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c. 1998 Fender D'Aquisto Ultra
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Serial #: 018, Steve Stern logo, Fender US Custom Shop
Finish: Natural blonde finish
Body size at lower bout: 17" Scale length: 25 1/2" Nut width: 1 3/4"
Materials: Solid bookmatched hand-carved spruce top; solid bookmatched tiger flame maple back and sides; one-piece solid flamed maple neck with adjustable truss rod; solid ebony fingerboard; mother of pearl fingerboard and peghead inlay; 5ply body and headstock binding; triple bound fingerboard; bound f-holes.
Hardware: Solid ebony hardware includes contoured tailpiece, adjustable compensated bridge, 5-ply bound pickguard with volume control; custom Armstrong floating humbucking pickup; sealed tuners with ebony keys; standard 1/4" jack under pickguard.
Notes: Jimmy D'Aquisto was the last and most celebrated apprentice to the legendary John D'Angelico. In an abbreviated career of just three decades, D'Aquisto created a peerless body of work, instruments that are now the most costly and sought after archtops ever made. Working in collaboration with Fender Musical Instruments, he also created a legendary series of archtop classics, of which this model, the Ultra, was the very pinnacle.
After a few Ultras were reportedly built in Japan, in 1994 the model was built in the US Custom Shop under Jimmy's direct supervision, and was his last major project before his untimely demise in 1995. This guitar is number 18 of only 29 produced in a run spanning just six years. The top is hand-graduated by luthier Steve Stern from extremely fine grain bookmatched quartersawn spruce, and the back, sides and neck are crafted of tiger flame maple of exceptional depth and intensity. The tapered bridge foot, deco inlay and modernistic f-holes are all D'Aquisto signature designs, as well as the curvilinear ebony tailpiece.
The neck shows a gentle D shaped profile, and the 1 3/4' nut allows for comfortable finger or pick style play. The voice is warm and focussed, and the Armstrong floating humbucker shows it off to best advantage. We have received repeated requests over the years for this elusive creation, and are pleased to have landed this specimen in impeccable condition, complete with original tan Tolex hardshell case.
Setup: The frets have been precision leveled, crowned and polished as required; trussrod tension and neck relief adjusted; bridge height adjusted; bridge compensation set; string slots at nut and bridge inspected and recut as necessary; bridge foot contour inspected and fit to top as necessary; bridge radius inspected and recurved as necessary; bridge wheels and tuners lubricated; fingerboard and bridge oiled; body and neck cleaned and hand polished.
This instrument is strung with medium gauge nickel roundwound strings: .013-.056. The guitar will accommodate lighter or heavier gauge strings, according to preference. String action is set at 5/64" to 6/64" at the 12th fret, with moderate relief for acoustic playing with medium strings. The action may be lowered or raised to your requirements with the adjustable bridge.
Case: Original Fender tan Tolex hardshell case.
