Fender Highway 1 Strats

I've had my Highway 1 for two years and really like it. It was my first electric, so I can't really compare it to anything else. Its easy to play and sounds great to me. I wanted to experiment a bit so I changed out one of the pickups - put a DiMarzio Fast Track 1 in the neck position. Now I'm thinking of moving the DiMarzio to the bridge - just for the heck of it.

Personally, I like the finish, although it is a bit more fragile than the standard strat finish. Mine is blond with the rosewood neck. I think it looks so sweet.

Great value and I would buy it again.

Steve

undercat

I wasn't talking about a fret leveling. No, all the frets would have to be replaced. There is actually quite a bit to it. The luthier in my area has a great reputation, he also works for Ovation which is just a few miles from me. He was the one that told me about the necks from TNT.

No, I understood you, you didn't catch all of my post though. I was making a cross price comparison, like "do you pay $4 for a gallon of gas, wow! I'm saying 350 is a ripoff.

A friend of mine got a H1 strat recently. Hard to compare it to a usa strat without having one around, but on itself the H1 is a very nice strat, couldn't see anything wrong with it.

Well I've got 2 very decent guitars, one great for metal the other for everything else...So I guess theres no point in holding out on my nxt guitar. I might aswell go for something a bit pricier and better so if I get a strat I'll go for the American most likely

My understanding is that Standards are made in Mexico, Highway 1's are assembled in the U.S. of Mexican made parts, and American Series are simply made in the U.S., and, frankly, the are all made in America, unless there has been some major techtonic activity I didn't hear about.

They have different components, notably pickups and tone controls and that wonderful American Series neck. Therefore they sound different. They all sound good to me, but slightly different, so you really have to listen to see what you prefer.

The Japanese guitars are legendary, with all the mythology that that implies. Once it was the 80's MIJ's now I read people raving about the 90's. They still make lots of Fenders in Japan, but few make it to the U.S. I would bet that the biggest impediment for Fender is profit margin due to the high cost of manufacture in Japan these days.
We still get occasional "Crafted in Japan" models, like some recent Jaguars, Jazzmasters, and Thinline Teles. These occurances appear to be linked to instances of overestimation of demand in Japan, resulting in overstock or simply having a plant in Japan set up to make a model that other plants don't usually make. I played one of the CIJ Jaguars and it was a fine instrument indeed, with a wonderful neck and pickups, but suffering from the quirks inherent in the original design.

Simon, my buddy just bought one of the 50th aniversery American Strat's and it is one of the nicest guitars I've ever played, with THE classic Strat sound and incredible playability. Since he bought it about 2 months ago he never picks up his MUCH pricier Les Paul. I would say the Strat is the finer made instrument of the two, hands down... and the the sounds are like listening to the history of Rock 'n Roll.

Only problem with 50th aniversairy strat is it only has 21 frets :cry: 22 is a nessecity for me

Bought my son a Highway 1 Strat for Christmas. It was slightly customized by Billy Crawford, a blues guitarist who also works as a tech. He put on a faded "aged plastic" 1962-style Mint Green pickguard from the Custom Shop, and rubbed out the Crimson Red finish with Meguier's Hand Polish so it has a lovely soft sheen, not as glossy as the American Strat's. A nice "antiquey" effect. It is one gorgeous guitar, and a fine player, too!

I hear it playing some Jimmy Page riffs in the basement right now.
:D

Sounds like a beauty. Post a pic of it.

My daughter's got the digital camera. She took some pics of him with it on Christmas. I'll have to see if I can get some from her.

Only problem with 50th aniversairy strat is it only has 21 frets :cry: 22 is a nessecity for me

This statement always confounds me. I don't think I've ever played that one note you get on the high e string at the 22nd fret. ...and if I truly needed to play up that high, I think I would just tune up the high e string a step.

Only problem with 50th aniversairy strat is it only has 21 frets :cry: 22 is a nessecity for me

This statement always confounds me. I don't think I've ever played that one note you get on the high e string at the 22nd fret. ...and if I truly needed to play up that high, I think I would just tune up the high e string a step.

lol YOUR statement confounds ME! I use that note litterally every day and practically every time I pick up the guitar! :shock:
It really is a must in a guitar for me (very unfortunately in this case I guess). I dont wanna spend over £500 on something that will have a gap in my needs...