Up for sale, a 2007 Fender Stratocaster Custom Shop Heavy Relic 1960 reissue model in exceptional condition and in perfect working order. Part of Fender's "Time Machine" series, this Strat faithfully replicates the feel and aesthetic appearance of a guitar that's been honestly played for decades, and this particular example is finished in a thin coat of Daphne Blue nitro lacquer. Apparent from the moment you strike your first chord, this Strat has a clear and snappy acoustic tone with surprising projection and piano-like clarity, and these qualities translate well through the stock Custom Shop black bobbin pickups for an array of familiar and classic Fender tones. From the biting twang of the bridge pickup to the thicker tones and bell-like harmonics from the neck position single coil, all the bases are covered with this Relic, and the 2 and 4 positions on the five-way blade switch deliver enough quack and snap to satisfy the most demanding purists. The guitar weighs in at a moderate 7lbs 12oz and balances well on a strap too. Professionally setup here at Mike & Mike's Guitar Bar, this Custom Shop Relic is dialed in with 11-50 strings, low action, and spot-on intonation.The quartersawn maple neck has a slender C profile paired with a generous slab rosewood fretboard, and while this profile gains a bit of extra heft as you move up the fretboard, it stays quite slim overall and is very comfortable. Additionally, the gloss nitro lacquer on the profile has been mostly worn down to the bare wood as part of the factory relic process, and the silky smooth feel is ideal for quick position shifts and overall player comfort. The fretboard retains a vintage 7 1/4" radius, with vintage-style fretwire that is virtually flawless, showing no notable wear and playing cleanly up the neck. The guitar also benefits from a fresh level and crown of the fretwire further up the board to guarantee no buzzing or dead spots and easy playability in all registers. The nut measures just a hair under 1 11/16" (but is decidedly wider than 1 5/8") and this factory nut matches the fretboard radius well with perfect string spacing. On the headstock, the factory aged Kluson-style tuners turn as they should and hold pitch well.All of the electronics work as they should and are original to the guitar, with three Custom Shop black bobbin pickups, cloth wire, and full size CTS pots. The mint green pickguard and lightly aged knobs and pickup covers all have the perfect patina to match genuine vintage examples and thankfully Fender only relic'd the bridge and saddles lightly so that all height adjustment screws work as they should. Currently setup with three springs, the vibrato is very responsive and jumps back to the original pitch with ease, even when performing deeper dives. The body and neck retain all of the proper Custom Shop markings, with the logo and chevron on the back of the headstock, and proper date stamp on the neck heel. The neck pickup route has a "60 Relic" stamp, and while the neck markings note this guitar as a "61 Strat Relic," Fender confirmed with us that they advertised this model as a reissue of the 1960 model year. The Custom Shop logo is imprinted in the body beneath the pickguard, and "Relic" is imprinted on both the neck heel and the body behind the neck plate, which also has the proper "R" prefix serial number.Cosmetically, it's always difficult to separate the factory relic treatment from honest playwear acquired in the past decade, but essentially the vast majority of wear on this guitar is due to factory aging. The proper white undercoat shows through in places beneath the Daphne Blue, and like a well loved instrument should, this Strat is worn in such a way that it feels very comfortable and intuitive to play.The original brown tolex G&G hardshell case is included, along with the polish cloth, cable, and chrome "ashtray" bridge cover. The COA is not included, but a replacement can be acquired directly from Fender for $75.