This 2001 Fender Custom Shop Stratocaster 1956 Closet Classic in Vintage Blonde is a beautifully balanced Custom Shop piece, capturing the feel and character of a well-preserved mid ’50s original.
Finished in Vintage Blonde, this Stratocaster reflects Fender’s more restrained approach to ageing from the early Custom Shop era, subtle, considered, and highly authentic. It offers the look and feel of a carefully played vintage instrument, without the heavier relic treatment seen on later builds.
It’s an instrument that feels immediately familiar in the hands, comfortable, responsive, and effortlessly musical.
Specifications
Fender Custom Shop 1956 Stratocaster reissue
Closet Classic finish in Vintage Blonde
Built: 2001
Serial: R5328
Maple neck with lightly relic’d fretboard wear
Soft “V” neck profile (’56 specification)
Vintage-style tremolo and hardware
Nitrocellulose lacquer finish with natural checking
Finish & Ageing
The Closet Classic treatment on this example is particularly well judged:
Lightly aged hardware with gentle, natural tarnishing
Fine lacquer checking through the nitro finish
Subtle fretboard wear for a broken-in feel
It presents as a guitar that has aged gracefully, never overdone, and all the more convincing for it.
Tone & Feel
Everything you’d expect from a great mid-’50s Strat:
Clear, bell-like highs with excellent articulation
Warm, rounded low end
Open, dynamic response across all pickup positions
The soft “V” neck profile is a standout, substantial enough to feel supportive, yet comfortable and easy to play for extended sessions.
Condition
Presented in excellent condition.
Factory Closet Classic ageing throughout
Hardware shows light tarnishing consistent with the finish
Body is clean with no damage
Neck is straight and stable
Frets are in great shape
It plays and sounds exactly as it should.
Included
Original Fender Custom Shop hard case
Certificate of Authenticity
Case candy as pictured
Freo Guitars Notes
Earlier Custom Shop builds like this tend to favour a lighter, more natural approach to ageing something that’s becoming increasingly sought after.
This is a Strat that sits comfortably between player and collector territory: visually classic, tonally versatile, and finished with a level of restraint that allows the instrument’s character to speak for itself.
Availability
This instrument is available for viewing by appointment only at Freo Guitars, Fremantle WA.
Worldwide shipping available.
FREMANTLE.
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
0458 066 709
OPEN 10AM - 5PM TUESDAY TO FRIDAY OPEN 11AM - 4PM SATURDAY & SUNDAY
