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Post subject: Pros & Cons American or Deluxe HSS Stratocaster
Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007 1:29 pm
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I have been reading a lot of reviews on these 2 Strats, having a humbucker in the bridge position seems to be a big plus and would seem to open up a lot of different tone possibilities (vs a regular Strat). I don't have a lot of options to go out and play these at local stores so any thoughts would be appreciated. I have a ES 335 which I love but like the idea of having singles and a humbucker on one guitar and was thinking of trading in my Tele for an HSS Strat.

ANY thoughts greatly appreciated.

Ray


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Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007 2:13 pm
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i guess you mean an american deluxe? well if so i would say what it really comes down to is the pickups, there really the biggest difference with the neck being second from what i hear. i have an american hss and am in love with it. its not a really quacky guitar and the mids are always pronounced more or less. personally i dont really like any of the noiseless pickups but it really is a matter of taste. the tex-mex are very hot wound pickups.

the $200 price difference between the two is not really a huge amount so get what you think you would like more. the deluxe is more of an "ultimate strat" and the american should sound more standard. the wood in a deluxe should be prettier usually and i feel the heel and nut features are pretty much not important- i mean there nice but just not extremely necessary. the bridge looks weird to me. my neck on mine is just perfect in everyway for me but i have heard the deluxe neck is incredible- so who knows?

also mine has locking tuners and strap locks and i would get these with that extra $200 if you go that way, also you could get a upgraded case also and be in the same ballpark.

realize too that the sunburst and sienna sunburst cost more on the american but the sunburst is at no charge on the deluxe :twisted:

truthfully i would consentrate on the pickups more than anything because that really the only significant difference.


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Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 8:55 am
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Thanks for your thoughts, I am also interested in your thoughts about an HSS vs a traditional Strat, the 3 single coil versions. Is it more useful in general ( I know music choice factors in) to have the humbucker, how do you feel about the trade off between 3 singles vs the bucker and 2 singles??

Thanks

Ray


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Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 9:02 am
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Hi there. I have an American Ash Strat. It has the 3 single coil pickups on it and it sounds awesome. If you are wondering about the Humbucker tone please also note that the American Deluxe Strats have the S-1 switching system. When you push the button in you can get a little bigger sound that is closer to the humbucker. Check it out.


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Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 9:26 am
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^ this is so true!!
reallyboth of the HSS models are different beasts than a normal strat and sound very dark and are not the trademark sound(i think the regular deluxe is pretty much the same- the scn have a dark sound!). they will not replace a bunch of guitars or sound like anything else, they have there own sound. as far as a humbucker it is really just to cover up the fact that most bridge pickups sound like ice being thrown in a tin can. you can get around this by either buying a HSS strat, a deluxe with the SCN and S-1, or just get a strat with good pickups... like CS pickups or (fill in blank here). in another words both of these HSS models, the humbucker just sounds like a meaty single coil and not quite as wimpy the bridge pickup in a (fill in blank again!! :P )

good luck!! i hope you find the one!!!- keep us updated please!!

p.s. the frets on these are terrible!!! so plan on getting new frets at some point!!


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Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 2:12 pm
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Played a HSS (HWY 1 was all they had) through a Fender Deluxe (not impressed) and through a 50 watt Marshall on the dirty channel, which didn't sound to bad, but I don't own a Marshall, I have a Hot Rod Deluxe Amp. I guess I would like a Strat body (that looks like a regular Strat pick up wise) and can growl like a LP when needed, and jump right back to the wonderful Strat sound when I switch back to the neck pick up.

I prefer to keep my guitars stock, esp USA Fenders, but maybe the answer is a to get a HWY 1 HSS and swap out the back pick up for something like a Gibson Burstbucker (if that would even work) and give up on the traditional Strat look.

Ray


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Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 5:27 pm
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hmmmm..

well the higway guitars are another completely different guitar. you just said you werent impressed so if i were you i would not get that one!! none of them will beable to growl like an LP!! the closest to that you will get is a stratosonic but then that sounds completely nothing like a strat really :( im not sure what your answer is besides getting both a strat and a LP.

btw, have you seen the new special? the new maroon one with a mahogony body? i think you might like that one and there selling at a good price on the fleabay. its kinda a mix between a deluxe and american but with a black headstock and the deeper sounding mahagony body. that might be close to what your looking for.


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Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2007 9:28 am
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I like my USA, HSS ash strat. 2 tex mex + diamondback bucker. I could do without the S1 switch though.


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Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2007 12:11 pm
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As the owner of a 2004 American Deluxe Stratocaster HSS, with a rosewood 'board - I can tell you that it is the perfect electric guitar when you can only take one guitar to a gig. While the humbucker in the bridge will not make the guitar sound like a Les Paul - it will fatten-up the bridge position over the typical single coil size pickup. What you lose is the more narrowly focused presence, punch, and articulation that single coil type pickups are famous for. Running such a Strat thru a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe will give that classic Fender clean and a really wonderful open distortion - very musical. The humbucker gives any tube amp a nice big warm push into overdrive.


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Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2007 10:29 am
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Try one of the VG American Strats. Play it through the "Humbucker" setting, then switch it to the Strat setting and I bet you'll be sold right then and there. Even if the batteries run out you can still play it as a classic American Strat, with all the character that entails.

Then you'll switch it to "Telecaster," twelve string, and acoustic, and you'll say to youself, "This was made for me."

Even though I didn't plan to spend that much on my Strat, I ended up with the VG because after I tried it, I couldn't imagine getting anything else. You sound like you want a very versitile guitar. This axe was made for ya.

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Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2007 4:58 pm
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I have owned TWO HSS Strats. This Deluxe had a mahogany body with a Diamondback HB and Tex-Mex SCs.

Image

I just loved how well it stayed in tune and how well made it was. Hot guitar!

Image

But even though it was a thick slab of mahogany, and had a hummie in the bridge, it was not anywhere near a "Les Paul" or "Gibson" type sound at all. It still sounded "Stratish". The single coils sounded OK, but not enough balls for my high gain rig. Besides, I wanted a Daphne Blue Strat, so I returned it and kept looking. I tried an SSS Highway One in NY and the sound was PERFECT for all types of gain amps, but the color was washed out looking, so I passed. Then this baby showed up on Sweetwater's Gallery...

Image

The colors were perfect, but satin finish was a bit dull. After some hours of playing the corner under my arm satrted to buff out, so I buffed it all out to a nice gloss finish.

Image

This "Atomic" humbucker (16K ohm) had much better tone and lots of gain. With the Greasebucket tone control set around 7 or so it sounded much like my Les Paul and not "Strat like". The 12K ohm Alnico 3 single coils kick but with great full tone. I love them. I got a non-RW/RP A3 pup on eBay ($ 20) and put it in place of the stock mid pup. Much better on pos 2 & 4. I added two pull pots in the tones and one was used to split the HB so I could get SC out of the bridge pup. This is where I felt the weakness. It had a thin nasal tone and did not sound like a good Strat bridge pup at all. I wanted the best of both worlds, so I got a new pickguard and another $20 Alnico 3 for the bridge. WOW! Now that works!!! 12K is hot, and when you dial back the Greasebucket tone to 3, you get a darn convincing LP tone! On 7 you get a powerfull Strat tone without the "ice pick" in the ear. This guitar does it all!

Image

I added a Wilkinson bridge, LSR roller nut, German made Schaller locking tuners, a "superswitch", and two fixed Greasebucket tones (inside) that are set to 3 and 7 for the bridge pup. The bottom pull-up tone changes the fixed tone on the bridge pup. That tone control (vari) is for the mid pup, and the upper vari tone comes on only for the neck pup pos 1.

This one guitar can do it all. I have many to compare with. If I could only take one, the Strat goes. (My yellow LPSDC is next in line...that rules too, but not for strat tones.) My advice? Try a new Highway one SSS and play with the Greasebucket tone controls! They can cut any gig.

Image

Phil 8)


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Post subject:
Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2007 8:46 am
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PHILBERT wrote:
I have owned TWO HSS Strats. This Deluxe had a mahogany body with a Diamondback HB and Tex-Mex SCs.

Image

I just loved how well it stayed in tune and how well made it was. Hot guitar!

Image

But even though it was a thick slab of mahogany, and had a hummie in the bridge, it was not anywhere near a "Les Paul" or "Gibson" type sound at all. It still sounded "Stratish". The single coils sounded OK, but not enough balls for my high gain rig. Besides, I wanted a Daphne Blue Strat, so I returned it and kept looking. I tried an SSS Highway One in NY and the sound was PERFECT for all types of gain amps, but the color was washed out looking, so I passed. Then this baby showed up on Sweetwater's Gallery...

Image

The colors were perfect, but satin finish was a bit dull. After some hours of playing the corner under my arm satrted to buff out, so I buffed it all out to a nice gloss finish.

Image

This "Atomic" humbucker (16K ohm) had much better tone and lots of gain. With the Greasebucket tone control set around 7 or so it sounded much like my Les Paul and not "Strat like". The 12K ohm Alnico 3 single coils kick but with great full tone. I love them. I got a non-RW/RP A3 pup on eBay ($ 20) and put it in place of the stock mid pup. Much better on pos 2 & 4. I added two pull pots in the tones and one was used to split the HB so I could get SC out of the bridge pup. This is where I felt the weakness. It had a thin nasal tone and did not sound like a good Strat bridge pup at all. I wanted the best of both worlds, so I got a new pickguard and another $20 Alnico 3 for the bridge. WOW! Now that works!!! 12K is hot, and when you dial back the Greasebucket tone to 3, you get a darn convincing LP tone! On 7 you get a powerfull Strat tone without the "ice pick" in the ear. This guitar does it all!

Image

I added a Wilkinson bridge, LSR roller nut, German made Schaller locking tuners, a "superswitch", and two fixed Greasebucket tones (inside) that are set to 3 and 7 for the bridge pup. The bottom pull-up tone changes the fixed tone on the bridge pup. That tone control (vari) is for the mid pup, and the upper vari tone comes on only for the neck pup pos 1.

This one guitar can do it all. I have many to compare with. If I could only take one, the Strat goes. (My yellow LPSDC is next in line...that rules too, but not for strat tones.) My advice? Try a new Highway one SSS and play with the Greasebucket tone controls! They can cut any gig.

Image

Phil 8)



philbert,
i saw your highway 1 before and man i wanted to say, that a sweet guitar there... it deffinetly has that majic to it and draws my eyes to it in a crowd!! :) all the mods i guess turned out great and sound very impressive. im glad it worked and nothing can beat all the hard work to get the perfect guitar. i must say it sounds complicated but i guess you get used to it, the s-1 is throwing me off if that tells you anything :evil: i dont know if i like all the options but i guess i will get used to it. i do like how it fattens stuff up but just good ol fasioned fatty pickups will too!!
anyway nice one!!


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Post subject:
Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2007 5:01 pm
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kja,

Thanks, mate. I tend to go overboard with this guitar, but it is really that good...and I have some great guitars...had even more in the past. This can do it all.

The S-1 switch the way Fender wired it up is a waste (to me). "Special capacitors" don't cut it. I sat down and thought about what I wanted for pickup combos, then drew it up. You really can get all the combos that would be usefull, but you need to be creative. I won't bore you with the details. Fender could do much better on the S-1.

Anyway, I went through the same questions as most people do when trying to select a Strat. Which one? You can't get everything you want on one stock Strat. Well, at least I couldn't. Just trying to understand all of the features was a challenge. I eventually saw the marketing ideas Fender had behind the different series. I got to try a few and understood the neck profile and radius styles. That RED Deluxe was SO NICE. I wanted to keep it, but the sound did not sell me. The Highway One was not high on my list because of the 70's headstock. I almost went with the 50's Classic in Daphne Blue, then I found out it was POPLAR and not alder. MIM too. Deal breakers. I finally tried the HW1. Great neck and fretboard feel! These are some bad@$$ pickups too! I compared with all different Strat models. It won me over every time. They CAN and DO sound like humbuckers when the Greasebucket tone is dialed in right. So to get the features I wanted in one guitar, I had to mod it. So far, so good. I ended up getting something with every feature I could want (including jumbo frets and a modern C profile) on this guitar...with my favorite color. It just looks like a cool retro color for a Fender. The 70's stock is growing on me. Looking at Hendrix, Blackmore, and Trower play them is comforting! The rounded body is so nice. Feels great! And the black pickups on the white and blue guitar is unique. I have not seen any SSS like it. The only thing I wish was different (now) is the radius. I can play the 9.5, but I'm so used to 12.

Anyway, I got what I wanted for under $1K. And it was fun to work on! Can't beat that! Thin skin Nitro too! Bonus!!!

Show me a pic of your baby! I'll go look for it on the Strat pics thread.

Thanks again! Gotta love a custom Strat!


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Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2007 3:34 pm
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actually philbert,
I dont have any pics of my #1 yet but i need to take some.

here is my #2, this would have been my only guitar because i do like it alot but sadly the only reason its not is the width of the fretboard from the 5th to the 9th fret is too wide and cramps my hand after a while of playing it.. wicked, wicked axe though..

Image

Image

her name is bayou, she is heavily modded too like yours!! against all normal rationalization i put a vintage .47 cap in it for the push/pull(no, not .047 but.47) and it just sounds crazy. the neck sounds real bassy and meaty and the bridge sounds like just so sparkely like champagne. actually the sound is better than my #1, which is a AmSE '03 HSS named voodoo, just because it sounds so crazy. voodoo just feels so much better though and i can torture it enough to get all the crazy sounds i like. i will post pics of voodoo when i get some time to take them. she's just a beatup sunburst but has locking tuners like yours and the strap locks too.

btw, did you know that fender no longer sells the german shaller locks like we have on our strats and now they are made by ping i believe? :evil: i think you can still get the german ones by going through shaller i think but it's something to be aware of. :wink:

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Post subject:
Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2007 4:02 pm
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Well that is different! Very nice. Different pups! As long as you are getting the tone you like.

Yes, I had a hard time getting the real German tuners and not the Ping crap. It was worth the extra $$$.

Man, I wish this forum did not close. :?

Phil 8)


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