Fender American Strat Plus

This is my second Strat Plus. Had one stolen in Bible college of all places. It was a late 80's model and graffiti yellow. I loved that guitar. If you have it I want it back!

Current: '95 22 frets, tobacco sunburst finish, maple neck, deluxe locking tuners, etc., gold lace pickups (I've replaced with TX Specials).

After changing the lace pick ups to Texas Specials it sounds great. The lace picks ups were alright for a clean noiseless sound, but when over driven they just didn't have the edge I wanted. The TX Spec have a more traditional fender strat sound - they are based off of one of SRV's guitars.

I play it through a Fender Blues Deluxe. Has a great warm, glassy tone that is to be expected with played through a tube amp.

I use the neck pickup the most. Very bright and full. I occasionally use the middle and neck together for a more percussive rhythm sound. I'm not a big fan of the bridge position because it's just to thin of a sound.

The first one I owned had an incredible action. Seriously! It seemed that everyone that played it loved the action. I've never had so many people surprised by the action of a strat. I even had a Gibson SG player compliment the thing. That is what I miss most about that guitar. The only problem I had with it was a hair line crack where the neck met the body.

My '95 Strat Plus has a decent action. I put 10's on it so that may be why it doesn't play as well as my first one. However, I play mostly blue/rock and do a lot of bending...I don't mind the feel.

I'm not a fan of the LRS nut. You can't really replace it because they cut such a huge groove in the neck that it would be impossible to fill it with anything else...espcially a bone nut.

I've had no problems with the '95. I had to tweak the neck a bit after increasing the size of the strings but that is to be expected. I've put the guitar through so changes over the years. Changed the pick ups, pick guard, blocked the tremolo, unblocked the tremolo and it still plays well, and sounds great.

Never had to deal with Fender directly.

This has been a great guitar. The only thing I would change is the LRS nut. Don't get me wrong it's a great nut, but I would prefer a bone nut. I think that is what they are doing with the deluxes now (they replaced the plus) along with adding a S-1 switching system.

I'm a big fan of the Fender Strat. Now that I've played for 14 years and know what I like I may build my own through Warmoth. I play a custom '56 relic a couple of days ago made by the Fender Custom shop and I loved it, but it cost $2,500. That is way over priced if you ask me.

I've giged for years without a backup to this guitar and will continue to.

I write this review for those who are looking for a great second hand guitar.

1994 Model.
American Made
22 Frets / SSS configuration
The upgrades are Gold Lace Sensor pickups, Locking Tuners,LSR Roller Nut, Hip Shot Tremsetter, Nice pearloid pickguard.

All of the upgrades make good sense, but if you want that classic Hendrix or SRV tone you probably won't be crazy about the Lace Sensors. That being said, I think the Plus was the best Strat Fender ever made. I wanted quiet pickups which are really versatile, to always be in tune and durability. This guitar is excellent

Versatile sound and no noise. I'm not sure how a rosewood neck would sound, but the maple neck has nice warmth. If play jazz, blues or Rock (classic or modern, You'll get all the sounds you need. If you're into metal this is not the guitar for you.

The Plus was a really well built guitar from the start. I am the original owner of this particular guitar, so I can say that all of the hardware has aged very well for the amount of playing I've done with it.

Very reliable. This model came with Strap locks, which I think are important. My guitar is metallic red and the finish is still quite good.

I've never needed support with this guitar. I have had good and bad experiences with Fender. Recently Fender has been better than they were in the late 90's. I think it's always important to buy a guitar from a store you know. You'll get better service and they can help you deal with a manufacturer. I have bought many guitars at 8th Street Music in Philly and I would recommend them.

This guitar is a really good deal in the $600-$700 range. I think it is better than the American Series Strat of recent years. So if you see one that isn't beaten up too badly at your local shop, you won't regret your purchase.

1989 american standard strat plus, sperzel locking tuners, lsr roller nut, gold lace sensor pickups, maple neck, american standard bridge, hardshell case. black body, pearloid pickguard.

i play blues rock along the lines or SRV, Clapton, Hendrix, Santana, eric johnson, ect. i'm plugging it into a silverface Fender super reverb, using a reissue tube screamer for overdrive.... the classic "blues" setup. this guitar SINGS! i'm a long time strat player, i've played regular american standards, 62 reissue and 50's reissue. all awesome guitars in their own way. what is particularly great about the strat plus is it's unique voice. i'm really not sure why many of the other reviewers state that the lace sensors don't provide true strat tones? if anything, the sound is enhanced by the lack of noise and the extra clarity and glassiness. i've gotten nothing but compliments on my tone. true, the sound is not the same as, say, the texas specials or 50's pickups, but these lace sensors outshine any stock american standard pickups by a mile. i guess it's all a matter of how it sounds to your ear, but with 13 years experience and a good ear for guitar tones, i'm of the opinion that these pickups not only do the strat thing, they have a uniqueness that allows you to stand out from the run of the mill strat sound. other great features include the awesome LSR roller nut insuring zero string binding, sperzel locking tuners keep the thing in tune superbly, modern style bridge allows for perfect intonation and just looks classy. mine has a great maple neck, perfectly aged to a beautiful honey color (not like the white maple necks on the new ones) and an upgraded whire perloid pickgaurd... stunning looking guitar with an awesome vibe and tone for days!!

like all fender strats i've owned, the guitar is built very well. 15 years old and still going strong. i've not had experience with the lower end standard mexico strats, but i know (at least from my experience) that the american models are made to high standards. my guitar is black, so the woodgrain isn't important because you'll never see it. the finish is great however, it's held up nicely over 15 years! the neck feels awesome, frets are smooth. LSR nut is great, Sperzel tuners are fail proof....

i'd gig with this guitar and no backup because i don't break strings. can't even remember my last broken string! i have a light touch and don't beat my guitars up. that, along with frequent string changes, keeps me playing instead of switching guitars. it's always good to have a backup though.

haven't delt with fender's customer service department. web-site has a wealth of information though.

13 years of playing lots of guitars and amps have led me to the conclusion that nothing beats a strat through a twin or super reverb..... at least for me. don't bite on the talk about the lace sensors not being "stratty" enough, it's just simply not true. if you want texas blues, go with the texas specials.... but, if you are looking for a guitar with a unique, enhanced stat vibe, check out lace sensor loaded strat plus. you'll be glad you did! if mine ever got stolen, i'd be on the look out for another one the next day.

i really just wanted comment on this topic. you can read other reviews and see about the specs. of this guitar. many reviewers have stated that the guitar doesn't have the traditional strat sound. this simply isn't the case. true, it doesn't have traditional magnetic pole pickups, but being a long time strat player, i can tell you that the tone from my 89 strat plus with gold lace sensors will sound better than your new american standard strat hands down. plus, the lace sensors are very quiet. if you want "vintage" strat tones, get the texas special pickups, or the 57 reissue pickups. if you're after nice, glassy, bell like strat tones without noise, the lace sensors are the ticket. i highly recommend these pickups, don't overlook them as a replacement or upgrade from stock until you've tried them yourself.

1990 American made Strat plus. Maple neck with Wilkinson roller nut. I think the neck radius is a 9.5, (standard factory stuff but I've since had it modified). Three Gold Lace Sensor pick-ups, locking tuners,(a must have though I'm not sure what brand It came with), with either an adler or poplar body, (actually I changed that, too). I'll get to the changes later.

Well, like one earlier reveiwer said about gold lace pick-ups, either you love them or you hate them. I love them and I get a lot of compliments from audience members when I play live. Usually something to the effect of "Wow, for whatever reason, your guitar sounds EXTRA nice". But, I have had a one or two very "discriminating" Strat owners say they didn't like them at all but I didn't find the sound of their Strats to be anything out of the ordinary or special an any way so maybe that's why they didn't like the gold laces. Because these are definitly not ordinary. I'm no Strat officianado nor pretend to be but there's just something about these pick-ups that pluck all my taste strings. Yes, they're a little brighter/glassey, but I play a Vox AC15 with a blue AlNiCo speaker which as British amps go, can be a little dark sounding. So for me, the extra brightness is the perfect match for my amp. The Vox is also famous for it's "chimey" sound and the gold laces, IMO, are the perfect match for this attribute as well. They lend just a touch more definition and clarity while maintaining all that rich, creamy sound that Vox amps are legendary for. I've played in bands that cover country, rock, punk, blues and reggae and this guitar performs beautifully in all those genres. These pick-ups are probably a bad choice for metal or thrash and I leave that stuff up to my '61 SG reissue. Gold lace pick-ups are relativly quiet, compared to other single coils I've used, but no in way as quiet as humbuckers, of course.

The action is another story. I've been playing guitar since I was a wee lad in the mid-70's and until I bought the Strat + in 1990, I only played Les Pauls. This probably ruined me for life when it comes to Fender necks. It's rare and I mean rare when I can pick up any Fender product and be happy with the factory neck. Mind you, I haven't played any of the "Artists series" Strats that claim to have flat necks. I'm just talking about the usual stuff you find at Guitat Center,etc. I had my neck customized to a compound radius, (10-16), and installed jumbo frets. This improved the action in a huge way! I also had a different bridge with graphite(?) saddles installed. This helps the guitar stay in tune a little better when whammying and eliminates oxidizing as my hands tend to sweat a bit when I play.

The factory body seemed to be just fine. No flaws no errors, but I changed that, too. The reason being that I have a bad back and found the heavier adler body to be just plain painful. So, I got an ultra-light swamp ash body from Warmoth, (just under 3lbs), and man, what a difference. Not only is it the lightest Strat I've ever held but it actually improved the sound quality, not that it needed it.

These are very subjective improvements, but hey, there might be someone out there in need this kind of info so there it is.

PS. When I told the guys at the Fender custom shop I was willing to spend a lot of $$ for a light-weight guitar for health reasons they were jerks about it. They said I'd have to settle for whatever they gave me and didn't have time to look through they're bodies to find light one, (nice way to treat someone who's about to drop 3 or 4 grand with you). The guys at Warmoth were awesome in this regard. Not only were they happy to accomidate my needs, they're a helluva lot cheaper than Fender's custom shop. Warmoth can build really bitchin, totally custom guitars for a fraction of the Fender custom shop. No shit!

Very reliable. Never had a problem.

Like I said I've only dealt with the Fender custom shop and they were extremely pricey with lots of attitude. If your doing any custom work or replacing stuff go to www.warmoth.com. There workmanship is stellar and they're very helpful. I've had Warmoth build me a copmlete Jazzmaster with loads of custom goodies for a fraction of the cost of the Fender custom shop.

Been playing approx. 30 years. As I mentioned earlier I also play a '61 SG reissue, a Warmoth jazzmaster with a coversion neck (to Les Paul scale) with a 59 trembucker and 2 hot strat pick-ups and many other goodies, a 30-year-old Guild g-37 and a Conrad "Dobro" style guitar. I've also owned 2 other strats and 2 other Les Pauls at one time or another. I'm giving this an overall rating of a 8 based on the fact that I don't like stock Fender necks. every thing else gets a 10. If stolen I'd probably get Warmoth to rebuild another one just like it, minus the Fender logo on the head stock. I have my own logo for that.

Fender Stratocaster American Standard Plus, made in USA in 1991 (Serial no. N1015765) bought second hand in november 2002. Traditional controls, Volume, Tone and TBX Tone Control. There is a difference though on the Strat Plus controls which very much pleases me.

The first Tone control after the Volume takes care of the neck pup. Both middle and bridge pups are controlled by the TBX Tone which allows you to cut those ice-picking frequencies in gig situations and actually controling your Strat which can be very evil sometimes.

The guitar comes with three Gold Lace Sensors, Wilkinson Roller Nut, Fender Schaller locking tuners, new American Standard bridge with two screws instead of six, alder body and a thin rosewood fingerboard (smooth neck!!!). It came without a case (second hand). This guitar is BEAUTIFUL. I always thought Fenders looked way too ordinary because everyone have them but this one is one step above, definitely. And it is the best guitar I've ever played.

The finish is something I can't get around to know what colour it is. It's a purple finish grained with a kind of brilliant powder all over it. It could look cheap but it fails to do so when you get 4 feet away from it. It looks ace.

The features this particular guitar brings is everything I could dream of. I'm more of a classic guitarist so I don'tmind the whammy bar. Keep in mind that the Deluxe Strat has the Trem-Setter to make sure the strings don't detune when using the thing, but the Strat Plus does not feature the Trem-Setter.

This guitar does never go out of tune and is a TONE MACHINE. The Lace Sensors never failed to surprise me at any moment and I'm not hanging them any soon. Great buy!!!

Surprisingly enough, this guitar CAN cover Les Paul territory if you are not too harsh on it. The Sensors are somehow quiet that you can push it under high gain situations and it not only will sing but sing back at you. I play general rock from Hendrix to Oasis and it just is heaven tone.

I use it through a Marshall JCM 2000 DSL 401 and the clean sound of this baby is the same, and I mean the SAME as the intro to Sweet Home Alabama when pups in position 4 (bridge and middle). I was one of those guitarists that thought Fender amps owns the clean tone but plug a high-end Strat in this baby DSL 401 and you'll see what is a clean tone with punch and enough clarity to enlight the whole club you're rocking at.

The Sensors manage to deliver a bright sound miles, but MILES away from any LP you'll ever play. I use 0.10 gauge strings coz you can't go wrong with them. The bridge pup CAN be very good if it is used correctly because it is more bright than I would like it to be. So, I almost don't use it. When I use, I have to turn the Tone knob down and the pup lose some character. The TBX tone is useful in studio situations but using a Marshall live, I can't get advantage of it because the guitar would bleed some ears if I fret the 19th fret.

Overall, the only thing that maybe I'd change in this guitar is the bridge pup but I'm not sure what would solve the brightness problem, so I keep it because when used together with the middle pup, I can smell the air which sorrounded the 1970's Strats.

Other than that, PEFECTION! A 9 just cause the bridge pup brightness can be a hassle.

Pefectly set (as it was second hand) and plays smoothly. The neck is very thin and the playability of this axe is tremendous. It allows you to ride on the neck as easily as can be. There is absolutely NO flaws on the finishing. The neck is beautiful and so is the satin chrome of the hardware. It balance well with the clear wood of the headstock.

A perfect axe.

I've read in these reviews this guitar can break some strings in live situations. It happened once to me (G string, I think). It happened quickly considering I never break strings. It was because of the bridge, definitely (it has broken right down there). I assume that using the whammy bar can cause trouble to you. I don't know how to make it not cut the strings but so far, happened just once.

The hardware will last forever as well as the straps which are rock solid. I'm not sure if I would depend on it because of the string problem BUT it is damn easy to replace strings with locking tuners. But I always bring a backup and I'm not doing any different with this guitar. Just for practical reasons.

A 9 because I am not so sure the string issue will get on my way again. Other than that, built to last.

Been playing for seven years.

Gear:

1996 Epi Sheraton II - Gibson '57 Classic/Duncan '59b
1998 Epi Les Paul Standard - Duncan '59/Duncan Custom 5b
1991 Fender Stratocaster American Standard Plus - Gold Lace Sensors (stock)
1996 Epi EJ-200/VS
1999 Yamaha APX-4-12A
Washburn Lyon Series Fat Strat copy
Fender Jazz Bass Southern Cross Series
Marshall JCM 2000 DSL 401
Boss ME-8, Boss FV300L, Boss DD-3, Boss CE-3
Dunlop Wah Crybaby

I wouldn't ask for anything else. This guitar just had what I need. I'm still shocked by the quality of this instrument. And to think you have to pay 6 times as much to have a high-end Gibson LP... This guitar would knock any Gibson down in a second. I'm not saying that coz I don't own a Gibson but because I am pretty sure that sound wise, this Fender is match for any Gibson and costs a sixth of the price.

I love the looks and the tone. My favorite feature has gotta be the locking tuners and the roller nut which never fails to keep it in tune.

I compared this baby with three other American Standards in the same price range, all second hand. I didn't think it was the best looking of the lot but nowadays, I know I did the right thing. I bought it because of the Sensors (noiseless) and because of the tuners, nut and bridge which are way better than the vintage Am Std. But it came without a case and the others had a case... but oh well, I had a Strat case gathering dust here so I picked it and it's my baby now.

I wish it had a Strap-lock just so I feel safe when playing although the strap buttons are rock solid.

I'd like to share with you my satisfaction with this guitar. If you ever find a Strat Plus from 1991 earlier, try it. You might as well get yourself a great piece of instrument for a cheap price. It is the dog's, this guitar! Great!

1989 Strat Plus, 9 gauge (only) roler nut, gold sensors.

I play country and rock. This Strat Plus is perfect for both. For rock
I can use a lot of distortion yet the Plus still sounds clean and rigns like a bell. For country I get 50% of Tele 50% Strat sound on bridge pickup how ever with less sustain (if playing clean). This one is en exeptional Plus, not all have a great sound. Be very selective of these made after 1990 as I've not found one yet near as good as mine.
As the say, they early models are always the best. I wouldn't believe it if I didn't experience it. Recently I compared new one to Mexican and it wasn't much diference unfortunetly - very dead sound.

Finish has very thick paint. It won't wear off like the old Strats but will chip if knocked hard enough. I've chipped mine and can see under the paint
some metalic coating or something. I wonder what that actually is. If you know, Email me.
Action is ok, I can't say it low but it depends on playing style really. Guitars sound better with higher action anyway.

Here is a strange one. The roler nun only take 9 gauge strings! I've routed them a bit and fitted 10 gauge strings but suddenly the guitar didn't sound any good. Perhaps it was designed for 9s only but that sound unusuall to me. Sounds great with 9s though.
Also frets are wearing bit too fast in my opinion and it does go
out of tune more than my other guitars (even cheap copies) in varying temperatures for example on stage under lights but one gets used to tuning more often if have to be.
One BIG problem was the saddles while using tremolo (when I bought it). The saddles had a very stupid square edge and when tremolo was used, strings would brake all the time. I've filed gently the saddle groves to a round shape and since than no problems. Bad design I guess.
Also, I bought the Strat in LA and when I brought it back to Sydney I found the trust rod was stuck. How can a new guitar can be sold like this I can't explain. Very sloppy!!! Here Fender Australia didn't want to hear about my problem even though guitar had International warranty. But after a phone call to Fender factory boss in US they
changed the neck for me here while lamenting something like "you guys buy thes cheaper overseas and then want us to fix 'em under waranty"
so here is my message...Up yours! It's your job to do it!

Here goes 10 to USA Fender for support and hmmm... ok I'll give them 5 here in AU for changing the neck fairly soon after they've been ordered by Fender US.

I've been playing 25 years or so. If this guitar got lost I am sure I'd never find another "new" one that would sound as good as this. I hope that never happens but if it does, I'll be looking for pre 1990 Plus or maybe 70 strat.
I'll give 10 for the sound but 8 for the rest so make it 9 :-)

This cost about a grand in 1994--prices went down a litlle later. American made (damn straight). LSR nut and locking tuners. Thinner neck which is perfect for me--don't like the baseball bat necks. These were only so-so popular which is why they were eventually discontinued--but they are definitely a pro-level strat. Anyone wanting a Strat should try to find one of these used--the build quality is exceptional.

I liked the Gold Lace Sensor, but they just don't sound the same as regular magnet pick-ups. They don't cut through and distort in the "right" way--even if they are real quiet which was a plus. I've changed to Seymour Duncan Antiquities as my style has changed. I can strongly recommend the the neck position Antiquity--It is perfect. Still looking for the right bridge PU.

I don't like to give out 10 for just anything, but it really deserves it on this one.

I have never once had a problem with this guitar. No broken strings despite my style which is very bending and tremolo heavy--no tuning problems, nothing. Just a damn good workhorse.

The neck has a satin finish that is just so nice. Just great, unified design all around.

Really elegant "crimson sunburst" with ruby-red wood grain coming through. It's one of the most beautiful finishes I've ever seen on any guitar from any manufacturer--Fender didn't make too many with that finish and they should make more--it's really fine. A joy to look at every time. Calls out "touch me" like a beautiful woman you'll never get bored with.

Ten years later and after way too much abuse, everything is still just about perfect. The finish doesn't flake off despite the abuse I've dished out. Some of the frets are slightly showing the wear of thousands of hours of playing and string-bending. All metal components are fresh and non-corroded. Truly a tank. I've taken the neck off for some suitacase traveling--goes back on like a charm and ready to play.

Never needed it. Wouldn't expect too much.

I've played a number of other guitars Hofner Veri-thins, 335s, Les Pauls, Telecasters, PRS, G&L--basically you name it. I've never wished I had something else: this guitar is my friend and companion for life. Older PRS are just great for playability and "balance" but I never fell in love with their pick-ups. I also play a Gibson 355TDSV for the humbucker sounds it's best for--but single coil it's still hard to beat a Strat or a Tele.

I've played through a blonde Fender Showman, BF Bassman, Deluxe Reverb, and a Mesa/Boogie Formula Pre. This guitar loved them all.

If it were stolen, I'd look for another one just like it. I've not played another Strat that I liked better. Could probably get one fairly cheap these days used. I might try some of the boutique strat copies if I had the cash--some of those are real nice too. It goes without saying that the import Fenders should be avoided--you'll end up selling it pretty soon if you're serious about your playing. Buy a used American Strat and customize it. Most of the imports are basically junk with problems that show up pretty quick (intonation, neck warping and quality tuners are so important)

The axe was built in 98, in the US. It came with Sperzel locking tuners, Lace gold pickups, TBX tone controls, roller nut and a trem-setter tremolo arm. The finish is silver with a mother of pearl pickguard. The fretboard is rosewood. The body is alder. It also had a deluxe aero case, cable, cleaning cloth. I bought it at Sam Ash, NYC. It was the last in stock at a closeout (sold 50% off the real price!).Tim, a very competent salesman, urged me to pick that bargain up before it was too late! In the beginning I was slightly disappointed by the sound (glassy-bell all the way). But after becoming familiar with the axe, I changed the pickups and I found a formula to meet my versatility demands. I put a Blue Lace at the neck (vintage humbucker sound), a standard '82 in the middle (big and twangy strat sound with prominent midrange) and an '82 X-1 at the bridge (hot with bite, open and balanced). I also switched to bigger strings (11-49) to get a bigger sound and get the most out of the rosewood fretboard (Clean an deep bass, snappy edge if you pick hard). With these changes, the guitar blossomed.

When I bought the axe I was switching from traditional, clean electric blues (T-Bone Walker, Lowell Fulsom) and country to jazz. My jazz style is boppish, but somehow traditional (Herb Ellis, Barney Kessel, but also Grant Green). Thus I could integrate most of my older chops into my new playing. Even the touch and the technique could be recycled into the new style. My axe was the physical incarnation of that evolution. It is so versatile that I could reasonably play all of these styles with one instrument! In 2000 I attended some jam sessions in NYC and carried my strat indifferently at the Red Lion (blues) and at Small's! (jazz). The main quality of this guitar is that, no matter which amp you get at a jam or in a rehearsing room or at a gig, you will be able to produce at least a couple of good sounds. With tone and volume at 8 the neck pickup will give you a warm and clean tone, big, smooth and with enough definition to play a convincing jazz phrasing. With volume at 6 or below you can comp or chunk pretty well. The other pickups give you a variety of fine strat tones for other styles.The responsivness to the touch of this axe is very good, and it will spell out clearly every nuance of your playng. I guess the good woods and the roller nut add extra definition and strings separation to the strat tone, giving this instrument an extra dimension and more versatility. I say the rating is 8 because to me a 10 is the 1959 D'Angelico owned by my friend Bob. Proportions should always be kept in mind.

As I explained before, I changed pickups and strings. Thus I had to completely change the guitar settings (bridge, neck, etc.) I had the octave thing and the trem-setter thing done by a pro. The guitar had no flaws, except for a loose volume knob (fixed by the shop the day I bought it). The finish is the usual, rugged, Fender finish

The axe is a very reliable working instrument. Easy to tune up, holds the tuning well (thanks to the lock tuners and roller nut) and never, never ever breaks strings.Woods are stable and the neck needs no readjusting (not until now). The professional session man can go out to work bringing along only one guitar: this one. It will suit a lot of differnt jobs both live and in the recording studio, and it doesn't need a backup.

I never dealt with it.

I have been playing for more than 20 years. I own a 1982 ash standard strat with maple neck, a 1999 american telly with maple neck, a Martin acoustic and a semi-artisanal archtop. The amps are a Fender 75, a Peavy Classic 30, a Fender Frontman 25 and a Fender Sideckick R 15. I never use pedals, but care very much for good cables, which make a difference! If the ideal solid body was 10, this guitar would be 9. When you play blues or rock in loud live sets it has the sustain, the body and the twang you need with more definition than any Gibson. If you like it muddy, then you can always close the tone. If you want to play a jazz set without carrying a big archtop, then you CAN do it with this ergonomic and good sounding guitar. It is by far the best guitar I have ever had (with the exception of the Martin) and the best Fender I have ever played (probably also because I carefully adapted it to my needs) I could sell the rest of my equipment tomorrow, keeping only this Strat and the Martin, and I would be happy with it.

1989 American Strat Plus,
black finish that fades to a midnight blue,
originaly came with 3 gold lace sensor pickups,
maple neck,
I don't know for sure, but I'm assuming the body is alder because everything else on the guitar is top of the line for that time
LSR roller nut - the string rides between two ball bearings
Locking tuners
The volume and tone controls are TBX but the later strat plus's may have the newer delta-tone controls

To be honest, the lace sensors don't fit my style very well. I play blues and blues influenced classic rock with influences of Eric Clapton, Hendrix (and I'm not just saying that like so many people do), Dickie Betts and Santana. The pickups seem like they're lacking something. You just can't get that true early strat sound('54-early 70's).

Currently I use a crybaby and then go clean into a Fender Hott Rod Deville 4x10 (suprising common from the other reviews)
I replaced the gold lace sensors with silver because they have more mid range and increased output. I did that because Eric Clapton's first signature model( the one with gold lace sensors) had a mid boost put in.
I have to agree that the gold lace sensors are great with eliminating noise, but you end up sacrificing the classic strat tones. I think I'm going to replace the LS's with either the fender 57/62's of the fender 69's.

one of the cool features of the LS's is that you can get as close to the string as you want and the magnets won't effect the string vibration. With the silver LS's I got too much of a bite though, so I backed them off.

The Locking tuners are awesome! they never go out of tune, it made me almost lazy though. I pick up other guitars and get annoyed cause they're going out of tune all the time!

I bought it used, but when I did, I had it set up for 11 gauges. it holds intonation, action and all that good stuff very well.
the pickup routing is different, not bad, actually probably better acousticly, instead of three single coil sized holes, there is one rectangular sized hole. I guess for humbucker installment.
The wiring was all very professionally done and not run threw.

I saw a tape of SRV holding onto the whammy bar and flapping his strat around the floor concocting his tremelo into shapes not intended, all the time slamming the guitar into amps and other random things to help the feedback and all around spectacle, then pick it up and then play the remainder of the song in perfect tuning. Give you an idea of how American Strats are built?

I've never dealt with the company in regards to problems with the strat, but their website makes it apparent that they care about their customers. Everything from helping you find out what year you guitar is, to giving advice on tube amps, guitar setups and other important things. Proud to say I own a fender.

I've been playing for five years which in comparison to some of these other guys makes me look pretty unexperienced huh? But I consider myself pretty educated as far as all this stuff goes. If this guitar were stolen, I would probably buy a used american strat, replace the pickups and put locking tuners on it. Gotta have the locking tuners.
Overall, I love the guitar, but I don't think the lace sensors or even the new noisless pickups are very personal. They are intended to be versatile and they do that well, but when you are looking for your own sound I think it's better to go for something else.