Got a HWY1 strat the other day...took a massive risk and ordered one over the phone, having never played one. I must admit to being sucked in by the big headstock.
The 'traditional' strat has never interested me that much, I started with a 95 Korean squire with a beautiful neck (I'd put that neck up against any American Fender in town, just a shame about the fizzy one dimensional pickups) and moved on to Les Paul style guitars. And while the effortless chunk of mahogany and humbuckers will continue to plague my back, they don't really do subtle. The H1 seemed to have plenty of character and the owners on the net all seemed pretty happy, even if a pup swap seemed popular. It wasn't till after I'd paid that i read a bad review...gulp!
First Impressions of the H1? I wanted to send it back and get them to finish it! it just struck me as...unripe. The matte sunburst was strange.
I think it may have been the fluro lights i was under, the shocking setup or the skinny strings. But plugging it in was a bit more impressive, those pups are...Groovy! Capital G. Think Ive run out of characters, cont. next post

The Finish is very dark orange, not the usual yellowy colour. I've come to see the depth of the grain and finish and really like it.
I used it last night in a band situation and was even more impressed with the pickups and got more used to the neck as the night went on. Other band members and casual observers haven't had the same reservations I started with about the thing, it's unique look and gutsy performance made it stand out and able to hang with the Les Pauls. To my pleasant surprise the palm muted high gain sounds are the best I've heard offered from a strat.
But what it does best is a strong crunchy tone, with cut and definition without becoming too shrill.
The pups may be too strong for some after a pristine clean strat sound, but who cares? It still jangles and quacks like only a strat can.
I love the big headstock, the normal pinhead looks too minimal for me and has stopped me wanting a strat for years, the look and tone of the US std is boring and doesn't really suit me at all. Great quality and all but just...boring.

hey jgiles,

put the 5 way selector at 2 or 4, roll the tone off both to about 2.
high gain, and youll hear what makes this strat more special. the greasebucket circuitry. (mainly on the bridge).
assuming you got the one with sss config.

I guess the neck is down to preference, it's pretty modern, quite wide and flat and doesn't fill the palm a lot. It took a change of string guage and 20 minutes of playing to get used to it, now its fine. Definately not a hinderance in my book. I like the frets too, nice 'n' big.
The bridge looks a bit tinny but sounds and works fine. Screams out 'Mexico!' but I see no reason to change it.
There is a quiet suggestion among these forums that this isn't a real strat but I'd say if that's the case then the US std resembles a G&L more than the 'traditional' Fender. Great quality like i said but not worth starting a cultural revoution over. (whatch the flaming start! lol)
I'm now in the fortunate position, as with my Les pauls, of being able to see and appreciate other nice guitars, but finding one that suits me better would be a hard task.

G&L is as much Fender as Fender IMO. That L stands for Leo Fender after all.

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To be honest, I dont really use the tone controls much but yeah, I did muck about for a bit to see what all the fuss was about. Yeah I went the sss version (sorry to all the superstrat fans out there but buckers need short scale length IMHO, gave it a go late ninetees) and it is an improvement but would really rather the bridge had no tone... but then again, its not that it struggles.
I may find a use for the greasebucket tone. it's for sure better than the muffled tones from the usual pots but if im ever after a darker sound i just switch guitars.

j Giles i would never choose a new american standard over a highway one sss strat. the highway one sss strat is tone superior!

Highway 1's are very cool guitars. For me, I am not the biggest fan of the flat nitro finish, but that's just me. I think most of the controversy comes from people buying a Hwy 1 more for the "made in America" sticker instead of the specific features of the guitar. Because when it comes down to it, the Hwy 1 is definitely a bit of an odd bird compared to an Am Std. Cool guitars, though ... no doubt about that.

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

Yeah, I think so too now. very three dimensional, not clinical or flat at all.
We all have preference in tone and looks and this seems a perfect selecton of features for me. I know the head is based on a shadowy time in fender history but it makes perfect sense to me... just looks right. Price honestly didn't come into it.

Good to know there's a Strat for people who basically don't like Strats.

Tone is really in the ear of the beholder.I find the pickups too dark for my tastes.

Can a bass plate be added on a highway 1 bridge pickup? I am guessing that adding a bass plate will not have any effect on the grease bucket circuitry.

Yeah you can add the baseplate. It will affect the greasebucket because it will affect the pickup, providing the pickup is wired to use the tonepot.

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No no and no

I absolutely love my Highway 1 Stratocaster. I have modded it a little. Here is mine before the mod (and it was great then but needed a little umph):




After mod:



Dimarzio Super Distortion-Bridge
Dimarzio 500K volume pot
Fender/Schaller Locking "F" tuners
White Pearloid pick guard
"F" neck plate
Fender black accessaries (knobs and stuff)
Schaller strap locks
and switched to 10-48 strings.

This guitar screams like no other guitar I have ever owned. The neck and middle pickups are still stock and they are great.

RK

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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

In your opinion what do you think the overall effect would be. I understand it will change the tone of the pickup. But how will it effect the grease bucket circuitry?