1996 Fender Custom Shop 1960 FMT Stratocaster, Aged Cherry Sunburst

A particularly nice early Fender Custom Shop Strat, this 1960 FMT combines vintage-inspired ’60s spec with some seriously nice timber! FMT stands for Flamed Maple Top... very much the centrepiece here. The highly figured maple cap sits over a beautifully figured body, with the Sunburst showing the grain off perfectly. The neck is equally impressive, with strong flame running through the maple topped with a slab rosewood fingerboard. It carries a June ’96 stamp along with a May ’96 pencil date. The profile is a comfortable C and measures 41.8mm at the nut, with a depth of 21.2mm at the 1st fret and 23mm at the 12th. It is a very easy guitar to play and feels immediately familiar in the hand. Period literature for the model lists a 25.5” scale, 21 frets, vintage-style tuners and tremolo, aged 3-ply guard and a set of Texas Special single coils with 5-way switching. The FMT version was part of Fender’s Custom Shop range through the 1990s and was offered in finishes including 3-Colour Sunburst, Aged Cherry Sunburst and Natural. Tonally, the Texas Specials add a little more output and midrange push, while still retaining plenty of Strat clarity, chime and attack. Combined with the comfortable neck and vintage-style hardware, it makes for a very usable guitar. This example is clean and original throughout. The flame maple neck, slab rosewood board and figured maple top give it a nice high-end feel bespoke feel. Complete with tweed case and Fender Certificate of Authenticity.