Need help, Is this a Highway One Strat?

[JohnTheJohn]

Someone offered me a Highway One Strat in a trade. I'm pretty interested due to the Nitro finishes they have. Problem is, it has a gold bridge, tuners and screws that make it a little fishy. I also didn't get any hits on the Serial Number lookups online.

Heres the summary of the posting with his explanation of the gold bridge....

"For sale is my 2005 Fender Stratocaster Highway One a model that is no longer produced by Fender and are becoming quite rare. This Strat has all gold hardware that is in fair condition as it has been played, I believe it may have been a limited edition Strat for a music store or online dealer. There are two small marks on the body that I tried to capture with the photos."

 

[alderre]

Looks like it to me. 22 frets, the plug is there two string trees. I don’t know much but I remember hwy 1 guitars all had these

 

[JohnTheJohn]

Looks like it to me. 22 frets, the plug is there two string trees. I don’t know much but I remember hwy 1 guitars all had these

Thanks!

 

[Yves]

Fender's s/n database doesn't always return results. I have a few of mine for which it also happens.
It could be a special order. Never saw a H1 with gold mounts before. The neck plate though, for that era I think would be one of those, like on that pic.

 

[Yves]

You could check by looking in the neck pocket for the stamp 59404 see the pic.
That the part nbr used for H1. Which also appears on the sticker in the body cavity. Also found on some some later models such as the Special. But on those you'd have the large 70s headstock.

 

[Fenderbaum]

HW1´s aim was to be a budget US-made Strat. So i hardly believe it came with gold hardware.

 

[Lonn]

Awfully shiny body for a Highway One as well.

 

[Skinny Nitro]

^^yes, very shiny.
2005 would be a version 1 Highway One with satin acrylic lacquer not nitro.

Specs for version 1
Model Name: Highway OneTM Stratocaster®
Model Number: 011-1100-(Color#) and 011-1102-(Color#)
Series: Highway OneTM Series
Body: Alder
Neck: Maple, Modern “C” Shape, (Satin Polyurethane Finish)
Fingerboard: Rosewood (p/n 011-1100) or Maple (p/n 011-1102), 9.5” Radius (241mm)
No. of Frets: 22 Medium Jumbo Frets
Scale Length: 25.5” (648 mm)
Width @ Nut: 1.6875” (43 mm)
Hardware: Chrome
Machine Heads: Fender®/Ping® Standard Cast/Sealed Tuning Machines
Bridge: Vintage Style Synchronized Tremolo
Pickguard: 3-Ply White
Pickups: 3 Vintage Style Single-Coil Strat® Pickups with Staggered Pole Pieces, Alnico Magnets
Pickup Switching: 5-Position Blade: Position 1. Bridge Pickup; Position 2. Bridge and Middle Pickup; Position 3. Middle Pickup; Position 4. Middle and Neck Pickup; Position 5. Neck Pickup
Controls: Master Volume,
Tone 1. (Neck Pickup), GreasebucketTM Tone Circuit, (Rolls Off Highs without Adding Bass)
Tone 2. (Bridge Pickup), GreasebucketTM Tone Circuit, (Rolls Off Highs without Adding Bass)
Colors: (300) 3-Color Sunburst, (327) Sapphire Blue Transparent, (338) Crimson Red Transparent, (348) Teal Green Transparent, (367) Honey Blonde, (Satin Acrylic Lacquer Finish,)
Strings: Fender® Super Bullets® 3250L, Nickel Plated Steel, (.009 to .042), p/n 073-3250-003
Unique Features: Satin Acrylic Lacquer Body Finish,
White Plastic Parts, Original Headstock Shape,
Original Body Shape with “Original Contour Body” Decal on Headstock, H/S/H Pickup Routing
Source: U.S.
Accessories: Deluxe Gig Bag
U.S. MSRP: $899.99
Specs:
INTRODUCED: 7/2002
DISCONTINUED: 7/2006
DISCONTINUED COLORS: (339) Cocoa Transparent, 9/2003
COMMENTS: Replaced by 011-1160- and 011-1162 (Upgrade) in 7/2006.
In 7/2005, Controls changed from Tone 1. (Neck Pickup), Tone 2. (Middle Pickup), to GreasebucketTM Tone Circuit.
(300) 3-Color Sunburst added 7/2003
WRENCH SIZES: Truss Rod Wrench #023811 (1/8” Hex)
Saddle Height Adjustment Wrench #0050919000 (Hex 1.5mm)

Spec for version 2
Model Name: Highway OneTM Stratocaster®
Model Number: 011-1160-(Color #) and 011-1162-(Color #)
Series: Highway OneTM Series
Body: Alder
Neck: Maple, Modern “C” Shape,
(Satin Urethane Finish)
Fingerboard: Rosewood (P/N 011-1160) or Maple (P/N 011-1162), 9.5” Radius (241 mm)
Frets: 22 Jumbo Frets
Scale Length: 25.5” (648 mm)
Nut: 1.6875” (43 mm)
Hardware: Chrome
Machine Heads: Fender®/Ping® Standard Cast/Sealed Tuning Machines
Bridge: Vintage Style Synchronized Tremolo
Pickguard: 3-Ply Parchment
Pickups: 3 Hot Single-Coil Strat® Pickups with Alnico 3 Magnets and Reverse Wound/Reverse Polarity Middle Pickup
Pickup Switching: 5-Position Blade:
Position 1. Bridge Pickup
Position 2. Bridge and Middle Pickup
Position 3. Middle Pickup
Position 4. Middle and Neck Pickup
Position 5. Neck Pickup
Controls: Master Volume,
Tone 1. (Neck Pickup), GreasebucketTM Tone Circuit, (Rolls Off Highs without Adding Bass)

Tone 2. (Bridge Pickup), GreasebucketTM Tone Circuit, (Rolls Off Highs without Adding Bass)
Colors: (300) 3-Color Sunburst,
(304) Daphne Blue, (Disc. 1/2008),
(306) Flat Black,
(367) Honey Blonde, (Disc. 1/2010)
(375) Midnight Wine, (Disc. 1/2010),
(Satin Nitrocellulose Lacquer Finish)
Strings: Fender® Super Bullets® 3250L, Nickel Plated Steel, (.009 to .042), p/n 073-3250-003
Case: Deluxe Gig Bag, P/N 0991512000
Other Features: Satin Nitrocellulose Lacquer Body Finish,
Parchment Plastic Parts,
Large ‘70s Style Headstock Shape,
Large ‘70s Style Headstock Logo,
Original Body Shape,
“Original Contour Body” Decal on Headstock,
H/S/S Pickup Routing,
Reverse Wound/Reverse Polarity Middle Pickup
Source: U.S.
Accessories: Deluxe Gig Bag
U.S. MSRP: $999.99
INTRODUCED: 7/2006
DISCONTINUED: 10/2011
DISCONTINUED COLORS:
WRENCH SIZES: Truss Rod Adjustment Wrench, (1/8” Hex), P/N 0023811000,
Saddle Height Adjustment Wrench, (1.5 mm Hex), P/N 0050919000
COMMENTS: Price drop from $1,130.00 to $999.99 1/2010

 

[Yves]

The absence of any response always leaves me wondering if I might have helped the crook rather than the potential prey.

 

[Eric_G]

The absence of any response always leaves me wondering if I might have helped the crook rather than the potential prey.

Time zone, looks more like a post before going to bed… let’s see…

 

[John C]

Fender's s/n database doesn't always return results. I have a few of mine for which it also happens.
It could be a special order. Never saw a H1 with gold mounts before. The neck plate though, for that era I think would be one of those, like on that pic.

Interesting looking guitar - could be a Highway 1 modded with gold parts; since the s/n doesn't show up in Fender's lookup database there is always the possibility that it was a build using a Highway 1 neck. But as @Yves says a serial number not showing up isn't a total red flag.

The neck plates on Highway 1s were blank - no engraving. For what it's worth American Specials had the blank neck plates as well - Fender didn't start using an engraved neck plate on this "tier" model until the American Performers came out in 2018 (they have the 70s Fender logo to match the headstock decal).

 

[JohnTheJohn]

Crap. I’m supposed to meet him now.

 

[JohnTheJohn]

Haha I just pulled over while on the way and asked for him to provide any kind of paperwork proving it’s a Highway one….
Obviously should have done this before. I’ve been super busy and scatter brained. Thanks for the heads up. I’d rather be annoying/miss out on the deal then get scammed.

 

[JohnTheJohn]

Well I backed out which I feel bad about. But this guy was super pushy to get the deal done this weekend and it had to happen before the Eagles game. That in itself was kind of a red flag. He had no paperwork, his only proof was “the guy from Sam ash says it is”.

I feel like a dick, but the lesson I’ve learned here is. Don’t try to cram a guitar swap into a super busy weekend and ask for paper work up front. Thanks for your help everyone.

 

[crawdaddy]

I agree with JohnC that it is probably a modded HWY1.....looking at the 3rd pic, you can see the finish is not poly....

Looks like a nice guitar....

 

[Lonn]

What paperwork would he have?

 

[Yves]

The neck plates on Highway 1s were blank - no engraving.

@John C, the pic is the neck plate on my 2003 Highway One. I did get it second hand admittedly.

 

[Yves]

Don’t try to cram a guitar swap

Out of interest, what guitar were you going to swap it with?

 

[crawdaddy]

@John C, the pic is the neck plate on my 2003 Highway One. I did get it second hand admittedly.

That neck plate is not correct for a HWY1 as like JohnC stated, they are plain....unfortunately it probably isn't a Fender plate that was used on the AmSeries/Standard models of that era...

here is a pic of one from my '03 AmSeries strat:

 

[Yves]

That neck plate is not correct for a HWY1 as like JohnC

For sure, if @John C says so, I will take his words for it.
The Std has the tilt mechanism which the H1 hasn't. I got that H1 back in 2012. I did see that very same neck plate on some of the strats that popped up here occasionally. Gives me something to investigate on now.