Its a feather when I compare it to my Fernandes Vertigo, which was like an anvil with strings.

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- Fender USA Select Stratocaster
- Marshall JVM 410H
- Marshall 4x12 cab
- Macbook; Snow Leopard
- MOTU Traveler Audio Interface

That narrows it down a bit! How is the sustain compared to a regular strat?

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Stagemaster
Roadhouse Strat
Epi Traditional Pro Les Paul
Ovation Celeb
Esteban Celestial Night(nicely tweeked)
Blackheart tube amp

Those were cool guitars; of course it's harder to get complete info on any of these FSR runs than it is to get the complete specs of a regular production model.

I think the price fluctuations were to mirror the pricing on "regular" American Series/American Standards; most retailers have had these around for a while and are looking to keep them priced competitively with the current price of a regular one.

I would also like to point out that the regular American Series HSS did have the S-1 switching during it's run from mid-2003 through the end of 2007; Fender didn't carry the S-1 switching forward onto the American Standard HSS model that came out in 2008.

I went to the local Guitar Center and tried all types of American strats, wanting to upgrade from my MIM Deluxe Players Strat....including Standard, Deluxe, Specials, SSS and HSS Strats. The one that called out as the best of them all was the Mahogany bodied "Select" Strat. Fender has now relabeled it a "Special", but it has all the extras of a Deluxe, including S-1 button, chrome locking tuners, roller nut, HSS pickups, contoured corner (where the neck bolts to the body), and plastic hardshell locking case. It is a unique strat, comes only in transparent red finish with black head and is absolutely beautiful IMHO. The floor model at GC was too scuffed, so I ordered it online from Music 123 and saved sales tax.

I usually take 4 guitars to my gigs and the Mahogany Strat gets the most use for my Blues and Classic rock, followed by the Gibson ES-345, then the Custom Shop Tele Relic, then the Acoustic Breedlove.

see: http://www.guitarcenter.com/Fender-Amer ... de=1&qso=3

www.mikeimbasciani.com

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'10 Fender American Select Mahogany HSS Strat
'07 Fender Custom Shop Vintage Heavy Relic HB Tele
Gibson ES-345 RI
Gibson Les Paul Studio
Schecter California Custom Hellcat
Squier Bullet/Seymour Duncan HB/LockingTuners
Breedlove AD25/SR Plus Acoustic
Hohner ECA 612 12-String Acoustic

I have one, absolute mint condition, too scared to play it lol! Its up for sale if anyone wants it, $1600 obo, totally open to trades also, and the 1600 is what i paid for it, not looking to profit just recoup and once you hold it, you'll know its worth it. The only thing it needed was fret dressing (WTF Fender??) which I'm having done right now at good stuff guitar shop in Martinez, CA. One of the best guitar techs in the bay area owns this shop.
It is really bad $@!, Ill put pics up when i pick it up. 168 of these made and you can bet they will be desired by anyone who catches an eye full of them. I freakin molest guitars, like a monkey trying to open a coconut. As I know this and don't want to screw up the guitar, I just never play it. It would be like using a Picasso for a napkin.

here are the specs on it:
Ash body
Cobalt Blue Trans finish
Maple neck
Ebony fretboard without dot markers
9-1/2" radius
Medium-jumbo frets
Chrome locking tuners
Black plastic parts
Chrome hardware
3 Samarium Cobalt Noiseless pickups
S-1 switching

also comes with a (also mint condition) Fender black tolex hardshell case with awesome orange crushed velvet interior with locks/keys.


If you are near the bay area and want to check it out PM me and Ill make it happen.

Not too many people buy this gorgeous crimsen red Mahogony spell check badness guitars so I would say they already are a collectors axe. I did my research being a Gibson man and when I was done...The American select crimsen red was the only one I would accept even after several weeks of searching and playing I finally found a 2005 model like new for 900.00 on ebay and I jumped on it! It is all the best strat parts put on one instrument hense the name "SELECT"!

I bought mine used from a guy 60 miles from me for $500.00. This guitar looks brand new not a scratch anywhere. I love this guitar, until you see one in person you won't understand it's draw. The sound is great, and it has everything my American deluxe has. Plus the finish is unbelievable, and the black head stock is a plus.

Nice looking guitar, but...

makes me say "no thanks".

I hate $%^%# exclusives. Their regular prices are bad enough, but to have no competition & no other choice? Blah!

Used via EBay? well - OK, but that's another issue...