Fender 55 Strat BLK Journeyman Relic

Fender 55 Strat BLK Journeyman Relic review

The Fender 55 Strat BLK Journeyman Relic is a U.S.-made Custom Shop electric guitar based on the 1955 Stratocaster. Its specification centers on an ash body, a maple neck and fingerboard, three hand-wound Fender Custom Shop single-coil pickups, and a vintage-style tremolo. The black Journeyman Relic finish gives the model its specified appearance, while the included case and certificate are part of the package.

There are no customer reviews available for this product. This assessment therefore stays with the published specifications and does not claim how the guitar feels or sounds in use. The listed price is 4,333, with no currency specified in the provided information. The model has been available since September 2024.

Body, finish, and hardware

The body is made of ash, with no separate top. Fender specifies a black finish with a Journeyman Relic treatment. That describes the finish category, but the supplied information does not detail the amount or placement of wear, so it would be unwise to infer a particular relic pattern from the name alone.

The guitar has a single-ply parchment pickguard and nickel hardware. Vintage-style tuning machines and a vintage tremolo complete the listed hardware package. These details give a clear picture of the intended period reference, although the specifications do not identify the tremolo's exact construction or provide information about setup, tuning stability, or adjustment range.

Neck and fingerboard

The neck and fingerboard are both maple. Fender lists the neck wood as plain-grain maple and specifies a 54 Soft V profile. That profile name indicates the intended neck shape, but it does not provide measurements for neck depth or width. Players comparing this guitar with another instrument should not assume the profile will feel identical based on the label alone.

The fingerboard radius is 241 mm, approximately 9.5 inches. The guitar has 21 Narrow Tall 6105 frets and a bone nut. The fret count and fret type are specific; details such as fret condition, setup, action, and nut-slot height are not included. The scale length is 648 mm, approximately 25.5 inches, which matches the long scale listed for this model.

Pickup layout and controls

Fender specifies three hand-wound Custom Shop '50 Tele Relic single-coil pickups in an SSS layout. A five-way switch selects the pickup combinations. This provides the standard three-pickup switching format, but the supplied data does not include output readings, winding specifications, magnet type, or wiring details beyond the switch configuration. Sound descriptions would go beyond the evidence available here.

The pickup description is worth checking carefully before purchase. The guitar is presented as a 1955 Stratocaster model, while the listed pickups are identified as Custom Shop '50 Tele Relic single coils. That wording is the specification provided for this instrument. Buyers who need clarification about the pickup design or its relationship to the model should confirm the details with the seller or Fender.

What the specification tells you

• Model: 1955 Stratocaster, in an ST-style body shape.
• Construction: Ash body with a maple neck and maple fingerboard.
• Neck details: 54 Soft V profile, 241 mm fingerboard radius, and 21 Narrow Tall 6105 frets.
• Electronics: Three hand-wound Custom Shop '50 Tele Relic single-coil pickups and a five-way switch.
• Hardware and finish: Vintage tremolo, vintage-style tuning machines, nickel hardware, black Journeyman Relic finish, and a single-ply parchment pickguard.
• Included items: Case and certificate.

Verdict

The published details make the Fender 55 Strat BLK Journeyman Relic a clearly specified Custom Shop instrument with period-oriented styling and a defined set of neck, pickup, and hardware features. Its ash body, maple construction, 648 mm scale, 21 frets, and vintage tremolo are useful points of comparison for shoppers evaluating similar guitars.

The available information does not establish playability, tonal character, weight, setup quality, or the precise appearance of the relic finish. There are also no customer reviews to add firsthand evidence. At a listed price of 4,333, prospective buyers should verify the currency, confirm the pickup description, and ask about setup and instrument condition before ordering. The case and certificate are included, but a bag is not.