Fender Urushi Tsuikoku Limited Strat

2024 Fender Urushi Tsuikoku Limited, Flagship Tokyo First Anniversary

A very special guitar. This was part of a limited run made to celebrate the first anniversary of the Fender Flagship Tokyo store. Finished with traditional Japanese lacquering methods, it displays a stunning mottled effect that reveals itself in different ways based on the light. The second set of pictures were taken in bright sunlight. Originally purchasable only through a selective lottery, the company will not even reveal how many units were made in total. More below, directly from Fender.

Specs / Measurements

  • Japanese Lacquer, Urushi Tsuikoku Finish

  • Gold hardware

  • Specs for guitar itself based on 60s Strat

  • Original Fender branded USA rectangular hard case, with COA

Condition / Setup Notes

Black is such an unforgiving color, but still the guitar looks to be largely unplayed and presents very cleanly. Although not a condition note, some texturing is visible in raking light, matching the patterns in the Urushi.

***

A stunning guitar, with a beautiful and unique finish. A welcome follow up to a previous iteration of the Urushi Strat from 2020 that featured makie lines, this one takes it to a place of further refinement. From Fender:

The Made in Japan Fender Flagship Tokyo First Anniversary Urushi Stratocaster®, Tsuikoku, commemorates the first anniversary of the opening of Fender Flagship Tokyo. This special guitar is made with Urushi lacquer, an ancient Japanese coating material to achieve an unprecedentedly deep jet-black beauty giving it a unique presence. The guitar was created in collaboration with Yuji Iwahara of Miku Urushi Kogei, one of the best lacquer painters selected to represent Nagano Prefecture in the LEXUS NEW TAKUMI PROJECT 2016, and winner of the Special Jury Prize at the 53rd National Lacquer Ware Exhibition. The “Tsuikoku” technique used to express the unique mottled pattern on the body of the guitar is a lacquer technique designated as a national traditional craft, in which “Kiso Tsuishu” lacquer is applied on a black lacquer base. It requires the most numbers of repetitive applications and requires the most skillful technique among the many lacquer painting techniques. The lacquer is applied in layers using a tool called a “tampo” and the layers of lacquer are then polished to a smooth finish to create this pattern. The guitar itself is based on a 60's Stratocaster®, with cross-wired pickups, a 6-point synchronized tremolo, and pickups and tones that are in line with Fender's legacy down to the smallest detail. In addition to the gold hardware, the gold highlights on the pickguard and the gold letters engraved on the knobs have been carefully selected. This special guitar is a fusion of the finest craftsmanship and Fender's tradition of excellence, and will be available in limited quantities.

The exact production numbers are unknown, as Fender is declining to release this information. The last 2020 run they did comment on, was a scant 15 units.

$6250

Thanks for looking, any questions please feel free to get in touch.

This instrument ships for free via UPS Ground.

Trades, Layaway, and Policies

Previous
Previous

Blackbird Super OM Carbon Fiber

Next
Next

Asturias / Junichiro Oose Romanillos Classical