Fender 61 Strat SFG Relic HSS MBAH

Fender 61 Strat SFG Relic HSS MBAH review

The Fender 61 Strat SFG Relic HSS MBAH is a USA-made Custom Shop guitar modeled on a 1961 Strat. Its listed specifications describe an alder body, a maple neck, a rosewood fingerboard, and an HSS pickup layout. Fender identifies Andy Hicks as the master builder. The model has been available since March 2025, and its run is listed as a single piece. That makes the production designation unusually specific: the supplied information describes one instrument, rather than a limited batch with a stated number of examples.

The listed price is 8444, with no currency specified in the supplied data. A case and certificate are included, but a separate gig bag is not. These details, along with the single-piece designation, place the guitar in a narrow, collector-oriented category. They do not establish how the instrument sounds or feels in use, so this assessment focuses on the construction and components that are documented.

Body, neck, and fingerboard

The body is alder and has no separate top listed. Its finish is Sea Foam Green, with a Relic treatment. The specifications do not define the amount or location of the wear, so the finish description alone cannot convey the exact appearance of this individual instrument. The body follows an ST-style shape, retaining the familiar outline associated with the Stratocaster design.

The neck is maple, described more specifically as plain-grain maple. Its profile is a 1960s oval C, measuring.790 inches at the first listed point and.930 inches at the second. Fender also specifies a 184 mm fingerboard radius and 21 frets. Together, those figures give a more concrete description of the neck than the model name alone, though they do not establish personal comfort or playability. The scale is 648 mm, the standard long scale used in this guitar's specifications.

The fingerboard is AAA rosewood, with a stated thickness of 9 mm and vintage clay dot inlays. The grade designation and material are useful identifying details, but the available data does not specify the wood's appearance, grain pattern, or final setup. The 21-fret layout is consistent with the guitar's period-inspired specification, while the radius and neck measurements provide reference points for players comparing it with other instruments.

Pickups and controls

The HSS arrangement pairs two hand-wound 1960/1963 Strat single-coil pickups in the neck and middle positions with an EVH Frankenstein humbucking pickup at the bridge. This gives the guitar two pickup types in one instrument. The supplied information identifies the pickup models and positions but does not provide output measurements, magnet details, or recorded comparisons. Any claims about tonal balance or distortion response would go beyond the documented specifications.

A five-way switch selects the pickup combinations. The control layout consists of one volume control and two tone controls, with HSS Pomo Strat 250/500 wiring listed. The combination of single-coil pickups and a bridge humbucker is the central electrical feature here. The data does not explain how the 250/500 wiring is implemented in each switch position, so it is best treated as a specification rather than a basis for predicting exact electrical behavior.

Tremolo, hardware, and overall assessment

The guitar has a Custom Shop vintage tremolo and nickel hardware, plus a three-ply pickguard. These parts fit the stated 1961 model reference. The specifications do not identify the tremolo's block material, saddle type, or adjustment range, and they do not describe the setup. As a result, the hardware can be assessed by its stated type and finish, not by assumptions about tuning stability or feel.

On paper, the Fender 61 Strat SFG Relic HSS MBAH is a detailed, period-based build with a modern HSS pickup configuration. Its strongest documented points are the master-built Custom Shop status, the named pickup set, the defined neck dimensions, and the single-piece run. Its specifications also make the instrument easy to distinguish from a standard Strat-style guitar, particularly through the bridge humbucker and the stated wiring.

There are no customer reviews available for this product, so there is no user feedback to weigh against the specification sheet. Buyers should treat the listed price, finish, and construction details as the available evidence, and confirm any questions about the individual instrument directly with the seller. For players or collectors seeking this exact combination of a 1961-inspired build, Sea Foam Green finish, and HSS electronics, the published details are specific. Claims about sound, setup quality, or long-term performance remain unverified.