Fender 1951 Nocaster Relic NBL

Fender 1951 Nocaster Relic NBL review

The Fender 1951 Nocaster Relic NBL is a U.S.-made Custom Shop T-style electric guitar with a Blonde finish and a specification set centered on a two-piece ash body, a maple neck, and hand-wound single-coil pickups. The listed price is 5,222. Its technical details identify the woods, neck dimensions, electronics, bridge, and included accessories, but no customer reviews are available. Any assessment therefore has to stay with what the specification sheet confirms, rather than making claims about playing feel, sound, or build quality in use.

Body, neck, and fingerboard

The body is made from two pieces of ash. Fender lists the finish as Aged Nocaster Blonde, while the general color entry is Blonde. The neck is a two-piece quartersawn maple neck described as 2A maple. That construction detail is useful for identifying the neck's stated material and cut, but the supplied information does not provide a neck thickness measurement or a claim about stability over time.

The neck profile is a Nocaster U shape. The fingerboard is maple and has a compound radius that moves from 184 to 305 mm, or 7.25 to 12 inches. A compound radius uses different curvature measurements along the fingerboard, and the provided figures describe its narrower and flatter ends. There are 21 narrow tall frets and a bone nut. Fender does not give fret dimensions, nut width, or a detailed setup specification, so those details cannot be assessed from the available data.

The scale length is 648 mm, the standard long scale measurement stated for this instrument. A disc string tree is fitted. The combination of a U-shaped neck, compound-radius maple fingerboard, and narrow tall frets is specific enough to distinguish the neck configuration, though it does not establish whether the profile or fret dimensions will suit a particular player.

Pickups and wiring

The guitar has two single-coil pickups, identified as hand-wound '51 Nocaster pickups. The wiring is listed as '51 Modified Nocaster wiring, with a three-way switch. These names describe the pickup type and control circuit, but the product information does not spell out the positions' exact electrical functions, pot values, capacitor values, or output measurements. It would be misleading to infer those details or to describe a particular tone as guaranteed.

The pickup layout is recorded as SS, meaning two single-coil pickups. There is no tremolo system. The data also list no separate top material, which is consistent with the body being specified as ash without an additional top layer. These points help clarify the instrument's basic configuration without suggesting features that are not listed.

Bridge and hardware

The bridge is an American Vintage Tele bridge with brass barrel saddles. The product description also mentions a single-ply pickguard with a brass barrel saddle. Since the bridge entry specifies brass barrel saddles in the plural, the bridge description is the clearer reference for the saddle setup. The guitar also has vintage-style machine heads. No detailed hardware finish, gear ratio, or adjustment range is supplied.

For buyers comparing specifications, the combination of a fixed bridge, brass barrel saddles, and vintage-style machine heads is more useful than a broad claim about performance. The sheet confirms that a tremolo is absent and identifies the bridge type and saddle material. It does not include measurements for intonation range or tuning behavior, so those remain matters for direct inspection and setup.

What comes in the case

A deluxe hard case is included, along with a strap and certificate of authenticity. The listing marks a case as included and a bag as not included. Sales are listed as one piece, and the item number is 645685. The product is shown as available since May 2026. These details can help with ordering and checking the package contents, but the supplied data do not describe the case's interior, dimensions, or construction.

Technical assessment

The specification sheet presents a clearly defined Custom Shop instrument: ash body, quartersawn maple neck, maple fingerboard, Nocaster U profile, compound radius, 21 narrow tall frets, bone nut, hand-wound single-coil pickups, modified Nocaster wiring, and a brass-saddled fixed bridge. It also states that the guitar is made in the USA and includes a deluxe hard case, strap, and certificate.

There are limits to what these specifications can establish. They do not provide weight, neck measurements beyond the profile and radius, pickup output, control component values, setup measurements, or a description of the Relic treatment. No customer feedback is available, either. Buyers should verify those points with the seller if they affect a purchase decision, and inspect the actual instrument where possible. On the data provided, the Fender 1951 Nocaster Relic NBL is best understood as a particular Custom Shop specification, not as a guitar with independently documented playing impressions.