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Post subject: Any difference?
Posted: Tue Apr 05, 2016 1:55 am
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Aspiring Musician
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Joined: Fri Apr 15, 2011 4:49 am
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Location: Cambridge UK
Anyone know if the American Standard and Special bodies are different, please?

If you get my Special in the right light, you can see faint 'lines' in the finish which I don't see in my AmStds (but then the finish on the Special is thinner than my '06 AmStds), but I'm more asking about the wood. Appreciate the number of pieces used will vary (my AmStds do as well!), but do the bodies come off the same production line, do we know?

If not, anyone know whether Fender would answer such a nerdy question? I can't seem to find the answer via Google.

Thanks - Peter.


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Post subject: Re: Any difference?
Posted: Tue Apr 05, 2016 6:07 am
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Professional Musician
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Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2007 4:54 am
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Location: Laurel, MD
This is quite normal. It has to do with paint thinkness and the grain of the wood. Unless either of these guitars is sunburst, mostlikely the bodies are alder.

You can see these ridges in older guitars. Personally, I like this because "to me" it means that the finish is not too thick and sound moves better through the body. I'm not a chemist, but I always kind of got the feeling that the paint was "sinking into the wood." I don't know if it's true or not, but that's what it looks like to me.

Bottom line, I suspect that it's not either good or bad.


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Post subject: Re: Any difference?
Posted: Tue Apr 05, 2016 6:11 am
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Rock Star
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There's plenty of "Fender factory tour" themed videos on YouTube, take some time to check them out.


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Post subject: Re: Any difference?
Posted: Wed Apr 06, 2016 2:19 am
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Aspiring Musician
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Joined: Fri Apr 15, 2011 4:49 am
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Location: Cambridge UK
Thanks, Paris. Yes, I agree the paint being thinner is a good thing and I don't have any problem with those 'imperfections' either. I only mentioned the finish in case it indicates a different production process to the AmStd - and therefore different bodies, perhaps.

Thanks JM. Have now watched several of these 'Corona' videos and can't see anything specific, although the American Strat bodies certainly seem to be all from one production line. Have seen bodies being made from 3+ pieces, but there's no mention of which Strats they're going on. That seems to be the best evidence so far.

There's one video, uploaded in 2009, with seafoam or surf green (like my AmSpec) bodies shown drying. But Specials didn't start till 2010(?) and as I don't think AmStds (even FSR) were in green that year. Or did Highway One's come in either green? If not, that only leaves the JB model, I suppose...

Cheers - Peter.


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Post subject: Re: Any difference?
Posted: Wed Apr 06, 2016 6:30 am
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Aspiring Musician
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Location: Oklahoma
Peter S. - I can't answer your question for certain, but can say this. My MIA Standard is a 3 piece and very hard to see. A local store has both MIA Standards and Specials. There is absolutely no difference in the bodies that I can tell at all. They also carry MIM Strats and there is definately a difference. Mainly, the tummy contour is not as deep.


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Post subject: Re: Any difference?
Posted: Wed Apr 06, 2016 6:56 am
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Aspiring Musician
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Joined: Fri Apr 15, 2011 4:49 am
Posts: 661
Location: Cambridge UK
Yes, I think you're right, Larry. AmStd's seem to be 3-piece at least, don't they? I'm pretty convinced by now that Specials and Standards have the same bodies, and it's not one of the places Fender saved money on the Special (other than the micro-tilt).

Cheers - Peter.


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Post subject: Re: Any difference?
Posted: Thu Apr 07, 2016 3:34 pm
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Roadie
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Under certain light I can see that my Special is made out of 4 pieces, and I kinda like that, plus the body transfers vibration beautifully....
I'm happy


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Post subject: Re: Any difference?
Posted: Thu Apr 07, 2016 3:46 pm
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Aspiring Musician
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Joined: Tue Dec 28, 2010 9:53 pm
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FWIW - My special is made out of 3 pieces.


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