Mike McCready Fender Custom Shop Strat

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Comments

  • bbiggsbbiggs Posts: 6,926
    F’n awesome. 
  • tempo_n_groovetempo_n_groove Posts: 38,847
    It is made of alder. 
    Yes, I found this out afterwards.  I did not know that Alder was even a wood.  Learn something new every day!

    pjpjpaul said:
    pjpjpaul said:
    Haha.  That sitcom comment was pretty funny. I am definitely going to play this guitar.  
    How many did they make? Seems like they sold out in minutes despite the large asking price. Sweet looking guitar and glad its going to someone who will actually play it.
    60 made.  It is already scraped up so no sense not playing it. 
    Are there literally "scratches" on that guitar?  That isn't a composite shell, it's the real deal?  Same wood as the OG?
    From what I understand they start with a guitar as close to what it would have been new (back then) and then age it by hand to look like it has been beat to hell over the years. 
    The wood is what I was curious about being that ash is hard to find now.
    Is it really that hard to find now? I know fender said they were going to stop using it on certain instruments but I still see it being used by warmoth and in some fender stuff and a few other companies. Not nearly as prevalent as it once was but still more than I thought would be out there. 
    Ash has become increasingly hard to find.  We have a thread about it somewhere.  Baseball bats are now made of maple instead of ash.  The Emerald beetle is destroying the Ash trees unfortunately.
  • tempo_n_groovetempo_n_groove Posts: 38,847

    Aaaaand the big question.  How does it sound?
  • bootlegger10bootlegger10 Posts: 15,489

    Aaaaand the big question.  How does it sound?
    I may be a little bit clouded by the hoopla of it all, but when I hit the low E at the beginning of Ledbetter it sounds just about exactly like McCeady.  It sounds fantastic and it definitely has a broken in feel to it.  It sounds a lot different than the strats I have now.  

    Paying for the art and nostalgia but the guitar is awesome as a guitar.
  • DennisDennis Posts: 27
    Wow! Can‘t wait to get mine! What is the „McCready case candy kit“ mentioned in the product description?
  • Jason PJason P Posts: 19,121


    I think I'm going to use your "no kids" Jedi mind-trick to justify getting a new american ultra strat =)

    Good to know a few of these got into the hands of the fans.  I assumed some tech billionaire just bought the whole batch.

    Also, I think it is a good investment as it will only go up in value.   Car, guitars, watches, baby. 
  • bootlegger10bootlegger10 Posts: 15,489
    Dennis said:
    Wow! Can‘t wait to get mine! What is the „McCready case candy kit“ mentioned in the product description?
    I will send you a pm in case some want it to be a surprise. It is cool. 
  • bootlegger10bootlegger10 Posts: 15,489
    Jason P said:


    I think I'm going to use your "no kids" Jedi mind-trick to justify getting a new american ultra strat =)

    Good to know a few of these got into the hands of the fans.  I assumed some tech billionaire just bought the whole batch.

    Also, I think it is a good investment as it will only go up in value.   Car, guitars, watches, baby. 
    Buy it and ask for forgiveness later!
  • 2-feign-reluctance2-feign-reluctance TigerTown, USA Posts: 23,090
    Oh man, congratulations! May it bring many many years of happiness to you! 
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  • tempo_n_groovetempo_n_groove Posts: 38,847
    Jason P said:


    I think I'm going to use your "no kids" Jedi mind-trick to justify getting a new american ultra strat =)

    Good to know a few of these got into the hands of the fans.  I assumed some tech billionaire just bought the whole batch.

    Also, I think it is a good investment as it will only go up in value.   Car, guitars, watches, baby. 
    I can't imagine anyone trying to corner the market on these, lol.

    It would be cool to know if any other musicians picked one up to play instead of paying 500G's for an OG.
  • gimmesometruth27gimmesometruth27 St. Fuckin Louis Posts: 22,129
    man that is fucking awesome!! congratulations!!!
    There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self.- Hemingway

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  • mcgruff10mcgruff10 New Jersey Posts: 27,739
    Damn I just saw this thread, that guitar is amazing!!!!!! So jealous.   Did you get number 60?
    mike uses that on what songs? Even flow, yellow, alive, ?
    I'll ride the wave where it takes me......
  • DennisDennis Posts: 27
    Has the guitar been sighted in Europe yet? 
  • Jason PJason P Posts: 19,121
    I'm seriously considering at a custom shop in the era of Mike's 59 60 strat.  Was ready to pull the trigger on a new ultra american strat but really wasn't sure about the noiseless pickups ... so I did what any reasonable person would do and started looking at guitars that cost twice as much :s

    The McCready strat has custom wound "Josefina" pickups in the spec listing.   Anyone have an idea of what pickups in the custom shop closely model these?
  • bootlegger10bootlegger10 Posts: 15,489
    edited January 2022
    I think Josefina is just one of the top people at Fender as far as pickups go.  I think she was taught by the main pickup winder that was taught by Leo Fender.  I assume it would just be a 1960 strat pickup style that you would be going for.  I am not sure what is close on the shop.
    Post edited by bootlegger10 on
  • Jason PJason P Posts: 19,121
    Yeah, it appears Josefina is a person.  The custom shop order sheet (whoa ...) has "josefina" wound pickups as options.  From what I've read the josefine McCready pickups were custom made to exact match his so I'm not surprised "mccready" isn't an option listed (dammit).  But they do have options for almost every year from mid 50's to late 60's (who hoo).  now I need to figure out the differences in each year.


  • gimmesometruth27gimmesometruth27 St. Fuckin Louis Posts: 22,129
    Jason P said:
    Yeah, it appears Josefina is a person.  The custom shop order sheet (whoa ...) has "josefina" wound pickups as options.  From what I've read the josefine McCready pickups were custom made to exact match his so I'm not surprised "mccready" isn't an option listed (dammit).  But they do have options for almost every year from mid 50's to late 60's (who hoo).  now I need to figure out the differences in each year.


    you can probably just contact the custom shop through the fender website. i am sure they have been asked that question before. and if anybody is gonna know, i would bet it would be people at the custom shop. good luck!
    There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self.- Hemingway

    "Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
  • Jason PJason P Posts: 19,121
    Jason P said:
    Yeah, it appears Josefina is a person.  The custom shop order sheet (whoa ...) has "josefina" wound pickups as options.  From what I've read the josefine McCready pickups were custom made to exact match his so I'm not surprised "mccready" isn't an option listed (dammit).  But they do have options for almost every year from mid 50's to late 60's (who hoo).  now I need to figure out the differences in each year.


    you can probably just contact the custom shop through the fender website. i am sure they have been asked that question before. and if anybody is gonna know, i would bet it would be people at the custom shop. good luck!

    I'm too nervous too! =)  I dread they will ask me some technical question and I will have a deer in the headlights response.   But yeah, that would be the logical way to approach this question.  I think I will go that route after I start going through the custom shop option sheet and understanding it ... which could take some time. 

    I'm also curious on what the cost difference is versus a buying a pre-built custom shop guitar that a retailer sells ($4K-$5K entry) versus if you actually "custom" build your guitar.  Fender doesn't list prices in the order sheet, so if I go that route I'll probably build the black strat so I can play Money.
  • bootlegger10bootlegger10 Posts: 15,489
    I have not gone through the process but it sounds like you have to work through a Fender dealer versus fender directly.  


    I know some on this board have worked with shops to get orders put in.  Long wait time right now for master built.  Some  are three years out.  The shops could answer all of your questions.  Who cares if you don’t know all the technical stuff.  Fun way to learn!

  • bootlegger10bootlegger10 Posts: 15,489
    Good luck with the sale!  Sweet guitar. 
  • PSUS2HPSUS2H USA Posts: 2,049
    This is promising, supposedly a more budget friendly McCready strat is in the works.

    https://www.guitarworld.com/news/pearl-jam-mike-mccready-more-affordable-signature-fender-stratocaster
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  • PSUS2H said:
    This is promising, supposedly a more budget friendly McCready strat is in the works.

    https://www.guitarworld.com/news/pearl-jam-mike-mccready-more-affordable-signature-fender-stratocaster

    Just curious——what would be the difference in the more affordable model? 
  • BALLBOYBALLBOY Australia Posts: 990
    PSUS2H said:
    This is promising, supposedly a more budget friendly McCready strat is in the works.

    https://www.guitarworld.com/news/pearl-jam-mike-mccready-more-affordable-signature-fender-stratocaster

    Just curious——what would be the difference in the more affordable model? Usually the pick ups & the wood are the two main contributors to what price it is

    Eastern Creek 95,Syd 1 98,Bris 2 98, Syd 1&2 03, Reading Fest 06, Bris 1 06, London 09, Hyde Park 10, Gold Coast BDO 14
  • pjpjpaulpjpjpaul Posts: 1,648
    The relicing, wood choice, pickups will likely be different. The price will most certainly be different. 
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  • pjpjpaul said:
    The relicing, wood choice, pickups will likely be different. The price will most certainly be different. 
    Ok...got it. Thanks! I have a Fender Strat American Professional that I got 2 years ago and love. Would the McCready more affordable Strat with different pickups/wood etc be much different than my current Strat and worth the investment? Just curious. 
  • PSUS2HPSUS2H USA Posts: 2,049
    The biggest thing is that you dont have the head master builder of the Fender Custom Shop (FCS) working on these by hand.  You can still have a really well made instrument that isnt from the FCS - look at the recent George Harrison signature Telecaster they released last month.
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  • Walking the milesWalking the miles Toronto Posts: 548
    Ill be honest,  i haven't been following this thread,  but im pretty sure i just saw McCready's guitar on Colbert tonight (March 30). Lead guitar in the band (special guest). If so, cool to see the younger gen embrace. 
    "Feel the path of everyday....which road you taking?"

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  • edgesredgesr Posts: 52
    I really hope that the rumours about a more affordable version are true I can see an MIM one in the line up. Judging by other signatures in that line, I'd say it'll be around $1200 or so.
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  • BALLBOYBALLBOY Australia Posts: 990
    Normans Rare Guitars guitar of the day on YouTube is one of the Mike's custom 60's strat & the Angela shows everyone how good a player she is & what an incredible job was done making it look & sound like the real thing 
    Eastern Creek 95,Syd 1 98,Bris 2 98, Syd 1&2 03, Reading Fest 06, Bris 1 06, London 09, Hyde Park 10, Gold Coast BDO 14
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