Fender Highway 1 Strat

I have a 2002 Highway One I purchased from Guitar Center for $550, that was originally honey blonde. I say originally because I refinished it to a three color sunburst using nitrocellulose lacquer paints from Reranch. Nitrocellulose was used by Fender up until about 1969 and allows the wood to show through on the sunburst coloring. I used about 15 coats of clearcoat nitrocellulose lacquer over the sunburst and sanded that to a very nice shine. I did this to help keep the body from the dings that Highway Ones seem to otherwise accumulate. I replaced the pickups with custom shop 1969 spec pickups. For those of you that have not peeked under the pickguard of your Highway One, the body routing is the same as the 1960's strats. By this I mean that each pickup has its own routed slot in the body. This is in comparison to the Standard American Stratocaster that has one large routed space for all three pickups. Combine the body routing with the six screw bridge on the Highway One (which is what Fender used up until the two screw bridge was developed for the current version of the American Standard)and the Highway One probably has more in common with a 1960's Stratocaster than it does with its 2000 American Standard counterpart. I was trying to take the vintage feel of the Highway One and build upon it so that I ended up with my own version of a Fender reissue, at a fraction of the cost. I also replaced the standard fret markers with pearl dot inlays just for fun. These did not impact the sound or feel of the guitar in any way.

My Highway One sounded good before I made the above described changes and it sounds fantastic now. I play through a Fender 65 Deluxe Reverb Reissue and the combination of this guitar and amp produces a rich, full sound that is perfect for my style of playing which is primarily blues and blues based rock. I have a couple of other Fender guitars that I play (American deluxe telecaster and American Standard Stratocaster) and I consistently find myself migrating to my Highway One. Since both of these other guitars cost me more than my Highway One (inlcuding my modifications) this says a lot about the sound of the Highway One.

The set up to this guitar was good. I had to make some minor adjustments to the string height but nothing that couldn't be done in 30 minutes or less. The neck plays well. It is not as fast a neck as my deluxe telecaster, but it is straight and there is no fret buzz. The guitar came with a very small indent on the contoured side of the body. Because of the refinishing I did, I was able to fill and cover this so it is no longer present. The refinish I put on it has kept it ding free since then. I was not a fan of the original finish and I don't believe that the finish adds to the sound of the guitar. I think the Highway One's vintage tone comes more from the routing of the body and the bridge, both of which are consistent with the earlier stratocasters. My rating reflects the poorer finish, but this is an aspect of the guitar that is plain to see at the time you buy it and so if you are OK with its looks, this should not be a factor (or you can refinish it).

I have owned my Highway One for a year and it stands up well to consistent playing. I am not playing in a band and so I have not gigged with it but I would not hesitate to play it in any situation. I did not like the strap buttons that were on it and so I changed them out to Fender's locking strap buttons. This is a very simple and inexpensive switch and I encourage anyone that plays their Highway One a lot to go ahead and do the same thing. Given the Highway One's soft finish, avoiding the dreaded strap drop is important and strap locks will make sure your Highway One stays on its strap.

Never had any reason to seek repairs. I probably voided the warranty with all my upgrades anyway.

I have been playing for a few years now although I still think of myself only as an intermediate player. I think my ugrades cost around $160-$180 including paint, pickups, strap locks and fret markers. The labor was free because it was me. This means a really good vintage sounding 1960's style strat, which is how I think about my Highway One now, cost me about $700-$740.

I really enjoy playing this guitar and I would hate to lose it. If it were stolen I would buy a good used Highway One and then redo the modifications I've described above. Of course I would have to track down the SOB that took it and beat them for the touble they were causing me.

Well I think that this guitar is a great value. I here the complaints and they are very un researched. Like Ed with the neck comment. I have seen many expensive guitars with bad necks that come from either the factory or the shop handles them badly. I just bought a Highway 1 and to tell you the truth I wanted the Jeff Beck model but I like the tone of this guitar way better. The light finish is for tonal response not a production cost. The guitar has all vintage fender hardware excluding the string trees and the machine heads which imo doesent matter. A string tree is a string tree the guitar doesent know the difference it only can respond to the height. The keys on this guitar are fine. People who complain about keys don't knoe how to properly string a guitar so it will stay in tune or set the intonation. The guitar is great for blues and country not metal or grunge rock. So those who are comparing a fender strat to a les paul should not even own a guitar. I am a blues/rock country guitar player and this is what this guitar is for. I have a 67 fender deluxe reverb black face and just a little boss over drive pedal. thats all you need to get great tone so all you assholes buying the i pod and millions of plastic effects processors get back to basics thats wear the tone is. This is a great guitar and is great for certain styles of music.

Very vintage strat-good blues SRV and Jimmy sounds and sustains well.

Needs a set up and action must be raised but the bridge seemed to be set up very well.

It's a strat will out live me and my grandkids.

Never delt with.

Been playing guitar for almoste 15 years and this is a good guitar for the money.

Same as the rest - it's a Fender Stratocaster, 3 single coil pickups etc etc plus a "Deluxe" gig bag. (Does anybody do a non-deluxe one?).
Got a free strap with mine as well. Colour on mine is the less popular Cocoa which earned me a BIG discount (#100 off - that's $150US) purely because this colour doesn't seem to sell - what do i care what colour it is, you don't buy them to look at!

Sound like a vintage strat - just what I was looking for and at a fraction of the cost of a vintage one and considerably less than the American Series.
Sounds great through a valve (tube for our US cousins) amp - great Hendrix like tones. A little noisy for my tastes but then my main guitar has humbuckers so I'm used to low noise levels. A great tip here - I use an Engl Screamer amp which has a volume boost from the footswitch. This can be set to increse the volume when switching from a Les Paul to a single coil guitar so you don't need to worry about volume level dropping.
Main selling point for this guitar is the neck - a great feel. My other guitars are a Les Paul and a Rick 330 which both have heavily lacquered necks, this makes a really nice change.

Came fine out of the box - not changed a thing. Haven't tried the trem yet - not my thing. Finisg looks fine - not as glossy as my Rick, but then what is?

Seems sturdy enough - a real workhorse. Finish will probably rough up a bit, but that's what it was designed to do judging by the sales blurb from Fender

Haven't needed to find out

Been playing 10 years. As already stated own a Rick 330, Two Les Pauls - one Epiphone, one Gibson 2002 Standard. Use an Engl Screamer amp with just a chorus and a wah. The amp has the sweetest overdrive on the planet so don't need anything else. Bought the strat to fill a gap in my sound - have resisted for years as my first ever guitar was a terrible Encore Strat copy which was the worst guitar on the planet and put me off strats - I now know that it was just a bad copy, not a problem between me and strats. Wouldn't say I love this guitar - my loove goes to the Rick and the LP, but am already very fond of it and will keep it safe. Have tried the US Series and the Mex Standards, I prefer the tomes of this one, but tone is VERY subjective - some people like Country Music ;)

Watch out for H1 models with bad necks. All of the models I've tried in different stores had a more or less pronouced bow starting at about the 15th fret down to the nut. There's no trussrod able to correct this. You'll have to remove the frets and level the whole neck or better, have the neck replaced.

I guess Fender is using wood that has not been seasoned long enough.

Even 1 $ is too much for any new guitar with such a bad neck.

My Fender Highway 1 Strat has the features I would ideally hae in a Fender guitar, and I'm not normally a hughe Fender fan myself. It has 22 frets, one volume knowb, two tone knobs and a five-way pickup selector. As most Strats have, it has three single coil pickups. It has and alder body (which I love for weight and tone) and a maple neck and fingerboard. It has a satin crimson transparent finish. The neck is nice and thin. The tuners aren't all that great, but that's to be rectified soon. And plus, I got a gig bag for it. Cool.

This guitar is very suitable to my style of music. I mainly play funk, jazz-fusion (sort of) and just rock. I can't tell you what kind of rock since I'm very lousy with the categories. As far as amps so, I use a Crate GX-212. I used to have an old Vox Series 90, but that's a long and sad story. My effects include a Boss Super Phaser, an Ibanez DE-7 Delay, and a Crybaby wah. This guitar has a great sound. The neck pickup is nice and clear on the cleans, and the bridge pickup handles the distortion without muddling it. It's also very easy to switch pickups for dirty and clean sounds. I use the middle pickup when I'm trying to get a more jazzy feel, but I always use it with either the bridge or neck pickup on as well.

You know, as nice as this guitar is, the factory has some horroble presets for it. The action was a bit low since I could hear the strings buzzing through the amp. The G was the worst of all. It sounded like a sitar, even at the higher frets. The pickups were fine.

Well, I've had this guitar for quite a short time, so I can't yet say.

Nope.

Overall, this guitar has everything I love. Everything I find wrong with it is just a small variable that is easily rectified. I love the feel of the neck (mosly cause it's maple. I think Fender should only put maple on their strats. It looks and feels the best.) I have tried many guitars in my area, and the Fender has beaten them all as far as looks, sound and feel go. I would definitely get another.

Everything what is useble on a Fender strat.
3 single coils, Honey Blonde, and rosewood fingerboard.
I allready have my 3e Highway strat, the first had damage on the body finish because in the shop they put it on a standard with neoprene protection, this is what the Highway laquer not likes. On two spots the laquer had came off. I discovered this the same evening off the day i bought it. I contacted the shop and finally after a lot off dicussion they ordered a new one of the same specs.
The first one had a body off 3 peaces Alder and was sounding very, very good.
When i get the new one, i discovered that the body was made off 4 peaces Alder.( I don't like that, by 3 peaces the neck and bridge are fitted on the same peace off wood and i think this the best way to get a good sustain ).
The sound off this second one was poor compared to the first one. The G string was very dominant, it sounded not well balanced. I played it for a half year but always preferred my Tele. Now recently i saw in a shop a very nice Highway strat, Cocoa with maple neck and a body off 3 peaces Alder. The finish on this Cocoa colored Strat is very nice, it looks much better than the Blonde one.
This 3 peace bodyed strat is sounding very well balanced like the first one so i bought this one and the shop bought my Blonde one.
I am very glad now with this Highway strat.
So take a good look at the body, they are not all the same.
A good peace off wood is the base for a good guitar.
Its only a 7 because not all Highways are made off the same body wood specs.
The neck off all guitars was were perfect.

The sound is perfect, like a good Strat must do.

Only the nut needed some work for a good action.

This is a real Fender, a good guitar made off good material.

Fender lifetime iss oke, the shop also did good work.

I play a few years.
I also have a Fender Highway Tele, an Ibanez as 73 and an old Yamaha steelstring acoustic.
I will buy another Highway but look very good to the wood off the body.

This is a typical Stratocaster. The finish is different from the average Strat due to laquer (translucent satin finish, mine is red). De Luxe gig bag included, tools, etc.

When I bought this guitar I tried at the music store an American De Luxe Stratocaster and compared it to the Highway. I was surprised that the Highway had by far a superior tone at half the price! I was astonished. This Highway 1 has a superb Fender tone (which is what I was looking for), very well balanced, quite dynamic and with a good spectrum of sounds. I tried other Highways and the other three in stock had the same sound. I chose mine 'cause I liked the red color, but the sound on any of the other Highways was equally good.

I'm mainly using a Zoom Palm Top Studio for practicing and a Line 6 POD. The single coils are a little noisy (as any pickup of this type). The guitar can make a lot of differente sounds, from jazzier tones with the neck pickup to poignant solos. I play blues and I wanted a versatile axe for Jazz and Blues, and this guitar is perfect. I really like it, and for the price you can hava a genuine USA Fender with great sound. This is one of the best Stratocasters I've ever played. I also have a Stevie Ray Vaughan Stratocaster that has by far the best Fender tone I've ever heard, but this Highway sounds quite good (and costs less), I'm very satisfied with the sound and tone of this guitar.

Although I'm not a metal guitarist, I cranked up the distortion and had a very good tone also. I'v been trying heavy-metal riffs, power chords and hot soloing and the sound is also really good, so it's not only a Jazz-Blues guitar. I like to use just a slight overdrive, and you retain all the original rich tone.

Very good sound, exceptionally good may I say.

The guitar was not perfect from the factory. I adjusted the action, the intonation and the pickup height. Minor adjustments and mainly to perfectly suit my needs, but I have to say that the factory set up was decent overall.

The general finish is perfect. The USA quality is there, no doubt about it. The only thing I disliked was a scratchplate with some scrap around it.

My guitar had some flaws and dents. When I read the manual and the flyer regarding the laquer finish I found that it reacts when in touch with rubber, latex or plastic. I have to say that I saved about $100USD due to these flaws, but I always like to have my guitar in a guitar-stand to play it any time, and practically any of these devices have rubber, latex or plastic, so in time the finish will not last. I also found that the laquer is not rough at all, you can wear it off very easly. I think the finish will not withstand years of use. Actually I do not have anything against a well worn guitar (just think in SRV's number one Strat, pretty cool to me), but if you really want to have it in mint conditions for many years it will not be easy.

The hardware (bridge and tunning pegs, mainly) are quite good, much better than Mexican Strats or Chinese Squiers, wich is really good.

I think you cand depend on it, and the core of the guitar will withstand many years of use. The finish is another story as I told, so take this in consideration if you're planning to buy this model.

I've being playing for 16 years, and in all my life I've owned more than 40 guitars (I keep about 20, I tend to get rid of the bad ones). I also have a PRS CE22, a SRV Signature Stratocaster, a Santana SE, an Ibanez Joe Satriani among other guitars.

I love the Fender sound, it is just incredibly good. The finish is nice too. I really like the Stratocaster model and I was looking for a long time for a good one.

For many years I've been looking for the perfect guitar. For me the perfect guitar has great sound, is quite versatile and doesn't cost you a leg or an arm. There are superb instruments if you are willing to pay up to $2,000, but I've found that when you have a $2,000+ axe you are actually somewhat afraid of playing or damaging it.

This Highway 1 is -as I mentioned before- a real USA made instrument, a real Fender (not that Squier crap, nor a made in Mexico guitar -I am Mexican, but the quality of the Mexican Fenders is not as good as the Americans, that's for sure-). This Strat that sounds just as it's supposed to, and you pay less than $1,000. I think the bang for the buck is quite good.

If you want genuine Fender tone and quality in a mid-budget and you can live with scratches and dents on the finish, I think this is a terrific option for any range of guitarist.

Brand new American made fender stratocaster (tag says 2002).
It has everything you would expect from an american strat which says it all really.22 frets, dot inlays, modern "c" shaped neck, 3 single-coil pickups and syncronized tremelo. Mine's in transparent teal green with mapel fingerboard and looks the dogs bollocks!

FANTASTIC! I play types of rock and blues and inparticular love solo work from Satriani, Vai, Gary moore etc. I have a 69 les paul deluxe through a Marshall avt 150 head and jcm 900 cab, though I bought a strat for one reason. HENDRIX!!!
As awesome as my les paul is I could never quite get that classic hendrix tone from it, so I was not dissapointed when I bought this as it re creates his sound perfectly.
It sounds fantastic both clean and distorted and totally lived up to my expectations of an all american strat.

Again flawless. The guitar was set up perfectly as soon as I took it out of the box. It plays like a dream and is so smooth which I have found to be unusual in new guitars as the ones I have tried usually feel quite chunky.
I love the finish and was actually the main thing that attracted me to this model in the first place as I had the readys for an american standard though I was completly sold on the laquer finish which resembles the classic cherry sg look with the grain of the wood visible through the gloss.

Feels totally sturdy to me. Would definatly gig without a back up.

Never had to deal with them as I have had no problems.

I have been playing for 4 years and wanted a strat ever since I first saw hendrix tear his up and this model totally lived up to my expectations! It looks, feels and sounds fantastic and is also budget friendly. The only reson I can think of for its price is that it does not include a hard case, though it did come with a very well paded gig bag as a suppose fender have got to cut costs somewhere becouse they sure as hell didnt cut them in making the guitar!

Highway 1 in Honey Blonde with black pickguard. Rosewood fretboard. This baby came already loaded with Fender Noiseless Pickups. Other than that all stock.

As i said it came with the Noiseless pick-ups, so i've had absolutly no feedback. I play it through a Marshall MG30DFX amp. On distortion this baby is warm and full. I usually only use the bridge pickup with distortion, becuase of it's brighter sound. On the clean channel the guitar is very bright. My favorite part of this guitar is it's vast tone variety. Using the pickup selector i have been able to create a sound that sounds almost exactly like an acoustic, so there is no need for buying an acoustic. I play lead guitar for a Hard Rock band (AC/DC type of music) and boy does it pump out those fat distorted tones. The only sound it will not do very well is Metal. If you want metal don't buy this guitar! Even with the gain and contour at 10 on my amp, i can't achieve metal on this guitar. but otherwise, a perfect 10.

I bought it used, so i don't know if the guy i bought it from adjusted the actoin or aynthing. But the action on mine is perfect; low for clean playing. The input jack is also a little loose, but nothing to worry about.

Finally, the finish. Why the Highway 1 guitars are so low in price are especially because of the lighter finish applied. The finish is very light, therefore more vunerable to scratches and dents. On my guitar, a kid wearing bug spray was playing. His arm was rubbing against the front and bug spray stuck onto the guitar. The only way to get it off was to scratch it off. unfortunatly the finish couldnt handle our nails and the paint fell off in some places. Also, around the edges where the guitar hits your body, the paint has worn down. not worn off, just worn down. I like the look of a used guitar, but any good guitarist knows of the scratches that just appear out of nowhere. on the Highway 1's the scratches are much more abundent. But the finish feels really nice.

If i had to play a show, i would not doubt for a second, the ability of my guitar. I would trust it and have no need for a backup. (of course no matter how much you love your guitar, always take a backup. what if a string breaks? what are you gonna say: "hey everyone hold on for 10 minutes so i can put in a new string." no.)

As i said before, the finish is thin. Over time the finish will wear off where the guitar rubs against your body. But everywhere else, there is no sign of the finish wearing off.

My guitar has only fell once, and thats becuase my strap got tangled in a way that it fell. It wasn't the strap buttons fault. (luckily i caught it!) It's a Fender so i know it's going to last. I know plenty of guys who still use their Stratocasters from the sixties and they play like heaven.

never dealt with them. hopefully i'll neverhave to, knock on wood.

I have been playing for over a year, and this was my second guitar. My first guitar was a Squier Bullet, And i have an Epiphone Les Paul Custom in the mail as we speak. If it we're stolen or lost and i didn't have another guitar, no doubt would i buy it again. This baby is amazing and it looks sweet.

The pluses of the Highway 1:
Stays in tune well
Easy to replace strings
Fully adjustable bridge just in case
FAST neck. very smooth
Such a wide variety of tone

Bad things about the guitar:
The light finish
Doesn't bend too well (might just be me)
When using a whammy bar, it goes way out of tune

For pictures of my guitar go to:http://f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/markboy252/lst?.dir=/Guitar&.view=t

I would highly suggest getting a Highway 1. its a great value and a wonder to play. Rock on.

Feel free to email me any questions at Markboy252@yahoo.com

I'm reviewing the H/S/S 2003 Hwy 1 Strat I bought. It comes with a large headstock (lates 60s, CBS era), a transparent color (cocoa in my case), and a thin layer of laquer (acrylic, not nitro). It has medium jumbo frets (taller and just a little thinner than my LP custom fretless wonder) and a vintage tremolo. Five position switching gives you the sweet 2 and 4 position sounds even with the bridge humbucker. Only one comment on features. What's up with two white covered single coils and a black humbucker? Looks kinda funny. My singles are getting Black covers. :)

Overall, this guitars is very versatile.

I play blues and hard rock/classic rock. I did enough of the "weedlie weedlie weedlie" stuff back in the 80's. I play through a variety of amps. My main two are a 65 Ampeg Gemini II and an early 90's Ampeg VL1002. I go straight into the VL1002 and sometimes I'll put a tube screamer in front of my Gemini II. My setup is pretty simple. It tends to accentuate differences between guitars :) . This strat is one of the best sounding strats I've played (I've gone through 6 strats, Japanese and American). Typically, when I've had a strat for more than 3-4 months I get really fed up with the bridge pickup sound (thin) and trade or sell it. I'll play my tele (52 reissue),then my strat and the strat hits the road. This strat is different! It has a bottom end response that other strats just don't have. Not to mention that the bridge pickup makes it sound like I'm playin' a friggin' SG! Because of this, I get the 2 and 4 position sounds that keep me commin' back to a strat and I get a great lead and rock rhythym tone from the bridge pickup. Very nice. Now, whoever is saying these guitars sound thin must've gotten a bad one of the bunch or I got the top o'the heap. This guitar has ton's of balls on any of the pickup settings. I suspect that the amp or effects could be producing thier thin sounds (weedlie weedlie wee) :). I don't mean to be cruel, but some of these guys talkin' about guitar tones are playin through J-Stations and head phones! A J-station is a great tool for practice and quite playin', but hellfire, they're like toys and they process the sound so much that just about any guitar would sound the same through'm. Never played a POD, but I suspect the same from them.

Fit and finish was fine. Only issue is how light color the rosewood fretboards are getting these days, but that's a fact of life now (scarcity of nice Brazilian rosewood). The thin laquer coat suits me fine. I never was a fan of the 1/8" finish covering the body of a strat (ok maybe its more like 1/32", but you know what I mean). One of the reasons vintage Fenders are so nice is that the finish has thinned from use or the nitro laquer has had a long enough time to breath and oxidize. At least that's what I think.

As far as setup out of the box goes...who cares! I always put Ernie Ball 10's on each guitar I get and set the action, truss rod and intonation. You think these guitars don't flex and change from the time they leave the factory until you grab it?

Gig without a back up...right? I knew you were kidding :). The strat seems as solid and durable as any Fender. If the neck breaks, put another on it. My compatriot in our band dropped his strat plus from chest high. It got a ding on it....oohh. I was hoping it would've broken the neck and the body, but no luck. I hated the thin sound of that guitar (lace sensors..oohh). Could've been his Carvin Nomad 4X10 half stack, but I don't think so. (Hey, Dave...if your reading this).

Don't have a clue!

I've been playin on and off for about 17 years now. I quit playing between the ages 17 and 25 (started when I was 13). Picked it back up and have enjoyed it ever since. I own a few LPs (75 deluxe, 72 custom and a 96 Gem), an Amer. 52 RI tele, Hwy 1 Strat, 72 SG Pro, couple of DeArmonds (Helluva guitar...Starfire Special and X155), 2002 LP DC junior (faded), Squire Deluxe tele (another Helluva guitar), and I play through a few Ampegs. I've got an Ampeg GV22 (late 60's Gemini), Gemini II, VL1002, SB12, Jet-12T reissue, and a 68 Fender Bandmaster with 2X12 cad and a 4X12 Fender cab. I used to play an ART ECC through the Bandmaster.

This strat is the most flexible and best sounding strat I've had. It sounds great through my main rig as well as my other amps. Its a welcome tool to add to my tool box.

Made in USA, I guess 2003.
21 frets, 1x volume, 2x tone, 5way-selector, vintage bridge /w trem
3 single-coils
maple neck and maple fretboard
finish is crimson transparent red(looks gr8!!)
gigbag

i use a marshall 60w valve amp. the sound the guitar makes is exactly the sound i was looking for, jimi hendrix-style :D. there are a lot of options because of the 5way-selector and the tone controls.
i'm afraid the bridge pickup isn't really able to get along with disortion for some rock, so i rate the pickups with a 9.

the guitar is set-up and adjusted perfectly. there aren't any mistakes or whatever. the wood is awesome, i just love it. :P

i can depend on the guitar. i would also use it for a gig without backup. solid guitar, solid bridge, solid strap-buttons.

didn't deal with the company

i love jimi's music, so this guitar was made for it. great guitar, perfect for its style.

First thing, I had to submit a review because it's obvious that one of the latest submissions had to be of a different guitar (mexican?)not a Highway 1. The guitar was said to have tiny frets and small strap buttons. Just the opposite. I have a green H1 with a maple neck and board. Medium jumbo frets ( an old Ibanez Artist I have from the 70's is the only thing I've seen with larger ones). The strap buttons are so large I had to increase the size of the holes in a strap I bought for it!That said it has a nice alder body (pretty grain)and the standard strat features. I was able to get guitar center to switch the gig bag for a molded plastic case. Some stores will sell this guitar for as low as 499. Ask them to take the price of a gig bag off of a molded plastic.

I play mostly classic rock on gigs. At home everything except thrash.The pickups are not very powerful but they sound great. They need to be adjusted as close to the strings as possible without causing intonation problems. Most people including myself angle the pickups a little lower on the bass side. A little harsh sounding on the bridge, nice in the middle, cool blues on the neck. The position between the middle and bridge pickup is GOLD! I use this guitar with a hot rod deluxe and it sounds great. The amp has plenty of power so the lack of powerful pickups can be compensated for.

The guitar was set up well and had good action. I never had a strat before so when I changed the strings to 10's (from 9's) I wasn't ready for the tuning problems due to the tremelo springs. I tightned the springs a little and everything settle down. I use the vibrato sparingly and this guitar stays in tune very well (surprisingly so). The neck plays like butter. The finish has a few minor flaws. Anyone who purchases one of these knows about the finish anyway. Lemon pledge really seems to work well with this finish it seems to drink it up, turns darker and deeper looking. Could help protect it a little as I haven't noticed and new dings.

I've played several gigs with this guitar and it seems to be holding up nicely. Certain clubs have bad wiring and only a humbucker will do.On most gigs the single coil hum is only bad at extreme settings. I usually gig without backup, I have three other electrics so I guess I'm lazy in my old age. I've been playing for over thirty years and this is a great guitar for the money. Just be a little careful with the finish.

I also have a telly and the hot rod deluxe. I haven't had to contact them for anything. The deluxe needed a minor repair at the local shop I purchased it from and it was covered - no charge.

As stated, been playing a long time, have the Highway, a 2001 american telly, an old les paul junior and a 78 Ibanez artist. I play these through the hot rod deluxe (another lot of bang for buck product). I this were lost or stolen I would by another. I've never been a strat guy but this guitar has changed my mind. The overall rating could have been better with a better finish and slightly stronger pickups. Then again, it would probably cost a couple hundred more and that would defeat the the whole idea of this thing.

it looks like a strat,thats where it ends.

sounds like crap! i went out to buy a used guitar to get me by because it let me down.got a peavey strat copy it blew the highway one away in sound and playability

this was the main problem. it never takes me more than 15/20 minutes to set up a guitar, i tweeked on this bitch for dayz
never finding that sweet spot. mainly because it did'nt have one

if your a 3 chord strummer in the first three frets you,ll do fine
i think?

lets not go there

been playing for about26/27 years
i use a hotrod deluxe in the clean channel / boss pedal/fulltone
fulldrive2/wah/univibe clone
i wish i could have set this guitar up before i bought it, it would have stayed at the store!
please someone steal this guitar
the last 3 fenders i,ve bought all sucked!i will never buy another fender guitar again! buy a godin!sd.
thought i,d give fender another chance, mistake! 550.00 MISTAKE!
PEOPLE DONT BE FOOLED BY THE NAME! THEY HAVENT MADE A GOOD GUITAR IN YEARS. THEY JUST MAKE ALOT ,THAT MIGHT BE THE PROBLEM.

Made in USA in 2002. 22 frets, a laminated green top. Normal fender specs. Volume knob is too close to strings, a pain in the ass.

This guitar has absolutely NO SUSTAIN. I play alot of Yngwie, but wanted to try a regular strat before putting out the big bucks for the Malmsteen signature. I have a Line 6 spider, and the DOD 250 overdrive pedal. This guitar makes a ton of noise on whatever setting and sounds like trash. Frets are tiny, and not comfortable for soloing. Sounds thin and very harsh.

The actions was not good, within a week of owning it, I had to get it fixed because of fretting out and buzzing. Guitar center charges a helluv'a lot for that.

I think this guitar would stand live playing barely. I much rather prefer my Les Paul. Strap buttons are tiny, and has almost hit the ground countless times.

Fender is so unaproachable, and I wish they hadn't bought Jackson. Their website offers no help or way to contact them, only hot to buy their products and why they are so good. Its much too corporate of a company, and it looks like unless you want to pay thousands of dollars for a guitar, their massed produced ones are terrible.

I have been playing for about 5 years, own a Les Paul, RR1 Rhoads, and an ESP. If it were stolen, I would laugh at the idiot who stole it and never buy a fender again.

This guitar is best conceived as the bottom of the US-made range made by Fender. It has a nice rosewood fretboard with 22 medium-jumbo frets, white dot markers, excellent tuners, walnut skunk strip, faux bone nut, one piece maple neck. The neck is thin, but has a curved fretboard so if you're used to modern flat fretboards, like me, this will take some getting used to - especially if you like large string bends. For complex barre chords, however, the curvature is a dream. The string trees have rollers to guide the strings, thus alleviating some of the hassles trees can cause when the vibrato bar is used.

The body is constructed of 2 pieces - of Alder, I believe - and is finished in a very thin nitrocellulose satin transparent off-white. The finish is quite vulnerable to the slightest knock and must be kept away from vinyls as they will eat through the vintage-style lacquer. The pickguard is a 3 ply white-black-white affair and looks quite handsome against the off-white body.

The bridge is the traditional Fender vintage bridge - adjustable saddles for each string, finished in a very high quality chrome-plating. The bridge is good for what it was designed for - light virbato, not dive-bombing etc. It is set up so you can raise the pitch a quarter of a tone, as you would in some Stevie Ray Vaughan songs, like 'Pride and Joy'.

Rob, the owner of the guitar store I most often frequent, described the Highway One as a replica of a 50s Strat. The neck, bridge and finishing materials are examples of this, as are the electronics. The three passive single coils are from Fender's vintage series, and the middle pickup is not reversewound so you do not get hum-cancelling in selector positions 2 and 4. This is tolerable, but I have already decided to get a reverse wound for the middle slot as I love using a bit more drive with positions 2 and 4 to get that Texas sound.

It came with a Fender gig-bag, but as this baby cost me 2 weeks' pay I'm not entrusting it to anything less than a proper hard case.

I give this guitar a ten for workmanship and features. It hasn't got tons of features - it is a Strat and a damned good one at that.

I like blues, blues-rock, jazz and a little shred so this guitar meets most of my requirements. Once I get that reverse-wound pickup in the middle position, it'll be perfect.

I play this guitar through my Fender Deluxe 85. It is a solid-state amp, but should not be dismissed on this basis. It has a tone that always attracts compliments and perfectly suits single-coiled Fender instruments.

If you bump up the gain too much, of course this guitar will hum; but, if you're a gainiac, then you really ought to look elsewhere. The sound ranges from ice-pick through the middle ear on the bridge position (think early Led Zeppelin Tele sounds - it can be a really useful sound) through to super warm, round and fat on the neck position. In between, it can sound country through funky.

Nothing beats the variety of a Strat, except maybe a Strat with a bridge humbucker with coil-splitting, but humbuckers are left for dead by the pickups on this guitar.

In terms of sound, there is NOTHING I don't like about this guitar. I merely want to extend it with a new middle pickup.

Rob set-up my guitar when I bought it so it was perfect from day one.

The pickups are adjusted really well, and the strings articulate clearly and at the same volume if you pick consistently.

The build quality of this instrument is exceptional. Having owned cheaper Strats and Strat copies, I have come to know the weak spots of Strat design and the makers of this guitar have certainly paid careful attention to ensure this is a toneful, strong, beautiful instrument.

My only concern is that the finish is very thin and easily damaged. This is in part intentional as it is supposed to end up looking like a vintage instrument, but I think the whole vintage fetish is just ridiculous at the moment. Some old guitars are very nice, but why would anyone want to buy a new one that will look like damaged goods in a few years. Fender, you need to offer proper finishes on these Highway Ones.

The documentation, tool kit, advice and one year warranty was reassuring. Fender seems quite interested in customer satisfaction with their US-made instruments. Hopefully I'll never have to test them out about warranty matters, etc.

I've been playing for 7 years and have dreamt of owning for an American Stratocaster for at least a decade.

This guitar is my baby and if anyone were to take it I don't know how I would react - so don't test me.

Made In US, HSS configuration, the colour is a beautiful Amber transparent. The body is three piece Alder. The neck is the modern
"C" shape with a rosewood fingerboard and 9.5" radius. The tuners are Fender/Ping Standard Cast/Sealed Tuning machines. This strat
is the Highway 1 fat strat so it has two Standard Vintage Style Singe-Coil strat pickups with stagered Pole Pieces, Alnico Magnets in the neck and middle and an Atomic Humbucker in the bridge. The guitar has master volume and tone controls for the single coils, no tone control for the humbucker. The pickup switch is the usual 5 position blade. These guitars of course come with Satin Lacquer Finishes, which makes for a nice sound, but we'll see about the durability. These guitars also have Large 70's style headstock and decal's. The guitar also features 22 medium jumbo frets, nice neck
to play. For an affordable American made Star how can I not give these features a "10". This guitar is Strat through and through.
The guitar also features Vintage Synchronized Tremolo (which I will
never use) see "action fit and finish".

Classic Strat sound on the single coils with the extra flexability of the humbucker in the bridge, makes for a very diversified array
of sounds. All positions on the blade are unique in sound. Other reviewers have suggested that positions 2 and 4 are not hum cancelling, but they seem quiet to me. This guitar can go anywhere from Jazz to Country to Rock (not shred metal of course) but 60's and 70's rock, which is the only music worth playing anyway. For Christian Contempory music this guitar is a nice addition to the music arsenal. I recently bought a used Fender Prinction 112 plus amp
(about 5 or 6 years old I guess)and the two make a good combination.

The finish is fine so far, I suppose it will look like a relic sooner than the high closs finish guitars, but this is where most of the $ savings comes in. The guitar was set up for "9"s and I prefer "10"s, obviously the Trem didn't handle the 10's very well so I had Rick at the Arts block the trem (I don't use it anyway) and adjust the intonation, neck and action to suit the 10"s. Now it plays great. This is pretty subjective as all new guitars require
some tweaking.

Strats are time tested for 50 years, I'm sure that all but the finish will endure. Everything else on the guitar is solid. I'll give this a 9 because I know the finish will go.

I have never dealt with Fender, any decent music store should be able to solve most problems.

I've been playing since 1975. I also own an El Degus Telecastor(great copy from 1976), a Segull M12 Gloss, a Martin D15, Fender
Mexican P-bass. In terms of Amps I have a Fender Princton 112 Plus
and a Yorkville Am 100 acoustic amp. None of my gear is expensive
but it does the job. These Highway 1 series guitars are a great value just like the "15" series Martin guitars, which is why I have invested in both. I gave up on looks and finish and settled for the
classic sounds.

2002 Highway 1 Stratocaster made in USA. It features a beautiful Saphire Transparent finish in satin laquer, I think it's acrylic laquer, not nitro. The body is 3-piece Alder, fairly well matched. 1-piece Maple neck with really nice feeling satin poly finish and 22 medium jumbo frets. The pickups are standard vintage style, I think, and it has the standard Strat controls. Vintage style tremolo and Fender Ping cast/sealed tuners. I think a Hardtail option would be a good idea.

I'd give it a 10 because it's a classic Strat with the classic features and then some, but the Fender Frontline magazine states all the Highway 1 guitars have their neck plates stamped with "Corona, California" and none of them do so it gets a 9.

I use it through a Fender Pro Junior and it sounds great. I really like the "in between" sound in positions 2 and 4, especially 4, very "bell" like, classic Strat sound. Has a nice bite in the neck PU, especially at higher volumes, too much bite in the bridge though, I may switch the PU's out for a set of '57/'62 Stratocaster PU's, the kind in the American Vintage Series '57 and '62 Strats.

I give it a 9 because it's a great sounding guitar, the thin laquer finish probably has a big part in that which is cool, but I think it would sound even better with '57/'62 Strat PU's.

I blocked the trem which in-turn lowered the action to where I wanted it. The PU's were WAY low, I had to adjust them to where I like 'em, which most people do anyway, but they were REALLY low.

The three pieces of Alder for the body are fairly nicely matched, nothing too obvious. The finish is REALLY cool. It's Saphire Transparent. It actually just looks like a dull dark blue from a distance, which kinda sucks, but if I'm playing the guitar, I can see the grain in the wood, Ash would have been a better choice for this type of finish though. At certain angles when I'm holding the guitar, the finish actually shimmers, and almost looks metallic. The finsh is actually one of the points that sold me on the guitar.

Nice satin finish on the neck too, I love it, and GREAT "C" shape neck profile. At first I didn't really like the idea of the large frets, but I enjoy playing it and don't notice anything different, so I guess it's fine.

The neck joint didn't seem too tight, and the neck was able to shift just a little. I gave each neck bolt another 1/4 turn and it seems to be fine.

The nut is cut fine, but just not trimmed down to the top of the strings, same thing with my MIM Tele and Strat, but is nicely rounded.

I don't mind the setup stuff, I always adjust guitars to my liking, but the not so tight neck joint forces me to rate a 7 here, just seems "cheap".

I don't play live or gig, but I wouldn't use a backup because this is my best guitar right now.

Seems very reliable, WAY more so then my MIM Tele. The hardware seems quite good, will definately last longer then the finish. The finish is thin laquer, which is cool for the sound thing, but it won't last. I don't mind at all that it will most like relic in only a few years, it'll look cool.

I'm gonna give it an 8 because of the finish.

Didn't deal with them

Started playing 7 years ago. I started building guitars 6 1/2 years ago, and focused more on that as I got better at building guitars, but I would like to get back into playing more right now. I own a Fender Pro Junior amp, MIM Tele and a MIM Strat, Northwood MJ-60HM.

If it were stolen or lost, I would first have to save the money, then probably replace it, maybe try a different color for something new.

I love the finish and the price for being made in the USA, I don't like how the neck plates aren't stamped, that would've looked cool.

I was comparing this guitar to the MIM Classic Series 50's Strat, which costs more money. I figured if I'm gonna pay this amount for a new guitar, it should be of a good quality. I actually saw one of the MIM Classic Serieas 50's Strats, along with the American Vintage '57 RI Strat. Both actually looked kinda cheesy with the aged plastic parts and stuff, and the MIM's neck finish looked cheap, so I was sold on the Highway 1 Stratocaster.

What I really wish this guitar had was a hardtail option, I hate tremolos.

Overall this is a great guitar for the money, alot of the MIM series guitars cost more, like almost $200 more, and this is probably a WAY better guitar for the money, COOL finishes too. I give this guitar an overall rating of 9, there were a few thing that just seemed "cheap", but overall a GREAT guitar for the money.

Don't think this needs repeating.

For the money you will not get a better Strat sound. In fact, if you do want a better sounding Strat, you'll have to go buy a pre-CBS. I've been playing them since the late 70's. Strats must be played through a good tube amp though. The Strat is only half the recipe. It's the combination that brings out the magic. I use a Hot Rod Deluxe. A marriage made in heaven. Thde bridge pup as on all Strats is a bit weak so I've put in a Dimarzio HS-2: It's only slightly louder than the others so it doesn't overwhelm them yet is a humbucker.

The neck is perfect. The body finish is thin and chips easily but I'm sure it allows the wood to resonate properly. The steel bridge pieces contribute quite a bit to the classic Strat sound too even though they can feel loose and cheap. That's the irony here. These cheaper features make for a better sound.

Strats last. The finish on mine is getting scratched and chipped already after 9 months but that's a cosmetic issue. A Strat is the only guitar I'd use to cover all bases on a gig.

Never tried

Playing 30 or so years. I'd buy another. This is the Strat to buy and it's the cheapest US model. It nails the original sound and plays great. Once you've got into Strats you realise why so many great players use them: They allow your character to come through better than any other guitar and can sound clean and thin to the heaviest metal sound.

I assume it's a 2003 model.
22 frets.
Cocoa Transparent finish.
Normal strat controls.
H/S/S pickup configuration.
Alder body.
Maple Neck.
Rosewood Fretboard.
Came with a Deluxe Fender Gig-Bag.

Overall, pretty standard, which is good... Everything I need, nothing I don't.

I play metal, I try jazzy stuff from time to time. Despite what has been said by others, this strat handles metal just fine. This has got to be one of the most versatile guitars ever made (in the price range, anyway). I can go from a SRV sound to a Dimebag Darrell sound with just a flick of the pickup selector switch. The cleans are amazing, and the distortion is good, even through my crappy Peavey practice amp. Things can only improve once I get a better amp.

The action is a bit off, and the stock strings are a bit too light for me. Considering the huge climate change between Corona California and Calgary Alberta, I expected this to happen. I've yet to take the guitar to the local shop to have it adjusted, and it still plays great. There is some fret buzz, but I'm not that picky.

I LOVE the finish on this guitar! I have no idea if it does anything for the sound like Fender claims it does, but I don't care. It's beautiful!

Overall, the guitar is damn solid! Sure, the finish is thinner than most, but that'll make it look "vintagy" in no time, which is a plus in my book. This thing will last quite a while.

I don't know if this falls under customer support or not, but I really appreciated all the documentation that came with the guitar. I got absoloutly nothing with my Ibanez (low-end GAX series), and I was completely blown away when I got this puppy! It actually tells you how to care for the thing! It tells you how to adjust the truss rod! etc.... Plus it came with a nifty Fender bumper sticker and a "Highway 1" sticker *nerd laugh*!

I won't give this category a rating... I just wanted to bring this up somewhere.

I've only been playing for a year, so, don't put too much weight on this review. BUT, I still can tell that this is a good guitar! Would I buy it again if it were stolen? I didn't buy it in the first place, it was my birthday present.... so, I dunno. I might actually want to step up a bit on the Fender ladder for the hell of it, but, again, I dunno.

I compared this guitar to the S/S/S Highway 1 strat, an Ibanez RG of some kind, a Gibson SG Special, and some ESP. I choose this over the S/S/S strat because it has a humbucker in the bridge. It was better than the RG in almost every way possible, except for the amount of frets. It beat out the SG mainly because of price, and the ESP I tried just plain sucked.

Anyway, great guitar. Buy it.

- 2002 Model
- 22 frets
- Solid Alder body with Cocoa Transparent satin laquer finish
- maple neck with rosewood fingerboard
- usual Strat controls and pickup configuration though the middle pickup is not reverse-wound so position 2 & 4 on the 5-way switch do not offer hum-cancelling
-vintage style bridge and tremelo

I had a Mexican Strat which I traded in on this and I can really notice a difference in the sound. I don't know if this makes sense, but it sound more like a Stratocaster should, IMHO. It is higher quality and I'm sure the difference is in the pickups. The Mexican was a fine guitar but this one is a step or two up the Fender ladder. I like a clean sound with a touch of chorus or flange and reverb. At that it does quite well. Nice and bright. It sounds okay through my 50 watt amp and does all I can ask of it. It's no shredder by any means (but that's why I bought my acoustic) (just kidding!)It is at home in any type of music except really heavy stuff.

The action was too low and had some buzzing from the factory, and it came with 09-42 strings. I think I'll move up to 10-46 D'Addario's come string change time. There was some sloppy problems at the neck joint to the body. It was marked in one area (though cleanable) and under the end of the neck was some left over adhesive or something. This is supposed to be a superior Made in the USA guitar. My Mexican Strat was finished better than this one. It is a Highway 1 model and maybe it's just a cast-off that didn't quite live up to the more expensive American Strat. It's okay but they could have inspected it a little closer. After all, I may be a custom shop customer some day and my previous experiences count when I decide who to buy from.
The satin lacquer finish was well done and I love the grain of the wood underneath. Something about how it looks screams "classic"
I did stupidly put it in the stand I used for the polyester finished Mexican Strat and it took 3 bites out of the finish. But that was my own dumb move and it doesn't affect the guitar in any way except make it more mine! I did go out right away and got a stand that wouldn't react with the finish. I would suggest that any buyers do the same.

I play live with it. My back-up is currently an acoustic. I probably should go out when I get some coin to get myself a back-up. And I will. I think I would use my old Strat which I traded for this one as a back-up. The finish over time will show it's age and get marked up a bit I'm sure, but I'll just have to be careful, that's all.

No dealings at this time with Fender but I have owned 3 of their products and have been satisfied.

If this were lost or stolen I'd probably get something with a more durable finish. I'd probably step up to an American Strat.

I do wish I'd known more about the finish before I set it down, but "live and learn". I have been playing off and on for 30 years, some of them on bass.

I love the look, the feel and the pride of ownership.

Enjoy your music. I do and nothing puts a big smile on my face like getting on the Strat and plugging it in! Well, almost nothing. There are those other things ;)

Last years model, in Cocoa transparent and rosewood fretboard. Its nothing too special. A very basic strat, but the 3 single coil pickups have a good amount of versitility, esspecially when it comes to a clean sound.

Again its a strat, it has its limitations, but it does everything a strat does. Great for that bluesy sound, or for that matter funk, jazz, some rock styles. A good strat adds a lot of versitility to a collection. Personally I prefer the humbucker sound for most applications, but the strat finds its place

This is where the guitar comes up a little short. The bridge seems a little cheap. A couple of the saddles are on the loose side, and I had a tough time getting the old strings out when I put on new strings. There is some fretbuzz in some places, but the action is kind of low, so it might just need an adjustment.

This wouldn't be my primary gigging guitar, but I wouldn't be a afraid of playing with this one live. Its a strat, it can take a beating.

I got a good deal on this guitar, so I'm happy about that. I paid about the price of a new mexican strat for a new american made strat, so I'm satisfied. The guitar isn't really special in any way, its just a utilitarion beater that can produce some nice tones.

2002 Highway 1 Strat
Made in USA
22 frets
Volume, tone, tone (wired like mexican made strats- front tone control effects neck pickup, rear tone effects middle pickup, bridge pickup has no tone control.
Pickup routing is s-s-h not h-s-h as some advertisement states.
Passive electronics
Alder body, maple neck with rosewood fretboard.
Thin laquer finish
vintage style bridge
Tuners are identical to pre-staggered American Standard tuners.

Great for blues, jazz, pop rock, 80's stuff
Amp used: Recent Fender Vibrolux Reverb.
Pedals used: Teese RMC 1 Wah, Boss CS-2, Ibanez TS-9 (with Analogman mod), Pro Co Rat, Boss CE-2, Boss DM-3.
The middle pickup is not reverse wound so there is no hum cancelling feature in positions 2 and 4. The pickups have a decent vintage tone, relatively low output but with a snappy typical strat tone. The are somewhat darker/ less bright than my two American Standard Strats but still sound pretty good. Like most strats, the bridge pickup is a little too brittle and weak sounding to my ears.
Even though I like the pickups a litte less than those on American Standard, this guitar has a more resonate quality than any American Standard I have played. This is perhaps due to the lighter finish (which I don't really care for) and the vintage style bridge (which I now like more than the newer American Standard 2 point bridge.

Once I got this guitar home I immediately replaced the .009 gauge strings with a .010 set and set it up appropriately. It now plays better than either of my other strats. The neck pocket seemed to be as good as any other strat I have seen and overall, it plays nicely and seems to have been put together well.

This guitar can handle anything any other strat can with the exeption of the finish. It is a thin satin laquer finish that chips and peels easily, so if you are rough with your guitars and like them to look like new this may be a factor to consider. Fender claims this finish will age gracefully but as they have only used it a year or so, who knows.
The hardware is of good quality (with the exception of the bridge, it is the same as an 90's Am Std strat). The strap buttons on mine were a little loose so I took them off, put toothpicks in the holes, and replaced them with schaller strap lock buttons.
Overall, this is a dependable, gig worthy guitar at a great price especially if you find one used. Otherwise you might look for a used Am Std for about the same price as a new Hwy 1.).
I probably wouldn't gig without a backup just because I panic way too easily, but if were to gig with just this guitar, you could depend on it as much as any other.

Never dealt with Fender.

I have been playing for 17 years and have owned 8 Fender Strats. Strats are quirky. Each one has its own strengths and weakness. Overall, the Hwy 1 Strat is a great value. It is American made and very similar to other US made Fenders. The only areas where it seems to fall a little short for me is the wood quaility and the electronics. Both are certainly acceptable but they could have been a little better, but for the money, I can live with it. The grain on the neck is a little less than pretty, but it plays great. The pickups seem a little weaker than what I am used to and I don't really care for the wiring (no tone pot for the bridge pickup). One cool thing I do like is that when you roll back the volume, the sound doesn't seem to get muddy.
But its a really good solid guitar that plays really well and sounds pretty good at a reasonable price for a slab of wood with a neck and pickups screwed to it.

You already know the basic features of a Strat even if you don't own one: three single coil pickups, two tone pots (neck and middle), and a master voulume control, as well as a vintage tremelo system. Mine is the new fangled 'transparent cocoa' finish, which is very nice, with a rosewood fretboard. Comes with a gig bag, but i got myself a Hiscox case at the same time so i've never used it.

Fantastic range of sounds from these pickups, from 60s raspy snarl with the tone pots on 10, to smooth melodious tones on the neck pickup with little treble. These pickups are noisy, especially the middle pickup, and especially when you get within a few feet of the amp (i play it through a dust ridden Fender M80 from the dark ages but you still get this problem through other amps). I play a variety of styles - rock, indie, heavy metal, blues - and this guitar matches my versatility with great sounding clean tones as well as fantastic clarity and thick sound when i'm rockin' out. Stays nicely in tune, i've played half hour sets without the tuning shifting at all. I shopped around for a while before falling for this beauty, and these are the finest sounding single coils with the greatest range of tones for the money.

Had to bring the action down a lot, but that's just the way i like my guitars set up. The finish looks great, but has sustained a few scratches and a chip on the back very easily, but i don't mind, it's for playing, not for looking at. The neck's exceptionally comfortable to play, just the perfect curvature with a darn smooth finish that makes running up the neck a doddle.

It's been gigged a few times, it's rock solid, as reliable as Canadian bands are crap, i never bother with a backup for smaller gigs and it's great. No complaints in this department.

Never had to deal with them, don't expect to.

My only complaints are the noisy pickups, and the fact that i've still got polyethene in the tone pots from when i bought it, but that's my fault, really. Oh, and could do with a proper hard case with it, so you don't have to buy one. If you want a Strat and don't like the price tag on the American Series, then don't even think about a Mexican one, buy this beast, you won't regret it.

Thie Strat was made in 2003 and is American made. It has 22 frets and has the Blond Satin finish. The pick-up are reissue single coil vintage with stagged posts. Has the maple neck and vintage bridge.
It came with a very nice gig bag. I was not disappointed with this purchase.

I play Blues, Jazz, R & B, Funk, and Rock and it feels all my needs.
I play it through and Fender Deluxe Reverb and a Fender Deville and my peddle board has a Cry-Baby Wah Wah, Roto-vibe, Tube screamer, Boss compression pedal, and a Boss chourus pedal. It sounds great but is noisy when you raise the gain or sustain on the peddles. Typical for a single coil p/u set-up but wouldn't trade it in for anything.
Its on the bright side but that's what a maple neck does. When switching the pick-ups you find out that each one has its own tone. it sounds great!!! Very happy with the sound of this guitar.

Both the action and the set-up were suprisenly great. I always have my guitars set-up after buying them but didn't have to do that with this guitar. I use 11 guage strings and it helps with the tone!!!
Their were no flaws what so ever on this guitar.

I already have 2 others strats and I'm sure that this one will last just like the others.
I love the satin finish. I would not need a back-up with this guitar.
it will do the job.

Have never had to deal with them.

I have been playing for 8 years and own a total of 10 guitars and 5 amps. If it were stolen i would waste no time to buy another. I love everything about the guitar and have no dislikes about it. What I like most about the guitar is the sounds you get when you switch pick-ups.

Brand new 2003.
Made in U.S.A.
Solid alder body.
22 Med jumbo frets.
Maple neck, 9.5 radius, 25.5 scale.
Volume, tone 1 (neck) & tone 2 (bridge/middle). (white)
3 vintage style single coil Strat pick ups with staggered poles, alnico magnets.
Vintage style syncronized tremolo.
5 position pick up switch.
Chrome hardware.
3-ply pick guard. W/B/W.
Honey blonde color, satin lacquer finish.
Original headstock and body shape.
Deluxe gig bag.

Suits my needs to a "T".
Use it for blues, jazz and some lighter rock/pop material. U2, Stones, etc.)
I play through a Peavey Bandit II with 112SX extension cabinet.
Also in there are BOSS delay, flanger, chorus and EQ pedals.
It hums a bit, but don't they all? Unless you have noiseless p/u's.
It sounds great. From rich/full to thin twang.
Several different sound variations. Use your pick up switch and tone knobs to see what I mean.
I don't have any dislikes as it's a Strat and does what a Strat should and sounds like a Strat should.

Guitar came in pristine condition.
For me, the action was perfect.
Pick ups adjusted 100% to my satisfaction.
Finish is unreal. It is perfect. Really nice Honey blonde color and satin lacquor finish.
Can not see any flaws. No joke!

I think this guitar will LAST....
No doubt the finish is thinner than most, but big deal. It will make it look that much more like a classic.
Dependable? Yes.

Dealt with Fender before.
No problems.

I've been playing for 15 years now.
I've also got a Peavy Wolfgang.
Play through Peavey Bandit II with 112SX extension.
I checked out several guitar, even more pricey Strats. Didn't miss anything.
If lost or stolen, I'd re-invest in another one.
I love the sound and feel.
Feels like an extension of myself.