Up for sale, a 1991 Fender Yngwie Malmsteen signature Stratocaster model ST72-86DSC in excellent, 100% original condition and in perfect working order, featuring a scalloped fretboard, USA-made Dimarzio pickups, and a “Yellow White” gloss finish. Made in Japan at the famed Fujigen factory, this ’72 reissue Strat is a since-discontinued model designed for sale only in its country of origin. This early example was produced years prior to Yngwie’s signature being added to the headstock face.
The guitar features a pair of USA-made DiMarzio HS-3 (DP117) stacked single coil pickups in the neck and bridge positions, with Fender Japan’s ST-Current single coil in the middle position. The Dimarzio DP117s offers hum-free performance with a broad low end that’s warm and tight with a smooth, glassy treble response. These qualities combine perfectly with a heavily distorted amp, because the sound won’t get muddy or messy, and the DP117 boasts a staggered pole piece design. This Strat weighs 7lbs 14oz, professionally setup here at Mike & Mike’s Guitar Bar with 10-46 strings, slinky action, and spot-on intonation.
The one-piece maple neck has a medium C-shaped profile carve at the nut with modest shoulder and a hair more heft further up the fretboard, measuring .825” deep at the 1st fret and .905” at the 12th. The scalloped fretboard has a 10“ radius, and the stock slender fretwire has well-rounded crowns, only showing light wear beneath the plain strings on frets 1-9. This guitar plays cleanly up the 25 1/2“ scale with a straight neck and a responsive, optimally-adjusted truss rod. The carved bone nut measures 42.5mm in width (just shy of 1 11/16″). The large ’70s-style headstock has the correct block logo, dual string trees and chrome Gotoh tuning machines. The “Made in Japan” text and L-prefix serial number are present above the three-bolt F neck plate, and the factory model stamps are intact on the neck heel and in the pocket.
All of the electronics work as intended; the solder joints are untouched, with a five-way pickup selector switch and full-size pots which date to September of 1991. The chrome hardware has plenty of shine, including the jack cup, bridge base, and block saddles. The vibrato has a full-size diecast block, responding effortlessly for deep dives and expressive warbles. Original plastics comprise the three-ply white pickguard, which has some requisite scuffing on the treble side of the strum path, and yellowed pickup covers and knobs.
The Yellow White gloss finish sports its original factory-yellowed shade of Olympic White, with cosmetic wear limited to a handful of nicks along the lower bout body edge, a ding of note on the back on the belly contour, and a scant few faint finish scratches in the clear coat on the body as a whole. The neck profile retains its smooth ambered gloss.
A Fender-branded padded gigbag is included.