This is an interesting strat, as well as being a Japanese built 62 model from ? which, on their own are excellent guitars (I’ve owned a few and they have more character than a US standard IMO). This one has been put through the Wudtone vintage reloaded programme which alone would cost £260, this one includes the highwood saddles which at another £42 makes this a £300 upgrade with high quality components. This is essentially a retro-fit of wudtone’s superb hardware on the strat which will be detailed below.

The guitar is in good condition, as in it’s entirely functional and there is no obvious major damage but it is approx 30 years old and has what would expect in terms of scrapes and bumps for a guitar that age i.e. It’s not out the box gleaming nor should it be.

Note: I've just noticed that product specs have this listed as left handed, which it's obviously not from the photos. I can't seem to edit this so may create a new listing in the future.

Wudtone Upgrade Programme

The guitar has been through Wudtone’s, Vintage Reload programme which has changed all of the critical, non wood materials and key contact points ( not including tuners). It is these materials and the contact between them which determine the dynamic efficiency, sustain, tone character and also tuning stability of the guitar.  This Stratocaster has vintage equivalent metal components, strongest possible neck joint, real bone nut. It is able to deliver the best, authentic Strat tones, performance, playability, bang for your buck.

The eleven stages of Wudtones’ Vintage Reload programme are outlined below :

1. Frets levelled whilst under tension
2. Fret polish after levelling
3. Fretboard re-oiling as required
4. Wudtone CP Vintage 50s – shim recess (finish removed)
5. Wudtone CP Vintage 50s trem fitted
6. Neck pocket holes re-drilled to suit Wudtone screws
7. Neck heel cleaned and correct pilot holes drilled
8. Neck fitted, Wudtone power plate (alignment check)
9. New strings fitted
10. Real bone nut fitted, final hand cut and shaping
11. Guitar relief, intonation, action, playability test

Click Here for further detail of this programme with galleries and tones from Wudtone Vintage Reload example guitar .

Click here to see video with example guitar tones.

Benefits of the Vintage Reload Programme :

Each guitar is transformed with:

• Enhanced dynamic and sustain due to
• • improved neck /body joint
  • Wudtone’s “whacker plate shim” recessed for best body connection
  • Genuine, real bone, hand cut nut
• Stiffer neck to body joint and with more compression
• Easy set up, great playability and feel due to
• • design of CP Vintage Bridge and accurate levelling of frets under string tension
• Improved tuning stability due to
• • Wudtone CP Vintage tremolo design, with top plate recesses
• Minimised String breaks due to
• • curved plate exit string guides
• Sensitive (no slack) trem operation due to
• • 5mm stainless trem arm with nylon bush fitted in the block.
• Classic Strat tones due to equivalent pre-cbs materials:
• • 1018 cold steel block
  • CP Vintage 50s bridge plate
  • Steel Nickel bridge saddles
  • Real Bone nut

Guitar comes with a serial numbered “Wudtone Vintage Reload” certificate as proof of the work that has been carried out.