Fender Elite Stratocaster 1983 – Sunburst – FLN -Gold hardware

This is a super clean 1983 Fender Elite Stratocaster with a sunburst finish and gold hardware. Some of the photos make it look like it has imperfections but that is the reflection from the tin roof above and the aluminum trim around the case. It is also a little dusty as it has not been played in years. The gold is all in great shape. A reinvention of the Stratocaster platform produced in sparingly small quantities in the USA from 1983-84, the Elite model features active circuitry with both a TBX treble/bass boost and MDX mid-boost circuitry, offering 12db of boost. The active circuit was designed by Paul Gagon, and the trio of Alnico II single coil pickups have an additional dummy coil for noise reduction concealed beneath the pickguard. Additional features of the Elite model include Schaller tuning machines and Fender’s System II vibrato.
Offering both traditional single coil sparkle and and thicker, bolder sounds, each single coil has its own dedicated push button on/off switch. As such, 7 different pickup combinations are possible. The active EQ circuitry ensures a certain breadth and authority, and the tonewood combination of an ash body, maple neck and fretboard ensures a clear, balanced platform.

The maple neck has a slender soft V profile carve measuring .810″ deep at the 1st fret and .860″ at the 12th and featuring a 12″ radius and original medium jumbo frets which are in excellent condition.
It has Schaller-made gold tuning machines embossed with the Fender name. These premium gears turn smoothly and hold pitch well.

The System II vibrato features a knife edge pivot and large string anchor block embossed with the Fender “F.” It has a three-ply pickguard, Fender-embossed pickup covers, and trio of knobs with the Fender “F” on top. Still has the original locking fine tuner nut that you see missing on most of these online and is even more rare in gold. No cracks breaks or repairs. Super clean and I haven’t touched it. Plays great, sounds killer, simply hard to beat. Has its original case. You will be hard pressed to find a cleaner one.