Fender Custom Shop Stratocaster ‘56 Relic Limited Edition, with Closet Classic hardware 2024

Fresh from the acclaimed Fender Custom Shop, this Limited-edition Roasted ’56 Stratocaster Relic pairs the best of mid-’50s Fender Strats with the look and feel of a high-performance roasted maple neck. Roasted maple necks are a modern favorite, as the roast process removes water and sugar, reduces weight, and improves neck stability — plus, roasting makes maple look really cool. Aside from neck innovations, the Limited-edition Roasted ’56 Stratocaster Relic ’56 faithfully re-creates mid-’50s Strats with a lightweight alder body, streamlined hardware, and a vintage “V” neck shape. This neck is perhaps the most comfortable take on the “V” shape ever, with just the right grip for rock ’n’ roll, blues, surf, and jazz. Three hand-wound Ancho Poblano single-coil pickups make sure your tone dishes up raunchy vintage heat seasoned with subtle coloration from an aluminum pickguard. And the final touch? Closet Classic chrome hardware. This aesthetic glue, composed of vintage-spec hardware, lets the limited-edition Relic finish stand out and wood grain pop for truly unique appeal. Strat lovers, take note: the Limited-edition Roasted ’56 Stratocaster Relic with Closet Classic hardware is here only while supplies last.

A trio of Ancho Poblano Strat pickups provides well-seasoned, searing tone. These pickups are overwound for the higher output that made the Strat a mainstay of early electric blues in the US. The middle pickup is RWRP (reverse-wound, reverse-polarity), a feature that eliminates unwanted noise, hum, and interference for more pristine tone. Ancho Poblanos deliver show-stopping depth and complexity that maintains firm Strat definition even when pushed with gain, pedals, and blistering playing. Full-flavored and versatile, Ancho Poblanos are your ticket to vintage tones that pack a punch.

Serial CZ580419Serial CZ580419The Relic treatment with Closet Classic

Relic’d guitar finishes are super common these days, but it was the Fender Custom Shop that first took the industry by storm with its groundbreaking synthetic aging process for guitars. Fender does Relic finishes better than all the rest, and the original Relic finish is still a smash hit. This Limited-edition Roasted ’56 Stratocaster Relic has an authentic nitrocellulose lacquer finish — thinner than today’s polyurethane finishes — which allows the wood to breathe and the tone to bloom. With the Relic finish, you get a guitar with a played-in feel and perfect fretwork, but also strong visual character across the entire guitar. Builders also opted for pristine Closet Classic hardware that lets this Strat’s roasted maple neck pop. Closet Classic hardware is built to vintage specs for period-accurate performance with immaculately preserved looks that add to this axe’s off-beat personality.

The Dream Factory

Since its founding in 1987, the Fender Custom Shop has been home to some of the finest luthiers in the world. Whether you’re picking up a unique linstrument like this Limited-edition Roasted '56 Stratocaster Relic or having them build-to-order the Fender of your dreams, the Custom Shop earns its nickname — the Dream Factory — with every masterpiece they create. Custom Shop instruments are made from only the highest-grade, hand-selected materials, including impeccable tonewoods, high-end electronics, and premium hardware. And to protect your investment for many decades of playing enjoyment, your Fender Custom Shop instrument comes in a deluxe hardshell case, complete with a certificate of authenticity.

Serial CZ580419Fender Custom Shop Limited-edition Roasted '56 Stratocaster Relic with Closet Classic Hardware Features:

• Resonant alder body delivers classic ’50s-style Fender tone, sorted for lightness to guarantee a comfortable weight
• Ultra-stable maple neck — premium AAA birdseye, roasted for high performance and Custom Shop looks
• Rare 10/56 “V” neck profile designed for the ideal grip at each point on the neck
• 25.5-inch scale roasted maple fingerboard with a 9.5-inch radius and 21 frets
• Hand-wound Ancho Poblano Strat pickups with reverse-wound, reverse polarity (RWRP) middle pickup
• Pristine Closet Classic hardware and a gold aluminum pickguard for popping high-contrast looks
• Finished with a breathable nitro lacquer coat, faded finish, and a Relic process for a worn look and feel
• Fender Custom Shop neck plate with stamped serial number for authenticity
• Made in the USA