Fender 55 Strat BLK Relic

Fender 55 Strat BLK Relic: technical review

The Fender 55 Strat BLK Relic is a U.S.-made Custom Shop model based on the 1955 Stratocaster. Its specification combines an ash body, a maple neck and fingerboard, three hand-wound single-coil pickups, and vintage-style hardware. The finish is black with a Relic treatment. The product information lists a price of 5222, but does not identify a currency, so that figure cannot be compared directly with prices in a particular market.

This assessment is based on the published specifications. No customer reviews are available, and there is no basis here for claims about sound quality, setup, playability, or the appearance of an individual instrument. The details do, however, make the design priorities clear: a period-inspired platform with specific Custom Shop components and a modern five-way pickup selector.

Body, neck, and playing dimensions

The body is made from ash, with no separate top listed. Its ST-style outline follows the familiar Stratocaster format. Fender specifies a plain-grain maple neck and a maple fingerboard, keeping the neck and playing surface in the same wood. The neck profile is a '54 Soft V, a shape reference that distinguishes it from a more rounded modern profile. The precise feel will depend on the individual player and instrument, so the profile name alone cannot establish whether it will suit a particular hand.

The fingerboard radius is 241 mm, or approximately 9.5 inches. The guitar has 21 Narrow Tall 6105 frets and a bone nut. Those details are more informative than a generic fret count: the fret type and radius define parts of the playing surface, while the nut material identifies the specified component. The listed scale length is 648 mm, approximately 25.5 inches, a long scale commonly associated with Stratocaster designs.

The product listing identifies the color as black and the finish as Relic. It does not provide a detailed account of the aging treatment or describe how heavily the finish is worn. Buyers should therefore treat Relic as the supplied finish designation, not as a precise description of an individual guitar's appearance.

Pickups and controls

The pickup configuration is SSS, meaning three single-coil pickups. The more detailed specification identifies them as three hand-wound Fender Custom Shop '50 Tele Relic single-coil pickups. A five-way switch selects pickup combinations. The available information does not list a separate control layout, potentiometer values, or measured electrical output, so those details should not be assumed.

The pickup description is notable because it names a specific Custom Shop set rather than simply identifying three standard Stratocaster pickups. That gives a prospective buyer a useful reference for what is installed, but it does not establish how the guitar sounds through a particular amplifier or in a particular recording setup. No sound samples or verified listening reports are included in the supplied data.

Hardware, finish, and included items

A vintage-style tremolo and vintage-style tuning machines are specified, along with nickel hardware. The pickguard is a single-ply parchment design. These components support the instrument's 1955-inspired presentation, while the five-way switch is explicitly listed as part of the control system. The specifications do not state the tremolo's setup, tuning stability, or adjustment range, so those practical results remain unverified.

The package includes a case and a certificate. The item data says a case is included, and the detailed description confirms both the case and certificate. It does not include a bag. The sales unit is one piece, and the listed item number is 598723. The model has been available since September 2024.

What the specifications establish

• Construction: ash body, maple neck and fingerboard, and a bone nut.
• Neck and frets: '54 Soft V profile, 241 mm fingerboard radius, and 21 Narrow Tall 6105 frets.
• Electronics: three hand-wound Fender Custom Shop '50 Tele Relic single-coil pickups with a five-way switch.
• Hardware and package: vintage-style tremolo and tuners, nickel hardware, case, and certificate.

The Fender 55 Strat BLK Relic is specified as a U.S.-made Custom Shop instrument built around a 1955 Stratocaster reference. Its documented appeal lies in the particular neck profile, fret specification, pickup set, and period-oriented appointments. The published details are substantial enough to assess its design and components, but they do not replace an in-person inspection or a test of the specific guitar. Since no customer feedback is available, conclusions about comfort, tone, condition, or value beyond the stated components and price would go beyond the evidence.