Fender '60 CS Stratocaster Heavy Relic "Time Machine" 2021, Black

This 2021 Fender Custom Shop ’60 Stratocaster is a great take on the early-’60s Strat, with a Black Heavy Relic finish that gives it plenty of vintage attitude. The worn-in finish is paired with the familiar Alder body, Maple neck, and Rosewood fingerboard, keeping the overall recipe firmly rooted in the period. Handwound Texas Special pickups give it a little more output and midrange than a typical vintage-style Strat set, while still retaining plenty of the snap and character you want from a Strat. It’s a well-executed Custom Shop build that looks the part and has plenty of personality of its own.