Pricing and availability

* Product prices and availability are updated by Equipboard every 24hrs and are subject to change. Equipboard may receive compensation for purchases made at participating retailers linked on this site. This compensation does not affect what products or prices are displayed, or the order of prices listed. For more information, please refer to our affiliate disclosure.

Description

The Fender Custom Shop Stratocaster is a distinguished member of the electric guitar family, revered for its exceptional craftsmanship and timeless sound. Handcrafted in Fender's Custom Shop, this Stratocaster embodies the pinnacle of guitar artistry, combining vintage aesthetics with modern playability. It features a select alder or ash body, which provides a balanced tonal range, from bright, crisp highs to warm, resonant lows, making it a versatile choice for any musical style.

The neck is crafted from premium maple, with a smooth satin finish that ensures effortless playability across the fretboard. Its comfortable "C" shape is designed to fit naturally in your hand, allowing for extended play without fatigue. Custom-wound pickups deliver a rich, articulate sound that pays homage to the legendary tones of classic Stratocasters, while offering enhanced clarity and dynamic response for today's musicians.

Whether you're on stage or in the studio, the Fender Custom Shop Stratocaster promises reliability and performance. Its vintage-style synchronized tremolo bridge provides smooth action for subtle vibratos or more intense dives, without sacrificing tuning stability. Each instrument is meticulously inspected and set up by Fender's master builders, guaranteeing that your guitar is ready to inspire from the moment you pick it up.

Key Features:

  • Handcrafted in Fender's Custom Shop
  • Select alder or ash body for balanced tonal range
  • Maple neck with "C" shape profile and satin finish
  • Custom-wound pickups for rich, articulate sound
  • Vintage-style synchronized tremolo bridge
  • Meticulously inspected and set up by master builders
Ola Englund

Ola Englund

MY GUITAR - FENDER CUSTOM SHOP STRATOCASTER

Video thumbnail for MY GUITAR - FENDER CUSTOM SHOP STRATOCASTER by Ola Englund

MY GUITAR - FENDER CUSTOM SHOP STRATOCASTER

Ola Englund

Ola Englund

Reviews

Owner Insights

We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Fender Custom Shop Stratocaster.

Features and functionality

  • Direct-mounted pickups reportedly offer unique overtones, especially when played with high drive.

    Source
  • The SD Seth Lover pickup in the neck position is praised for its exceptional tone.

    Source
  • Texas Special pickups are preferred by some owners for their tonal qualities compared to other options like Fat '50s.

    Source

Comparisons

  • The guitar is likened to a Nashville Tele with a "Keef" style HB at the neck, combining Strat and Tele elements.

    Source

Build quality

  • The binding on the guitar is frequently highlighted as a visually appealing feature.

    Source
  • The Time Machine Relic series appears less common at lower prices, with owners expressing satisfaction in their unique and "broken in" feel.

    Source

User experience

  • Owners appreciate the 2 and 4 pickup positions for delivering the classic Strat "quack" sound.

    Source
  • Owners report a "worn out" feel that provides no neck friction, enhancing playability and producing inspiring sound.

    Source

Value and pricing

  • A secondhand Fender Custom Shop Stratocaster at $2,000 is considered a significant bargain by experienced players.

    Source
  • Prices for these guitars often exceed $4,000, making anything below this a potential bargain, particularly in international markets like Perth.

    Source

Critic Reviews

Fender Custom Shop Guitar Center Dealer Select Stratocaster HST Journeyman review | Guitar World

guitarworld.com

The Fender Custom Shop Dealer Select Stratocaster HST Journeyman is a dream for collectors and players alike, offering top-tier craftsmanship and a broad tonal range from vintage to modern. Its unique pickup configuration and relic'd finish deliver distinct aesthetics and sonic versatility. While its exclusive availability through Guitar Center could be a hurdle for some, and its price is high, it's more affordable than many other premium guitars. Overall, it's a lifetime guitar for those willing to invest in quality and exclusivity.

positive
Add

5.0 out of 5

Based on 6 Reviews and 26 Ratings

5 star
4 star
3 star
2 star
1 star
jspark01

Incredible

the dynamics and resonance is the reason why they cost so much more than a regular American strat, they are worth every cent the craftsmanship, tone and weight are all perfect

peasinafookinpod420

awesome custom

I got a custom strat some time ago. It has a Floyd rose, a Gretsch steel guitar bridge pickup and Seymour Duncan Antiquity Lap Steel middle pickup and a Lace Alumitone single coil neck pickup. It also has a in/out of phase switch and is in a heavy relic 2 tone sunburst finish.

davidcrickett

I love it!

I love it! I love it! I love it! I love it! I love it! I love it! I love it! I love it! I love it! I love it! I love it! I love it! I love it! I love it! I love it! I love it! I love it! I love it! I love it! I love it! I love it! I love it! I love it! I love it! I love it! I love it! I love it! I love it! I love it! I love it! I love it! I love it! I love it! I love it! I love it! I love it! I love it! I love it! I love it! I love it! I love it! I love it! I love it! I love it! I love it! I love it! I love it! :D

chris_klondike_masuak

An ugly purple sparkle but a beautiful tone!

Picked up on a whim at a music expo in Sydney, this Strat instantly "spoke" to me. A little on the heavy side, even unplugged it seems much cleaner and richer sounding than most other Strats I've played or owned.

skylinerr

Number 1

natural custom shop strat big headstock rosewood board replaced bridge pickup with duncan ssl-5 with a black cover to the others white but its what I had

Genres:
ryan_ha

Abigail Ybarra

Abigail Ybarra pickups in mine -- love it.

Artist usage

Add artist
See how Jimmy Vivino uses Fender Custom Shop Stratocaster

Jimmy Vivino

Guitarist

Jimmy Vivino and the Basic Cable Band

...
Verified via ThroBak

A copy of George Harrison's "Rocky" predating the masterbuilt limited edition was used with Fab Faux, as mentioned on Vivino's ThroBak artist page.

Q: What kind of Beatles gear are you using to recreate the songs live?

JV: The Fab Faux are forensic musicologists. We're archeologists, anthropologists, everything (laughs). I've got a historic copy of George Harrison's '57 Les Paul nick-named "Lucy", made famous by Eric Clapton using it on the solo of "While My Guitar Gently Weeps", a Black '57 Gretsch Duo-Jet, a Gibson J-160E strung with flatwounds and played through an amp for the absolute sound of "I Fell Fine", a '90s Rickenbacker 325 V-59 with a Bigsby like John's, a copy of George's famous "Rocky" Fender Strat, an Epiphone Casino with newly installed SB-Special Soap Bar pickups strung with 10-49 flat wounds, plus a whole bunch more electrics and acoustics.

See how Alex Feder uses Fender Custom Shop Stratocaster

Alex Feder

Guitarist, Music Producer

Linkin Park

...
Verified via YouTube

In the video titled "Linkin Park Rig Rundown with Mike Shinoda, Dave 'Phoenix' Farrell & Alex Feder (Brad Delson)" by Premier Guitar on YouTube, at 53:51, Alex Feder's technician, Ben, is seen showcasing Alex Feder's Fender Custom Shop Stratocaster.

See how Richard On uses Fender Custom Shop Stratocaster

Richard On

Guitarist

Of a Revolution

...
Verified via Premierguitar

I would say 80 percent of the time I’m using that ’63 John Cruz Strat.

See how Chris Young uses Fender Custom Shop Stratocaster

Chris Young

Singer

...
Verified via Photo

On Chris' official Instagram, you can see him holding a new Stratocaster he bought at Gruhn Guitars in Nashville, TN. Based on it's features and aging, I believe it is a custom shop.

See how Robin Ognedal uses Fender Custom Shop Stratocaster

Robin Ognedal

Guitarist

...
Verified via GITARRE & BASS

Black Fender 20th Anniversary Relic Strat Custom Shop Strat.

"It's a 20th Anniversary Relic and currently my main guitar, a 2015 Custom Shop with hand-wound Fat 50's pickups. I just bought it recently and I'm absolutely thrilled. The neck is almost twice as thick as my American Deluxe. Up until now, I thought that I was into thin necks because I always played thin necks. But when I picked up the Anniversary Relic, I was particularly impressed by the neck. In the meantime, I had a Les Paul and a Telecaster, and both ended up as replacement guitars. In the end, it's always a Strat that I like best."

See how Ty Meyers uses Fender Custom Shop Stratocaster

Ty Meyers

Guitarist

...
Verified via Premier Guitar

Ty Meyers uses a Fender Custom Shop Stratocaster, specifically a Master Built Strat crafted by Dale Wilson. According to Premier Guitar's "Ty Myers Rig Rundown" by John Bohlinger, Meyers discovered this guitar at Carter's Vintage in Nashville while initially seeking a different instrument. He decided to keep the original pickups and plans to adjust the action soon.

See how James Bell X uses Fender Custom Shop Stratocaster

James Bell X

...
Verified via Photo

While in the US, James used this guitar for a live show.

C

Cody Tate

Singer, Guitarist

Whiskey Myers

...
Verified via YouTube

In the video titled "Whiskey Myers Rig Rundown with John Jeffers & Cody Tate", at the 34:41 mark, Cody Tate is clearly seen using a Fender Custom Shop Stratocaster.

See how Jasper Harris uses Fender Custom Shop Stratocaster

Jasper Harris

Guitarist

Quarters of Change

...
Verified via Photo
Color/Finish: Lake Placid Blue

In the provided image, Jasper Harris can be seen playing a Fender Custom Shop Stratocaster in Lake Placid Blue, which features Danelectro Lipstick Pickups.

Genre Usage

Based on how artists on Equipboard use this gear, it is most commonly found in the following genres.

Used With

Based on how musicians on Equipboard use Fender Custom Shop Stratocaster, it is most commonly used with the following gear.

Community setups

Show yours
artifex_adrift

artifex_adrift

Gear IQ 903

qlyde

qlyde

Gear IQ 113

artifex_adrift

artifex_adrift

Gear IQ 903

beddau

beddau

Gear IQ 206

yusmars

yusmars

Gear IQ 1403

boris_atanasov

boris_atanasov

Gear IQ 189

boris_atanasov

boris_atanasov

Gear IQ 189

bradleyx

bradleyx

Gear IQ 114

3 alternative and related items for Fender Custom Shop Stratocaster, curated by the Equipboard community.

Fender American Vintage II 1961 Stratocaster

$1,960.03 - $2,499.99

similar sound cheaper alternative

With the American Vintage II Strat, Fender has now brought back the quintessential 1961 model with unparalleled authenticity. Built with alder and maple, and rosewood tonewoods and featuring an exclusive trio of single-coil Strat pickups, the ’61 Strat is a perfect emulation of a beloved axe classic. Considering it retains the same “C” neck profile and familiar fretboard access, holding an American Vintage II guitar feels akin to wielding an instrument rife with legendary 20th-century tone.

Shijie Guitars STE Relic Series

 

similar sound cheaper alternative

I have owned a Fender Custom Shop strat. At about 1/4 of the price, the Shijie that I own blows it out of the water. I'm not going to say that all Shijie STE's are Fender custom shop quality but the one that I own definitely is. I highly recommend this brand.

Nash S57

$2,179.00

similar sound cheaper alternative

Nash is not cheap by any means. They clock at around $2600 new, but that is still a lot less than a Fender CS which could set you back $5K depending on the amount of aging / relic. I've owned a Fender CS Strat and my Nash S57 (based on 57' strat obviously) is every bit as good as the Fender CS that I owned. I highly recommend Nash.

More Fender Custom Shop Solid Body Electric Guitars

Gear Guides