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Post subject: Lonestar Strat 1996-1999
Posted: Wed Mar 06, 2019 12:08 am
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I was wondering if anybody else has ever picked up on the subtle difference between American Lonestar Strats produced in 1996 and the later ones made in 1999?
Have a look at the middle pickup, 1996 to sometime in 1998 the Lonestars middle pickup was evenly spaced between the bridge pickup and the neck pickup. Then sometime in the 1998 until the Lonestar name disappeared from the US range in 1999 the middle pickup was moved closer to the bridge, in the same position as a regular Strat.
I have a 1997 Lonestar I wonder if there is a noticeable difference in sound with certain pickup selections compared to the later ones because of this subtle difference?


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Post subject: Re: Lonestar Strat 1996-1999
Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2019 4:41 am
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Why no pictures ?
Picture will bring more answer

You are right about middle pickup

Image[url=https://flic.kr/p/2dSGcQD]Image[url=https://flic.kr/p/2dSGcQD]

Midle Pickup close to the bridge pickup than 1996


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Post subject: Re: Lonestar Strat 1996-1999
Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2019 2:52 pm
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Thanks for adding the pictures, they perfectly illustrate the difference.

I tried to add pics myself but haven’t figured out how to do it yet.


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Post subject: Re: Lonestar Strat 1996-1999
Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2019 5:04 pm
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Given the miniscule differential in spacing, I doubt that the difference would be audible (assuming identical pickup sets in both instruments).

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Lonestar Strat 1996-1999
Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2019 5:57 pm
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I agree with what Arjay said.
The audible difference is likely to be zilch!

The differences might be down to rationalising the woodworking to be the same as the majority of models.
Has anyone got pics of the woodwork under the scratchers, and how do the differences compare to regular models.
OK the woodworking might be CNC, but to have to change to a different CNC set for a different model takes time, which equates to cost and profitability.

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Post subject: Re: Lonestar Strat 1996-1999
Posted: Fri Mar 22, 2019 12:29 am
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Stratmangler, that’s a good point

My 97 Lonestar has the “Swimming pool” route under the scratchplate/pickguard which means you could position the pickups anywhere in the pickguard without having to worry about the cavity underneath.
A few years ago, when I tried a different pickup combination, I took the complete pickup assembly out of my Lonestar and dropped it into a Mexican std it had the humbucker, singlecoil, humbucker route. It was a tight fit because the middle pickup was right up against the edge of the single coil route in the middle.

Did Fender stop producing Strats with the “Swimming pool” route in 98? Can’t anyone confirm?

That would explain the repositioning of the middle pickup from 98 onwards.


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Post subject: Re: Lonestar Strat 1996-1999
Posted: Fri Mar 22, 2019 1:44 am
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I did find this http://www.strat-talk.com/threads/what- ... te.273534/
Look at post #16

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Post subject: Re: Lonestar Strat 1996-1999
Posted: Fri Mar 22, 2019 3:30 am
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Theriddler wrote:
Thanks for adding the pictures, they perfectly illustrate the difference.

I tried to add pics myself but haven’t figured out how to do it yet.


How to post photo as read on Fender Forum


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https://forums.fender.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=109081

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First you need to upload your pics to the internet. From a great forum member ; Jmattis


Use a pic hosting site (imgur, imgbb, flickr or such - avoid photobucket) or some common web framework like e.g. facebook, googlephotos - whatever you're familiar with.

The important thing is that the web site provides you with a pic address - that's the one starting with 'http' and ending in '.jpg'.

Copy the pic address, and use the IMG-command (visible when you write a message) on the forum.

Preview your post so everything is OK.


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Post subject: Re: Lonestar Strat 1996-1999
Posted: Fri Mar 22, 2019 3:32 am
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stratmangler wrote:


Why don't post answer here ?

Post 16

Basically all American Standards and any other "modern" Fender Strats based on the American Standard had the swimming pool rout from the time they were introduced through 1997. The Strat Plus, Strat Plus Deluxe and Strat Ultra were discontinued at the start of 1998 and replaced by the American Deluxe series; the American Deluxe series had HSH routing from their introduction around March of 1998.

Now from what I've been able to piece together Fender kind of "phased in" the HSH routing on American Standards/"Hot Rodded American Standards" (i.e. the Lone Star, Big Apple and Roadhouse models) across 1998/1999. You would find that some colors still had the swimming pool rout after other colors had switched to the HSH. I think the only ones that would have been HSH in 1998 would have been any new colors introduced that year, then the long-running colors got that "phase in" across 1999 so that by the end of the year they were all HSH.

My theory on that - Fender had stockpiles of American Standard bodies of various amounts for the colors. Colors that were big sellers probably had larger stockpiles (like black, white, 3-color burst) than smaller selling colors. So as the stockpiles of swimming pool routed bodies were used up the next batches of them had the HSH routs. So it took until almost the end of the American Standard's life to use up the last of the swimming pool bodies. Again, just my theory as we see both routs on American Standards (and the "Hot Rodded" models) across that time period.

The bodies for the American Series were reworked - not only did they have the HSH routing but they also had more vintage style contours. They officially start when those were introduced in July 2000.


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