Fender Ultra Luxe 60s Strat HSS FRD

Fender Ultra Luxe 60s Strat HSS FRD review

The Fender Ultra Luxe 60s Strat HSS FRD pairs a vintage-inspired look with hardware and neck features aimed at easy, modern playing. It is made in the USA, finished in Fiesta Red, and listed at $2,850. Its alder body, rosewood fingerboard, and 22 stainless steel frets set up a familiar Strat foundation, while a bridge humbucker and S-1 switching extend the range beyond traditional single-coil sounds.

The reported playing experience is especially strong. The neck feels comfortable, the factory setup was described as immediately playable, and access to the upper frets is aided by pronounced body contours. The combination makes this an expensive guitar with a clear practical focus: vintage character without giving up contemporary feel or heavier rock tones.

Vintage character, applied with restraint

Fiesta Red and a three-ply mint green pickguard give the guitar its recognizable period look. The finish uses aged nitrocellulose lacquer, with subtle wear and small intentional finish cracks. According to the owner's report, the marks are most visible when light catches them at the right angle. There are also small cracks on the headstock, while the Fender logo remains unaffected. The neck is not artificially aged, a choice the reviewer appreciated.

One caveat from that report concerns the finish odor. It was initially strong enough to cause mild headaches for a particularly sensitive owner. Leaving the guitar outside its case near an open window for about two days reduced the smell to a tolerable level. That experience may not apply to every instrument or player, but it is worth noting for anyone sensitive to fresh lacquer odors.

A neck built for comfortable movement

The maple neck has an augmented D profile and a compound fingerboard radius that transitions from 10 to 14 inches. The 648 mm scale is the standard 25.5-inch length, and the TUSQ nut measures 42.8 mm across. Fender fits 22 medium-jumbo stainless steel frets. Together, these details offer a familiar overall layout with a flatter feel higher up the neck.

The owner found the neck and fingerboard a little sticky on the first day, but reported that they felt smoother with use. More importantly, the guitar arrived with a low, comfortable string height. Chords and groove playing in the lower positions felt natural, while fast playing higher on the fingerboard was notably easy. The compound radius and sculpted upper body contour both contribute to that access, reducing the sense of a bulky heel getting in the way.

HSS pickups cover more ground

The pickup layout combines two Pure Vintage '61 Strat single coils with a Haymaker humbucker at the bridge. The neck and middle pickups deliver the expected Strat-style character, according to the review, while the Haymaker supplies a substantially thicker sound for rock riffs and lead parts. It addresses a common limitation of a bridge single coil when a fuller, more forceful tone is needed.

Controls include a master volume with an S-1 switch, two tone controls, and a five-way selector. Pressing the S-1 switch provides a single-coil-style sound from the humbucker, giving players a way to reduce its thickness without changing guitars. The owner found this split sound convincing and useful. The control knobs have rubberized outer edges for grip, though they were described as slightly easy to turn. Players who rest a hand near the volume control may need a little time to adjust.

Tremolo and hardware

The two-point synchronized tremolo has a pop-in arm, so it can be inserted or removed without threading it into place. The reported arm stayed in position without an extra spring. Sealed deluxe locking tuners were also credited with helping the guitar remain in tune during tremolo use. Fender supplies nickel and chrome hardware, along with Fender USA 250L nickel-plated steel strings in.009 to.042 gauge.

The instrument includes a deluxe hard-shell case. A bag is not included. The locking tuners, adjustable tremolo arm, and upper-fret body shaping make the hardware and body design feel oriented toward practical use, rather than appearance alone.

Verdict

The Fender Ultra Luxe 60s Strat HSS FRD combines a restrained aged finish with a genuinely flexible pickup setup and a neck that received strong praise for playability. Its Haymaker humbucker adds convincing weight for rock, while the S-1 switch helps recover a leaner single-coil-style voice. The tremolo and locking tuners round out a thoughtfully equipped package.

At $2,850, this is a major purchase, and the finish odor reported by one owner is a small but relevant consideration. In return, buyers get a USA-made Strat with a hard-shell case, stainless steel frets, an effective compound-radius fingerboard, and a broader tonal range than a conventional three-single-coil design. For players seeking one guitar that can move from familiar Strat sounds to thick bridge tones, the specifications and owner feedback make a persuasive case.