One of Twenty-Five Guitars Specially Built

This "Jaguar XK 50 Stratocaster" is one of just twenty-five examples specially built by master luthier Stephen Stern at the Fender Custom Shop in 1999 for Jaguar Motor Cars in the UK to mark the fiftieth anniversary of their world famous XK engine. This solid alder body guitar, weighs 8.30 lbs. and has a comfortable nut width of just under 1 11/16 inches, a medium neck profile, and a scale length of 25 1/2 inches. Maple neck with single maple-bound burl walnut fretboard and headstock. Twenty-one medium frets, inlaid 18k gold "jumping cat" position markers at the 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, 15th, 17th, 19th and 21st frets, inlaid 18k gold "JAGUAR" at the 12th fret, and black side dot markers. Headstock with "Fender Stratocaster", 'Jumping Cat' and 'Jaguar' logo also inlaid in 18k gold. Early-fifties style "round" string tree. Individual "no-name" Kluson Deluxe tuners with oval metal buttons. On the back of the headstock is a gold decal "Fender / Custom Shop". Gold-plated four-bolt neck-plate engraved "Jaguar / XK 50 / Stratocaster / 14 of 25". Burl Walnut (with inlaid maple single-border) pickguard. The pickguard is secured from the underneath by several invisible push-on fasteners, this in turn covers an eight-hole gold plated pickguard beneath. Three gold-covered Stratocaster pickups with outputs of 7.22k, 7.06k, and 12.34k. Three controls (one volume, two tone) plus five-way selector switch. The potentiometers are stamped "037 407 9849" (CTS December 1998). Special gold-plated knurl-sided hat-shaped knobs and special gold switch-tip. Fender combined "Synchromatic" tremolo bridge/tailpiece with six saddles and through-body stringing. The underside of the neck is marked in black ink "14". The neck cavity is marked in black ink "14" and also stamped in black "May 1999". Burl walnut tremolo backplate (also single-bound in maple) with similar fastening to the pickguard (also over a gold-plated cover underneath). All of the hardware is gold-plated and this amazing guitar is in absolutely mint (9.50) condition. Complete with the original gold-plated bridge cover and gold tremolo arm. Housed in the original handmade White Connolly Leather gigbag with black plush lining, which in turn is within a specially made aluminum flight-case (also with black plush lining). With the original Fender Custom Shop Certificate of Authenticity dated November 1999, original White Connolly leather guitar strap, two similar gig bag straps, gold-plated hanging chain for gig bag, Custom Shop catalogue, owner's manual, guitar lead, spare tremolo springs, polishing cloth and case-keys.

Only twenty-five of these very special guitars, all finished in British Racing Green, were made, especially for the United Kingdom. All twenty-five were handcrafted by Master Builder Stephen Stern at the Fender Custom Shop and feature burl walnut from the same supplier who provides Jaguar with the wood for their interior details. The White Connolly Leather gigbag is also from the same supplier who provides Jaguar with the leather for their trim.

They were produced to commemorate the Fiftieth Anniversary of the world renowned Jaguar XK engine and to hang in their most prestigious showrooms. The Jaguar Motor Company had almost all of them, only a handful (approximately five) made it to the public. The guitar was also featured in the 2002 Custom Shop Calendar (April).

"The Fender Custom Shop worked very closely with Jaguar and [Fender Managing Director, the legendary] Ivor Arbitor [1929-2005] to build one of the most challenging projects the Custom Shop has ever created" (Fender Custom Shop Guitar Calendar 2002).