Fender Vintera III Late '50s Stratocaster, Maple Fingerboard, Dakota Red

The Fender Vintera III Late '50s Stratocaster in Dakota Red is a vintage-inspired electric guitar built for players who want authentic late-1950s Stratocaster character in a well-built, production instrument. Made in Mexico, it suits intermediate to advanced players drawn to classic rock, blues, country, and clean or lightly driven tones — anyone who wants the look, feel, and sound of a golden-era Fender without the cost or fragility of an original.

The guitar features a solid alder body with a gloss polyester finish in Dakota Red, paired with a 1-piece maple neck and maple fingerboard — a construction approach closely associated with late-'50s Stratocasters. The neck carries a period-correct Late '50s "D" shape: slightly wider at the shoulders, starting slim at the nut and filling out moderately toward the 12th fret, with a 7.25" (184.1 mm) radius and vintage-tall frets for comfortable single-note work and expressive bends. The nut is bone, cut to 1.650" (42 mm) width, and the 25.5" scale length is standard Fender Strat. Three vintage-style Late '50s single-coil Stratocaster pickups are controlled by a 5-position blade switch, master volume, and two tone controls, giving access to the full range of classic Strat tones. Hardware is finished in nickel/chrome throughout, with a 6-saddle vintage-style synchronised tremolo with bent steel saddles, Fender Vintage-Style tuning machines with butterfly string trees, and a 1-ply white pickguard with parchment pickup covers and knobs.

The Vintera III Late '50s Stratocaster ships with a Deluxe Gig Bag and a .050" hex (Allen) wrench for saddle height adjustment. The gloss urethane neck finish and 4-bolt standard neck joint deliver a stable, consistent playing platform. Players accustomed to more modern neck radii should note the 7.25" fingerboard radius, which is well suited to rhythm playing and vintage-style vibrato but requires a lighter touch for high-fret string bending compared to flatter modern profiles. The instrument is assembled in Mexico to Fender's standard production specifications.

Features:

• Alder Body
• 1-Piece Maple neck with 7.25" Radius Maple Fingerboard and Vintage Tall Frets
• Late '50s "D"-Shaped Neck
• Vintage-Style Late '50s Pickups
• Vintage-Style Synchronized Tremolo with Bent Steel Saddles
• Vintage-Style Tuning Machines
• Era-Correct Details

ALDER BODY
A classic Fender tonewood known for resonance, punch and clarity, alder has a balanced and lively tone with beefy mids and a robust low-end.

1-PIECE MAPLE NECK WITH 7.25”-RADIUS MAPLE FINGERBOARD AND 21 VINTAGE TALL FRETS
The 7.25” radius fingerboard provides vintage comfort and feel, while vintage-tall frets provide slightly more height than vintage for big bends and wide vibrato.

LATE ‘50S “D” SHAPED NECK
This unique '50s shape has slightly wider shoulders and starts off slim at the nut, thickening moderately toward the 12th fret.

VINTAGE-STYLE LATE ‘50S PICKUPS
These vintage-style late ‘50s spec pickups are full of the woody warmth and bell-like, crystalline tone that made Fender instruments famous.

VINTAGE- STYLE SYNCHRONIZED TREMOLO WITH BENT STEEL SADDLES
One of our most innovative designs, this six-point tremolo offers proper intonation, full adjustability and easy access to classic vibrato sounds.

VINTAGE-STYLE TUNING MACHINES
These tuning machines offer the look and feel of vintage machines with a finer gear ratio and enhanced tuning stability.

Specifications:

GENERAL
Series
Vintera® III
Orientation
Right-Hand
Color
Dakota Red
Country Of Origin
MX

BODY
Body Finish
Gloss Polyester
Body Shape
Stratocaster®
Body Style
Solid Body
Body Material
Alder

NECK
Headstock
Stratocaster®
Neck Material
1-Piece Maple
Neck Finish
Gloss Urethane
Neck Shape
Late '50s "D"
Neck Construction
4-Bolt Standard
Fingerboard Radius
7.25" (184.1 mm)
Fingerboard Material
Maple
Position Inlays
Black Dot
Side Dots
Black
Number of Frets
21
Truss Rod
Vintage-Style Butt Adjust
Truss Rod Nut
Vintage-Style Butt Adjust
String Nut
Bone
Nut Width
1.650" (42 mm)
Nut Material
Bone
Fret Size
Vintage Tall
Scale Length
25.5" (648 mm)

ELECTRONICS
Bridge Pickup
Vintage-Style Late '50s Single-Coil Strat®
Middle Pickup
Vintage-Style Late '50s Single-Coil Strat®
Neck Pickup
Vintage-Style Late '50s Single-Coil Strat®
Pickup Configuration
SSS
Controls
Master Volume, Tone 1. (Neck/Middle Pickups), Tone 2. (Bridge Pickup)
Switching
5-Position Blade: Position 1. Bridge Pickup, Position 2. Bridge and Middle Pickup, Position 3. Middle Pickup, Position 4. Middle and Neck Pickup, Position 5. Neck Pickup

HARDWARE
Bridge
6-Saddle Vintage-Style Synchronized Tremolo with Bent Steel Saddles
Bridge Mounting
6-Screw Vintage-Style
Pickguard
1-Ply White
Pickup Covers
Parchment
Control Knobs
Parchment Plastic
Switch Tip
Parchment
Hardware Finish
Nickel/Chrome
Tuning Machines
Fender® Vintage-Style
String Trees
Butterfly
Tremolo Arm
Screw-In
Neck Plate
4-Bolt Vintage-Style
Strap Buttons
Vintage-Style

MISCELLANEOUS
Strings
Fender® USA 250L Nickel Plated Steel (.009-.042 Gauges), PN 0730250403
Case/Gig Bag
Included: Deluxe Gig Bag
Recommended: Classic Series Wood Case - Strat/Tele, Black (0996106306)

*Specifications subject to change without notice.