I would like to get some facts and opinions between the differences between the American Standard and the Deluxe Stratocaster

The deluxe has locking tuners and different saddles as well as the s-1 switch and the noiseless pickups. In my opinion the standards pickups sound better. But, that's just my opinion.

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Don't worry, Be happy.

It also has the LSR rolle nut to complement the lockers, and the edges of the fretboard are rolled to feel a bit broken in. The maple board necks have abalone dot inlays, too. The hot SCN pickups in the deluxe are a matter of personal preference, but I like them really well myself. The pop-in trem arm also has no plastic tip. I love my AD, but I wish it had come with the ATA case like the AS. Fender dropped the ball on that aspect, IMO.

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60th Anniversary AD Strat, Deluxe Nashville Tele, Player's P Bass. Mesa/Boogie Mk IV combo, Marshall JCM800, 1960A cab, Genz Benz El Diablo 60, Genz 2x12" cab, too many neat little practice amps and kit projects!

Mine has no LSR nut. I don't think deluxes have one. More importantly though, the SCNs sound a bit thin albeit completely humless- which (the latter) is excellent.
As I' ve mentioned elsewhere in the forum, my guitar changed a lot for the better with the Callaham trem and saddles and that thinness is long gone away. The thin, muffled deluxe sound was also present on a friend's rosewood guitar (mine is maple) and moreover, a lot of knowledgeable guys I know tried to convince me to buy a standard due to this problem- they were right. No pops and snaps and nice stratty single coil stuff until the Callaham was installed. (I don't work for them.)
So, the standard is better as a starting point, the deluxe is silent but kind of lifeless, not so suitable for gritty rocking-blues tones a la SRV and Jimi.
Better balanced strapped-on though and very nice for recording. Immaculate fretwork and broken in neck feeling.
Later.

I only own a Deluxe so I can't compare the sounds directly but here are some additional differences between the Am. Standard and Deluxe models:

1) The Deluxe HSS versions come with an LSR roller nut, SSS with a std. nut
2) All Deluxe versions (maple, rosewood) have abalone dot inlays vs. plastic on Std.
3) Deluxe comes with Schaller straplocks
4) Deluxe has a different trem. block than the standard "copper infused" version on the Std.
5) Std. has more (and better IMHO) color options

Forgot one:

6) Contoured neck tenon on the Deluxe to make it easier to reach the high frets.

Happy Holidays!

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Custom Shop '59 Stratocaster
AV Hot Rod '52 Telecaster
AV '56 Stratocaster
'65 Deluxe Reverb Reissue

The LSR only comes with the HSS model. Sorry to miss that detail, but those AD's do indeed have them.

Thin-ness is subjective, IMO. A lot of it depends on the amp you plug into and your outboard gear. I do agree on the trem: there is no substitute for the Callaham block & saddles upgrade. That is a worthy mod for any strat!

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60th Anniversary AD Strat, Deluxe Nashville Tele, Player's P Bass. Mesa/Boogie Mk IV combo, Marshall JCM800, 1960A cab, Genz Benz El Diablo 60, Genz 2x12" cab, too many neat little practice amps and kit projects!

You really need one of each....... Mike

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The blues ain't nothin but a good man feelin bad.

I prefer the look and feel of the deluxe neck. But I like the tone of my american standard strat better. I almost traded my A.S siennaburst 07 for a 04 50th. anniv. tobaccoburst, 'cause I also liked the contoured heel on the deluxe. Decided I would miss the A.S to much, especially it's light weight, It's extremely lite in weight compared to many other A.S I have tried. Good luck on your choice, you will know which guitar is right for you, when it feels and sounds good to you, and you don't want to chance someone else pickin' up the guitar as soon as you put it back on the rack.

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2012 American Vintage Telecaster 1958
09 Fender american deluxe strat.
97 Gibson les paul special P90's double-cut
65 Princeton reverb re-issue
2010 Guild Gad-F40e

+1 on having one of each. I decided as soon as I have the money saved, I'm gonna get a deluxe next.

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2012 American Vintage Telecaster 1958
09 Fender american deluxe strat.
97 Gibson les paul special P90's double-cut
65 Princeton reverb re-issue
2010 Guild Gad-F40e

About $400.

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You dig?

Anyone know, or care to hazard a guess about why the HSS Deluxe has the LSR nut and the SSS versions do not? I noticed that some time ago and have been curious about it.

-phil

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Then again, what do I know ... I've only been playin' for 6 months ... !

I can only guess -- maybe they think the HSS will appeal to more metal-heavy types who're doing deep dive bombs? The LSR nut would be a plus in that case -- all assuming Fender marketing could bear that out by consumer research.

Deluxe is a facy Standard. It has some nice upgrades and some not so nice pickups and S-1 toy switch that it is cool until it breaks. Standard sounded beter to me and was $300 less.

Play them to get a feel. Your hads and ears might guide you differently

How do you break an S1 switch? I'm not saying it isn't possible, but there aren't a lot of complaints about them on this forum. amd I would think here is where we all would see this. Other than a few random complaints, it doesn't seem to be that much of a problem. Don't like it? Don't use it! As for the SCN's, I will give you that the tone of them is subjective, but I don't think they detract from the guitar's tone simply by being silent as some say.

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60th Anniversary AD Strat, Deluxe Nashville Tele, Player's P Bass. Mesa/Boogie Mk IV combo, Marshall JCM800, 1960A cab, Genz Benz El Diablo 60, Genz 2x12" cab, too many neat little practice amps and kit projects!

Just to clarify an earlier comment, but I believe both the deluxe and standard have necks with rolled edges.