The iconic Fender Stratocaster... it has had many iterations, evolutions, names, and even non-Fender copies. It is one of the most fundamentally-copied guitar shapes and types in the history of electric guitars.
Perhaps it is no surprise, but most of the most-coveted Fender Strats are the USA-made Strats. The American Standard, the American Deluxe, and so many others have plied our ears for a long time. Some years back, Fender released a thin-skinned, nitrocellulose-painted, simple American-made Fender line called "Highway one" (also variants such as "Hwy 1" and so forth).
The Highway One series made USA-made Fenders much lower in cost and much more accessible to more bass and guitar players throughout the world. The Highway One is priced (street) around 60%-75% of the cost of an American Standard.
The unique features make them different and desireable - but rest assured, Fender has NOT scrimped on the SOUND of the Highway One Series. With excellent well-made pickups and electronic parts, the "Greasebucket" circuit, and excellent neck and body woods, the Highway Ones are excellent playing and awesome sounding instruments.
I was lucky enough recently to purchase a new 2007 Highway One Strat - a special one with a maple fretboard (most are rosewood), and SSS (Single-Single-Single coil configuration), and that cool 1970s headstock shape: big and in charge. I'll be writing a review of it on
http://theguitarreview.com (new window): but for now, here are some nice pictures of my Strat...
The iconic Fender Stratocaster... it has had many iterations, evolutions, names, and even non-Fender copies. It is one of the most fundamentally-copied guitar shapes and types in the history of electric guitars.
Perhaps it is no surprise, but most of the most-coveted Fender Strats are the USA-made Strats. The American Standard, the American Deluxe, and so many others have plied our ears for a long time. Some years back, Fender released a thin-skinned, nitrocellulose-painted, simple American-made Fender line called "Highway one" (also variants such as "Hwy 1" and so forth).
The Highway One series made USA-made Fenders much lower in cost and much more accessible to more bass and guitar players throughout the world. The Highway One is priced (street) around 60%-75% of the cost of an American Standard.
The unique features make them different and desireable - but rest assured, Fender has NOT scrimped on the SOUND of the Highway One Series. With excellent well-made pickups and electronic parts, the "Greasebucket" circuit, and excellent neck and body woods, the Highway Ones are excellent playing and awesome sounding instruments.
I was lucky enough recently to purchase a new 2007 Highway One Strat - a special one with a maple fretboard (most are rosewood), and SSS (Single-Single-Single coil configuration), and that cool 1970s headstock shape: big and in charge. I'll be writing a review of it on
http://theguitarreview.com (new window): but for now, here are some nice pictures of my Strat...
