Description
Some guitars feel like they were built to exist outside the ordinary; the Fender Custom Shop Artisan Korina Stratocaster in Chocolate 3-Color Sunburst is one of them. New for 2023, this semi-hollow Strat blends classic mid-60s inspiration with elevated tonewoods and Custom Shop artistry. For the player who loves vintage Strat snap but craves added warmth, depth, and visual elegance, this Artisan model delivers something truly special. It is an instrument that honors tradition while offering a refined, boutique personality all its own.
At the heart of this Strat is a beautifully crafted thinline body made from select korina. Often described as West African mahogany, korina offers a light weight, fine grain, and a tonal profile rich in warmth with a sweet, responsive midrange. Paired with the open resonance of the two-piece semi-hollow construction and a single f-hole, the result is an airy, bass-friendly voice with enhanced harmonic bloom. The NOS nitrocellulose lacquer finish in Chocolate 3-Color Sunburst adds a timeless glow, perfectly complemented by gold hardware for a striking visual contrast.
The roasted quartersawn maple neck is built for stability and feel, carved into a comfortable '60s Oval C profile that sits naturally in the hand. Roasting enhances both visual character and structural integrity, while the nitro finish keeps the feel smooth and organic. Topped with a round-lam rosewood fingerboard and a compound 9.5 inch to 12 inch radius, this Strat moves effortlessly from first-position chord work to expressive bends up high. Twenty-one narrow tall 6105 frets offer precise intonation and effortless playability, while the bone nut ensures clarity and tuning stability.
Sonically, the trio of Custom Shop hand-wound Fat '64 Strat pickups captures the essence of classic mid-60s Strat tone with a little extra authority. Slightly overwound and carefully calibrated from bridge to neck, they deliver articulate highs, focused lows, and a punchy midrange that cuts through a mix without sacrificing nuance. The reverse-wound, reverse-polarity middle pickup provides hum cancellation in positions two and four, making it equally at home on stage or in the studio. Vintage Modified #2 wiring with a Tone-Saver treble-bleed circuit preserves high-end clarity as you roll back the volume, ensuring consistent tone control across dynamic passages.
Performance details round out the experience. The Custom Shop vintage synchronized tremolo offers smooth, expressive vibrato with reliable return to pitch. Vintage-style tuners, a wing string tree with tall metal spacer, and quality hardware components work together to maintain tuning stability and rock-solid intonation. Every element feels intentional and built to professional standards.
Visually, this Artisan Strat tells its own story. The single f-hole hints at its semi-hollow resonance, while the 11-hole single-ply parchment pickguard and vintage white plastics evoke a refined nod to Strat heritage. Mother of pearl dot inlays add subtle elegance against the dark rosewood board, and the gold hardware elevates the Chocolate 3-Color Sunburst finish into something truly luxurious without feeling overstated.
This Artisan Korina Stratocaster is not just another Custom Shop build; it is a thoughtful reimagining of a classic platform with elevated materials and meticulous craftsmanship. At Cream City Music, we appreciate instruments that inspire both visually and sonically, and this one delivers on every level. If you are searching for a Strat with vintage soul, enhanced resonance, and boutique-level refinement, this is a piece that stands apart in all the right ways.
Specifications:
- Body Material: Korina
- Body Shape: Stratocaster
- Body Finish: Nitrocellulose Lacquer with WLS Undercoat
- Color: Chocolate 3-Color Sunburst
- Construction: Semi-Hollow Thinline with Single F-Hole
- Neck Material: Roasted Quartersawn Maple
- Neck Shape: '60s Oval "C"
- Neck Finish: Nitrocellulose Lacquer
- Fingerboard Material: Round-Laminated Rosewood
- Fingerboard Radius: 9.5" to 12" Compound Radius
- Scale Length: 25.5" (648 mm)
- Nut Width: 1.650" (42 mm)
- Nut Material: Bone
- Number of Frets: 21
- Fret Size: Narrow Tall (6105)
- Position Inlays: Mother of Pearl Dot 0.25"
- Side Dots: Mother of Pearl
- Bridge: Custom Shop Vintage Synchronized Tremolo
- Tremolo Arm: Vintage Upgraded '60s
- Tuning Machines: Vintage-Style with Fender Logo
- Hardware Finish: Gold
- Pickguard: 1-Ply Parchment
- Control Knobs: Vintage White Plastic
- Pickup Covers: Vintage White
- Switch Tip: Vintage White
- String Trees: Single-Wing with Tall Metal Spacer
- Neck Plate: 4-Bolt with Custom Shop "V" Logo
- Strings: Fender USA 250R Nickel Plated Steel (.010-.046)
- Bridge Pickup: Custom Shop Hand-Wound Fat '64 Single-Coil Strat
- Middle Pickup: Custom Shop Hand-Wound RWRP Fat '64 Single-Coil Strat
- Neck Pickup: Custom Shop Hand-Wound Fat '64 Single-Coil Strat
- Pickup Configuration: SSS
- Controls: Master Volume with Tone-Saver Treble-Bleed Circuit, Tone 1 (Neck/Middle), Tone 2 (Bridge)
- Switching: 5-Position Blade
- Potentiometers: 250K 10% Taper Split
- Case: Deluxe Hardshell Case
Sku: 9236081275
