Why I Sold My Masterbuilt For A Fender Custom Shop Relic Strat.

It's New Guitar Day at The studio Rats HQ. In today's video, we are looking at my new /old Fender Custom Shop 56 Relic Strat.
I've always owned 60s style Fender Stratocasters, on a Strat I normally prefer rosewood necks due to their warmer tone, but for some time I've been lusting over 50's style strats for that extra zing caused by a maple fretboard
The Studio Rats are core band members Paul Drew on guitar/production/mixing, drummer James Ivey and Dan Hawkins on bass. They collaborate with singers and musicians to produce radio-ready songs.

[jordanrinella]

My “new gear day” is called “what else I’m now hiding from the wife day.”

[orryfishburne]

What a beautiful instrument! Sounds gorgeous and that neck is stunning

[PeteHoward]

I bought an American Pro 2 Strat recently and it’s great to be honest . The bridge is on the bottom tone knob already, as well as other configs that that they have incorporated on the pickup selector too .
I couldn’t afford one of the ones you have 😂..
I’m very happy with mine though . Cheers 👍🏻

[fraenkiboii]

I'm more of a 60s rosewood guy, too, like you said. But I can understand why you love this guitar. The neck does look beautiful!

[Place_to_keep_videos]

There's something about Strats that gets on so well with modulation effects.... Especially Rotary, Univibe and Dimension C. Congrats on the wonderful new guitar and keep on making great videos. Cheers from the Colonies. 🇬🇧❤️🇺🇲

[matthewf]

The Journeyman relic is my favorite! I could do without the 9.5” radius boards, but they’re otherwise perfect.
I have a ‘57 and two ‘59 team built Strats. Absolutely fantastic guitars.

[k]

Loved the sound of the low E string on the intro piece, which overall sounded magnificent.

[Richard_Lush]

Got a 56 CS strat used for just over 4K Canadian. It’s from 2019, reliced but not too much. The sound is amazing and the neck is perfect for me. So light. Best Strat I’ve ever played or owned. It’s a keeper. Heard the difference between the wiring. I’ll probably get that done. Thanks for the tip 👍

[evqohjg]

I have had 3 masterbuilts and I honestly didn't think they sounded any better. But I did notice the neck fit and fret work was superb on them. To be honest the best strat I have had ever is the 56 wildwood spec custom shop I have now. It is a relic with maple neck and it just rips

[windmillcancersurvivor]

My wife always finds out. Stellar sounds!

[Shashliok]

Amazing strat! Sounds incredible! Great demo!👌👌👌

[djfusion]

Absolutely beautiful tone! Right down the other end of the cost spectrum I've got an early 90s MIJ 57 reissue that looks exactly like your relic, even has a few dings in the same spots! It's not on the same level as a Custom Shop but boy it has some serious mojo, I'll never let it go.

[johncrace]

Yes, my 60s closet classic came with a 3 way switch. I had my tech replace it with a EBMM 5 way and of course kept the 3 way just in case

[rmarlin]

For me it is all about the neck, if I don't love the neck I won't kept it. I have one of the sunburst Ancho Poblano Stratocasters, with a 1951 U neck profile and love it, more is sometimes better.

[andrewshaw]

I think it was 1959 when rosewood was introduced. I have a 1959 CS Strat, which has a Rosewood fretboard

[HaShemMetal]

@5:33…as I get older, I prefer single coils for pretty much everything. A traditional strat or tele with single coils through a high gain amp is tonal bliss in my eyes.

[bernie_smith]

My first tone control impacts all PUPS and the second is a neck PUP blend. I particulaly love the ability to blend in some neck with the bridge PUP. My guitar is a modded V62 Re-issue I purchased in 1989.

[Adayinthelife]

Paul, what a wonderful soft tone at the beginning!
Last year I bought a 1961 relic custom shop Rory Gallagher Strat that sounds in a similar way like your‘s. 😊

[garyjackson]

That's a gorgeous and classic-sounding Strat, Paul - congrats on bagging such a beauty. One small request - it'd be great if you could annotate your videos with, or note in the video description a little more detail describing which amps / amp models you're using to get these great sounds we hear. Thanks for the great content!

[Therianwantabff]

Edited this out once I realized you didn't sell the pink paisley one. Keep it up, Paul! Your tones and style are eminently listenable, which is (or should be) the goal!