I would like to get a Strat again but can't decide which one to get.
I am thinking either an American standard or American special.
The only reason I am thinking the American special is because it already comes with Texas special pickups and that would be what I put in an America standard.
My question is about the quality of the American specials. Are they as high quality as the American standards?
Am I better off getting a standard and upgrading the pups?

I suggest you try both of them side-by-side. The AM standard has "hot" pups. Don't know what that means, but it doesn't mean "disco" or "quacking".

I own an American Special and I absolutely love it. The only dfferences I can tell between the American Standard and the Special as far as looks are the headstock and the tremolo. To my ears the American Special has a different tone all together.

As someone else said, try to play them side by side. For me, the American Special was the one that came home with me. It is cheaper, even after buying the hard shell case separate.

Let us know what you ended up with, and as always pictures if you can. Love new guitar pics.

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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

The special isn't quite as high quality as the standard, it's essentially a highway-1, but it is still excellent. The only major diff is the term block, it's the MIM block.

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The American Special is of equal quality as the American Standard. They are made in the same factory by the same folks with the same materials and quality control. That being said, the main differences will be that the American Special does not have a bi-flex truss rod, no micro-tilt adjustment, and the tremolo system is a vintage 6 point system. I agree with you about the Texas Specials! If money were no object, they would be in all of my strats. You cannot go wrong whether you choose the AM STD or the AM Special. Both are USA built, will hold their value if resale is an option down the road. The AM Special sounds to me like it would suit your needs better, and cheaper! One more thing, you have less color options to choose from in the AM Special.

Before you buy you got to try the both for feel. I have Am std. and find the feel of the Standard neck is better for me, but overall I don't like either. Am Special can't get used with those super jumbo frets and both necks are kind of thin for my large mits. It might work for you.

I saw this thread, and have another question about the Special. I read on the net that the American Special necks are MIM, and not in Corona. Is this true, or not??

I assumed the American Special body and neck were MIA, and the slightly cheaper hardware made elsewhere. Am I wrong??

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'10 American Special Strat
'02 Les Paul R8
'08 Charvel US San Dimas
'85 Jackson Soloist

Splawn Quick Rod

The American Standard has the Bi-Flex Truss Rod System, no load tone control, hand-rolled fingerboard edges, alnico V pickups, staggered tuners, improved bridge with bent steel saddles and copper-infused high-mass block for increased resonance and sustain.

Quite nice!

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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!

You say they are of equal quality then gone on and describe differences. How could that be then. The cost difference is for a reason and yes they are both nice guitars.

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The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

Thomas Jefferson

I am hoping the Specials are cheaper because of cheaper hardware (Ping tremolo vs. Gotoh), and no case.

The Fender video shows the Corona workers sanding and shaping the Special bodies, not sure I see them making the necks though...

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'10 American Special Strat
'02 Les Paul R8
'08 Charvel US San Dimas
'85 Jackson Soloist

Splawn Quick Rod

There are differences in the 2 models' features, but the "build quality", and attention to detail will be the same.....sorry for the confusion!

I've been makeing compromises of one kind or another all my life. dont let a fue $$$ stand in your way. The standard neck plays beter, the head stock looks better. Even after you swap out the electronocs, it still screams out. I Am An American Standard Strat. Can the Special trouthfully make that clame? Is it realy American? I dont know, its all sweet music to me.

I got the Highway One and the American Standard FSR (with Texas Specials). My Highway is exactly same as the Am.Special except for paint and pickups. But the FEEL is night and day difference. I´m not saying the Specials arent good, they are indeed.
I thought the Highway/Specials were the ones, until I ordered my Am.Standard. It feels the neck is made of butter, seriously. And mine came with Texas Specials stock, can I ask for more ? Oh yes, Mercedes Blue color. Yay!
Now I mostly use my Highway for praticing and the Standard for fooling around with backing tracks.
My recommendation to you, if you got the extra cash, go for Standard and upgrade the pickups for whatever you want. Maybe you could look around for a FSR Standard like I did, the´re plenty of options out there with pickup configurations and exclusive paint jobs for about hundred bucks more.

Other than the difference in fret size, the neck profiles are very similar. They both have a nice worn in feeling. The AmStd has rolled edges, the AmSpec is not advertised as having rolled edges, but sure feels like it has.

AmStd has traditional output neck and mid pups, and a slightly hotter bridge pup. All three pups are conected to tone controls, with the mid and bridge having Delta Tone- normal tone control up to 9 and a detent at 10 that provides no load, wide open pups. This setup is extremly versatile.

AmSpec has Grease Bucket tone circuit- neck and bridge have a resitor/capacitor wired to retain the highs right down to zero on the tone controls (very effective, little muddiness). Mid pup is wide open with no tone control. Also a very versatile, yet different setup.

I personally have no problems with either pup sets in both guitars. Both are very versatile and give a wide range of tones. Many have complained of Texas Specials being harsh, but I have two Strats fitted with them and they range from being very smooth with overdrive to nice and gritty to clean chimey vintage depending on amp and guitar settings.

IMO, the copper infused AmStd block does make a difference compared to the AmSpec and AmSers Strat, being more resonant and sustainy, but the AmSpec still holds up well with it's factory fitted block. I have no real prefernce between 6 or 2 screw trems. Both work well if set up correctly, and both look just as good to me.

In summary, both seem to have similar tuning stability, both look sensational, both are very enjoyable to play.

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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!

+1 to Miami Mike.

About the 6 to 2 point trems, I feel the 6 point is harder on your hand. The 2 point I can trem up and down with 1 finger if I must.