Grateful Dead Music Forum

What do you think of them? anyone had any problems with them and would you recomend one?? (I cant stand how much I like one at a local shop) I'm in the market for a nice electric.

Don't know, never played them, but it sounds like you've got "the bug".

Best of luck with it!

Are you looking for a strat or a tele? There are a number of really informative forums out there that are specific to the model.

Since I have a Tele (Nashville Power), here are a couple that I know of:

http://www.tdpri.com/forum/index.php

http://www.telemodders.com/index.html

I'm more of a strat man myself

Actually I really dont find a big difference between the highway ones and teh mexican strats. The only difference is that its made in california instead of mexico. IMO its not worth the extra money. Just get a mexican strat and change teh pickups if needed.

agreed, I have had two Made in Mexico Fenders in my life and they have been great guitars, both a Tele and a strat. Still have the strat and its a great guitar.

Hajimemashite!!! wrote:The only difference is that its made in california instead of mexico.

Geez, these days....isn't that one-in-the-same? They might as well rename it "Mexifornia"

(Sorry if y'all find that un-PC...just a joke)

But what about the neato satin finish? more sustain?

You do have a good point about the mexican thing, though I dont think they are hand made in there. From what I have heard, being hand made one at a time in California is what makes an American strat an American strat, they are hand made (aside from the machining parts). Versus mostly machine made in mexico. I could be totally wrong on this though, thats just what I heard. BTW, I just compared a standard mex strat and a highway one yesterday and the Highway one just feels way more comfortable in my hands, maybe its just me though.

Yeah, Ive tried and held the highway ones and they do feel alot better. But if you are cost minded you have to ask yourself how much you are willing to pay for that. I got both of my new MiM Fenders for around $400.00 and the highways are more in the $1,200.00 category. So I guess in the end, its how much money you have to spend. But sound wise Im sure that a $400 Fender MiM with some upgraded pups, around $150-200 you wont notice any sound difference, heck the MiM with the souped up pups may sound better. But if at the end of it you are looking at a $600 investment versus a $1,200 investment, it really becomes an issue of personal choice.

gumbo wrote:You do have a good point about the mexican thing, though I dont think they are hand made in there. From what I have heard, being hand made one at a time in California is what makes an American strat an American strat, they are hand made (aside from the machining parts). Versus mostly machine made in mexico.

I Dont believe the highway ones are hand made either, their just built "in america" which lets them charge more $$$ for pretty much the same thing.

Sam Ash had hi way ones for $450.00 about two months ago. I thought about picking one up but I already have an american standard

well here is my situation. I was planning on getting a highway one after saving all summer (BTW captaintrips, my local store has them at $750). Then, just yesterday I supposedly sold my Gibson Les Paul for $600 (long story short, I got ripped off by the music store being suckered into buying a fake les paul for $350 only to learn that the music store was wrong and that it was a real les paul:). Anyway, instead of having enough for a highway one, now I'm $600 ahead and will have enough for a standard American Strat and an amp.Now, my problem is in the fact that that is a lot guitar for me, I have only been playing for about 5 years and dont really need such an awesome guitar, though I do plan on playing the rest of my life too . I also see that it would only get better with age, and I'm also going to college soon and will probably be pretty broke for a while, so what ever I get will need to last me a while. Heres my choices: I could get a highway one and upgrade it with pretty much whatever I wanted, and a nice amp, or a Standard American Strat and a nice amp.(BTW, I plan on gigging soon) I NEED SOME DIRECTION

gumbo wrote:Heres my choices: I could get a highway one and upgrade it with pretty much whatever I wanted, and a nice amp, or a Standard American Strat and a nice amp.(BTW, I plan on gigging soon) I NEED SOME DIRECTION

Definitely the american strat and a nice amp

american strats play and sound better and the craftsmanship is higher quality.

and just a thought, check out the american HSS strat with the humbucker in the bridge, lets you get a few more different tones.

what kind of amp do you plan on getting?

I dont know yet, just something small and nice sounding. I think I am leaning toward the Standard American Strat the more I think about it. Any suggestions on a smaller amp, I will probably have about $200-300 to spend on it.