Fender Custom Shop (Stephen Stern)–D’Aquisto Custom Ultra

Stephen Stern of the Fender Custom Shop

Fender continues to manufacture highly regarded electric guitars and amplifiers. The Fender Custom Shop produces some of the most sought-after contemporary instruments. As one of the preeminent archtop builders at the Custom Shop, Stephen Stern has studied under two of the world’s greatest archtop luthiers—Jimmy D’Aquisto and Bob Benedetto. Stern got his start apprenticing at a high-end cabinet shop straight out of high school. Five years of that prepared him for his first job as a builder at Jackson/Charvel Guitars. Stern came to the Custom Shop in 1993, working with D’Aquisto on the latter’s namesake line of guitars until the great luthier’s death in 1995. Stern’s exemplary archtop construction skills eventually led him to the Gretsch Custom Shop where he has been in command since 2005.

Inspired by the classic designs of the old Gibsons and masterworks by John D’Angelico, and James D’Aquisto, Stern and the Fender Custom shop’s D’Aquisto Custom Ultra has been meticulously crafted with smooth arches, tight joints, a comfortable neck, great playability and most importantly, beautiful tone. The body of the Fender D’Aquisto Custom Ultra comes with a spruce top, flamed maple back and sides, ebony bridge, tailpiece and pickguard. The neck was constructed with flamed maple and comes equipped with an ebony fingerboard with abalone inlays, bone nut, as well as Fender licensed Schaller tuners with ebony tuning buttons.