Fender 57 Strat FRD Relic

Fender 57 Strat FRD Relic review

The Fender 57 Strat FRD Relic is a USA-made Custom Shop instrument based on the 1957 Stratocaster. Its listed price is 4,999, and it has been available since September 2024. The specification centers on a two-piece selected alder body, a maple neck and fingerboard, three hand-wound Custom Shop '57 Stratocaster single-coil pickups, and a vintage-style synchronized tremolo. It is finished in Fiesta Red with a Relic finish.

This is a specification-based assessment, not a report of playing impressions. No customer reviews are available for this product, so there is no independent user feedback to summarize. The details below describe what the listed construction and hardware indicate, without making claims about tone, setup, or finish quality that the specifications cannot verify.

Body, neck, and fingerboard

The body is made from two pieces of selected alder, with no separate top listed. Alder is paired here with a bolt-on neck made from plain-grain maple. The maple fingerboard keeps the neck and playing surface within the same wood family, while the stated 1957 Stratocaster model designation and '57 Soft V profile identify the neck shape as a period-style feature.

The profile name describes a soft V-shaped contour rather than a modern C profile. Whether that shape suits a particular player depends on hand size and preference, and cannot be established from the specification alone. The fingerboard radius is 241 mm, a relatively flat measurement compared with the tighter curves found on some vintage-style instruments. Fender lists 21 Narrow Tall 6105 frets. This fret type and the stated fret count are useful reference points for players comparing the guitar with other Stratocaster models, though they do not establish fret condition or setup.

The scale length is 648 mm, also specified as 25.5 inches. At the nut, the width is 42.9 mm, and the nut itself is bone. These dimensions give a concrete basis for comparing the instrument's layout with another guitar. The string set is listed as.010 to.046, but the supplied information does not say whether those strings are fitted at the factory or whether the setup is optimized for that gauge.

Pickups and controls

The pickup layout is SSS, meaning three single-coil pickups. Fender specifies three hand-wound Custom Shop '57 Stratocaster single coils. That description identifies the pickup type and intended model reference, but does not provide output measurements, magnet specifications, or frequency response. As a result, the pickup name alone is not enough to make a precise prediction about how the guitar will sound through a particular amplifier or effects chain.

The control set follows a familiar Stratocaster arrangement: one volume control, two tone controls, and a five-way pickup selector. The supplied details do not state how the tone controls are assigned, so that wiring detail should be confirmed if it matters to a purchase. A one-ply white pickguard provides a visual contrast with the Fiesta Red finish. The available information does not specify whether the finish color or aging treatment varies from instrument to instrument.

Tremolo, tuners, and included case

The guitar uses a Custom Shop vintage synchronized tremolo and vintage-style machine heads. Those descriptions establish the hardware style, but do not specify the tremolo's adjustment, spring arrangement, tuning stability, or exact tuner model. The hardware is listed as nickel. No performance claims about tuning or tremolo response can be supported without hands-on testing.

A deluxe hardshell case is included, while a bag is not. That is a meaningful distinction for storage and transport: the package includes a rigid case rather than a gig bag. The product information does not detail the case's interior, locking hardware, or accessories, so those points remain unconfirmed.

Technical assessment

The Fender 57 Strat FRD Relic is defined by its '57-oriented neck profile, 648 mm scale, maple fingerboard, three Custom Shop single coils, and vintage synchronized tremolo. The construction details are specific enough to compare against other Stratocaster-style guitars, particularly for players seeking a 1957 model reference with a Relic finish and a bone nut. Its listed dimensions and components offer useful purchase criteria, but they do not substitute for checking the instrument's feel, setup, weight, or finish in person.

For a buyer weighing the 4,999 price, the strongest verifiable points are the Custom Shop designation, USA manufacture, named pickup set, selected two-piece alder body, and included deluxe hardshell case. No customer feedback is available, and the provided specifications do not establish how this particular guitar sounds or plays. The item number is 598844, and the listed sales unit is one piece.