Hi, I would like to have your opinion about the Classic 50's Stratocaster... I can't decide between that one and a Highway One Strat'. Which one is the best ?

Thanks !

Ummagumma

Hmmm... define "IS"

Anyway, IMO, I'd go with a 57RI.

Peace,
84

Yeah I would go with the 50's strat. You might would like the hotrod 57' strat. I myself have a 50's model American Deluxe Strat and I wouldn't change a thing. GREAT GUITAR! Now dont get me wrong the Highway One is a great guitar, actually played one today. Its just not as fancy like the 50's. Like the finish and some of the nicer features. But no doubt any guitar you buy with "Made in U.S.A" on it you are getting a great guitar so both are great .

Classic 50s - nice guitar, 7.25" (vintage) neck radius. Pickups have a high treble component., suit clean sounds slightly more than overdrive. Mexican rather than American made (if thats important to you) but better quality than a std Mexican build. Hard gloss polyester finish.

Highway 1 - excellent guitar, 9.5" (modern) neck radius. Pickups are quite punchy and suit overdrive a little more than clean. Also has the Grease Bucket tone circuit which protects yr highs when turning down the volume. USA build - cheapest US build Strat on the market. Finish is Nitro that will wear and ding quickly.

Classic 50s is cheaper gtr of the 2. I have both and there's little to choose in terms of quality generally. Different feel on each because of the difference in the neck radiuses. The 50s needs careful set up to get a low action - always have the risk of notes choking out on high bends.

_________________
Fender Highway & Classic 60s Strats, Fender Toronado, Telecaster, Gretsch Projet, Charvel 3, PRS SE Soapbar II & Custom 24, Burns Batwing and many others!

Actually the 50s reissue is more expensive than the highway one

Classic 50 is $749 at MF
http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/prod ... sku=510136

The Highway one is $699
http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/prod ... sku=512768

Also, not that it really matters, but the highway ones are more American Assembled than American Made. Some of the building process and components are done in Mexico and then finished here in the US. Also the HWY1 has Jumbo frets which you may not like and the C50 has smaller vintage frets

Interesting..

In the UK, I've never see any Strat from the Classic range (50,60,70s) retail for more than the Highway. In terms of pricing here, it goes as follows for the basic models, from cheapest to dearest:

Standard Strat (Mex)
Classic Series (Mex)
Classic Player Series (Mex)
Highway (USA)
American Std (USA)

The links you've provided should give the enquirer a lot of detail in respect of his original question..

_________________
Fender Highway & Classic 60s Strats, Fender Toronado, Telecaster, Gretsch Projet, Charvel 3, PRS SE Soapbar II & Custom 24, Burns Batwing and many others!

In the good ol US of A its

Standard ( Mex)
Highway one ( USA/Mex mixed origins)
Classic Series ( Mex)
Classic Player series ( Mex)
American standard ( USA)

The Classic Player series here has always been more expensive than the Highway ones, I don't know whats up with pricing in the UK

Be advised. The classic 50's strat comes with weaker than crap pickups. But it is an absolutely BEAUTIFUL instrument, and plays and feels amazing. Although, I'm gonna put bigger frets on mine to take it up a notch with my bends.

_________________
-Kc
"Payin' dues."

have u tried the 60s strat side by side with the 50s strat , to my ears i thought the 60s sound had more of a punch

They have the same pickups so I doubt it.

@Kevin
why not just get the 50s CP? It has Medium Jumbo frets and CS 57/62 MIM clones

It's true that in Europe, the Highway One is more expansive than the Classic (about €100). And I prefer the Classic to CP just for the Fiesta Red color, which is not available with the CP I think.

Thanks for your answers !

I'll tell you my experience. I have a classic 50's that I replaced almost everything on (tuners, pickups, wiring, switch, trem), and Im still not really all that happy. Although tone-wise, it blows the American Deluxe I had out of the water, playability is a bit of an issue. Mine was actually FSR that came with a 50's body, and 60 neck, and I dont like the smaller C shape at all. My hand tends to cramp when im playing rhythm because there isnt enough there to fill my hand. Plus I use 11 gauge strings, which wear the vintage size frets down rather quick, and you cant bend as deep unless you either raise the action considerably, or refret it with taller frets, then dress them to have a flatter radius. Plus it weighs allot more than the Am. Dlx did. Im assuming its either due to the heavier Polyester finish (which sucks, its basically wrapping the body in plastic), or the fact that its routed as S-S-S, instead of H-S-H like most strats, and has more wood.
I do like the thin nitro finish on the highway 1's, but am not a fan of the extra jumbo frets (those are a bit too tall for my taste). I also dont really like the Alnico III pickups on it. They're not bad, just not my taste, but I swap pickups out immediately anyway, so that wouldnt be a problem.
Anyways, play the things.

I have owned a Surf Green Classic 50s Strat for a little more than a year and I never could get used to the pickups. The output was a bit low and too bright for me so I swapped them out for a set of SCNs. It sounds great now but there are times when I wish I had stayed more 50s correct and put in one of the Custom Shop 50s pickups sets. Maybe one of these days...

I grew up with 7.25 inch radius necks on 60s Strats so that neck shape and size has always been comfortable for me. And the finish is immaculate. The Classic 50s is easily one of the best looking guitars I own.

John

In Australia, the Highway 1's are cheaper than many of the 100% Mexican made ones (here in Melbourne, anyway). Classic Player models are more expensive. For example, when I bought my H1, it was only fifty dollars more expensive than a Mexican Standard, but the Classic Player Strats/Teles/Jazzmasters were about a hundred and fifty bucks more!

So it would be better to wait and buy an AM Standard, I suppose... I'm going to play them. It will be my first Strat' and I don't want to be disappointed !