Hey guys,

I've been looking at a highway one model to mess around with. Is there anyway to tell the difference between the two? I'm to call fender tomorrow about the serial numbers.

What are peoples experiences with the highway ones? I'm mainly interested in the necks...

Thanks

The neck finish or body finish?

What is used to seal the necks?

If you like thin necks and big frets - and a satin finish on the back of the neck - then you'll like the Highway 1's.

I've had mine for several months and cannot stop playing it - it's my favourite guitar

The satin body finish is really thin, and prone to dings, so you have to be more careful than usual with it. Don't wipe it down with solvents, etc - just a dry cloth.

They're great guitars, and a lot of fun. The different switching configuration is a bit weird at first, but you can do a lot with it. I'm also a fan of the greasebucket tone circuit (although I know many others are not).

You forgot about the Alnico 3 hot pickups - Glassy and ballsy... Handles distortion very well and still sounds great on clean.

In some ways the MIA standard and the Highway one are similar.Both have the modern c necks .Pickups are alnico3 vs alnico 5 .Both nice and both take overdrive/distortion good.Alot depends on what you think of the finish of the highway one .I personally like the shiney, new look of the standard.To some people it doesnt matter.I also like the pickups on the MIA standard better.HW1 sound darker, but its just a matter of personal taste.

Telling them apart is simple.
1. HWY 1 has large headstock, Standard has small.
2. HWY 1 has 6 point vintage trem, Standard has 2 point.
3. HWY 1 has nitro finish, Standard has poly.

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

Nevin is correct...

If youre talking about the previous HWY1 models (before the upgraded version), they actually have the small headstock. also features include: 22 medium-jumbo frets; low gloss, satin lacquer finish; classic single coil pickups. The HSS version (still previous) has the large headstock. Mainly, the Greasebucket was the only special feature that remains...

IMO, the previous HWY1 version looks similar to the MIA standard. You will only know the difference if you look at them closer and plug them to an amp.

they introduced the larger 70's headstock in 2007 I believe, but that's just what I have observed. I saw one on gbase labeled as an 03, but thats is the only one I've found with the large headstock pre 07. I have been looking for a used one because I'm not crazy about the large headstock.

_________________
I got a black cat bone, I got a mojo too.

drb,
the large headstock was introduced mid 2006.
the earlier hwys look similar to a 90s am std in which they have 2 string trees.
i think the earlier ones didnt have staggered tuners( hwy 1)

thanks for the info, i knew it was 06 or 07 but wasn't sure. I prefer the smaller headstock myself.

_________________
I got a black cat bone, I got a mojo too.

i love my highway1.
if i had more money probaly would of gone amrican standard tho.

Correct. I was referring to the post-2006 version. The earlier ones do have the small headstock but all of the other differences apply

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

The HSS version of the Highway 1 has always had the large headstock.
The SSS version started out with the small and then changed to the large.

I think dimibetan was trying to say that, but it didn't seem to get across to later readers.

One difference between the Hwy 1 and the Am Std is that the Hwy 1 does not have the biflex truss rod system. But you can't tell that in a picture.

_________________
Member #26797
My other guitar is a Strat.