Fender Poblano Strat SHR AB

Fender Poblano Strat SHR AB: Technical Review

The Fender Poblano Strat SHR AB is a U.S.-made Stratocaster-style guitar listed as a Summer 2021 Favorites Custom Shop model. Its specifications describe an aged black finish with a Super Heavy Relic treatment, three hand-wound Ancho Poblano single-coil pickups, a synchronized vintage tremolo and a rosewood fingerboard. The product information gives an item number of 553119 and lists availability since December 2023. The stated price is 7499, with no currency specified.

There is an important inconsistency in the supplied specifications. The general specification block identifies the body as ash, while the detailed Custom Shop description calls it a selected two-piece alder body. The neck is listed generally as maple and described more specifically as a one-piece quarter-sawn maple neck, which can be read as a more precise description of the same material. The body materials, however, are different and cannot be reconciled from the available information. Buyers should confirm the body wood with the seller or Fender before purchase rather than assume either entry is correct.

Neck, Fingerboard and Hardware

The neck profile is listed as a C shape, paired with a round-laminated rosewood fingerboard. The stated fingerboard radius is 9.5 inches, and the instrument has 21 jumbo frets, identified as size 6100. A 648 mm scale is also specified. That measurement corresponds to the long-scale format commonly associated with Stratocaster guitars. A bone nut completes the listed neck-end hardware.

These details provide useful points of comparison for players choosing a familiar Stratocaster layout. The C-shaped profile identifies the general neck contour, while the radius and fret size describe the fingerboard's geometry and fret dimensions. The supplied information does not give neck thickness measurements, fret finishing details, or setup specifications, so those aspects cannot be assessed here.

The hardware includes vintage-style tuners and a wing string tree with a high metal spacer. Fender specifies a Custom Shop Vintage synchronized tremolo. The listing does not provide bridge-material details, spring configuration, or adjustment range. It therefore supports identifying the tremolo type, but not making claims about its tuning stability or performance under particular playing styles.

Pickups and Controls

The pickup system is SSS, meaning three single-coil pickups in the conventional bridge, middle and neck positions. The detailed description names them as hand-wound Ancho Poblano Strat pickups and notes that the middle pickup is reverse-wound and reverse-polarity. That middle-pickup configuration is a specific electrical design detail; the supplied data does not state measured output, magnet type, or frequency response.

Controls use vintage-modified No. 2 wiring with a Tone Saver Bleed, alongside a five-way switch. The listing does not spell out the control layout or explain the precise behavior of the wiring modification, so it would be unwise to infer more than the named configuration. The three-ply black phenolic pickguard provides a clear visual contrast against the aged black finish, although the exact appearance will depend on the individual relic treatment.

Finish, Package and Buying Considerations

"Super Heavy Relic" is the finish designation supplied for this instrument, with the color listed as Aged Black. This describes the stated finish category and color, not the condition of a used guitar. The product is not marked as a limited run. It comes with a deluxe hardshell case, a strap and a Certificate of Authenticity. The general specification says no bag is included, which is consistent with the case being the listed protection for transport and storage.

No customer reviews are available for this product, so there is no buyer feedback to summarize. This assessment is based only on the supplied specifications. In particular, there is no basis here for claims about how the guitar feels, sounds, stays in tune, or compares in build quality with another instrument. The conflicting body-wood entries are the main practical issue to resolve before ordering.

Verdict

The listed configuration is a detailed Custom Shop-style Stratocaster package: a maple C-profile neck, rosewood fingerboard, 21 jumbo frets, three hand-wound single-coil pickups, five-way switching and a vintage synchronized tremolo. The aged black Super Heavy Relic finish and included hardshell case, strap and Certificate of Authenticity are also specified. The description is not fully consistent about the body wood, however. Confirm whether the guitar has an ash or two-piece alder body, and verify the listed price and currency, before treating this specification sheet as definitive.