Simply a BEAUTIFUL guitar.

I've owned a few American Standards and An American Deluxe (pre 2010), and this American Special in my opinion is right up there with them, and sounds better than the others I have owned. These Texas Special pickups in combination with the Atomic Humbucker make the perfect arsinal of sound for me. This is my first HSS Strat, and now I actually use the bridge pickup...LOL.

I also like the traditional bridge better than the two point one as well. I could never get the two point ones to set perfectly flush. For some reason they seemed flush on one side and not quite flush on the other side.

I played this guitar at an open mic last night to try it out live, and it sounded absolutely amazing. I just bring my little Digitech pedal with me, and run it right into the PA. I use the direct setting with some chorus, delay, and reverb. I use the noise gate to get rid of any single coil hum, and it sounds so so so wonderful.

You just cant beat a chorusy strat sound. It is just so pleasing to the ear at any volume, and it can be played with an acoustic style that sounds even better than an acoustic guitar.

I am in love with the sound of a Stratocaster, and this particular one is the best sounding one I have ever owned to date.

Here are some pics...

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Dont get any druel on them...LOL

Nice!


I wish the vintage tuners were still standard issue!

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Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that's often taken for granted.

Don't leave home without it!

That is one sexy beast, looks identical to mine! enjoy...

Nice and shiny !

congrats

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Pretty igood looking guitar!

nice goatee!

Nice. I had one a few months ago.Then the bridge and middle quit working. A strand of wire was runnining amuck,fixed...then I changed the strings and when I finished ALL the screws that adjust the string height came loose and ALL the saddles were on the deck,threads are too coarse.As that was being addressed I noticed a real cherry 94 plus ultra deluxe...made an even trade. Lok-tite may be in your future......watch it...

Thank you everyone...





Sorry to hear about the problems with the pickups on your's. I have had the same thing happen with the saddle height screws on the American Standards the I have owned. I think it's more something that you just have to be aware of when changing the strings not to let the saddles flop around too much.

I have a candy apple red...wish that I would have gotten the 3 tone and swapped out the hb for a single coil. The 3 tone with the black pick guard is amazing. Congrats.

I LOVE the color of this Strat!!
If I didn't already own 8 Highway One HSS formatted Stratocasters, I'd buy this without any guilt in a second!!
As a proud owner of 8 of these guitars.....and I don't want to rain on your parade.....I , personally HATED the stock pickups and tuners!! IMHO....they SUCKED!!!
I IMMEDIATELY changed ALL of them with a combination of premium pickups by Gibson and DiMarzio.
That was the BEST decision I ever made!!! These guitars sound AMAZING now!! I installed quality NOISELESS single coils (I HIGHLY recommend DiMarzio's AREA series)
You'll be happy to know that Fender/Schaller locking tuners are direct drop in replacements for those HORRIBLE Ping tuners!
You have NO idea how much MORE I enjoy these guitars NOW!!
Once you put a really GOOD set of pickups in there....you WILL see/hear a difference!!
Just my $.02





Number 8:



NUMBER 8 headstock:

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I refuse to have a battle of the wits with an unarmed man!

Nice collection!!!

I think the HWY1 comes with stock pickups.

The American Special comes with Texas Special pickups.

As far as the tuners go... as long as they work and the guitar stays in tune, I have no problem with the stock tuners.

I play clean trough a Digitech RP150 pedal with chorus/delay/reverb, and right into the mixing board. I also play with an acoustic style, and these pickups give me a very nice sound. I get nothing but compliments about how wonderful my guitar sounds at the open mics that I go to.

Thanks!! The Highways did come with stock singles, but DID come with a DH-1/Atomic or what ever the heck they call it.....IHMO...it still sucked!
The Texas Specials are indeed an upgrade....but you STILL have the dreaded 60 cycle hum! DiMarzio has taken care of that and then some with the AREA series!!
You very well may be pleased with the sound of the guitar "as is"....and that's good!
But...trust me...you get some premium pups in that guitar and you WILL notice a difference as will the audience!
I've always had a problem with Ping tuners! I use heavier strings and they just don't hold!!
The Fender /Schaller's not only hold....but on the fly string changes are a BREEZE!!
Enjoy the guitar!!
I just thought I'd impart some time tested advice on 'ya!

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I refuse to have a battle of the wits with an unarmed man!

What would you recommend as choices to look at for direct drop in replacement for the hb? No new holes or anything just fits in and jives with the Texas specials. Thanks alot as I usually do not ask opinions as I like to form my own but my knowledge here is ltd, choices are great.

I LOVE Gibson humbuckers...(498T, 490T, BB3, 57 Classic Plus) but sometimes they come with long "Legs" that require taking a hole saw to the body...which won't really 'hurt it' and won't make any difference in sound at all.
If you don't want to do that...a fantastic 'short leg' pickup is the Dimarzio 36th Anniv. P.A.F.Great Classic Rock sounds that aren't overpowering like ceramic based pickups!

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I refuse to have a battle of the wits with an unarmed man!

I do believe the DH-1 is the same pickup as the Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates Plus. It was in several different guitars. Also believe it's a Alnico V version of the Alnico II Pearly Gates

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Thomas Jefferson