Fender Stratocaster 1963 Glas Custom Candy Apple Red Relic 7.6lbs w/ Tweed Case
Candy Apple Red is one of those finishes that never needs much introduction. Paired with a relic’d rosewood board, parchment plastics and cream controls, this Glas Customs Golden Era build is our riff on a well-played 1963 Stratocaster. It draws from the pre-CBS era without trying to become a forensic museum clone, giving the guitar its own personality while preserving the look, tone and feel that made the originals so special.
This guitar uses genuine Fender parts or better, along with carefully selected boutique components. It was completed entirely by hand in Los Angeles over approximately four to six months, including the finish work, checking, hardware aging, wiring, fretwork, setup and final play-testing.
The Candy Apple Red nitro finish has been extensively UV bombed to deepen the color, promote natural-looking checking and create the subtle fading and ambering associated with decades-old lacquer. The wear is expressive rather than clinical, giving this guitar the appearance and feel of an instrument that has already lived a serious life.
At a beautifully balanced 7.6 lbs, this Strat feels comfortable on the strap while retaining the solid, immediate response expected from an early-’60s-style build.
The genuine Fender neck follows classic ’60s specifications, with a relic’d rosewood fingerboard, period-correct decal and a naturally broken-in feel. The fingerboard edges have been hand rolled, the nut hand finished, and the frets professionally dressed and polished.
Kluson Supreme staggered tuners complete the headstock, retaining the traditional vintage appearance while offering excellent stability and smooth operation.
The guitar is loaded with a Fender Custom Shop Fat ’50s Stratocaster pickup set. The bridge measures approximately 6.7kΩ, the middle approximately 6.11kΩ and the neck approximately 6.0kΩ, creating a balanced set with a little extra authority at the bridge. Expect a warm, rounded neck position, hollow and expressive in-between tones, and a bridge pickup with enough output and definition to cut through without becoming harsh.
The electronics include:
- Fender Custom Shop Fat ’50s Stratocaster pickups
- CTS matched 450G potentiometers
- Full vintage cloth wiring
- 5-way pickup selector switch
- Treble tone control modification
- TonePros 4-point output jack
- 0.047μF paper-in-oil capacitor
- Genuine vintage solder
The 0.047μF paper-in-oil capacitor was deliberately paired with the fuller Fat ’50s pickup voice to provide a broad, useful tone-control sweep while preserving clarity and openness. The 5-way selector and treble tone control modification also provide greater control over the bridge pickup for real-world stage and studio use.
The chrome hardware has been tastefully aged throughout. The vintage-spec 56mm tremolo is set flat with three springs for stable tuning, strong resonance and a solid feel beneath the picking hand. The tremolo arm is included.
The parchment pickguard is paired with cream knobs and switch tip, adding subtle contrast against the deep Candy Apple Red finish.
Set up with 9–42 strings, low action and accurate intonation, this one feels loose, fast and immediately responsive. It rings beautifully unplugged and 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. From the UV-bombed finish and checking to the wiring, nut work and final play feel, this is a boutique-grade Strat made for serious stage and studio work.
Condition
This guitar is listed in Excellent condition. The checking, finish wear, hardware aging and cosmetic marks are intentional and form part of the Glas relic process.
Neck Specifications
- Genuine Fender Neck
- Fingerboard: Rosewood
- Profile: ’60s U/C
- Fingerboard Radius: 7.25"
- Frets: 21 Vintage
- Neck Finish: Nitrocellulose
- Nut Width: Approx. 42mm
- 1st Fret Depth: Approx. 21.93mm
- 12th Fret Depth: Approx. 23.15mm
- Bridge Spacing: 56mm Vintage Spec
- Hand-Rolled Fingerboard Edges
- Hand-Finished Nut
- Professionally Dressed and Polished Frets
- Kluson Supreme Staggered Tuners
- Period-Correct Early-’60s Decal
The guitar ships in the pictured Fender tweed hard case with red plush lining, complete with the tremolo arm and ready to play straight out of the case.
If you would like to see more pictures, please check us out online, as we are limited to how many we can display on this platform.
We ship fully insured within 24 hours of cleared payment. Buy with confidence, and please check our feedback.
