I own a 2004 Classic Series 50s Strat in Daphne Blue, so I can speak from some experience. First off, the 50s Strat is meant to be a replica of I believe a 1957 Strat. It has some very low output alnico vintage style pickups. They shimmer, chime and sparkle with lots of high end and clear tone. The treble output is a bit much, so some EQ at the amp is needed to limit the high end. The soft V neck/7.25" radius/small frets take a little getting used to, especially if you are used to playing wide, flat necks(Jackson, Ibanez, HM Strat, PRS). It is 50s era correct, and has that feel.
The Hwy 1 is meant to be a more modern axe, with more contemporary features. Pickups, frets, and overall feel are more modern.
The reason to get the 50s Strat is you WANT that vintage set up and sound, without spending a fortune. I bought it cause it fills a niche that none of my other Strats fill. It has a beautiful clean tone, with no hint of overdrive or breakup in the amp. Run thru my Roland amp, the clean tone is crystal!! Try to overdrive a Marshall, not so great!
Both, very nice guitars. The finish on the 50s Strat is beautiful compared to the dull satin of the Hwy 1, if that matters to you.
Good luck in your choice, and buy the one that "speaks" to you.

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

hey yogi, those are not clones 57/62 they are the cs 57/62
cp 60s has cs 69s not clones either



correction off the websites specs no longer say cs 57/62 now say
3 American Vintage Strat® Single-Coil Pickups with Staggered, Alnico 5 Magnet Pole Pieces, Aged Covers and the Middle Pickup Reverse Wound/Reverse Polarity for Hum Canceling in the Middle Switch Position

Heck yeah, the wood grain, the finish, everything just looks gorgeous on these guitars, especially with a nicer 3ply pg.

Would you consider this your go-to strat? If not, which strat of yours is, and which pickups is it armed with?

_________________
-Kc
"Payin' dues."

if you want an old style fender try the 60s closet classic

Hmmm, for vintage Strat tones, my old, original 1965 will always be at the top. Then again, it's 44 years old and I don't play it that often anymore. That leaves my Custom Shop '56 NOS. The 60 cycle hum is music to my ears and the 3 way switching feels like home. The Custom Shop '56 pickups are remarkable. Setting the 3 way switch between the neck and middle positions gives me my favorite tone of any of the Strats I own.

My favorite modern Strat is a toss up between an American Deluxe Ash and Clapton and John Mayer Artist Series. The Mayer is a recent addition and it was the Big Dipper pickups that sold me on it. Mayer catches a lot of grief on these boards but I'd say he has excellent taste in pickups.

John

I second that notion. I've played one, but I don't have anywhere near that kind of cash to put up for it.

I guess I can say I'm looking for something more modern too, but my eyes are bigger than my checking account.

_________________
-Kc
"Payin' dues."

I found that the bridge on the Classic Series is a little cheap. The stamped saddles are made of alot cheaper metal along with the bridge. You'll get tone improvement just changing the saddles to the vintage saddles Fender sells. The bridge plate on mine was cut crudely and was not flat to the guitar body, thus, tuning problems. I replaced the whole tremolo. The tuning heads are not too bad.

I lucked into a a lightly used Mayer. I knew a Guitar Center friend of mine was trying to raise the cash for for a PRS Modern Eagle 2 and that he was going to trade a Les Paul Traditional Pro and a Mayer for it. I was there to buy the Mayer before anyone else could get to it.

John

I bought a mint condition Daphne Blue 50s strat from craigslist a few months ago and its been my main strat ever since. The V-neck had alot to do with it. I always found C necks to be rather awkward feeling. The classic series (IMO) is extremely comfortable for me. The funny thing is I never played one before I bought it. I took a gamble on the v neck when I played a Dean Razorback and I LOVED the way the neck felt. When I finally saw a Classic on CL I bought it as fast as I could.

Never played a 60's strat but I have played the 50's & 60's RW and I hate them

To each his own

Nice steal. Clean getaway.

_________________
-Kc
"Payin' dues."