1970 Fender Montego Archtop Guitar built in Fender's "Acoustic Guitar Research and Development" Custom Shop in Building 3 of the new 160,000 square-foot Fender Factory purchased by CBS a few years earlier. The Acoustic R&D department actually did much more than that and was used for any prototype woodwork – electric or acoustic. The main focus was Ltd and Montego production, which were the only models the custom shop produced. The LTD and Montego were both the ultimate jazz guitars built by Fender, with less than 100 ever built. These rarely appear on the public market for sale and are the most sought after guitars by Fender collectors. We are confident that this is the finest example of a Montego in the world. It is a complete case queen in its original fitted hard case.
This history of the Montego is incredible. It was designed by Roger Rossmeisl of Rickenbacker fame who designed the 300 series of guitars and 4000 series basses for Rickenbacker. Rossmeisl and his assistant Philip Kubicki (who later founded Factor basses) assembled each guitar themselves. The Montego is the only Fender guitar to ever be built in Europe and additionally the only Fender ever built with European spruce and maple. Rossmeisl had the Montego bodies made in his home country of Germany. They came in completely glued up with binding installed. They were well-crafted with European woods: spruce and flamed maple that was whiter than North American varieties. The backs and rims were white European flamed maple, bodies were unfinished, and all painting was done in Fender's R&D Custom Shop. Painting was a long, slow process, feathering the contours to perfection. Roger developed a blended transparent color that would be sunburst on after the seal coat. Then the center portion was shot with yellow and a thin coat of clear Fullerplast. All the color would be scraped from the binding, then clear topcoats applied with sanding in between. After drying, sanding, and buffing, Roger would finish the body. The necks were flamed or blister maple with a center strip of padauk, Indian rosewood, or east Indian rosewood. Roger used a double-expanding truss rod in both necks. Scale length was 25.5″ with a medium fret. The head faces were made in Germany, with the Montego logo design inspired by the marquis at the Tropicana hotel in Las Vegas. Freddie Tavares designed the pickups and circuitry. The pickup was a specially developed humbucker for a jazz sound.
This ultra rare Fender guitar is part of the world famous instrument collection at Essex Recording Studios! Check out the official Essex Recording Studios website for more pictures and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitch and YouTube!
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WE BUY GUITARS & ACCEPT TRADES P/X!
International buyers are welcome! We ship to any country in the world! This guitar will be packed and shipped with love, care and respect! The guitar is in outstanding case queen condition for its 53 years of age. You are welcome to collect the guitar in person if you are local to our studio in Southend, England at postcode SS1 1AB directly opposite Southend Central train station. Just get in touch with us at Essex Recording Studios to make an appointment for collection. Call us anytime 07455251112 or International/WhatsApp +44 7455251112 to make an appointment to view or collect.
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