Richie Sambora of Bon Jovi Custom made one of a kind Paisley Candy Apple Red Fender Stratocaster Double neck guitar consisting of one six string and one 12 string maple necks.

The guitar was master built at the Fender Custom Factory USA by the famous senior master builders Fred Stuart and Jay W Black specifically for Richie to use live. Fred Stuart built both the body and the 12 string neck from scratch and features a non traditional Fender Peg head, Jay W Black built the 6 string neck.

Jay W Black worked as a Fender Master builder between 1989 and 2002 working for the best known musicians in the world from Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck to the Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan. He also specialised in the Richie Sambora custom Fender single neck models.

Fred Stuart has been playing, repairing and building guitars for nearly thirty years, fifteen of which were spent at Fender. His attention to detail and vast knowledge are reflected in his line of custom guitars. He also specialised in the Richie Sambora custom Fender double neck models.

All Richie Sambora Custom models contain a corresponding RS (Richie Sambora) on the serial number. The serial number was a continuation of numbers used exclusively for Sambora. This serial number is RS09. Only 2 Fender Sambora double necks exist in the world, this one and the RS08.

The guitar is featured in the official In These Arms video showing Bon Jovi performing at a concert on their Keep the Faith Tour. The live portions were filmed during Bon Jovi's New Year's Eve show at Stabler Arena in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania on December 31, 1992 Link here The Guitar is also featured in the live video version of Bed of Roses Link here

This guitar was used exclusively on tour in 1993 where the band played 172 worldwide shows under both the Bon Jovi Keep the Faith Tour and I'll Sleep When I'm Dead Tours.

The guitar is also featured within the official 1993 Sleep when I’m Dead and Keep the Faith Bon Jovi tour programmes, official brochure and posters showing Richie on stage with the rest of Bon Jovi. which is also shown on the backstage with Bonjovi website Link here 

The guitar was originally built with Lace Sensor pickups. Shortly after delivery, Richie decided to change the pickups and sent it back to the Custom Shop. Fred Stuart installed the pickups, which are currently in the guitar to the Richie Sambora DI Marzio specification. This is the preferred setup for Sambora. The main picture above is Richie showing his current setup in his LA home garage just after he returned from a special event at Camp Pendleton Marine Base after presenting guitars to troops as a thank you

It was believed that this guitar was destined for Hard Rock Café before a London based dealer who is very close friends with Richie rescued it and brought it to the UK

The guitar is also featured in the official Fender Custom shop title "The Dream Factory" by author and historian Tom Wheeler. The Dream Factory features hundreds of full colour photos of incredibly rare, collectible and limited edition handcrafted Fender guitars. It includes many one of a kind custom guitar masterpieces for artists such as Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Steve Ray Vaughan and of course Richie Sambora Link here