Fender American Standard Stratocaster

2008 American Standard Stratocaster - Corona, CA
Tinted maple neck - Chrome red alder body
S/S/S pickup configuration with Delta no-load
Bent steel saddles and copper-infused inertia block

Came with the newer Fender/SKS so-called "flight" style rectangular case w decent latches, cord, allen wrenches, Fender strap.

Suitable for any style of music. I use it for everything from Jazz, Blues, Country, Rock, and even Showtunes and BigBand.

I use Tech 21 Trademark 60 and TM 300 amps generally, though sometimes a tweed Deluxe clone. Generally no effects except sometimes some amp distortion, depending. It records well through a rack POD to Pro-Tools too.

Humbucking noise reduction is available in switch positions #2 & 4.

The pickups are moderately strong sounding enough for more modern Rock sounds, but not overwound to the point where highs are compromised.

The general sound is a single-coil crisp and bright signature, and the pot tapers work well to take the high end off when desired.

The Delta system denotes a hotter bridge pickup and the No-Load lowest pot also has the bridge pickup wired through it as well as the middle pu.

Close to Tele sounds are available, and it still has some "sweetness" to the tone available, though not quite as much as softer 57/62 pickup sets.

For high distortion use I like to combine bridge and middle pu for noise reduction and roll off quite a bit of the highs. There's still enough left for pinch harmonics and through almost any amp I sound like what I'm after. No surprizes or bad tones lurking in there that I stumble across when I'm going for something else.

It sounds like a modern Strat with single coils and modern wiring, which I find plenty versatile for all the styles I want to play.

Flawless.

Durable by design.

The new strap buttons have a relieved area that the strap drops into very securely, though they look just like normal old generic Fender style strap buttons.

Lifetime warranty.

I've never needed anything from Fender on any of their guitars.

49 years experience.
This is my #1 workhorse guitar for sideman jobs in several catagories and also around the house grabbing for pleasure or practice.
There is also a self-assembled partsocaster kicking around the house for when I want humbucker sounds, which is rare. I can usually get what I need over a wide range with the s/s/s Strat.

I love the neck. It's perfect for how I play and feels great.

I have had the AV '62 RI Strat in the past, and though I like those too I appreciate the refinements and improvement schemes onboard this more modern take on the same idea. It's more versatile sounding and the neck fights me a bit less and flows more. Sustain seems the same between the big vintage block and the new copper infused block, and I like the bent steel saddles over most die-cast, though the stainless and chrome plated brass on some models are fine.

I had an AmSeries hardtail with a second pickguard loaded with humbuckers -and GraphTech saddles- I sometimes used in the past for Jazz gigs, but I don't bother with that stuff anymore. The pots work well enough on this Standard.

I use GHS Nickel Rockers: 0.011" - 0.050" strings.

Oly white, rosewood board 2006 model good tuners crap electronics, frets are way to soft, neck shape is great I love the original contoured body

I have owned a few strats and i must say this one dissapointed me first the pick-ups I found the stock ones were lacking sustain, no power so I replaced them with a set of DiMarzio virtual vintage noisless, that helped. I bought this guitar in 2006 and i'm already looking at having the frets crowned, I can't beleive how fast they are wearing i'm only a hobby player I guess there are differant hardnesses of frets and i would suggest if someone pays good money for a guitar find out what kind on junk they used for frets. Other than that i guess i'm happy! My next one won't be a standard! Iown several guitars with more miles than my strat and no visible wear

everything about this guitars look and finish is great. my only problem really is the fret issue. I think the medium jumbo frets are too round if they were flatter like gibson frets they make last longer.

sounds great(now)frets wont last another year

fret wear is not coverd under warranty

not worth the money!!!!! With a few upgrades fender could hold their heads high

This is a 2008 model with 22 medium jumbo frets.5 way selector switch, volume, tone for the neck and middle pickups, and a "Delta" tone control for the bridge pickup. Three single coil Fender pickups, The body is made fron Alder and the neck is maple with a maple fingerboard too. The finish is Blizzard Pearl. This guitar comes with an excellent new style Fender case.

I play in local pubs and clubs as a one man band using backing tracks. I play everything from Country, Pop, Irish, Rock, you name it,and in typical Strat fashion this guitar covers it all with ease. I use a AwardSession JD10 pre-amp straight into my Peavey XR600 PA Amp. Can be a little noisy on high gain settings though not that much more than my other guitar that has Gold Lace Sensors. This guitar is very versatile. Played clean the neck is very full and classy without ever being muddy,i.e like a humbucker. The middle is a little brighter again and I dont really use the bridge for anything other than high gain sounds which is where it excels having a bit more body and gain than expected and certainly more than my Strat Plus with its lace sensors. I like everything about this guitar.

The guitar came with 9 guage strings which I changed to 10's. The factory set up was pretty good though I made minor adjustments to the truss rod and string heights to suit my own tastes, and had the nut grooves lowered slightly, I screwed the pickups a little higher to the strings. One small thing about all the latest American Standards I've noticed, is that there is a small gap between the bridge just at the angle where the tremelo arm screws in, and the body routing for the bridge. Its quite tiny and I suspect the routing is very slightly over large to accomodate the larger bridge on the Deluxe Strats. This makes not one bit of difference to the sound or playabilty of this otherwise excellently made guitar, but I thought I'd mention it anyway.

Built to last a life time. I use only this instrument when I play now. My other guitar, a 1989 USA Strat plus has had 20 years of hard playing and is still going strong, though I've put it away now for safe keeping. It has a rosewood board and I fancied a maple, so bought this new Standard and was surprised to find it knocked the socks off my old guitar in every department. Its quite a bit lighter in weight than my old guitar too.

Never had to use it.

Have been playing for 37 years. As previously stated I have a 1989 Fender Strat plus, and I also have a Squier Precision Bass fitted with a Seymour Duncan 1/4 pounder pickup. If it were stolen I would buy the same model again straight away without hesitation. I love everything about this guitar.

It's a standard U.S.A. Fender Stratocaster made in 2007 in black finish, alder body, c shape maple neck & fretboard (22 frets)w/ white pickguard & knobs etc., 5 way selector switch two tone and one volume knobs 3 american strat single coils and a 2-Point Synchronized Tremolo with the new changes they made to it plus a hardshell case, a strap and a fender cable, bought brand new for about $ 900 shipping included.

It suits me more than well in the music I play wich goes from blues, to 70's rock like led zeppelin, 80's glam rock/metal like motley crue, hanoi rocks, poison, guns n' roses, skid row etc. and also 80's metal like metallica, megadeth, and all metal in general such as pantera, lamb of god, nevermore etc. and also 90's nirvana, alice in chains, pearl jam, smashing pumpkings, and even offspring, so you see, I cover A LOT of genres and the srat doesn't stand out, but does the job well, I use it with a Zoom GT9.2tt (wich is in grand part responsable for me being able to play almost anything) through a Fender '77 Twin Reverb 2X12, it isn't noisy on any kind of distortion/overdrive because of the pedalboard, wich yet again allows for any setting, it does have a brighter more bitting edge to it than the rosewood fretboard ones, and in clean mode it's just heavenly, but it doesn't have as much sustain as I would like and the tremolo does detune it when used, as a tip for the tremolo I read in an interview to Jeff Beck that a Fender factory worker told him to set the bridge at 45 degrees of inclination because it's designed to go back into position and reduce strain and wear as well as keeping the tuning, I tried it, and it works! again, not as well as desired or possible, but it works.

It came perfectly set-up from the factory, the action I already described above, The pickups are fine but I raised them to have them closer to the strings, properly routed and without any factory flaw.

In my experience it does withstand live playing, it's my only guitar and I even change tunings from song to song sometimes and it comes through, the hardware seems durable, I depend on it 100% and as I said it's my only axe in gigs, no backups and no need for them so far.

I've been playing for 8 years, I've owned mexican strats, peavy predator, a U.S.A. Jackson, a schecter C-1 and an epiphone L.P. custom, presently it's just the strat and a washburn D10SCEDL electric/acoustic dreadnought style, if it got lost or stolen I'd probably buy the new Ibanez RG1550M prestige series guitar, wich is basically a strat on steroids.

2007 USA 22 fret Fender Stratocaster ( The real deal!)
volume and 2 tone knobs, S/S/S
One piece solid body, maple neck.
Arctic White (classic Hendrix look)
Standard bridge, the new models have rolled saddles which apparently sound more vintage and add to the stability of the instrument.
New molded hard case.

I normally play Classic/Psychedelic/Progressive rock and overall it suites my style of playing very well.
I put the guitar through an Orange Tiny Terror head, through an Epiphone valve junior cab (Eminence Lady Luck speakers)< Not bad for ??60
It sounds really raunchy and wild, a LOT of crunch. The standard pickups are really hot and I would not recommend changing them.
I have played an American standard with noiseless pickups, (kinmans Woodstocks) and it sounded way too thin and lifeless compared to the standard pickups.
mind you the hum from the bridge and neck pickups can be annoying.
you can never win can you?!
There is a lot of variety on the sounds you can get out of this beast, without using any pedals, I cant get glassy clean on the neck pickup with the volume knob on 7, then turn it up to get some serious bluesy crunch. with high gain sounds you can get some serious vintage tone from the the mid and bridge mixed. then flick to the neck for solos. it is a very versatile guitar.
The bridge pickup is to die for!

The setup was okay from the factory, but i had to get it setup by my local guitar guy (Les - the roadie from Venom)
It plays really well after being set up.

I have to say that the hardware had absolutely no problems what so ever.

I have recorded, practised and gigged this guitar for over a year now and it has had absolutely no problems.

however... uhh there's is always a however!
I did take everything off the body ( even the neck) about a month ago and stripped the paint off completely using a power sander...

now let's forget that this was absolutely crazy and irresponsible.

I put everything back together and had it set up by Les again ( he nearly killed me when he saw what I had done)
And now it plays just as good as when i got it, even a little better cuz the neck is now worn in.

And it looks the dog's bollocks... ( It's a good thing btw!)

iunno!?!?!?!

I have been playing for a year and a half.
This was the first electric guitar I bought.
If it was stolen i would definatly buy one again.
possibly a red one, then i'd get bored of the paint job and strip it again. :)

Just purchased a "brand new" 87 Stratocaster, the first of the American Standards, and it is NICE. Usual 22 frets, 5 way selector, 3 single coil pups, has two string trees, which is not found on the later Strats. Body is alder, I guess, standard tuners, rosewood fretboard, original molded case which is sweet!

Oh, the sound. Is as glassy and clean as you would want a classic Strat to be, and then some. Play essentially everything from rock to country and this axe can handle most anything. Use this with a Roland Cube 20x at home and Fender Twin on stage. Is noisy on 1 3 and 5 settings, but on 2 and 4, quiet as a mouse. The sound is, well, a Strat sound! Chimey and glassy on the out of phase settings, and full on the bridge and neck settings. Want to put noiseless pups in this, but will screw the value up, so will deal with it. All around tone monster!

Action is pretty good, I figure someone in 20 some years would have taken this thing to get setup, but action is fine as it is. Pups had to be lowered initially, as they were pulling on the strings magnetically. Now, tone is better. This thing is fairly old, and it has hardly any problems with rust or otherwise. For all the reviewers with newer purchases, rest assured that your axe will last a LONG time...

This thing will withstand a great deal of punishment, though I will not do such a thing :> This guitar is made with quality in mind, and will last a very long time. Finish is glossy, and appears to be made to withstand more than regular usage. I could depend on this thing on stage without reservation, period. I would gig with this w/out backup, but I bring my Tele just for the heck of it.

Support for an oldie like this is nonexistent (virtually). Still, was able to download a manual from fender.com for this particular year. No warranty, dont need one

Playing for app. 20 years, have a Gibson LP and Mexican Tele. If this were stolen, would hunt the perp down, and he would be toast. Would buy another one of similar vintage, but this is the one for me. Love the sound, is dead on Strat goodness. Only dislike is the hum, can rectify, but am gonna live with it. Compared to new Highway One Strat, and 08 American Strat, but with the price I got it at, it was totally a done deal! Strats RULE!

Well after all my odd japanese fenders, I was told to get a strat by everyone I knew. White USA Standard Maple neck rosewood fretboard. 21 frets - not enough, The knobs hit my hand every time I pick a note which is annoying. rosewood fretboard because thats just how I roll. The bridge is standard strat of course and the little screws tear up my and when I do some crazy palm muting thing. 3 single pickups - no interesting sounds. The body is contoured which I hate also it is wide and square-bottomed unlike my Jag-Stang. The neck too big for me, I prefer shortscale for shredding. also the neck is flat and you get RSI after 10 minutes of playing. Tuners are too close together too. It comes with some fancy accessories - nice case and stuff.

I play lots of metal and there is just no way this could compete with my jagstang. There is just no range on this guitar, it is not heavy enough and all the pickup settings sound the same. One thing that really bugs me is that there is no tone control for the bridge!

In conlusion, it sounds good but not right for me. This is just a blues guitar and cant take any distortion.

Well its a one year old guitar so no damage or decay but it is well made and fairly reliable. Having three pickups and that 5 way selector switch I wouldn't dare mod it

This guitar is solid, no doubt about that. It will probably survive till the apes take over the earth. I know it would survive a gig, no doubt about that. The finish thogh is easy to scratch

10 year warranty, don't know the details

If this was stolen, i'd think oh crap there goes ??700. To me it is worthless as a guitar because it is so mediocre and dull.

My other guitars are Fender jagstang and an eastwood Hi- flier, both of which are better than this. Strats just don't have that capacity to 'blow you away'.

June 2008 American Standard Stratocaster, made in Corona, CA, 22 frets. Solid one-piece body alder body with Blizzard Pearl finish, rosewood fretboard, S/S/S with american standard strat pups, Volume, Tone, Tone controls. Comes with the new molded SBK case (case itself is fantastics) and all sorts of case candy.

I mostly play progressive pop--so, Trever Rabin Yes, Asia, late Rush, Boston. Plus classic rock like Steely Dan, Doobie Brothers, etc. I run this through a Zoom G7.UT modeler with a 12AX7 tube preamp, and run that output to a Hughes and Kettner 15 watt that has a Celestion 10" speaker. Going through that H&K cab, the guitar sounds fantastic. It can go from very clean, to a funky clean-with-flange or clean-with-chorus for fast-strum chording, to somewhat heavy rhythm, to soaring leads to great clean leads. The single-coils can be a little bit noisy some times, but nothing compared to the MIM Strat I had before this. More importantly, you can get a more balanced lead tone from the American than from the Mexican. The only thing is that the pups could be just a little bit hotter. But that can be dealt with by cranking the speaker volume...

The fit and finish were flawless. (Just one note about the fit and finish--someone below said that they saw poor bookmatching on a Sienna Sunburst model. But the body is actually a single piece of wood--I took a close look at a Sienna in the store the other day, and that's also a single slab. That doesn't address, though, the complaint about poorly figured wood, which could still be an issue--the model I looked at had rather plain figuring, FWIW.) The setup out of the box was very good, too.

The guitar should be fine on stage--hardware, finish, components, all seem built to last. In terms of reliability, I would gig without a backup (but as I like different sound textures, I would still bring the Tele and LP...)

N/A

I've been playing for 25 years, although I hadn't been very active for about a span of about 10 years, before starting to play very much again 3 years ago. If it were lost or stolen I would get a new one as soon as possible. It feels great to play, and to hold, and even sounds great unplugged. I get every strat sound I want from it, and it responds very well.

2008 Model made in '08 as well, in California (nothing beats American quality). 22 Frets, solid alber body in Olympic white with maple fretboard. Volume pot, 2 tones (one with a detent at 10 to remove all filtering), 3 single coil pickup (considering putting in a JB at the bridge). Single coils are standard passive AlNiCo V pickups from the factory. String thru body style. Came with kick *** molded flight case from Fender.

I play everything from Goo Goo Dolls to Bon Jovi, to Van Halen, to Hinder, Black Crowes, to music from RENT. This is the most versatile guitar I have EVER played. My old guitar was an Ibanez RG 550 hot rodded with a Tone Zone. The thing screamed with distortion, but on cleany sounded way too brown. With a strat, each pickup configuration is it's own distinct rich sound. It's phenomenal. The only thing that bothers me, and I knew about it when I bought it, was the bridge pick-up gets too bright for me...that can be fixed with some tweaking on the amp, etc. or with replacing the pickup. It's just my opinion though.

Perfect. The only one in white in the GTA. The tech at the guitar shop threw on 11's for me, and the thing booms and roars. It's amazing. I wish I had gotten one 5 years ago.

It's a Fender. 'Nuff said.

I've been playing guitar for over 10 years. I've toured the country, playing in a different town every night. I've played a number of guitars over the years, but only ever stuck to my old tried and true Ibanez. I've got a Line 6 spider but that's going to be getting upgraded soon as I pay off this bad boy. If this guitar was stolen I would hunt down the bastard that took it, beat the **** out of him, take my guitar back, and then slash the guys tires. This is an outstandig guitar.

The finish is great. It's white, it's simple, yet it's just got this shine and gloss to it that makes it jump out at you. I wish it had a floyd on it just because I like the locking systems out of years of having one on my Ibanez, but to be honest, this thing stays in tune considerably well given how hard I'm playing it.

I played an HSS strat and found that there wasnt much of a difference. For the same price, I wanted the traditional strat look. I thought about buying an Ibanez JEM but it sounded way too similar to my RG. I chose this guitar because of it's beautiful tone, and it's absolute versatility.

Buy Fender, you won't be disappointed.

2008 american standard stratocaster mad in USA.
22 frets maple fretboard, 3 single coils. floating tremolo
includes case, cable, strap, cloth, and all the tools and manuals.

Its a good guitar but the floating tremolos are something to get used to. I really dont like them

The action was good right out of the case.

The case bolts on mine are really loose and look and feel like they are going to break.

didnt deal with them.

its ok. If it were stolen i would get a american vintage 57 reissue stratocaster:):)

The NEW American Standard Strat, 2008 (s/s/s) model. Made in USA in surprisingly enough ..... 2008 !
This is the slightly more expensive Sienna Sunburst finish on an Ash body (the solid colours are made with Alder), maple neck and fingerboard (gloss finish on fingerboard, satin on the back of the neck). I'll come back to finish later, and if you're thinking of buying a 'transparent' finish it'll make important reading.
22 medium jumbo frets, solid all the way through, 3 American strat single coil pick-ups, Fender Deluxe staggered tuning machines, and 'Delta' tone circuit. New style Fender SKB hardcase which is fantastic, so much better than the case that came with the previous model.

I've been playing just over 18 months (and I'm 36, not some kid who doesn't know what he's talking about) so I'm still learning, but I know my guitars, and this one sounds great. I play blues, rock, pop, and funk mainly. I play this through a Marshall JCM DSL401 all valve combo.
This guitar sounds fantastic, it's range is better than any strat I've played, even my Blade which has the VSC circuit. Using the Delta tone you can range from really bright texas twang through to some pretty full-on grunt with no problem. You can even get a pretty good acoustic tone out of it on a clean channel. I compared this to a new 2008 USA Standard Tele and the 2008 USA Standard H/S/S strat and I found that this one had more versatility and bite.
My only dislike is that I wish Fender would swallow their pride and add on something like the excellent Blade VSC, because a VSC cicuit on this guitar, coupled with the Delta tone would make it perfect !

Action was a little high, but I always hardtail my strats so by the time I'd taken the slack out of the trem it was fine. The pick-ups were fine and all the hardware appears flawless. The 'hand-rolled' fingerboard edges are a dream to play. As for the finish, this is the important bit I mentioned earlier.
I knew I wanted this finish and I went out to buy expecting all the guitars I saw to look pretty similar, this was NOT the case. I must have looked at six Sienna Sunburst guitars and this was the only one I would have considered buying. Fender charge an extra hundred pounds for the transparent finish on Ash because they say the wood costs more, and I guess that's fair enough if you think they have to find an attractive piece of wood 'cos its gonna show through the finish. Of the ones I looked at they hadn't bothered with the wood at all, I'm amazed they even got through quality control. The grain had major flaws, the joins were awful, and the wood looked cheap. I was about to give up but the store I was in at the time said they had a boxed one out the back so I asked them to get it. The salesman opened the case and there it was, the guitar I had set out to buy.
This one is perfect. If there are any joins in the wood you can't see them (and I've looked hard), the grain is beautiful and rich and it shows perfctly through the clear finish, PRS eat your heart out!
PLEASE DO NOT BUY THIS GUITAR ONLINE - You need to see what you are getting, some of the examples I looked at were awful, they were so bad they could have been 'B' stock (they weren't). If you want a 2008 Fender with a transparent finish SHOP AROUND !
I'm scoring this catagory 10 for my guitar, but overall based on what I saw it should really be a 2 or 3.

It's a USA Fender so of course it's a gigging guitar. I wouldn't doubt any aspect of this guitar.
The case is BRILLIANT, really tough and so much better than anything Fender have offered before.

I've been playing eighteen months. I currently own this Fender, a Blade Texas Pro, a Peavey Generation EX (my travelling guitar), and a Taylor acoustic. In the past I have owned the previous USA standard strat, a Les Paul, a Mex strat and a Tele.
If it were stolen I would definately buy it again as long as I could find another one this good ..... which I doubt. I love the playability and the wealth of tones available. I miss the VSC of my Blade, but it's there when I want it.
The finish on mine is perfect, something to drool over, real guitar ****! But as I said earlier they aren't all like this so shop carefully.

Brand new Fender Amercan Standard Strat in Black with rosewood fretboard plus case

Tool kit and cloth ,included also a comprehensive hand book [take note Gibson]

The delta tone is very trebly at max setting. I run this Guitar through a Boss DS1 into a Marshall DSL50 head to a 1936 2x12 cab

I usualy set the tone knob on the guitar to 8 which sounds less spikey ,the bridge pickup is quite powerfull and sounds quite humbuckey for a single coil .The neck pickup sounds all strat ,very Robin Trower ,exellent

I work on all my guitars myself. Out of the box It played and felt good, allbeit with a high action,and quite an under bow on the neck.

I flattend the neck and lowered the action a bit, it felt a lot better.
I dont use the trem so I blocked it off with two small taylor made mahogany blocks. its now rock solid and feels 100 percent better

I also own a mid 80`s Japanese standard Strat which is the nicest strat I have ever played,It feels good against that

I have used my Jap strat for 20 odd years live with no problems at all.

I have used the American on a couple of gigs so far and it was great.
It will outlast me no problem

Rock solid tuneability is all I ask for live, It past with flying colours

The hardware is solid ,the new bridge saddles in particular. I am more used to the old fashiond bridge and saddle assy ,but I soon got used to it

Never delt with Fender ,But Peter Cooks from London Are exellent

Guitar wise I own an 80`s Jap Standard Strat, a Gibson SG Classic,a Gordon Smith GSI thick body,and now the new American Standard

A Marshall DSL50 Head with a 1936 2x 12 cab

Overall the American Standard compares well with my other guitars

I will use it all the time

Standard Strat configuration, Olympic white alder body with a 22 fret maple neck, Fender tuners, new American Standard Tremolo, really nice SKB style case.

The sound is typical for a Strat. The stock neck and middle pick ups have enough output for most types of music. I especially like the tone I can get on the neck pu for the Los Lonely Boys tune "Heaven", nice and rich. The bridge PU was not ballsy enough. I replaced it with a Seymour Duncan Lil' 59 humbucker, and now the guitar sounds just right. Very quiet for a Strat, with virtually no 60 cycle hum evident. I play in a cover band doing everything from Pretenders to Green Day to Blink 182, so the versatility of the Strat can't be beat. I play through a Fender Supersonic, with a Fulltone Fulldrive pedal, and use a Maxxon OD808 overdive pedal for leads. I also have an old Boss stereo chorus and a couple of homemade boost pedals.

I absolutely love the feel of the neck of this guitar. This is my 4th Strat, and by far the fit and finish out of the box was the BEST! The guitar was set up with .009's, which I changed out to .010's. All that was required was a minor neck adjustment and tremolo adjustment, and it was good to go. The new Fender neck finish is terrific. It is a satin finish on the back of the neck, and a shiny finish on the fingerboard, and exhibits none of the "stickyness" that some maple neck guitars have. The frets are nicely finished, with no rough edges anywhere. The Olympic white finish is flawless.

Is it durable? Well, I have an 83 Strat that I've used for 25 years, and I think this new one is built better than the old one! The hardware is the standard Fender issue, and I have no doubt that it will last for a long time.
I would not play ANY gig without a backup, but this guitar has already become my main gig axe, and I play it for more than 85% of the tunes we do.

No opinion.

I've been playing for about 30 years. I own an '83 1962 Vintage Strat re-issue, a 2005 Eric Johnson strat, a '97 Les Paul Classic, a '91 PRS Custom 24 and a custom built Telecaster. I also have a 1967 Fender Bandmaster.
If this axe was stolen, I'd have to go get another one.
The best feature is the feel of the neck. For me, it is the most comfortable neck I own. Sometimes you don't choose the guitar, it chooses you. All it took was 5 minutes playing this one and I was sold. The great case is an added benefit, too!

USA made 2008 (new redesign) Fender American Standard HSS - Sienna Sunburst finish. Normal fender 5 way switch, 2 tones, 1 volume. Includes hardshell case, strap, 10' cable, misc wrenches. The new redeign includes the addition of a small spring that fits in the tremelo arm hole, which helps to "tighten" the tremelo arm connection with the block. I read about this modification a couple years ago in a guitar repair book - and thought it made sense. But...one small annoyance is the spring falls out if you don't remember to cover the hole when the trem arm is out. I remembered, but my setup tech didn't and lost the spring. The problem is - dealers don't seem to have them or know how to order them. I e-mailed fender and after 11 days have had no response. I e-mailed them again...we'll see.

Features-wise, its an american strat.

Its good for for crunchy blues. The tone is excellent and that's a result of the wood, pickups, etc. Worth the price by comparison to a couple other guitars I have at lower price points. Generally, I'm happy with the purchase.

The HSS pickup is a bit tinny sounding - a bit harsh - but can be accomodated through amp tone controls or EQ pedal.

Bascially though - it sounds like an american strat. It's tinnier sounding than say...the SRV with Mongo gauge strings and different pickups - I had one of those home for a while but the neck is a bit too fat for my tastes. So American Standard HSS it was.

The factory set-up sucked. Intonation was way off, neck needed adjustment, pickups needed adjustment. But with a $75 set-up at a quality repair shop - its good.

I've seen better wood on a couple other "identical" guitars since I bought mine - I'm a little annoyed now at the lack of quality control in selecting the wood for consistently, but I could see it when I bought it, so that's my own deal.

Too new to comment but stratocasters seem to have the reputation of being pretty indestructible unless you squirt lighter fluid on them and light them on fire on stage. :)

The finish is good, strap butons are solid, I don't gig but if I did I'm sure I'd take more than one axe. However, I have no doubt this product will be durable and reliable.

As noted above, I e-mailed Fender regarding the tremelo arm spring (not the tensions springs, the one that goes in the block hole with the trem arm, to help secure it and also to prevent overtightening and damaging the block.

11 days later - no response.
The dealers don't stock or know how to order the part. I have tried Guitar Center and 3 other local quality stores that carry the fender line. So -- really poor preparation for launch of this newly redesigned product. Fender obviously knew it would be an issue as their literature warns about losing the spring. I remembered, but my tech didn't and lost it. So how come they didn't include a part number for re-order, or better yet, include 5 of these 2 cent springs with the thousand dollar axe...and a part number to order more.

What do I say, the Fender Stratocaster is the absolute perfect guitar. Leo Fender just got it perfectly right

I use a Marshall 50 Watt transistor amp with Genesis effects and this baby just sings its hear out. It has a rich full sound and heaps of sustain

The action on this beautiful baby which has a sunburst finish is absolutely perfect with Light strings fitted but its cool with any size strings I'm using D'addario, the wood finished is perfectly bookmatched and the clear satin finish is perfect. The tuning pegs are perfect and it never goes out of tune. I was especially impressed with the moulded flight case it came in which protects my baby and keeps it just right, you pull her out of the case and it is rarely out of tune, I just love this 1999

Customer support is via Kosmic sound in Osborne Park Perth Western Australia but I've never needed it but I've heard it's A1

You simply cannot go wrong with a fender stratocaster

Made in 2006/7. 22 medium jumbo frets, Rosewood fretboard, satin finish on neck, sealed non-locking fender machineheads (the ones for the 5th and 6th strings have longer posts for optimised string pull angle which is great attention to detail), 2-pivot post standard bridge / vibrato, master volume, tone for neck pickup and shared tone for bridge and middle pickups, 5-way selector switch, sunburst alder 2-piece body, routing for H-S-H (factory standard) though comes with S-S-S configuration on a white 3-ply scratchplate. Pickup cavity painted with conductive paint for shielding. Fitted Fender case included.

They say they have improved the strat and they really have, in all the right areas. It's really refined yet still feels like a Fender Strat.

Ok, I bought this model over the deluxe because the SCN pickups are horrible. I mean really really poor. They sound really hard and unmusical. They might have no noise but they have no tone that I would be happy with. The stock standard pickups sound nice and stratty and would be great if you wanted a traditional strat sound. For me however they were a little weak and being standard singlecoils were too noisy so I replaced them with Kinmans (Woodstock plus if you're interested!). Other than that this a great sounding guitar. The bridge is excellent for subtle vibrato when setup correctly (see below).

The refinements they have made have retained the whole strat feel. As soon as you start using carbon fibre reinforced necks, graphite nuts, wilkinson trems, locking tuners, S-1 switching etc etc you completely lose the soul of the instrument. It ceases to be a Strat and that's why I think the latest standard Stratocaster is right on the money. Rating 8 with the stock pickups, 10 with Kinmans!

The neck on this guitar is great. Perfect C profile (no disgusting V's of clubby D's here!) and perfect radius which allows for easy chording and fluid soloing, helped by the perfect size of fretwire! The finish on these is generally excellent. The build quality is superb, the paint is perfect, the neck pocket is perfect, the cavities are shielded very well with conductive paint. Although I'm not a huge fan of satin finishes (only because they look cheap to me) the feel and quality of the satin neck finish is great.

From my perspective the downsides are as follows;

The bridge is really really good but because of the length of the trem block, the springs rub on the backplate (and no, I don't have the bridge set stupidly low or anything) causing it to snag slightly and go out of tune. Here's a tip for you - put Big Bends Nut Sauce on all string contact points and the bridge pivot points. Set the bridge up so that it is floating about 1mm from the body at the pivot end so that it is clear of the body and then raise the backplate to give the springs more clearance. I just used several layers of PVC tape around the perimiter of the underside of the backplate for this and belive me the difference is unreal. You'll have a strat that really holds it's tuning and has a beautifully responsive bridge rather than the sort of on / off feel vibrato you get from the factory. Now I can do real nice vibrato like you can on wilkinson trems and the G&L Dual Fulcrum trem but without the issues particularly the latter has.

The wiring in these things is really really neat and the electronics are almost totally free of grounding buzz when you take your hands off the guitar.

The cases are SHIT. Really cheap feeling and the aluminium extrusion bends way too easily so the case is awkward to shut. The catches are cheap too.

Fender - have a look at Gibson cases, understand why they are so much better than yours and rethink! The last good cases you made for standard starts which I have experience of were from the 60s!

I've owned the following Strat guitars and I will compare them to this guitar to substantiate my ratings!!!:

Mexican Strat - great starter guitar but tuning issues and generally cheap feeling (but then, they ARE cheap!)

USA Strat Plus Deluxe - had a Fender / Floyd Rose bridge (quite like the bridge of this standard but with string clamps), locking tuners, LSR roller nut etc etc and still didn't hold it's tuning as well is these guitar when set up well. It also had horrible flat jumbo frets and a generally awkward neck to play, plus 3 different types of Lace Sensor which didn't sound great. This was nowhere near as playable as this strat.

G&L Legacy USA - very very well made guitar with a really nice feeling bridge but the thing was awful for staying in tune and had a really clubby neck with sharp edges

Mid 80's Jap Strat - Had a similar profile neck to this which was really nice but skinny frets and a quite small fretboard radius made it very hard to solo on.

Fender have honestly got this strat close to perfect. It's just SO playable. Highly recommended.

This Strat is an American made Standard with the silver 60th anniv. emblem on the back of the headstock. NOT a Brown emblem like the Fender 60th Anniversay Commemorative American Stratocaster. The 60th Mexican made also has the silver emblem, but this guitar clearly says "Made in USA" on the front of the headstock! Also the neck plate says Corona, California. I bought this because of the sound and not where it was made!

I got this '06 Strat from Guitar Center in 7-07 and all I know is that it has the "delta tone" wiring on it and I'm trying to fiqure out if the pickups are Delta Tone's, American or American Vintage. The Mexican made has the Tex-Mex pickups. Otherwise this guitar has a Alder 3-tone sunburst/maple modern C shape neck and parchment pickguard. Classic.

Usually I dont write reviews because I think everything about playing guitar is so differant from everyone else's way of playing. So much depends on other things like Amps, guitar wood, cable's, room size. How can you justify anyboby's review, even mine. I play from clean to slightly distorted and I use differant picks and pick attack to get my tone's. So there may as well be reviews for $0.35 picks out there, hehe. But for know let's talk about this Fender Strat!

THE SOUND, this is why I'm here. When I went into Guitar Center I was looking for a Amp. Lately I've been playing with my Tele's but the Amp I was going to try had this strat already connected to it so I thought I'd try the strat first and then try a Tele later. The moment I played that guitar completely satisfied my strat tone quest I've been searching for all these years. I played for 10 minutes thinking it was the amp that sound so good. So I grabed a Tele and played awhile, it sounded ok. The salesman brought over a couple more Tele's to try. Some sounded good, some sounded bad. Then I decieded to play the strat again. It was the most open musical snapping sound I ever heard from a strat. So I thought that this amp must love strats, I must have tried 5 other strats priced around $1300.00 with the amp, NONE sounded as good!
I needed this guitar sound but hated the 3 tone sunburst color since I already have 2 strats that look just like it. I put it on layaway and waited til the next weekend to bring in my best playing strat to compare it too. The 60th made my other guitar sound like the tone knobs were turned down halfway! Not even a close fight, thats why I switched to the tele lately, to get more snap and I but all gave up on getting a great strat sound, Until Now!!
As it turns out I didn't know this guitar had the Delta Tone in it. It is a No-Load on the middle and bridge pickup when the tone knob is dimed. And it gives the pickups a bright sound. If you love the 2nd position on a strat as much as I do but what more clarity, you'll like this alot! Yes it may be too bright on the bridge pickup and I'm going to try a Fralin in the bridge position for a warmer, hotter tone. But the other pickups are awsome!! For classic rock and bluz, u can't loose!

I love to work on my guitars so other than a warped neck anything can be adjusted. After taking off the .009 strings and putting on .010's, tighting the tremolo springs for the heavier strings and raising the action a bit. I like it a little higher than most people for better bending and NO BUZZ!(hate the buzz). There were no problems, it is new. Intonation is very impotant to me and it was spot on from the factory.

Fender dependability!

Not for me, don't care.

After about 20 years of playing at this time I own around 26 guitars, I fix and sell some. 7 of the usual keepers are Strats (Clapton, USA Strat Plus, another USA standard, '94 Mexican, 50th annvi. Custom Shop '54 and 50th annvi American Deluxe with the S1 switching). The reason I got this guitar was because of the sound! But it does feel and play like a nice broken guitar which is always nice. I will wire up another Strat with the Delta Tone knob to see if it helps on other pickups, but I think the vibe of guitar with the electronic's and the tone woods made it the best strat for me. I feel lucky that I finally found a musical weapon!
Played guitar thru amps I own, Cyber Twin SE, Bassman RI, '65 Deluxe RI, THD Univalve and tried it thru a Fender Super-Sonic (Real nice!), Vox AC 15 and Blues Deluxe. Sounded great with all. High gain seekers need not apply, they make other guitars for that.

2005 American Standard Strat. Candy Cola red with a maple neck. Came with 3 stock single coils. Ash body.

The neck pickup gets a really nice warm tone, great for alot of clean tone stuff. I replaced the stock bridge pickup with a Seymour Duncan Hotrail. This thing really wails now!! I love the sound of the neck pickup. I can only rate the sound of it a 9 because I put the Hotrail in.

Action is amazing.

Only had it 1-1/2 years so I have no complaints as of yet. I changed the original knobs and put chrome bell knobs on it.

1993 American Standard Stratocaster - Three-Toned Sunburst.

Typical stratocaster setup, you know the deal. Three pickups, 5-way switch, floating bridge/trem. Nice machined bridge saddles to help fine tune the setup. Maple neck with a rosewood fingerboard. Has the high-tech looking plastic and metal string trees. The guitar looks nice. Looks like what it is: An icon of rock 'n' roll! Tuners are fine. No need to upgrade. Neck profile, I believe, is a soft V. I'm not certain but it's certainly not as chuncky as the 50's style necks. Think the frets are medium-jumbo. Pickups, single-coil of course. No frills. Still, it's art. Not sure what the body is, maybe ash, alder? Has some heft to it--a beefy feeling guitar. Noticeably heavier than my son's Mexi Satin strat. Feels great in my hands! We've had a relationship for years.

IMHO, this guitar has the widest useful sonic range of any electric.

To start out, my guitar even sounds good "unplugged"! The tones are accurate and true. I rarely plug in at home, unless I'm working on a technique or something that needs the amped signal.
Electrified, it gives an even, single-coil sound. Not dark, shrill or sterile. Just a nice 'balanced' sound that can be greatly adjusted via the various controls. It's not as plunky or spanky as a Tele (have one, 2001). It's more compressed, mid-rangy--the sound of rock 'n' roll (and, ... pop, funk, the blues, etc., etc., etc.) It's beefier than the thin Jag (have 1962 'original'). Way brighter than a Gibson (had a 1967 SG and played others) and with more versatility (and, ... perhaps, personality?). Much of the strat's sonic rainbow depends on the guitar's settings. There are sooooo many variations. That's part of what makes it so versatile. I like the lower tone knob way up. I keep the middle one down, and tweak it up for more cut and punch. I noodle the 5-way a bit too, often putting it in the in-between positions (out of phase), particularly the one towards the neck. I'm not one of these that leaves all settings the same all the time. I experiment. The stock pickups are entirely adequate and not noisy with my tube amps (Fender Blues Deluxe, Crate V58, Ampeg SR212-RT, Mesa-Boogie Nomad-55, Peavey Classic-50 410, ToneMaster 261 High-Fidelity). The guitar takes pedals and other outboard gear well too. But, you know what they say, ... start out with a "great guitar" and put in "great pickups" and, ... BAM!! Tones to die for. I may experiment some day. My friend has changed his pups at least three times on his 50th Anniversary strat. In a store not long ago I played a white, early 1980's strat with a locking trem setup. Lots 'o hardware. It felt like it weighed twenty pounds. It had coil taps and some space-aged looking double-wide (humbuckers?) pickups and a mini toggle. When I plugged it in it sounded pure in-your-face metal. Like a Jackson Randy-Rhodes through a Big-Muff. Crazy over the top gain. The guy in the music store said it was a Fender model back then. You could order it. That shows how most solid-body guitars will be what you want them to be. Look at Eddie's FrankenStrat. I love my Stratocaster guitar.

Can't say how it was new, but the guitar was setup reasonably well when I bought it, around 2000-2001. But a few years later I took it to a local luthier/guitar wizard in Milwaukee, Jim Ianelli. Awsome work. Rock solid setup. He knows his Fender strats. Talk to Greg Koch on that. Jim builds amps too. He changed the volume knob on mine, which was acting flaky. The volume knob could be all the way down but you could still hear a little volume bleeding through. He put another pot in, along with the setup and 11's. He set the bridge to float just off the body. The way it should be for standard trem usage. The trem has pretty firm springs. I think I have three in there (can't remember removing any). The guitar stays so 'on' I can use strings for months and and they still sound good. And I play nearly every day and gig once or twice a month. I do use D'addarios (XL's 11 to 49) and they're pretty good. Heavier strings last. I must say though, Jim in Milwaukee did a masterful setup for me. Jim you're GREAT!

This guitar is tough. I mean, didn't Hendrix and Stevie stand on theirs? I dropped mine while carrying it down stairs. Slipped right out of my sweaty hand. Carrying too much at once! Only bent the end-pin (strap peg). By setting the guitar down kind of hard in the softshell case (tweed gigbag) that same endpin screw finally broke. I unscrewed the broken screw with a pliers and put another screw in there. Gotta get a hard case for her. The end-pin was somewhat stripped when I bought the guitar. Had that fixed (dowel and paint work) early on. Still, the body and paint are in great shape. This guitar is very sound. It will have it's small maintenance issues like any guitar that is well used. No major failures or serious issues here though. It should last as long as me. That's all that matters.

Never called Fender. Why would I, with the wealth of good techs and luthiers around. My guitar was bought used and is over ten years old.

Brother, it's a Rock ICON. How can you go wrong. And I got mine cheap. You want something more raw and in-your-face? ... change the pickups dude! Buy an HSS strat. Put a high-tech whammy on it, ... whatever! It's adaptable. Stock, this guitar is the best choice for modern electric-guitar tones. It covers the most bases. God, look at everyone who's ever played a strat, for every type of music. I play it through tube amps mainly, but I've played it through PA's and it still sounded good. My favorite is with a lower wattage tube amp. Blues heaven. I'm 46 and have had played many guitars. I own seven electrics, including a Yamaha arch-top and a Samick semi-hollow (335 style) and have to say, if I was stranded on the proverbial desert island and could have only one electric, it would be the Fender American Standard Stratocaster. Did I say I like Rock music?

PS - Reviewers who give ones, especially all ones, are major a-holes. I've occasionally seen that in these reviews. Shameful BS. It's like they have an emotional need or urge to try to discredit a brand, model, etc. ... like some demented, disgruntled ex employee trying harm a company. Well, this site is not the place. I'm sure others agree with me.

Mine was a black 1993 USA Strat with a white pikguard. It was just your basic, stock Fender American Standard Strat with 3 single coils. It came with a beautiful American molded case (best case ever) and Fender American tuning keys rock as does the American standard tremelo. Very nice.

I don't know what it is but I could'nt get this guitar to sound like the American Strat I had owned before. No matter what I did it was super glassy, like way to trebly and not enough out put even when I raised the pickups. I have owned an American Standard Strat before and it was my favorite guitar, stuff happened and I had to sell it, but this one just can't hold a candle to that guitar. I have owned Mexican strats that have sounded better then this guitar. Just bad pickups, not the strat sound I am used to at all. No noise though, bonus I guess, but that can't suffice for the terrible high treble garbage that this thing puts out. This guitar had no warmth at all and no Strat chunk. Just bad.

The action was terrible, I took it to three different guitar techs and they could'nt flatten out the action on this thing so I took it to a luthier and he still could'nt do it. The thing was fine and played great with 9's on it but as soon as you put 10's on it the neck bowed horribly and don't even think of putting 11's on it because then it was totally unplayable. It was so bad that I am now a reformed Gibson man, and I used to be a Fender man all the way. I bought the guitar used and it played great and sounded great when I bought it then I get it home, change the strings to a new set of 10-52 strings and it was screwed and there seemed to be no fixing it.

The finnish was great and all the hardware was top notch but I woud'nt even dare try to gig with this thing because I would probably have smashed the piece of junk. It is the worst Strat I have ever owned and I have even owned Squire and Mexi Strats. I cannot believe that something like this would come from Fender USA. So, because the hardware and the finnish were so good but the playability and dependability are crap I will be generous and give it a 5.

Bought it used and changed the strings after the one month warranty was up.

I have been plying for 14 years and I have owned 11 strats from all over the world. I also own a Gibson Les Paul Studio, Gibson Les Paul double cut faded, Fender Mexi Tele and a Squier Tele custom 2 and every one of these guitars are better then the Strat. I run all my guitars through a Traynor YCV40 and a Marshall JCM 800 with an A/B switch so it is a good combo to get a wide array of sounds and no matter what I did I hated it. It was so bad that I traded it For my Gibson Les Paul Double Cut Faded and I wont look back. If it were stolen I would thank god and use the insurance money to buy another Gibson.

This is a 1976 F-Series Strat, American made, natural finish (gorgeous, by the way!),standard string thru body bridge w/ vibrato rod, standard non-locking original tuners, maple neck, I think medium frets, no accessories, just the guitar!, solid body (one piece of wood), just the standard 5 way selector, one volume and two tone knobs, standard original Fender single coil pickups, no electronics (which would be an insult on this guitar anyway!), neck is maple w/ that standard/original dark stripe of wood on the back of the neck wherein lies, I assume, the neck adjustment rod. I think it's an ash body because it's a hard wood as opposed to alder which I think is softer wood, but whatever it is, it's the original thing.

I play folk, rock, blues, country/western and contemporary Christian. See my other reviews (Dr. Sound Good) for my Marshall JCM 800 2210 and 1965 Fender Twin Reverb Reissue for more details on my amps: In addition to those 2 just mentioned, I have a '67 Fender Blackface and 1977 Silverface Princeton Reverb, two 1977 Fender Vibro-Champs, one with reverb and midrange boost added, Marshall 8008 stereo valvestate amp, and use Boss pedals: flanger, compression, chorus, distortion and overdrive, digital delay, Cry-Baby wah-wah. It's not noisy in an obnoxious way, but does pick up stage light, RF and grounding type buzzes as single coil pickups are wont to do and which humbuckers do not. Strats have an amazing tonal range and what I say "can make any color of sound you might imagine, and many you cannot". I think they can make any sound you want. I have a '76 Les Paul Custom, a 1989 ES-335 and a 1994 Eric Clapton Signature Strat. I think the Strat is the best shaped electric guitar ever made because it was made to fit your body and it does. I've always felt like it was an extension of me whereas my Gibsons felt more awkward and were not designed to fit your body. Plus I love Strat maple necks which are also the fretboard. The sound you get out of these pickups is so classic. It has a very bright kind of stinging/biting top end that cuts through any mix, live or recorded, but also great midrange and bottom end. Very balanced throughout its tonal range. I almost always use the middle setting on the 5-way switch. It's the fullest and most articulate setting for my playing style. The neck pickup is great for a really warm, somewhat mushy jazz sound. I find the bridge pickup too harsh for my ears generally, but when things are mushy and you need to cut through the mud, just crank the volume knob on the guitar and put it on the bridge pickup. You WILL be heard! The only 2 things I don't like about Strats are that they do pick up stage buzzes and that angled cord jack. Always problematic. Looks great but sucks electronically because the plug in the socket is always under strain and will eventually wear out the plug, make horrible noises as it moves in and out of connection. You have to pull the cord thru your strap and secure it pinched between the strap and the guitar body to avoid that. Everybody does that.

I bought the guitar when it'd been used for 5 years before me. It looked like it lived in club gigs for those years with the remainder of a cigarrette burn in the headstock which is used to hold ciggies by some smokers. Never did I do such a thing not being a smoker. Bought it in 1983 for $162! Now I think it's worth from $1,500 to $2,000! What a scream that is! As to factory set up: don't ask me. I got it used but I made very few adjustments to the pickups, none of which I recall, having played it for the past 24 years. Mechanically this instrument is flawless. It came with a minor finish blemish or two, but nothing really noticeable except on very close inspection.

I had the bridge replaced in 1995 because the original one was shot. I saved it. Also had the frets dressed at the same time. When I picked it up at Jensens after work I met Richard Moore (hope I remembered the name right..it was 12 years ago...) formerly of the Troggs (remember "Wild Thing?") who said "Beautiful guitar" which it most certainly is, and I jammed with him a short while later at Art's Bar. Had to replace the plastic knob on the selector switch because the original white plastic know simply disintegrated one day! It was replaced w/ a black one because that's all they had at the Jensen's at the time. I'll get a white one soon. Original black pickguard w/ original white knobs. The finish is in excellent shape. They made them right back then, I'll tell ya! It is an utterly reliable guitar. I'd use it and have used it on gigs with no backup, but I don't recommend that for a professional musician. Always have a backup for everything except yourself which should be irreplaceable. Original strap buttons are solid as a rock as is the rst of the guitar. It's a very strong guitar and looks beautiful as well as sounds beautiful.

The warranty having long run out, I take it to an excellent luthier whenever it needs work. Here it town, for me, that's Jim Lombard. Never dealt with Fender Co. Never needed to.

I've played guitar for 42 years. See above and my other amp reviews for my gear. I have a whole lotta great high quality gear. If this guitar were stolen, it'd be a sad day. I'd get another one. 1976 natural finish, top shape, alder body. What I love about this guitar the most is its gorgeous, classic, very musical sound. Also its solid and durable construction and finish. I prefer my Eric Clapton Strat because it's far easier to play and I love the onboard midrange boost and compression. But the simplicity and stinging yet full bodid sound this guitar makes is "like buttah".

How long have you been playing?
since 1994

What other gear do you own?
I own Ibanez, I owned Fender Japan, Ibanez USA PA, Vigier Excalibur, Vantage (not bad for beginner).

Is there something you wish you had asked before buying this guitar?
No I wanted this guitar.

If it were stolen or lost, would you buy it again or get something else?
I would have issue to refind an another made in 2000 purple american standard stratocaster.

What do you love about it?
Sound, comfort.

What do you hate?
Nothin'

1987 American Standard Stratocaster- black with white pick guard and three single coils. Maple neck. The guitar is completely stock.

It's a great sounding/playing guitar. I love the Strats from this era and newer. Great tone without too much noise. As everybody knows, you can cover any style with a Strat. Very versatile.

I owned two Strats from the 70's before buying the '87. An original '76 and an original '77. The '76 was a terrible playing/sounding guitar. The neck shifted so bad that the low E string would literally hang off the neck. I had to put wood shims in the neck pocket to keep the neck from shifting. I couldn't really adjust the bridge due to rust and the pickups were very noisy. Why do people pay so much for these early Strats? Anyway, thinking it was a fluke, I bought the '77 and had similar issues. The '87 is by far a superior guitar to the earlier models and plays/feels great. I got the action set low and the bridge really behaves. I don't use the twang bar. The tuners are not the best, but they're the original ones and they're staying on the guitar. I've played guitars that are assembled with more precision, but I love Strats and this one is really a terrific guitar.

It's your typical Fender and I know it will hold up.

N/A

I've been playing for 21 years and teaching for over 5 years. There are many great guitars out there. I don't think Fender makes the greatest guitar, but nothing else sounds like a Strat. My first guitar was a Cort strat copy that was black with white pickguard. That may explain my love of black Strats. One thing about Fender guitars, they all feel/play different. I can pick up any Parker Fly and expect it to play superbly, however, I have played many Strats that were down right horrific. Fortunately, I found a keeper. If you're thinking about buying a vintage Strat (late 70's or earlier), get ready for some serious compromise. It broke my heart to offload those vintage guitars, but they just didn't facilitate my playing. I've played the newer 2000 models and think they are great. I'm not a huge fan of the satin finish on the neck, but thats the only thing I can fault, and thats just a personal opinion anyways. Long live the Stratoblaster! By the way, with the legacy that Fender has, its nice to see these guitars still selling under $1,000 bucks! What gives, Gibson????

Maunfactured September 1969 S/No 279136 in USA
Alder body,three coloured sunburst, maple neck(C contour) with rosewood fingerboard.
F style tuners, synchronised tremelo, three way switch, staggered pole pickups, white laminated pick guard (W,B,W) with pearl back. Absolutly original, although vey basic by todays standards was at the cutting edge in is day.
Purchased with a Stamford (Australian)hard case

Music style is basic rock, country rock to blues.Played predominately through a 1980 Marshall 50w 2X12 combo, occasionally through a 15 w Marshall MG practise amp. No effects(why would need them?) Sound is very rich and smooth. The natural sound unplugged is the smoothest I've ever heard
The only down side is the typical 60s - 70s hum

The quality control on the guitar is perfect. The fit and finish was great in its day, by todays standard; unbelieveable. Flawless
The action is low and fast

This guitar is rising 40 years old with over half of that time live playing, the pick guard has yellowed slightly(smoke filled bars etc)the nickel plating has worn off the bridge and some arm and stomach wear marks on the nitro finish, but as sound as the day I bought it.

Cannot comment. Never had to deal with them

Been playing for 40 years.
Other guitars are ST50 Ibanez 1979, Santa Cruz, Takamine and Ocvation acoustics.
Although $595 was a lot of money in 69, the value of it now is staggering. It has been through all of lifes ups and downs.
Regrets:- none of my 4 children play guitar, heres hoping one of my grandchildren wished to have it. I could never ever part with it

My Strat was made in the year 1996 and is probably the 50th anniversary model by this time in candy apple red. It's got all those features a strat should have except a more modern vintage-whammy, which I don't use anyway. The body is out of alder, a maple neck with a rosewood fretboard and standard singlecoils which I replaced against Texas Specials...

I play Funk, Rock 'n Roll, Blues and Souljazz and for these styles a Strat was made for, especially with the Texas Specials which get a real fat tone! Sounds nice! I'm using it with a Fender Blues Deluxe reissue and an old german Dynacord Twen tube amp. Effects are: Seymor Duncan Pickup Booster > Vox V847 Wah pedal > Electro Harmonix The Worm > Boss Tuner Tu-2, that's all. The Texas Specials are a bit noisy but I don't care 'cause they give me this bright sound I'm addicted to. The only thing a changed is the middle setting of the 5way selector. Now bridge and neck pickup are forced together which gets you a nice Tele sound! Love it...

The guitar was set-up very nice and there were no compliants to make...

It's an U.S. Fender! What should I say? I know, there a Japan Strats in same quality range, but this one never let me alone...

Never dealt with them...

I've been playing for 13 years and own a lot of other guitars, but this one's my main workhorse! If it get's stolen I'll find the guy and beat the shit out of him...

USA made in 2003

Best guitar I ever played, even better than my Les Paul. May have competition with my new to me Charvel Model 5 that I just got though.

Factory setup remains to this day.

Rock solid

N/A

I'd get another one if lost.

mine has a maple fretboard/neck, originally was aquamarine metallic body finish, but I sanded this down and applied white shellac primer and left it at that, and it looks very cool, with a little help from some black letter stickers. neck is ever so slightly thinner than the new "american series" guitars, but still comfortable.

I tried an american series rosewood fretboard maple neck on this guitar for a while, but I was never quite happy with the sound, always blaming it on pickups and strings. I have decided that one piece maple/maple board is the way to go! all my other guitars have rosewood boards though and sound fine, go figure. I tried bill lawrence L-280 pickups, but the stock pickups sound great, maybe even a little better than the lawrences (more cut). no need to change them, in my opinion...I hardly ever notice the hum. I changed out the no-load tone pot for a standard 250K, and wired for a master tone control, which I roll back to about 6 or 7. I don't see why you'd ever want a sound so bright as the TBX provides, and I like bright sounds. maybe for that danelectro super cutting thing. I also installed a deaf-eddie fat-o-caster pot, which allows me to get a tele-like sound by combining the neck and bridge pickups in parallel, and doesn't change the appearance of the guitar (takes the place of the middle tone control, uses the same knob, it's a rotary switch). definitely a different sound than just the middle pickup by itself. really improved the versatility of this guitar, as that's a sound I really like on my two pickup guitars (I don't use the other deaf eddie positions much, but they are interesting). the sound this guitar produces is beautiful and classic (you've heard this on a million recordings). cutting and light. I'd say the real deal is worth it, as opposed to the mexican standard or cheap off brand imitations...although some of those mexican and japanese vintage reissues look pretty sexy to me (esquire...yum). I like this guitar quite a bit better than my sister's american series fat strat texas special, but just because of the pickups and maple vs. rosewood. american fender guitars are so cool. classic and inspiring

really was a beautiful guitar...when i was 16 (this was my first electric guitar) I used to just stare at it, beholding it, smelling it. i fucked it up and I think it looks even better now. neck pocket is not super tight but I don't care. I can't remember how it was set up when I got it, but it's easy to adjust. I love how the bridge and saddles look on these compared to the vintage style ones (but on a tele I like 3 saddle, go figure)

a very solid guitar, it's one of my main gigging guitars. the volume pot became scratchy after a few years (it's a 1998, bought it in 99, now it's 2005) so I replaced it. nothing else has ever needed work. just clean the fretboard when it gets grimy with finger scum, scrape it with a hard guitar pick, clean the back of the neck with soap and water when it gets sticky, and wipe off the body when it starts to look dirty. I've settled on d'addario strings. plays nicely and stays in tune well, even with crazy bends and stuff (tremolo/bridge is tightened to body, just the 3 original springs though, I never added any)

I'd say buy one of these used, just make sure it's in good shape (neck and frets)

I've got two Am.Std. Strats. One was made in '91 (my dear) and one on '90.
22 frets with fantastic maple neck,alder body, the first chrome red, the second candy apple red.
Two fantastic guitars, but very different instead are the same model.The first is heavier (I think 1 lb-0,5 Kg.), with more basses and resonance.The second got more treable, it remember me Frusciante Strat sound.

I love Strato sound.With this guitar there are no compromises:you can love it like a fool, or you hate it.I first replaced standard bridge pu with a Duncan's JB-BJ but I prefer the standard one. I'm a bluesman on inside and I play my own music and, sometimes, Pink Floyd,Hendrix,Clapton and so....I'f you play this kind of music this is the only guitar you can have!!!I played Ibanez and Steinberger but only with this instrument I'm totally happy.
With my Laney and Vox, I can have a fantastic british sound.
I think only the vintage Strat I had played a few years ago, an original sixties strat played for 40 years,is better(a lot ;-) and problably some custom shop of 2500?

Very beautiful finish.All you can ask to a guitar.Only custom shop are better.

This guitars become more and more beautiful and better with years and play so....

I don't know...

I think the best guitar ever!

I just purchased the 2005 American Strat about a week ago.It came with 22 large frets(I'm not exactly sure if they're jumbo or medium jumbo, 3 single coils, two tone knobs and one volume knob(with "delta tone"), an alder body, a maple fretboard, non-locking tuners and a floating trem, and came with some wrenches, a case, a strap, a cable, and a polishing cloth. This guitar has everything.

I play a little bit of everything except country, and this guitar can handle it all. I play through a Fender dyna-touch 3 deluxe 900, also very recently purchased. The guitar sounds great, and I love playing around with the delay and reberb on my amp. Although not suited for ultra-heavy metal, this guitar handles very well. I love the bright sound of the single-coil pickups. The bridge pickup is perfect for hendrix, and it's nice to have the quiet positions when you turn it up.

This guitar is almost flawless. The pickups are fine, the finish is great, and I haven't been able to find a single flaw. The action is really low and fast, but it buzzes if I play it too hard. I'm thinking of adjusting the, but I'm too afraid to mess this beatiful guitar up. I'll have to get help from my guitar teacher.

I've only had this guitar for a week, so don't have much to say about this. The poly-urethane finish seems great, though and I think it will last well.

Never had to deal with them, hope I never will.

This guitar is amazing. I love it so much. Everything about it is just awesome, and I can't beleive the deal I got on it. This is such a huge step up for me, before this I was playing an imitation strat that couldn't have been worth more than $5.

American standard strat made in 2000 or 2001
Maple fretboard
sunburst color
standard features, nothing fancy.

I'll put a 10 just because of the versatility of this guitar
Maybe it's just me, but I would prefer a 3 way switch like the old strats. I just hate the sound of the 2 and 4 positions and a 3 way switch would be easier to work.

This guitar sounds great. The only reason I put a 9 is because I'm not to crazy about the stock pickups. It came with delta tone pickups and they're not bad, but it's time for a change. I'm gonna swap em out with fralins then the sound would be a 10 for sure.

Great action, the neck feels great. The guitar was set up really well from the factory. It's an easy guitar to adjust yourself. I've made my own adjustments to the truss rod, the bridge and the micro tilt neck with no problems. My only gripe is that the saddle for the high e string hits one of the screws on the bridge when you hit the whammy bar and it'll go out of adjustment after a while.

I love this guitar, but I treat it bad. Real bad. I've owned it for five years and I still haven't gotten a case for it. When I take it somewhere I just throw it in the passenger seat of my car. I've dropped it, I've thrown it, I've slammed it numerous times, and it has remained completely solid. It's amazing how durable this guitar is. I have never had any problems with this guitar.

I've been playing for five or six years, I own a les paul and some accoustics. This was my first new guitar.

I would definately replace it if it was stolen

I love this guitar, if you're looking for a strat, I would reccomend the american standard. Don't get one of those crappy mexican ones.

Playing it from a friend's house, i'd say it's a 90's model,USA,Black with a white pickguard and a maple neck 22 frets, stock controls, stock everything. The most useful feature is definately the neck,it's nice and slim,the american series are the slimmest most comfortable necks to play,not too flat like a jackson,has some back depth to grab onto.If you have small hands like me,not many guitars feel as good.

Slim maple neck, not too fat, just right.twangy and perfect for surf or blues.Probably sounds best with fender amps,particularly a dual showman head with some nice reverb.the tone knobs are pretty useless unless you like to do some odd experimenting.A fourth spring should be inserted in the rear for better tuning control. For The best sound results you could just listen to any recording by Hendrix, Clapton, or SRV whom in fact really push the instrument to unheard of territory....But for a REAL mind blowing example, listen to The Mermen's "Emmy Lou Rides Clarence West And Then South" in which Fender Strat-Slinger/Surfer/Bad-Ass Jim Thomas Portray's The Instrument's posibilities not as a singer's accomidator,or as a cheesy, predictable "Look At Me" blues solo machine, but as it was made to be used, in it's true nature..Art..Sheer Art..And boy does he play it!The Song is most recognizable as one of the tracks on Playstation's "Road Rash 3D" in which The Mermen also Jam Out to other titles such as "Sponge Cookie", "Miki's Lush Beehive" and "Driving The Cow". To simply characterize this band as a "Surf Band" would be like Characterizing Hendrix as a "Blues Guy". Sure that's where their roots came from, but they're SO MUCH more than that. When you listen to the Mermen, you can't help but think:
It's almost like what country music SHOULD'VE sounded like. Anyways, This band isn't that easy to get a hold of, so if you're thinking of getting a USA Strat, but aren't sure and have a ps1,then find Road Rash 3D and listen to what's REALLY possible with this guitar and then decide. Trust me, PURE vintage tone.

The action is perfect, if not you can adjust it.It fits perfect in my hands.The finsh is Black.

It seems very well crafted, it should last a long time.

I've been playing for 5 years, I own an ibanez seven string that i got tired of, and a small johnson amp with spring reverb. If i owned one,and it were stolen i would get pissed and definately try to buy another.It's the guitar i TRULY feel comfortable playing.I love everything about it.The only drawback is that it doesn't stay in tune with heavy use of the whammy bar, but anyone who plays guitars knows that shouldn't come as a surprise. In my opinion guitar playing isn't about the fastest solo or just pure strumming, it's about taking the instrument as your own, as a part of you're body,heart, and soul. And bands like The Mermen,really portray how guitar playing and music in general should be like.to some it all up in a statement...it's like what josh's chess teacher told his dad in "searching for bobby fischer" those who play for fun simply dismis it as a game, and those who take it seriuosly consider it a science, it is neither, it is an artform."

Fast-action maple neck, comfort-contoured body, three single-coil pickups and standard synchronized tremolo, ocean turquoise color, 22 frets, pretty much all you would expect from a standard strat.

Nice clean sound, lots of sustain. Somebody once said that as strat is the colour white. You use it as a background and add other colours to it. That makes sense. It has so much flexibility in sound. I use it with a tubescreamer mostly, for hendrix.

I bought mine second hand so these were the only real problems with the guitar. But it is seven years old. After a professional set-up she plays like straight out of the factory. about a mid range action, not too low, not too high. Everything still feels solid, even with a couple of superficial paint chips.

No real problems so far. Seems solid enough.

Not dealt with yet.

I've been playing for a year or so and wanted to replace my squire with something gig worthy. I wish that I had the chance to give the guitar a one over before buying, but the price was so low I couldn't help myself.
If it were stolen, I'd claim on the insurance and buy a new japanese tele. I might sell this puppy soon and do that anyway.

My Strat is a 1998, ocean turquoise color, 22 frets, rosewood fretboard, 2 point tremolo, and all what you already know. No complaint for the finish, still looking new and very glossy. The action is great. I bought it used, but look never played or very little. No fret wear, nothing... Surprising !!! The fender moulded hardshell case was included.

There's where this guitar is particular... I don't know in wich wood it's built, but I never had a guitar with so much sustain, even unplugged. It's wonderful...I have 3 strat...a Made in Mexico, that I found really great for the price, a 2004 American HH with S-1 switch that really desapointed me and now that gorgeous 1998 that cut my breath...This axe makes no hum, sounds clear, It's like it would be perfect. I'm playing it on a Fender hotrod DeVille 4X10 for gigs and a Crate GT 212 por home and practicing. On both amps, it's unbelievable. Let say I was lucky !!!

The action is perfect...how could a guitar action could be wrong with 9-42 strings...The guitar is gorgeous...the finish is perfect,the fit is perfect. The fender technician that built that one should have a raise :-)

As the guitar have already 7 y.o. , I presume it would last for life (and hope so). I always gig with 3 guitars, my made in mexico strat, and a nice Godin exit22. You can't take chance to play a gig without back up...Just a string breaking will throw you in shit if you don't have a back up. That strat replace my 2004 HH as main guitar. I always use that one now.

Fender is in US...I live in Canada...it's like we are NOT EXISTING...They don't care about us... We must be to small...Every countries have there Fender web site. In our case, we are depending on the US web site, and they are not selling parts to Canada. IT GETS THE SHIT OUT OF ME...I have to pass true Ebay to find parts and accessory...

I'am playing guitar fo nearly 40 years. I still gig, and playing Classic Rock. I palyed a lot of guitar during my life...Fender is Fender...some are good, somme are better, some are not to bad etc...
I have a splendid one right now...so I will keep that one for long.
The only thing I hate from fender is: YOO HOO...THERE'S A COUNTRY CALLED CANADA JUST NORTH OF YOU...And we certainly deserve a better attitude from this company...

1999 Madein the U.S. bought it used for a little $700.00 and worth every penny. This guitar had some alterations made such as Sperzel locking tuner, EMG Active pickupsm H/S/S Graphite nut and saddles. the former owner also added a pearloid pick guard that actualy looks pretty good with the Sage green finish. I thought I got ripped off at first because it had a real dead tone. turns out the guy who owned it previously didnt know it took a battery to operate the active pickups.. that was an easy fix plus there was a filter cap that came unsoldered. I was never crazy about acive electronics but now I am a believer. anyways i love the guitar.. dont know th exact model of EMG pickup.. wish I did

I play from heavy rock to melodic blues. distorted and clean.. and I get every tone I want from this guitar.. with 5 pickup configurations i can normally dial in the sound I want. No buzz sounds. I play through two different amps .. an older Fender Ultra Chorus amp and a Flextone 3 both sound great

Bought it used so I had it setup first thing by a pro.. and asked him to chek it out for me after removing the neck just to let me know the shape it was in. He told me it was a fine instrument. I have had Fenders in the past but they were made in Mexico.. I can only speak for myself, there is a difference. the action is awesome I could play it all night The finish is nice for a metallic sage green.. Not a color I would have picked but it grows on you

oh yeah. The guitar is a solid instrument,, quality you dont see these guitars on HSN or QVC with Zorro trying to sell it!!

never had to

Playing about 15 years,, The first guitar I bought was a Montoya Les Paul copy .. it is no longer in action. the first new guitar was a Fender made in Mexico I like it but not like this, I had an SG loved it but had to sell under hard times.. I still cry... Presently own Peavy EXP Quilt top, Epiphone Dot hollw body, Ibanez S470, an Esp(Ltd) ec 300(junk) and a Yahmaha acoustic.. The Fender is my favorite by far.. If somebody where to steal it I would have to track them down and feed them to my 180lb timber wolf named Zues.
I would buy another one (U.S.) some day I hope to buy a brand new Les Paul Custom. White in color.. a thing of beauty I say ..

1995 Made in U.S.A Stratocaster

Chrome Blue gloss body with maple neck and fretboard. Totally standard. Came with original hard shell case.

Standard Strat fare, everything you need and nothing you don't. That's why you buy one of these though isn't it.

I've tried many Strats in music shops and decided that a US model would be the best investment and give me the best sound. Three single coil pickups give me exactly what I want. Punchy Strat sound, a bit noisy but that's part of the charm. Not sure what merit the TBX control has, but will continue to experiment with it. I find the pickups to be much more responsive, full sounding and rich than any other Strat I've tried. I play through a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe and it sounds incredible. Makes me sound good (almost).

This guitar is 10 years old, and apart from 3 or 4 very small laquer flakes on the fretboard, this guitar could pass as brand new. The body is immaculate and all pots etc work perfectly. Typical Fender, built to last. Neck fits well, and apart from needing a small truss-rod adjustment is just fantastic. The chrome blue is a beautiful colour. I intend to add a pearl scratchplate which I think will make it look even better.

I really look after my gear and believe that if you do, it will look after you. All my gear is gigged regularly and still looks as good as new. Every ding I've ever put in a guitar hurts me more than it does the guitar, however this guitar could withstand a bomb blast and still sound great.

n/a

One of 7 Fender guitars I own, but my first Strat. It's my favourite, which may be down to it being the most recent purchase, however I do think it will remain so. If you use it for the purpose it was intended, this guitar is peerless. I was beginning to think that the U.S ones weren't 'that' much better, but I do think that this guitar sounds, feels and looks much better than the Mexican or Japanese reissues etc. Paid a good price for it on eBay, given that new ones are still #600+. Has its original h/s case and will not let this one go.

Mine was made in 1995 in USA. I think the older ones are better than the newer models. All the features have been covered, so I won't go through all that shit again. Mine is white, with a maple fretboard. Great guitar. I can max it out with no bad conscience whatsoever.

Well, I have a lot of guitars. I've been collecting them for 20 years now, so I have them broken down to where I use certain guitars for certain kinds of music. You can play anything on this fuckin strat. I mostly play things like Cream, Hendrix, Sabbath or Zeppelin and a lot of things that just jump out of my head. This guitar does it all from country, blues, rock to metal. I only use Marshall Amps. I have a little MG10CD in my bedroom, I have an MG15RCD in my living room and I have an AVT 50 in my music room and that's the amp I gig with. Not much on effects, but I do use a boss distortion pedal and occasionally a ZOOM 707 effects pedal. Not noisy at all because I put those Vintage Noiseless pickups in it and they are fuckin awesome, it was awesome before, but even better now. Nice bright twangy sound on the bridge pickup, mellow bluesy sound on the neck. Don't ever use the in between. Very versatile guitar. I can also max this out with no conscience pangs whatsofuckin ever.

Flawless on all counts.

Yes to all except I won't gig without a backup.

Never had to deal with Fender cuz I never had one fuck up.

I've been playing since the late 60's. I have this Stratocaster, I also have a Fender American Standard Stratocaster Telecaster. I've got an Epiphone Les Paul Standard and I've got a Rockstar Solid Body Les Paul Copy as well as a Rockstar Semi-Hollow Body Les Paul copy, as well as a Rockstar Fat Strat Copy and Telecaster Copy which I put a humbucker off of a wrecked Gibson 335 at the neck position. I also have a Fernando Stratocaster Copy and a Fernando Copy of a Kramer 1984 Eddie Van Halen model, with a Floyd Rose, locking tuners, single humbucker and only a volume control (which is one of my favorite guitars) all of which are good guitars and I will do a review on them. I have an old Harmony Acoustic Guitar made in 1945, the year I was born which is a great guitar, as well as an Epiphone Hummingbird and an AJ18 Epiphone Acoustic Guitar. I've got a shitload of other guitars, but it would take up most of Harmony Central's space to put it all here. I plan on reviewing about 20 of my favorite guitars on here though. This is definitely the best guitar I own and I can max it out totally and not feel guilty about it at all.

1999 bought in 2000 as new, Made in the USA
S/S/S pick ups
Black with White pick guard/ maple neck
changed out the stock pick guard, knobs, back plate to black with the black moto pick guard. Very cool looking.
Also changed out the stock saddles for Graph Tech string savers and installed roller string trees.

The Strat can cover about any genre of music. I play for recreation now, but I played extensively at church at one time. The Strat was very capable.I use a Fender Stage 1000 amp and no external F/X's. This amp created a whole new sounding Strat for me.
When I first started playing this guitar, I had to overcome a couple of Strat traits:
1. The location of the pick up selector switch / Strumming interference
2. The floating tremolo / Had to work on different palm muting technique.

The guitar was set up well from the factory, of course that all changed when I swapped out the saddles, pick guard, etc.

I've owned this ax for 5 years with "0" problems.
Rock solid as far as I'm concerned.

N/A

I've been playing off and on for 25 years. I own a couple of acoustics and a Fender American Standard Tele which I love as well as my Strat. If the Strat were gone I'd be in the market to replace it without question.

American 2004.it's got a 5 way selector, 1 volume, 2 tone.s/s/s.the neck and body is maple.its got a new style strat tremelo.i dont use the whammy bar that much, but when i do go on it it feels great! the tuners arent anything special (non-locking) but they do the job fine.the necks maple and quie fat.it feels like the best in the worled with its rooled edges.the frets ate normal.it included a fender hard case with a fender cable, strap, and tools (alan key ect.).

i use the strat with a marshall mg50dfx.they sound brillant together.i can get any sound out of the the marshall and strat.i mostly use the neck pick up with the overdrive channel.it sounds like guns n roses intro to sweet child of mine , which is what i want.i mostly play rock and with the marshalls overdrive channel WOW!!!!!there are no dislikes, but i do wish the strat had fenders s-1 switching system.also the amps great.

i havnt adjusted the fender in any way so far.the guitar contained no flaws its well built with not one thing wrong with it.its all superbly well built.i pollish after evey time i play it with a lint free cloth and some water.it polishes up great.

this guitar will withstand playing live with out a doubt.it seems like everything will last.its nearly 1 year old and there is not one thing wrong with it.i havent played the strat that much as i think its so special.the strap buttons are solid as a rock.i think its 100% reliable.i would use it without a back up.

i have no opinion with customer support because i havent had to deal with them.thank god.

i have been playing since march 2004 i got my strat in june 2004.i love it to pices.im totally fender.i love my strat because it sounds great , looks a million dollars and is relitavily cheap.when i bought it i diddnt know a humbucker to a single coil.i bought it because hebdrix and clapton played them among with many other great guitarists.but id still buy it because of there connection.if i could give you one piece of advice it would be to get this guitar its the best.

American 2004 Model - it has the 50th anniversary neck plate, but it's a "standard" standard. Rosewood board, 3 colour sunburst and all the other odds and sods associated with this particular line. As most folks say - it's a stratocaster, it has stratocaster bits. Came with moulded case (I never realised how compact these cases were - excellent design), strap, lead, cloth and tools. Overall, felt very good carrying it out of the shop - a real sense of having bought value for money.
By the way, traded two guitars in for this - a korean epiphone casino (ok but nothing special) and a Godin SD - beautiful guitar, highly recommended - I was sad to see that one go..... but I had to try a Fender (and I thought I'd never say that!)

I've been trying to learn to play guitar for about 25 years off and on (mainly off) and it's the blues that stirs my soul. Slowish, melodic, occasional screaming blues. SRV et al. I always thought I was a Gibson person - les paul meat - until recently when I realised that most of the guitarists I enjoy the most use Fenders. I've always loved Fender amps, but could never see the beauty of a stratocaster. And then I woke up! Still love Gibsons, but I've finally succombed to the Fender steamroller.
This guitar is wonderful; why people knock it is a mystery to me. I use a Fender Hotrod deluxe and a Wasabi overdrive, and all the sounds that have stirred my emotions over the years are here - crystal clear is beautiful, overdriven is enough - you can still hear the notes, but it's dirty - wonderful, and not a Gibson in sight!
The 5 positions each have their own voice, and the tone controls actually work. The volume pot is perhaps a little abrupt, and it can rob the tone a little if you roll it back too much - this may be a trait of Fenders - not sure.
So, overall the guitar is a gem - I can't understand why people on here seem to want to buy a guitar and then change everything about it - the pick-ups are fine, the tuners are fine - the sound is wonderful - use the tone controls (they're there for a reason and they change the sound a hell of a lot quicker than changing the pick-ups!). I'm not a guitar guru, but if, like me, you want a guitar that you can plug straight into your amp, set the amp on neutral, and get sounds that you recognise from the great records you listen to - get an American Standard

The shop I bought it from had not messed with it (I asked) and I picked it up, tuned it and it played better than anything I'd tried before. The lower e string has the merest hint of fret rattle, but I'll play the guitar in for a while before I fiddle. Fit and finish in general seems very good, the neck is absolutely to die for - even I can play pretty quickly on it(and believe me that's saying something!) The sunburst finish is excellent, the body is a 3 piece but you wouldn't realise from the front, just discernable on the back. All the controls are spot on, no noise, and they feel good. This has travelled a long long way to get to me here in the UK, and yet it feels spot on, almost "played in" yet new.

I don't play gigs, but this thing will live in the back of my car - the case is solid, and so is the guitar.
If you look at the number of the wee beasties out there helping their owners to earn a living, wouldn't you be confident?!

Not dealt with them - any issues would be dealt with by the shop

As I said above I've been trying to play for many many years - perhaps this wonderful guitar will finally make me take it seriously!
I think I'm now a confirmed Fender person (weird that!) so I'd buy another if lost etc.
The guitar feels like a working class instrument, but is still beautiful - how can that be beaten.

I tried mexican standard strats, highway 1, the 50's classic - all were good but this had the extra quality. I've had several guitars over the years some more expensive, most less, and this gives me more pleasure than any of them.

2004 Made in USA, 22 frets (the fingerboard extends over the body just a bit to get that 22nd one on there. Volume, tone and Delta Tone with 5 way switch. Three VERY NOISY single coils. Mine is a three color sunburst over a really pretty piece of flamed wood. I think that it is alder on the three color ones. This strat has tuners that get shorter as they move away from the body of the guitar. I haven't owned many Strats, so that may not be anything "new", but it is a new twist to me. I really like the rolled edges of the neck and frets, it really makes for a fast neck. Mine has a rosewood fingerboard. I got it for Christmas 2004 from my kids!! Wow, about time the old man got a cool tou for Christmas (I have lost track of how many new guitars my kids have gotten for Christmas and birthdays....Thanks for thinking of old dad.

It sounds like a Strat. I have a MIM strat with a maple fingerboard and this one sounds a lot different. Better? BUT IT IS REALLY NOISY!!!!! I play it through either a Marshall DSL 2000 (50 watt) 1/2 stack, a Crate "Blue Voodoo" (100watt) 1/2 stack, or a full stack of Marshall (old style)Valvestate 100 cabs and head. It is noisy in all setting on all amps. But I have to say that this strat can really produce the honk and quack that strats used to make. I've played "classic Rock" since it was "new."

My son set the guitar up before putting it in the casr under the tree. I don't know what it came like from the factory. It is perfect. NO FLAWS, NO MISMATCHING of the flamed top, just BEAUTIFUL!
GREAT ACTION (but my son knows what I like and set it up for me)

I changed the buttons to straplocks prior to even playing it on Christmas day. Fender strats are usually trustworthy, but I'd never gig without a different brand of guitar (can you say GIBSON?) due to the noise. What happens if they use a light show? --- too noisy for my Gibson ears. I think the finish is soild and will last well.

Customer Support?????? From FENDER????? HaHaHaHaHaHa! In the mid 60's I was a founding member of a nationaly known recording act. When we had gold records Fender loved us and tried to give us gear several times. Only the bass player ever took anything from them (if we took it, we had to play it...) Oh, yeah, I was the bass player.
Now I'm NOBODY, and Leo is dead. So Fender is mainly CUSTOMER NONSERVICE. Too bad.

This year (2005) I will have played about 45 years (several of them professionally --your grandmother might have bought the records when she was young?) I've owned or do own one of everything Gibson ever made (and several of the fun ones), Rickenbackers, Gretch (original company, not the new copies), Martin, and Vox guitars and Several Vox, Fender, Sunn, Marshall, Ampeg, and Kustom (the old tuck and roll) amps. I love the Fender 'cause my kids gave it to me so it will never leave...one of them will inherit it when I croak.

2000 Am. Std. Strat. S/S/S, stock pickups. Finish is black, pickguard black, maple neck with rosewood fretboard. I bought this used at Guitar Center, had no case with it. Had to buy the Fender hardcase for it. Had some rash on the top of the pickguard, as though someone had been playing it while wearing a heavy metal bracelet. Someone had changed the tuners out to nice looking Chrome Grovers. I love the neck. Best neck I've ever had my hands on. I must have played about 25 different ones before I picked this one up. It just felt right. Ergonomics are good on the body. Tremolo leaves a little to be desired, but it was good enough for our Guitar Heroes..

It sounds like a strat. Great bell tones on the neck pickup. Bridge pickup is thin sounding but gets those classic rock sounds. Think the Romantics doing What I Like About You. My style is blues, rock.
I've ran it through some cheap practice amps, as well as a VOX AD60VT (Modelling amp which sounds like everything from Fender Clean to Recto). I particularly like the strat with the UK Blues channel (which imitates an old Marshall JTM 45). Also like UK 70's (70's Marshall). For clean I go with the Boutique clean (Dumble). All sounds very good. The pups are noisy. You have to be very clean when you play or your small goofs are going to come out. Jimmy Page said the Strat was the most versatile guitar you can buy, I'd have to agree.

I bought used. Had one string buzzing near the headstock. (Low E). The great folks at Charlies here in Dallas squared that away for me. Pups are fine. There were no flaws I'm aware of.

I believe this guitar will withstand live playing. I've played with a bass player and a loud blues rock drummer and it was just fine. The lowest tone knob has come loose in it's socket -- I'm not exactly sure whats' wrong with it. Will have to take it in, but it hasn't affected playability so far (since I'm a set it and forget it guy on the tone knobs). Finish is very durable. Strap buttons are solid. Will probably someday replace with some strap locks. If I was the kind of guy who'd go to a gig w/out a backup, yes, I'd use this. But I'd never go to a gig w/out a backup. I'm giving a ding here b/c of the tone knob -- 9.

N/A, bought used, never contacted them.

I picked up my first guitar around 3, been playing seriously since 14 -- 21 years. I also own the VOX AD60VT amp, and a 1981 Yamaha L-25A Handcrafted acoustic (you can see my review). I have a 1978 MXR Distortion +, and a recent Dunlop wah. I knew this guitar was the one within about 2-3 minutes of playing it. Have no regrets. (Had played an old Sunn Mustang since 88, so knew what I was getting into with Strats). I'll always have a strat. If I could find another one that felt this good, I'd buy it of course. I plan to add a dual HB guitar to the arsenal soon but won't get rid of the Strat. Love the neck. Hate nothing. This is just an incredible high quality American made instrument that you can find used for very affordable prices. I think mine was lower than normal b/c the tuners weren't stock. In my eyes, they were a very good looking and pro quality upgrade so that was no negative to me. I'd definitely recommend this to someone as a good 2nd guitar after they've risen above their Squier. Get a used one of these. You might also try one with a HB in the bridge position. The sounds you can make then are practically unlimited.

This guitar had become one of the classic icons everywhere around the world, just like the Marshall half stack I think, you know, three color sunburst with white pickguard and maple neck and fretboard.
For complete features go to www.fender.com

Hey all you people out there!!!!! even our grandma's had seen this guitar at least once in their lifetime!!!!!

Well, I actually got this American Strat by trading some gear with one friend o' mine and it is in really good conditions.
I like the neck shape and feel, it's really comfortable and easy to play.
One detail that I don't like is the single coil pickup noise(actually in every guitar with single coils not only startocasters)
I really like the sound of the american standard pickups, but the hum is really anoying to me, you may ask: why the fuck don't you get a noise supressor??? well, I have one of the greatest noise supressors out there that I strongly recommend to everybody, the Boss NS-2, but it can't fight the 60 cycle hum of the 1-3-5 positions unless I close the threshold level all the way killing my playing dynamics at low levels, noooooo!!!!! I can't allow that, neither my ears can allow unwanted noise...
Now me and my ears are happier than ever!!!!! Thanks to a set of three glorious Fender Vintage Noiseless that I installed just two hours ago; amazing and real single coil tone without the f#ckin' hum, now I can play this strat at my complete liking. Finally I'd take a deep breath and be cool through out every gig with this axe!!! haha!!!

After trading this guitar, I ovbiously did some adjustments, intonation, string gauge and some more, the action is slightly higher than my JEM7VSBL, but it feels really easy to play and comfortable, adjusted completely to my liking, no problem.

A stratocaster is always trusty, just roll the strings in the tuning machines perfectly and pull and tune them until achieve a good tune stability, you don't have to change the nut or install a tremsetter, just put the strings firmly.
Doesn't matter if your playing is agressive, guitars/strings can adapt and accustome to your playing.

In a span of almost 12 years of playing guitar, this is my first stratocaster ever, even I had played a few ones before.
I'm more recognized in my town as a guy who plays Ibanez guitars(I own three), you know, hot humbuckers, 24 frets, floyd rose tremolos and what not, now everybody looks at me and say: what??? you playing a stratocaster??? LOL really funny in fact!!! and in past years people and friends used to tell me: why don't you get a Fender Stratocaster? well guys, here is it.
As a matter of fact, I'm more a rock guitarist who likes an Ibanez RG featured kinda guitar, but i'm open to play whatever, I also like Fenders, Gibsons, Yamahas, Gretsch and what not, but humbuckers, 24 frets, thin flat necks and floating tremolos were forming my style since I was a kid, those features are a essencial part of my playing but it doesn't mean I wouldn't try anything else, every manufacturer has great stuff to offer so lets try everything.
Even if you're a blues, jazz, funk, fusion, latin, rock, metal or whatever your style is, get a Fender Stratocaster, most guitarists around the world have at least one even under their beds maybe, but have one, thats a must-have guitar even if you're a beginner or a seasoned Pro, a strat is always a good point to start wherever in your path you're located.

For those intrested here's my live rig display:

Guitars: three Ibanez: JEM7VSBL, RG2020XTLB, RG7421XLGN, Fender
American Stratocaster.

Amp: Marshall JCM900 4502 2x12 50Watt combo.

Pedalboard(Furman SPB-8): Boss CS-3 Compressor/Sustainer, Digitech
XP100 WhammyWah, MXR Wylde Overdrive, Boss
NS-2 Noise Supressor, TC Electronic G-Minor
midi controller.

Rack: Shure wireless reciever, Rack Ryder power conditioner and light
module, TC Electronic G-Major multi-effects processor
(connected to the FX Loop of the amp).

Well folks thats it, i'm really satisfied with the singing of this strat all across my rig, something different as the usual axes I play. Great deal buddy!!! I hope you're happy with my now former amp!!!

Merry Christmas to everybody, have fun and enjoy with your family and friends and of course with the music. Cheers!!!

Mine is a 2001 sunburst model. The features have been listed below. Its a typical Strat. I love Strats, my favourite guitars, I have owned eleventy two of them. I have owned this one for two days and it just feels right. It has the traditional 5 way switch, and a vintage trem, although I am looking to upgrade this to a Floyd Rose system. The neck is slim and fat and it came with a fitted case.

It sings. However, I am planning to upgrade the stock pickups with Seymour Duncans, (an Invader and Screamin Demon). I will route out the body so I can install them. I love to play all styles of music from Reggae to Thrash and particularly thrash reggae. I love the pure tone this guitar has when I run it through my ring modulator into a Line 6 Flextone set to "Insane".

The guitar came very well set up with a perfect action. I have, however, changed it a little and its now even better. Very good overall. Not like a cheesegrater, like some of the other guitars I've owned. I do, however intend to replace the neck at some point with one off an old Scleiffenheim guitar that I have. It has 36 frets so I can go wheeeee wheeee.

I'm sure this guitar will last until I part chop it at a great loss for something inferior next week.

I phoned Fender about changing the inlay markers to ones made of gold. They were very helpful but after a short while the line went dead. It must be my telephone. The dealer Carls Guitars are also very helpful. He only charged me #250.00 for a setup and plec on his desk jig. He told me that the warranty was until I got the guitar home, which I think was fair.

I have been playing over 10 years. Believe me I have owned everything. Fender, Gibson, Blade, Cort, Peavey, Ibanez, Schnorbitz, Clegg and Sassafrazz. This guitar is the best I've owned (Until tomorrow!!)
If it were stolen I would decorate my house until my fingers bled.

I have a mongrel Fender American Standard Stratocaster from 1993 with a 3-piece Natural Ash body from 2000 and black pickguard, knobs, and tremolo spring cover from 2004. (It originally had a VERY low quality red 3-piece poplar body and white accessories.) The 22-fret maple neck has a rosewood fretboard and skunk stripe. Frets are medium, scale is 25.5", and nut width is 1 11/16". Pickups are 3 stock passive single coils in S/S/S configuration. Controls are 1 volume, 2 tone w/TBX, and a 5-way pickup selector. Bridge is a 2-point tremolo. Tuners are non-locking Fender-branded Schallers. Fender-branded SKB hardshell case was included.

It would be ideal if the pickups had series/parallel and on/off switching instead of the antiquated 5-way pickup selector. That would allow for far more than 5 pickup selections. I've since replaced the 5-way switch with on/off switches for each pickup, disabled the TBX tone control, and made the other tone control a master tone. I like this setup much better, as there?s far more versatility and less redundancy. Locking tuners also would've been nice, especially for a tremolo-equipped guitar.

Pre-mod score: 6 Post-mod score: 8 Average: 7

I play a variety of music, mostly in the jazz/blues/folk/rock/pop vein. This guitar works for all of these styles, but is obviously not ideal for some (jazz, folk, heavier rock). For those, I'd ideally turn to a more appropriate guitar, but the Strat is a remarkably versatile instrument and can make do for most things. I currently play through a Mesa/Boogie F-50 1x12 combo and Zoom GFX-8 multi-effects pedal. The pickups are, as can be expected, a little noisy when only one of the single-coils is on (and doubly noisy with the new bridge/neck combo, since neither are hum-cancelling). By now, everybody who's listened to any popular music in the last 50 years is well acquainted with the standard single-coil Stratocaster sounds. This one does not disappoint; it sounds like a classic Stratocaster should. I do wish pickups didn't hum on any setting. Also, the series/parallel switching would still be nice. Perhaps that?ll be my next mod...

Pre-mod score: 7 Post-mod score: 9 Average: 8

Here's where it got REALLY ugly. My step-father bought the guitar new in 1993. He almost never played it, so, when it was given to me in 2003, it pretty much qualified as NOS. He hadn't even peeled the plastic off of the pickguard! When I received it, the setup was basically the same as when it had been purchased, which was poor; it wouldn't stay in tune, the intonation was off, the action was high, there were notches under the G string in the 7th and 12th frets deep enough to catch the strings during string bends, the paint on the original body was rippled and dimpled, suggesting that it was too thickly or quickly applied, etc. I also had to rewire the control cavity to eliminate ground loops, which noticeably reduced pickup hum. Most seriously, a bridge routing error (the route for the bass-side tremolo pivot point was too large, causing tremolo pivot point to lean forward, which, in turn, caused the bridge to sit out of alignment) and the poor quality wood of the original 3-piece crappy poplar body (which cracked when I attempted a fill and re-route) necessitated a replacement body. On the bright side, the hardware was nice, the tuning pegs were sound, the nut was properly cut, the electronics functioned well, and the pickups were set to a good height. And, after a proper setup and a new body, it's a great guitar with a gorgeous body and fantastic sound. Still, the neck doesn?t perfectly fit the new body, as there?s a slight gap on the bass side between the body and the neck.

Pre-mod score: 1 Post-mod score: 9 Average: 5

With the new body, this guitar is totally reliable, but I still wouldn't play without a backup. All of the hardware is quality stuff. The body finish is nearly bomb-proof, which has its pros (durability) and cons (wood might not resonate as well). The satin neck finish was cracking, so I removed it and tung-oiled the neck as well. This isn't the most durable finish, but it definitely has the nicest feel.

Pre-mod score: 1 Post-mod score: 9 Average: 5

Prior to attempting to fix the bridge problem myself, I contacted Fender. Despite their reputation for horrendous customer support, I thought it couldn't hurt. Well, it didn't help either. The man with whom I spoke was very friendly, but totally unhelpful. He very politely told me my guitar's lame 1-year warranty had expired long ago, so I was SOL. A 1-year warranty on an $800+ guitar in 1993 is totally unacceptable. Besides which, the problem I was experiencing was clearly a manufacturing defect, though the Fender representative tried to blame wood shrinkage. Possible, but this wouldn't be an issue if they hadn't used such poor quality poplar for their painted bodies in the '90's (I?ve read that thin alder laminates disguised this on clear finishes). Nice way to stand behind your product. Go Fender! So, a 1 and a big fat middle-finger for Fender.

I've been playing guitar for about 6 years. I also own a 2001 Hamer Artist, a 1966 Baldwin Double-Six, a Mesa/Boogie F-50 combo, and a Zoom GFX-8 multi-effects pedal. I wasn't the one that purchased this guitar, and, given all of the obvious fit and finish flaws (never mind the less obvious build flaws), I never would have. Were I to replace it, I'd buy a Stratocaster-style guitar built by a company other than Fender; a company that cares about their products and their customers, for instance. Or, more likely, I'd build one from USA Custom Guitars or Warmoth parts. I love the sounds, the feel, and the shape of the body. Whoever designed the body was a ergonomics genius. I hate the fact that I had to spend so much time, effort, and money (above the $800 purchase price) simply to make the guitar playable. I will NEVER purchase any Fender products beyond replacement parts for this guitar. Their QA is (or was, at least) the pits and is trumped only by their customer service. Only very lately have I seen any serious attempts on their part to remedy this. Fender (and Gibson, for that matter) should take a cue from Hamer USA, a company that consistently builds guitars of outstanding quality and value (though their 5-year warranty is still pretty lame).

I think mine was made in 2000. Maple neck. I changed the pickups to Lindy Fralin Blues Specials. The rest is standard.

I play blues and rock: srv, hendrix, some clapton, some comtemporary rock, other stuff like led zep, zz top I play with my gibsons. What can
I say about the sound but that it sounds like a strat. I bought this guitar in Chicago so I could try a lot of them. I picked the one that
I liked best. I usually play this guitar clean, sometimes with a bit of warm tube overdrive. I save the heavier stuff for other guitars. Not that it isn't versatile though. Here I rate the sound of my guitar not that of a generic strat. I'm sure you can find the sound you want if you shop around

I like to have my action set medium-high. I use 10s-52s. I've tried 11s
and went back to 10s (I like to bend a lot and nails started to detach with 11s. Don't know how SRV managed to do what he did). My guitar was well made. After inspecting many of them, I must admit that all strats are not made equal. Finish was quite nice and is still okay (not flawless anymore since I've banged it many times.). My guitar stays in tune. I don't know why. I just have a regular nut.

I've only had this guit 4 years but I do know that this is a tough guitar. I can depend on it.

Don't know. Which probably tells you something? I think it does. I did not expect to have to ever contact Fender. That said, I would not expect good service from such a big company.

If you want to buy a strat, you have the adavntage that there zillions of them out there (both new and used)so try out many of them, look at them carefully and get one. I think the good ones represent a good value and you get that strat sound. Try some mexican ones too. I think some of them are also quite good. I am very happy with my strat. If you want better average quality, better finish, and you are willing to consider something a bit more expansive, try a G&L legacy (or a few). I really like the G&Ls (I prefer the 12" fretboard radius, and the trem block) and I strongly recommend you give them a try. That said, I am still looking for a Legacy that will sound better than my current strat with it's Lindy Fralins.

This is your standard USA Fender Strat, two point trem, three single coils w/ five way switch, maple fretboard, strap-locks, etc.

This is one of the greatest sounding guitars ever, I mean, they haven't messed with it really since it was invented! I've used it for jazz, rock, blues, latin, country, even unfortunatley contemporary music styles and it sounds great.

Everything is great. I got the tobacco sunburst and it' sjust beautiful. Each guitar is different and mine just has some great wood coming through. Sometimes I look at it and just sigh. Of course, I had to add a couple more springs in the back so there's five and ditch the backplate. I got it used so I had to intonate it and set up the action because I've switched string sizes a few times. Now I just stich with the 10's.

This guitar has stood up to most everything. One time I got a little too excited and threw it down and kicked it across the stage, and other than a few scratches on the back it was fine. In tune and everything. It can take a beating pretty well. I had to fill the strap pin holes, and re-install them though, but that was probably do to a little abuse. You know that move where you pretend you're gonna throw your guitar into the audience and then snap it back with the strap? I think I pulled a little too forcefully a couple times. It's still firm though. I always gig with a backup because you never know what might happen. This guitar is sturdy though. It's a beast really.

Never needed it.

I've been playing for about 10 years now, and have a starter strat, a samick with a floyd rose and a beautiful white flying V among other things. This strat is probably the most reliable as far as staying in tune and not breaking strings. I can't even remember the last time I broke a string on it. If it were lost or stolen, I'd be super angry and wish evil horrible things upon the person that stole it. I'd definatley look at getting another strat, but like I said, they're all different so finding another one like it would be hard. I knew the second I picked it up that it was meant for me, and that rarely happens. Every strat is different. It's a great tool for artistic expression. This guitar was worth every penny and more. In fact, it's definatley paid for itself by now. Remember a guitar is only as good as you are. A $2000 guitar in the hands of a novice still sounds like crap, and a $50 guitar in the hands of a master can sound beautiful. That's why I've gotta go practice now.

I have to say to start i owned this guitar from new until 1994, i then traded it in on an Ibanez Paul Gilbert Signature (please don't send me abusive e-mails I KNOW WHAT I DID WAS WRONG!!!) then only a couple of weeks ago i saw it again on ebay and bought it back, some 10 years later!!!! It is a 1991, USA American Std Stratocaster, 22 frets and the standard P/U switch combo, AM standard Alnico pickups etc etc, fairly Standard stuff (no pun intended)!!! This one is finished in Metallic Purple!!!! Great Colour. One on the best features in my mind is the knife edge trem, best step forward that Fender had away from the 6 screw original setup.

I particular like the sounf of Alder bodied strats, 2 of the 3 i own are Adler, but to some players they do sound a bit too "Straty"! I mainly play classic rock - blues so with Blackmore and Clapton as heavy influences a Strat was always going to be my choice, i have had many many other copies but always came back to a real Start. My only dislike for this model i the noise on the lead (bridge) pickup, worse on a tranny amp than a tube though.

Factory setup Sucked!!! (Fender please take note!!!) The first time i owned this guitar i had it setup by a pro and it all of a sudden became a beautiful thing to play, this time owning it i forgot just how nice it is to play, i hadn't changed much, even though the guy i bought it back of had his guy set it up again. Finish, well i did especially order this colour so i do love it and it has weathered time, still looks new, actually had a mate say i didn't know you could buy new ones in this colour!!! Fit, well apart from the original factory fit and subsquent resetup great. The four bolt neck is great (my '72 Start as most of you will know has a 3 bolt neck joint and are VERY unstable) can't complain here.

Over the first couple of years this guitar and i were playing up to 6 nights a week for 3 and a bit years, with only the usual belt buckle marks on the back of it and a couple of dings thanks to a careless drummer, so i think the finish will hold up for the full life of the guitar. After 10 years, of which i don't know what it did (live playing etc) the finish is still intact and showing no signs o ware, front strap button was loose and couldn't be tightened when i first got it back, but this is now fixed.

Had an issue with the dealer and not fender themselves when it was new, apart from that no contact.

This guitar was my first NEW Strat and was very very happy with it, i was talked in to trading it in by a GEAR HEAD who convinced me that the Ibanez would be much better for the style we were playing at the time, WRONG!!!! I finally got my money back and bought a Sambora Strat, and used it as my main Guitar for the next 9 years along with my faithful '72 Start as backup. Now that i have this one back the Sambora is the back up and the '72 has been retired to home and studio duties. I think for the money and at the time these were a superb guitar with the versitility most local players will find appealing, great through a vintage tube amp.

This is a 1989 Fender American Standard strat in Olypia white, with pearloid pickguard. 22 Frets. It has 5 way pickup selection, a volume knob and and a tone knob for rhythm/middle and a tone knob for treble. Mine is a souped up metalized strat, H/H/H (Hot Rails, Hot Rails, JB Jr.) They are all Seymour Duncan minihumbuckers, that will fit in single coil slots. The neck and headstock are obviously maple. It has Sperzel locking tuners, and a whammy bar. Rosewood fretboard, not sure what kind of frets. The way I souped it up, with custom string guider, nut, and bridge and three new pickups, it is a 10 easily. But without these things and with single coils it is poor for metal or anything with distortion. I'll take the middle.

With the right pickups, this guitar kicks ASS. Unlike any other I've played. It is almost exactly a hybrid between Dave Murray and Jannick Gers' guitars for Iron Maiden. Single Coils were VERY noisy, but i use BOSS flanger, compression, metal zone, distortion, acoustic simulator, reverb/delay, a Marshall Guv'nor, and the Marshall distortion and reverb. Without the humbuckers the sound is BAD with any sort of heavy distortion, with them it is EXCELLENT. But buying this guitar as is from the store its about a 6 but the clean is great with neck/middle combo.

The guitar was perfectly assembled. The pickups were adjusted fine, the bridge and finish were all fine. No flaws.

Yeah, this guitar can stand a show. The hardware has lasted 15 years, and so has the finish. The strat buttons are getting a bit loose, but hell it's 15 years old. I would play without a backup if this was the only sound i needed haha.

7 years of guitar for me. I own a Gibson SG special as well. I'd certainly buy another, and customize it all over again. I love the extremely accurate METAL tone i can get from it, unlike any other guitar. The Fender Stratocaster is the most versitile guitar in history if you put the right pickups in it. With this single coils, i wouldnt pay 300 bucks for this guitar if i had to keep the pickups. With Hot Rails and JB Jr.'s this guitar kicks ass! I will rate it WITH the new pickups as opposed to the single coils. One of a kind.

Same features as everyone else has already listed except now the 2004 version no longer comes with the Schaler strap locks. I got the olympic white finish with rosewood fretboard.

I like a lot of blues and old rock music. The strat was a natural choice. I love the sound of the guitar... true, classic stratocaster. Later on, I may hop it up with some Fender Texas Specials pickups (like the SRV strat) to give it a hotter tone but for now it suits me fine. It is surprisingly versitile.

So here's where I need to take off a few marks. The action was terrible. Nearly every string buzzed. The string job from the factory was even worse. It looked like a three year old strung the guitar. I basically scrapped the original strings. Intonation was off and even the truss rod required some tweaking.

Also disappointing was the finish. I owned a Mexican strat a few years back. I don't know if this is a testament to the finish on the Mexican or a complaint about the finish on the American but the finish was no better than what I had on my Mexican strat. You expect to get a much better finish on a guitar that costs twice as much but this isn't the case. I mean look at the American Deluxe series strats, they only cost a little more than the American Standard (as compared to the price jump between the Mexican and American) but the finish is SIGNIFICANTLY better. I guess overall, the finish was a disappointment.

I don't really have any reason to question the reliability of this guitar. Despite my complaints, it does seem to be built well for its price range.

I would imagine I would use this for a small gig without a backup but for larger ones, I definitely would have other guitars as well(different sounds, different moods, backup for broken strings... blah, blah, blah...). A person can never have too many guitars.

This is where I actually differ from most other reviewers. I am very pleased with the customer support. When I got the guitar home, I realized they had put the wrong "bag-o-goodies" in the case. The bag I got seems to be for a Hot Rod strat. It has the pressure fit tremolo bar instead of the screw in type, etc.... Apparently the music store made a goof up and switched cases at some point. Anyway, so I called the store and told them the situation. They gave me some line about not carrying extra bags like that.... whine, whine, whine.... and said that they can order another but it will take several weeks and suggested that I call Fender instead (even though it seems like it's their mistake).

After reading reviews on this website, I wasn't too hip on the idea but I thought I'd give it a try anyway. After all, I needed the tremolo arm. Very much to my surpise, they were extremely helpful! I told the customer service rep the story and he agreed that it sounded like the store had switched cases but he also said if I'd fax him the invoice, he'd send me a new tremolo arm. I followed his instructions and a few days later I received the package.

I was shocked when I opened it. Not only did I get a tremolo arm, but he actually sent me the entire set of "extras" that normally come with the guitar (polishing cloth, instrument cable, guitar strap, etc....). Basically, I asked for a $10 part and they sent me $30+ worth of stuff. That's good customer service if you ask me. I know it's not a huge deal but it's refreshing to see a company that will go a little further than necessary to help me out. Especially in today when most companies' Customer Service departments should be renamed Customer Disservice.

Overall, I would rate this guitar an 8. It's very good (especially for the price range) and has a lot of potential. It's cheap enough to get into but there are a lot of things you can do or add to it to take it further. If it were stolen, I would definitely replace it. Fender needs to work on the quality of the finish for the American Standard but overall it has a beautiful sound and is a very solid guitar.

My strat is 1999 USA made.it is the standard strat with 22 medium jumbo frets,alder body,maple neck&fingerboard,black paint,white pickguard.standard 5 way switch,1 volume,2 tone controls.S/S/S pickup combination.standard American Series Alnico pickups.well I think everybody knows these features on a standard strat.

It suits my music great because I get it to suit my music style.I play 80's rock/pop/soul.overall I want 80's classic fender strat sound and this standard strat gives it to me.my amp is 79' fender twin reverb and when combined I get the best clean sounds.as usual 1/3/5 pickup positions are noisy no complements about them cause its the nature of single coils.its a trade off between great cutting single tone vs hum noise.the 2/4 positions are hum canceling because of the two coils used with middle one reversed pole.I use Line 6 DM-4 and Boss OD-1 for OD/Dist needs but actually I never use dist settings only Proco Rat with a little gain sounds like a more compressed OD.I use OD-1 to boost them and does the job great.the tone is awesome.I've always wanted to own a USA Fender and now my dream has come true I'm so glad with it.

Action : well adjusted.
Pickups : balanced
I bought this guitar used but without any scratch or wear.it was in great condition.surely the former owner was very good at looking after guitars.I must thank him.

reliable of course.but I'd never gig without backup in case of a string break.

it's an original USA FENDER...

I've been playing for 8 years.I used to own an 91'Ibanez RG570 with Dimarzio ToneZone bridge & PafPro neck.I've sold it and bought 99'Fender American Strat.I aslo own 90'USA Heritage H-147 LesPaul with Schaller Golden 50 pickups and it also sounds great.I've compared my strat to 4 other strats and this one gave the best classic tone.Overall great guitar if you're looking for the classic Fender Strat tone.nothing more nothing less...

I have a 2002 Fender American Series Standard Strat with 22 medium jumbo fretts. Equiped with the normal controls 1 volume, 2 tone, and a 5 way selector. It is a S/S/S set up with a hot noiseless bridge pickup and the middle and neck pickup are the stardart strat pickups. FThe body is adler and it is Hot Rod Red. The bridge is a American 2-Point Synchronized Tremolo with Stainless Steel Saddles. It came with a molded case a strap and a few other goodies.

My playing style is a 70's rock style and it suites my needs for a guitar well. The wide range of tones produced is amazing and I enjoy the tones that are produced. It has decent sustane and has a great over all sound. The pick ups are a bit noisey except for the bridge which is "noiseless".

The guitar had an excelent set-up from the factory. The action was low and their was no frett buzz. The intonation was also perfect. The fit and finish was excellent their were no flaws with the guitar at all.

Reliability this is a guitar that you can play live with, without problems. Over all its a solid guitar that I have never had problems with. The only minor concern is fret wear and ive had this guitar for a little over a year with heavy use and the fretts are wearing more than I would like them to.

I have never delt with fender Customer Support so i feel that I can not rate this area.

I have only been playing for a little over a year but I have playd piano for 15 years, sax for 12 and now im starting guitar. So far my guitar playing abilitis are great for some one only playing for ar year. So far I have the Strat which i reviewed, a Martin Hd-28, a Traynor amp, a Jekyll and Hyde overdrive, a phase 90, and a boss wah pedal.

Mine is a 2003 Fender Standard Stratocaster, made in U.S.A. It has a solid alder body, 22 medium jumbo frets, 3 standard American single coils with 1 volume control and 2 tone controls, 5-way switch, maple neck with rosewood fretboard, Polyurethane Finish, american 2-point bridge, standard American tuners. Hardcase included.

I play rock and metal mainly, and this axe can handle it no problem (11's). Sounds better clean than distorted. The pickups give a pretty good definition of the notes. The only problem I have with the pickups is that they are way too noisey. I know these are true-single coils but players shouldn't have to put up with this. Position 2 & 4 gives the typical 'twang' sound and it sounds wonderful.

Craftmanship on these guitars are excellent. I can't really say anything about the action on these Strats because I use 11's and stock Stratocasters never come with 11's from the factory. One thing to mention is that the frets on my Strat worn out fairly quickly considering that I've only had it for 6 months. Finish on the guitar was very nice (3-tone sunburst).

Never had a problem with it, but I'll probably have a backup if I was playing live just in case. As mentioned before, frets worn down quickly given the amount of time I've played it. Besides that, everything is fairly solid.

No problems with it so far so no comments here.

I've been playing guitar for 6 years, I have another American Standard Strat and an American deluxe, a classical and acoustic guitar, Squier Jagmaster and a Contemp. Strat. Just a friendly reminder, I've read few reviews here saying how crapy or bad these guitars sound. Tone comes from your fingers, not how well the electronics are. Electronics only absort the sound but it's really your finders that produce the tone. The American Standard Strat is a good product but not anything mind blowing. If you are looking for the ultimate Strat within budget, try the American Deluxe model, you won't be disappointed. I'm rating this a 7 because of the hum that it produces. Fender should make their noiseless pickups stock on these axes. As for Deluxe, somthing from the custom shop would be nice.

Minha guitarra e o modelo 3-color sunburst com 3 single coil, 1997.
Corpo em alder, escala rosewood.

Eu toco metal, rock e hard rock. O som dessa guitarra e maravilhoso mas para metal eu sinto um pouco de falta do peso de um humbucker. A captac?o tem bastante ruido, mas e o que se espera de singles.

Eu comprei ela usada mas em perfeito estado visual. O acabamento sunburst das Fender e simplesmente maravilhoso. Posso sentar numa cadeira e ficar olhando pra essa guitarra no suporte por horas...
E uma guitarra muito versatil.

Como eu disse, e muito versatil e pode ser usada perfeitamente ao vivo. Mas para tocar um metal pesado voce pode precisar troca-la por uma les paul com humbuckers.

A Fender do Brasil responde rapido mas, eles as vezes n?o sabem informar alguns detalhes de seus produtos.

Toco ha 15 anos. Uso Les Paul ha uns 10 e agora finalmente comprei uma Fender! Vou cuidar muito bem dela...

Basic '84 American Standard Strat - aquired new
Arctic white, maple neck, all standard appointments.

Is there a greater range or more distinctive sound from any other guitar? I aquired it hoping that it would sound like a Strat and it does. (I'd be willing to bet that even Les Paul has one of these puppies hidden in a closet somewhere).
I usually use it through a Fender Stage 112SE amp and can get about as much "chunk" out of it as you'd get with a Les Paul and a Marshall tube amp. (I'll give partial credit to this great little amp. It has unbelievable bottom end for solid state, an unusually warm 'fat' sound and tons of headroom and more "small/medium venue, recording, or weekend jam capacity" than my '70's silverface 4x10 Super Reverb had, and is it ever loud!!!).This axe just sounds great through anything I've tried, but for some reason a Fender guitar always seems to sound better through a Fender amp.

It was probably set up by the dealer and was perfect for me. I usually take it in to my local guitar tech once a year just to have it tweaked, but I rarely have to do anything else with it. I'd do it myself but he really does a nicer job and usually for the cost of a new set of strings. Fretwork was flawless and the neck has a perfect bow. No fret-buzz but one slight dead-spot at the 15th to 17th fret with a full-tone bend up on the three bottom strings. I've only noticed this lately and attribute it to a particularly cold winter and dry atmosphere in the house. In other words, "mea culpa" and nothing that a little spring weather, a decent humidifier or a tweak or two wouldn't fix easily.
One teeny-tiny 1/4" inch-long hairline crack right through the finish right at the neck joint on the upper body when new, that probably wouldn't be noticeable if it weren't white. The finish is otherwise eye-candy. When it was brand-new it looked a little stark and the only way you could determine where the guitar body ended and the pickguard started was where the screws and black line in the tri-lam pickguard were. It has now developed a beautiful warm 'buttery' patina and a sort of three-dimensional quality to it that is very difficult to describe. Sort of like buttermilk as opposed to skim milk. The neck and headstock have 'darkened' accordingly making for one very fine looking piece of wall art, even if you didn't play.

This instrument has been 'babied' a little, but has always been up to the task over the past eighteen years and I really don't know what more to expect. Needless to say I'm not really expecting it to break down or fall apart any time soon.
No major repairs or adjustments ever.
No Corrosion anywhere.
Stays in tune even with moderate trem use and have never broken a string on stock saddles.
No body wear marks anywhere, even at the bevel edges !

Fortunately no support necessary for this axe.
This would be a good thing because IMHO 'Fender' and 'Customer Support' are the example used in the dictionary for 'oxymoron'.
For an example of dealing with the Fender technical department see the review of my 'American Standard Telecaster' on this site.
I think that the legal purchase of Leo and Georges' brainchild is what separates the current regime from plagiarists.
It is to be noted that;
1)The lions share of Fender C.S. reviews on this website are "NA" and some scored high even though no C.S. was ever required. Hey Jasper!! Maybe it's a great axe but how could you score it a ten for customer service and then say "but I never had to deal with them" The balance speak for themselves.
2)Fender guitars, seemingly more than any other make, are exponentially more valuable the older they get (with the exception of some obscene prices that are being paid for old Gibsons, particularly '50s Les Pauls with highly figured tops and contigent values that are driven only by upward-bias values as rare pieces of art, as opposed to the Fenders that are actually being played).Simply stated, the new ones are good but the old ones were great????
So don't buy a Fender guitar predicated on anything remotely resembling customer support, even if it is due to a flaw that should easily have been picked up at the factory prior to shipment. However if you, or someone you can trust, are capable of effecting repairs (in the case of my Tele, elaborate) then you will never be disappointed with a USA Strat.
Also, I have tried to get some info on this particular instrument as it has an 'E4' serial # which would suggest that it was built in '84 and may actually be a 'Smith' Strat (four bolt neck and four knobs)There is some ambiguity on my part about this. This was a transitional period for Fender as there were no Strats built in the USA in '85 and the difference to me is about two hundred bucks in terms of resale value. But Fender's website doesn't seem to have a 'contact us' e-mail address and any links that they do list that I thought might be able to help me out with this info haven't bothered to reply either. Probably because they'd have to get that info directly from Fender based on the serial# and are having the same problem I am.
I guess it's fairly apparent that I have a bug up my ass with Fender's customer service but I think that it's justified as they have offered me absolutely no help with anything. It pisses me off that the only players that Fender seems to give a shit about are the ones that are getting all of their gear for free and have some of the best techs in the business on a retainer anyway. Meanwhile some pimply faced teenage suburbanite has just blown his vast summer lawn-mowing income on a shiny new Fender and wound up with a shiny new lemon that he doesn't have a snowball's chance in hell of getting fixed unless he mows a few hundred more lawns......
Their 'Limited Lifetime Warranty' would be better described as "Discretionary Lifetime Warranty" "All Products Guaranteed for the Life of the Product".

In forty years I have owned a lot of different instruments of all genres and price ranges but this is my particular favorite.
I owned an original '58 Tele that I purchased for $195.00 CDN in '68 and a buddy of mine has an original Broadcaster ('50-51) that were/are both amazing but apart from these two, I don't think I've ever run across a more playable axe.
I've played a whack of Gibsons but, except for a one-of-a-kind Standard SG that my buddy bought new in '69, I really don't care for them. I'm not a 'Fenderighteous Gibson Hater' or anything, I just find Fenders more 'Player Friendly' and a little more versatile. I swapped a pretty good instrument that has more than tripled in value, even over the Strat, and I have never regretted it except that, for the current price of the Epiphone that I swapped, I could buy a couple of more Strats.
I usually hook this one up with a Jim Dunlop 'Cry Baby', a Boss Hi-band Flanger and DOD Stereo Phaser and run the whole she-bang through a particularly wonderful Boss RRV 10 digital reverb half-rackmount unit.
If it were ever stolen I guess I'd buy a PRS Custom 22 or 24 because it would probably take too long to find another Strat of it's vintage that was in the same condition and I would never buy another new Fender under any circumstances. At least I know that the PRS would appreciate in value regardless of it's initial cost.
The one feature that I really wish it had was a manufacturer that gave a shit about the end user. EVERY end user !!!!
Having said all of this, I guess the resale value isn't that important anyway because I plan to be buried with this one.
My overall rating represents an average of all of the caregories that I've rated and if not for the Customer Service would have rated a '9' instead of a '7'

2001, 22 fret, MIA Standard, solid, Delta pickup setup, standard wiring, passive, alder (to be discussed), new bridge style with trem, non-locking Sperzels, TKL case, modified C neck. Case made the difference in improving rating.
I must admit, the "Daphne Blue" is the UGLIEST paint I've ever seen on a guitar body. Color of my ex' lingerie.

"Delta Tone?" Huh? What the heck is that? Fender should just give up entirely on pickup manufacture. And body manufacture. Just sell necks. They've ruined the Strat, "Custom" to bottom. The guy before me here had the right idea. Dead sound, no resonance, noise, sub-par electronics. Whenever I see or hear a factory or "Custom Shop," produced Strat, there's only 1/3 a guitar.

All I salvaged from the original mess guitar was the complete neck and tuner pegs, strap buttons, both back plates, and bridge TOP. The rest was trashed. Even the trem arm, block, pups, springs, all screws, and claw. The neck is beautiful, well finished, fast, low action with a legal logo, to Fender's credit, which was all I wanted.

To create a beautiful sounding, looking, and durable stringed instrument, you need excellent materials, careful workmanship, and an "idea." The idea is what the final result will sound like. Sorry, it's not on any web site, catalog, or store, at least in one piece. So you have to research; go back and to the old and new stuff, look and listen, compare, and figure out what YOU want. Then be careful. Also, durability = good case and solid stand, no gig bag. They are a part of the guitar. Answers to HC template questions are all,"Yes."

I do my own, and giving you some things to research. I got these substitute parts: SWAMP ASH body; cold-rolled steel rectangular trem block (both like original), Dimarzio Blues, Heavy Blues pups, modified (sorry, too detailed for here); more insulated wiring; 500 ohm mini pots audio taper; .2 cap; '64 style stainless steel trem arm; SS claw and springs; Core-Tek Ibanez-style encased 5-way switch; 3 ply custom pickguard; ball end strings, because block was honed at string feed to accept more pliable ball ends (to alternately raise trem arm to get non-flatted, full cycle tremolo). Bri Colle wood glue on every screw. Sounds exactly like a 1956 without the hum.
Many people, myself past included, decide to change this, that, pups, whatever, but most likely it won't be EXACTLY what you want. There's the "idea." In other words, this instrument is complete. Taking Strats apart can be risky.
Also, alder is plywood. That's okay, if you want to go to Home Depot to buy a guitar. Yeah, you can get strings, too. Look in the electrical section. Nineteen things you WILL need there are six WOOD screws for the neck and trem claw, eleven for the pickguard, not machine screws, which torque much tighter without stripping or cracking the wood. And two top-quality Phillips head screwdrivers, not cheapos. One to delete- their old cut-up credit cards make great picks!

I play into a Marshall AVT 50, Boss ME-50, accompanied by a Yamaha DGX-300 Portable Grand synth through the Marshall. Also have an ESP LTD EX351D with modified Duncan Invaders.
Yes, I spent over $600 just for a Fender neck and minor parts. That's what it takes, until they make guitars WE want. The critical part is the neck pocket, making it super tight and aligned exactly, and beveled correctly in the Swamp Ash neck pocket. This is the key to beautiful, resonant sound, not pups. And the guitar is rock solid, reat action, and stays in tune, no string breakage.
This is my child, and lost or stolen, look on a milk carton.

This is a 2001, natural finish, rosewood fretboard, American Standard Stratocaster. The body is made of ash, and it's fitted with the factory standard 3x single coil pickups. The finish is fantastic. The lacquer looks about a foot thick, with the wood beautiful & well protected behind it. Having always dreamt about a natural wood strat this has proved to be worth the wait.

I bought this guitar to replace a 1987 Japanese strat, which I had modified by fitting a double humbucking pickup at the bridge position, for sound boosting & increased sustain. By comparison the American strat sound is very thin and my Laney World Series 80 amplifier did nothing to improve this. I have recently purchased a small, modern Vox amp, and I find the sound to be greatly improved, even though I now get more pickup noise than before. The classic strat variety is still there though, offering more range than any other type of guitar I've ever played.

Having read some of the other reviews of this guitar I would seem to have been a very lucky man. The finish and set up of this guitar is amazing. From the first moment I picked it up in the showroom I was in love! With the action set extremely low the strings almost seemed to hug the neck but without a single buzz. Inevitably the guitar began to rattle a little after a couple of months use, but after a somewhat expensive re-set by the retailer it was back to it's best and now 3 years on is still playing as wonderfully as ever.

When I was looking for this guitar I considered the Mexican 70's style version, but when I saw it in the flesh the quality of the bridge & trem, looking more like they came off some cheap copy, was a major factor in helping me decide which one to go for. The tuners adjust really well & hold the tune, the trem returns to exactly where it should, and the overall finish of each component is as good as should be expected from a top end Fender guitar. I have only gigged this once but would happily gig with only this guitar as I have yet to break a string on it, and I only use 009's!

Comes with a limited lifetime warranty which I've thankfully not had to test...yet!

I have been playing guitar now for over 21 years. I have mostly used Laney amps, althoug I now have a small Vox which I'm very pleased with. My other guitars are an Epiphone acoustic, which I have rescued from the scrapafter it's neck was broken. and a Samick copy of a Martin 000 series. I have also had long term access to a Gibson Les Paul, a 335 in Cherry, and a Musicman Sabre - via a good friend with more dosh than me! If I lost this guitar I would cry for weeks as I've never owned one like it and I am still blown away by how great it is to play every time I pick it up.

its a strat.......

a strat is a solid base to build a super-guitar. i stuck a duncan jb junior at bridge with a coil split and a red lace sensor at neck. The initial noise of the delta tone pickups became unbearable whilst recording but thats no longer a problem. sounds great. the maple neck conjures up extreme sustain through my fender stage 100 dsp amp. fantastic for singing leads, dont waste money on any mexican or korean crap. get either a fender or a gibson, its worth saving for if ur not quite there.

nice low action. intonation has never been a problem. i find that i very rarely snap strings on this guitar no matter how much i play and bend(often too high). fantastic flawless finish, nice tight neck joint, unlike the gibson finish this will last.

dont gig without a backup because a snapped string could be fatal. very dependable, never a problem with it yet and ive had it for 2 years. im 17 and have been playing 6 years very seriously. like i said the stock pickups are noisy but by no means crap, they give off fantastic singing tone and the in-between positions are fantastic for jangly clean almost acoustic sounding rhythm.

i dont know about fender but the shop were fantastic, great price and next day delivery. i cant say fairer than that.

if lost or stolen id have to buy another strat, thought perhaps a different model for a pleasant change. just a great guitar, but always try before u buy.

1996 American Standard Stratocaster. Rosewood fretboard, and the other standard stuff. Came with case, which is really beat up now. I give a five because it's the middle of the road, standard american strat. nothing fancy.

When I was 16 I got this guitar because I loved Jimi Hendrix. I didn't know how to play the thing. Now I have a slightly better idea. I use it with a Fender Princeton 112 plus, and have since I got it. I like blues and jazz, rock, and sometimes attempt to play in those genres as well. I use the neck pickup, and the tone rolled all the way back. For blues, I like the sound. For jazz, it just doesn't cut it if you are trying to sound traditional. This should be obvious. If your only experience of what a strat sounds like is from Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughn, etc. etc. then you should probably not buy one. You will never sound like any of them. I recommending playing one before you buy it. I give it a 7 because it is better sounding than a lot of guitars I have heard and played, but not quite the sound I am looking for.

Oh, and one problem I've had is that the intonation of the low E is off. I can't adjust it using the bridge alone. All the other strings are fine.

I don't remember the factory set-up. It is set up very nicely and I absolutely love the action and feel on this guitar. Because I learned on this thing, I am very comfortable with it. For something that seems cheaply assembled (bolt on neck) it plays very well. Compared to something that is not cheaply assembled it also plays very well.

Fit is great. Like I said, I am very comfortable with it. I like the way it sits in my lap and contours to my body. I mostly play sitting down. Sometimes I lay and play with it. Sometimes I sleep next to it.

The guitar can be frisky if you fall asleep next to it. I recommend putting it in its case at night.

This thing takes a beating.

never dealt with them.

playing about 7.45 years off and on.

I have a washburn HB-35 which I am selling on ebay right now (1-23-03).

I wish I had asked if I could get a bag of chips with the guitar.

If it were stolen or lost, I would cry and call my mommy.

I love the action and fit of the guitar. I don't like the tone so much. My favor feature is the freboard. Without it, the frets would have no place to live.

I chose this guitar because I wanted to be Jimi Hendrix.

I'd also to share my thoughts on religion: don't subscribe to one. It will eat your mind.

My strat was a Fender American standard 2001 model. It had pretty good features with tone and volume adjustments and floating bridge.

I bought this guitar after owning a mexican strat and was not happy. In fact I bought it before playing it and found the sound a lot less warm and sparkly than the mex strat. In fact it was way too thin sounding in the bridge pickup. The neck pickup was good, with a lot of mid and bass but too noisy. If you think this is just what you get with single coils it shouldn't be -thats why they invented stacked single coil pickups as should have been fitted to this. Mex strats have a hotter output as they have vintage pickups and I much prefered this but had already sold this unfortunately.
The overall sound from the American strat was too metallic and thin. It didn't really communicate the feeling of what I was trying to play. It sounded a lot better once I bought a vintage valve amp but the sound was still too thin.
Come on people be critical and honest here!! Don't just rate it 10 as soon as you've got it.

The action was poor at best. I have heard American fender no longer individually setup their guitars before they leave the factory and they vary enormously. Hence you can get great ones and piss poor ones. Unfortunately mine was poor. I put up with too high string action, pickups set too high and incorrect truss rod relief for about a year before adjusting it. I lowered the pickups as they sounded to distorted and twangy when set high, which improved the sound clarity slightly but it was still very poor from the bridge pickup, too thin and metallic.

The guitar was very reliable in live situations and playing at home. The quality of the hardware seemed very good so in this area things are ok. Also the paint polymer covering seemed quite good.

No experience.

Had this guitar been stolen I would have used the insurance money to buy a mexican strat. I have since sold this guitar. Perhaps I was just unlucky but my American strat was very poor.

I give the features a 5, because there really aren't that many features. That's part of the Strat's allure. They're simple, easy and sound great if you like the Strat sound. I don't think a whole bunch of features are necessary anyway. Its beauty lies in its simplicity.

If like the Strat sound, it's perfect. Stevie, Jimi, Clapton...it's that sort of sound. I play it through a Fender Twin with nothing else except MAYBE a Tube Screamer. In my opinion, one of the best clean sounds ever. Fender through a Fender...perfect.

This is kind of a gray area. I live in the midwest and mine was shipped from California so I'm guessing the climate change has a lot to do with the action and such. The Strat does have a bi-flex truss rod and adjustable saddles so anyone can pretty much set the guitar to his/her liking.

It's a Strat...you can smack 'em, whack 'em, drop 'em, whatever, Strats are tough.

Never dealt with Fender.

You can't go wrong with a Strat, period.

1995 Painted Headstock model US Standard Strat. A subtle and modern update on an already classic guitar. Plays well and sounds like a ummmmm...... Fender Strat

I play a range of styles from Jazz through to modern rock and I call on this particular guitar fro one thing - strat sounds, and it does them well.

No this axe is never going to sound like an ESP explorer - thats like comparing apples to oranges. This guitar does one thing and it does it better than any other guitar: it gives you Strat sounds! From Hendrix to Stevie Ray, Clapton to Billy Corgan - its a classic and well known guitar sound. If I want a different sound I use a different guitar. Simple as that really!

Theres a lot of people bagging the universal routing used in the construction of these guitars now. Before you read someone elses opinion on this use your own ears - does this guitar sound good to you? If so, buy it. If not, then don't buy it! I beleive this is a well manufactured instrument and personally think these models are the best incarnation's of The classic Stratocaster since the pre '65 pre CBS models.

I wasn't going to bother reviewing this guitar as I thought there would have been a hell of a lot of reviews already but seeing theres a few people bagging some of the features of this instrument I thought I would put my 2 cents in.

Of course the pickups are noisy - they're single coils. If you want that unique sound you have to put up with this. Part of the charm really.

Amazing - I think fender have really upped their game in this area. Great action, quality fretwork and an excellent finish. The tuners are very stable with a nice positive feel and this guitar seldom goes out of tune. Stainless steel bridge saddles are a nice touch too as is the redesigned vibrato system on these guitars.

I've had it 8 years now and thrashed the hell out of it on countless gigs and rehearsals. I also lend it out to close muso friends all the time for recording sessions etc. so she's starting to take a bit of a hammering.

The paints starting to wear nicely on the main areas of contact and there's a bit of corrosion on the selector switch but this is fairly acceptable. The output jacks just starting to go too which has happened to me on all the Fender's I've owned. And I've owned a few!

never dealt with them and I can imagine that they wouldn't be that great to deal with. The company itself seems more interested in its own shameless self promotion than anything else but this is a good product though.

I've been playing about 20 years now and I run this through a Peavey Classic 50 212 with minimal effects. My other guitars at the moment are an Ibanez Talman and a Takamine EF-340SC.

Buying a Fender Strat is like buying an old sports car. You buy it as much for it's quirks and faults as you do for its playability and unique sound. In that case you should really think about this when you by it. This guitar is good for one thing....... and thats sounding like a strat. Its not just a guitar - its an institution!

As far as comparison to the Japanese Squiers from the mid eighties is concerned: The Jap Squiers of this era were well made instruments and I've owned a fair few but I don't think the electronics or finish was as good as you'd find on the US standard Strat. Its all subjective though - let your own ears and eyes be the judge!

I own it since 1994.
The guitar should be produced in 1992, but I'm not sure.
It ahs all the feature it should have.
Tuning is OK, you can control the Tilt at the neck, as well the neck torsion and of course the bridge.
5 pick-up postitions are more than you need; if you need more or you need an hambucking you need an other guitar.

The sound it's fine, rich but celar, with enphasis on middle tones; I would suggest for pop/rock/blues porpouses.
My favourite position at neck.
The 1,3,5 positions are quite noisy; that's obvious to anyone who has some basics of signal theory. The intermediate positions implies two pickups signals with different phases and this attenuate the noise level but also mean that you will lose higher frequencies.....

My guitar is a sunburts one; it is simply beautiful....
Hardware is very good, no oxidized at all....but this depends also on the usage......the averall finish quality is very high
Anyway I have to complain a bit regarding the fretwire......to to well cured....
Using the tremolo will cause little mis-tuning....but it is acceptable; by the other way you get good performance (a Tele is better) when used wioth bottel-neck; To me the bridge it is versatile enough, and it is a good compromise....again the choice depends on the use you are intended to do....
The factory action is not good at all, althouth you can tune it.....

Absolutely reliable.

It is getting better, the cusotmer support i mean......

I play this guitar since 1994 (9 years).
I would reccomend this guitar in the 400-500 ? price range, not more than this, so you can have some budget in order to customize it a little bit(pick-ups).

Features are already covered. This one is a black 97 MIA Strat, 22 frets RoseWood fretboard, 3 single coils (Deltatone), 5 way switch, etc ... Same features as all the stratoid. You can say 10 if you like simple features but you don't have a Floyd or fancy vibrato system, a flame top , fancy bindings, buzz feiten (or whatever) tuning system, and all the other goodies the modern guitars have nowaday. For me, it's ok, I was looking for a strat, it looks like one!

* How does it suit your music style (and what is that style)?
Well, I don't really know what my style is (a mix of rock, blues maybe ...), so I can't say if this guitar suit my style but I like its sound.
* What amps and effects are you using it with?
I use a Peavey DeltaBlues, a clean boost (not totally clean), a chorus and a delay. The idea is to have something clean on the edge of breakup for rythm, than a dirty boost for lead. Chorus and Delay for some atmospheric/noisy soundscapes blablabla ... insert something real smart here ... ;o)
* Is it noisy? On what settings?
It's of course noisy in the 1, 3 and 5 positions due to 60/50 cycle hum.
* Rich/Full sound? Bright sound?
The overall sound is very stratty (I am sure you know what I mean): Not enough mid and bottom, a lot of top end, very clear and define, a bit thin on some position and easily change using tone knobs or amps eq, ... If 10 is the perfect strat sound, here is my rating on that one: Neckpickup 8; Neck/Middle 7; Middle 8; Middle/Bridge 8; Bridge 4 ==> Overall 7
Only 7 because even if it does sound pretty good, I know other strats with a better sounds than this one.
* What kind of sounds can the guitar make? How much variety?
More or less all the sounds a strat is able to make. This means great variety.
* Likes and dislikes?
Like: all the positions except the bridge. Bridge pick-up is too trebly and thin (no matter how I set it up). What I really like, is that using the tone knobs you can really shape the sound. The in-between positions with 2nd tone knob rolled off and a bit of overdrive are killer. But ... the deltatone (tone switching between bridge and middle depending position) is sometime annoying. Since I never use the bridge pu, I prefer the classic setup with 1st tone on neck pu, 2nd tone on middle pu, no tone on bridge.
Dislike: 60 cycle hum (here it's 50 cycle btw). Bridge pick-up. Deltatone wiring.

I have no idea regarding the initial set-up since I buy it used. A luthier recuts the nut (buzz on open strings) and set it up; I made a few adjustement to the original set up ... no problemo. The playability and feel of this guitar are excellent (this is supposed to be a "pro" guitar after all and I am far from being a pro). The neck is really comfy, action can be set to medium/low without major buzz, the finish is ok (this is a black solid color finish, nothing to mention). The only major issue (other than saddles see below) is tuning stability. I must use the vibrato with a very light touch if I want to keep her in tune. But it is not a real issue for me (no dive bomb in my "style") ...

* Will this guitar withstand live playing
I think so: thousand of players use this model live.
* Does the hardware seem like it will last?
Well, I am not sure on this one. After having this guitar for almost one year and a half, I start breaking D strings on a very regular basis (each time I play !). I replaced the saddle by GraphTech Stringsavers and everything is fine now in stratland; sustain is even better than before and no more string breakage. Everything else is still in good condition. Replace the saddles !
* Is the finish good enough to last, or does it seem thin and easy to wear off with lots of playing?
The finish will last for ever ... no chance to have a reliced strat, my grand children's grand children maybe will own one, if they keep it and play it hard.
* Are the strap buttons solid?
So far so good.
* Can you depend on it?
As much as you can depend on a guitar: yes ;o)
* Would you use it on a gig without a backup?
No, because I like to use several guitars when I gig anyway (not very often) ... and I had those string breakages to make me feel cautious about it.

No opinion here.

* How long have you been playing? What other gear do you own?
About 25 years. I own a 86 MIJ strat, a 95 MIJ tele and a few stompboxes.
* Is there something you wish you had asked before buying this guitar?
Do you have a japanese 60's reissue strat in stock?
* If it were stolen or lost, would you buy it again or get something else?
I don't think I will buy it again ... I have a MIJ doing pretty much the same things for a lot less money ! If I buy another strat I will spend a lot of time searching for a really "GREAT ONE" or I will go for a Suhr, Vigier or a luthier order build guitar to reduce the searching time ;o) ... and if I have the money
* What do you love about it? What do you hate? What is your favorite feature?
I love the feel and the sound. I hate nothing: Do you think, I will buy something I hate. Favorite feature is ... the straplocks ... herr ... the molded case ... her ... no ... maybe the sound.
* Did you compare it to other guitars? Which ones? Why did you choose this one?
I compared it to other strats (MIM Std, MIM classic, MIA Lone Star, MIA Deluxe Strat, ...), to a Yamaha Pacifica (don't remember model) with DiMarzio (very good guitar) ... This one was the closest to the strat sound I had in mind and the thin C shape neck seemed to be made based on my inputs. The MIM lacked in playability and tone. Lone Star was too nasty for me. Deluxe was too clean and too expensive. The Pacifica was really a good guitar but had no mojo.
* Anything you wish it had?
More wood in the neck position sound, more grint in the in-between position sound, better tuning stability when using the whammy.
* Anything else you'd like to share?
I wrote this review just to point that the American Standard is exactly what is supposed to be: an average ("standard") strat, this means an very good overall guitar. If you are looking for a basic strat sound with good playability and decent craftmanship, this is it. Remember that reviews are based on one instrument. Maybe there is some Am Std Strat with more value deserving a 10 in all categories ... not mine even if i love her.

Bolt on neck, 3 single coils and a two point trem

Well lets just say good but not great I don't own one and wouldn't waste my money on one. The tone has been cucked out of these guitars by the SHITTY ROUTING METHOF THEY USE TO SPEED UP THIS FACTORY LINE PRODUCED GUITAR. No single router holes just a GIANT rectangle that kills the sound!!! FOR SHAME SONY....errr umm I mean FENDER. Thats right SONY owns Fender!!! I think the reason so many guys gave these great reviews is THE SUCKERS PAYED SO DAMN MUCH!!! I had guys running up to me an my buddy in clubs saying God I hope thats not an American Strat!!! These are some of the Blues and Jazz legends of my area totally trashing The American series strats. Now I know why after playing one!!! BUY A SQUIRE. You get TRUE FENDER BUILDING SCHEMATICS USED FOR MAKING YOUR GUITAR AT A THIRD THE PRICE. Plus the oversized headstocks give you greater sustain. Hell the two point bridge was used on the Squires for over 2 years before being put on the American series. I give it a 6 cuz they were decent sounding at best!

Everything was great accept the pickup routing method. They've ruined these guitars!!!

Overall I give them a 5 and thats all they deserve. The pickup routing method they've used is FUCKING DISGRACE!!!! They are producing these more factory line in the USA than they do in ASIA!!!! But in the long run they will make more money by building them and selling them this way. I AM DISGUSTED BY HOW THEY HAVE GUTTED THE WOOD THAT SEPERATES THE PICKUPS!!! You guys out there that think your American Stratocaster sounds great should put it up against a Japacaster...NO WAIT DON'T YOU'LL LOSE!!!!!!!

New Old Stock '98 American Standard in my favorite color combination: black with (dark) rosewood fretboard. Non-staggered pickups with Delta-tone bridge/middle tone pot. Non-staggered Schallers and two string trees. The body is alder or poplar, either way it has a veneer (no visible paint seems), but it has excellent sustain and resonance so I'm not worried about it. The biggest drawback is the weight...this one is around 8 lbs.

What I love about the American Standard is the neck, frets, tuners, and bridge. I bought this to replace an identical '95 model that I foolishly sold. I wanted a new American Series for the new neck shape and rolled fretboard edges, but the price was right on this one.

Acoustically this guitar rings and sustains much more than the previously mentioned '95 model, and many of the new ASe ones I've played in stores. So I'll tolerate the weight for now. The pickups are nice, but nothing spectacular so they might be replaced someday. They really aren't too useful at performance levels (thin). But I mostly use this for at-home practice and recording, so there is no immediate need to swap them. Both tone knobs have a good sweep. I like the Delta tone too...better than the TBX on the '95.

This guitar needs a dual rating. The nut, frets, neck pocket, bridge, and tuners are flawless. A "10" for sure. But the string trees are crooked (but no hang-ups when using the tremolo...so it could be worse), and the inlays (side and 7th position face) are not perfectly flush with the neck. Absolutely inexcusable at this point in the product line. But I love the feel of the satin finish and don't want to ruin it by smoothing out the side dots. I'll give it a 9 because the stuff that really counts in done extremely well. But the inlays have me shaking my head...why make such a great guitar and then p#%s on it with poor inlay work? Can't say I notice it when I'm playing, but I can't say it doesn't bother me, either.

Rock solid. The things I remember most about my '95 model were that I never broke a string on it, and the d%&n thing was always in tune. The story has not changed for this one. I've even been using the tremolo. I don't dive-bomb, so it holds pitch very well. I really like the 2 point design. As smooth as a Bigsby (but not as subtle).

The only thing this guitar will ever need is new frets, just as any guitar eventually would.

Had it not been included, I would never have purchased the Fender standard molded case. It needs a little help closing properly, but nothing has broken yet.

I've never had to deal with Fender, but they've made a few moves in recent years that have left a bad taste in my mouth. I was glad to buy used as to not help stuff their pockets any further. But...they still know how to make great guitars so it's a love/hate relationship.

The good stuff far outweighs the small grievances. It probably isn't a lifetime keeper since I'll eventually want something lighter, with a contoured heel, and a soft V neck profile...but it would have been hard to find a better guitar for the money. So it won't be going anywhere soon.

I'm not sure when it was made but I know I bought it new sometime in 1998. Let's get this out of the way: made in the US, 3 "delta tone" single coils, 2 point synchronized bridge, alder body, maple neck, bolt-on construction, rosewood fretboard, 25.5 scale, 22 frets, one volume and two tone knobs, polyurethane finish, etc. Came with a good hardshell case. Nice... but nothing fancy. Mine still has all of the original parts. Haven't modified it at all.

Well, I like all sorts of music... jazz, rock, punk, hip-hop, classical, "IDM", indie, etc. I play what I feel like. I've found the strat to be a fairly versatile guitar over the years. Great for rock and blues. Too thin for jazz, but I spose you could make it work. Too weak for metal but... again, you can probably make it work.

I have a very simple set up. Although I have a few effects pedals, I usually just plug the thing right into my Fender Twin. The 1,3, and 5 positions sound the best. However, they are pretty noisy. 2 and 4 positions are actually quieter than most humbuckers... but they don't sound as lively as the single coils played individually. It's a strat... so obviously, the sound is a bit on the thin and bright side. Doesn't quite have the muscle to replicate SRV's tone. I spose that Texas Specials or 12 guage strings might help if that's what you're after. Overall, it's a nice, but somewhat generic strat tone.

I can't really remember how the set up was when I bought it. I don't remember being particularly impressed or dissappointed. I'm sure it was fine. The only thing I remember is that the pickups were all too far away from the strings. Raising them only takes a second, however. Like with the strats before, adjusting the string action is still pretty cumbersome. I wish it were easier... like with my Gibson and my Parker. All those screws I have to deal with... ugh.

I've heard people say that the polyurethane finish hurts the tone. I don't really know how much truth there is to that. It may very well be true. But the polyurethane sure keeps your guitar looking new year after year. I've owned mine for about 5 years now and it still looks really great. That's pretty amazing considering the fact that I am very careless with my guitars. (I'm not one of those guys that polish their guitars and stare at them. As far as I'm concerned, they're just tools for making music).

Fretwork was top-notch. No buzzing, dead spots, or anything of the sort. Infact, it's gotten a lot of play in the 5 years that I've owned it and it's still flawless. I can't say the same for my Gibson. Neck is nice. Very comfortable. But the neck joint is too big and clumsy. Not cool... especially since other companies offer intro-level guitars with contoured, ergonomic neck joints. Fender should really consider doing the same with their US strats.

Like I said earlier, the polyurethane finish keeps the guitar looking new. The hardware seems to last. It came with schaller strap lock buttons which work great. Also, I mentioned earlier that the frets are still fine after 5 years. The guitar is very dependable and solidly built This is not my favorite guitar, but it's definitely the sturdiest one I own.

One gripe I have, however, is with the tremolo system. I can't really use the tremolo bar much without throwing the thing slightly out of tune. Even if I'm fairly gentle with it, it usually throws the thing a microtone off. It's not noticeable when I'm playing single-note lines, but play a chord and the disonance is easily heard. I've considered getting some locking tuners. That might solve the problem somewhat. I really think that locking tuners should come standard with Fender's new American Series guitars. I mean, for $800 bucks, I think buyers deserve it.

Never dealt with em. Never had to. I spose that's a testament to the strat's sturdiness. Even if I had to deal with em, I can't imagine they'd be as bad as Parker's terrible Customer support.

I've been playing guitars for roughly 8 years now. I don't own as much gear as most of the other guitar players I know, but I've owned a fair amount in my 8 years. If it were stolen or lost, I don't think I'd buy it again. Not that I'm unhappy with the strat... but I don't find the thing absolutely indispensable or anything. I'm not the type that gets all attached to my guitars or anything. Besides, I think I could find something cooler for roughly the same price I payed. Infact, I've considered selling it and buying a cheap Danelectro or something. Something fun, ya know?

Anyway, I'll wrap this up. What do I love about the guitar? I love the characteristic strat tone and the way it sounds through a Wah or Tube Screamer. What do I hate? I hate that the best sounding positions (1,3, and 5) are so damn noisy that I find myself usually playing on 2 and 4. I hate that I can't use the whammy bar without going slightly out of tune. Oh well. My favorite feature??? Maybe the neck. Did I compare with other guitars? Yeah, I compared it with other strats before I bought it. I was actually planning on picking up a cheap MIM strat or tele but I wound up buying a US strat instead. It was simply much better overall than the MIM strats I tried. Of course, I payed a lot more too. That's the way life goes I guess. Hope the review was helpful for you. I've tried to be honest about everything.

Made in 1999 this is the American made basic strat. I believe it's ash, with a rosewood neck. TBX tone control that makes things quite shrill at the back pickup at full volume. It was used, but came with the original cheesy cable, the allen wrenches, and its whammy bar. I immediately swapped the bridge pickup for a Duncan Little 59 humbucker.

I play a variety of stuff, from jazz to fairly heavy rock. Using it with a Budda Superdrive 30, a Mesa Mark III, or a Rivera R-55, and tons of effects (5 or 6 in the loop, three between guitar and amp). The effects are nothing special, except for a couple moderately boutique items like a Teese or Budda wah and a Fulldrive 2 or Banzai Fireball. The guitar is shockingly quiet for a single coil equipped unit. Very nice cluck, even with the new Duncan pickup, cuts through well also. Basic set of Fender tones, with additional grunt from the new back pickup. I simply can't use stock Fender bridge pickups for hard rock. These are great for many applications, but are too thin and clanky to my ears for hard rock.

It was used, so who knows what the original set up was? I gt it nicely calibrated, low action, set for .010s. A swap to .009s did not create any problems. Everything else was swell.

I like strats nowadays because they're so reliable. I changed the Schaller strap pins to Dunlops, and put chrome dome knobs on to replace the cheap Fender knobs, otherwise the hardware is just fine. The weak link may be in the treacherous soldering job I did when installing the Duncan. I ALWAYS take a backup guitar.

This is guitar 8, with 3 of those being this one, a Powerhouse, and a Roland Ready strat. This is the best player of the three, although Charlene, the Powerhouse, is the one I would take out if given a single strat option. After 24+ years of Gibsons, over the last 7 years I've come to enjoy the feel of strats a whole bunch.

1995 American Standard with all the Am. Std. hardware, pickups, tremolo, etc. A beautiful Crimson Burst Translucent finish you just don't see everywhere. Rosewood fretboard, 22 frets and white pickguard and the same ol volume, tone and tone controls we all are familiar with. Let me not forget the standard 5-way pickup switching.

Not a plus, special, fat, vintage or anything out of the ordinary. Just a time-proven, tried and true American Standard Strat!

Come one people! I wasn't going to submit a review of a guitar I've owned longer than any other guitar I have (and I have 8)but when I see people bashing the sound, it just irks me. You shouldn't base how a guitar sounds according to your taste. It's like compairing a vintage clean channel amp to a high-gain monster with 3 channels and built in effects. A guitar's sound should be based on tone. Not searing output or how well it distorts or how "Stevie Ray Vaughn" the guitar sounds. I believe a good guitar will give you a well-balanced sound with not too much emphasis on an extreme, like mid-range or mud or irritatingly high treble. That's what effects and amps are for. Or, that's what after-market pickups and mods are for.

Plugging this strat into any amp, for me, produces the classic strat sound. I've owned Peavy, Boogie, Fender, Trace-Elliot Tube amps and have owned the tube-technology solid states, and this guitar sounds good through any of them. Currently I have a Blackfaced Bassman with 4-10's and it sounds superb! If I want to alter the sound of my guitar, I have an overdrive/distortion pedal and a compressor that can change my tone a bit. If I want high gain or more distortion, I put my humbuckers in charge. It's not rocket science, but you shouldn't knock the sound of a proven work horse just because it doesn't sound like a cheap Korean import plugged into your solid state Crate that starts distorting as soon as it leaves the case (or should I say gig bag?)

For blues, classic rock, country, jazz(you better use heavy gauge strings) and hard rock, this guitar sounds great plugged in directly to your amp. For harder rock, metal or whatever other sound you are trying to accomplish, there are pedals and amps that can help you achieve this if this is your goal. I have even considered changing out the stock pickups myself, but really can't bring myself to do it. I get too caught up in the hype of after-market pickups. Sure, many of the high-end aftermarket pickups can bring more tonal variation and hone in on the sound you are trying to get, but you have to remember one thing. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. A pedal or two makes much more sense to me than trying to change a tone that already sounds good.

I think Fender still sets the bar for how a guitar is made. I love the way the neck feels, the way it plays and I still love the way it looks. My strat, to me, feels just the way it did when I bought it, and it's still probably my favorite guitar as far as playability and ergonomics.

Going past 8 years since I bought it and it still looks like the day it went home with me. I still haven't even taken the spring out of the whammy bar insert because I have never felt the need to go back to the 80's. I can't speak for just my guitar, but if you want odds and averages, look around you. Go to a club, a concert or turn on a television with music videos and you will, on more than one occasion, see somebody with a strat. Forget the vintage re-incarnates, you will see a person who's owned a strat since 1960 and hasn't played anything else. If that isn't reliability, then nothing is.

Never had to deal with them because my guitar was built right the first time. But, with all of the online support Fender offers and with most of yours and my local shops carrying Fender guitars, I can't imagine customer support to be anything but great. However, since I've never dealt with them, I'll leave it alone.

I've been playing 20 years and have other guitars I consider to be great such as a Robin Avalon, G&L ASAT Classic, Hamer Special w/P90's and a Gibson ES-135. I've owned a Les Paul,Guild Bluesbird (fantastic guitar), ES-335, Paul Reed Smith and an L-5 (all guitars I still wish I had) and will get another guitar if I have an itch for a particular type or tone I want. I got the strat long before I got the ones I no longer have, and while I regret selling or trading some really great guitars, I have held onto my strat for a reason. Reason is (drum roll please) I can think of no other guitar with better ergonomics, playability and versatility like my strat. Sure I'm partial to it being my first "real guitar" purchase (I had cheap Korean stuff before the strat), but for what I like to play and the tone I love, nothing really compaires. At least in the versatility department. A strat, as I have said, is versatile, but it also produces it's own signature sound very few can really duplicate. Gibson tried with their P-90s and varitone control, and now manufacturers have coil taps and 5-way switches to try and emulate a strat tone when desired, but if you want a strat tone, then why not just get a strat? They are still among the best built and least expensive of any american made manufacturer. And while a G&L might arguably sustain more, a Les Paul will provide more punch, and a Paul Reed Smith just looks damn good and has some cool features on its guitars, nothing, in my opinion gives you this much quality for the cost. Carvin has some nice guitars for the money, but they are mostly strat clones and G&L's are nice (I have one), but they are also expensive. I've even been impressed with the stuff coming out of Mexico these days, but dollar for dollar, still nothing beats an American Standard Strat! Nuff said.

my friend has one, white american strat with singlecoil pickups. i think it has maple neck and rather heavy body, but you can't see thru lacquer cause it covers the wood grain. it has a 5-point swithc and a tremelo bar.
all in all, not a lot of features, all the pickups are the same type and using the tremolo bar is hard cause it throws the thing outta tune - hey folks, they invented floydrose tremolo bar 100000000 years ago-go!! wake up.

this is my biggest disapointment. not that it was really bad but look, i play myself an esp ltd explorere!!! which rocks ha ha and it's cheap you know they make it in guadalalapupa where labour costs less then beer anyway it's cheap but look. i come to my friend and grab his strat and he goes how cool the strat is so we plug it in my boss me30 where i have all the settings that i need - hey i know it;'s digital and cheap, but i saw people with MEGABUCK rigs with mesa prs and bogner and they soundde like p.o.s!!! - and i start playing and i can't believe it!! there's no power at all!! boss makes the heaviest distortions in the world, but this doesn't help!! it sounded like a banjo, no sustain, no really heavy stuff. come on people this guitar is made in the usa it HAS TO ROCK BALLS OFF!! may be it was damaged, i dunno. but it was thin, weak, and had no mucsole.. my cheap exlorer is soooo much better, it just kicks in comparison. may be one has to play this strat thru fuzz? anyway, p-ups must be replaced. clean tones were good though, with a dub of chorus and stereo delay it was still thin and plicketyplink, but oh well.. i give it a 3 cause clean tones actually were good and you could play hendrix? or something

action was good, i haven't set it up myself so dunno. no probs.

dunno. i don't own this guyitar but people play fenders from zillion years ago and they're still in one piece - which says a LOT.

dunno

i've been playing for 5 yrs, and i've been in bands for 2 yrs already. i play an esp ltd explorer, great inexpensive - it was - guitar, which is not in production anymore, so the price is gonna be high, don't even ask me to sell my baby! esp into boss me30 into marshall valvestate 100 with homemeade 2x12 ext cab. i play heavy hardcore stuff which sounds like ME AND NO ONE ELSE!!!
this strat is american, and it has to rock, but somehow this particular item was very thin, and had no power even with the heaviest distortion, and it fed back like crazy! ha ha which is very bad i say unless your a kurt cobzin poseur! ven my guadalupan esp sounded firmer and tighter. also, the strat doean't have a locking nut so it was going out of tune just as a result of very thought about a tremolo bar. the pickups are the same type - siglecoil - so not much diversity here. clean tones are only good for some rock-and-roll, or chuck berry or whatever fruit he was. i guess Fender has to give more attention to what's new in technology. come on, they still make guitars like it's 1950!
5 for nicer clean tones

I picked this guitar up about 8 months ago. Made in the U.S.A. Don't waste your money on Korean or Mexican models. The quality is not the same. Alder body, Three tone burst, Rosewood neck, 22 frets, three single coil pickups, tremolo. Volume, tone, tone controls. The basic guitar of serveral generations. So many tones available it cannot be beaten.

I did not like the busing the stock pickups produced and they were not hot enough for me so I did some research and chose LACE pickups. The "Hot" Gold models. While I was at it I had a tortise shell pickup added, a 500k volume pot and a capacitor added to the volume pot so that when rolling off the volume (something I do a lot rather than changing amp channels) I do not lose any highs. With this combination of pickups I am able to play anything from country to rock. I love this guitar for less heavy material (My Les Paul covers the heavy stuff). The neck is smooth and fast the the frets are well rounded. The 3 tone sunburst is beautiful. What else do you need? I would complain more about the pickups, but I change them in every guitar so nothing stock makes me happy.

As above, the fit and finish is excellent. No flaws at all. I always lock down the trem so it acts as a hard tail. Everything was adjusted to my taste except string height when I received the guitar. I prefer a very low action. Very nice for a production guitar.

I am positive this guitar will never need more that moderate adjustment and will last forever. They are everywhere because they are durable

Never needed it.

A very necessary guitar in anybody's collection. You can never have too many of these guys. If it were stolen I would have to purchase another, but I probably will anyway. I love guitars!!! I chose this one because when I played it, it spoke to me. Some of you out there know what I am talking about. You have to let the guitar say it's piece to you.

I'll say the most important part first: The biggest failing of this guitar is the bridge pickup is an over-wound deadbeat and it got eBayed for $14.00. Replaced with 57/62 and had to change middle and neck pickup's position to maintain hum-canceling polarity relationship. 2000 US Made Stratocaster. Red. Rosewood fretboard. Std tuners that work well....The standard factory-made guitar. Tremolo blocked out with a chunk of pine. Medium jumbo frets. SKB makes an great case.

This guitar goes on every job with me. Country, rock, jazz, blues. Effects? Huh? Does the reverb on my Twin count? It's got all the Fender sounds. With the big frets, blocked tremolo and dark finger board, it has a big full sound. Not as jangly as some, but I'm big into that. Nice rich resonant jazz sound on the neck pickup (tone NOT rolled back) partially thanks to the one-size-fits-all over-routing that others have complained of. It's a light axe with a good natural resonance for a slab guitar.

Pretty good. Had a fret level done: all better now. No surprises.

This is the one I take to play in front of people. Decent quality hardware. I polish it so the finish doesn't wear away. Wax my car, too. Always have a back-up; strings break, stuff happens.

Good luck. Buying a guitar is ALWAYS a "as-is, where-is" proposition. That said, it seems to be put together by people with a fairly high give-a-shit coefficient.

These things are stamped out by the thousand. Find one you like (preferably one that makes you play new and different stuff)and settle into it. It can take you lots of places in grand style. For reasons I can't explain, this one bears almost no practical resemblance the Mexican Strat I had for seven years except for the shape and the number of strings. I do wish mine was Lake Placid blue like the Mexican. I'm not exactly a red guitar guy.
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"Anything you wish it had?" Who are you, Santa?

Made in USA. 2001 model. 22 Frets with a solid top. The controls are one for volume and two for tone and a 5 way pickup selector. Pickups are standard Strat Americans....no surprises.Neck is maple with a rosewood fretboard. I love the color which is Sky blue (a very very pale blue). Case, cable,and straplocks were included.

I was also hesitant about buying a Strat at first but after playing it and discovering it's capabilities, it's a really nice guitar. Played nice from the word go. No fret buzz. Note bending is an effortless task.The feel of the neck is superb. I play through a Crate GX30M Amp. I play as a hobby just at home. When I play it clean the tone is rich and not too twangy. When I kick it into overdrive it growls nicely too. I hear a lot of guys complain about how the strat's singlcoils are too shrilly....I don't really think so. I do like that the sincle coiuls cand growl nicely for single coils.....

The guitar was put together well. This is my 10th guitar and it rates up there in quality. I 've had everyhting from Danelectro '56 U2 to Gretsch G3161 to an Ovation Elite. The paint was beautiful. Fit and finish was nice. The action was nice from day one...

I feel it would withstand a beating or three. It feels solid enough to gig around with it and not have to worry about getting knocked around. The hardware seems durable. I'm sure over time the chrome will eventually start to show some type of oxidation. I play at home mostly so it serves me right.

Never need it...let's keep it that way!

I've been playing for 11 years. I have a Danelectro U2, Gretsch G3161,Ovation Elite Special, and a Fender American Telecaster.If the guitar was stolen or lost....Yeah I would probably buy another...maybe a Texas Fat Stratocaster. I love the look and feel of the guitar overall. There's nothing about it I feel badly enough about to mention. I just wish there was a way to leave the tremolo on while it's in the case. Just a pain in the a$$ to wind it on everytime I wanna use it. I looked at others...Ibanez, Gibson SG...I liked this one...so I bought it. I still think Fender is a good guitar company. I just wish they'd cut out the bull$hit Mexican grade Strats and Teles with the Fender name. Whatever isn't top grade call the Squire line and that's it. None of this "this is our Fender Mexican line". What are you saying? "Here's a American Strat, try it....now here try this Mexican Fender with the cheaper craftsmanship and inferior electronics". For the extra couple hundred bucks go American and get a decent guitar the way Leo meant it to be. Now don't get me wrong, every company needs a beginner model for the new student. But don't try to pass off the Mexican stuff as "almost as good as American". It ain't.

this instrument is a 2003 american standard, bought from peter cooks guitars in good old great britain. 3 singlecoils, rosewood neck, 3 colour burst, u know how strats go. it has something called 'delta tone' but i dont understand it, a strat is a strat and then you die-or something along those lines. excellent neck, factory action was about right, as i mostly play classical/fingerstyle on it, as well as rock and funk. cant fault it, i wanted a strat, i got a strat, simple as.

nice bright tone, as always, the sound you get is a 1/4-1/4-1/4-1/4 effort between the guitar, the amp, the effects, and of course the pickups, which i have no intention of changing. i play through a mesa nomad which i picked up damn cheap from a colleague, but thats messed up somehow, so i play into a little peavey envoy 40watt, still a great tone, just less effects, and of course minus the pure valve sound which a strat sounds so great through. the only downer about this guitar is the fact that it has 3 singlecoils, i prefer h/s/s, i tried a fat strat but it really didnt feel as nice as this strat, i guess they cut down on quality to whack a humbucker into the equation, i dunno.

action doesnt bother me too much, i am a fingerstyle tone-junkie, u wanna shred? go buy an ibanez or some other thin, toneless hunk of nothingness. no flaws in the finish, i got a hardshell case, but my strat never leaves the house, it is my workhorse for songwriting. 3 tone sunburst looks very nice. i cant comment on the action etc as everyone knows what kinda action they want and cant expect people they have never spoken to to know, if everyone were psychic then life would be tough.

very reliable, solid as a rock, finish isn't as weak and girlish as a gibson finish, which will literally wear away if in contact with anything as hostile as a guitar stand. i can depend on it. the hardware will last, electronics seem well wired and of a fair quality. i dont use a strap so straplocks arent an issue. i dont gig with it but i wouldnt gig without a backup, nobody should, not unless they have a whacky magical bridge that sprouts a new string whenever one is snapped. no? didnt think so.

it has a warranty, not too sure what it is, the company is friendly, its fender for crying out loud. the shop is quite good, i got a great price on this guitar.

good guitar, my kids will die before this guitar breaks. i cant compare it to anything cos it is a strat, cant compare it to a les paul cos a les paul is a different guitar. if lost, id cry. i love the tone on this guitar, fit and feel is nice too, better neck than the les paul, prefer the general tone too.

Mine is a worn-out 1984 model, one of the first "American Standard" ones made. I don't even play it anymore, 'cause it's so worn out. The frets are, for the most part, gone. I played this guitar so much that I wore the thing out.

It is an excellent strat. It's in a weird color that's supposed to be "blonde," but it is a bit darker than any of Fender's current colors. That's why I named her, the "Dirty Blonde."

That's the way I like my blondes, BTW.

Sounds great. The pickups are top-notch, and the neck, while it lasted, provided a nice pallette for lots of recording work. I play lots of stuff, but mostly play straight-up blues/rock. Used with a tube amp, the guitar was, and is, superb.

I use other guitars now, but this baby was special.

From day one, it was perfect. However, when I bought it in 'early 85, it was from a small dealer in Lubbock, TX, and they had a guitar tech who went over every guitar before putting them on the floor.

As it aged, I had it worked on from time to time. Had to. I didn't realize that you could wear a guitar out. I did it.

Never, ever, let me down. Never.

To this day, it sounds great and plays great, except for the frets.

If I were famous, I'd contact Fender and talk them into putting a brand-new "stock" neck on the thing. Unfortunately, I am not famous. That's why it resides at my mother's house, under a bed. I have 8 guitars at my house, that I use regularly. I had to retire the "Dirty Blonde," and she's safe at Mom's house. I've lost several guitars to theft, and I don't want to lose this one. It's safer there, than in my house.

I have been encouraged to have it re-fretted, but I will not do that. It's either a completely new, Fender manufactured neck, or nothing.

I had this thing tweaked several times by Fender-approved techs. They always did a great job.

I've been playing for 35+ years. This guitar is amongst the best I've ever had. I miss playing her.

I recently got what I believe to be a 1997 fender American Standard Stratocaster. It has the Deltatone single coils and that killer two post American bridge.
It is equipped with a rosewood fingerboard and nice medium sized frets.
It also has a beautifully applied blonde (vintage white?) finish.

I play mostly blues-based rock, so for most things, this is the shiznit.
Don't think it could do speed metal(without a humbucker mod), but then neither could I.
The sound is , in a word, fantastic. I have played Strat clones (squier, Japanese squier(very bitchen), Pacifica, etc..)all my life, yet the real thing is , well the real thing.
I am blown away by the subtle things Fender has done with this Strat to improve upon an already classic design.
For one the bridge stay in tune a bit better than a vintage style one.
Another improvement is the pickups and the in-between settings being slightly hum cancelling.
Supposedly when you turn your tone knob to ten, it's like bypassing the tone circuit altogether. Nice.
The neck plays great. Not quite as fast as my old Pacifica with the Warmouth made neck , but very very good.

I bought it used so I had to do a bit of setup myself. I am sure it didn't come from the factory like I found it.

I didn't like the strap buttons but other than that we all know how solid Fenders are.

If it was stolen, I would literally track the bastards down and destroy them.
If you have the cash and the opportunity, don't I repeat, DON'T buy anything less than an AMERICAN strat.

2001 model. I bought this guitar to replace my SG that basically had one good sound-crunchy bridge pickup. The main feature of any Strat for me is versatility, and that's what this guitar has in spades. Mine has a maple fretboard, 2-tone sunburst (fairly rare, I think, I've usually seen only 3-tone on Am. Standards). The thing that sets this particular guitar apart is the Ash body. It has some of the nicest woodgrain I've ever seen on a strat and I think its a one piece body! I've never seen a one piece strat before, but put it this way, if it is a two piece body it is absolutely impossible to tell by looking at it. I'm going to bring it to a luthier I know to see if he can determine whether it is one piece or two. Anyway, this is easily the nicest single example of a recent Strat that I have ever seen, its beautiful!

This Strat has five or six good sounds, from the clean in between sound to smooth overdrive on the neck pickup to squawking lead sound on the bridge. I was thinking of adding a single coil-sized humbucker next to the bridge pickup to get even more sounds, but whats the point? This is the second strat I have owned. The first had Texas Specials and I must admit that the stock pickups are lacking compared to those. The Specials were clearer and more defined than these standard pickups and drove tubes better. But really, I have no complaints on the stock pickups, I'm not trying to impress the tone snobs when I play. To say that I can get plenty of usable tones very easily is an understatement. i think this is what Strats do best.

I've heard some people complain about Fenders in this category, but this particular instrument has a tight neck joint, is well set up and works perfectly. The nut on this guitar is the best fitting, smoothest installation I've ever had on any guitar. The nut on my last Strat (an american standard as well) had overhangs on each side and just didn't seem up to the quality of the rest of the instrument. No problem like that here. There are only two tiny problems: 1.there is a little glue residue from where they glued in the skunk stripe on the back of the neck. Its pretty minor, and isn't even noticeable while I'm playing, but I haven't figured out how to remove it without taking the finish off the neck. 2. The volume and tone controls aren't mounted totally solidly onto the pickguard. This is even more minor than the first gripe, and doesn't bother me at all since I never touch them, but I'm supposed to be critical, right? These two things put together I guess can barely knock off a point in this category, that's why I'll give it a 9.

I've only had it for a month, but I expect it to last as long as i do. Does anyone ever have any problems with these guitars? The thick finish they put on these things is really nice. I looked at those Highway 1 strats with the thin matte finish before I bought this and I can just imagine what they'll look like in a year- dings everywhere. With a little care this thing should look great for years to come, and since reliabity of the electronics are not an issue...

If I ever have any problems I'll just take it to a local tech.

Like I said, this is my second American Strat. My first had slightly better sound because of Texas Special pickups, but this one has superior fit and finish, so i guess its a wash. Like I said, because of the one (or two) piece body, and especially because of the beautiful wood grain, this is one of the best looking strats I have ever seen. I got a great deal on it at Wurlitzer in Boston after spending two months looking for a used Strat in every guitar store in the Greater Boston area. For a while I was expected to find some major hidden flaw that would explain the price, but I guess I just got lucky. I've never felt this way about a guitar before, but this is a keeper, I don't expect to sell it ever. Most recently I've owned an SG, but I've also had a Koa wood Carvin with EMG's and a BC Rich Bich (I have a soft spot for them). This is a very different guitar than any of those. It is easily the most versatile guitar I've ever owned (other than the other strat). I thought I would miss having a humbucker, but I really don't. After playing strats for a while every humbucker I've played through seems really boring and one dimensional. I guess I'm just a single coil kind of guy.

One of the new and improved American Standard Strats. Mine has a deep black finish white white pickguard and maple neck. Basically, all of the features have been described ad infinitum here, and I'd rather get to the good stuff :)

I will say that initially, I didn't even have any idea it was an American Standard. I just thought it was a Mexicand-made and I actually picked it up to try out an amp I was curious about. It literally just fell into my lap.

I have an MIJ '68 reissue Strat made in the late '80s that I absolutely love, so some comparisons will be made to it along the way.

For one, this baby is a Strat through and through. It just has that vibe and sound that cannot be duplicated. The middle and bridge pickups used alone or together elicit great gobs of jangle and chunk. It doesn't really do the "quack" as well as my reissue though, which bummed me out a little because I love that tone. But otherwise this thing just cooks. The middle pickup nails that classic jangle that has endeared me to my reissue all the years without pause.

The neck pickup is only so-so in my opinion. For some reason, it has a much mellower tone and kind of wimpy output. It just kind of falls flat. I think this is the design of the pickup itself, as I'm not a stranger to Deltatones and have found this to be a trend in other Deltatone neck pickups I've played through. It matches up nicely with the middle, and rolling off some of the tone will get some great "neckish" tones, but overall I'm finding myself not using it very much at all.

Overall, it has excellent variety like my reissue, but does some different things tonally. I guess to compare, my reissue would be like Burger King, and my new Strat is like McDonalds. They have similar menus and feature similar items, but are pretty much different restaurants. I have about three or four settings that I love it on, and kick them in constantly. Switching from clean to distorted (Vox and Fender amps, thank you) is smooth and flawless and requires no tweaking to accomdate the change. It is also a real easy guitar to "hear" tonally. If you're looking for a specific flavor that you hear in your head, it's real easy to make it a reality on this guitar. You're not twisting knobs and flipping switches constantly to figure out how to get a certain snap or sparkle.

My reissue is my "classic strat". It's primary use now will be to nail some good old blues and rock 'n roll tones. Plus, it's got the tinted maple neck, vintage trem, and the pickup covers have even aged naturally.

This new Strat will be my "Swiss Army strat". It can deliver classic tones in a pinch, but seems to enjoy being a straight ahead, no frills, ask and ye shall receive instrument.

I really like this new neck design. Feels just barely broken-in and smooth. The fret work looks real good. I have really had to tweak anything, except for the typical setup work I had done to accomodate my string gauge (.011s) and adjusting the trem (fully flat against the body). The finish looks great as well.

This guitar feels very solid. I have little doubts.

I've been playing for 15 years, and am an admitted Fender-holic.

I love this Strat because it's a Strat. Not some knock-off or weird variation or limited edition or anything like that. Just because it's a Strat. This Strat has the vibe of all those Strats that came before it, before the signature models and special runs and things like that that seem to be made simply to impress or add a few bucks to the price (and really, there's nothing wrong with that).
Even my reissue feels exactly like that, a reissue. For whatever reason, my hair stands on end when I just say "This is a Fender Stratcaster", not "This is my REISSUE Strat" or "This is my Frankie Yankovich signature model Strat" or "This is my limited edition Corona beer bikini girl paint job Strat".

Overall, this belongs in every collection...even if your collection consists of just one guitar

The latest, and somewhat re-improved version of the old chestnut. Everybody knows the specs. Mine's in three tone tobacco burst with Fender two-point tremelo system. Made in 2001, Corona California. The rating is for a Strat...a real Strat is a real Strat. This is called "Keeping things in perspective."

Every control actually does something. It has true tonal range. I use an Elecrto Harmonix Electric Mistress and it's David Gilmore's sound. Dead on. It covers the twangy Honky Tonk sounds of Waylon Jennings without any effects whatsoever. Playing off the bridge pickup it has Ol' Waylon's Telecaster whine and ping. Sometimes it's outright eerie. Yeah...it's high and it's tinny...it's a FENDER! That is the FENDER sound...I have been quite surprised at how quiet it is. These axes are notorious for being noisy...this particular one isn't. I like to ride my gain...but it will go into full destortion and stay clear and sharp. No mud on the slicks at all. I play through a Fender Frontman 25 watter, which is a shit amp, and it still sounds very good. Through my big Laney CG50A with the mistress...this bitch roars! Again the rating is for a real Strat as a Strat.

I bought this puppy new from the same dealer I bought my 360 Rickenbacker and my Gibson SG from over the years. He opened the hardshell case, plugged it into a monster vintage Fender amp and said, "Play away till your fingers bleed...you find anything wrong with it...show it to me..." I had to remind him, "I hate Fenders..." It took about 20 minutes...so much for blind hatred. This axe is as near perfect as a production line axe can ever come. My first love is Rickenbacker. I KNOW top line Action, Fit and Finish when I see it, touch it, and hear it. This could be the best example of an American Standard I've ever seen in my twenty plus years of playing. Fenders have never been (in my opinion) top line guitars. They're workhorses and nothing more. However, this one makes a damned good try at being something more. A Strat's just a Strat...but this is a better example of the beast. It plays easier than the SG does. Lead and fingerpicking is easier than on the Ric.

I'd hate to scuff it up chopping up a cheap assed Crate or Peavy amp with it like a fire axe...but it's a Fender...all you would damage would be the finish. It came with Schaller straplocks. I'd drag it with me anywhere. It spends alot of time riding around in the truck with me. It's HSC is a handy shape and size. It travels very well. The Ric's like carrying a piano case around. The notorious fragility of the SG's neck makes me nervous...conveniance is one of the Strat's finest virtues in my opinion.

Lifetime Warrenty? I've known Strats to go 20+ years without a problem. And most of those weren't nearly as finely done as this particular example. I really can't give an answer here.

I got a helluva deal on this little beast for 500 bucks. I never really gave much thought to the Fenders. But I'd heard and read that the quality was back. I was checking in on getting a Bigsby Vibrato unit put on the SG when I came across this Strat. For about the same price it would've cost me to have the Gibson upgraded, I got a whole new name brand axe. I figured that for the price I couldn't go wrong. I believe I was right. The Fender sound has grown on me. It has its place if you understand what that sound is. It's killer for Blues, Honky Tonk, edgey rock, vintage rock, country-rock...etc...etc. It even finger picks well. Yes...Bluegrass riffs on a Strat! I'd replace it in a heartbeat if it ever comes up missing in action. My first dreadnought accoustic was a Korean made Fender Gemini III. I have it to this day. It sounds like shit. Electic's what Leo did best, and this newest example of the beast has been everything it's reputation has claimed over the years. It even sounds funky through my little Smokey 9volt pocket amp. I have a 300 series Yamaha P-bass. An early one, near exact copy of the classic Fender P bass...based on my experiance so far with this Strat I'll be looking to replace it with the real thing...(It has to wait untill I get my hands on a Ric 4002 first.) I also have a Seagull Cedar 12 string accoustic...sooner or later I'll try a Fender 12 banger just out of curiosity. Again, the rating is for a Strat. The Strat has its niche in guitardom...it's a wide one. But it IS limited. But within it's limitations it's a geniune American Original...a true ass-kicker. And this most recent version of it doesn't dissappoint. It made a believer out of me...and I've been a spoiled assed Rickenbacker picker for years.

Made in '02 in Corona, Califonia. Solid ash/alder body with new routing for pickups, supposedly allowing more wood for better sound and sustain. Delta tone pickups, I couldn't tell any difference between them and a $199 Squire. Frets are pretty tall, but seem to be wearing very quickly; I've had it two months and I've got major grooves cut into the frets. The machine heads are supposedly a big deal, they are staggered ion height so that they could save a string tree and increase the angle of the string over the nut. It's a bit of a nightmare to re-string since everything is pulling the strings in unnatural directions.
The good stuff:
It has a micro-tilt adjustment feature usually not found on guitars less than a grand. After everything has settled in a few years, the angle of the neck to the body can be adjustred withou having a complete re-work of the bolt on joint. Stainless bridge saddles are good, too. Some of the strat parts like to rust quickly and break strings, but these help tremendously. Hand rolled edges on the neck are a good sales pitch, but they live up to the hype. The guitar feels really good in your hands, as well as slides and plays very smoothly.

I guess it's what you'd expect for this much money. The pastic parts/neck markers could have been a little "not so cheap." Good bonus features, but also some misseed add ons.

Standard Strat tone. Goes from Edge's U2 sound to SRV to J. Mascus in minutes. Guys saying that it's not for metal are using the wrong setup. I try to play about every style. Punk versions of western ballads, jazz versions of classical tunes, I'll try it once. It's a bit of a changeling. The bridge pickup sounds Gooo-oood. Very Ventures-y with a ton of reverb. Marty Robbins with a little effort. The neck position rules, too, for some good stylin' jazz-y warmth.

I play with Boss pedals, noise gate, MT-2, PS-5,etc., a Roland JC-120, and Dunlop picks. I don't think I could get better sound using other picks.

From the factory: awesome, dude. It looked, felt, played perfect from the shipping case.

However, the balck finish does NOT have a clear/gloss coat on it. If you are expecting a big shiney new guitar, this will not be it. It has the little spiderweb buff marks all over the body, and this is normal, but a little cheap for the price.

This guitar should last. All the parts are solid and rockin'.

The finish, alas, is picking up scratches, dings, pocks, and everything else. The buttons on my shirt left tiny scratches in the back of the guitar. I think the finish might be paper thin. I heard recently that most strat's are like this... SRV's strat was only a year old when they photoed it for his boxset cover. But seriously, folks, I am very careful and I don't think it will survive a big baby like myself. For the price, it should last a little longer.

Also, the pickup poles have already tarnished and I think they may rust pretty quickly. Speaking of the pickup poles, when I hit a C#, something in the pickup cavity vibrates and buzzes, lightly, but it's there.

And, the case has already broken. It's a Fender molded case, came free. The black fuzz is shedding like by brother's aging scalp as well as the straps holding the halves together have already come apart/unglued.

N/A

I think this guitar would be a world's best for $200 less. Fro the cost, I probably could have gotten someting else worth while, but I likes the feel of the neck, the playability and the versatility of the sound.
On the other hand, for the cost, they could have done a little more, like the cheapo fret markers. Like the paper thin finish. Like saving the free chord, strap, and polishing cloth and put a little more into the construction.

-It was made in the U.S.A.
-3 single coil pickups
-maple neck
-ash body
-smooth
-
It came with a strap, strap locks, case, toolkit, cord.

I think it sounds great.

The guitar was set up well the day I got it.
There is no noise from the selector and everytheing worked good
The action was very nice.

It is a very though guitar

2001 USA Standard stratocaster. 3 single coils. It is the architypal stat. Some nice tweaks in this year:
bevel neck edged, micro-adjust neck, nicely finished frets, solid bridge saddles, strap buttons designed for strap lcoks (bravo), some machine heads have low string groves to ensure corrent string angle -- good idea. Strat electronics strike me as, well, really cheap. The bolt on neck design is also a cheap... and high maintenance, but is a required feature for this classic design and makes repair and replacement practical (hence the guitars reputation for robustness ). The strat is cometically a well designed guitar - it looks good, the body shape make it feel very good wear. Has a great image as the roadworthy workhorse able to handle considerable abuse and still be a pleasure to play. Hardware is modern rather than vintage (I like that), although not fancy.

Jez how did Fender every get famous? They sound like crap. I love the design and feel but they are so thin and tinny sounding, awful and hugely disappointly. So how and why does everybody and their dog use them? Well they are strong, sexy and afforable. I have noticed Fender strat and tele players tend to give harsher than normal reviews of amps and effects -- and there is a reason for that. If you play a Fender strat or a Tele you are going to need a good amplifier, good speakers and probably several good effects (like an overdrive, distortion, echo, compression, tremelo, delay, etc.) to shape and thicken the aenemic tone that is produced -- even to get Buddy Holy tone (which seems most like the strats natural tone). There I said it - somebody had to. They should fit the active circuitry of the EC model as standard to compensate for the shitty pick ups. [By comparison, a Les Paul can be safely plugged directly into pretty much any amp and sound great, although Marshalls sound particularly good].

Yes, this is where Fender put the effort with this model year. They needed to differentiate the USA model from the Corona, Mexican and Korean models. They succeeded. Very good job -- they are to be commended. Any issues, well yes:

- weak, non-noiseless pickups (should have fitted vintage vintage which probably cost the same to make but prob. not used to allow them to sell more expensive versions). However they are probably reasonably authentic (although you have to ask why people prefer 50's, 60's or 70's models over new)

- shitty dot inlays feel dry and horrible (black and white one are both as bad) and dull. Use perloid or abalone -- for this price it should be a given.

- needs an active tone circuit (like the EC model) to compensate for shitty pick ups

They certainly have a good reputation. I baby my gear so no worry there. Some actually like their strats with a lot of wear and tear -- don't laugh, pick up a relic and try it, I was surprised. I found I prefered it to the new models -- it had character (although artifically fabricated!).

Also play Les Paul (lovely tone -- to die for), various amplifiers (mainly Marshalls). I wish I asked why strats sound so crap! Just kidding -- I know what they sound like. I love the image the robustness, I dislike the pathetic, noisely, tiny single coil pickups that need lots of external support to get a decent sound. [Fat strat Seymour Duncan humbuckers are also nothing special either (SD seem highly overrated to me in general) -- they still have a lot to learn in the pick-up department -- haven't heard the the noiseless vintage pick-ups yet, but sound like they might have potential].

This is an American Made Standard Statocaster. It is the Plain-Jane of the American Stratocaster line. All of the quaulity of the super high prices models without the custom shop signitures or fancy hardware/finishes. Definetly the workhorse of the line. 22 frets, solid top, Neck rounded and polished (broken in),5-way selector, two tones and one volume knobs, Pickups in a S/S/S configuration. Passive electronics with "Delta Tone" position which re-routes the signal path around the pots for a pure tone, Alder neck with Ash or Alder body (don't know how to tell the difference between the two), Color of Blue Metallic, original Stratocaster body shape, special locking strap hangers, new style two-screw bridge/tremolo block design, Standard tuners(super high quaulity), Medium Jumbo Frets, Original Fender Statocaster hard case. Everything a growing boy needs for his music fix.

I play Blues, Rock, Metal, and Country. This guitar does it all (with a little help from my Digi-Tech RP200 effects processor). Using a little 50 Watt 12inch combo on the clean channel and letting the effects processor do all the tweak work. Guitar is noisy on the 1-3-5 settings and quiet on the 2-4. No big deal as the RP200 has a sound gate that shuts it off, so it's silent all the time anyway. I Keep the Stratocaster at triple 10 and the amp gain/bass/treble at 50-100%.
I would say the sound can be rich or bright depending where you set the switch at. That's what is so nice about a Stratocaster, It is the Swiss Army Knife of the guitar world. Does all roles well. I have no dislikes of this axe other than I had to actually pay for the privledge of owning it! I am giving it a "9" here because nothing sounds like a "10".

The first thing I did when I took it home is test the intonation. It was perfect from the factory! You get what you pay for. The pickups were perfect as well. Everything was tight, without scratches, dents, or fingerprints. Surprising as it was hanging on the wall at Skips Music in Sacramento for at least a month. Probably test played a dozen times. Still had plastic on it. This guitar was tighter that my wallet after paying for the thing!

Hell yeah, it was made to play live! If it can't, nothing can. The hardware will last longer than my fingers will. The finish is a really nice dark blue metalic and is deep and rich looking. I imagine it will wear through in time, as all paint will. Can't wait. I love the look of a well used guitar. It needs a little, rust, tarnish, and wood showing to give it character! Has the best strap buttons I have ever seen on a factory guitar. These will not let go. Super dependable. Will use a back-up only for potential of broken strings.

Don't know. I checked it out before I bought it and it's perfect. If it breaks, I'll fix it, no problem.

This is the only guitar I have right now. I will get a Les Paul later for both kinds of sound. Would replace in a heartbeat. If stolen I would hire thugs to track down the greaseballs and wax them. : )
I love this guitar because it is just perfect in every way a stratocaster can be, minus the fancy plating and finishes, which I don't really care about. My favorite feature is the body shape. Is there a more comfortable guitar in existance??? I'm going to name it, but haven't decided what to call her yet....

2001 - America
21 frets
volume, tone, 5 way selector
3 american standard strat pickups
alder body, maple neck
including deluxe case, strap, strap lock

I previously had an afinity series squier, and I can assure everybody that the only common point between those is the "original fender contour body look". The american strat is really worth the cost: the 3 pickups that really play the sound we hear from Knopfler, Clapton, etc..., and the tremolo really gives an exceptionnal sound (not only detunes your strings ;)). Just like the legend, a fender has a very large variety of sound (not the "synthetised" one from ibanez or the heavy one from gibson)- by the way, the delta tone really offers something more to increase the range.

the guitar was perfectly set up for 0.9 strings, and i can recommand to go and adjust the bridge by a proffecional if you're used to play with other gauge

The guitar seems to be durable, the only weak point seems to be the tone buttons

Not tried, and I do prefer not to.

I play for 1 year and I first chose a squier becouse of its great look and also because of its small neck. This year, after trying a friend's strat, I decided to buy one because of the same arguments. Now I have real pickups and maple, i can enjoy all that a fender makes a fender: creamy sound, various sound, easy playable...

Made in the U.S.A. (Corona, CA), not sure what year though. 22 frets, solid top, 1 VOLUME, 2 TONE controls, 5pos. selector, 3 standard stratocaster pickups. I love the Ash body it gives it such a nice sound. Transparent finish is really cool because then you know that your guitar is actually made of wood. Rosewood fingerboard. The coolest thing was that it came with a hard case.

It works well with my music style, blues. I use a few effects I have a Cry Baby, and a classic tube that I got from my uncle, Jack Hicks, I have the Danelectro rilled Cheese pedal, and the Dano BLT Pedal.

I bought it new so I'm not sure if the guitar was set up like it was from the factory or not nbut when I bought it it wasn't set up very well.

I've been playing for about two years. I also own a peice of crap Squire Strat. Before I bought this I wish I had asked what year it was.

1996 American Standard Strat, 2-tone sunburst finish on 2-piece Swamp Ash body, Maple neck, 2-point floating Tremolo, 3 black springs, 5-way switch, 2 L-trees, Heavy-duty Schaller(nonlocking) tuners, new-style steel saddles(look like steel GraphTechs)

Awesome. Pickups aren't "noiseless" but are pretty darn quiet. Each setting on the 5-way gives you a distinct sound. The Middle Pickup on this one is the best. Treble tone control has a setting at 10 that cuts out the roll-off altogether, a cool feature. Will give you an awesome lead guitar sound for blues, rock, and funk. Can't do thrash, not a perfect choice for country or jazz. Sounds very good unplugged, first of all, detailed and glassy clean, and singing with some compression and a good overdrive.

The Neck is *perfect* Feels like a glove. Every guitarist friend of mine who has ever touched this neck does some kind of swoon. The frets are fat and strong. I need my first refret now, but its been 6 years! Bridge, saddles, and Tremolo are of highest fender quality, and the tuners hold very well even though they arent locking. Sunburst finish looks beautiful, although I did replace the plain white pickguard with a Pearly one.

Whoever says Fender's are "built like Tanks" is not talking about this one. A Parker Fly is built like a tank. This is a fine instrument you feel guilty about dropping. believe me I've done it a few times and now I've got some dings. Didn't affect the playing or the sound, but the finish and the neck wood do suffer dings. Be careful! But given that it is not made of solid graphite, yes this is a super solid guitar.

Never dealt with Fender. Any guitar tech should be honored to modify one of these.

I have been playing for 6 years, and have played on some nicer vintage instruments, but as far as new Fenders go this is as good as they get. 96 must have been a good year. Every teacher I have had and every musician knowledgeable about guitars who has seen this has been wowed. Awesome intonation, tone, looks, and feel. Try out a bunch though before buying; when you get to this price range, the guitar you buy has to be "you." I played on some other nearly identical instruments but didn't get the same magic. This is the one for me though. My most prized possesion.

I have only been playing for a couple of months, but I believe this is well-equipped. Well, it's a Fender, so there.

I did not plug this in when I tried it out, but it did not sound bad when I played "Jeremy" unplugged. It didn't sound bad either when I played "Polly (New Wave)."

I did not pay very close attention to this, but it seemed to be in pretty good condition. I do not believe it contained any flaws - but I didn't take a thorough inspection.

I did not purchase this.

Well, as I said, I've been playing for a short time. I didn't buy this, I only tried it out. If I was seriously looking for an electric guitar, this wouldn't be a bad choice.

It's a 2000 Fender Stratocaster, the "New-Generation" Strats. Non-veneered Swamp Ash body, two-tone sunburst, 3 single-coil Delta Tone pickups, 5 way switch, and 1 volume and 2 tone knobs. They made a pretty smart upgrade with that; the first tone knob controls the neck pickup exclusively, and the other controls both the mid and bridge pickups. The second tone also has Fender's new no-load tone control, which actually pulls that second tone capacitor out of circuit, so you're plugged directly into the pickups. Pretty spiffy.

I play mostly blues, so I immediately loved the Delta Tone pickups. They have that signature Strat sound, but with a bit of bite, especially when the tone control is thrown out of circuit. The non-veneered swamp ash is by far and away the best tone wood I've ever encountered. The maple fretboard is smooth, fast, and easy on the hands, and the two-point trem unit is pretty stable. Since this is a Stratocaster, it can pretty much sound like anything, but it's principle tone is gorgeous. It is responsive and easy to control.

The finish is beautiful. I bought the guitar at Don's Music Land in Peoria IL, and they did a fine job (as usual) setting the guitar up. It's a fine looking guitar, and all the hardware is in sound working condition. The machines are just tight enough, the tremolo is adjusted to taste, and the brushed cast saddles had the proper intonation.

It's a Fender. My grandkids will enjoy it just as much as I do.

Never dealt with Fender, so that says enough.

If there's one rule you pretty much live by in the guitar making industry, it's not to try and reinvent the wheel. The new Fender Stratocasters are all a fine example of a classic, alive and well, with a few astetic and technical upgrades. This is definitely Fender, and it's definitely still a Strat. I was very happy to see that Fender didn't go and mess up a classic with their upgrades, and look forward to playing this guitar to my friends and family for a long long time.

1999 This one's got a maple board and vibrato. You know the rest. I won't rate this because, it really doesn't matter. What matters is tone.

This is a great blues guitar. I really can't comment on any other styles because this is the only style of music I play electrically. I am using a mid-70's silverface fender twin reverb with no effects. I have no problems with the single coils humming. It's dead quiet. It's a blues tone monster (my string choice of 13's may contribute to this).

The finishing on the fingerboard was applied after the it was fretting and I've had problems with the finish chipping off around the edge of the frets. I really don't remember how well fender set it up, but it really doesn't matter because any guitar sounds bad with light strings.

I've dropped it a few times with nothing going wrong. It's built like a tank.

I never contacted fender or anyone else. I do all that stuff myself.

I've been playing for 4 years, I'm a blues madman. I love this guitar however what I love about it I think is unique to this one only. I've played other American Standard Strats and didn't care for them at all. So if this one were stolen I probably wouldn't replace it with another American Standard but maybe a custon shop relic (probably one modeled after a strat from '59-'65). I love it because I've become to know it. I made all dents and wear spots in it, and that's why I love it. Play it before you buy it because some of them suck.

Late 90's (98,99) with Delta Tone. Teal blue/green, maple fretboard Bought used but in unplayed condition. Still had plastic and sticker on pickguard.

played it through a Blues Jr. at the shop. Oh yeah! I was hooked. My son takes lessons at a Mom and Pop shop (Stay away from Guitar Hell) and the owner lets me play anything I want while I'm waiting. Played a number of Strats: Jap, Mex and some high dollar Big Apples and such, but avoided this one cause I didn't like the color. Finally ran out of guitars to play and got around to this one. Did'nt have it in my hands but a few seconds when I knew this was going to be mine. That's what they mean when they say play them all, one will speak to you. This one sure did. Took my Fender Jap 60s reissue/vintage whatever in the next day as a down payment. Can't see why anyone would change pick ups. Very familiar tones which will inspire you rather than frustrate you in your quest to emulate your heros. Want that other sound? Get a mahogany body humbucking LP style guitar. Everyone should have both anyway.

My Jap was well made and finished but didn't sound or feel ilke this. It had a heavy laqured neck which created drag compared to the satin feeel of the Standard. Also the radis on the Jap fretboard is 7.25" compared to the 9.5" on the Standard. The Standard is easier for me to play. I guess I'm one of the few who like 9s as opposed to 10s so the stock strings suit me fine.

We'll see. I have a 65 Mustang that's still going strong with only new selector switches.

Don't know.

One word: NECK! When I put my hands around this thing I was sold BIG TIME! Was not looking for another guitar but had to have this one. Very easy to play and sounds great. Much less work to get the sound you want weither playing notes or chords. Couldn't believe how easy everything came compared to the others I played. In 2000, Fender produced 31 different models of the Strat. They are all different sounding and playing. When you find the right one you will know it. PLAY THEM ALL! The American Standards (and now the Series) are for real. They are not hype. There is a difference. Play one.

This is your basic American Strat, 22 frets instead of 21 like the MEX models, i didn't ask what the wood of the body was, i honestly never really paid attention to that. Has in line tuners, a standard tremelo, aqua marine finsih is what i think its called, maple neck and fret board, 2 tone knobs and 1 volumes, 5 way toggle switch, i don't know if this is a standard feature, but this thing came with locking strap buttons, but not the part that goes on the strap. I think this guitar was suppose to come with locking tuners, and a case, but this really fat lazy lady at Guitar Center said it didn't come with that model, and at first i thought she was being honest, but then when i asked her for a box for me to bring the guitar back home with(i would have brought a gig bag if i knew i wasn't getting a case), she just said that there were no good boxes, and that there all scraped right away(WHAT BULL SHIT) so later i had to find a manager of some sort to get her fat ass to get me a box. besides not having a case, i'm pretty satisfied. Another hting i should mention is, i didn't start to switch between pickups or use the volume knob, or use anyhting on the guitar except for the birdge pickup till recently, and i found this guitar to be pretty versatle. I use to hate the fact that the volume knob was soo close to the stings, and that i would constantly hit it accidently (especially when pamn mutting) and turn down the volume while i'm playing, but after a while got use to it, and i started using the volume knob while i'm playing to do those cool volume swells malmsteen (spelling?)does. The pick ups are passive single coils(which i'll get to later), and has a bolt on neck. I should also mention the nut on that guitar, i think if you plan to do trem work on a strat, you should have that nut replaced, EVERYTIME i use that trem (nothing too hard), the lower string go Sharp, which really pissed me off, Thats one thing i think has to go(i'm probably gonna change it to a graphite nut), its not crap for sure, BUT if your gonna do trem work thats my personal opinion. i think thats about it, or at least the major stuff. all in all, i think the strat is one of the most versatile guitars built. It looks great, but its nothing facny at the same time.

first, since there single coils, there pretty much prone to hum and noise, when using jus tthe single coil!!! thats one thing that really upsets me, it maybe my amp, cause i don't recall having this much noise before, but when i use 2 pickups at the same time, the noise isn't as loud, but its still there, so i think it could be my amp making it worse (which is this small practice amp i use at the moment, i would get a better amp, and i surly could, but its a long story).

Dirty, this guitar sounds bright and sharp in my opinion, a bit thin, but i kinda of like that, depending on what i'm playing. i also have a hard time squeezing good pinch harmonics out of this guitar(compared to my other guitars with slightly hotter Humbuckers in em). But i still like its dirty tone, i think its has a really nice classic rock and punk sound, (at least to me) i'm having a hard time at the moment to decide weather or not to get a replacement pickup in there(bridge first, most likely) cause i still like how it is now, but if since this is my main guitar now, i need more versatility in the sound, but its hard to get everything you want in one guitar, unless you feel like spending about 2000 bucks, or getting a carvin( i perosnally don't like how most of em look, except the single cuts they have)

The Cleans are great on this guitar, i mean AWSOME, the reason i decided on a fender is because after i played me friends American Tele and heard those cleans, i was hooked!!! I just kept playing it everytime he put it down, and couldn't get enough, i also found that guitar dirty pretty good to (at the time i was more into a thin trebly crunch sound). I still like it, but like i said, its still lacking what i really want, since i should of mentioned earlier that i'm very into METAL, but i'm also into A LOT of type of music (disclude most rap, dance, trance, pop and country, but most not all)
But thats only the dirty tone that seems to have a hole in it, besides that, if you play clean most of the time, you should really consider this guitar. To give you an idea of what i'm looking for, its the dirty tone of Adam Jones or Tool, and the cleans of Eric Johnson, so i got one funky sound to persue.

I almost forgot to menton tha ti get all my distion from a Boss DS-2 Turbo Distortion. I also have an Arion 7 band EQ(for volume boosts), and Sterio CHorus(for cleans every once in a blue moon), both of which i don't use often since i don't gig much or jam as much as i use to, but i still write a lot of originals by my self by using a tape deck that i just keep on layering with. But my basic set up at the moment is-

Guitar - Original Cry Baby - Boss DS2 - Rocktek Super Delay- Amp.

I use a ton of different tones, if i were to play any of the songs i wrote recently, you would see me switching between pick ups, changing pedal and tone settings ALL the time, i've really been working on my tones recently to make the guitar fit into the song as well as possible, of course the first step is to write the parts first, but i think tone adds or takes away a lot to what you play.

besides the dirty tones not fully suiting my need, and the hum, i still get good tones, but its sitll not perfect.

The Action at first was amazing to me, since the guitars i used before i got the strat was an Ibanez RG 220 and Bc Rich Bronze Warlock. Both with replaced pick ups(dimarzio Paf Pro in the bridges, i didn't use the neck pick up often, so i just left those stock) the action on the Ibanez was really disgusting, and i can't beleive i played it as long as i did, the action on the BC rich actually wasn't too bad, but since that guitar doesn't have great fret work or a smooth feeling neck, i didn't like to do much on that guitar but play a bunch of NU metal, and yes i do like it, not all but a good amount. ANyway back to the strat, later on i strated to feel that my action was really high cause i played some cheapo guitars in some small guitar shops in china with AMAZING actions an setups that i would never expect from a guitar so cheap, but i like EVERY single note to sustain as long as possible and to have NO buzzing, or as little as possible, so i kept the action at what i feel is moderate, but i still think that a guitar at the price i bought it for should have had a slightly better action. But after playing straight for about 7 7 months, i've gotten very use to this guitar, not only the action, but just everyhting about it, its neck, controls, weight, and yes even that big neck joint, but since i have pretty big hands, i don't have too much of a problem reaching to the 22nd fret.

The finish is Aqua Marine i think, its kinda of blueish green, and i liked it cause i thought it was different from your usual burst black, white, and red, so i figured to get something a bit different, although i wish it was a bit more on the blue side, but i still like it. I think its high gloss, i really have no idea, i never looked at those things, like gloss or how the grain look on the wood, if what i was playing felt good at the moment felt good, i would get it, even if i would later go on to wanting something else, cause i think this way, i get to experience different types of guitars and setups, etc....
I didn't pay attention to how the pick ups were adjusted, cause i could always adjust it my self when i get home, and it only takes about 20 minutes to get it sound balanced.
The brigde and everyhting seems just fine, and the tuners are nice too, cause i've been using such shitty tuners for so long, its nice to feel a nice smooth turn everytime i tune.

The few minor flaws i found, (which i never looked at until people asked me about em) were that the low e string inotation, and i can't move the saddle much farther back, its just a hair sharp, but very slightly, and i don't really play much past the 15th fret on low e string anyway. if i want to i just play it arounf the 9th fret on the A string, unless its some sorta scale that would be easier to plathat high on the low e(but hardly).
I also found a small dent under the input jack on the paint, but it can't be noticed easily, even when you look closley, but i think happened at guitar center while it was up for display(yes i know i should have gotten one fresh from the box, but i think every guitar has its own feel, and i like that one at the time.
Besides that, i didn't find any other flaws, i've had a couple dents now, since i've been moving around alot, but nothing major or anyhting affecting the playability, this guitar too a feww hard falls, and it was fine!

This thing can do live playing with no probs at all. everyhting is pretty solid and i think i cna depend on this guitar for a long time.
The only thing that i'm still wondering about are the strap buttons, but that about it. ANd i will never gig with out a back up, i broke a string at my first gig, and i was soooo thankful i had my backup.

never dealt with them, but i think i should call them and tell them to shape up the sales people at guitar center selling there guitars.

I've been playing for about 2 years now, YES i know its a short time, but with in that time, i've done alot of stupid things that taught me about how a guitar works the hard way, I have my Ibanez and My BC Rich, and i think the ibanez may have been able to last me longer if i didn't mess with it soo much, but its sitll a cheap guitar.

The music i listen to most is metal, and i know the Strat is not a guitar very suited for that, but i was hooked on that guitar. It was jsut so different to me form Ibanez and those other big name brands that were ruling radio that i just felt this giuitar is a classic and will be around forever. That what i love about it. If it were stolen of lost i would maybe try some other guitars, maybe even try an LP or something, but i hope that won't happen.

The few things i'm thinking about changing are the pick ups, and nut, but thats it, i'm still not even sure about the pick ups.

I know i havn't been playing for a long time, but i play practice all the time, and i'm not 12, or i'm 18, but i have an open mind about music, so i just try to learn as much as i can, i write originals all the time, with styles ranging form ColdPlay to SLAYER, i'm not saying i'm anygood cause i'm FAR off from my Idols, but i don't think i SUCK. ALl in all i think this is a great AX, and its become a classic and lasted as long as it did for a reason.

U.S made in 98 or so. It's a Standard so you know what i'm talking about. Passive electronics, two pivot bridge

Sounds like a Strat. Wadday think? Although I'm mot sure it has got the vintage sound. It's great for clean sounds, maybe at bit sterile in sound, but i do't have much experience playing other Fenders to compare..

I chose the American standard before the Vintage ones because of the bridge.I hate the vintage bridge because i use the tremolo bar and i never could get the vintage bridge to stay in tune. So, with the two pivot bridge on the Am Stand i thought, less parts, must be better. It worked great "stock", but the G-string got out of tune all the time. I changed the tuners to Sperzel locking ones, and the saddle to a graphite one. Wonders do come true. It worked great. Didn't get out of tune to 95%. Then i tried the Fender Bullets and i all my troubles were gone. I use the wammy bar like a mad man and it stays in tune 100%!!!

It's a standard. It's a classic! No need to say more!

?

I've been playing for a long, long time. I've been a Ritchie Blackmore fan for ages so a Strat had to be in my possesion. I love the guitar but i'm not to keen on the standard pickups. I will try some others to get a more dynamic sound. And i hate Fender since they launched a new series called just "Standard" and the neck is to die for... It feels like really broken in. It's very simular to the am standard, but they have polished the sides and it feels so good. The AM STAND feels good, but new and not broken in. The new standard feels like it has been played on for years!

Fender Stratocaster, made 1972 in USA, 21 frets, rosewood fretboard, three-color sunburst finish, 3-way switch (I've added two on/off switches for the neck and bridge pickups), alder body, twin string trees, bullet truss rod, 3-bolt neck joint, staggered pole pieces on pickups, big CBS U shape boat-like neck, 7,5" fretboard radius, 6-screw bridge with "tremelo", "F" style Fender machine heads. Black tolex rectangular hardcase and a white leather strap included.

It had all the features I wanted except a more versatile pickup switching system. The basic features.

I bought it used in 1976. Nowadays I use it mostly for blues. I play through a BOSS twin pedal EQ, a Jim Dunlop MXR M-133 Micro Amp, a Jim Dunlop Crybaby Q or Vox wah, an Ibanez TS-9, a JD Dallas Arbiter FuzzFace and a Laney VC50. I use a bypass thingy for the effects, so I rarely use more than 2 effects at the same time, and most of the time I play straight through the amp (except the EQ).

It's not terribly noisy, although there are some noise. I use Ernie Ball nickelwound 12-54 strings, and the sound is warm, fat, sweet but with bite, versatile and awesome. The best sounding guitar I've ever played.

I bought it used, so I can't tell how it was set up from the factory. The sunburst finish seems very solid and it has few dents for a 30 year old. The fretwork seemed excellent and the neck joint is very tight, despite the 3-bolt design.

I wouldn't say it plays well. I use high action and 12-54 strings. It has a solid feel, but it doesn't have the "plays like butter" feel. The good part is that I can play it for hours without fatigue problems.

It's rock solid. It has let me down once. The jack had to be replaced. I use Schaller straplocks and a Fender Deluxe leather strap (not the original strap that came with the guitar).

Haven't had to deal with them.

I've been playing for 35+ years. I own 12 or 13 guitars I think. I will never sell it.

It's a US made 1988 model (purchased used in 1995): dark blue finish, maple neck/fretboard, standard features except included 3 Texas Special pickups that the previous owner had installed.

Have since replaced the American Standard bridge with a Fender vintage (tremolo) bridge, which improved the 'sweetness' of the sound considerably (to my ears, at least). I play a mix of Blues, Jazz and R & B, and the guitar sounds great in any of these genres (except perhaps Jazz - to get an 'authentic' Jazz tone I turn to my Archtop). I play the guitar straight into a Mesa Boogie Mark 2 60w combo amplifier (for performances and recordings), and a Fender 'Blues Junior amplifier for informal jamming and practicing. The guitar sounds excellent (rich, full, bright, etc ..) through both these amps when set for a 'clean' sound. This guitar also produces a very pleasing 'singing sound' when played above the 9th fret (you can hear it unplugged !) that I've yet to hear from any other Strat I've played (and I've played many).

Can't recall how the guitar was set up at point of purchase; I do my own setup on all my guitars, so this is not really relevant to my evaluation. All the remaining hardware has held up very well - the tuning machines have never failed or slipped, and although the frets had to be dressed a few times (I use this guitar alot), I haven't encountered any signs of 'poor workmanship' on this guitar.

This is an extremely reliable and durable instrument - I've played countless gigs and recording sessions with it, and even after numerous drops, falls and other mishaps, it dosen't seem to go out of tune ! Very dependable, and has always been use without a backup on gigs.

Never dealt with Fender.

Been playing for 20 + years, own a (small) assortment of Fenders and Gibsons. As I didn't buy or maintain this guitar in its 'stock configuration' it's difficult to assign an overall rating for this product. In my opinion, the stock 'American Standard' bridges (with the large 'block' saddles) sound a little 'edgy' and less 'sweet' than the vintage bridges (when I installed the vintage bridge, the tone improved tremendously to my ears). Also, although I've tried guitars with the stock 'American Standard' pickups, I never liked the way they sounded - too sterile sounding or 'generic' - so I was pleased that I was able to procure one with Texas Specials already installed.
So I would rate my guitar (after modifications) a '10', but I would rate other 'stock' American Standards from this time period a '7' because of the bridge and pickups. If this guitar was lost or stolen, I don't know what I'd do, because if you examine the current Fender Catalog, you'll find (interestingly) that Fender does not offer (aside from custom shop ($$$) and Artist signature models) any US made Stratocaster models with a 9.5 inch fretboard radius neck (comfortable for lead playing than 7.25 vintage radius) and vintage hardware ! The only exception was the 'California Strat' that is now discontinued (I have one of those, too). So I hope that nothing bad happens, 'cause that would entail hunting for another Strat and doing the modifications over again.

2001
USA
SSS
detla tones
maple neck
3 tone sunburst
you know the rest
I'm not a picky guy, this is good enough for me

I play a lot of brit pop. I also have an SG and like both. I'd prefer this one just because of it's versitility. It has a great rock tone, it sounds awesome thru my marshall. It also sounds superb when it's clean. It's very bright, and pretty full when i have the fat finger on it. i couldnt ask for a better guitar

mine was setup by the guy at mars so i have to give props to lance there.

the finish is great

i dont know, i had 2 strats before this and have dropped them on pavement, (not my fault, im not clumsy, but its kind of a long story and i wanna rap this up)

in short, in the past i had one really GOOD experience with fender, and a horrible experience too

I have a very versitile style, whether it's brit pop, pop rock, classic rock, hard rock, or whatever, it's perfect. some ppl say it's noisy but, yeah, duh, it's a strat, wud u expect? its the most COMFORTABLE guitar, ever. the neck is perfect, this guitar allows me to play much faster than i can on my SG although it's not as good as a hard rock guitar. If it were stolen, i'd cry, cuz i quit my job, and will be unemployed for awhile and wont be able to buy one any time soon, so that'd suck


btw, i also like the fact that it's as good as gibsons, but half the price

Sometimes a design is so classic that it defines a category--Leo had it right from the start. My hunny is a 1997 3 color sunburst with an alder body and a satin finished rose board--and all the usual suspects regarding particulars.

Blues and Rock and Roll are my cuisine! Clapton, Tognoni, Dr. Feel good ( not that Motley Crew shit...the originals from the UK), Stevie Ray et al. I play the Bad bitch through a Line6 AX12....It has a 5 position switch but I only use three (neck, and the two "out of phase"/in-between pos.) How does it sound?--like a strat!!! I get very little noise out of mine--compared to the 1984 '57 re-issue....which Snap, Crackles and Pops seven fuckin' ways to Sunday....But big deal--some dude, Eli Whitney I think ;-), invented a NOISE GATE....how about that....for any idiot who hasn't heard of one, but continues to piss and moan about noise... For me, I find the satin finish on the rose board provide just the right amount of warmth, and is the way to go with these ladies; I am also left-handed but play right-handed (same with swinging a baseball bat or golf club....go figure) and like the feel or a more porous wood on my fingers.

Guitares are like Blue jeans....try on 10 pair of the same size etc, and they all fit differently...I did the due dilligence of spending a day between Mars and Guitar Center Playing no less than 50 guitars before deciding on the one thay "spoke" to me....I have never had to adjust string height, tamper with the bridge, or otherwise fuck with the factory set-up of this guitar--why? Because I liked it from the start. I also found a large disparity in how well they stayed in tune--mine, all things considered, is a dream....it isn't as true as my I PRS Custom 22 (whale blue 10 top with Dragon 2 pickups) in this regard, but way better than average....this is from taking the time from the get go.

I don't put cigarettes out on it, play it in the rain, or let Pete Townshend use it....one thing is I had to solder one of the wires on my input jack ( the one with the screw that alwats comes loose...ya'll know what I'm talking about!!! But EVERY strat has this issue...

Couldn't say

15 years playing

-1989 American Standard

-Modified with 3 EMG SA's with EXG and SPC circuits and Black 3-ply pickguard

-Black body and rosewood fretboard

-Everything else stock

-Perfect guitar!

I play rock/alternative/eclectic/blues styles through a mid '70s Peavey Classic tube amp. My effects include a Boss NS-2 noise gate, Boss DS-1 distortion, Boss Dimension C chorus, DOD Flanger, Digitech DD20/20 digital delay and a DeArmond volume pedal. With the EMG setup, the single coil sound is preserved with almost no noise all the way down the effects chain. I wouldn't recommend this guitar for heavy metal, but for everything else, this guitar has the sound for it.

The guitar came from the factory in perfect condition. The original pickups were decent, but I put a DiMarzio stacked humbucking pickup in the bridge position, and the guitar lost almost all of its personality. The EMGs fixed that problem, and restored much of the original sound. The guitar has no flaws, and my guitar technician with over 20 years experience tells me that it is one of the best Strats he has ever played. Even though I have played several Mexican Strats at music stores, and for the money they are very good, the American neck is just perfect for me.

I have put an Axsak protective covering over the body, so the only faint scratches that it has are on the pickguard. I have purchased a MIM Telecaster to complement the Strat, since I cannot afford an American Tele, but I don't think my Strat will ever fail on stage. I've never broken a string with it, and it has been very reliable.

I've never had any dealings with Fender, so I cannot comment on this subject.

I traded in a 1985 Gibson EXP for my Fender. The Gibson had numerous flaws, including a "dead" neck and "dead" sound from the pickups. I was very disappointed with this guitar, and I haven't picked up a Gibson since. I took a chance and went to another old American company, and I was pleased with my purchase. One side benefit to this guitar was that I could not get away with sloppy playing that the Gibson covered up. I would buy this guitar again without question. I don't know what could have been improved with the 2001 model, but I will never sell my Strat for anything.

My guitar was made in 1987, it has a fender custom finish-gunmetal green, a really cool colour, 22 frets, made in u.s.a, maple neck, s/s/s pickup config. volume/tone/tone, i dont know hte body wood-either alder or ash, normal 6 saddle bridge and tuners single ply white pickguard, all the usual

i really suites my music style, i play lots of stuff, blues, rock, a bit of latin. i hope to get an orange amp, but at the moment have a not so good ampp. its not that noisy, niche variety in the pickup tone

when i got it it was set up really great, it depends on the person, no flaws in hte top or body, all really well put together, nice frets, good nut, saddles, tight pots. quiet pickup selector, couldnt find anythin wrong with it.

yes this guitar wiil witstand live playin, its rock solid, i can depend on everythin here. the finish is gonna last, i would gig it without a backup, cos i dont have a backup, bridge will last, pickups will last

never dealt with them, but i hear the're pretty good.

i think americans should stop sayin how expensive guitars are over there in america. here in aus, an am. standard will cost you $3000 so you consider yourselves lucki. on a lighter note, i think my guiatr is really good, if it was stolen, well i would get angry and hurt sumone

1977 Am Standard Stratocaster. Natural ash with maple neck and fretboard. Three bolt micro-tilt neck adjustment. Hardshell case. Purchased new in 1978. This was my first real guitar. I worked and saved all summer to get it. No facny bells and whistles - it's a strat.

Sounds like a strat. The ash/maple combination make it quite bright. In 1979 I replaced the nut with a brass nut and put a hot DiMarzio in the bridge position to get more output.

Recently I replaced all the pickups with Fender Texas Specials for a change of pace and set it up for .11 - .56 strings. I still have all three original pickups. The Texas Specials give this guitar a great strat honk with extra drive. I reach for this guitar when I want to play texas style blues (SRV, Albert King, etc.)

For amps I use a Music Man 65 reverb head through a Music Man 2 - 12 EV ported bottom (that I got in 1978). I also use a Mesa Boogie Subway Rocket. Pedals/effects include a POD, J-Station, Digitech RP-7, Crybaby wah, and numerous other pedals depending on mood and situation.

Fit and finish was great. Most 70s strats seem to get blasted as having poor quality, but this guitar was excellent right out of the case. It is a heavy guitar due to the use of the Northern Ash for the body. The wood has a nice vertical grain to it. I've had a couple techs tell me that this was one of the best 70s strats they've played.

I've played this guitar A LOT over the last 23 years. I used it as my main electric while playing in bands in both high school and college. There are a couple of slight wear spots now on the fretboard but that's it. Finish is layered on thick like they used to do on strats back then. The jack nut needs to be tightened every now and then. Built like a tank.

Always have a backup guitar when playing live.

I've never had to deal with Fender.

I've been playing for 24 years now and have built up a collection of 12 guitars (and counting!) over that time. This guitar will always be special to me because it was my first real guitar (not counting my very first - a Teisco del Rey and then an Epiphone that I traded in for this strat). It still plays and sounds great and I play it in rotation with all my other guitars. I also have a '62 Am Vintage Reissue strat which is a great complement to this guitar. The ying to its yang as it were.

70s strats are going up in price - into the $1000 range and higher now. I would never sell this guitar and based on its sentimental value alone it is irreplaceable.

Ho comprato da poco una Fender Startocaster American Standard 3-color sunburst, tastiera in palissandro, tremolo al ponte, 21 tasti e corpo in ontano. La chitarra e di peso medio e da veramente mole soddisfazioni, esteticamente e perfetta, non ha un minimo difetto, un minimo errore, un minimo dettaglio fuori posto, ben curata sotto tanti aspetti con particolari interessanti.

Il suono e eccezionale, secondo me la fender Stratocaster American Standard e la chitarra piu versatile del mondo, a me piaceva il suono pulito della telecaster, la sua brillanetzza mi entusiasmava, ma al momento della distorsione la telecaster non rendeva niente di buono. La strato caster riesce a mettere vicini un pulito da sballo e una distorsione decisa e senza fischi e rumori fastidiosi. I tre picks, specialmente quello al ponte, pompano il suono senza dar segni di cedimento, la sustain e ottima e gli effetti che si possono ottenere corredno sulla tastiera sono impressionanti. Il manico in acero fa scivolare la mano senza problemi e la tastiera in palissandro da al suono un tocco ombroso, il suono puoo essere caldo o freddo, sono migliaia le combinazioni che si possono ottenre con i tre picks e con i toni. Io la uso con un Marshall 65 valvestate e rende al 100 per cento, uso un big muff e un ds-2 della boss per le distorsioni ed entrambi mi soddisfano.
Stupefacente.

La chitarra e una favola,non c'e un minimo errore, protetta al 100 per cento e arrivata dagli Stati Uniti in uno scatolone imbottito dentro ad una custodia stupenda...
I legni sono perfetti, sono veramente contento dell'acquisto.

La chitarra e una roccia, e un po pesantina ma mentre la suonate siete proiettati in cielo grazie al suono e al peso non ci pensate, ha preso qualche botta e il legno non si e nemmeno intaccato di un millimetro, e nuova e sembra non poter subire danni, non poter invecchiare. I volumi e i toni non sono scorrevolissimi, una volta sistemati non si muovono se per sbaglio li andiamo a toccare, il ponte con il tremolo regge ogni tipo di violenza senza perdere accordatura.

Sono entrato nel negozio e mi hanno subito accolto, me ne hanno fatto provare un centinaio e di tutte mi hanno spiegato caratteristiche e tutto il resto, alla fine ho scelto e sono andati a prenderemene una di imballata, l'hanno aperta e la custodia e vermante bella, rigida, sagomata con la forma della strato in rilievo e la scritta fender in bassorilievo, dentro e ricoperta di soffice pelo blu con un cofanetto contenente il kit con i cacciaviti speciali per la chitarra e la garanzia, la fender card e tutto il resto.
Una bomba !
4 luccheti, uno che si chiude a chiave, manigliona e possibilita di appoggiarla in pieda o distesa. Dopo i primi due mesi di utilizzo compreso nel prezzo c'e un'assistenza da favola, il SETTAGGIO, in una mezz'oretta raddrizzano il manico e abbassano le corde a richiesta.
Dopo aver aperto la scatola magica la chitarra subisce degli sbalzi di temperatura e un sacco di cosette piccolissime, ma cosi piccole che io stesso me ne fregherei. Ma gli uomini della fender hanno detto che dopo un paio di mesi la chitarra subisce l'utilizzo e i legni stimolati si piegano lievemente, roba di due millimetri, loro raddrizzano e sistemano le ottave, senza pagare una lira portate a casa una chitarra ancora piu bella...
Fidatevi.
Acquistare una fender Stratocaster e un investimento, dopo una decina di anni diventa vintage e vale una cifra, e poi ricordate, piu la si suona e migliore sara il suono che vi regalera...
Cosa potete cercare di meglio ?

Non la cambierei per nulla al mondo, ne ho cambiate tante e la mia opinione e la seguente. Il pulito e migliore delle gibson e la tastiera e a livello delle piu veloci ibanez, la distorsione e solida e senza sgarri. Ripeto, e una chitarra versatile, vi lascera spaziare in tutti i generi...

Tutti, prima o poi, si comprano una strato !

2001, USA
22 med jumbo frets
1vol 2 tone
S/S/S
Fender Delta Tone pickups
Body-Ash
Neck-Maple
Sunburst
came with case and a bunch of allen wrenches and manuals and what not
I'm not too worried about having a lot of different stuff

I have a very versitile style of music, from alternative (bush) to hard rock (acdc) to pop rock (bon jovi) soft rock (clapton), blues (bbking), emo (=w=eezer) and other stuff too.
Im just using this into my Marshall JCM2000 DSL half stack. Not noisy if you use 2 pups at a time. Sound can be bright but i always turn the tone knobs all the way down on a guitar regardless if its a lp or an sg or a strat.
Well i put a fatfinger on the headstock which helped,it sounds great with out one but the fatfinger sure as hell makes it sound a lil bit fuller. the setup of having an american std strat into a marshall jcm2000 was my dream setup from the beginning and it sounds great. I can get every sound i want from great clean to great overdrive to in your face distortion, it wont give you a lot of chunk like an lp but it does handle a large amounts of distortion well. For metal? not really, i mean it would sound pretty good but there's better, but for every other type of music, like rock, blues, punk and anything else, it sounds great.

i bought it from mars and they have their tech check the intonation and action and everything else so it was perfect.
the finish is sunburst, well, i like the paint job on my old cali strat better but this is also awesome,just no as cool.

this is my third strat and ive never had a prob with any of them

well i blew a speaker in my old fender amp and they replaced it for free, i just mailed it in and got it back 2 weeks later, that was really fast. but, recently i order 1 pickup and it took a month and half to get here and they said it would onlyu take 7-10 days so i dont know, i guess it depends

As i said, ive owned 2 strats before this one, a mexican strat which i sold in order to get this one and a custom cali strat which i also sold in order to get this one. the mex strat sucked deluxe and the cali strat sounded great after i customized it but it was kinda hard to play, the C shape necks weren't built for speed i guess but i am perfectly happy with this strat. the playability and sound is just amazing. I looked at SG's, Les Pauls, Explorers, Teles and a bunch of other guitars, and i decided on this, ive always like fender strats, ive never owned a different guitar,my first guitar was a mex strat, my second was the cali strat, now this and i dont plan on EVER geting rid of this, its just too perfect. i made sure and got my sunburst color tho, i claim it as my signature color, so i wont buy a strat that isnt sunburst, i just think its the best. but overall, i love this guitar and i suggest everyone check it out.