Highway 1 Strat

Jam10

Does anybody have or have played a Highway 1 Strat? I played one the other day and it felt awesome. I know it's the most basic one out of all the American Strats but it felt great. Even though the neck is the same shape as the standard ( modern C) it felt slimmer for some reason. I also really like the big 70's head stock. I think it looks really cool.
Does anybody know the major differences between the Highway 1 and the Standard?

Pacomc79

Jam10 wrote:

Does anybody have or have played a Highway 1 Strat? I played one the other day and it felt awesome. I know it's the most basic one out of all the American Strats but it felt great. Even though the neck is the same shape as the standard ( modern C) it felt slimmer for some reason. I also really like the big 70's head stock. I think it looks really cool.
Does anybody know the major differences between the Highway 1 and the Standard?

Paint is pretty much the major difference but aparently recently they switched to nitro though I think they are still matte finished not sure. They have improved it in recent years adding the 70's headstock, jumbo frets, a tone control that does not add bass, better tremolo block (steel vs Zinc) etc. I believe they use Alnico 3 pickups vs Alnico 5's on the American Standard. The major difference is that the American Standard looks more finished the Highway 1's are designed to be an excellent playing lower price point version of the American Standard.

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/StratH1R3SB/

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/StratAMR3SB/

All Those Yesterdays

Wow had no clue they switched to Nitro. The jumbo frets and the oversized headstock make it appealing to me. Not into the matte finish though.

ianvomsaal

They don't tell you this, but Hwy 1's are actually made in Mexico and assembled in Corona.

Pacomc79

ianvomsaal wrote:

They don't tell you this, but Hwy 1's are actually made in Mexico and assembled in Corona.

ah, the encinatas factory. just across the border.

jcmark611

All Those Yesterdays wrote:

Wow had no clue they switched to Nitro. The jumbo frets and the oversized headstock make it appealing to me. Not into the matte finish though.

Nitro paint allows the wood to breathe which gives you better tone.

Jam10

Yeh I called Fender yesterday, and they told me the Highway 1 has Mexican parts but assembled in the US.

who's_pearljam?

Pacomc79 wrote:

ah, the encinatas factory. just across the border.

Yes,,,,, and Highway 1 is beautiful along the coast of California,,,,, but what a sense of adventure Highway one is in Mexico!
Much more fun! Giant tractor trailers that are vying for your lane and if you deviate more than a foot or two while swerving between dead cows and wrecked cars and buzzards, you're either in the desert sand or off the cliff in the ocean.
It takes more precision, and you gotta learn to work that beast just like you gotta learn to work a Strat but the reward is worth it. Baja!
I guess this has nothing to do with highway one strats, but what the hell.