Im looking into getting a custom shop build and the only spec Im not sure of is the year of the guitar. I like the higway one model (which I guess would be somewhere around the mid 2000s), but since Ive only been playin for about 4 years I don't know much about any model that came out before that. So if you want to post your favorite year and why you like it, I would be most appreciative!

PS I do have a highway one strat now so Im not lookin into this custom shop build with no fender experience.

walk into a good guitar shop with plenty of custom shop stuff and try them all.

I have to agree with the last post. It's all very personal. For me I really dig the 50s and early 60s Strats.

I also love my Clapton Strat.

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1975 Sunburst Stratocaster rosewood finger board
1979 Stratocaster with roseowood finder board
2001 Candy Green Clapton Stratocaster
2007 Andy Summers Inspired Telecaster
2007 '51 P-Bass
2012 Taylor 110
2015 Mystic Ice Blue Deluxe Stratocaster Plus

wow this question is to hard to answer.
save your cash on the having one built and just go get you a MIA robert cray and be done with it.

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63supro
"The good thing is in a club situation, most of the patrons are trashed and really can't tell the difference."

It's always going to be either a '54 or a '62 for me. They always seemed... magical. But in normal people land, it's really all subjective to what your taste buds like. So +1 for trying out different models!

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1987 Fender Squier Strat - Lake Placid Blue
1981 Yamaha Eterna Folk Acoustic
2006 Peavey Bandit 112
2007 Roland HP-207 Piano

i love my 62 reissue

I once had the chance to buy a refinished '62 Strat in sonic blue for under $4K back in 2000. Unfortunately I didn't really have the money. It looked, felt and sounded great. It has been my dream Strat ever since.

I have no complaints though. Over time I was able to get the really nice guitars listed below. That would never have happened had I bought the '62.

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1975 Sunburst Stratocaster rosewood finger board
1979 Stratocaster with roseowood finder board
2001 Candy Green Clapton Stratocaster
2007 Andy Summers Inspired Telecaster
2007 '51 P-Bass
2012 Taylor 110
2015 Mystic Ice Blue Deluxe Stratocaster Plus

anything pre CBS

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blues - its a religion...

1959, Shell Pink, maple board, white pick guard.

62

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"When words fail, the guitar speaks."

I disagree with you on this point about "pre-CBS." Yes by the late 60s early 70s quality had bad, but there are some really nice CBS Strats out there. I owned a '77 Hard Tail that was really nice.

I recently played a 1980 Strat that was awesome.

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1975 Sunburst Stratocaster rosewood finger board
1979 Stratocaster with roseowood finder board
2001 Candy Green Clapton Stratocaster
2007 Andy Summers Inspired Telecaster
2007 '51 P-Bass
2012 Taylor 110
2015 Mystic Ice Blue Deluxe Stratocaster Plus

And I love my 79, awesome neck, guitar is heavy as sh... though

oh now youve done it. your gonna force cedar to post up that 1979 strat of his
yet again, just to rub it in on me. as a matter of fact, i double dog dare him.
to post up that beat up ugly guitar hes been scratchin around on all these yrs.
if i were him i would just go ahead and let me come down there and relieve him of that old burdon thats just setting there taking up space. a man of his calibur shouldnt
even have a guitar like that anywhere near his bassman or even in his house for that matter. you guys wouldnt believe the looks of that thing. be careful your eyes will hurt for days if he posts up yet another pic of that old crusty thing.

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63supro
"The good thing is in a club situation, most of the patrons are trashed and really can't tell the difference."

1960 Fiesta Red

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http://www.guitarmotel.com

hi still,
u just asked the right question
look up my thread''the actual 1996 50th anniversary American Fender strat

Hope it helps