The Fender Custom Shop Limited Edition 1956 Relic® Stratocaster is a Fender electric guitar, currently around $4521.41. Close alternatives include the Hamer KK Downing and the Fender Custom Shop Artist Series Jeff Beck Stratocaster. It pairs well with the Peavey VTM-120 and the Friedman Small Box 50 Head with 1x12 Cabinet.
Fender Custom Shop Limited Edition 1956 Relic® Stratocaster
Fender · electric guitar
This entry covers a Fender Custom Shop Limited Edition 1956 Relic Stratocaster, part of Fender's ongoing '56-spec relic line built with a soft-V maple neck, vintage-style single coils, and period-correct aged hardware and finish checking. It is separate from Iron Maiden guitarist Dave Murray's actual signature model, the Fender Dave Murray Stratocaster with its Seymour Duncan Hot Rails and JB Jr pickups, and from his more recent Fender Custom Shop Masterbuilt Dave Murray Stratocaster built by Andy Hicks. Documentation tying this specific '56 relic build to Murray is thin, so this entry should be read as one of the general '56-spec Custom Shop guitars in his collection rather than a signature or artist-specific model.
- mid
- vintage
- modern
- rhythm
- vibrato
- hot
- praise
- entry
Price updated Aug 26, 2026
Genres the Fender Custom Shop Limited Edition 1956 Relic® Stratocaster is commonly used in
- Classic Rock
- Funk
- Country
- Indie
- Blues
- Rock
Amps that pair well with the Fender Custom Shop Limited Edition 1956 Relic® Stratocaster
Peavey VTM-120
Peavey
24% matchStack Peavey VTM-120 on top and a high gain tone tightens toward tight
Friedman Small Box 50 Head with 1x12 Cabinet
Friedman
23% matchFriedman Small Box 50 Head with 1x12 Cabinet pushes a high gain tone toward tight
Magnatone Super Fifteen 15W 1x12 Combo
Magnatone
23% matchMagnatone Super Fifteen 15W 1x12 Combo pushes a high gain tone toward tight
1970s Mesa/Boogie Mark I 'Snake King'
Mesa Boogie
tonal matchVoiced for Fender-style amps
Mesa Boogie Rectifier Badlander EL34/100 Head
Mesa Boogie
tonal matchVoiced for Fender-style amps
Mesa Boogie Lone Star Head
amplifier
tonal matchVoiced for Fender-style amps
Milkman Sound Creamer 20W Combo
Milkman Sound
tonal matchVoiced for Fender-style amps
Bogner Barcelona
Bogner
tonal matchVoiced for Fender-style amps
Pedals that stack with the Fender Custom Shop Limited Edition 1956 Relic® Stratocaster
Sola Sound Tone Bender MkII
Sola Sound
21% matchStack Sola Sound Tone Bender MkII on top and a high gain tone tightens toward mid-forward
Fjord Fuzz Fjaer Spring Reverb
Fjord Fuzz
21% matchFjord Fuzz Fjaer Spring Reverb stacks fuzzy on top of the mid-forward already here
Amptweaker Tight Drive
Amptweaker
tonal matchVoiced for Fender-style amps
NuX SSD-10
Nux
tonal matchVoiced for Fender-style amps
Tech 21 SansAmp Character Plus Fuzzy Brit
Tech 21
tonal matchVoiced for Fender-style amps
Crazy Tube Circuits Killer V California Style Preamp/Vibrato
Crazy Tube Circuits
tonal matchVoiced for Fender-style amps
Mad Professor Mad-Eou
Mad Professor
tonal matchVoiced for Fender-style amps
Wampler Cory Wong
Wampler
tonal matchWampler Cory Wong takes that high gain character and pushes it toward clean boost
Cheaper alternatives
Fender Dave Murray Stratocaster
electric guitar
70% similarity“It is separate from Iron Maiden guitarist Dave Murray's actual signature model, the Fender Dave Murray Stratocaster with its Seymour Duncan Hot Rails and JB Jr pickups”
Epiphone Zakk Wylde Graveyard Disciple
Epiphone
90% similaritysimilar tone character
Similar charactersee all similar tone character →
Hamer KK Downing
Hamer
91% similaritysimilar tone character
Fender Custom Shop Artist Series Jeff Beck Stratocaster
Fender
90% similaritysimilar tone character
Gibson Les Paul (SG) Standard with Sideways Vibrola 1961 - 1962
Gibson
90% similaritysimilar tone character
Custom-Built '78 Frankenstrat
electric guitar
90% similaritysimilar tone character
Ernie Ball Music Man Luke
Ernie Ball
90% similaritysimilar tone character
ESP Tiger
Esp
90% similaritysimilar tone character
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the Fender Custom Shop Limited Edition 1956 Relic® Stratocaster?+
The closest matches in character are the Hamer KK Downing, the Fender Custom Shop Artist Series Jeff Beck Stratocaster, the Gibson Les Paul (SG) Standard with Sideways Vibrola 1961 - 1962. Budget picks: Fender Dave Murray Stratocaster, Epiphone Zakk Wylde Graveyard Disciple.
What pairs well with the Fender Custom Shop Limited Edition 1956 Relic® Stratocaster?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Peavey VTM-120, Friedman Small Box 50 Head with 1x12 Cabinet, Magnatone Super Fifteen 15W 1x12 Combo — Stack Peavey VTM-120 on top and a high gain tone tightens toward tight.
How much does the Fender Custom Shop Limited Edition 1956 Relic® Stratocaster cost?+
Around $4521.41 (live listing price, updated Aug 26, 2026).
Compare
- vs Hamer KK Downing
- vs Fender Custom Shop Artist Series Jeff Beck Stratocaster
- vs Gibson Les Paul (SG) Standard with Sideways Vibrola 1961 - 1962