Fender Highway 1 Strat

22 medium-jumbo frets, alder body, maple neck/rosewood fretboard, S/S/S w/5-way switching, vintage-style 6-screw vibrato (yay!). Just the way a Strat ought to be. That's enough tone possiblilties for me, but there ought to be a tone control for the bridge pickup (I fixed that on mine, though, read on). Guitars are like tools - if you need a different one, get one - don't use a screwdriver for a prybar. Strats do what Strats do, but that's a LOT. It's the crescent wrench of guitars - it fits most music. Laquer (!) transparent green finish, WBW pickguard (ho-hum). The tuning keys are good, but I switched to Schaller locking to help keep it in tune (good for ANY vibrato system). I own other guitars for the jobs a Strat can't do, but this is my 'workhorse' guitar. If I could only own one guitar, it would be a Stratocaster. I bought this one with the intent of getting into an American Strat cheap, and changing it as I went along. It's perfect for a tinkerer like me !

I play blues mostly, some rockabilly, and some rock. Using this guitar with a '65 reissue Deluxe Reverb, a BF Vibro Champ, a Marshall JCM-900 50w dual reverb combo, and an Ampeg J12T. The stock tones are, well, stock Strat. The bridge pickup was too sharp for me, and the others were a bit weak (again, for me) - I like a good tube growl when the guitar is turned up, and want it to clean up some when turned down. I also wanted versatility, so I sold the stock pickups and bridge, and put in Lindy Fralin SP42's AND a Fishman Powerbridge. I used stacked pots, so now I have one master volume, a tone control for each pickup, and the onboard Fishman Powerchip preamp, and didn't have to do any cosmetic changes to the front of the guitar! It sounds warm now, and gritty when turned up, but cleans up as much as I like it if I turn it down. The Powerbridge is waycool for pseudo-acoustic tones. If you listen from another room, you'd swear the single-coil pickups were P-90's. Twang ? No...that'd be my Nashville Power Tele, but the stock pickups are perfect if you like a "regular old Strat tone". Heck, I played it in the music store, so I knew what I was getting into before I bought it...don't you do that, too ?

No complaints at all here. When I stripped it to do the pickup work, though, I found some factory production control paper stickers under the neck at the body joint...paper sustain damping, in my opinion. I removed 'em to advantage regarding sustain. With a screw-on neck, sustain is the weak point of Fenders anyway...why would the factory not consider this ? I like the nitrocellulose laquer finish idea, but I'm not sold on the tonal characteristics thing on a solid-body, and the finish is delicate - a strange choice for a guitar that's not cosmetically stunning to begin with. That said, it IS a vintage vibe. I think as long as the finish is solid (read: not enamel or urethane), you can't hear the difference. Anyway, I really don't care as I want a custom finish anyway, so my intent was always to get it redone. Except for the neck joint paper, the factory did an outstanding job on fit and finish!

Aside from the delicate nitrocellulose finish, Strats are tanks. As long as you don't smash it or immolate it, it should offer years of trouble-free service in conditions that would give a semi-hollow or hollowbody player nightmares (ya really wanna play that L-5 outdoors on a foggy evening?). And if something should break, parts are cheap and plentiful. And talk about variety...it's the small-block Chevy of guitars - EVERYONE makes Strat parts from plastic to pickups. There's no glue joint/dovetail/resetting for the neck - if you step on it and break it, as long as you can operate a screwdriver, just bolt on a new one and do a setup. Try that with your ES-XXX or Ric !

Never had to deal with Fender directly. Maybe their service guys are like the Matag repairman...

Been playing on and off since 1970...was sidelined for a while with carpal tunnel. I also own a Mexican Nashville Tele, a '60 ES-125 TD, a Les Paul Classic DC w/p-90's, and a Gold Tone ES Banjitar. Amps are listed above; I also use a Pandora PX-4. Various stomp box effects...TS-9, MXR Blue Box, MXR Super Comp, EH Octaver, Boss DD-5, Boss PW-10, Mutron III, and Toneworks Realtube rackmount. I'd definitely buy another Hwy One if mine were lost/stolen, and may do so anyway for another project guitar. What do I love/hate about it? It's a great vintage vibe with the combination of features. I liked it before I modded it; I love it now. Again, I played it before I bought it...don't you do that? Actually, though, the fingerboard is a little flat-radiused for me. I bought it because I used to have a Strat years ago, and wanted another, but knew what I wanted to do with it. You can always mod it some to suit you...witness: Clapton, Knopfler, Malmsteen, Holly, Valens, Vaughan, Johnson, Hendrix, Guy, Lofgren, et al. If you want to get into a great US-made Strat cheap, buy a Highway One, you won't go wrong!

See this link for full details of spec http://www.fender.com/gear/gear.php?op=3&partno=0111100

Mine is a Honey Blonde as pictured

I spent an afternoon trying out about a dozen Strats from Mexican to top end USA, and the Highways stood up exceedingly well. Noticably better on all settings than any Mex ones, and better than a couple of the considerably more expensive strats I tried.

I can't fault the sound - it's variety incarnate, and none of the tones sound less than very good.

Ive done a bit of recording with it - sounds top class!

Action was fine - no buzzes. The fretboard seems particulary well made, certainly when compared to mex srats and as good as any other of the more expensive strats around.

As for the asthetics, is all very basic, nothing on it is flashy at all, white fret marker dots ect. As is well documented on the other reviews the paint work is shockingly thin! And VERY VERY fragile!!! I am a carefull owner, my Cherry Sunburst Les Paul looks vertually as new after 7 years heavy use. But after 3 months my Highway has two major gashes (down to the wood!) and one little nick. None of which I even recall doing, I think the paint literally FELL OFF!!!

If this bothers you, and it might, stay clear. But in my humble opinon it can look kinda cool. and it's the sound that counts!!!

The body had a big dent as well. I'm quite sure fender use 'seconds' for the bodies on highways so its well worth a thorough going over before you buy. They nocked a little off the price for me!

OK the fininsh is dodgy but everything else seems top notch I cant see myself having any problems.

NA

For the price it can't be beat, if you can over look the cosmetics you'll get a quality guitar with a top class sound!

I plan on getting 10 years plus use out of my little beauty!

I recommend it to friends!

bought it new in 2002. vintage style pickups & 6 point trem. modern c-shape neck. mine has the blonde finish w/ maple fretboard. 3 single-coils(staggered alnico 2 mags)

i am mainly a blues player & this guitar nails the vintage blues sound exactly. it gets ran through various amps but usually a behringer 210 when jammin' with friends or (my favorite) an original '55 fender princeton when practicing. either way, it has the unmistakable strat sound. a bit noisy especially when the gain on the amps is cranked up but like i said, they are vintage style pickups.

right out of the box the guitar seemed to be set up pretty good (at least for me). it came strung with .009's but i like it a little looser so a drop down to .008's really did the trick for me. the finish is thin but thats one of the reasons the price is low so it's understandable. the finish, hardware & plastic were all in fine shape. no apparent flaws.

it seems pretty well made but i wouldn't expect the finish to last very long. if you bump it you are almost certain to end up with some kind of blemish. but hey, things like that just add charactor, right?

no clue here, sorry

i've played off & on for about 20 yrs. i usually switch back & forth between this guitar and a gibson lp (depending on what sound i'm after that day) if it were stolen i would definately replace it immediately. if you like the vintage strat sound & dont have big $$$ to shell out like me, this is your guitar.

Wow!! I went into the Guitar store to buy/order a Washburn NX3 and ended up walking out with a Honey Blonde Highway 1 Strat! While waiting for the clerk to finish up with the guy before me, I grabbed a Highway 1 to kill time. I wasn't plugged in at first and was overwhelmingly impressed with the action. Once I plugged it in, I knew that I wasn't going to order the Washburn NX3, because I would be a fool to buy one, unseen or played, over the Highway 1. Now I know why everyone loves US Strats, they have more tone than any guitar I have played.

Once again, WOW! This guitar has more tone than any guitar I have played ever. With the 5 way switch and two tone pots, there isn't much this guitar can't do.

This guitar stays in tune nicely. I do not miss Floyd Roses much anymore, I can tell you that. Stays in tune, and is easy to tune when it does go out. I don't miss allen wrenches and fine tuners, I can tell you that much. The simple Fender bridge is a thing of beauty. I never knew how much I missed simplicity of design. The less moving items the better with bridges.

Honestly, the craftsmanship is grat from an assembly viewpoint. The bodies may be factory seconds, which is why they are selected for Highway 1's, but that is just my theory. The action is great, low as can be with no fret reverb. It may take me a while to learn how to flail without hitting the 5 way switch, but it's great to be able to switch sounds quickly when needed.

I know that this finish will wear off eventually, but with the wood grain already showing, who cares?? The satin body has a great feel and the lacquer finish is unflawed. The hardware is plastic knobs, and from past experience I know they hold up well, but if they don't they cost $2.00, so once again who cares?

I would defintely take it on the road without a back up if I had to.

N/A

Considering that I got it for $499.00 brand new, when the usual price of $599.00 is still a great value, I am very pleased. My favorite feature on this guitar is a toss up between tonal range and the killer action. The killer action is what struck me first, the tonal range is what sealed the deal. I just couldn't order a korean Washburn that I had never played for $650.00, when I was amazed at the $499.00 Highway 1 which was in stock. So like many others I am now a Strat owner for life.

Blonde with maple neck and cheap-ass gig bag.

Sounds like a strat. Bridge pickup a little on the bright side, but not a problem for me. Don't forget to face magnetic north while playing. Nice overall tonality. Love the neck pickup for solos.

It was set up a little high, but when I tried to go lower buzzing began to become a problem. New set of 10's helped dramatically. Oh yeah, that finish, which I think is O.K. looking chipped the second day I had it - down to bare wood! Other than the action, this guitar required minimal setup.

Have used it live, she did all-right. Stayed in tune pretty well I guess. Finish will be gone someday soon. Oh well.

Have not called for customer support.

I pipe this sucka through a JCM 900 half stack, also have an Ibanez RG550. This mutha rocks, the tone is there. If you're into high gain don't buy this guitar, great for overdriven or clean tones. May purchase new bridge saddles and sperzel tuners?

I have a brand new cocoa transparent highway one strat. I believe it to be '03 or '02. I always told myself, "Self, you would never want one of these. It doesn't even have an american bridge or anything. It looks kinda cheap with its laquered finish. It's just a cheap knock off so people could just say that they owned an american strat." I was wrong. I never played a highway 1 until I walked in the the music store once and started playing every strat I saw. I already had an american series strat(which I reviewed also on this website) But I just Had to play this one b/c it was next in line. This one is a little different in that it has a black humbucker and 2 white single coils. I thought it was used because I never seen stock pick ups in a fender that did not match, but it's new. It also has a wide 70's headstock. A reg. strat is versitle but a fat strat is better.

Sounds great! Not as good as my american series b/c I put vintage noisless pick ups that one. This guitar has a sweet humbucker, I think it's either an atomic or an enforcer. I heard 2 different opinions on this. All I know is that it sounds good when using a high gain setting and you play chords. It doesn't have the chunk I'd like it to have when I palm mute though, but My other guitars do that fine so this one is good for a different purpose. The single coils are good too. Not as good as noisless, but good enough for a 9.

This was the big seller for me. The feel of the neck and they way it played was so incredible that I bought the day I played it. I wasn't even going to buy a guitar, I just wanted to try a bunch of different strats just to check em out. Plus it was a new shipment of Fenders they just got. The neck felt wider than my American series strat. And the action was LOW! Not to the point of buzzing but it felt good. Very easy to play. The only thing wrong with it was that the jack was loose. Not a big problem. That could have happened anywhere or even during shipping so I won't count that. The finish still seams kinda...thin. That's the only way I can describe it. Altough I like it because my arm doesn't stick to it when I play. unlike most other guitars. I haven't changed the action or set up at all. I don't plan to either. Except when I change the saddles from those crappy one to the ones that are on the american strats.

I only played it out twice so far in the few weeks I've had it. But it seems to be nice and solid. One good hit may damage the finish though, but I don't plan on that happening.

No idea.

I've been playing 4 or 5 years. I'm only 19 years old, but I know guitars. I'm always reading about them and researching them. I've owned 8 guitars so far, 3 strats an epiphone g-400 sg, 3 basses and an Ibanez SA160QM. I'm looking at an epiphone Les Paul Custom right now and a firebird VII. This guitar is my 2nd favorite. @nd only to my american series strat. The American series strat feels just slightly better. Of course it has a maple fret board and this one is rosewood. Not a fancy guitar but well worth the money in sound and feel. email me for more answers to questions and what not.

Everything you'd want in a strat is there.

I play texas/chicago blues. The pickups sound very much like a classic strat. It has a bell sound and a quack sound (a mix of both). I am buying this guitar however because of its resonance. I will put a SD Antiquity Custom Bridge and two SD Anqtiquity Texas Hots into Neck and Middle. I will also get the middle p.u. with reverse polarity, so 2 and 4 can be humcancelled.

As for stock pickups I was 100 percent happy with the sound - its classic. (Remember its in whats in your hands and in your heart that makes the difference).

Strings : 9s.
Action : medium.
But can't u ppl change ur action/strings/pickupheight/tremolo???

The guitar is very solid and is fine for playing live. See any other fender review :)

You have to take care of the finish though.

never dealt with them.

Have a Yamaha Pacifica Tele with an SD vintage '54 lead and Texas Special rhythm.
The highway 1 is an investment. Those of you who have issues with the looks or something like that should take a hike.

this is a 2002 model, the blonde. 21 frets satin finish
frets are large, jumbo
same as the american standard
i've had both, its the same
vintage bridge, which i like
alder body

well, i have always loved fender guitars. i love strat sounds.
i currently have a parker classic, warmoth SRV strat, Ernie ball axis sport, p-90's, seagul acoustic, alvarez jumbo 12 string,
i would say this is my favorite guitar. i wanted a fender that would provide a strat tone. the warmoth has the texas specials and they sound good, but less vintage straty, i think. anyway, i like this guitar. i like the satin finish, i hate lacquer.

satin finish, action is perfect for me. craftmanship looks good
nice tight neck fit

fenders run forever.....
can't hurt a fender strat

don't know

i like the guitar because:
1. Vintage Vibe, looks like a relic
2. sounds great and many tones
3. neck feels broke in
4. i get a great straty sound
5. mine came with a hard case, not a cheapo softcase ! heheheh

2002 US made Highway 1 Strat Honey Blonde finish
I won't list the basic feature here, i'll just say that it has a 22 fret neck like the American Standard but without the new truss rod system.
The pickups are anilco vintage not ceramic as on the mexican strat.
The bridge is vintage style.
Finish looks gorgeous to me!

I use it on my GT6 through a Marshall valvesate amp and it sounds awesome!!!
It's definitively better than the mexican strat, i tried both in the shop on the same amp and there is no way i can compare thoses 2 sounds.
On the mexican all the selected pickup positions sound too extreme (too narrow with the bridge pu, to bassy with the neck pu etc...)
This one is very much more subtile in its sound configurations and sounds way better to me.

The action was OK though a little high for me, so I adjusted it so that it's now perfect!!!
Finish looks great and allows for more body vibrations but seems a bit "fragile" so I give it only a 7

Strats can last decades even without any finish

N/A

My first strat, I also own a Godin LG with SP90s and an ESP with 2 EMG 81.
All my guitar realy sounds different, and the strat has a particular place in my collection!!!

I's a great deal for that price!

The guitar is a very basic strat, with all the things a basic strat should be. It is little bright in the treble pickup but all it takes is to roll off the volume slightly ( this is real common in vintage strats). From the perspective of someone who owns several Strats, this guitar is like a dream. Its Cheap, feels like its been played for years, and sounds excellent.

I had $1500 to spend on a guitar so spent quite a while looking around in guitar shops and on ebay, then I stumbled on this thing. I really needed another strat like I needed another nostril and had no idea about the hype behind this guitar. Being the tone snob that I am, how could I possible consider buying a cheapo entry level Strat? From the second I picked this thing up, I knew it was different, yet familiar. I plugged into an evil twin and could not believe the pure tone. The guitar is really light and you can feel it resonate. Even unplugged it was incerdible. I tried really hard not to buy this guitar but ended up taking it home.

The action was a little high out of the box but easily adjusted down to where I like it. The neck had a little too much relief, again easily fixed. Intonation was perfect, pickup heights were at fender spec and the tremelo was a perfect Strat floater.

I know that the other reviews say this thing has a poly finish, but it is lacquer, thin but true. Fender even includes a card to tell you how to care for it. The thin lacquer finish is why this thing is so resonant. I think this guitar will age very gracefully.

Its Fender, what are you gonna do?

I have been playing for 38 years and am an old fart. I have a lot of guitars 7 of which are Strats (55,58,61,65,67,73, and this one) so I know my Strats. I don't play out anymore in a regular band but to keep from losing my chops I play at least once a month at full volume at a warehouse with about 20 different people (all ages). Its a good party and keeps me from getting stale. I have not played this one out yet but plan on doing so next weekend. I will follow up to let you know how this thing plays for real as opposed to in the bedroom.

usa 2002 21frets standard stat 1v 2t knobs all specs in reviews below

play blues and some c rock type stuff play vox amps this guitar doesnt sound bad it just doesnt sound good either i was thinking it would sound better than my mim tele and it doesnt even touch it im going to trade this for a 69 tele thinline maybe or some sort of tele type guitar they cant be beat

it was set up fine for me i like low action and the neck is very nice even though im not used to it everything was fine

it would withstand all of the road abuse you threw at it i wouldnt go to any gig wo a back up

been playing for 15years give or take own tele and too much stuff to list

Here's a brief summary; more info can be found at www.fender.com

Made in 2002 USA, it's a 2000 American strat without staggard tuners, the Delt Tone Pickup System, 2-point sych bridge, and hard case. The Highway 1 body's finish is subtle enough to allow wood grain to be visible, and the neck finish is Polyurethane, not oil treated. Available in 5 different colors with maple or rosewood fret boards. Essentially, it's a modern Strat that hasn't forgotten its roots. My model is maple and Cocoa (looks sophisticated)

Rating of 9 only because it comes with a gig bag and not a hard case.

Sound is not all that hot (or in other words, it is not high output). This can be seen as a good thing or a bad thing. If your looking for a vintage sound, you will be extremely happy. It's strat sound is well balanced and well defined. If you play in a overdriven environment, expect a little noise or hum. If you like push your amp or like screaming distortion, the pick ups may seem warm yet thin.

Without requarding the hardware, it sounds good even before plugging in. The guitar is very resonant while maintaining brightness and the neck is heavier than non-USA made. In Fender literature, I remeber reading a discription with the word 'twang' in it. But I hear more brightness than twang.

The guitar feels really good. I'm used to Fender Strats and felt right at home with this guitar. The rolled edges and polyurethane give it a soft and durable quality. A top quality neck. Good neck hardware, too (tuners, strig guides, frets).

I had to set the neck and intonation for my playing style. Something I expect to do for any guitar I would buy. My touch is not soft, which is what it seemed to be set for when I first played it.

Rating of 10 beacause of the quality of the neck. I choose this guitar mainly because of the neck quality, feel, and sense of durability.

Vary reliable and durable...kinda seems to be the theme of this review.

I have not much opinion on the customer support. Never used it. But the website is good and presents plenty of information on the different models and products.

I give this guitar a high recomendation, especially if you prefer to use pickups from a third-party vendor. Since it is cheaper in cost than the American Strat, you can use the money you save to buy high-rate pickups while still retaining the American Strat feel.

I will mention the features that this offers over the current strats available. "Vintage-Staggerd" pickups (look and sound identical to the pickups found in the Mexican Standards), 22 fret neck, American Made, Fender/Ping sealed tuners, vintage tremolo, satin matte poly finish, alder wood, three-ply pickguard, medium jumbo frets, the neck plate does NOT say made in Corona, CA; it is blank.

Sounded middy like a strat should, but the pickups are a less-than-par version of the Delta-Tones found in the American Series line. The tone is definately between a Mexican Standard and an American Series. I play through a Marshall TSL602 and Peavey Bandit II.

The neck pocket had a significant gap, and when I returned the guitar three days later to find a better built (QC-ed) model, I found two other HW1 Strats with horrible gaps in the neck pocket. The fret ends were not filed properly and became painful when running your hand up and down the fretboard. I can't believe the faulty QC on these guitars out at Fender America.

Had it for three days and returned it due to inferior parts and Quality COntrol issues. This is essentially a Mexican Strat with US electronic components and a US neck at a US price. Fender is making a large profit on this cheaply made guitar at $599.00.

N/A

Not worth the money. You should wither save some dough and go for a carefully selected Mexican Strat, or spend a few more bucks for an Amercan Series. i am really upset at Fender for conning consumers into thinking this is a worthy US model. It is a cheap Strat assembled quickly with low-cost parts.

A pre-CBS vintage reissue Strat made in the USA. Alcino pickups, vintage body style, flat finish. This wouldn't be the kind of Strat I would get if I was trying to get THE pure vintage strat feel, but for the money, and the fact that this is a USA strat, this is a good quality Strat. When I first played mine the strings were a little high from the neck, I brought it home and tweaked around with it until I got it down low good. I had to straighten the neck up a bit and I was ready to play. Good overall, as with every guitar, tweak it to fit your needs.

Very good sustain, obviously not as good as a 10000 dollar Strat, but it is exceptional.

Through a Super Reverb, she sounds awesome. Through a Frontman, it sounds like crap. It all depends on your taste of sound, skill level, and your amp. Don't blame the guitar for bad sound. Rarely are the pickups to blame.

The action needed a little work, but it was easy to mod and its great now. The finish is cool looking. Although I could just refinish any Strat with a flat finish to give it this look. I'm giving it a 9 because I had to work on the action after I bought it. Once you do that though, it's great.

Stevie Ray Vaughan's strat lasted for his whole career. (Although it was getting fragile through the last summer of his life) A strat is a strat. Hard as a rock.

Fender and the store I bought it from are great.

Great Value, great sound, great feel, great Strat. For 500 dollars a USA Strat is a good deal

2002 Fender Highway 1 Strat, made in USA, 22 frets, satin (flat) transparent turqoise (or is it aqua? well, it's green, at any rate), rosewood fretboard, three alnico strat pickups, vintage style bridge/vibrato arm, typical strat.

I never liked strats, until now. I had two mexican-made strats before this, but I didn't care for them. They sounded pretty close to the american-made ones, and they were far better than the Squiers, but they were just missing something. I guess it's the ceramic magnets that they put in the mexican-made ones. Whatever the case, this Highway 1 sounds like a strat should. This is the classic strat sound that I've always heard, but could never get. For those who say they don't sound as good as the standard American-mades with the regular finish, I say "bullocks". I played a standard American strat right before this one, through the same Deluxe Reverb, and I couldn't tell the difference. In fact, this one sounded a little bit clearer to me. I've never been crazy about rosewood fretboards, in general. The rosewood supposedly sounds a little darker than a maple fretboard. Well yeah, maybe a little bit, but I think that's a good thing. This guitar can still scream, but when played gently on the combined pickups settings through a Fender tube amp, it could make a grown man cry. What a beautiful sound.

The main selling point of this guitar is the cheaper finish and price. I have to say that I don't miss having the regular paint finish. This finish is much smoother, and very comfortable for playing. You have to be a little more careful with this one, though, because if you bump it, there's not as much finish to protect it and you could have an ugly mark in the wood. The action and playability are great, just what you'd expect from a strat. I have to say that I wasn't really crazy about rosewood fretboards on strats before, but this one is really nice.

You have to be a little more careful with this one, given the thin finish, but that aside, I think this is one extremely well-built guitar. I have total confidence in the hardware and electronics. Look how many strats from the 50's and 60's are still around. That should say something about the quality.

Haven't had to deal with them, and from what's been said in the other reviews, I hope I don't have to. I'd say if you have a problem, take it to an authorized Fender dealer and let them do the work on it. They're usually pretty good about doing warranty work.

Great guitar for the money. If you want and American-made strat, but don't want to pay $900-1000 for one, this is your ticket. You can get the same American-made quality and sound for almost half the price. I think Fender really has a winner here.

2002 Fender Strat U.S. Highway 1 (US made), Satin Laquer finish, Mod C neck shape 22 medium jumbo frets, solid alder body with maple neck. 3 pick-up - 5 pos selector switch (Fender standards).

This guitar sings.....I don't know what guitars the critics of this unit use but if they think this guitar sounds bad I would suggest an ear exam and perhaps some guitar lessons....(perhaps finding a life too....who takes the time to review a product you played for 10 minutes and didn't buy....) This guitar follows the long tradition of strats and is no exception. If anything it will quickly become a collectable item due to its unique nature. The guitar has an incredible range of sound due to the traditional Strat set up and adding effects as well as a capable amp makes the experience for a experienced guitarist a pleasure.

Action varies as each guitar made is a unique item. The construction process lends itself to this; even though they are really "mass produced". Several tried at the store had different set-ups....Go to the store and try them all....pick the one you like to play.
Great finish!!....Unique. Flawless workmanship.

How many bad Strats have you heard about?....If it's good enough for Clapton and Cray then it's good enough for me even though this one is thousands less....

Never had to deal with them. Here's a secret....buy from a reputable guitar store, they'll take care you.

This guitar is rock-solid!! It sounds great. I have read with great interest the various reviews both here and on other sites. Most, if not all, have been very positive!! and it is my opinion well deserved. The most distinct thing is that those that have played it, liked it and bought it wrote great reviews, while those that played it, and didn't like it, wrote a poor review.....Again....I don't know what guitars the critics of this unit use but if they think this guitar sounds bad I would suggest an ear exam and perhaps some guitar lessons....(perhaps finding a life too....who takes the time to review a product you played for 10 - 20 minutes and didn't buy....) Guitar buying is something that you need to spend sometime doing; it's enjoyable too. The auditioning process is a very important one, especially when your buying a guitar that costs a fair bit of money. In the end, if you buy this guitar because it had a great balance of style and sound, sound being the most important aspect, then you made a good choice....because this is the guitar you liked and thought sounded the best....The price is just a pleasant surprise!!!!....Enjoy the timeless and incredible Fender tradition.....and in this case value.....;)!!

This is a 2002 American made strat. 22 frets. One volume, 2 tone (one controls the neck pickup, the other controls the middle), 3 vintage single coils, maple neck, vintage fender trem bridge, ping tuners, jumbo frets, gig bag included.

I mostly play hard rock, sometimes I'll go with heavy metal or classic rock. I play this with a Fender solid state stage 112 SE. This amp really does a good job on the "mid shift," with this mid shift you can really control how "twangy" or how "quack" you want the sound be. I also connect it with a Boss ME-33, Digitech GNX-2 and a Metal Zone(sometimes). But it a waste if you use this guitar with the metal zone, cos it just boost up everything and you can hardly hear the unique tone of this guitar. Maybe its because of the low output vintage pickups, it goes really nice with medium overdrive/distortion. ME-33 really does a nice job on this. The noice supressor It sounds wicked on all positions. The clean tone of it is kicking ass. I usually play it with chorus/phaser.

The factory set-up was okay. The action of each string is un-even. Inontation is perfect. All the hardware and finishing are excellent. They also set the bridge floating. The isn't much tuning problem unless I go too violent with the trem. The paint job..., well, somebody doesn't like the lacquer finish but paint job has never been an issue to me so...

This baby will withstand live playing for sure, and I don't thing there's any American strat can't. But still I would never play a gig without a backup. The lacquer finish looks like it easier to wear off than others with gloss finish. For the hardware, well, all I can say is that you can't compare this with the deluxe series.

Not sure abou this, cos I never really need it. It has a lifetime warranty.

I've been playing for 5 years. I also own an Ibanez RG 570 and a Fender Big Apple Strat. My concerns of this guitar before I bought it is the tuning machines quality and the pickups. The tuners so far are great, but I will replace the pickups with lace sensors soon. If any of you get bored with the muddy and bassy humbuckers guitar, and limited, this one is a good one to start with. You can always change the pickups and other hardware later.

2002, USA Hwy 1 Strat (paid $830 cad at L&M, Toronto)
Everything is perfect, except for the paint finish that comes off when you're playing/wearing the guitar! This explains the lower cost, along with inexpensive gig bag. In one year the guitar will look well worn (circa 1950 vintage, at least). Other than the paint finish (which by the way, gives a nice warm vintage tone when using the neck pick-ups) and gig bag, the guitar sounds and plays excellent. So don't panic if the paint comes off, it starts sounding better as more of the paint bio-degrades. I wonder if Fender is willing to recall for paint defects?? Rated 8 today may be a 10 in 12 months!

Suits the sound well as my second guitar for Blues/Rock.
Use a Peavey Classic 50 4/10, with delay, reverb and tremelo.
With any amp it's noisey when turned up high.

Good action (high) facilitate easy bending.
Had to have the guitar re-set at store (minor adjusments).

Yes, except the finish of course.

Always the best

Playing for a very long time, let's see, about 35 years.

Ah, 2002. Good year for guitars I suppose. Especially early August. This American Beauty was made then, and outfitted with a pickguard around the 15 of August. Twenty two frets, not that I use that extra one, but it's nifty. Sturdy, solid Alder body with a great grain to it that really shows up nice in light through the transparent finish. Humbucker, single, single routing, and avery clean, precise rout at that, with conductive paint within. The usual two tones and a volume, five way switch, and three very bridge, crystal clear single coils. Fender markets them as American Specials, though I think they're the US Standards, sans the Delta Tone. The neck is maple, rosewood fretboard. The good ole' vintage tremolo is in place, and not going anywhere. At the other side of the strings lie six cast sealed tuners with Fender on each. A gig bag was included, but this beauty needs a case. It may not be terribly innovative, but its got everything where it needs it.

In a word. Jazz. Through a Hot Rod Deville, or even a Solid State Peavey, this guitar cries just like the two thousand dollar custom shop jobs. Very bright and clear (my bandmates are always telling me to cut some treble!) it has everything it needs to cut through the mix. But with any good single coil, it brings feedback on command, as well as harmonics. If there's one thing I dislike, it's the bridge pickup being a bit thin. It may be replaced with something with a bit more balls later on.

Wow. Double wow. Transparent Teal satin lacquer finish on here. And oh is it ever pretty. Low maintenence as well, it doesn't get smudgy, no sir. However, it's prone to scratches, and small chips as well. Definitely not a finish for the neat freak of the bunch. I've yet to touch the pickup settings, they're just where I want them, a little higher on the treble side, but the bass end is still very present. The single thing about this guitar that actually bothers me, and only a little, is the bridge. Not the bridge itself, no, but Fender managed to mount just a tiny, tiny bit to the left, resulting in the low E string a little closer to the edge of the board than is sometimes preferred. It doesn't affect the sound however, and when I get that far down on the neck, I tend to use alternate voicings anyway. I actually raised the action on it, becase I like a little height, but it was excellent to start.

I put up the rest of my guitars for sale today. Reliable at a gig? You know it. Guarenteed to stay perty? Probably not. The finish is scratched pretty easily, and I assume it's rather thin. However, I like that. It'll gain that old worn out look faster, ooooooh, niftiness.

I'm my own support.

I haven't even played the guitar for two years, so I'm in the novice zone. But in that time I've made myself intimately familiar with the ins and outs of guitars, and when it comes to a Stratocaster...I can tell you most anything you want to know. If this guitar were to come to a bad ending, I would most certainly replace it with another of the same type. I suppose, if there's something I love most about it, is its unique finish. I've received many, many compliments about it from bandmates, friends, family, and instructors.

If you want a bright, clear sound with a great feel to the guitar over all, and don't want to get into the thousands, this IS the guitar. The first time I saw this guitar in an article online, I was resolved. When I saw it at the store, I bought it. Every Strat player should at least try one of these, compare it to the higher end models. It's worth more than how much you pay for it.

2003 Cocoa (creamed on white) rosewood neck, white Pick Guard - Nice Look. I played a red one for an hour then the salesman took the white one out of the box. It was set up with the strings a little higher - plus I have a lot of RED things. So I played the white one and then bought it. Every thing was set up right - go figure?
Nice neck - the frets are mediums not jumbos. The sealed tuners were a nice touch for the price. Fender is always coming up with strage tuners - these a simple and they work.

A little hot. As other reviews have said - Tex/mex Calif. side of hot. Could be the finish. I liked it - I bought the sucker, so I better like it!! 5 position switch - nice "between sound" to get the "Robert Cray" twang with some edge. Not to give it a "Superficial, glowing reviews..." it's got a great sound - I've been a profesional bass player for 30 years and heard A LOT of strats right by my side - a '59 and a '62 as well as SRV editons and some other "custom shop" stuff(the cooler looking the guitar the shitier the player - most of the time) . This rates as a profesional guitar. Hey - they did put FENDER on it and made a big deal about it being "made in USA". IT lives up to the rep!!

Nice action. Like I said - it was set up a tad higher so you can get under the strings to bend 'em. What do I know - I'm a bass player anyway - so the action is not an issue for me.
Little girl Guitar players worry about "action" - Don't Like it?? Fix it!!!
Every thing was adjusted properly after I tuned it up a half step to std pitch (for the price - that was a shock!!). I know - I know, all strat guys love it down a half(Like Hendrix & Stevi Ray). I think they send them out of the factory like that so they play EASY so you'll buy 'em -

Fender - American made - we shall see???
I have a 65 J bass and a odd Presision Elite II from 86 - both are intestructable and stay in tune like a mutha.

What the fuck is that for???

Fender - American made - I heard that the Mex Strats were ok - but I went with USA. In 20 years will it be worth $200 more due to that??? or do I just like to see USA on the headstock - who knows.
It sounds great - I should have bought two. One to keep with all the tags on as an investment - beter that my a 401k which is been reduce to a 101k.!!!!HA
Play - Play - and then play - oh yea - get paid no and then!!!

2002 American Made Blonde Beauty with Maple neck. Now thats a true blonde! Was not too impressed with the slightly crooked string tree, but at least the other one was straight. I got ripped off by the salesman who never told me it came with a quality gig bag and ended up paying extra for a hardshell case. Body is three piece and I admit I always thought they were cut from a single piece of stock. Shows what I know!

My only other electric is a Les Paul that I have had for three years. The most notable difference is the weight. After playing my new "Buttercup" for a couple of days, I picked up the Les and almost dropped it. This Strat sounds good to me thru my Blues Junior amp and cannot even be compared to other types of guitars. It is afterall, a Strat. It rings like a bell on lead.

Action is smooth and no worry of getting fret cuts off the sides of the neck. I have seen guitars with rough fret ends selling for much higher many times. I personally like the finish and realize that is what gives it so much sustain and tone. After all, I want to play it, not put it on display. Pickups are perfectly aligned for proper amplitude. Neck is set very well. I am impressed by the overall finish and fit for a 600 dollar guitar.

Well, if you are thinking of lighting it off with a flammable substance or slamming it into the drums, forget about it! If you are like me and wipe it down and put her back into the case or on the stand next to your favorite chair, it should last a lifetime. Dont forget to give her a little kiss after you just hit that favorite lick and put that big smile on your face.

I doubt I would need any customer support since if the need arises, I would take her down to my favorite guitar man and let him do his thing.

I wish I could say that I am a retired rock and roll star but the truth is, I am just like all the rest of you zombies out there who just love to turn up the amp and piss off the neighbors. I have a Johnson Marquis JM60 and a Fender Blues Junior. My axes besides this beauty are a Les Paul knockoff by Crate and a Martin accoustic. I am pleased with this guitar and for all the naysayers on this board, "get a life". What did you expect for 600 dollars?

It's a great guitar for little $, looks like the mexi standard body with it's hum-single-hum body routing, finish is a nice thin satin lacquer finish that almost looks like a pro refin, just don't look like a traditional fender finish. American stardard style 22 fret neck with good frets and cheap tuners. vintage style tremolo, alnico tex mex style pickups. with fender gig bag

a cross between an old tex mex model & califorina special, both discontiued models but overall good strat tone

looks & feels more like my old mexi standard than a US American Standard or US Vintage reissue, but still worth the $

typical good fender quality

fender warranty as expected.

for a 100% new fender made in USA , while I believe it's probaly mexican bodies with american standard necks and tex-mex pu's, it's worth the $460 + tax I paid.

Summarily, its an American Standard Strat with vintage tremolo and satin finish on body and neck.
Chose the teal green transparent model with a rosewood fretboard ?the most handsome combination in consideration of the matte finish.
The details:
http://www.fender.com/gear/gear.php?partno=0111100

Well, ? it?s a Strat.
The staggered poles piece balance the string volumes nicely.
Am pleased with the sustain and tonal color of the rosewood fingerboard.

Love the neck and fretwork, hated the wimpy strings.
The dealer set it up to my specs: (the stainless bullets were out of stock so I settled for) Super Bullets 3250 M (Gauges: .011, .014, .018, .028, .038, .049 ), add 4th spring, tremolo flat to body, but operable.
The magic of the satin finish is that its non-stick; no more ?gee I?m sweat-welded in place!?

Well, ? it?s a Strat.

The dealer has Fender-trained personnel and handles all warranty and repair. No problems expected; not worried about surprises.

Love it.

2002 Stratocaster, usual features, blue matte finish, vintage bridge, modern tuners. Great gig-bag.

very good for blues, country, & rock. It has a really clean sound with great sustain. Distorted is pretty raunchy, but if you like a grinding "in your face" assault, it will deliver in spades. It really kicks ass in the funk and country departments. The "in between" settings with your amp clean are pure Average White Band, and the single settings are totally Vince Gill all the way. This baby sounds so good set clean I want to piss in my pants every time I strum it. It has just the right amount of sustain and delicious tone to keep me diggin' all night.

I checked out about 10 of these Srtats, and none of them disapointed in the fit; all were pretty good. The finish is kind of drab, though. Fender calls it satin, but it looks more like doggy-doo if you ask me. The salesman said it is a "sparesly applied finish meant to optimize tone, not looks". I have to agree with sparsely applied part, I found a small nick after buying, and the finish was chipped to the bare wood! It looked really thin, like there was only 3 or 4 coats! At this rate I'll have a a "vintage" look in about 5 years! But that's cool, maybe the lack of finish is part of why it sounds so good.

I could break it if I really tried, but I'm in love. Would you hurt the one you love? Yeah, maybe your g-friend, but not your guitar(s).

Who?

If you are prissy about the looks of your machine, stay away from this model. It's not exactly what you'd call pretty. The finish is not what you might expect on a Fender (in fact I don't think Fender has ever done it before). But it looks decent, and you'll get used to it. Tonally though, the sound is premium. It absolutely kills for a clean sound, and has a distorted bite that a humbucking axe can't come close to. I like to think of it's vibe as a tool in my arsenal (God, that sounds typical). It's got a couple of outstanding sounds that my LP can't duplicate.

2002, American made Strat, features (I think) a good mix of vintage and modern standards: vintage bridge, modern 22 fret "C" neck, vintage lacquer used but in a modern satin finish, modern die-cast tuners, and modern electronics with an ultra clean, but available vintage vibe.

Included is an excellent quality gig-bag (not one of those crappy cheapo jobs) and hex wrenches to adjust the action.

The sound can be described in one word: Stratocaster. Everyone knows a good sounding Strat is a guitar gold, and this one is all of that. What really surprises me is that my local guitar shop just got in 6 of these (in various colors), and only 2 were dogs. Most of the Strats I have tried out over the past few years are life and colorless. My guitar tech tells me that one of the best reasons these satin Strats sound good is because of the laquer finish. It is applied pretty thin, and so does not muffle the tone like the ones with polyester finishes. It's not as pretty as a glossy polyester finish, but there is no comparison in the tone and sustain. I had a really hard time choosing between the 4 good Strats. I finally settled on one that sounded (to me) only slightly better than the others.

Anyway, on to the specifics of the sound of this axe...It is truly one of the best sounding Strats I have ever owned, and I have had 5 of these over the years. I'm generally poor, so I got rid of the others in trades for other gear, you know the story. The two best things about the way it sounds are the clarity and the sustain. I have been a Les Paul guy for about 3 years now, and after doing everything but installing single coils in my Paul could not not get a really clear sound from it. Don't get me wrong, the Paul is a wonderful sounding instrument, but you can't really use it for a country or a Stevie Ray type blues sound. My Paul sounds great for distortion rock and jazzy stuff, but the real twang of a Fender can't be achieved. So I searched for a Strat. Man, let me tell you, a great sounding Strat is hard to come by nowadays! Part of it is because compared to a Les Paul, most Strats don't have much sustain. But his one has plenty. I won't say it sustains as well as the Les Paul, but it is very close, and the character of the sound more that makes up for any difference.

I'll tell you (if you're a novice) how you know you have found a really good guitar: you can't put it down. You can play it for hours and still anticipate with joy, the next note or chord. When you can go to bed after playing endlessly on your axe and look forward to playing it again tomorrow you are there.

The action is really good after adjustment. The fit is also good; I have tight neck pocket. The finish is rough. It is not what you'd call "factory". But this is where the money was saved so that you could get an American made Strat at an import price. The condition of the finish is actually a good thing sound-wise. Instead a getting a thick tone robbing poly finsh you get a thin laquer coat and a minimal wood filler which doesn't kill the sound, and which will get better with time, as the laquer shrinks and gets closer and more ingrained into the wood. It's not a bad look, just different. Instead of being shiny and flashy it is warm and glowing. It grows on you. And when you play it, you're not thinking about the finish, you're just thinking about how damn good it sounds.

It's a Strat...nuff said.

Who needs it?

Not that it matters about how long I have been playing, and I normaly wouldn't say, but I know that this review wouldn't be taken seriously if I wasn't experienced, and I do want Fender to get due credit on this guitar, so...25 years. Believe me I know what a good guitar sounds like. No, I'm not a Van Halen or a Danny Gatton, but my ears know sound. And this is a great sounding guitar. Don't you be fooled by the looks of this beast. Don't let the rough finish make you pass this guitar by. Let your ears, and not your eyes, be the judge.

All the features have been detailed by others so I wont go into all that again. It is a basic "no frills" Stratocaster with an unusual finish. Features (for this price range) I'll give a 6. Has a trem so that is an extra feature.

Sounds like a Strat. That's the bottom line. Has the normal Strat hum but nothing unbearable. Staggered pole pieces even out the sound. So far I've used it with no effects into a Laney VC30-210 and a Vox Cambridge 30 Reverb. Sounds good. Versatile. No complaints. For a Strat sound I'll give it top marks.

It was set-up ok at the place I got it from. The action is a little high and it has 9's on it. I want 10's and a little lower. The intonation is very good though (Buzz Feiten aside). The few I got to try didn't have any finish problems at all. The wood grain can be seen through the finish and mine is nothing spectacular (but that isn't a complaint - just an observation). I think the nut needs a little work but it will anyway with the string guage change. No big deal for me...every guitar I have purchased needs a pro set-up to begin with.

One criticism (this isn't just for the US Special) - on the majority of Fenders I checked out, USA and Mexican, the neck pocket isn't as good as it should be on the lower edge. Appreciable gaps were present on nearly all the Fenders with the exception of the American Deluxe. My cheap Samick bass has a better neck pocket than the majority of the Fenders I tested! The top edge is nice and snug however and I don't foresee it being a problem. It is a QC point Fender should look at though. Otherwise everything was ship shape.

I've only had it a couple of days so I can't really comment on longevity.

Everything seems pretty standard and being a solidbody it wont require too much babying. The strap buttons are not the locking type but reasonably decent. Tuners are decent - no slippage. Trem/Vibrato stays in tune unless I go berserk on it. It will need attention for the change in string guage I want but that's normal. No idea about how the finish will hold up.

I wouldn't use anything at a gig without a backup.

I'd be surprised if, with a little care, this guitar doesn't last me until I can't play anymore.

N/A.

Been playing on and off for 11 years but only fairly recently started to get serious. I am very happy with the guitar overall. Price was right for the sound I was after.

I may have picked a Mexican made Classic 50's model instead but the neck and frets wasn't quite right for me. Price was very similar.

Only real gripe is I wish it came with a proper case instead of a gig bag.

I also own a Rickenbacker 370 and a Gibson LP Studio Gothic. The Strat definitely isn't as well made as the Rick. Nor were any I got to test out. No worse than the Gibson for care of construction though. The Gibson is a set-neck and requires more work but the fretwork on the Strat wont need to be touched. My Gibson needed one straight out of the box.

Overall it's a great guitar and I'd buy it again.

The teal green transparent model with a rosewood fretboard. 2002 model, of course. The frets are the same as on an American Strat, with the medium - jumbo feel to them. Usual Stratocaster pickup config. except the middle pickup is nit reverse wound / reverse polarity or whatever, but it doesn't seem to matter in that it is well - shielded or grounded with little to no noticeable hum. Pole pieces on pickups are staggered height and seem to have good balance. Finish is satin, almost flat, very thin, but it shines up quite a bit with an initial polishing. Bridge is like the vintage, six screw model with screw - in arm. Tuners are the American - style nice sealed and tight string through the post - type. It has two string trees (retainers) on the e,b, and g,d strings, respectively. The neck is 25.5" scale and is relatively thin in profile and plays great. Comes with gig bag and the usual stickers and inspection tags.
A nice, straightforward, no - frills Strat.

It sounds great, although compared to my other Strats, it's a little on the bright side. It really does a good job of bringing out the lower notes with snap and that's something that often lacks on my other, more expensive Strats. I use a Mark IV Mesa head with a Marshall 1936 2x12 sealed cabinet. I play through a Clde reissue VOX wha, a Digitech distortion pedal, a Boss DS-1 (the best cheap distortion pedal out there, period! It works!), a Boss Chorus Ensemble pedal and have a Boss digital delay in the effects loop of the amp. The guitar is surprisingly free of noticeable hum in all pickup positions. It has a good bright sound and sounds especially good with distortion. A lot of tones can be had between the five pickup positions. I am one of those guys that sets the tone controls wide open to full treble and alters the bass and mid content on the amp itself, so the tone controls don't really affect me one way or another. I don't dislike anything about the guitar.

The gfuita came with action a little on the high side from the factory, but it is an easy adjustment anyone can do in a matter of a half an hour (intonation, action, trus rod relief). After a change of strings from the .009s to .010s, and the tweaks I mentioned above, the guitar plays as good if not better than a few of my other higher -end models.

The pickups came adjusted too close to the strings, so I lowered them to the usual standard for vintage pickups, which is around 7/64s to 8/64s, allowing the bass side to sit further away from the strings. The neck pocket is soild, there is no tilt - neck adjuster or bi - flex truss rod. Good feature is that the truss rod still adjusts at the headstock through a hole in the end of the walnut skunk stripe, making it easy to fine tune the relief in the neck. I like mine almost flat, with little relief, but also with no fretting out when bending strings in the upper registers. The neck was generally better and more consistent than some American Standards I have ownwed or presently own. I did the usual tightening of key screws at the neck joint, tightened the nuts on the tuners at the headstock face, readjusted the trem to properly float when tuned to pitch, which for our band is a half step lower than concert pitch. The only problem I initially had was that the high "e" string was breaking at the hole under the bridge saddle where it comes through the trem block. There must have been a burr or sharp edge there, so I used a small round needle file to carefully remove the sharp or burred edge and since have had no problems occur.

It is a Fender Stratocaster. Like all other Fenders I have owned and that would be too many to remember them all, it is a solid piece of gear. The finish shines up almost to a gloss if you polish it regularly. The finish looks nice and the wood is nicely grained beneath. The neck is satin in finish as a typical American Strat is. The only funny thing is that I get a sticky residue buildup under my hands on the neck after a while, which normally does not occur with my other guitars. I had the same thing happen with the Voodoo Strats I have owned, but it's not the kind of thing to make me want to declare the guitar as a poor instrument. In fact, I really like it for it isn't equipped with any bells and whistles, yet doesn't seem as inherently "cheap" in feel when compared to the average Mexican - made Standard Strat or Telecaster. There is a notoceable difference in appearance and feel and tone between the Standard Mex model and the American - made guitars. The Mex ones are good guitars, but I just prefer one that comes from the actual home factory. Call me nationalistic, patriotic or maybe even neurotic!

Fender has always been good to me and helpful...I have to wonder about the horror stories told by many others, because they have always corrected what little problems I've had with their products in the last 31 years I've been playing guitar.

I really like the guitar. I'm not some bozo who plays in his bedroom and has little experience. I have played guitar nonstop for 31 years and I think that this, like all the other Fenders in my stable, is a great guitar. What is great to one is not always the same to another, but this is a nice guitar. It is different in that the finish is not buffed to a high gloss, but it has it's advantages in that fingerprints and sweat don't readily show up as they do on gloss.

Standard Strat features. You know the drill.

Doesn't sound any better than the Mexican models. The first thing I usually do is replace the pickups anyway, so this probably isn't a problem for those of you who like to mess around with the electronics as I do (leave vintage originals to collectors, I just want to play!).

Terrible. Fender really screwed up here. Trust me, get a Mexican model for $200 less or pay $200 more and get the real thing. You could even find one of the 70s "lawsuit" copies and you would still have twice the guitar at less than half the price. I, however, like the finish: it has an aged look to it. To me, the looks of the guitars I use come AFTER its playability anyway. That is, after all, what really matters. This guitar is for the person that HAS to have a US strat, but I warn you, THIS IS NOT THE QUALITY OF A REAL AMERICAN STRAT, IT IS NOT EVEN THE QUALITY OF THE HIGHER END MEXICAN REISSUES (the 70's strat is awesome, by the way).

I'm not keeping it to find out!

I love Fender, I do, but this was just a mistake (as was the Smith Strats of 83. CBS almost ruined Fender forever, but thats another story). Oh what the Highway 1 Strat could have been...

As I said, I love Fender. I have 3 Strats: a custom 70's reissue with a brass nut, 2 Dimarzio YJM's and an HS-3 at the bridge (Yes, Yngwie is god), a Mexican standard fat strat with a Air Norton humbucker, and another Strat mutt that is so customized you can hardly call it a Fender anymore. (scalloped neck, newer warmoth bridge, replacement pickups, the works). I also have a Les Paul, a 70s model Epiphone EA-250 hollowbody, a 1937 Gibson J-35, and many other guitars, some vintage, in my collection of over 20. At the moment I'm looking for one of the Japanese HM Strats of the early 80's.

See Website

Sounds like a strat. I replace all my pups with Kinman anyway so I don't get that much into the stock sound. I am pretty picky with my set-up, if I owned this guitar I know I would have it sounding exactly how I want it to.

I tried one out at GC yesterday (that's probably part of the problem)and I was not impressed. The guitar needed a set-up badly as the action was way high...but it did play and sound like a strat. It was solidly built but I just can't get over the finish! I saw a trans blue one and the one I played was trans blonde. The finish looks very toy-like. It may look vintage or worn to some but to me it looks cheap. Someone on the Fenderforum used "orange peel" to describe the texture and the one I played was just like that. Overall, its proabably a good guitar but I will stick to strats from 84-00. Those years, although not vintage, are really great guitars--I have 8 of them so far. Easy to work on, sound great, and very versatile. Plus you can buy'em for 400-500 on eBay. I only wish Fender made the American Standard Strat in Butterscotch or Vintage Blonde!!!

Fender Strats will survive almost anything. I am sure this one would as well.

Never needed them yet.

It's a good guitar but I would pass and get a used American Standard. I really wanted the blonde color one but after trying it I changed my mind. IMO the new finishes look very toyish and not vintage-like at all. They play fine but you can pretty much set-up a strat the way you want. $599 is alot for a guitar without a case with marginal, at best, pick-ups.

2002 Fender Highway 1 Stratocaster. (see Fender's website for specs.) This guitar is a "no-frills" American strat with basic functionality.

The guitar sounds OK. Not as clean as an "American Stratocaster" model, but not bad.

I've played three of these to date and have been disappointed with the overall fit and finish on them. The action was poor, and the trem setup was off -- both of these could be fixed by a good guitar tech. My main complaint is the finish on these guitars -- two of them had poorly matched 3-piece bodies (another reviewer stated his had a 4-piece body), and the stain/finish looked like something I would produce at home with a can of spray paint.....no kidding here. Some areas appeared heavier coated than others with varying degrees of "orangepeel" and smoothness throughout. I can't say that I've ever seen this kind of finish on any american factory finished guitar.

Fenders, in general, are very dependable and durable guitars.

Never had to deal with them

I love Fender guitars, especially the American, vintage, and custom series. I really wanted to like these new ones that just came out. All the specs looked good on them -- vintage vibe with modern neck, etc. What a disappointment! For $599, it's just too much for what you get. For $550, the Mexican reissues and the Vaughn series are just a better guitar. If you really want to go with American made, the $200 you need to add to get an American Strat is money well spent. And, that $200 gets you better pickups, hardware, finish (major improvement), hard case, strap locks, strap, cable, etc.... The Highway 1 guitar idea would have been great had Fender just did a decent finish job,

2002 US Series "Hwy 1" Stratocaster:

22 beautifully dressed and polished med/large frets on maple "rolled edge" board; Ping sealed tuners; two Elite/Deluxe style string retainers on headstock. This neck is the same as all the modern American Series, American Standard, etc., Fenders; satin poly finished; C shape; but standard truss rod (not "Bi-flex").
Four screw plain chrome steel neck plate (not Micro-Tilt).

Solid alder (four pieces on mine) with blue LACQUER matt see-through finish body.

Original style Strat control set up (no "TBX," "Delta," etc).

Vintage series trem w polished, stamped, saddles; six anchor screws in front bevel; three springs in back; solid thick steel inertia block.

Came with Fender gig bag; two Allen wrenches (for neck and bridge saddles); and assorted papers and pamphlets (warranty reply, dealer network), etc.

Classic Strat sound: AlNiCo pickups; staggered pole pieces; #42 wire; no RMRW middle pu for "humbucking" in pu switch pos #2 & #4.
Like a Vintage set up and sound.
Good body vibration.

Perfectly set up with factory Fender 250's (0.009" - 0.042").
Neck perfect, and trem also perfectly set-up, as well as the pickups.

Beautiful job!

Matt lacquer body finish is a bit different. At first I thought it looked sorta cheap, but once I realized it was lacquer, just not rubbed out and polished, it grew on me a LOT!
Acoustic guitars do it, why not electric?

It's classy (and Classic) in its own workingman way!

Gig worthy and Pro level, all the way.

Strap buttons are solid, but not locking. The locking buttons sell at the dealer for $3.95.

I mistakenly said on the Fender Forum, that I thought the trem was die cast inertia block. Fender "GTRD" offered to replace it, as it is spec'd "Vintage syncromatic" style.
When I removed the plastic back panel, I discovered it already WAS a vintage style full thick steel inertia block trem. My mistake. Sorry Fender. Thanks though!

Standard Fender Lifetime warranty

42+ years experience. All styles.
I use this with a Budda Twinmaster 1 X 12" combo for Classic early R&B, Rock, Gospel, and Blues sounds (some Jazz and Country too). For all my electric work, actually.

I was actually looking to replace a Fender Jimmie Vaughan Strat I had sold to a friend who wanted it badly, but they were out.
It reminded me very much of a '97 California Strat I had, except that one was gloss Candy Apple Red and two-point trem.

I love the modern Fender necks, especially "rolled edge" maple!

It would be nice to have a RMRW middle pickup for hum-cancelling in combined positions, but I'll live as-is.

Nice blend of vintage and modern features. I'm looking forward to the lacquer body finish "maturing," appearence-wise and sonically, though I love it right now, too.

Its grown on me, and I would replace it with exactly the same thing. I'd hoard them!