Fender Lone Star Strat

'97 USA Lone Star Strat.
Bought used from a "Swap/Consignment Shop" in San Jose, Ca., for $500+ tx, w Fender deluxe form fit and strap.
Two Texas Special single coils (humbucking when combined, upper tone pot affects both)
SD Pearly Gates Plus (alnico V polepieces vs II on regular Pearly Gates) Fender/Seymour Duncan collaboration (I assume F spacing) humbucker in bridge pos, with it's own tone pot (lower pot).

Rosewood board; 22 medium frets.
Schaller/Fender sealed machines, Am std trem.
Shoreline Gold paint (metallic biege) on alder body.

Typical Fender Strat with a bit more sack.

Versatile general Fender sounds. Nice that the bridge pu is fat and can roll off highs with its own pot.
Not "fragile" Strat sounds, a bit beefier.
Thin bridge Strat sound has been taken care of by humbucker and tone pot.
Texas Specials a bit hotter than "normal" or "vintage" Strat single coils, but still chime some. Blend good with Bridge humbucker (middle only).
When blended with bridge pu, the lower tone pot doesn't affect it that I can hear, but the middle pot does the job then.

Good for Rock and Blues, Country, even Jazz.
I endosre Tech 21 amps. I also have a Frontline Reverb for home. practice.

Typical Fender US fit and finish (which is to say good, in my book)
I blocked the trem, which helped the sustain some, though it was OK to begin with. It doesn't sustain like a Les Paul, and it's got more twang than a LP, but it has enough for me.
The rolled edge seems OK. Maple examples seem more rolled to me (this one is rosewood). No big. It's fine as is.

Typical Fender maple bolt-neck rugged. No worries.
Electrical controls seem good and work/sound smooth.
StrapLoks (Schaller) included.
Form Fit Fender Deluxe case is plenty protective for ground travel, but I wouldn't fly commercial airliners with it underneath (baggage handlers are mal-contents, wouldn't you be, at their pay?).
It's a dependable guitar for jobs. I personally usually keep a spare handy, but not always.

N/A

Bought used.

I do my own work, setups, repairs, whatever.

New Fenders have limited lifetime warranties. I don't sweat it with bolt-neck solidbodies with decent OEM parts like this guitar.

I'd replace it in kind, maybe w maple neck (I prefer), but used ones you get what you get.
The current Fender model is the Hot rodded American Fat series, I think. 'Bout the same but maybe pearl dots, H/S/H routing (don't know what this one has for routing, and don't care: swimming pool rout would be OK with me, I don't think it matters).
I've played guitar for 40 years, all style.

This '97 U.S. features an alder body with ash veneers on the top and back, Fender/Schaller tuning machines, American Standard Hardware, a faux-tortoise shell pick guard, a beautiful 3-color sunburst, and a maple neck with a rose wood finger board. Electronics included are two Texas-Special single coils, a Pearly Gates humbucker (Seymour Duncan), and a 5-way pickup selector. This is basicaly a hot rodded version of the American Standard Strat.

Let me say that if you are looking for a traditional Strat sound, this guitar is not the way to go. The Texas Specials are very mid-rangey and don't have the "spank" that a Strat is known for. Don't get me wrong, I do like the way the guitar sounds but just keep in mind that it is "different" than your typical Strat tone. You will either love it or hate it. The Texas Specials and the humbucker makes this guitar better suited for light to mederate overdrive although the humbucker does come in handy for heavier rock styles. The clean tone is not as nice IMO as an American Standard, but it is decent. Overall I would say that this is a very versatile guitar

The guitar feels great. I love the 9.5" radius of the American Standard neck. I have adjusted the guitar to accomodate my playing style. I use GHS Boomers guaged 11-50, tuned down a half step. The guitar is flawless, construction and workmanship are excellent. The controls and hardware feel nice and smooth, no complaints here.

I don't abuse my guitars, but this Strat seems like it's built well enough to withstand some punishment. I don't forsee any reliability issues with the Lone Star and it can definately stand up to lots and lots of playing. I would gig without a backup if not for the fact that I break E and B strings alot (looks like Graphtech saddles are in my futre). I have an oler American Standard Strat that is still in great shape and I expect to have a similar experience with the Lone Star as time goes by.

Never had to deal with them.

I have been playing for 20 years, but have not owned alot of guitars during that time. This is the second Fender Strat that I have owned and I don't regret spending my hard earned money on it. If it were lost or stolen I would replace it in a heart beat. I think that the Texas Specials are good pickups as long as you know that it's not going to sound like a pristine vintage Strat. I chose the Lone Star becaus I wanted to have another Strat, but with a different personality than the American Standard. This guitar delivers the goods and adds a little variety to my small arsenal.

I mean its the usual fender setup. The pickups are amazing even though I onlyt really use the humbucker. But besides that their is nothing out of the ordinary

The perfect guitar! It truely has the perfect soun ive played 100s of guitars and nothing can even compare to this. The palm muting is incredible. I mean i use really big strings, 12 gauge, so that does help the tone i think alot but the sound is beyond belief.

When i first played it at teh store it the action was ok i mean the brige was raised though. Then i got it fixed and now its incredible and i havent had to adjust it once. The only reason its not a 10 cuz i have played a few guitars wit slightly better action.

It has great durability that guitar has been dropped, thrown, dragged, strached, punched basically everything except me smashing it like the who or nirvana if u get me. But it still stays in tune the whole time and still looks great. Actually the pick guard turned a yelowish color but i dont really care about that.

n/a

AMAZING!

go to fender.com , hot rotted american serie .
Mine is three color sunburst.

I give only six point , because she's less effective than my ESP H301 or Ibanez JS-1.After all , it's normal , ESP and Ibanez are from the 90s , the stratocaster from the 60s.

I'm using it with a Peavey Bandit 112 , and a Boss GT2 with some others boss distortion (DS2 , OD2 ,...).

And all I can say is FUCK !
That sounds really reallly good!
Texas specials deliver you a true vintage sound(think of stevie ray vaughan , and Hendrix).And the SD is is is...my english is not rich enought but he is so great...A push/pull ar push/push would be welcomed.

The strings were a little to high for me ,
and the guitar , it don't know how you say that , the strings maked a kind a vibration before i fixed it.

it's a strat , it's fender , a you know what it means.

I dealt with a Fender autorized shop.
Excellent at all. LIFE WARRANTY !!!(I use it often )

I started playing in 1997.
This guitar is less modern than my JS1 for example.It means that if I wanna play some Satriani or metal things(which you need to go to the higher frets) it's harder to do it with the strat.
But if you want the true vintage sound , that when your are playing you feel it into you soul , this is your guitar!
If she was stolen , I would buy another immediatly , this guitar has THE sound , try it , you will understand

Two texas special single coils, one seymour duncan pearly gates plus humbucker at the bridge, and the rest of the usual strat stuff. (Bolt on neck, 5-way switch, etc.) Mine had a maple fretboard. Much better sound (in my opinion) than the average strat, due to these nice pickups.

Great for that Dire Straits "Sultans of Swing" type of sound. Works great for blues soloing and light riffing. Due to the single coils, it doesn't have a lot of chunk to it. So if you're looking to your guitar to produce most of your band's sound, go find yourself something else. But it does have a great sound to it - if it suits you. Not a lot of sustain, due to light wood and bolt-on neck, but strats aren't really known for that anyway. Nice smooth neck, easily adjustable action and intonation.

I don't remember how it was setup when I got it, but I just sold it and I had it pretty good. Someone who really knows what they're doing can really set it up nice. The guitar parts all fit very nice, and the finish was great. My only cosmetic complaint is that after a few years I noticed that my frets had some kind of hard clear stuff on them. I guess that's the clear coat they spray on the neck? Anyway, from all the use and string bends it was starting to come off - so I just scraped it off the frets and gave it a polish. Didn't ever affect the sound, but taking it off took a few chips off of the fretboard finish too. Oh well.

I play a few small gigs here and there, and I never had a backup. Construction and electronics are made to work well - Fender knows how to make their stuff stand up. I don't even baby my guitars as well as I should, and this has never let me down. Made great.

N/A

Like I said, I just sold this guitar. Not because it wasn't great, but I simply wanted something with a little more chunk and sustain, like a Les Paul or something. But I did have the guitar for a few years. My preference just changed a little. If you already like Strats, and are comfortable with the scale and all, I would definately recommend this one. I haven't played too many others, but this one did have a nice unique sound, and having the humbucker is a great option too.

I think the 2 Tex-Special, 1 Humbucker is a great feature which puts this Strat over the usual 3-single coil setup. For the blues and rock tunes I play, I couldnt ask for anything more.

Perfect blues/rock sound. I use a VOX Cambridge at home, and a Hot Rod Deluxe for playing with friends. I have never played a "gig", so I am not the authority on stage sound, but I think it sounds great. The Texas Specials are a little hotter than classic strat single coils, but I think the neck-pickup is perfect for playing Texas-blues.
Semour Duncan bridge humbucker is as close as you can get to Les Paul sound from a strat.

Played great right from the start, but I use heavy strings, so I have to raise my action a bit. For my technique, I prefer a little high action anyway. The fit and finish of American Fenders is second to none.

Well, I never have, and never will abuse a guitar, so Im sure it will last me forever. I have know individuals that beat the crap out of their strats, and they just keep on going. Hell, look at what SRV and Jimmy did to thiers !

Never had to use Fender Customer Support.

The only complaint I have ever heard about strats, is their lack of a humbucker, and maybe a few complaints about the radius of the neck (which any luthier can modify). The Lonestar strat gives you the humbucker slot, and puts a damn good pickup in there. Plus the guitar is a relative bargain when you look at other comparable ones.

This is a year 2000 USA made lonestar strat. Has 22 frets. Usual tone, tone, and volume control from fender. It is a H/S/S set up which is passive. Neck and middle pick ups are fenders texas specials and the neck 'bucker is a seymour duncan pearly gates plus. The body is alder with a beautiful rosewood neck (was after a maple neck). finished in black with a strange looking tortoiseshell pickgaurd which works well.It is the standard strat shape, that being double ctaway with ease to the upper frets.It has a fender tremolo bridge.Tuners not sure about but they are chrome and so far its has not gone out of tune.Included was a moulded fender black case,strap,tools and fender cable and 5 sets of strings. Not the most loaded guitar for features but none the less not stripped either.

This guitar sound splendid. I play rock to metal. Its suits me well.
I run it straight into a mesa boogie nomad 55 2x12. With bucker on via the distortion sounds great. Not muddy at all. Lots of growl but not over the top. I have to admit that clarity is always maintianed. The SD pearly gates is a great pickup. Plenty of output, but not noisy.
The texas specials for what they are sound OK. Great for a claen sound for softer toons. But I did not buy it for that.
Overall impressed.

I bought it off the rack and the set up was A1. The action was not too low and without any buzzing (this does not bother me anyway).
When I purchased it the guitar tech in the shop restrung it with 9's
and did a full pro set up. with regards to the finish one small flaw where a minute paint bubble has appeared. Soon saw to that.The neck is like butter. I had to get use to how fast it was.
Apart from that well built and solid.

I do not play live. Just do session work in studios(usuall my own).
It seems that it will last. Very solid esp. with the alder wood for the body.Has straplocks already fitted (nice touch).
As for using it without a back: Assumption is the mother of F**kups.
ALways take a backup.I have only given it a 5 as it would be unfair to say it was indestructable.Seems like it would take a bollocking though.

Have never had to deal with the company.
From what my oppo's say good support.
So until I call upon them no comment.

I have been playing for 14 years. I also own Ibanez Jem 7VWH,Jem 7DBK,
Jem 77FP, Jem 10, Jem 90, Jem 77BFP, Jem 7BSB, Jem 777DY, Jem 77SK, JS1000BTB, ESP KH-2 + KH-2 OUIJA, PRS 24 Custom, Ibanez RG570EX, Jackson SL2-H, ESP M-100, Jackson DK3 custom, Charvel model 6.
I have always avoided fender because of the kind of music I play but after picking this up and strumming in the shop I was impressed.
Its is a an excellent axe for hard rock (look at R Sambora, Dave Murray, Janick Gers, Bobby Gustafson,). Even good for metal as well.
If it was stolen I would hunt down the MF disembowel him and F**K his girl was he was slowly dying in front of him. Oh and screw his dog as well if I had time.
I like the whole axe. As a whole piece it works well and I take back all those bad things I ever said about fender.
I dont know what the rest of the range is like but I can vouch for this model.
I cant compare as I think all guitars have their own uses, good and bad.
But for under #800 this is a guitar worth consodering(now hot rodded sereis I beleve).
thumbs up fender.

1998 LONESTAR STRAT. 22 FRETS. BEAUTIFUL SUNBUST. ASH BODY, WITH ROSEWOOD FRETBOARD. PEARLY GATES PICKUP IN THE SADDLE, WITH TEXAS SPECIALS IN THE MIDDLE AND BRIDGE POSITION.

I PLAY EVERYTHING FROM CLASSIC ROCK TO COUNTRY. I RUN IT THRU A "65" FENDER BASSMAN THAT IS HOTRODDED TO SIMULATE A BOOGIE. THE PEALY GATES ARE GREAT A LITTLE DISSAPOINTED WITH THE TEXAS SPECIALS BUT THEY PERFORM FLAWLESSLY, A DIFFERENT TONE FROM CLASSIC STRAT PU'S

SET UP WAS PERFECT FROM THE STORE I BOUGHT IT FROM. I HAVEN'T TOUCHED THE ACTION. PERFECT INTONATION. LOVE THE TREMELO. HARDLEY EVER GOES OUT OF TUNE,EVEN WITH A LOT OF WHAMMY BAR ACTION.

HAVE USED IT EXCLUSIVELY FOR 2 YEARS NEVER A PROBLEM. GOT DRUNK A GIG WAS PLAYING ON TOP OF THE TABLES LEAPT FROM THE TABLES, FELL FLAT ON MY ASS, TOOK A CHIP OUT OF THE FINISH SURFED ON IT FOR A COUPLE OF FEET PICKED IT UP AND WAS IN TUNE. ALWAYS TAKE A BACKUP NEVER HAD TO USE IT. LOVE THIS GUITAR.

NEVER

BEEN PLAYING FOR 30 YEARS, I HAVE A KRAMER FOCUS(POS), IBANEZ ARTIST (BEAUTIFUL GUITAR) TWO LES PAUL GOLD TOPS 59 AND 65(NEVER LEAVE THE STUDIO) LOVE THE STRAT VERY VERSATILE GUITAR

I Got a Fender "Lone Star" Stratocaster, I bought it second-hand in january of 2001. Made in 1996 in Califonia its got a little "50 years of Fender 56-96" sticker on the back of the headstock, dont know how much relivence that is... its got 22 frets(one more than usual)and the usual 1 Vol,2 Tone,5-way pick-up selector. This guitar is your bog standard US Strat but its got lots of nice special humbuckers; two Texas special single coils(bridge and mid) and a Seymour Duncan Pearly gates humbucker at the bridge. I didnt get no hardcase with it...poo!

This guitars main feature is its versitility, you can get your strat tones with the individual single coils or like a tele with both the single coils on(there out of phase) or a big rocking metal demon with the humbucker at the back, if it wasnt for the fact that there is something a bit wrong with it(not the pick-ups), im sure it would sound great and id give it a higher mark

As soon as i walked into the shop i thought i had to have it. Second hand so it was cheap but without a scratch on it and my friend owns a Big-apple strat which i thought was great. The colour was perfect, all my guitars are sunburst and this was no exception.For some strange reason, the guy who had it before me had set the bridge as high as it would go( i mean really high!)and some stupidly heavy gauge strings on. I thought i could easily sort the action out but i just can't get it right. The guitar has NO sustain which sucks and i break strings on it almost every time i play which is not down to poor technique or string winding skills. Im hoping if i get it set up properly and the bridge filed down it might stop being so annoying

This guitar feels pretty flimsy. It almost feels like i could break the neck with my bare hands. It has however survived a PA stack falling on top of it with only a few minor scratches.

Dont Know....

The day i bought it i thought this would be the guitar i would keep and play for the rest of my life. Largly because it was the first expensive(if bought new) proper guitar i had bought ( but not my first Fender, i got 3) and because my friends Big apple strat was so good, but there is a huge difference between the two even though there isnt a huge difference in price or model. I want rid of it. Anyone want to trade for a Travis Bean?...thought not.

It's an American 99-00 model, not sure but I got it brand new from the store. It's got an alder body and maple neck. It came with 2 of Fender's Texas Special single coils at neck and bridge, and a Seymore Duncan Pearly Gates humbucker at the bridge. Volume knob, two tones, 5 way selector switch. Body is black, with a tortoise shell pickguard. I don't think they make that combination, and it was actually a screwup, supposed to come with a white one. It was a gift, so I didn't really get to pick it out, and it was ordered via online from Georgia. Came with lots of Fender docs about authenticity and all that, plus a nice case.

I play blues and rock, and I run it through various Boss pedals into a Marshall MG80RCD. I noticed after I got a Monster cable, I could have my amp turned up, have a couple pedals running, switch it to the humbucker, and set my guitar in the stand right next my amp and not hear a thing. When I do make noise with it though, it's sweet. I use it for the bucker mostly, and it's awesome. It's loud, hot, and sounds sweet when running it through overdrive or distortion. I can also run it clean and get a really nice strum. When I do use the single coils, it's mostly for softer stuff or different sounding blues work, and they're nice too.

Oh man, the first time I pulled it out of the case, it was absolutely cherry. Smooth playing, gleaming finish, happy guy. The only problem I had with it, was that a week or two later, my neck pickup went out. I had it serviced, and it turns out it was just a loose connection, but for the price and quality, I'd have expected a little better/

I've only gotten a chance to play it live a couple times, but it played great and I got some compliments. The hardware and finish all look good. Besides, it's a Strat, I could get a friend and play catch with it for a while and it'd still be in tune. I've been forced to use it without a backup, but it's never something I'd recommend.

I'm not sure off the top of my head how long the warranty is, and I'm too lazy to go get it, but I know it's really good, and as long as you get it serviced at one of their "Authorized Fender Dealers" they'll do anything free. The only problem with it was with the pickup, and I had it taken in, I went out of town, and I had it picked up and waiting for me when I got home. No problems at all.

I've been playing for 6 or 7 years, and this is the best guitar I've owned. The only beef I've got is that I wouldn't have wanted it black, but hey, can't say no to a free guitar, right? If it was stolen or lost, honestly, I'd probably get Fender's Fat Tele to replace it, just because I'm beginning to prefer the lighter weight and smaller size. But it'd be a huge loss, because this is an outstanding guitar, I can get any sound of it that I want, and I'd definitely miss it. Regardless of price or marketing hype, this is one of Fender's top guitars, and I'd definitely recommend it to a friend.