The Fender Custom Shop Limited-Edition Roasted Alder '61 Strat embodies everything that made the 7th year Stratocaster such a winner. But it's more than just retro—hot hand-wound Texas Special pickups provide searing tone, with 5-way switching and a Strat “1/2 blender” wiring, which lets players blend the neck and bridge pickup in switch positions 1 and 2.

A super-heavy relic lacquer finish gives this '61 Strat the look and feel of a guitar that has relentlessly lit up stage after stage for many years. The body is roasted, creating a rich dark color; roasting also decreases the moisture content in the wood, thereby increasing resonance and sustain. The tinted and roasted quartersawn maple neck has a chunky custom C-shaped profile, topped by a 9.5"-radius flat-lam rosewood fingerboard with 21 jumbo (6100) frets.

Other features include a three-ply mint green pickguard, Custom Shop vintage-style synchronized tremolo, vintage-style tuning machines, bone nut and wing string tree with metal spacer. It comes with a deluxe hardshell case, strap and certificate of authenticity.