The Guitar Player's Resource
If you've ever been moved by Eric Clapton's ability to make every note count with both technical precision and deep emotional expression, this orange-finished guitar represents the perfect marriage of visual appeal and that classic Strat voice he wielded so masterfully.
When Fender's Custom Shop teams up with Eddie's Guitars in St. Louis, you know something special is brewing. This collaboration produced a 1963 Stratocaster that breaks with early '60s convention in all the right ways - proving that sometimes the best vintage reissues know when to improve on the original formula.
Here's what makes this '63 different: instead of the rosewood fingerboard you'd expect on an early '60s Fender, you're getting roasted maple throughout the neck. That's not just a cosmetic choice - roasted maple provides incredible clarity and sustain while maintaining the brightness that made maple necks legendary. Paired with that lightweight roasted ash body, this guitar delivers acoustic liveliness and resonance that you can actually feel through your chest when you're playing unplugged.
The real magic happens when you plug in and experience those handwound Eddie's Exclusive '63 pickups. These aren't just another vintage reissue pickup set - they're based on the Custom Shop's Big Dipper John Mayer and Texas Special designs, but tweaked specifically for this guitar. You're getting funky, scooped-mids character with a throatier bridge pickup that's not overwound but has serious presence. The result is incredibly well-balanced pickup response with breath and versatility that covers way more musical ground than you'd expect.
That 9.5"-12" compound radius fingerboard gives you comfortable chord work down low and fast, low-action lead playing up high. The Custom C '63 neck profile feels substantial without being chunky, while those 21 narrow tall frets provide excellent note articulation. At 7 pounds 15 ounces, this guitar has enough mass for sustain without causing shoulder fatigue during long sessions.
The nitrocellulose lacquer finish ages naturally, developing character over time, while the American Vintage bridge provides classic Strat vibrato expression with period-correct feel.
Roasted Ash Body
Quartersawn Roasted Maple Neck
4 Bolt Neck Joint with Contour
Nitrocellulose Lacquer Finish
Custom C '63 Strat Neck Profile
Matching Headstock Finish
9.5" - 12" Compound Fingerboard Radius
.790" 1st Fret / .930" 12th Fret
3 Ply Parchment Pickguard
21 Narrow Tall 6105 Frets
Handwound Eddie's Exclusive '63 Stratocaster Single Coil Pickups
American Vintage Bridge - Relic
Vintage Tuning Machines with Fender Logo - Relic
5-way Switching
7 lbs 15 oz
