Fender Custom Shop LTD 1964 L-Series Stratocaster Aged Candy Tangerine/Journeyman

If you’re hunting for a ‘60s-style Strat that brings personality and polish in equal measure, this one delivers.

Fender’s Aged Candy Tangerine finish might just be one of the coolest Custom Shop colors we’ve seen in a while. It’s vibrant, funky, and distinctly vintage in its vibe, like something straight off a mid-’60s custom order sheet. But while the finish grabs your attention, this guitar backs it up with feel and tone to match.

Let’s start with the neck - easily one of our favorite aspects of the L-Series guitars. It's a perfectly shaped ’63 “C” profile (.82–1.00") that’s substantial without ever feeling bulky. The rolled edges and polished 6105 frets make for an ultra-smooth playing surface, and the unfinished back gives it that played-in, broken-in feel right out of the case. It’s one of the most inviting necks we’ve played from the Custom Shop in recent memory. At 7lbs 15oz, this alder-bodied Strat rings out unplugged with a lively, snappy resonance, and lots of volume - always a great sign of what to expect when you get around to plugging it in. Once you do, the Fat ’64 pickups deliver that unmistakable Strat tone: glassy and articulate with a touch of compression and just a little more output than your average vintage set. Big chords bloom, leads cut, and in-between positions have all the shimmer and quack you’d expect from a great Stratocaster.

We’re split down the middle here when it comes to Strat vs. Tele allegiance, but, this one has won over more than a few of the Tele crowd.