Here are the pics of my American Special Strat

07 road house · February 7th, 2010, 08:58 PM

IMO the best strat offered

tjk3052 · February 7th, 2010, 09:36 PM

Looks sweet

gliderider22 · February 7th, 2010, 09:57 PM

Enjoy that one man, sharp looking guitar!

fenderkev · February 8th, 2010, 12:52 PM

Apart from the humbucker, it looks very similar to a '79 I used to have way back when. One big difference is that your Special is bound to sound good, and play good too!

SunburstYummy · February 8th, 2010, 02:17 PM

NOICE!!!

Vintagebrit · February 8th, 2010, 02:37 PM

Thats a lovely Guitar - it's an HSS American Special Strat isn't it? - I have just bought the AmSpec Tele in White. Also lovely.
Great sound, great build - will be a future classic methinks.

dacop · February 8th, 2010, 09:25 PM

NICE! I played one of these a couple days ago, same color and model as yours. Plays great and built great. The neck reminded me alot of my Highway One that I purchased last year. I think its the same (except for the large headstock on the HW1). Same type of jumbo frets. Enjoy!

07 road house · February 9th, 2010, 01:23 AM

thank you guys I really love this guitar. I have been through several guitars to find the one and this is the one.

srvwannab · February 9th, 2010, 10:01 AM

Hey there, just bought the same guitar- fantastic! It's a bit heavy, but I like some weight on a guitar. The best thing about mine is the neck, very straight and great action- really nice fret work. Also, everything about this guitar is lined up perfectly. Oh ya, it could use a bridge change and personally I'm just not a big fan of TS pups, but I like the way this guitar plays so much.

Incidentally, I went through 5 other strats recently and returned them all because of neck issues and electronic issues. This strat has none of those.

Enjoy, I know I will...

dacop · February 9th, 2010, 10:38 AM

How do you guys like the "jumbo frets" on this guitar? I find them easier to play for some reason on my HW1.

srvwannab · February 9th, 2010, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dacop

How do you guys like the "jumbo frets" on this guitar? I find them easier to play for some reason on my HW1.

I haven't played a HW1 for a while, but of the few in the store that I picked up last year one played very nice. I really don't think there's much difference btwn this neck and HW1, they just seem similar to me in quality.

However, while I thought the American Sp maple neck played very nice, I was turned off from buying it because of (what I think) is an overly lacquered fret board. Same thing with the CV 50s Strat- a great player, but I don't like the look and feel of the neck.

Anyway, there is a nice balance to the action on this guitar across the board. It's not perfect, but it plays pretty good all over. My one issue is a ping noise at the high e nut slot when I do bends, I haven't figured it out yet, maybe a sharp edge slot or something. It's always something...

dacop · February 9th, 2010, 02:36 PM

Yes...I think the HW1 and the AmSpecials are the same neck. Thats the first thing I noticed.

Noted on the ping problem. It really is always something with these Fenders, but we still love them.

T-Bodz Terry B. · February 9th, 2010, 04:14 PM

Awesome! Glad you found one you love!

metsfan84 · February 9th, 2010, 06:51 PM

Do Strats with humbuckers use the full humbucker along with the middle pickup in the second position, or does the second position use just one coil of the humbucker along with the middle pickup?

dacop · February 9th, 2010, 10:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by metsfan84

Do Strats with humbuckers use the full humbucker along with the middle pickup in the second position, or does the second position use just one coil of the humbucker along with the middle pickup?

I think it depends on the Guitar and you would have to check the specs. I have a humbucker MIM Strat that came wired from Fender as position 2 being the front single of the humbucker and the middle.

Not sure what these new American Specials offer.

07 road house · February 9th, 2010, 10:44 PM

I am not sure if the humbucker is full at 2 position but it does quack in this position, I feel the jumbo frets are smaller than the jumbo frets on the highway one, I seem to be the only on with this opinion so maybe it is just me

metsfan84 · February 9th, 2010, 11:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dacop

I think it depends on the Guitar and you would have to check the specs. I have a humbucker MIM Strat that came wired from Fender as position 2 being the front single of the humbucker and the middle.

Not sure what these new American Specials offer.

Interesting. On the Fender website, it shows that the Mexican Strat uses one coil of the humbucker in the second position, while the American Standard uses the full humbucker. I don't see anywhere that specifies anything for the American Special.

srvwannab · February 9th, 2010, 11:16 PM

RoadHouse, you might be right... I honestly don't remember.

jstickman · February 10th, 2010, 01:21 AM

very nice. Nothing like new frets!

How does the "Atomic" pu sound?

Can tell me what these things are exactly (or a link if already discussed)? Are they hwy1 necks on either hwy1 or Am Std bodys with the upgraded pus? something like that?

stonewall · February 10th, 2010, 10:05 PM

nice strat, what kind of sounds are u getting from the bridge pickup

07 road house · February 10th, 2010, 10:19 PM

I really like the bridge atomic pup. It has a growl that is different than a gibson humbucker, to me gibson and epiphone humbuckers are pron to being muddy and the atomic pup is not muddy at all

Crimson · February 11th, 2010, 10:17 AM

Beautiful Love the sunburst!
I never played one with texas special pickups, how does that work for you?

orcslayer · February 11th, 2010, 10:41 AM

Nice AX!

07 road house · February 11th, 2010, 09:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crimson

Beautiful Love the sunburst!
I never played one with texas special pickups, how does that work for you?

I love texas specials, those and tex mex pups are my favorite fender pups

carlos404 · February 11th, 2010, 09:33 PM

Love that color, congratz =)

cmcassid · February 12th, 2010, 11:39 AM

Got that SRV feel to it!!! Congrats