Fender Custom Shop '56 Strat, relic black. made in USA 2001. It looks good, no? This one hails to a time when Fender's Custom Shop was still a pretty small operation, staffed by a handful of master craftsmen producing the best the company had to offer. The finish is a Journeyman Relic, which means it appears to have plenty of play on the clock, but it's not taken nearly as far as a heavy relic, which often push the idea so far past what might  reasonably happen to a guitar during the course of a few decades of play that the finish is a genre of it's own. All the checking and minor rub wear alongside the lightly aged gold hardware looks very classy: it's got one foot in the black-tie gala and one foot in the sweaty downtown blues club. Being a '56 model, you get a one ply guard, six point bridge, spaghetti logo and a fat V shape neck. The neck is a pretty pronounced V, and fairly thick to boot, so it's not for everyone, but those who enjoy a fat neck are going to really enjoy it. It's a great piece of maple, with super tight grain patterns and a smooth feel. The pickups are a thick juicy 50s style single coil: fat and punchy. It's nice clean, with a warm and full fundamental note, wide and expressive midrange and a sweet, snappy top end. The real fun begins with a dose of dirt though... that middle pickup especially is so fun: the tone is snarly, complex and beautifully clear. If you're after a gorgeous CS Strat but disinclined to part with the house-deposit bucks for a brand new one, get this good thing into your life. Oh yeah!

Model: Fender Custom Shop '56 Stratocaster
Made: 2001, USA, Corona plant
Serial: R11203
Finish:  'Journeyman Relic' aged black 
Body: alder
Neck: maple, maple fretboard, 7.25" radius, 25.5" scale. fat V shape
Weight: 3.685kg
Mods: none
Pickups: Fender Custom Shop Fat 50s single coil x3
Accessories: original case and documents

Cosmetic condition notes: relic finish from factory, minor play wear. The headstock has a bunch of marks around the end and edges, plus some minor dimples on the front and back. The neck has minor dimples and rub wear on the back and some edge wear along the sides of the board, likely mostly from factory. The back has widespread checking and dimples and the rub wear on the belly carve, all looks to be factory. The sides have dimples, chips and checking all around the body, appears to be mostly from factory. The front has a bald batch on the elbow area, chips along the back edge, on the top horn and behind the bridge as well as widespread checking and minor scuffs. Overall, it's a relic finish, it's hard to know what's play wear and what's from factory but it's in great shape.
Overall: excellent condition (9/10)

Playing condition notes: Action is low, neck is straight, intonation is good, truss rod works. All electronics tested and working properly. Wearing fresh 10/46 strings.
Fret life: 8/10, minor wear only