Fender Ltd Custom 50s Journeyman Stratocaster – USA 2018

PRICE DROP

From Fender: 

The Fender Ltd Custom 50s Journeyman Stratocaster is not a "year specific" reissue like most of what you see out there; it's more of a "best of" from different 50's era Strats. 

To start, the Custom Shop took two features from the Vintage Custom Series: The Flash Coat Lacquer finish, which gives it a thin, beautiful sheen; and a 7.25 - 9.5" radius, giving it easy playability for both chords and lead playing. The Journeyman Relic provides a vintage look without being overdone.  Other features from the 50's include the neck shape found on a '56 Strat (the 10/56 "V") and the deep body contours seen on a '57 Strat. The lightweight alder body makes it easy to have strapped on for hours at a time, and it's one you won't want to put down. 

Where this guitar steps into another dimension are the pickups. All 3 are Hand-Wound, with the neck and middle being the Tomatillo pickups. Clean sounding, with plenty of chime, they are crafted around alnico 2 magnets, simulating what an aged alnico 5 pickup from the ‘50s might sound like today. The bridge pickup brings the bite in the form of the Ancho Poblano pickup, overwound by hand for a wide range of high-output tones. That makes them ideal for the player in search of the perfect amount of heat—from vintage with a kick to Texas-style bold to full-throttle blistering—and plenty of flexibility.’ 

Features: 

• Journeyman Relic® Flashcoat Lacquer Finish 
• 2-Piece Select Alder Body (Sorted for Lightest Weight Available) 
• Tinted Rift Sawn Maple Neck with 11/56 Offset "V" Shape (Almost “U”) 

• 7.15" to 9.5" Compound Radius 
• 21 Narrow Tall/6105 Frets 
• Hand-Wound Tomatillo Pickups with RWRP Middle 
• 5-Way Switch w/ Half-Blender Wiring 
• Single-Ply Parchment Pickguard 

• American Vintage Synchronized Tremolo 
• Vintage Style Tuning Machines 
• Bone Nut 
• Wing String Tree with Metal Spacer 
• Deluxe Hardshell Case 

• Certificate of Authenticity 
• 7 lbs 6 oz 

The Fender Custom Shop's Relic treatment starts with a period-correct nitrocellulose lacquer finish. Nitro finishes - standard back in the day - are significantly thinner than polyurethane finishes allowing the guitar to breathe. Nitro finishes not only look authentically vintage - they also enhance the instrument's tonal qualities. Relic'd guitars are then put through the aging process and in the case of Relics that's a lot of work to give you an axe that looks and feels like it's seen over four decades of front-line action. The process creates instruments that are spitting images of the originals. Without sneaking a look at the neck heel stamps you'd be hard-pressed to distinguish the Fender Custom Shop 50s Stratocaster Relic from the real deal. 

This is a great player with big sound to match. It is in excellent condition and has been well looked after. This is the one that will allow you to move into vintage tone territory without paying the big bucks.  

Comes in its original Fender tweed case with lots of case candy including Certificate of Authenticity.