USA Fender Stratocaster CS Limited Edition Late 64 Relic: (2022)
This Fender Custom Shop limited edition late '64 Stratocaster Relic in target 3-colour sunburst delivers that inviting played-in feel, characterfully aged aesthetic and beautiful tone of those sought-after instruments with the rock-solid reliability of a modern, pro-grade guitar. Fender claims a top-notch spec that even the most discerning Strat fan will adore. This '64 Strat is crafted from the finest tone-woods available. At the heart of this guitar’s crisp and articulate voice is its classic combination of a select Alder body and a Rift Sawn Maple neck. The period-correct nitrocellulose finish enhances this '64 Strat’s resonance by allowing the wood to “breathe” and will develop a unique visual character over time.
The solid Maple neck is topped with a stunning Dark Rosewood Lam fretboard, which boasts a smooth, glass-like feel, and 21 Narrow Tall 6105 frets. The neck has been sculpted to a comfortable '63 style “C” neck profile is perfect for a wide range of playing styles and techniques. The Relic process gives this '64 Strat the endearing wear and tear of a vintage guitar that’s undergone decades of intense gigging and touring. From the carefully aged hardware to the exposed wood, this '64 Strat has the timeless appeal of a faithful workhorse guitar. Electrifying this '64 Strat’s natural voice are a trio of Hand wound '64 Stratocaster Fat 60s pickups. These fiery single-coils deliver a vibrant, articulate twang with a punchy output and mid-range bite, with crisp highs and defined lows.
Some quick specifications are a 60 "C" 1 piece rift sawn maple neck and a AAA rosewood fingerboard, scale length 25.5", with a 9.5" Radius, Narrow Tall (6105) frets, Vintage-Style Tuning Machines, Bone nut, Custom Shop Vintage Synchronized Tremolo, Hand-Wound Fat '64’s Strat Pickups with RWRP Middle and a 5 way selector . The guitar has an aged white scratch plate and comes with a custom shop hard shell case.
Personal Comment:
The Stratocaster has always been at the heart of my guitar playing days and my first Japanese copy was back in the early 1970s. As I came back to playing the guitar around 2019, I decided to purchase the off-the-shelf standard model at the time, that being the Professional (Series 1) and while I would very much enjoy that guitar, once I took delivery of the Custom Shop relic model, it was just a notch up in feeling much closer to what I remembered so many years ago.
Once again, like other relic Fender models, the moment I took the guitar into my hands, it felt just right, the 60 'C' profile and that worn-in relic feel simply makes this guitar feel super comfortable. There is a misconception that relic guitars are just - 'beat-up' looking guitars. As someone who has built guitars, it takes a good deal of time and skill to wear-in a guitar neck and frets, so that it not only feels great under hand but is highly stable and intonates perfectly. I have done a number of comparison videos with Custom Shop 50s and 60s models and up against the more modern Professional series. There is also a video comparing the 64 Stratocaster to a 61 Telecaster. Check-out the videos below by clicking on the pictures.
As a Fender fan, this CS Stratocaster Late 64 relic model is a real joy to play, and yes it not only plays beautifully but sounds great. This particular guitar with the Hand-Wound Fat 60s pick-ups gives it a broad approach to achieving different tones. If you want to know more about this guitar drop me an email.