Fender Custom Shop 1961 Stratocaster Relic Ash Masterbuilt by John Cruz Transparent Yellow

The Fender Custom Shop 1961 Stratocaster Relic Electric Guitar Master Built by John Cruz will please any Strat fan fortunate enough to strap it on. Close inspection reveals the remarkable workmanship and attention to detail for which John of Fender Custom Shop is known. It's available in a vintage combination of Strat specs. It has a contoured ash body with a 54 maple neck sporting a "U" back shape and a compound radius. The fingerboard is dark Indian rosewood with 21 frets, leading to Vintage Fender logo tuners. Perfectly incorporating a Vintage Strat tremolo bridge, the 60-style pickguard houses three handwound Strat pickups for classic Strat tone.

John Cruz
John Cruz came to Fender in 1987, joined the Custom Shop in 1993 and became a Master Builder in 2003. Custom guitars are his passion, and he is the man behind several famous Custom Shop instruments, including the replica of Stevie Ray Vaughan' famous œNumber One Stratocaster guitar.

Cruz also built the limited-run Moto guitar and amp sets, worked on the ™49 Woody amp project and developed all production processes for the Rory Gallagher and Muddy Waters tribute guitars. Further, his meticulous work was essential to all aspects of the initial Custom Shop Relic guitars and basses, and he initiated the Custom Shop' quality assurance program.

Cruz has built fantastic guitars for players such as Doug Aldrich (Dio, Whitesnake), Dave Amato and Bruce Hall (REO Speedwagon), Mick Mars (M¶tley Cr¼e), Richie Sambora (Bon Jovi), Bono (U2), Duff McKagan (Guns N™ Roses), Ike Turner and Brad Whitford (Aerosmith).