I just found a really good deal for what the seller says is a Fender American Standard strat. Before I buy it, I'm just curious if there is an easy way to tell just by looking at it if it really is an American Standard and not a Highway One? Can someone please tell me what to look for...serial number, bridge, tuners, etc? Thanks!

I don't know too much about it, but these two things can be found on highway one:

# Large ‘70s Style headstock shape
# Large ‘70s Style logo on headstock

http://www.kellyindustries.com/guitars/ ... hway1.html

Well for starters the Highway one has a flat finish and an AS has a gloss.Also the Highway one has a 6 point vintage tremolo and an AS has a 2 point.

That is only true on the post-upgrade (2006 and newer). My 2002 has a small headstock.

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Ignorance IS bliss - and I am the happiest person here!

I do believe that the American Standards have had a 2 point tremelo for a while. The Highway 1 Strats all have a 6 point tremelos on them. There should also be a price difference of 2-3 hundred dollars.

My opinion is that HWY 1's are very good guitars. I own a '07 HWY Strat and it's very nice.

My only advice is to play it and see if you like the way it sounds and plays. That is the true test to see if the guitar is going to be good enough for you.

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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

The nitro finish and vintage trem on a hwy 1 should be dead give aways.

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Laughing out loud with fear and hope, I have a desperate plan ...

The older hwy 1,s didn,t have the nitro finish they have a gloss see through finish that chips very easy. I also have a 2002 hwy 1.

That would be a nitro finish that someone buffed to a gloss - that can be done.

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Ignorance IS bliss - and I am the happiest person here!

the bridge in the highway ones is a vintage style tremolo and the american standards is a 2 point tremolo

The HWY One has standard Ping tiners the Amer. Stand. has staggered tuners They also have different saddles.

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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

Imho, the easy way to tell the difference is an '06 and later Highway One has a thin nitro finish, flat finish that goes transparent with some colors, vintage bridge, screw-in trem arm, large headstock and 70s-style decal.

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"Now, bring me that horizon."
-Capt. Jack Sparrow

The Am Std has the Bi-Flex Truss Rod System
the Hwy One doesn't.

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Member #26797
My other guitar is a Strat.

It can, but a glossy nitro finish still looks somewhat different than a polyester/urethane finish when you look at it carefully.

And I know it may sound strange, but the finishes even feel different...the nitro feels lighter and thinner, the polyester/urethane feels like something rock solid.