From ultra-rare 1950s Broadcasters to Vernon Reid’s greatest-ever guitar find, Norman’s Rare Guitars in Tarzana, California has long since been home to some incredible vintage guitars. And yet, the best-sounding Stratocaster in the store right now isn't a rare vintage model; it’s a midpriced Fender from 2018, one of the less-glamorous electric guitars in stock. True to form, it features an alder body, a maple neck and fretboard, and a trio of vintage single-coil Strat pickups. “The other day, [L.A.–based guitarist Michael] Lemmo played it and everyone in the shop agreed this guitar holds up to any Strat we have, even the vintage ones. And the folks at Norman’s Rare Guitars can see why.