John occasionally used this 1959 Fender Stratocaster on tour during 2005 and 2006 (Red Hot Chili Peppers – Live La Cigale 2006). At the time, the guitar was likely completely stock, featuring a fixed tremolo bridge. However, sometime in mid to late 2006, John decided to modify the guitar by replacing its original neck with a fretless one.
The decision to re-fit this particular Stratocaster with a fretless neck was likely influenced by its very thin D-shaped neck profile, specific to 1959/60 Stratocasters. This was a departure from the fatter necks found on 1961–63 Strats, which John generally preferred. The modification was carried out by Ned Evett and arranged by John’s guitar tech, Dave Lee.
I took a Warmouth vintage replacement neck, outfitted it with a glass fretless fingerboard and attached it to the 1959 Fender hardtail Strat body John provided. The original neck was safely removed, and no modifications to the original guitar were made.
Ned Evett Fretless Guitar Blog: Blue Raga on John Frusciante’s Custom Guitar
It remains unclear whether John used this glass fretless Stratocaster on any songs recorded with the band or on his solo albums. If you have any information regarding this, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Is the guitar with the glass neck Johns guitar? Because if the one he played in 2006 is a hardtail, how did they give the one on the photo a tremelo? Thanks
My mistake, fixed now.