Hows about this stunning 1965 Fender Stratocaster in custom colour Candy Apple Red.

Joe Bailon, an famous car customiser who worked on cars for Zsa Zsa Gabor and Dean Martin and is and inductee in the National Rod & Custom Museum Hall of Fame, is first credits with creating Candy Apple Red in the early 50s. It was popular with hot-rodders for its deep colour and the way the metallic paint layer reflected the light. It first appeared on the Fender colour charts in 1963 and it quickly became one of their most popular colour choices.

Candy Apple Red is one of our favourite custom colours here at ATB Guitars and this one is exemplary, in fact it is without a doubt the finest example of the colour we have seen. The dictionary definition of a red over silver candy apple finish, its been expertly applied (not always the case) so that the red is translucent enough to let the silver sparkle underneath catch the light and give the finish a stunning depth. Added to this is the checking which gives it further movement. There are a few minor dings but nothing to serious.

This very same guitar was considered gorgeous enough to be featured in a special Guitarist Magazine feature, a copy of which is included in the sale.

The neck too has retained the gloss finish with very little wear. The headstock has some wear to the back but the face is in good condition as is the logo. The fretboard and frets are in great condition.

The hardware shows very little signs of wear. As this is an early 1965 example, this guitar comes with many 64 spec features such as the nitrate green guard (which is near immaculate) and clay dots on the side markers.

The plastics too are fantastic. The pickguard is still celluloid nitrate which has escaped shrinkage and as such hasn’t cracked. The other plastics have too have almost totally escaped fading.

Electronically everything looks to be correct and all the solder joints are undisturbed. There has been the addition of a short jumper from the middle pickup tone control to the bridge lug on the selector switch which is a simple modification to reverse which we can do free of charge if the new owner so desires.

The guitar comes with a Blonde Tolex hardshell case from 1963 or early 64 but we can change this for a correct 1965 case too if the new owner so desires..

Many of those classic Strat tones live in these mid-60’s guitars. The grey bottom pickups deliver a lush sound that does not drift too far towards the thinner end of the spectrum, retaining some of the fullness of the earlier incarnation Fender single coils. 

This guitar looks and sounds stunning with a finish that is without a shadow of a doubt the best we’ve seen. Surely a must have in any collection.