The Dick Dale Stratocaster is built for the King of the Surf Guitar's sound and look: a select alder body in Chartreuse Sparkle with a 3-ply mint green pickguard, and a reverse headstock with his signature on it.
The wiring is what makes it his. Three Custom Shop '50s single-coils run through a three-way blade (bridge, middle or neck alone), a single master volume and no tone controls. A separate toggle bypasses the blade and gives you neck and middle together. The vibrato is a six-saddle American Vintage synchronized unit, and the lightly figured maple neck has a "C" carve, a rosewood board and 21 vintage-style frets.
It suits a player who wants a hard-picked, bright Strat with very few controls in the way. For a more conventional early '60s Strat with tone controls and a five-way switch, compare the Vintage Custom 1962 Stratocaster.
The photos show one example. Wood grain and aging vary from guitar to guitar, so the one built for you will differ in the details.
SPECIFICATIONS
BODY
Country of Origin: USA
Body Material: Select Alder
Body Finish: Urethane
Body Shape: Stratocaster
Pickguard: 3-Ply Mint Green
Aging: NOS
NECK
Neck Material: Lightly Figured Maple
Neck Finish: Gloss Urethane
Neck Shape: "C" Shape
Fingerboard Radius: 7.25" (184.1 mm)
Fingerboard Material: Rosewood
Position Inlays: White Dot
Number of Frets: 21
Fret Size: Vintage-Style
Nut Material: Synthetic Bone
Nut Width: 1.6" (40.6 mm)
Scale Length: 25.5" (648 mm)
ELECTRONICS
Bridge Pickup: Custom Shop '50s Single-Coil Strat
Middle Pickup: Custom Shop '50s Single-Coil Strat
Neck Pickup: Custom Shop '50s Single-Coil Strat
Pickup Configuration: SSS
Controls: Master Volume
Switching: 3-Position Blade: Position 1. Bridge Pickup, Position 2. Middle Pickup, Position 3. Neck Pickup. 1-Toggle Switch: Bypasses 3-Position Blade Switch to Activate Neck and Middle Pickups Only
HARDWARE
Bridge: 6-Saddle American Vintage Synchronized Tremolo
Hardware Finish: Nickel/Chrome
Tuning Machines: Vintage-Style
Tremolo Arm: Vintage-Style Tremolo Arm
Control Knobs: White Plastic
Strings: Fender USA 250R Nickel Plated Steel (.010-.046 Gauges), PN 0730250406
CASE
Case: Deluxe Brown Hardshell (Gold Interior)