MORE ABOUT 20TH ANNIVERSARY RELIC® STRATOCASTER®

Mojo, vibe, coolness: words often used to describe a vintage Fender guitar that has not only seen history, but also made history. From the birth of rock ‘n’ roll to the unleashing of the popular Relic guitars, Fender has been there for the momentous events that defined guitar culture.

The year 1995 was a landmark in the history of the Fender Custom Shop—the year it introduced the world to Relic guitars at NAMM, including the striking ’56 Mary Kaye Stratocaster. Displayed in two glass cases, along with the ’51 Nocaster®, with no fanfare, these instruments blindsided dealers who were awestruck by what they believed were original models displayed in tribute to the company’s roots—examples of collectors’ and tonehounds’ most-wanted guitars. Little did they know these two instruments were actually “new pairs of old shoes”—offering the beloved authentic vintage sound and broken-in feel of the original ’50s models without requiring decades of use.

Ingeniously “reliced” by the Custom Shop and limited to a run of 95 units (a tribute to the year they were released), the Custom Shop 20th Anniversary Relic Stratocaster honors the evolution of relicing and the Custom Shop’s mastery of the art. The 1995 NAMM originals respected the Fender legacy—the Strat® as a true workingman’s guitar that stands up to the tests of time and hard use. It’s more than “just an instrument,” it’s an extension of the player.

20th Anniversary Relic® Stratocaster® | Stratocaster Electric Guitars | Fender® Guitars