By 1961, the Stratocaster had evolved into one of the defining forms of the pre-CBS era: an alder body, maple neck with a slab rosewood fingerboard, 21 frets, a 7.25-inch fingerboard radius, three-ply pickguard and vintage synchronized tremolo. Surf Green is equally appropriate to the period—Fender officially included it on its custom-color chart by 1960. Laurent Brondel’s Honeycaster interprets that early-'60s formula with an alder body, maple neck and Madagascar rosewood slab fingerboard, finished in aged Surf Green nitrocellulose lacquer. The softly aged finish, mint-style guard and period-inspired hardware give the guitar the unmistakable visual language of a custom-color 1961 Strat without turning the instrument into an exaggerated relic. For the electronics, Brondel selected a set of Ron Ellis 57S single-coils. Rather than being a literal 1961 pickup reproduction, the 57S is Ron Ellis’ reconstruction of the later-1950s Strat pickup design following Fender’s mid-'50s material changes. Ellis describes its voice as clear, cutting and vibrant, with a sweet bell-like character—an intentionally earlier pickup flavor paired with the refined construction and feel of the 1961-style platform.
