New for 2023, the Fender Custom Shop introduces the Limited Roasted Big Head Stratocaster Relic, with a two-piece select roasted alder body and roasted maple neck for midrange punch that cuts through onstage. The name also encompasses the larger headstock, which was introduced in the mid 1960s and has been a classic Stratocaster design element ever since, and a ravishing Relic finish in Aged Black, Aged Vintage White, Aged Candy Apple Red and Faded Aged Sherwood Metallic. With spidery finish checking all over the body and scars, dings and dents from bridge to headstock, the Relic treatment tells a story of an authentically worn-in guitar that has seen more than its share of action throughout many years of club and bar gigs.

Special pickups and wiring deliver amazingly versatile tone. Three Custom Shop hand-wound Fat ’60s pickups (reverse-wound/reverse-polarity middle pickup for hum cancellation in switch positions 2 and 4) produce lots of power with the sweetness of alnico 2 magnets. POMO Strat® Fat ’50s wiring delivers stronger overall tone with more transparent bloom, also minimizing the typical treble loss that occurs when rolling back the volume. The volume and tone controls consequently react more smoothly and more evenly, without the typical hot spots, making it easier to clean up an overdriven amp simply by slightly rolling back the guitar’s volume knob. Further, the Greasebucket™ II bridge-pickup tone control minimizes gain/mid loss when turned down.

Other premium features include a roasted quartersawn maple neck with ’63-style “C” profile, a 9.5”-radius round-lam rosewood fingerboard with 21 jumbo (6100) frets and a bone nut, five-way pickup switch, 11-hole gold anodized aluminum pickguard, Custom Shop vintage synchronized tremolo bridge, vintage-style tuners, wing string tree with nylon spacer, deluxe hardshell case, strap and certificate of authenticity.