Fender Custom Shop Masterbuilt Dale Wilson Late 59 Strat - Heavy Relic Olympic White/3-Tone Sunburst

We see so many cool guitars come and go, not least from the Fender Custom Shop, but ones like this are still a talking-point when they pass through the shop. How cool and unique does this Strat look whilst still being classic? With an amazing flamed roasted neck, gold hardware, colour-over-colour and 22 frets... it's clearly a winner but let's take a deeper dive.

This Masterbuilt Late 59 Stratocaster is the work of Dale Wilson, one of the most respected and sought-after builders in the Fender Custom Shop. His guitars are known for their feel, their resonance and their unmistakably authentic relic work, and this Heavy Relic Olympic White over 3-Tone Sunburst is a perfect example of why his builds are so coveted. It is a stunning instrument with a roasted alder body, a beautifully figured roasted flame maple neck and gold hardware throughout, giving it a look that is both classic Fender and luxurious.

The roasted alder body was handpicked for weight and resonance, then finished in nitrocellulose lacquer with a Heavy Relic treatment that looks properly played-in and authentically aged. The Olympic White top colour wears through to the 3-Colour Sunburst underneath, with checking, wear patterns and texture that only Dale Wilson seems able to pull off in this style. It is a guitar that looks like it has lived a lifetime on the road.

The neck is a highlight in its own right: a AAAA roasted flame maple blank with a dark tint nitro finish, paired with a AAA 9mm slab rosewood board sorted for darkness. The roasting process brings out deep colour and the beautiful figuring in the maple, which contrasts beautifully with the gold vintage locking tuners on the small 59-style headstock. The neck shape is a modern C, offering a more contemporary feel while still retaining the comfort and familiarity of a classic Strat. Medium Jumbo 6150 frets, a 9.5 inch radius and 22 frets give it a modern edge and excellent playability across the entire board. Vintage clay face dots and side dots complete the period-correct aesthetic.

Electronics come in the form of handwound 60/63 Strat pickups, with the middle pickup reverse-wound and reverse-polarity for hum-cancelling in positions 2 and 4. They deliver a classic early 60s Strat voice with clarity, sweetness and a touch of extra warmth from the roasted body. The 250K 10 percent taper split pots offer smooth, precise control, and the American Vintage Strat bridge in Relic Gold ties the whole look together. Gold hardware extends across the tremolo, tuners, input jack, strap buttons and screws, giving the guitar a really unique vibe and premium aesthetic.

This is a spectacular Masterbuilt Strat with a cool, distinctive spec, a beautifully figured roasted neck, a roasted alder body and some of the best relic work you will ever see. It is a modern-playing, vintage-inspired instrument built by one of the finest luthiers in the Fender Custom Shop.