Fender 57 Strat FRD Journeyman Relic

Technical overview

The Fender 57 Strat FRD Journeyman Relic is a U.S.-made Custom Shop electric guitar based on the 1957 Stratocaster. Its specification centers on a two-piece selected alder body, a maple neck and fingerboard, three hand-wound single-coil pickups, and a vintage-style synchronized tremolo. The stated finish is Fiesta Red with a Journeyman Relic treatment.

The guitar has been available since September 2024. The supplied listing gives a price of 4,799, but does not specify a currency. Its item number is 598843. Fender includes a deluxe hardshell case, while no gig bag is included. There are no customer reviews available for this product, so this assessment is based only on the supplied specifications.

Body, neck, and playing dimensions

The body is made from two selected pieces of alder, with no separate top listed. The bolt-on neck and fingerboard are both maple. This is a straightforward material specification for the stated 1957 model reference, without additional body or neck construction details such as thickness, neck width, or weight.

The neck has a '57 Soft V profile. That profile description identifies the general shape, but the listing gives no measurements for neck depth at the first or twelfth fret. Buyers who have specific preferences for neck thickness should seek those measurements before ordering rather than assume the profile name defines an exact feel.

The fingerboard radius is 241 mm, or 9.5 inches, and the scale length is 648 mm, or 25.5 inches. The fingerboard carries 21 narrow tall frets, identified as size 6105. A bone nut is specified. These details establish the fret count, radius, and fret type, but the available information does not include nut width, fretboard edge treatment, or setup measurements.

Pickups and controls

The pickup system is an SSS layout, meaning three single-coil pickups. Fender specifies three hand-wound Custom Shop '57 Stratocaster single coils. The listing does not provide pickup output, magnet type, winding resistance, or separate descriptions for the neck, middle, and bridge units. It is therefore possible to identify the pickup design and arrangement, but not to make a more detailed electrical comparison from these data alone.

The controls consist of one volume knob, two tone controls, and a three-way pickup selector. The specification does not describe the tone control assignments or any additional switching options. There is no mention of a modern expanded switching system, so the documented control layout is a conventional three-way arrangement.

Tremolo and hardware

The guitar has a Custom Shop vintage synchronized tremolo and vintage-style tuning machines. Its hardware is nickel. The supplied details do not state the bridge saddle material, tremolo block material, tuning ratio, or whether the tremolo is set up to float or rest against the body. Those setup choices can affect operation, so they should not be inferred from the vintage-style description.

A single-ply white pickguard contrasts with the Fiesta Red finish. The finish is described as Journeyman Relic, a named finish treatment in the product specification. No further details are supplied about the extent or placement of wear, so the exact appearance cannot be established from the listing alone.

What the specifications establish

This model has a clear vintage-oriented brief: a 1957 Stratocaster basis, a maple neck and fingerboard, a trio of Custom Shop single coils, and a synchronized tremolo. The listed dimensions and fret details are specific enough to identify the core playing geometry, while several practical measurements and component details remain undisclosed.

• Construction: Two-piece alder body with a bolt-on maple neck.
• Fingerboard: Maple, 241 mm radius, and 21 narrow tall frets.
• Electronics: Three hand-wound Custom Shop '57 Stratocaster single coils, one volume, two tone controls, and a three-way switch.
• Included: Deluxe hardshell case. No bag is included.

At the stated price of 4,799, the specifications identify a U.S.-made Custom Shop instrument with a defined vintage model reference and named pickup set. The listing does not provide enough information to assess setup, weight, measured pickup output, or individual instrument condition. With no customer reviews available, those points remain unverified rather than matters for a claimed playing impression.