Fender 61 Strat DAR Relic HSS MBAH

Fender 61 Strat DAR Relic HSS MBAH review

The Fender 61 Strat DAR Relic HSS MBAH is a one-piece Custom Shop Strat-style guitar, made in the United States and master-built by Andy Hicks. Its specifications pair a 1961 Relic model designation with an HSS pickup layout: two single-coil pickups in the neck and middle positions, plus a humbucker at the bridge. The listed price is 8444, with no currency specified in the supplied information. The guitar has been available since March 2025.

There are no customer reviews available for this product. That means there is no basis for claims about its sound, setup, comfort, or reliability in regular use. This assessment sticks to the construction and hardware details provided. The model is listed as a limited run of one piece, so its specifications describe a specific instrument rather than a standard production configuration.

Body, finish, and neck

The body is made from alder and finished in Dakota Red. No separate top is specified. A three-ply white pickguard provides contrast with the red finish, while nickel hardware keeps the listed metal components consistent. The product is identified as a 1961 Relic model, but the available details do not describe the relic treatment itself. Its appearance should therefore be judged from photographs or an in-person inspection, not inferred from the model name alone.

The neck is maple, specified more precisely as plain-grain maple, and the fingerboard is rosewood. Fender lists the rosewood as 9 mm AAA grade and specifies vintage clay dot inlays. The neck profile is a 1960s oval C shape, with a stated thickness range of.790 to.930 inches. That measurement gives a useful indication of the profile's dimensions, but it does not establish how the neck will feel to a particular player.

The fingerboard radius is 9.5 inches, with 21 frets and a 648 mm scale length. These figures identify a traditional-style layout, though the spec sheet does not provide fret dimensions, nut width, or setup measurements. Those omissions matter to anyone comparing necks closely or evaluating playability before purchase. The listed information is not enough to determine action, intonation, or the condition of an individual instrument.

HSS electronics and controls

The pickup configuration combines two hand-wound 60/63 Strat single-coil pickups in the neck and middle positions with an EVH Frankenstein humbucker at the bridge. This arrangement gives the guitar two pickup types and a five-way switch, but the supplied specifications do not document the precise output, frequency response, or switching behavior for each position. Those qualities should not be assumed from the pickup names alone.

Fender lists HSS Pomo Strat 250/500 wiring, one volume control, two tone controls, and a five-way switch. The 250/500 designation indicates different resistance values associated with the wiring, but the data does not explain the exact circuit details or which controls affect each pickup. Players who need a particular control layout should confirm the wiring diagram or ask the seller for a direct inspection.

Tremolo and included items

The guitar has a Custom Shop vintage tremolo. The general specification also describes the tremolo as vintage, without further details about its bridge materials, adjustment range, or setup. No performance conclusions can be drawn from that description alone. Buyers concerned with tuning stability or tremolo feel should inspect the individual instrument and verify how it is currently set up.

A case and certificate are included. The general listing says that a case is included and that a bag is not; the detailed specification likewise confirms a case and certificate. The item number is 582300, and the sales unit is one piece. These details are useful for identifying the listing and confirming the included accessories, but they do not replace a check of the case and certificate at purchase.

Who should consider it

The specification points to a specialized instrument: a one-off, U.S.-made Custom Shop guitar with an alder body, rosewood fingerboard, vintage tremolo, and a mixed single-coil and humbucker pickup layout. Its limited-run status and master-built designation distinguish it from a regular catalog model, while also making direct comparisons with other instruments difficult. The supplied data does not include a weight, so buyers should request that measurement if it is important to them.

This review cannot verify the guitar's condition, relic finish, setup, or current availability. There are no customer reports to supplement the technical listing, and no sound samples or independent measurements were provided. At the listed price of 8444, prospective buyers should confirm the currency, inspect the actual instrument, and verify the included case and certificate. Based on the available specifications, its strongest points are its clearly identified Custom Shop construction and distinctive HSS configuration. Whether those details justify the asking price depends on the individual instrument and the buyer's priorities.