About a year ago, I had to part ways with my fabulous '97 Lone Star Strat. Well, I'm on the hunt for a replacement and was wondering; how does the new American Special HSS compre?

If you swap the bridge pickup for a Seymour Pearly Gates, you´re there! And with the benefits of those huge jumbo frets!

Actually I own a Highway, pretty much the same, other than the pickups, but as far as craftmanship go and for the price this is way to go.

If you get a American Special thinking its your Lonestar from 97 you will be dissapointed.The quality of the 97 is a bit more refined .The neck is nicer than the AS.Just my opinion.I owned a MIA Texas Special from 03 and tried one of the AS guitars.

Yes, the American Standards got hand rollet frets, if your budget is low the American Special will now let you down, but if you can grab a HSS American Standard along with a set of Texas Specials plus the Seymour Pearly Gates bridge.

Or you can always find nice Lonestars at ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/1997-Lake-Placid-Bl ... 2eb192d326

Let me start off saying I own both an American Special and a Highway 1 stratocaster.

If you do not want to modify the humbucker in the American Special to a Pearly Gates humbucker, then the Lonestar is the best bet for you. Both are awesome guitars. Let your ears and hands answer his question for you.

_________________
RK

2007 Fender Highway 1
2012 American Deluxe
2015 MIM Dave Murray HHH
2010 Fender Blacktop
1987 Fender Avalon Acoustic
2012 Marshall DSL 15 watt head

My best guitar is the American HSS Mahogany Stratocaster. I did put Dimarzio Area 61 (Neck), Dimarzio Virtual Blues (Middle) and a Seymour Duncan JB (Bridge). The build quality and feel exceed any expectations I had.

_________________


American HSS Mahogany Special Stratocaster-Limited Edition 2008
American HSS Special Stratocaster (Black) 2010