My 2009 American Standard has been a huge dissapointment for me over the last year. So much so, that i got my highway 1 refretted so i could put the standard in it's case for good. I guess i'l get around to selling it or trading it at some point.

Here's why

First of all, just on picking up the guitar, it is light. I have noticed that the 2009's for some reason were significantly lighter. The wood used was some sort of lightweight soft wood i spose. This is noticble to me as a huge loss of sustain, even after i shaped a block of wood to lock the tremolo out.

The sound - I attribute it some part to the maple fretboard, but i've played maple fretboards with more warmth than this. The sound of this guitar is twangy, so that when the amp is turned up you get a high pitched snappy sound. You want to hold a beautiful thick note out and let it ring for a second, you wont do it with this guitar. You want to play intervals or drones as a dramatic little build up part and it will sound like popping cracks and squeals.

Even with the pickup selector in the right spot and the trebble tone knob turned to 0, and the amp eq'ing the treb out and the bass up, the abrasive twang is all you get. (and with little tone left at that point.) I like to have a twang option on any guitar. a bright crisp bell mode for playing in high contrast when the situation is right. However, i also like versitility. And this guitar gives me no options.

The feel of the guitar is amazing which is why i kept trying different settings with it for a year. But the sound that comes out is comparable to a ratty old squire out of clock radio speaker.

Im thinking of ordereing a Mohangy body to add some depth to the tone. It's not the pickups, because the thing gives off a high pitched sound just plucking strings with it unplugged compared to my other guitars. I can't afford to drop money into fenders anymore, as i feel their quality has declined even as their prices have continued to rise.

I'm sad about this because fender has the best feel and ergonmics. It fits against you while your playing like a glove. It looks good. They are build like tanks and take alot of abuse. But with the current lineup at guitar center that ive been looking at and trying out im just not impressed. Even some of the value guitars have a more pleasing tone.

What the )*(&)* happened to fender?

Sorry no intention to flame you but "are you having casses on moooundays", PMS, etc. Sounded like you needed to rant

Due to the organic nature of wood all guitars are slightly different. So you don'like it, sell it. Get a Gretch, Gibson, JAckson, etc. Try a bunch of them and find what you like. Most big box stores have 30 day return policy i guess. When you buy your next guitar play a heck out of it as soon as you get it and it will tell you if you like it or not in the first few weeks.

Hope that helps, and breathe.....

You did not post your amp selection or effects if any or string choice.

It could be that you need to have the electronics inspected the tone cap might need to be reversed or wiring changed so that you can have the sound you seek.

You also didn't mention what style of music you are playing, heavy metal on a knopfler sounding guitar isn't going to work.

You are playing a standard, a custom shop sound isn't going to happen without some mods and/or figuring out what needs to be modified if at all feasible.

As far as ragging on Fender's quality because you are not finding the sound you want is pointless, especially since you like the strat's playability ????

why did you buy it in the first place?
was it an internet buy? or did you get it from a store? should have had plenty of time to check it out and return it if you didn't gel with it, so why complain now?
Check out craigslist, maybe you can trade for a FSR Mahogany strat

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People say I'm a nice guy, I can't figure why

i play alot of styles.

the lack of versatility is the problem. not like most ofther strats i have had in the past.

Try a pickup change or even putting humbuckers on it.

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I remember when we were free!

i play metal on my start but the again i have humbucker in the bridge and a kahler on it

Sorry to hear that. Wonder what went wrong? Most love theirs. Good luck in finding a guitar you like!

"Probably won't buy another fender."

Thanks. That means more for the rest of us.

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Bill

I brought one with a rosewood fretboard. Mine has plenty of sustain.
You got to remember if you go maple your buying half a telecaster.

have you compared it to other amer std strats?
what amp are you using?

my american std gives me versatility with my style of music, with my situation, im considering installing a dimarzio paf zebra, or a jb jr.

youre gonna spend more refretting the hwy, than installing new pickups.
look into maybe vintage noiseless, or lace golds with ec midboost for versatility.
?
are you using a tube amp or solid state?

my solid state line 6 will give sharp abbrassive tone.
but on my hr deville, smooth as butter, sometines the treble spikes out a little but with a roollback off the tone fixes that.
to rockin' tones.

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"Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the present."

oogway, kungfu panda 2008

Lots of factors could be leading to this. I dunno. It seems hasty to write off a whole brand because of one bad product.

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I think he has a solid state amp. The maple necks can sound very uninviting on a bright amp and speaker.

Here is a classic example on spending too much money on a guitar with a crap amp (it's a Crate by the way).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MYGXvHYwX4

I traded in a standard strat last year for my 56 NOS CS,
The standard was black, rosewood neck, 3 single D'imarzio's it wailed but was not versatile enough, it may be what you are looking for as far as configuring.

I'll post photo's if I can figure out the process, need advice.

To post a picture you need to join one of the free hosting sites like www.photobucket.com , upload your pictures there and then copy and paste them here using the img button above your post. Easy once you get used to it. Good luck!