A Tribute to Leo Fender’s Original Trem-less Strats The Fender Custom Shop Limited-edition ’56 Hardtail Stratocaster Relic is a superb 6-string choice for Strat devotees seeking enhanced hardtail stability or even for Telecaster fanatics looking to dive into the world of Leo Fender’s second solidbody creation. Starting with a resonant 2-piece select alder body, this Strat defies typical S-style convention with a solid and stable vintage-style 6-saddle hardtail bridge. Next, a stout rift-sawn maple neck in a 1959 “D” profile will win over players who favor a wider, rounder feel when flying up and down the rosewood fingerboard’s modern 7.25–9.5-inch compound radius. A trio of Fender Custom Shop hand-wound ’59 Stratocaster pickups continues the turn-of-the-decade flair with a rich, round response that foreshadows the mellower Stratocaster stylings of the 1960s. Lastly, the Fender Custom Shop Limited-edition ’56 Hardtail Stratocaster Relic wears a battle-scarred nitrocellulose lacquer relic finish, proudly displaying the