Fender Custom Deluxe Strat HB-S1 SFSP

Fender Custom Deluxe Strat HB-S1 SFSP: technical review

The Fender Custom Deluxe Strat HB-S1 SFSP is a U.S.-made, limited-edition Custom Shop Stratocaster with a humbucker and two single-coil pickups. Its listed price is 6890, with no currency specified in the supplied data. The model pairs familiar Strat-style controls and a vintage tremolo with a more detailed pickup arrangement and a Heavy Relic finish. No customer reviews are available, so this assessment is based solely on the supplied specifications.

The body is alder, with no separate top listed. The finish is described as Seafoam Sparkle over 3-Tone Sunburst. That layered finish description is more specific than the general Seafoam Green color entry in the summary data, so buyers should confirm the exact appearance with the seller if the finish is a deciding factor. The pickguard is identified as a Strat GBG, and the hardware is chrome.

Neck and playing dimensions

The bolt-on neck is quartersawn maple, paired with an AAA rosewood fingerboard. The neck profile is listed as a 65 Style C. Its thickness measures 20 mm at the first fret and 24 mm at the twelfth fret. Those measurements give a clearer description of the neck's taper than the profile name alone, though they do not establish how it will feel in a player's hand.

The fingerboard radius is 241 mm, or 9.5 inches, and the scale length is 648 mm, or 25.5 inches. The nut width is 41.9 mm, or 1.65 inches. The fingerboard has 22 narrow-tall frets and white Micarta dot inlays. These figures provide useful points of comparison for players familiar with Stratocaster dimensions. The specification list does not provide fret material, fret condition, or a setup measurement, so those details should not be assumed.

HSS pickups and controls

The bridge position uses a Seymour Duncan SH4 humbucker. The middle pickup is a hand-wound '69 Strat reverse-wound, reverse-polarity single-coil, while the neck position has a hand-wound '69 Strat single-coil. This HSS arrangement combines a bridge humbucker with two single-coil pickups. The specifications identify the pickup models and positions, but provide no output readings, wiring diagram, or tonal measurements.

Controls include one volume knob with an S-1 switch, two tone controls, and a five-way pickup selector. Tone control two blends the neck pickup into the signal. That function adds a specified way to bring the neck pickup into combinations beyond the selector's position alone. The available data does not explain the S-1 switch's exact circuit or list the resulting pickup combinations, so its switching behavior should be verified rather than inferred.

Tremolo, hardware, and included case

The guitar has a vintage Strat tremolo and Schaller "F" tuning machines. The information does not specify the tremolo block material, bridge saddle type, or tuning-machine ratio. Those omissions limit conclusions about hardware construction beyond the named components and vintage-style tremolo designation.

A case is included, while a bag is not. The instrument is listed as one piece per sales unit, and its item number is 653121. It is not identified as a limited run in the summary fields, while the detailed description calls it a limited-edition Custom Shop model. Since those statements differ, prospective buyers should ask the seller to clarify the production status. Both descriptions identify it as a Custom Shop instrument, and the stated country of manufacture is the United States.

What the specifications establish

The strongest points for evaluating this model on paper are its named pickup set, specific neck dimensions, and clearly identified control layout. The Heavy Relic finish, Seafoam Sparkle over 3-Tone Sunburst description, and included case also help distinguish the package from a standard Stratocaster specification. The available information does not establish the instrument's weight, setup, condition beyond the finish designation, or the precise function of the S-1 switch.

For a buyer considering the Fender Custom Deluxe Strat HB-S1 SFSP, the key checks are the exact finish, the meaning of the conflicting limited-production entries, and the S-1 wiring details. Confirming these points would make it easier to compare this guitar with other HSS Stratocaster models. Without customer feedback or hands-on measurements, the specifications support a focused technical comparison, not claims about sound, comfort, or performance in use.