Fender Custom Shop 1959 Stratocaster Journeyman Relic Faded Aged Shoreline Gold

This Fender Custom Shop 1959 Stratocaster combines the clean design language of a historic Strat with a specification that deliberately goes beyond a straight reproduction. The 2-piece alder body meets a quartersawn maple neck with the characteristic 1959 "D" profile and an AAA rosewood fingerboard. That grounds the instrument in its historical reference while the choice and treatment of the woods at the same time define the individual character of a Fender Custom Shop instrument. The Journeyman Relic finish with pronounced checking conveys the impression of an instrument that has been played for years, without reproducing the much heavier wear of extreme relic stages.

A 1959 Interpretation For Discerning Strat Players

The neck concept is one of the defining elements of this build. Quartersawn maple, the 1959 "D" profile and the AAA rosewood fingerboard form a combination that immediately signals the historical reference. The 9.5" radius also gives this interpretation a distinct Custom Shop orientation. Vintage clay dots and the smaller headstock echo the era's design and carry the historical approach down to the details. The result is not a randomly aged Stratocaster but a deliberately composed interpretation of the 1959 concept.

Hand-Wound Fat '60s Pickups

On the electronics side the Fender Custom Shop relies on three hand-wound Fat '60s Strat single coils. The middle pickup is executed as an RWRP version, while the entire pickup set is selected via a 5-way switch. The Strat Vintage Mod Wiring #2 is also part of this instrument's specific configuration. Choosing the Fat '60s pickups therefore brings an intentionally later Fender reference into the 1959 blueprint and underlines the individual character of this Custom Shop assembly.

Time Machine With Journeyman Character

The instrument is part of the 2024 Time Machine Collection and combines historical details with the Fender Custom Shop's typical freedom when assembling individual specifications. Custom Shop Vintage Strat tremolo, vintage-style tuners with Fender logo, period-correct plastic parts and aged hardware consistently carry the concept forward. Especially the documented heavy checking of the finish contributes to the unique appearance of this specific piece.