Check this out Boys and Girls ! All the way from our fine friends in Japan. A Custom Edition Candy Apple Red 1957 Reissue Stratocaster. These are the rare ones that have a tough time sneaking out of the country. Some of Japan's best kept secrets are their non export reissue guitars.

I have seen the Custom Edition guitars on that seldom ocassion and sometimes they are described as EXTRAD models. STOP !! They aren't, the EXTRAD would be like a Master Built American counterpart. Truly, unique and exquisitely built. "Custom Edition" is like the name implies and more Custom Shop comparison in build.

Say your local dealer wanted a purple strat with matching headstock. They can negotiate a deal with Fender to have that guitar made for them if they agree to have "X many" made. Same in Japan, this is one of the few different limited runs that have been done. I also own a "Hellecaster" strat which is of a limited run under 300.

As you can see I have had this stripped and professionally repainted into a most recognizable strat currently played by Eric Clapton. Obviously the non EC neck, pickups and lack of EC Boost feature make this guitar just a pretty wanna be. But I love it !