This is a 1991 Fender American Vintage Series ’57 Stratocaster, V05 serial, from that brief, glorious moment when Fender was absolutely not messing about. Early ’90s AVRI guitars sat right at the top of the catalogue — low production, high standards, thin nitro everywhere, and zero interest in trends. While the rest of the world was discovering flannel and distortion pedals with more knobs than sense, Fender quietly built these for people who actually cared. They didn’t make many. They didn’t shout about it. And three decades later, they don’t hang around.
 
The original 2-tone Sunburst nitro finish is still doing exactly what nitro is supposed to do — breathe, age, and pick up a few stories along the way. There are some dings, a bit of honest wear, and nicely mellowed hardware patina. The alder body retains its vintage-correct shoulderless control cavity, the tremolo is the proper cold-rolled steel affair with bent steel saddles, and the whole thing weighs in at a very sensible 3.7 kg. It feels like a Strat should — alive, resonant, and slightly smug about it.
 
The neck is where this one quietly wins people over. A proper ’57-style C-shape maple neck with the all-important narrow 12th-fret dot spacing, stamped Servin Jan 14 1991 at the heel. It’s been professionally refretted with correct vintage wire and refinished in clear nitro, which means it now plays like a dream while still looking like it’s always known better than you. Classic 7.25" radius, comfortable 42.5 mm nut, and that unmistakable early-AVRI feel that modern guitars keep trying to reissue again.
 
Electronics? Still gloriously untouched. The guitar retains its original Fender Custom Shop single-coil pickups, wound in the 6–6.5k range with fibre bobbins, plain enamel wire and staggered Alnico V magnets — i.e. the ones people argue about on the internet because they sound too good to be true. The wiring loom is fully intact: original CRL 3-way switch, CTS pots dating to the 23rd week of 1989, original Orange Drop cap, and original Switchcraft jack. Nothing “upgraded”, nothing chased, nothing ruined by enthusiasm.
 
Even better, this one comes with the full supporting cast. The original Fender tweed hardcase with orange plush interior is here, along with the trem arm, strap, polishing cloth, and vintage-style owner’s manual. In other words, it hasn’t been separated from its belongings or subjected to a mid-2000s minimalist phase.
 
In short: this is a top-of-the-range early AVRI Strat, built in small numbers, lightly and sympathetically serviced where it counts, and otherwise left alone to age with dignity. It’s serious without being precious, vintage without being fragile, and correct without being boring.
 
Warning: prolonged exposure may cause irrational loyalty and the sale of other guitars.
 
This instrument received a full professional setup with deep body cleaning, body polish, neck deep clean, full electronics check, truss-rod and action and intonation adjustment. Restringed with D'addario 10-46 Nickel-plated steel strings.
 
 
This guitar will be shipped around UK with Parcelforce courier, safely packed into a sturdy guitar cardboard box. 24h courier service provided to UK customers. We also ship to USA, Canada, Japan, Australia and many other places, but at the moment we don't ship to EU or Northern Ireland - but please drop us a message if you are in the EU as we might be able to deliver in person.