The only photo here IS NOT The Strat to this write up..
1992 NOS FENDER STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN SIGNATURE STRAT BRAZILIAN NEW AND MINT
Ships in the original Fender Box, which will be double boxed....
This guitar has quite an interesting story. This is one of the only early (1992) SRV Strats that is basically New Old Stock— a genuine time capsule. And to boot, this has the very rare Brazilian Rosewood fretboard.
Only 100 (or less) came with this as CITES shut down Brazilian Rosewood use in May of 1992. This guitar was owned by a well know Canadian artist. His manager, back in 1992, worked for Sony Music Entertainment. At the time Sony was getting ready to release a new SRV album and was doing some type of promotion in which they planned give away a SRV Strat in a contest. My friend, the artist, asked his manager if he could ride in on the shirt tails of the deal and buy two of them for himself. One he bought would be his player and the other sat in an unopened box. The original Fender box with all the labels/hang tags, marking on the outside of the box was finally opened in July of 2019. So it was purchased in 1992, but it was never opened or looked at until 27 years after it was purchased. Since July 2019 it has been taken out of the case 6 times—the 6th being when I took it out when I received it to take these pictures. The original box which I have still has the overnight Fedex label on it dated May of 1992. The gold plating is perfect, and the plastic is still on the back plate and pickguard—as stated—untouched. Coming from Canada it was never exposed to high temps. Think about it—this guitar sat in the original unopened box since May of 1992—that is 31+ years, never touched, looked at, or handled.
SRV was working on a contract with Fender to release a Signature Strat with all his own specifications. Work on the SRV Strat began in the late 1980's, around the same time Fender was getting other big artists on board, like Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck, with plans for their own signature guitars. There was a plan to release a standard SRV Strat in 1989 plus a limited edition of 500 Custom Shop Artist SRV guitars. Something (perhaps Stevie's recording and touring schedule) delayed the release, and Stevie was presented with three prototypes of the guitar in June 1990, backstage before his Tonight Show performance. Stevie wanted the guitar to have his "SRV" stickers on the pickguard, but guitar tech Rene Martinez was out of them at the moment. They had the Tonight Show art staff apply white Letraset stickers to the pickguard, which Rene ultimately switched onto Number One. Unfortunately, Stevie died about 10 weeks later, and the SRV Strat was shelved until 1991. It was not till early 1992 Fender started releasing the SRV Signature Strats.
This guitar is a very early 1992 model, with a neck date of April 2nd, of 1992 and a body stamp of April 27th. This is important when one looks at the history of those first few months of production, since some of the first ones came with genuine Brazilian rosewood fretboards. These are super rare. This is why— they made a limited number of the Brazilian rose wood models but then changed to the Pau Ferro rosewood due to environmentalist concerns. I know of two other SRV Strats that have Brazilian Rosewood that have productions dates one day before and one day after this guitar. One is owned by me right now...
Brazilian Rosewood was banned in June of 1992." By May of 1992 most of the SRV Strats came with the Pau Ferro rosewood. These are amazing guitars. I have owned/sold 9 of these in my time. They are a PART OF FENDER HISTORY. The Last of any Fender Stratocaster being made with a Brazilian Rosewood Fretboard. Brazilian Rosewood will never be sold again in anyone's lifetime.. Something to think about.
This SRV Has all the hang tags, unopened case candy, strap, and the case is brand new wrapped in the original plastic and showing all the plastic on the latches. WOW!
I like to say, I'm not one to polish any guitar. I'm not Anal about doing things a certain way, or not to do things because.. But I am not going to open this Strat up, take it out to p[lay it. I did plug it into a Amp. Original strings on it and all. It was perfect/ sounded perfect.. is perfect.. I am going to preserve this History in Fender's Rarest form.. until the next buyer received it..
The original owner was particular and never opened it more than 11 times in 30 years. Myself 3 times so far.. Photos coming
