Today I received my new American Standard Strat. Couldn't be more happier.
I rushed home to unpack the package.
First impressions where, as expected. Magnificent looks.

I used to have a MIJ Strat with Texas Specials that I sold a week ago to make room (and get some cash) for this one. So I was curious about the sound of the OEM Alnico V pickups.
Not bad. Punchy and clear but they lack middle frequencies. Maybe I will buy me a new set of Texas Specials again. Will see...
I'm used to 11's/10's gauge strings so the loaded 9's made me a bad impression. No worries, I had already a set of brand new 10-52's super bullets.

Some things that made me wonder and I want your opinion.

1) First the serial. I was expecting a serial with the letter 'Z' in front. Instead of that my serial has no letter and its like 10006XXX

The guitar was bought from a pan-european, widely known seller so I'm not worried about the authenticity of my guitar. I'm just curious. When did fender stopped using the letter-first format of the serials? I suppose the first 2 digits (10) mean the year 2010. Is the following 06 an indication of the month?

2) I took off the back plate. Two things made bad impression.
The spring stopper was a little crooked in position. I tried to put the upper spring on the first tooth of the spring mounting plate and the spring was rubbing against the cavity (A).
Also the woodwork of the tremolo block surroundings was kinda poor. Wood chips were left there and painted over (B). Didn't like that. And I would expect a more massive tremolo block, but maybe I'm wrong here.


3) I unscrewed the pickguard before putting the new strings on. I wanted to see the belly of the beast.
Some things here also made me go hmmmmmm....
It seems like someone banged the paint with a hammer and took a chunk off just to put the ground cable and screw. Not too much care was taken here.


4) I have always tampered with my guitars electrics so I have a degree of knowledge there. I flipped the pickguard to take a look at the pickups and wiring. The pickups didn't seem too much, but the thing that mostly make me go hmmm (again) was the back of the bridge pickup which was totally different from the other two. Could please someone tell me what those two screws are doing there?

Are these the pickups that come with all the American Standards or mine are an exception?

5) And last but not least the little e-String saddle. The guitar, as I said, was set-up with 9's. The saddle was already nearly touching the bridge screw. Since I put the 10's I tried to adjust the intonation again but to be correct in-tone, I should have put the 'e' saddle touching the screw so that it could produce friction while using the tremolo. I've decided to sacrifice a little intonation to preserve the saddle. Kinda unacceptable in my book.



General conclusion: Buying an american standard, the, so called, pinnacle of quality of Fender guitars, made me have great expectations. I can say, judging by my previous MIJ guitar, that I was a little disappointed. Seems that some things were done a little careless on my guitar.
Or maybe I was expecting too much.

(P.S. Sorry for my Greek-thinking English. I hope I made my self understood)

_________________
Alexander
AMSTD Strat RW Candy Cola +Callaham + Texas Specials +Tortoise shell pickguard/Fender Blues Junior III SN FSR
Salonica-Greece


Macedonia IS GREECE the last 2500 years

Another reason I'm glad to have bought a MIM, the workmanship is on par with anything I've seen "American". That and I've never been a fan of 2 point trems since I had one snap on me, I enjoy the 6, it's like having a car with 2 nuts holding your tires on to one with 6, I'll always go for the 6.. But in the end, if you enjoy it that's all that matters. I enjoy my MIM just as much as anyone I'm sure enjoys their american, my buddies got an American Deluxe I think and we tested both, they're both made of the same exact parts except he's got a glossy maple neck and I've got the satin rosewood. He paid something like 800, I paid less than 200.

I could be wrong but I don't think Fender abandoned the leading letter (system) with their serial numbers.

The tremolo claw's screw holes were drilled too far to one side. You can even see where it appears that the low E string side of the claw was either cut or ground down to minimize the error.

The reason the two screws are in the bridge pickup is to alter the magnetic field of the pickup where the pickup will give you more mids and lows akin to the function of the metal plate on a Tele bridge pickup (yet less effective).

As to the ground screw in the body, I presume they scratched away the red paint around it to ensure the terminal being firmly mated to the shielding paint underneath, thus ensuring a good connection.

Oftentimes, a small shifting of the neck in its pocket will solve your high E's intonation problem. If this is not practical, straightening the neck slightly more and/or lowering the block slightly will usually correct it as well.

FWIW and I could be wrong here too but that tremolo block also appears to be a bit thin for an American Strat.

On the up-side, your English speaking ability needs no apologies. Rather, I commend you.

_________________
You dig?

Did a little search. It says there
http://www.fender.com/news/index.php?di ... rticle=490

"Serial numbers that begins with 10, followed by a space and then several other digits. This system was quickly replaced by a second convention, although instruments bearing these designations were produced for a few months in late 2009 and early 2010."

So I guess I own a future rare edition wannabe guitar Like a Broadcaster...



I know why they did it. I'm just wondering... Is this the best job they could do?



I'm not sure if I understand correctly. You suggest tampering with the truss-rod, the micro-tilt or the four neck screws?



Did some search there too. It seems that it's how they make them now.
e.g. http://www.strat-talk.com/forum/stratoc ... block.html
http://hubpages.com/hub/The-American-St ... asterpeice
http://www.kitrae.net/music/Tremolo%20Blocks.jpg

I just can't see the "high" mass there... Well, anyway...


Ευχαριστώ πολύ! (ef-haree-sto po-lee = Thank you very much

_________________
Alexander
AMSTD Strat RW Candy Cola +Callaham + Texas Specials +Tortoise shell pickguard/Fender Blues Junior III SN FSR
Salonica-Greece


Macedonia IS GREECE the last 2500 years

That bridge sustain block was a surprise to me. The stock one on my "mainly USA built, no frills" Highway 1 strat is bigger..

_________________
Fender Highway & Classic 60s Strats, Fender Toronado, Telecaster, Gretsch Projet, Charvel 3, PRS SE Soapbar II & Custom 24, Burns Batwing and many others!

Hobbyist
My 2010 Am.Standard Strat has the same screws in the bottom of the bridge pickup, as your picture shows. Underneath the rest of the hardware, the guitar is well made. Clean with proper grounding wires, and the back claw was put in straight, no spring scraping. I played it like that for a few months and it was a great playing and sounding guitar. I purchase it to used as a platform to put in Lace Sensors and a Clapton Mid Boost and TBX switch. I wanted Clapton Strat but didn't have the money. But now I have a great playing and sounding American Standard Clap Strat.
But it was a great guitar without the changes.

Hi Alex,

yeah they used a lot of laquer on your guitar, maybe a bit too much in the cavities. Maybe it´s because of the Candy Cola finish (which I absolutely love) Fender have to use more coats of laquer.
Did the guitar had a good setup ?
How do you like the playability and sound ?


Cheers,
Robin

_________________
_________________________________
http://www.youtube.com/robinstrower
_________________________________

Your trem block looks right. It should be thin on the bottom then it gets thicker as it goes up toward the plate. I think I read somewhere they made' em that way for more trem movement.
I think your English is great. Congrats on the new Strat. I have Texas Specials in my 2010 Am Standard. I purchased the guitar used but in mint condition from e-bay. I had no complaints when I got it and I still don't. It's an awesome instrument.

_________________
"Damn Right I Got the Blues"

Yes but it didn't stay with that setup long because I changed the strings to 10-52 super bullets the same day and did the setup (intonation, action) myself all over again.

_________________
Alexander
AMSTD Strat RW Candy Cola +Callaham + Texas Specials +Tortoise shell pickguard/Fender Blues Junior III SN FSR
Salonica-Greece


Macedonia IS GREECE the last 2500 years

The four neck screws. Pull on the neck ever so slightly in the direction of the upper screw on the low E side and then tighten the screws ever so slightly.

_________________
You dig?