Fender 63 Strat Relic MBPW BK

Fender 63 Strat Relic MBPW BK review

The Fender 63 Strat Relic MBPW BK is a limited-run 2024 Custom Shop Stratocaster, masterbuilt by Paul Waller in the United States. Its listed configuration centers on an alder body, a maple neck, a AAA flamed rosewood fingerboard, three hand-wound single-coil pickups, and a vintage-style synchronized tremolo. The supplied specifications describe a traditional three-pickup Strat layout with a five-way switch, while adding gold-plated hardware and a relic finish.

There is a color discrepancy in the product information. The main listing identifies the guitar as black, and the model name ends in "BK," while the detailed specification gives the finish color as Vintage Blonde. Buyers should confirm the actual finish with the seller before ordering. The listed price is 8699, with no currency specified in the supplied information.

Construction and neck dimensions

The body is alder, with no separate top listed. The bolt-on neck is maple, paired with a rosewood fingerboard described in the detailed build notes as AAA flamed rosewood. It has 21 narrow-tall frets and a stated fingerboard radius of 241 mm, also given as 9.5 inches. The scale length is 648 mm, approximately 25.5 inches.

The neck profile is identified as a '60s Oval "C." That description and the 9.5-inch radius provide useful reference points for comparing the neck with other instruments, but they do not establish how it will feel in a player's hands. No neck thickness measurements, fret dimensions, or setup details are provided. Those omissions make a hands-on assessment impossible from the specification sheet alone.

The relic finish is part of the stated design, but the information does not describe the amount or pattern of wear. There is also no detail about the body's weight, the neck finish, or the specific construction methods used beyond the bolt-on neck and listed materials. Masterbuilt status identifies the build designation and named builder, but the available data does not document individual workshop processes.

Pickups and controls

The guitar uses three hand-wound Custom Shop Josefina Troposphere Strat single-coil pickups in an SSS arrangement. Fender Vintage Modified Strat No. 1 wiring and a five-way switch are listed. These are concrete details about the pickup set and switching layout, but no pickup output readings, wiring diagram, or control-by-control description is supplied. The sheet also does not specify the potentiometer values or capacitor type.

As a result, the pickup names alone cannot establish the guitar's sound, output level, or response with a particular amplifier. The traditional three-single-coil arrangement indicates the broad format, while the actual tonal differences between switch positions would need to be checked on the instrument. No customer reviews are available, so there are no verified owner reports to add to the specification-based assessment.

Tremolo and hardware

A vintage-style synchronized tremolo with six curved steel saddles is listed. The product data does not state whether the bridge is set up to float or rest against the body, nor does it give details about spring count, tremolo-arm fit, or adjustment. Those setup choices can affect use, so they should not be assumed from the bridge description.

The hardware is gold-plated, and the tuning machines are described as vintage-style units with a Fender logo. A three-ply mint green pickguard is specified. These details establish the visible hardware and pickguard configuration, though the available information does not give a hardware durability rating or further finish specifications.

What is included

The detailed specifications state that a case and certificate are included. A separate general listing field says "Including Case: Yes" and "incl. Bag: No," consistent with a case being supplied without a gig bag. The sales unit is one piece. The item number is 601277.

• Model: Stratocaster, ST-style body shape
• Build: Alder body, maple bolt-on neck, rosewood fingerboard
• Frets and scale: 21 narrow-tall frets, 648 mm scale
• Electronics: Three hand-wound single-coil pickups, five-way switch
• Bridge: Vintage-style synchronized tremolo with six curved steel saddles
• Run and origin: Limited run for 2024, made in the United States

Technical assessment

The published specification describes a U.S.-made, limited-run Custom Shop Stratocaster with a named master builder, a defined neck profile, hand-wound pickups, and vintage-style bridge hardware. The case and certificate are also specified as included. What the data cannot settle is equally important: the black versus Vintage Blonde color conflict, the precise relic treatment, the instrument's weight, its setup, and its sound in use. Confirm the finish and current build details with the seller, and treat any judgment about playability or tone as unverified until the guitar can be inspected or tested.