Fender 60 Strat IBM Relic

Fender 60 Strat IBM Relic: technical overview

The Fender 60 Strat IBM Relic is a USA-made Custom Shop model based on the 1960 Stratocaster. Its specification combines a two-piece selected alder body, a maple neck, a rosewood fingerboard, and three hand-wound Custom Shop '60 Stratocaster single-coil pickups. The finish is Ice Blue Metallic with a Relic treatment. Those details give a clear picture of the instrument's materials and layout, though they do not establish how any individual guitar will sound or feel.

The listed item number is 598986, and the model has been available since September 2024. The product information gives a price of 5099 without stating a currency, so that figure should be checked against the seller's current listing. A Deluxe hardshell case is included; a separate gig bag is not.

Body, neck, and playing dimensions

The body is made from two pieces of selected alder, with no separate top. Fender specifies a plain-grain maple neck attached with a bolt-on joint. The neck has an oval C profile in the style of the 1960s. This profile description identifies the general shape, but the provided specifications do not include neck measurements at the first and twelfth frets. Players comparing necks by exact thickness will need to verify those dimensions separately.

The rosewood fingerboard is specified as 9 mm thick and AAA grade. Its radius is 241 mm, a measurement that describes the curvature across the playing surface. The scale length is 648 mm, also listed as 25.5 inches. The guitar has 21 narrow-tall 6105 frets and a bone nut. These details are useful points of comparison for players choosing by fret type, fingerboard curve, or scale length. The data does not state the nut width or the fretboard's edge treatment.

Ice Blue Metallic is the stated color, and Relic is the finish treatment. The available information does not describe the specific wear pattern or provide an assessment of the finish on an individual instrument. Since a Relic finish is part of the model's specification, buyers should review photographs of the actual guitar if the location and appearance of wear matter to them.

Pickups and controls

The pickup configuration is SSS, meaning three single-coil pickups. Fender identifies them as hand-wound Custom Shop '60 Stratocaster pickups. The controls consist of one volume control, two tone controls, and a five-way pickup selector. This is a conventional three-pickup control layout, with the selector providing five pickup combinations. The specifications do not state pickup output, magnet type, wiring details, or measured frequency response, so conclusions about tonal character would go beyond the supplied information.

The pickguard is three-ply mint. That color and construction are specified independently of the Ice Blue Metallic body finish. The guitar also has nickel hardware, vintage-style machine heads, and a Custom Shop vintage synchronized tremolo. The tremolo designation identifies the included system, but no details are provided about its setup, spring arrangement, bridge adjustment, or intended range of use. Buyers who rely on a particular tremolo setup should confirm those details with the seller.

What the specification supports

This model's strongest points on paper are its clearly identified Custom Shop components and traditional Stratocaster layout. The body wood, neck wood, fingerboard material, scale, fret count, pickup type, and control arrangement are all stated. The inclusion of a Deluxe hardshell case is also explicit. That makes the listing useful for comparing core construction with other instruments, while leaving some practical setup questions unanswered.

• Construction: Two-piece selected alder body, bolt-on plain-grain maple neck, and rosewood fingerboard.
• Neck details: 1960s-style oval C profile, 241 mm radius, 648 mm scale, and 21 narrow-tall 6105 frets.
• Electronics: Three hand-wound Custom Shop '60 Stratocaster single-coil pickups, one volume control, two tone controls, and a five-way switch.
• Hardware and finish: Vintage synchronized tremolo, vintage-style machine heads, nickel hardware, and Ice Blue Metallic Relic finish.

There are no customer reviews available for this product. This assessment therefore concerns only the published specifications, not owner experience, playability, workmanship on a particular example, or sound in use. The listing also omits details such as total weight, nut width, setup measurements, and pickup electrical specifications. Those are sensible items to request before purchase if they affect fit or compatibility with a player's existing equipment.

Bottom line

The Fender 60 Strat IBM Relic is specified as a USA-made Custom Shop 1960 Stratocaster model with vintage-oriented materials and hardware, three hand-wound single-coil pickups, and a Relic finish. The 648 mm scale, 21 narrow-tall frets, oval C neck profile, and included hardshell case provide concrete buying details. The available data supports a technical comparison, but not claims about tone, setup quality, or individual playing feel. Check the seller's current price and confirm any missing dimensions or setup information before ordering.