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Fender Masterbuilt '63 Relic Strat (Ron Thorn, 2021)
Principal MB Ron Thorn · Graffity Yellow · 12" radius · only 3.27 kg
| Model | Fender Custom Shop Masterbuilt 1963 Stratocaster · Heavy Relic |
|---|---|
| Master Builder | Ron Thorn (Principal Master Builder) |
| Year | 2021 |
| Finish | Graffity Yellow · Heavy Relic |
| Weight | 3.27 kg |
| Neck | Modern V (rolling into a C) |
| Fretboard | AAA rosewood · 12" radius · 6105 frets · vintage clay dots |
| Pickups | Fender CS '69 (original hand-wound Fat '60s included in the case) |
| Included | Original Fender case · certificate · assorted case candy (see photos) · original hand-wound pickups in the case |
Videos
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A stunning 1963 Strat from Principal Master Builder Ron Thorn — and far more than just an eye-catcher.
We're offering this striking 1963 Heavy Relic Strat on behalf of its owner, built by Principal Master Builder Ron Thorn. Masterbuilt guitars get the best ingredients the Fender Custom Shop has, which is why they caught on so quickly. To keep up with the orders, Fender expanded the Master Builder team a few years back and appointed a “Principal Master Builder” for the first time — Ron Thorn, a man who had already made a name for himself with his own Thorn Guitars.
The Graffity Yellow heavy relic work is a feast for the eyes, and photos struggle to do justice to how deep and varied it is up close. Add a lovely AAA rosewood board with vintage clay dots and the whole thing looks every bit the part. The spec is built for playing, too: a rare 12" radius, 6105 frets and a beautifully shaped neck with a grippy Modern V — and that V is only really there down at the nut before it rolls into a comfortable C. The selected timber means it delivers on what the looks promise. At a light 3.27 kg this is a very lively '63 with plenty of dynamics, bite and twang.
The owner liked the original pickups well enough, but wanted the voice to go somewhere slightly different, so a set of Fender Custom Shop '69s went in. The original hand-wound Fat '60s come with it in the case.
Plug it in and there's pretty much nothing in the Strat repertoire it won't do — Knopfler, Hendrix, Stevie Ray, Bryan Adams. It handles higher gain settings just as happily and stays clear and cutting while it does.
A masterbuilt Strat like this is a find for anyone after a first-class instrument that also turns a few heads. It was bought used at Guitarpoint some years ago for €7,750 and then fitted with the extra pickups. Here's a rare chance to pick it up for considerably less.