I Just got a new highway one strat.
It's a beautiful instrument!
Very quiet and yet still retained a fair amount of the classic Fender "quack" or "spank" or "bell-tone" or whatever the crap it's called...you know what I mean
The nitro finish is what every American Fender guitar should have on it.
The pick-ups are clear and full.
Plus it comes with the "E.J." tone lift mod from the factory...again this should be the standard for all American Strats!
It's a major step up from my Mexi-Strat! ...Not to knock the Mexi...it is a good guitar also...but when you do a side by side, the Mexi can't compete!
<b>Highway One!</b>[/img]

Hello Mojo-Plasma,

I'm with you on just about everything
except the finish. All Nitro finishes are not the same
and in my humble opinion I feel the highway ones
finish has a bit of planned obsolescence in the mix.

It is a great guitar and good value. I hope to own
one some day.

Cheers.

Can you possibly further explain your theory on the finish? I do like the vintage vibe of Nitro but may it be different? I know they don't do it on the American Standard but why a lower end model then?

I like nitro finishes in general, and I like how they aren't made to be bulletproof. I'm not a fan of a guitar looking like it's brand new off the shelf when it's really 15 yrs old. I want a players guitar and I want it to look like one, not a collectable item.

The satin finish is ok.

Hi, Ben. Not for me to speak for Mr Bill, but I think what he's getting at is that the finish on HWY-1 guitars is spec'd as thinner than the usual nitro (at least since the "upgrade" to that line). Therefore it is more susceptable to knocks and scratches and will wear through quicker. Which is just what its fans like about it.

The appearance of the notionally "higher spec" nitro on a model that costs less than the polyurethane finished Am Std models has a complex background. In private, guitar companies don't tend to think that nitro actually is better than modern urethane, except in so far as vibe and customer enthusiasm goes. Polyurethane can be applied just as thinly if desired, it is harder wearing, possibly less toxic and it dries faster, which makes it far more cost effective. But many people just like nitro better.

The belief is that the HWY-1 was introduced as a niche model and took off far more successfully than anyone quite expected. Some fear that its success takes sales away from the Am Standard line and so costs the company revenue, and therefore worry that Fender plans to discontinue it. The most recent information we have on that is that a Forum Member asked Customer Services the question and was told there were no plans to stop Highway-1 production - why interfere with a successful product?

Till we hear otherwise, anyway...

Cheers - C

There was a lot of talk here on the Forum that the HWY 1 was to be discontinued. Several posting were on this topic weeks ago. Seems I have not seen more posting about this lately so who no's what the deal is?

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The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

Thomas Jefferson

I own a highway one, and i really like it. It's my 2nd guitar after my American Standard. I much prefer the finish on my AM Standard. My Highway one is a year old and it's already worn... but it's ok because i bought it so i don't damage my AM standard. Anyway, Highway one are great guitars. I got one for 450$ because it got a few dings here and there. I guess the previous owner liked his guitar mint, lucky me!

Mojo Plasma,

I own a Fender Stratocater HWY 1 SSS. It is a great guitar for the price and it sounded better than the MIM Fenders I played in the store before I bought it. It sounds awesome. I love the nitro finish on mine; however, I do not believe it should be the Standard paint job of the MIA Stratocaster. If I had more money, I would have bought the Fender American Deluxe (MIA). Not everyone wants a guitar that isn't shiney and pristeen looking. If you bang the guitar, you'll know it and there are a lot of people who want more protection for their guitars. Personally I think it'll (the nicks and dings) add to the character of my guitar. Plus I don't have to buff the crap out of it if it gets a scratch. I wouldn't change a thing with mine at the moment.

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RK

2007 Fender Highway 1
2012 American Deluxe
2015 MIM Dave Murray HHH
2010 Fender Blacktop
1987 Fender Avalon Acoustic
2012 Marshall DSL 15 watt head

Hello Mojo_Plasma,

Ceri has done a excellent job of putting my thoughts
into words. I would like to add that a flattening agent has
been added to the paint to give it it's satin finish this adds
to the fragility of the paint. I do not mean to imply
"cheapness", just a tendancy to premature relicing.
As some know by my past posts I am not a fan of relicing
to any degree other than mother nature.

Maybe "Sandy Claws" will bring me a black one for "Holloween".

Cheers.

I got a HWY1 last year after being away from strats for a while. Great, great guitar. Love the neck and jumbo frets - this is really what sold me on this instrument - rosewood neck and jumbo frets = heaven. 70's headstock adds a lot for me!
Uh.....did not like the pickups, though, so got some Duncans in there...
SSL1 in neck/mid and an SSL-5 in bridge. Re-wired it for tone in bridge and no grease bucket. Beautiful guitar, love it to death. Amazing player. I liked this much better than all the strats I played at Sam Ash one afternoon - Standard, Players, MIA even. Congrats on your new strat!

I liked the large headstock and pickups. I didn't like the satin finish, so I "glossed" it out.

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Member #26797
My other guitar is a Strat.

I do like the satin finish! Good looking. I have also a highway 1 and i love it

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Rock n' Roll Will Never Die
Music Is Life

Hey congrats! Highway Ones are the best.

Doesn't everyone love their strat? My HWY1 was a the perfect way to get what I was looking for with out breaking the bank. For me it was the large headstock, thin nitro finish in black, rosewood fret board, and hot pups.



Having said that, I'm watching John Mayer's "Where the Light Is" DVD, and I'm coveting his reverse headstock Hendrix series strat.

That's a nice looking guitar.

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RK

2007 Fender Highway 1
2012 American Deluxe
2015 MIM Dave Murray HHH
2010 Fender Blacktop
1987 Fender Avalon Acoustic
2012 Marshall DSL 15 watt head