Up for sale, a 1969 Fender Custom in excellent, 100% original condition and in perfect working order, complete with a vintage hardshell case. One of Fender's shortest lived and most storied models of the late '60s, the Custom (first christened the "Maverick") was produced in particularly small quantities, with only 600-800 guitars crafted between 1969-71.

At the behest of parent company CBS, Fender stringed instruments product manager Virgilio "Babe" Simoni was tasked with finding a use for overstock Fender XII bodies and necks, and the Custom was the arguably quite inspired result of this cost-cutting request. Radically reshaped from the original Fender XII contours and boasting a traditional six-string design with a Mustang-style vibrato, the Custom holds the distinction of being the only six-string Fender with the coveted split coil pickups introduced on the Fender XII.

A wonderfully spanky and sparkling-sounding pickup, the split coil pairs are wired to a four-way rotary switch, with traditional Bridge/Bridge+Neck/Neck functionality, as well as a fourth Bridge+Neck in Series option for a thicker, meatier sound that still has plenty of percussive cut. This Custom weighs 8lbs 3oz, professionally setup here at Mike & Mike’s Guitar Bar with 11-49 strings, low action, and accurate intonation.

Neck Specs:

-Wood: Maple
-Shape: Chunky C, measuring .875” 1st fret, .935” 12th fret
-Fretboard: Rosewood, 7 1/4” radius, block inlay
-Frets: Slender, faint wear on frets 1-2, extending beneath the plain strings to fret 6
-Scale Length: 25 1/2”
-Nut: 1 9/16”, bone
-Headstock: “Hockey stick” shape, “Fender Custom” script
-Tuners: F-stamped
-Serialization: Six-digit stamp on F neck plate
-Factory Markings: July, 1969 date stamp on neck heel, factory stamps in heel/pocket, factory shim

Body Specs:

-Wood: Alder
-Pickups: Split-coil x2, gray bobbins pencil dated 10-17-66 and 11-23-66
-Controls: Volume, Tone, Four-way rotary pickup selector
-Harness: Untouched solder, Stackpole pots date to 45th week of '65
-Hardware: Mustang-style vibrato, bridge with barrel saddles
-Plastics: Witch hat knobs, “meatball” nitrate tortoise pickguard, pickup covers

The gloss Sunburst finish exhibits subtle checking, and cosmetic wear includes case rash on the back at the lower bout, several finish chips along the perimeter, and some minor dings and scratches on the body as a whole consistent with decades of careful usage. The neck profile retains its smooth gloss, and while the binding shows extensive checking/ambering, all binding is stable and shows no signs of further deterioration.

A vintage Fender black tolex hardshell case is included.