Am. Deluxe is my pick....
I have both, a 1995 Am.Standard 50th Annv. & a new 2008 Am.Deluxe
and the Am.deluxe has an awesome tone....

I see all the people go for the dxl but I say go wit the standard.. I have a 2008 standard and u can get a lot of sound from it even tho it doesn't have the S-1 switching u can get different sound juss by switching the pick up position.. but whichever one u go wit u won't be disappointed strats are great guitars 8]

I upgraded from an ibanez to an Am Deluxe Strat a few months ago. The pickups swayed it for me but the locking tuners and bridge are awesome, and i now could not manage without the S1 switch.

to see exactly what happens when the s1 swich is pressed, see the diagram here:

http://www.fender.com/support/diagrams/ ... 02APg4.pdf

On weather you should get a deluxe or not. Remember, hendrix, Rory Gallagher, and a host of other greats done great work on bog standard stratocasters, no need for locking tuners or fancy bridges etc, so a fancy guitar wont make you a great guitarist.

if though you play both, and find you like the delxue more, and have the extra green to cover it then i say go for it. but play it first though alongside a standard.

I was playing a standard a few days ago when sampling amp's and it was an absolutely beautiful guitar. if i had the cash i would have got it there and then.

choose based on what you feel yourself.

I upgraded from an ibanez to an Am Deluxe Strat a few months ago. The pickups swayed it for me but the locking tuners and bridge are awesome, and i now could not manage without the S1 switch.

to see exactly what happens when the s1 swich is pressed, see the diagram here:

http://www.fender.com/support/diagrams/ ... 02APg4.pdf

On weather you should get a deluxe or not. Remember, hendrix, Rory Gallagher, and a host of other greats done great work on bog standard stratocasters, no need for locking tuners or fancy bridges etc, so a fancy guitar wont make you a great guitarist.

if though you play both, and find you like the delxue more, and have the extra green to cover it then i say go for it. but play it first though alongside a standard.

I was playing a standard a few days ago when sampling amp's and it was an absolutely beautiful guitar. if i had the cash i would have got it there and then.

choose based on what you feel yourself.

I upgraded from an ibanez to an Am Deluxe Strat a few months ago. The pickups swayed it for me but the locking tuners and bridge are awesome, and i now could not manage without the S1 switch.

to see exactly what happens when the s1 swich is pressed, see the diagram here:

http://www.fender.com/support/diagrams/ ... 02APg4.pdf

On weather you should get a deluxe or not. Remember, hendrix, Rory Gallagher, and a host of other greats done great work on bog standard stratocasters, no need for locking tuners or fancy bridges etc, so a fancy guitar wont make you a great guitarist.

if though you play both, and find you like the delxue more, and have the extra green to cover it then i say go for it. but play it first though alongside a standard.

I was playing a standard a few days ago when sampling amp's and it was an absolutely beautiful guitar. if i had the cash i would have got it there and then.

choose based on what you feel yourself.