Fender Custom Shop 1955 Stratocaster Journeyman Relic Electric Guitar - Black with Hardshell Case

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This brand new 7 lb 10 oz Fender will ship insured, fully set up, and inspected from Rapid City, SD.

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A guitarist chasing the direct, responsive character of an early Stratocaster, without being confined to strictly vintage playability, will find the Fender Custom Shop 1955 Stratocaster Journeyman Relic built around exactly that idea. By 1955, the Stratocaster was still a remarkably new design, yet its contoured solidbody, three-pickup layout, and synchronized tremolo had already established the blueprint that would shape electric guitars for generations. This Custom Shop model starts with that mid-'50s identity — an alder body, one-piece maple neck, vintage-style hardware, and straightforward Black finish — then incorporates carefully chosen changes that make it particularly appealing as a working instrument.

The Journeyman Relic treatment gives the guitar the appearance and tactile character of an instrument that has been played regularly and cared for rather than heavily abused. Its lacquer body finish and aged nickel/chrome hardware reinforce that broken-in presentation, while an unusually attractive AAA flame maple neck adds a premium visual element to the otherwise restrained '55 aesthetic. Fender's '54 Soft V profile provides a distinctly vintage-inspired shape, but the 9.5" radius and Narrow Tall frets move the playing surface toward modern practicality. That combination should appeal to players who enjoy the leverage and support of a substantial early-Fender neck but want easier bending and cleaner fretting than a completely period-correct fingerboard specification would provide.

The electronics take a similarly performance-oriented approach. Three Fender Custom Shop Hand-Wound El Diablo Stratocaster pickups give this guitar an SSS foundation with more attitude than a strictly low-output vintage set, while the reverse-wound/reverse-polarity middle pickup provides hum cancellation when paired with the neck or bridge pickup in the appropriate combination positions. A five-way blade expands the traditional three core Strat sounds with the familiar in-between settings, making the guitar equally at home moving from articulate neck-pickup cleans and blues phrasing to funkier combination tones and a more assertive bridge voice.

What emerges is less a museum-style recreation than a Custom Shop interpretation of what a great 1955 Stratocaster might become if it evolved into a seasoned player's instrument. The substantial Soft V neck, updated radius and frets, hotter hand-wound pickups, five-way switching, and six-screw synchronized tremolo make it capable of covering blues, classic rock, roots music, country, funk, and more aggressive Strat-driven styles while retaining the simplicity that made the original design so enduring. Combined with its Black finish, aged parchment appointments, flame-maple neck, and Journeyman Relic treatment, it brings together early-Strat visual character and carefully selected modern concessions in a guitar intended to be played rather than simply admired. Available now at Haggerty’s Music, this Custom Shop beauty ships with a sturdy hardshell case for convenient transport and premium protection.

Features / Specs

Highlights

• Series: Fender Custom Shop
• Orientation: Right-Handed
• Color: Black

Body

• Body Material: Alder
• Body Finish: Lacquer, Journeyman Relic
• Body Shape: Stratocaster
• Body Style: Solidbody

Neck

• Headstock Type: Standard Stratocaster 6-In-Line
• Neck Material: AAA Flame Maple
• Neck Shape: '54 Soft V
• Neck Finish: Medium-Tint Nitrocellulose Lacquer, Relic Treatment
• Neck Depth: 0.896" at 1st Fret, 0.990" at 12th Fret
• Neck Construction: Bolt-On
• Fingerboard Radius: 9.5"
• Fingerboard Material: AAA Flame Maple, Integral 1-Piece Construction
• Position Inlays: Black Micarta Dots
• Side Dots: Black
• Number of Frets: 21
• Truss Rod Style: Fender '50s-Style
• Truss Rod Nut: Heel Access
• Nut Material: Bone
• Nut Width: 1.65"
• Fret Size: Narrow Tall 6105
• Scale Length: 25.5"

Hardware

• Bridge: American Vintage Stratocaster Synchronized Tremolo, Relic Aged
• Bridge Cover/Tail Piece: Nickel / Chrome Bridge Cover (Included, Not Installed)
• Bridge Mounting: Vintage-Style 6-Screw
• Pickguard: 3-Ply Eggshell
• Pickup Covers: Parchment, Relic Aged
• Control Knobs: Parchment Stratocaster-Style Plastic Knobs
• Switch Tip: Parchment
• Hardware Finish: Aged Nickel / Chrome
• Tuning Machines: Vintage-Style Closed-Gear, Relic Aged
• String Trees: Vintage Disc
• Strings: .010 / .013 / .017 / .026 / .036 / .046
• Tremolo Arm: Included, Not Installed
• Neck Plate: 4-Bolt, Serialized
• Strap Buttons: Vintage-Style, Relic Aged
• Output Jack: Front-Mounted 1/4" Stratocaster-Style Output Jack

Electronics

• Pickup Configuration: SSS
• Neck Pickup: Fender Custom Shop Hand-Wound Stratocaster El Diablo
• Middle Pickup: Fender Custom Shop Hand-Wound Stratocaster El Diablo RWRP
• Bridge Pickup: Fender Custom Shop Hand-Wound Stratocaster El Diablo
• Controls: Master Volume, Tone 1, Tone 2
• Switching: 5-Way Blade
• Auxiliary Switching: None; 250K 10% Taper Split Potentiometer Configuration

Miscellaneous

• Accessories: Certificate of Authenticity, Leather Strap, Adjustment Tools, Fender Literature, Bridge Cover
• Case/Gig Bag: Tweed Hardshell Case
• Serial Number: R147200
• Manufacture Date: 2026