom Shop Masterbuilt Stratocaster marks the latest collaboration between Master Builder Greg Fessler and accomplished artist Madison Roy. Their partnership goes all the way back to 2014, and Madison’s hand-painted guitars are truly among the most striking 6-strings we see in the Sweetwater Guitar Gallery. For this Strat, the alder body sports eye-catching multicolored streaks, set off by a gleaming gold outline. Beneath this fine finish lies the impeccable handiwork of one of the Masterbuilt program’s most veteran luthiers, from the deep ’57-style body contours to the AA flame maple neck’s chunky ’59 Esquire-style profile and exquisite fretwork. What about tone? Fender Custom Shop hand-wound Fat ’50s Stratocaster pickups embolden the crisp, glassy sound of a Leo Fender-era Strat with an added dose of heft and heat. Top-of-the-line Fender hardware — including a classic Synchronized Strat tremolo and vintage-spec Fender tuners — rounds out this instrument with stage-ready performance and reliability. Whether you’re looking to make a splash onstage or hunting after a showpiece guitar to tie your collection together, this Fender Custom Shop Masterbuilt Stratocaster is an heirloom-worthy example of electric guitar artistry.
Related Videos: Stratocaster Masterbuilt by Greg Fessler - Madison Roy Custom Artwork
Classic Strat construction — with modern fixings
Who says they don’t build 'em like they used to? This Masterbuilt Stratocaster boasts exquisite 1950s-inspired construction, featuring a solid alder body with deep 1957-style contours. Carved from AA flame maple, the neck and fingerboard provide maximum visual appeal. Additionally, this Masterbuilt Stratocaster’s 1959 Esquire-style C profile, 9.5-inch fingerboard radius, and narrow-tall frets meet at the crossroads of modern playability and vintage vibe.
This is what classic sounds like
When it comes to delivering exceptional tones, Sweetwater’s stable of Strat fanatics finds this Fender Custom Shop Masterbuilt Stratocaster to be a bona fide classic. The trio of hand-wound Fat ’50s single-coil pickups infuses your playing with immaculate vintage-flavored Strat tones. These Custom Shop pickups are engineered to deliver the glassy highs and warm lows you’d expect from a ’50s-era instrument. These calibrated pickups boast hand-beveled, staggered Alnico V magnets and Formvar magnet wire, yielding a balanced output with incredibly smooth mids. You also get period-correct cloth wire and fiber bobbins. Additionally, the middle pickup is reverse-wound for hum cancellation.
Meet the Master Builder: Fender Custom Shop’s Greg Fessler
Greg Fessler joined the Fender Custom Shop in 1990 as an apprentice and quickly rose through the ranks, contributing to the Robben Ford signature line before becoming the legendary guitarist’s personal builder. Over the years, Greg has crafted one-of-a-kind Stratocaster and Telecaster models for renowned artists such as Joe Bonamassa, Jeff Healey, Hank Marvin, John Mayer, Rhonda Smith, Neil Schon, and Pete Wentz. His reputation as a Master Builder stems from his meticulous attention to detail and unwavering commitment to excellence, earning him praise from Fender artists and discerning players worldwide.
Fender Custom Shop Masterbuilt Stratocaster Features:
- A gallery-worthy Stratocaster, handcrafted by Master Builder Greg Fessler and finished with custom artwork by Madison Roy
- One-of-a-kind artwork sports a gleaming gold base with multicolored streaks throughout
- Alder body with deep 1957-style body contours for enhanced comfort
- AA flame maple neck shaped into a hefty 1959 Esquire C profile
- Maple fingerboard features a 9.5-in. radius and narrow-tall frets, complementing the neck’s vintage feel with modern playability
- Fender Custom Shop hand-wound Fat ’50s Stratocaster pickups inject added heat and power into the legendary vintage Strat sound
- Traditional Fender hardware includes a classic Synchronized tremolo unit and slot-in vintage-style Fender tuning machines
- Old-school single-ply white pickguard and witch hat knobs
