Fender 59 Strat BKoVBL Hvy Relic MBAH
Electric Guitar
- Custom Shop model - master built by Andy Hicks
- 2020 Summer Event Limited Edition
- Body: Ash
- Neck: Dark-tinted quartersawn maple
- Fingerboard: Rosewood
- Neck profile: '60s Oval "C" (.890" - .920")
- Fingerboard radius: 9.5"
- 21 frets (6105)
- Pickups: 3 Josefina handwound Fat '50s single coils
- Modern strat wiring
- 5-way switch
- Black anodised pickguard
- Vintage tremolo
- Vintage hardware
- Finish: Heavy Relic
- Colour: Black over Vintage Blonde
- Includes case, strap and certificate
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Available since October 2025
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Item number 505040
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Sales Unit 1 piece(s)
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Colour Black
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Body Ash
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Top None
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Neck Maple
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Fretboard Rosewood
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Frets 21
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Scale 648 mm
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Pickups SSS
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Tremolo Vintage
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incl. Bag No
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Including Case Yes
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Limited Run 2020
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Model 1959 Relic Stratocaster
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Shape ST-Style
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Pickup System SSS
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A '59 relic from the Masterbuilder
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Back in the golden era of Leo Fender guitars, the emphasis was often on keeping things moving swiftly from workshop to player. When a custom order came in, it wasn't unusual for an already finished body to be given an overspray in the requested colour. With years of heavy use on stage, that underlying coat would gradually begin to show through – a rare detail that still sets collectors' pulses racing. With the Fender '59 Stratocaster "Black over Vintage Blonde Heavy Relic", Masterbuilder Andy Hicks has recreated this exact kind of instrument, complete with authentic ageing and the distinctive look of classic black over a translucent Vintage Blonde finish. The guitar on offer here is the very instrument shown in the photographs, carrying all the subtle wear and detail of a Strat that's been played and lived with over many years. The pickups are genuine Josefina hand-wound Fat '50s single coils – among the finest components Fender's Custom Shop has to offer. The guitar is supplied with case, strap, and certificate.
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Carefully composed
Each Fender Masterbuilder relic guitar is aged as an individual piece, with a remarkable level of detail. Andy Hicks places particular emphasis on lightweight tonewoods and a convincing, authentic feel, and that approach is clearly evident in this '59 Strat. The ageing itself feels carefully composed – a cohesive recreation shaped by an experienced relic specialist. From the visible playwear and the oxidation on the hardware to the subtly yellowed plastic parts that sit naturally alongside the Vintage Blonde undercoat, every element comes together with real consistency. Equally central to this Strat's character are its three single coils, hand-wound by Josefina Campos – at Fender, she’s widely known as the "Queen of Pickups". Her pickups are known for their clarity and dynamic response. Chosen by Abigail Ybarra – herself a pupil of Leo Fender – to learn the craft, she continues that tradition to this day.
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A modern 1959 Strat
1959 marks a key transitional moment for the Stratocaster. Around this time, the fingerboard material shifted from maple to rosewood, which proved less sensitive to visible wear. The result was not only a visual change but a clearly audible one as well: The tone becomes more centred, rounder, and more balanced overall. This Masterbuilt Strat is a recreation of one of those early slab-board models with a rosewood fingerboard. Even so, while it stays close to that original specification, it incorporates contemporary details that make it considerably more versatile. This begins with the modern Strat wiring and five-way switch, where the bridge pickup is connected to the tone control. As a result, the guitar feels more agile than its vintage counterpart, where this modification was often carried out retrospectively. The fingerboard radius is also more modern at 9.5", rather than the pronounced 7.5" curve of early models. This allows for a lower string action without notes dropping out during bends.
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About Masterbuilder Andy Hicks
Fender is without question one of the most iconic names in the world of guitars and amplifiers. Founded in 1946 by Leo Fender, the company has shaped the landscape of electric guitars and basses like few others. Working in the spirit of those early years, Fender's Masterbuilders create both faithful recreations of legendary instruments and modern interpretations that take things in new directions. Andy Hicks has been part of the Fender Custom Shop for some years, and a Masterbuilder since 2022. After his training as a guitar maker, he worked as assistant to Gretsch Custom Shop senior masterbuilder Mike Stern, whose relic work and design ideas are widely regarded for capturing vintage character with exceptional accuracy. Coming out of that background, Hicks' guitars are more than simple vintage tributes. They're defined by authentic ageing and finely judged craftsmanship, all guided by a clear aim: Achieving a coherent sense of perfection in look, sound, and execution.
A recreation of a classic
The Fender '59 Stratocaster "Black over Vintage Blonde Heavy Relic" Masterbuilt by Andy Hicks brings together classic vintage specifications with a convincingly realised relic look. That aesthetic sits naturally alongside characteristic '59 details, including a single-ply pickguard, a comfortably shaped oval C neck profile – introduced for the first time in this period – and the familiar early Fender headstock with its spaghetti logo. What emerges is a recreation of a timeless classic, built to the highest standards by a Masterbuilder with more than twenty years of experience refining his craft. With this Stratocaster, a gutiarist can capture the sounds associated with players such as Jimi Hendrix, Rory Gallagher, or Jeff Beck – carried by this truly exceptional instrument's authentic vintage character and the light, resonant musicality.
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