In 2009 the new Custom Deluxe Stratocasters were unveiled; they were described by Fender as «designed for the working musician» and took the place of the Custom Classic Strats in Fender catalogs.
At a first glance, they could appear as very normal Stratocasters, but differed from the "standard" model for some important upgrades, like pickups, tuning machines and bridge.
In fact they featured a "C" shaped figured maple neck with very dark Indian rosewood or maple fretboard, 9.5 inch radius, equipped with twenty-two narrow jumbo frets. The two pivots Deluxe bridge with pop-in arm was ideal for those who loved the intense use of the vibrato in Jeff Beck style, and the staggered Schaller tuning machines (at first self-locking) made the use of the string trees superfluous.
The Texas Special pickups at the neck, Custom ’69 with grey bobbin at the bridge and in central position (the latter hum cancelling reverse wound/reverse polarity), gave the guitars «such a great tone that you hardly need any overdrive to make the notes sing out», as Fender’s ad recited.
The select alder or premium ash bodies were available in the very beautiful nitro high gloss thin skin finishes, suitable for “relic haters”.
To all this was obviously added the build quality of the Custom Shop.
Since 2011 Fender has been proposing a different version of the Custom Deluxe Stratocaster every year, regarding both the specs and the available colors: sometimes by using different finishes and top, other times slightly different contours or tuning machines or pickups, but always realizing modern and performing guitars. The Custom Deluxe Strats remained in production until 2015, when they were replaced by the American Custom Series, different in name but conceptually similar.
At a first glance, they could appear as very normal Stratocasters, but differed from the "standard" model for some important upgrades, like pickups, tuning machines and bridge.
In fact they featured a "C" shaped figured maple neck with very dark Indian rosewood or maple fretboard, 9.5 inch radius, equipped with twenty-two narrow jumbo frets. The two pivots Deluxe bridge with pop-in arm was ideal for those who loved the intense use of the vibrato in Jeff Beck style, and the staggered Schaller tuning machines (at first self-locking) made the use of the string trees superfluous.
The Texas Special pickups at the neck, Custom ’69 with grey bobbin at the bridge and in central position (the latter hum cancelling reverse wound/reverse polarity), gave the guitars «such a great tone that you hardly need any overdrive to make the notes sing out», as Fender’s ad recited.
The select alder or premium ash bodies were available in the very beautiful nitro high gloss thin skin finishes, suitable for “relic haters”.
To all this was obviously added the build quality of the Custom Shop.
Since 2011 Fender has been proposing a different version of the Custom Deluxe Stratocaster every year, regarding both the specs and the available colors: sometimes by using different finishes and top, other times slightly different contours or tuning machines or pickups, but always realizing modern and performing guitars. The Custom Deluxe Strats remained in production until 2015, when they were replaced by the American Custom Series, different in name but conceptually similar.
Antonio Calvosa
2009-2010
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2011
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2011
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2012
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2013
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2014
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