The White Blonde Strat with gold hardware became known as the "Mary Kaye" after the guitarist pictured with one in ads of the period, and the Vintage Custom '57 Stratocaster recreates it. An ash body in Aged White Blonde flash coat lacquer, with no aging, gold hardware, a 1-ply parchment pickguard and three Custom Shop Hand-Wound '57 Single-Coil Strat pickups.
The tinted rift sawn maple neck has a 1957 Soft "V" carve, a gentle V that sits between a round and a pointed back. The 7.25" to 9.5" compound radius is rounder near the nut for chords and flatter up the neck for single-note lines, with medium vintage frets. The bridge is a 6-saddle vintage-style synchronized tremolo, with tone controls on the neck and middle pickups.
For the same year with heavy wear, look at the 1957 Stratocaster Heavy Relic. The Vintage Custom 1955 Stratocaster is the earlier year, in sunburst with a fuller "U" neck.
It comes in Aged White Blonde with a maple fingerboard.
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: Ash
Body Finish: Flash Coat Lacquer
Body Shape: Stratocaster
Pickguard: 1-Ply Parchment
Aging: NOS
NECK
Neck Material: Rift Sawn Maple
Neck Construction: 4-Bolt Standard
Neck Finish: Tinted Flash Coat Lacquer
Neck Shape: 1957 Soft "V"
Fingerboard Radius: 7.25" to 9.5" Vintage Compound Radius (184 mm to 241 mm)
Fingerboard Material: Maple
Position Inlays: Black Dot
Number of Frets: 21
Fret Size: Medium Vintage
Truss Rod: Vintage-Style
Nut Material: Bone
Nut Width: 1.650" (42 mm)
Scale Length: 25.5" (648 mm)
ELECTRONICS
Bridge Pickup: Custom Shop Hand-Wound '57 Single-Coil Strat
Middle Pickup: Custom Shop Hand-Wound '57 Single-Coil Strat
Neck Pickup: Custom Shop Hand-Wound '57 Single-Coil Strat
Pickup Configuration: SSS
Controls: Master Volume, Tone 1. (Neck Pickup), Tone 2. (Middle Pickup)
Switching: 5-Position Blade: Position 1. Bridge Pickup, Position 2. Bridge and Middle Pickup, Position 3. Middle Pickup, Position 4. Middle and Neck Pickup, Position 5. Neck Pickup
HARDWARE
Bridge: 6-Saddle Vintage-Style Synchronized Tremolo
Hardware Finish: Gold
Tuning Machines: Vintage-Style
Tremolo Arm: Vintage-Style Tremolo Arm
Control Knobs: Vintage White
Strap Buttons: Vintage-Style
Strings: Nickel Plated Steel (.010-.046 Gauges)
CASE
Case: Deluxe Hardshell