Fender Michael Landau 68 RelicStratSB

Fender Michael Landau 68 RelicStratSB review

The Fender Michael Landau 68 RelicStratSB is a signature Stratocaster built around a familiar three-pickup layout, with selected materials and hardware that give it a distinct specification. It has a lightweight alder body, a maple neck, a rosewood fingerboard, and a bleached three-color Sunburst finish. Fender lists it as available since November 2013, and the supplied item number is 318693.

The listed price is 4222. That is a substantial outlay, and the owner feedback supplied here makes clear that expectations matter at this level. One player had tried the guitar in a store years earlier and remembered being struck by it, but felt less immediate excitement after ordering one. They kept it for a project that needed a Stratocaster with three single-coil pickups, then grew more accustomed to it, especially to the neck. That experience is useful context: a strong first impression in a shop does not guarantee the same connection at home.

Neck and playing feel

The maple neck has a C-shaped profile and a 42 mm nut width. Its rosewood fingerboard carries 21 narrow-jumbo frets, while the scale length is 648 mm. Those measurements describe a traditional Stratocaster setup, but the player report points to the neck profile as a notable part of this model's character. The owner found it noticeably different from the profiles they associated with other Fender Stratocasters. They did eventually adapt, but the shape was not an instant fit.

That is worth considering before buying. Neck comfort is personal, and the available feedback does not establish that the profile will suit every hand. If possible, spend time with the instrument before committing. Pay attention to how the C-shaped neck feels in both chord work and longer playing sessions, rather than judging it only by a short tryout.

Pickups and controls

Fender specifies Custom Shop Fat '50s single-coil pickups in an SSS configuration. The controls comprise one volume knob, two tone knobs, and a five-way pickup selector. This gives the guitar the standard three-single-coil control arrangement, with pickup combinations selected at the switch. The supplied information does not include measured output, frequency response, or detailed listening comparisons, so it would be misleading to make precise claims about its tone. The specification identifies the pickup set, while the owner's stated reason for keeping the guitar was its usefulness for a project that called for a three-single-coil Stratocaster.

Construction and hardware

The body is made from selected lightweight alder, with no separate top. A three-ply mint-green pickguard contrasts with the bleached three-color Sunburst finish. Nickel-and-chrome hardware and a vintage-style synchronized tremolo complete the listed hardware specification. The product information calls the tremolo vintage-style, but does not provide further details about its setup or adjustment range.

The instrument is supplied with a case, strap, and certificate. It does not include a separate gig bag, which matters less in practice because a case is included. The sales unit is one guitar. Its listed artist and model are Michael Landau, and it belongs to Fender's Artist Series.

Fit and finish observations

The owner raised one specific concern: the position-marker dots were not perfectly aligned with the strings. They were disappointed to see that on an instrument costing more than $4,000, while also noting that they had seen the same issue on other, more expensive Fender Custom Shop Stratocasters. That is a personal observation, not evidence that every example has the same alignment. Still, it is a sensible detail to inspect on the individual guitar before purchase, particularly when paying a premium price.

The feedback does not report problems with the guitar's tuning, tremolo function, electronics, or fretwork, so there is no basis here to judge those areas. Buyers should assess the actual instrument in person or confirm the seller's inspection and return terms.

Verdict

The Fender Michael Landau 68 RelicStratSB combines a lightweight alder body, a C-shaped maple neck, a rosewood fingerboard, Custom Shop Fat '50s pickups, and a vintage-style synchronized tremolo. Its included case, strap, and certificate round out the package. The owner account suggests that its neck may take time to adjust to, and it flags marker-dot alignment as something worth checking on the specific guitar.

For players specifically seeking a Michael Landau signature Stratocaster with this pickup layout and specification, the model has a clear identity. At the listed price of 4222, a careful hands-on check is prudent. The supplied feedback supports neither a blanket endorsement nor a broad criticism; it points instead to a personal neck fit and a small but visible finish detail that buyers should evaluate for themselves.