Fender Custom Shop 1956 Stratocaster Relic India Ivory With Case

Custom Shop 1956 Stratocaster

The Fender Custom Shop, often called the Dream Factory, is known for taking the coolest vintage features and adding a few modern favorites.  This 1956 Strat is a great example of what they do.  By bringing back a mid-century aesthetic, matched with classic Fender tone, mixed with easy playability, this guitar is a dream come true within itself.

It features an 11/56 Off Center "V" neck shape that is easy to play, especially for chords and smooth lead lines.  This lesser known neck carve has become popular in the past few years since the Custom Shop debuted it, after finding vintage examples on guitars they were examining.  The "off center" nomenclature is accurate - the "point" of the V isn't right in the middle.  It's slightly towards the treble side of the neck, which proves to be very, comfortable.  With this, it retains the vintage vibe.   We did add the more modern tweaks of a 9.5" radius and 6105 frets - the two most popular customizations of vintage-style guitars.  We also asked for the edges to be rolled, and a Heavy Relic treatment for the back of the neck.  Combined, they give this guitar the perfect broken in feel.

The alder body has a very tasteful Relic finish - it's not overdone, and has all of the appearances of a guitar with life well-lived and loved.  At just 7.1 pounds, it will be a breeze to play while standing up, even all night on stage.  We went with a great color that you don't see very often: India Ivory.  It's slightly different that Olympic White, with a more "muted" look.  We've had a few guitars in this color and love it.  Also, the aged white pickguard stands out by creating a contrast against the body - it's a unique look, and just beautiful.

Handwound Fat 50's Strat pickups (normally a significant upcharge) give you the classic 50's chime and crystal clear tone, with an added boost of enhanced bass response and output.  There's a reason that this is the most popular pickup set for Custom Shop guitars.  The middle pickup is Reverse Wound Reverse Polarity for improved performance in positions 2 and 4.

It comes with the period correct tweed case, Custom Shop leather strap and certificate of authenticity.   We feel that this is one of the better 50's style Strats we've had in a long time. You can see and hear why for yourself by coming to Club Fender @ Truetone Music, or by ordering right here to be shipped to your home.