The masterbuilt limited-edition John Frusciante Stratocaster is a meticulously crafted replica of Frusciante’s beloved 1962 sunburst Strat.
“Frusciantes’ Strat is right up there with the most iconic Fenders of all time; being able to work on his first-ever Signature model was a true privilege,” said Paul Waller, FCS Master Builder. “Recreating this instrument’s many beautiful imperfections was no easy feat, but behind every ding and dent is a story and it’s our job to make sure that this guitar’s narrative is told in full, stunning detail. For an instrument this heavily reliced, it still retains so much of its original beauty. A ton of work went into this one, and while much of that can be reflected in its visual components, the whole team is tremendously proud of how this thing plays. The neck has that singular worn in quality that is usually only attainable with a pre-owned vintage guitar and the Abby hand-wound pickups really speak to Fruscinate’s expressive, crystalline tone.”
While Frusciante has been known to wield a number of different Fenders, his 1962 Sunburst Stratocaster is by far the most well known. Much of Frusciante’s style can be attributed to his tremendous technique and otherworldly fusion of punk rock intensity and complex funk rhythms, but the Stratocaster® guitars unique voice informed his playing and signature sound. While many players might relegate themselves entirely to the bridge or neck pickup, Frusciante taps into the Strat guitars true potential by frequently switching between all five pickup combinations. Thanks to the bridge pickup’s midrange bite and robust output, his solos cut through both on records and live. With the flip of the switch his tone seamlessly turns crystal clear, delivering lush rhythm lines with all the roundness and warmth one could hope to expect from a neck pickup.
To honor the indelible mark that John Frusciante has made on the musical stratosphere, the Fender Custom Shop™ has spared no expense in recreating his beloved 1962 Stratocaster. The unmistakable reliced finish is expertly cast onto a two-piece alder body that is as comfortable and lightweight as it is deeply resonant. The early-60s style “C” shape rift sawn maple neck and slab rosewood fingerboard harken back to the prized trappings of the Stratocaster guitars golden era—this will leave Fender obsessives jumping for joy while players across all skill levels will revel in the neck’s comfort and playability. A set of three '60s-style Strat pickups handwound by legend, Abigail Ybarra, sing with profound dynamic range, versatile frequency response and sheer sonic power. An Ilitch Electronics Hum-Canceling system allows players to experiment as wildly with gain effects pedals as Frusciante himself without the need to worry about excessive noise.
Masterbuilt Paul Waller John Frusciante Stratocaster® Heavy Relic®
After joining the Red Hot Chili Peppers in 1988 at the age of 18, John Frusciante was quickly embraced by fans thanks to his unique blend of intricate, funky, soulful playing and unmistakable tone. Over the next three decades, Frusciante’s 1962 Sunburst Stratocaster became his go-to guitar. For this limited run, Fender Custom Shop Senior Masterbuilder Paul Waller painstakingly replicated this cherished guitar—from the faded and beautifully aged lacquer finish down to the heavily worn body contours. All the dings, dents and scars that cover this infamous Strat give players the feeling of holding a true piece of rock and roll history in the palms of their hands. The highly-resonant, select two-piece alder body, early-‘60s “C” profile rift-sawn maple neck and slab rosewood fingerboard are perfect examples of prized golden era Stratocaster appointments. The combination of those quintessential pre-CBS specs and the trio of Abigail Ybarra Hand-Wound Stratocaster pickups, with an Ilitch Electronics Hum-Canceling system, gives players the same warm, clear and expressive tones that are the foundation in Frusciante’s signature sound. Other premium features include 7.25” (184.1 mm) radius, 21 narrow tall (6105) frets, Vintage Strat wiring, 5-way switch, vintage-style synchronized tremolo, vintage-style tuners, bone nut, wing string tree with metal spacer and certificate of authenticity. Available in 3-Color Sunburst
PRS Standard 24 Satin Electric Guitar - Satin Red Apple Metallic
The exquisite BilT Brothers collaborative guitar: a Frank Brothers Ultra Light in BilT eggplant sparkleburst with Arcane 3x3 Gold Foil Humbuckers and loaded with a Caroline Custom Cannonball Distortion.
It was like any other random day at work: We had customers coming in, items shipping out, services on the bench. I was simultaneously working on a pedalboard for a customer and making plans with some vendors. I was on the phone with Brandon Darner of BilT Guitars when DHL dropped off our latest Frank Brothers guitar. Now, I’m never shy about talking up builds from any of our vendors. Spec’ing guitars for our shop, seeing their execution exceed my expectations, and then getting it into the hands of its new owner is one of my absolute favorite parts of my job. So, naturally I mentioned that we just got a new Frank Brothers in. Brandon told me how much he loved their stuff—sort of a “game recognizing game” kind of thing.
After we unboxed the guitar, I called Tim Frank to let him know how we continue to be impressed with their work and how much we loved the new arrival. I also mentioned Brandon had some very nice things to say about their work. Tim’s response was something like, “Oh wow! That’s really cool. Their stuff is amazing and we have a lot of respect for those guys.” At first, I thought he was just being polite, but I’ve gotten to know him pretty well. I knew that the compliment and sentiment was genuine and past the point of his wonderful Canadian pleasantness. One thing led to another, and I started a group text. Very quickly, they became friends. In fact, Brandon even ordered a Frank Brothers shortly after the introduction.
The Frank Brothers and BilT team, left to right: Tim Frank, Tim Thelen (BilT), Nick Frank, and Brandon Darner (BilT).
My last call of the day was to Philippe Herndon from Caroline Guitar Company. As we talked, he was glowing about the pedal building community and how friendly and collaborative it is, and obvious questions popped into my head: “Why aren’t guitar companies like that?” “Why can’t we do a collab guitar?”
Long story extremely short, with tons of excitement, I got Brandon and Tim on the phone and proposed the idea of doing a guitar together. Without hesitation, the response from both was “Hell yeah, let’s do it!” and it was time for us to spec it. We decided on a Frank Brothers Ultra Light. BilT would apply their world-class fit/finish as well as their signature effects treatment. I picked my favorite finish in the BilT repertoire called eggplant sparkleburst, selected Arcane 3x3 Gold Foil Humbuckers, and tapped Philippe on the shoulder to ask if he had any Custom Cannonball Distortions—the first pedal I bought from Caroline in 2013—that he could provide for the build, to which he happily obliged.
A year or so later, the BilT Brothers was born. Of course, it is exceptional beyond words and is a true testament to the results of these incredible companies working together to produce something truly remarkable. We decided, with custom shirts and all, to proudly debut our creation at Fretboard Summit in Chicago. The reaction from everyone exceeded our expectations and showed me that the level of mutual respect and admiration in this business can lead to phenomenal results.
This project has opened a lot of doors that I’m not sure anyone knew existed. For me, the most exciting part of all of this is the fact that, like the smaller pedal companies, there is an actual community here filled with like-minded, pure enthusiasts who also happen to be master craftsmen—and who truly geek out over each other’s work.
Never was this more evident than at the Wood Wire Volts show this January, where not only did the BilT and Frank Brothers crews travel and stay together, they were also often in deep chats with fellow luminaries Sacha Dunable (Dunable Guitars) and Carlos Lopez (Castedosa Guitars), discussing the trade, the work, and ideas for the future. If the vibe is any indicator, we can safely assume that while the BilT Brothers was, by all accounts, the first ever collab guitar of its kind, it will not be the last.
This entire experience is reminiscent of the DIY community ethos that I’ve clung to and has inspired me for most of my life. There is a cliché about the journey being greater than the destination, and while the destination in this case is one of the finest guitars I’ve ever laid my hands on, I’d have to say it holds true
