STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN STRATOCASTER

The blues virtuoso’s ‘Number One’ Strat was the core of his tone.

RRP: $3,599

Body: Select Alder

Neck: Maple (thick oval shape)

Scale: 25.5 inches

Fingerboard: Pao Ferro

Frets: 22

Pickups: 3x Texas Special Single-Coils

Controls: Master Volume, Tone 1 (Neck/Middle Pickups), Tone 2 (Bridge Pickup)

Hardware: Gold

PROS

• A tribute to one of the most famous Strat players in history.

• Fuller-sounding Custom Shop Texas Special pickups.

CONS

• Reverse bridge might not be for everyone.

To many, he was the greatest blues maestro of all-time. Welding together his favourite Albert King and Jimi Hendrix licks into a monster package of his own, Stevie Ray Vaughan’s phrasing and tone have continued to set the bar today – which is precisely why his signature guitar is one of the best-selling artist models in Fender history.

This recreation of his ‘Number One’ Strat features his favoured Texas Special pickups for added warmth and bite, his engraved SRV pickguard, gold-plated hardware, a Pau Ferro fingerboard and a reverse vintage-style tremolo bridge as the Dallas prodigy himself preferred. Thankfully it comes fitted with 10-46 gauge strings, instead of the flesh-tearing 13s SRV generally stuck with.

If you’re looking to get Scuttle Buttin’ or for a slice of Riviera Paradise, this would definitely be the Strat for you.