Fender Custom Shop 1959 Stratocaster “Chicago Special” Journeyman Aged Lake Placid Blue w/Rosewood Neck Fender

It is no secret that the Fender Custom Shop has been creating the best instruments since 1987. In keeping with the true spirit of Leo’s original vision of the company, each instrument is built with the highest level of care and excellence. Here at Chicago Music Exchange, we have collaborated with the best minds at Fender to build the best instruments from top to bottom, tirelessly going over each spec to ensure that we offer you the best of what Fender has to offer. 

Featuring measurements and components we hand-selected from across history, our “Chicago Special” Fender Custom Shop guitars highlight important years in the development of core models like the Stratocaster, Telecaster and more. We capture the energy and essence of their respective eras with iconic fingerboard radii and period-correct plastics, matched headstocks and slab fingerboards, classic finishes and not-so-classic colorways. But that’s just the beginning of what makes our Fender Custom Shop guitars so special. We take customization a step further with rift sawn necks for added resonance and expanded control sets for tonal versatility, and every “Chicago Special” Fender Custom Shop guitar features our own custom Chicago Special pickups, designed in conjunction with Fender Custom Shop Vice President of Product Development Mike Lewis.

“Chicago Special” Strat® pickups

• Calibrated set – bridge to neck – for balanced output
• Each pickup as custom AlNiCo 5 magnet stagger for optimum output balance string-to-string
• 42 gauge enamel wire for round highs
• Potted in shellac for open wide range frequency response

Model Number: 9237100196
Serial Number: R110249
Finish Package: Journeyman Relic
Case: Fender Custom Shop Brown
Weight: 7lbs 12.5oz

Body Wood: Alder
Body Color: Aged Lake Placid Blue
Body Finish: Nitro Lacquer

Hardware Plating: Chrome/Nickel
Bridge Assembly: American Vintage Strat Bridge
Output Assembly: Vintage Strat
Control Assembly: Strat 1/2 Blender
Neck Plate: R Serial Vintage
Back Plate & Trem Cover: Strat Parchment
Tremolo Arm: Vintage Upgraded 60s
Tremolo Arm Tip: White Relic
Tuner Keys: Vintage w/Fender Logo Relic
String Gauge: .010-.046

Neck Assembly: 56 Strat Custom
Neck Finish: Nitro Lacquer
Neck Blank: Rosewood
Fingerboard: Rosewood
Truss Rod: 50s
Head Style: Small
Neck Head Thickness: 0.580″
Neck Scoop: 56
Dot Spacing: Wide
Face Dot: Micarta Black .250
Side Dot: Micarta Black 3/32″
Fret Wire: Sanko 6105
Number of Frets: 21
Fingerboard Radius: 9.50″
Neck Back Shape: 60 Style Oval “C”
Neck Nut Width: 1.650″
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret: .790″
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret: .930″
Neck Butt Width: 2.200″
Nut Material: Bone
Number of Bolts: 4-Bolt
Head Cap Decal: 56-60 Strat
Pickguard: 60 Strat Nitro P/B/P
Pickup Neck: Hand-wound Chicago Special Strat Neck
Pickup Middle: Hand-wound Chicago Special Strat Mid RWRP
Pickup Bridge: Hand-wound Chicago Special Strat Bridge
Control Knobs: Strat Small Font White
Selector Switch Tip: White Relic
Pots: 250k 10% Taper Split
Switch: 5-Way Lever CRL