Description

Fender's Custom Shop always does such a great job with their Limited Run guitars - in this case, a beautiful Faded/Aged Sonic Blue '59 Strat - which sports some great specs that meld classic, vintage-inspired looks with slightly modern updates. 

Starting with a 2-piece Alder body (sorted for light weight), rosewood board and rift-sawn maple neck, this Limited NAMM 2020 Strat brings things into the modern era via a 9.5" fingerboard radius, 6105 narrow/tall frets, Vintage Modified Wiring (2nd tone is assigned to the bridge pickup), and hand-wound Tomatillo pickups (reverse-wound middle pickup). The neck carve is slightly chunky with a slight taper - very comfortable and something we immediately fell in love with. The fret work is outstanding as well, it should be noted.

All of these specs combine to provide a slightly easier to play Strat vs the specs you'd find on a vintage Strat. The fingerboard is a touch flatter than the vintage 7.25" radius, which helps eliminate "fretting out" when bending notes past the 12th fret. Most players like having a tone control wired to their bridge pickup as this is where things can get a touch too bright sonically, so it's nice to have it wired this way from the factory (vs modding). 

Tones? Chimey, clear, medium output...exactly what we want from a great Strat, honestly. Made with Alnico 2 magnets, the idea is to capture what an Alnico 5 pickup from the 50s might sound like today (mellowed a touch, slightly rounder, etc...). Classic tones that was really inspiring, no surprises here. 

A fantastic guitar that'd make any Strat lover very happy. Priced with hardshell case. 

Specs

• Journeyman Relic® Lacquer Finish w/ Closet Classic Aged Hardware
• 2-Piece Select Alder Body (Sorted for Lightest Weight Available)
• Tinted Maple Rift Sawn Neck w/ Flat-Lam
  Rosewood Fingerboard
• 59 Esquire "C" Back-Shape
• 9.5" Radius
• 21 Narrow Tall/6105 Frets
• Hand Wound Tomatillo Pickups w/ RWRP Mid
• Vintage Modified Wiring #2 (Vol / Tone 1
  (Neck & Mid) / Tone 2 (Bridge) with Treble Tone Saver Bleed)
• 1-Ply Parchment Pickguard
• Custom Shop Vintage Synchronized Tremolo
• Vintage Style Tuning Machines
• Bone Nut
• Wing String Tree w/ Metal Spacer
• Deluxe Hardshell Case
• 8lbs