Fender Stevie Ray Vaughan Strat Relic

Fender Stevie Ray Vaughan Strat Relic: technical review

The Fender Stevie Ray Vaughan Strat Relic is a U.S.-made Custom Shop signature guitar with a stated worldwide production run of 30 pieces. Its listed specifications combine an alder body, a maple neck, a rosewood fingerboard, three hand-wound Texas Special single-coil pickups, and a vintage-style tremolo. The model has been available since November 2019, and its item number is 470317. The supplied price is 5333, with no currency specified in the product information.

This review is based only on those supplied specifications. No customer reviews are available, so there is no reported owner feedback to draw on. The details here describe the instrument's construction and configuration, rather than claiming how it sounds or feels in use.

Body, neck, and fingerboard

The body is made from selected alder, finished in a three-tone sunburst Relic treatment. The listing names no separate top wood. Its ST-style outline follows the familiar double-cutaway Stratocaster format, while the worn-look finish provides the visual distinction specified for this model. The product data does not describe the extent or placement of the finish wear, so those details should be checked in photographs of the individual instrument.

The medium-tinted, quarter-sawn maple neck has an SRV Oval C profile. The "C" refers to the stated neck shape, while the model-specific "SRV Oval" designation identifies its profile in Fender's listing. The fingerboard is rosewood, with a 305 mm radius and 21 jumbo frets. Those measurements and fret details are useful points of comparison for players considering the neck, but they do not establish personal comfort or playability. The scale length is 648 mm, a specification commonly associated with full-scale electric guitars.

The black, three-ply pickguard is identified as an SRV design. Together with the gold-plated hardware and sunburst finish, it gives the instrument a specific visual specification. The listing does not provide hardware alloy details or identify the gold-plating thickness.

Pickups and controls

Three hand-wound Texas Special Strat single-coil pickups provide the specified SSS configuration. The middle pickup is reverse-wound and reverse-polarity (RWRP), according to the listing. The guitar uses vintage wiring and a five-way pickup selector. These details establish the available pickup combinations and wiring approach, but the supplied data does not include output measurements, circuit diagrams, or a control-by-control description.

The Texas Special name identifies the pickup model, and the hand-wound construction is explicitly stated. No information is provided about the pickup magnets, resistance, or exact tonal response in this particular instrument. As a result, expectations about brightness, output, or noise should be treated as general assumptions rather than verified findings from a test of this guitar.

Tremolo and included items

The instrument has a left-handed vintage tremolo. That description identifies the tremolo type and orientation, but the product details do not explain its setup, range, or intended method of use. Buyers should confirm the bridge orientation and setup against the specific guitar before purchase, particularly if they have requirements beyond the stated configuration.

A Custom Shop Deluxe Tweed hard-shell case, a strap, and a certificate are included. The case is listed as included, while a bag is not. The supplied specifications do not describe the certificate's contents or state whether any additional accessories are provided.

Production and buying considerations

The worldwide run of 30 pieces makes limited production a central part of this model's specification. That figure indicates the stated production quantity, but does not by itself confirm the availability of a particular serial number or predict resale value. The listing identifies Stevie Ray Vaughan as both the artist and the signature model, and gives the country of manufacture as the United States.

For a prospective buyer, the clearest reasons to consider this guitar are its specific signature configuration, Custom Shop designation, limited stated run, and documented construction details. Its 648 mm scale, 21 jumbo frets, rosewood fingerboard, and three single-coil pickups provide concrete points for comparison with other ST-style instruments. The Relic finish, SRV Oval C neck profile, gold-plated hardware, and included tweed case further distinguish the package on paper.

Important information remains unspecified, including the exact weight, neck thickness measurements, pickup electrical readings, setup, and the price currency. There are also no customer comments or independent play-test observations in the supplied data. The Fender Stevie Ray Vaughan Strat Relic is therefore best assessed by confirming the individual guitar's condition, measurements, and configuration with the seller, rather than relying on unverified claims about sound or feel.