A very special Fender Custom Shop Stratocaster, combining a ’56-style body with a ’59 specification and finished in beautifully faded Sonic Blue. This is a Limited Edition 1959 Journeyman Stratocaster Closet Classic from 2020, and it is a particularly characterful example with a superb combination of vintage-inspired features and Custom Shop appointments.

The alder body has the contoured ’56-style profile, while the finish is a wonderfully faded Sonic Blue that gives the guitar the appearance of a well-loved vintage Strat without becoming overly relic’d. The Custom Shop engraved backplate is a lovely touch, and the guitar has the kind of understated aesthetic that really suits this specification.

The neck is a maple rift-sawn neck with a medium tint, paired with a dark rosewood fingerboard, white dot inlays and a comfortable 9.5" radius. Narrow-tall frets give the guitar a very precise, articulate feel under the fingers while retaining plenty of the character and response you would expect from a vintage-inspired Stratocaster.

Electronics are exactly where this guitar really shines, with three hand-wound Tomatillo single-coil, slightly underwound vintage voiced pickups controlled by a traditional five-way blade selector. The pickups deliver everything you could want from a great Strat: glassy and articulate in the neck position, beautifully open in the in-between settings, and with plenty of punch and authority from the bridge. There is a wonderful balance between clarity, snap and warmth, making this an exceptionally versatile instrument for everything from clean rhythm work through to classic blues and driven amp tones.

At 7.96lb, it has a reassuringly substantial feel without being excessively heavy, and the overall combination of the ’56 body style, ’59-inspired specification, faded Sonic Blue finish and Tomatillo pickups makes this a particularly appealing Custom Shop Strat for anyone looking for something a little different from the usual recipe.

A genuinely superb Stratocaster with a great set of specifications and a wonderfully convincing vintage character. A serious player's instrument, and a lovely example of what the Fender Custom Shop does so well.

Sold with its original Tweed case, case accessories, shop floor traveller and certificate of authenticity