Here we have a Glas Customs Stratocaster build inspired by Eric Clapton’s legendary Blackie, stripped back to the essentials and rebuilt with the feel of a heavily played ’50s instrument. Finished in aged black nitro with a smoked-out maple neck, it has the look of a guitar that spent decades under stage lights, in clubs and on the road.
Built entirely by hand in Los Angeles as part of the Glas Golden Era Collection, the finish work, aging, fretwork, wiring, assembly and final setup were completed over approximately four to six months.
The alder body is finished in thin black nitro and given a full heavy-relic treatment, with extensive checking, edge wear, exposed wood and naturally uneven aging throughout. The maple neck and headstock have also been smoked and aged to match, giving the guitar one cohesive, road-worn character rather than the appearance of separately relic’d parts.
At only 7.4 lbs, this is a killer weight for a ’50s-inspired Strat. It feels light and balanced on the strap, rings clearly when played acoustically and responds immediately beneath the hands.
The genuine Fender maple neck features a late-’50s soft V profile, 7.25" radius and 21 vintage-tall frets. The profile fills the palm without becoming oversized, while the aged nitro finish gives it a smooth, naturally played-in feel. The fingerboard edges have been hand rolled, the synthetic-bone nut hand finished, and the frets professionally dressed and polished.
Kluson Supreme staggered tuners provide smooth operation and excellent tuning stability while maintaining the traditional headstock appearance.
At the heart of the guitar is an Arcane ’54 pickup set. These are clear, open and highly dynamic, with the dry attack, glassy upper register and woody low-output character associated with the earliest Stratocasters. The neck remains warm and articulate, while the bridge retains plenty of bite without becoming thin.
The electronics include:
- Arcane ’54 pickup set
- 56mm vintage spacing
- CTS matched 450G potentiometers
- Full vintage cloth wiring
- 5-way pickup selector switch
- Treble tone control modification
- 0.047µF paper-in-oil capacitor
- TonePros 4-point output jack
- Genuine vintage solder
The 0.047µF paper-in-oil capacitor was intentionally selected for a more gradual and usable tone sweep than the darker 0.1µF value commonly associated with mid-’50s Stratocasters. It retains the vintage character of the circuit while offering greater control for modern stage and studio work.
The internal control cavity has also been copper shielded to reduce unwanted electrical noise and interference without changing the natural response of the pickups.
A heavily aged single-ply white pickguard is paired with cream pickup covers, knobs and switch tip, following the stark black-and-white character associated with Blackie. A discreet heel-access cutout has been added to the guard, allowing straightforward truss-rod adjustment without removing the neck or lifting the complete assembly.
The vintage-style tremolo has been intentionally configured as a permanently fixed, hardtail-like system. Five springs hold the bridge firmly against the body, creating excellent tuning stability, strong note attack and a direct, focused response while retaining the classic appearance of a vintage Strat bridge.
The guitar is strung with 9–42s and set with low action and accurate intonation. The lightweight alder body, vintage-tall frets and soft V neck create an exceptionally responsive playing experience, and the whole guitar plays like hot butter.
Now, relics aren’t for everyone. But these builds aren’t museum clones. They’re pieces of functional art made to riff on the golden era with purpose: vintage tone, old-school looks and high-performance reliability. Every part is assembled by hand, and every detail is reviewed and tested before it leaves our shop.
Condition
This guitar is listed in Excellent condition. The heavy checking, finish loss, exposed wood, hardware aging and cosmetic marks are intentional and form part of the Glas relic process.
Neck Specifications
- First fret depth: approximately 21.59 mm
- 12th fret depth: approximately 24.89 mm
- Genuine Fender maple neck
- Profile: Late-’50s soft V
- Radius: 7.25"
- Frets: 21 vintage tall
- Scale length: 25.5"
- Nut width: Approximately 42mm
- Synthetic-bone nut, hand finished
- Heel-adjust truss rod, fully functional
- Hand-rolled fingerboard edges
- Professionally dressed and polished frets
- Kluson Supreme staggered tuners
- Smoked and aged headstock
- Vintage-style decal
The guitar ships in the pictured Fender TSA-locking flight case with wheels and plush interior. Its black road-case construction is a fitting nod to the famous Duck Bros. Anvil flight case associated with Blackie, while offering excellent modern protection.
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