Mestric M5456 "Foundational Run" — Cloudy 2-Colour Sunburst · Serial #003

#003 · Cloudy 2-Colour Sunburst

Serial #003 is the first M5456 of the Foundational Run. It is finished in a two-colour sunburst — a colourway that predates the three-colour burst in the electric guitar tradition and remains associated with the earliest ash-and-maple instruments of the 1950s.

The M5456 pairs an ash body with a one-piece maple neck, the combination most strongly associated with this finish. The lacquer is aged in the Port Macquarie workshop to specifically produce the "cloudy" look to emulate exposure to moisture and the subsequent degrading of the lacquer integrity. 

Body & Neck

The M5456 is built around an ash body paired with a one-piece maple neck and integrated maple fingerboard. It uses a 25.5" scale length and a 9.5" radius fingerboard. The 21-fret board is fitted with Jescar 58118-S stainless steel frets, precision-levelled on the PLEK machine and finished by hand. The bone nut is cut on the PLEK to match the fretwork and is set up for 10–46 gauge strings. Neck profile is a C-shape, measuring on average 21.7mm at the first fret and 24.66mm at the twelfth fret.

Pickups & Electronics

The M5456PS pickup set is hand-wound in-house around Alnico V magnets using Formvar-insulated wire. It is a traditional SSS configuration with a reverse-polarity middle pickup for hum cancellation in positions 2 and 4. Electronics comprise a CRL 5-way selector switch, DiMarzio 250k potentiometers, a paper-in-oil capacitor, push-back cloth wiring throughout, and a Switchcraft output jack.

Finish & Hardware

Every Mestric guitar is finished in nitrocellulose lacquer and hand-aged in the Port Macquarie workshop. All hardware is Gotoh, hand-aged in-house together with the plastics, screws, and pickup covers. Each instrument is finished individually; aging character and detail vary between guitars.

Foundational Run Inclusions

• Waterslide headstock decal (serials #001–#004)
• Wax-sealed personal letter from Rob Mestric
• Mestric Guitars Care Guide
  
• Gator Journeyman Deluxe hard case

Specifications

Shipping & Collection

Guitars can be purchased online and collected from Port Mac Guitars in Port Macquarie, NSW by appointment. We are also offering insured shipping via courier for a flat amount of $99 Australia-Wide.