I've always loved a Strat, though I gravitate to the Tele. Mick Taylor on That Pedal Show has a sonic blue '62 reissue, and I thought: I'm going to make my ideal '62 Strat. Not a copy — exactly how I'd want it to feel, play and sound.
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Squier bodies are six mil thinner than the American ones and I like the feel of the thinner one, so I split the difference, three mil either way. Otherwise I took the Fender blueprints and went as close as I could. Monty's '62 pickups. A brass trem block rather than steel for a bit more sustain, set up floating — there's an art to that. A 9.5 radius rather than the original 7.25, built to be comfortable on nines. It was an entirely selfish build with no thought about what would sell, and it's a hundred per cent the sound that was in my head. Positions two and four are where I live on a Strat; you could take out the other three and I'd never miss them. It's got my name on the headstock, not Fender's, for obvious reasons. I'm going to be quite upset when it sells.
I mean there is nothing I would like more than a genuine 1962 Strat in sonic blue, that looks like it's been around the block yet still sings with the versatility Leo imbued in that classic design 70 plus years ago.
Well… OK, it's not the real deal… hell, it's not even a 'fake'… what it is, is me making a guitar with that spec(ish), with that ethos, with that sound in my head and that groove in my heart… I give you 'Echo'… my own take on a '62 classic. And yes, it's very much inspired by That Pedal Show's Mick Taylor's 'Blue' Strat, but with my own twist… Well, duh… 'obvs', as apparently the kids say these days.
One piece alder body, 3mm thinner than stock Fender but 3mm thicker than a Squier, sonic blue nitrocellulose finish with some of my best relic work to date, I mean just look at that checking throughout. Maple neck, rosewood fretboard with mother of pearl inlays. CTS pots, NOS dime cap, tone pots wired for neck and middle/bridge together. Brass trem block, Oak Grigsby 5 way switch, Switchcraft jack, hand relic'd pickguard and three stunning hand wound '62 Classic' pickups from the legends at Monty's Guitars.
Ships in a BJG branded ABS hard case. This guitar is built and ready to go.
