I've been playing for almost a year now on a Squire M77, and while I like it I want something more like a strat. I tried out a used Fender American HSS strat in the local guitar shop, and I am in love. They wanted $899 for it, and dropped the price to $800. I played it and want it. I wanted to buy it right then but I wanted to sleep on it and do a bit of research.

I wanted to look at reviews on the guitar to see what others had to say about it, but then I got confused. How do I tell if it's the standard model or the deluxe? I won't be able to get to the shop until it opens at 11, and if it's really a great deal I want to snatch it up before someone else does. I saw all the specs, but I have no idea what pickups it has. I do remember that it's got the S-1 switch, so I was thinking it was a deluxe, but that retails for $1600 new. That makes me worry that there's something wrong with the guitar--don't Fenders hold a pretty good resale value? Everything seems OK with it, neck was straight, hardware looked OK--and man it plays smooth. Did the standard have the switch in previous years?

Do you have any info of the year it was made? Serial number?

Depending on the year, the next info I'm going to tell you may not be accurate, but it is if the guitar is used, but recently made.
The S1 switch is exclusive to the Deluxe as far as I can remember. Other things to look for are locking tuning machines and N3 pickups(labelled on the single coils, but not the Humbucker.)
Also, since it's an HSS model of the deluxe, it should come with a LSR Rolling nut.

Thanks for the quick response!



No, I didn't think to write it down. I think I have enough info to go back in and take a look, thanks.

If it is a deluxe, does $800 seem like a reasonable price or should I be looking more into it?

Some of the American Series/Standards had the S1 switch. The HSS models I believe.

The easiest ways to tell are to count the string trees. Every American Standard I ever saw has two string trees. I can't think of a Deluxe that has two.
Also the logo's.
The Deluxe has a embossed chrome logo.



The Standard's is more like the vintage logo.



Then look at the serial no'. I could be wrong but I think all the Deluxe serial's start with DN or DZ.

All of those points are not set in stone rules though. There's probably models that prove the rule wrong.

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No no and no

Just to add to what others have said, the American Series Strat HSS (and also the American Series Strat HH) did in fact have the S1 switch from circa July/August 2003 through the end of 2007 (the HH the model was actually dropped at the end of 2006). When the revised American Standard HSS came out in January 2008 the S1 switch was dropped from that model and is now only available on the American Deluxe series guitars.

The string tree info is accurate for original American Standards - they had 2 string trees during their run (from late 1986 through mid-2000); after say July 2000 the American Series models had a single string tree, as do the "new" American Standards made since the beginning of 2008.

The main differences will be that deluxes have the raised silver logo, chrome plated bridge saddle or locking bridge saddles (the locking trem was an option), and should have the roller nut (but not necessarily). All American Deluxes will have locking tuners, if an American Series or American Standard has them they have been added by an owner at some point. From 1998 through 2009 American Deluxes also had a serial number that started with a "D" for "Deluxe"; as of 2010 Fender is no longer using the "D". American Deluxes starting in the fall of 2002 have a "beveled" neck heel. Also American Deluxes made from 1998 through 2009 will have abalone dots on both the rosewood and maple fingerboards.

Hope that helps.

Thanks for the responses, it wound up being a 2009 American Standard without the S-1 switch. There's a switch on the volume knob for isolating the humbucker which I thought was the S-1. Now I'm starting to think it may not be the best deal...

$800 seems like a good price point. If I were in your shoes and really liked the guitar, I'd snatch it up. It can be very difficult to find another one that you like or you may end up liking another guitar you pick up down the road. For me, if I pick up a guitar and it feels right...even before I plug it in, it's about 85% sold.

Fenders do hold their value well. For $800, I would have no worries about selling it later on if you end up not liking it that much. I doubt you will loose much on it.

I'm not sure what year this started maybe all Am Deluxe have it. Someone here will know but the back side of the neck pocket is shaved off on the lower corner for easier reach of the higher frets on the Am Deluxe.

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"Damn Right I Got the Blues"

Did I mention that I'm slightly mentally handicapped?

I tried a lot of guitars on Thursday, and got confused. The push/pull switch for the humbucker was on the Godin Progression I tried, not the strat, which I then confused for the S-1 switch. I went in today and asked a bunch of questions and tried a lot of guitars again. I wanted to like the Godin more than I did, but it didn't feel right. I tried a few Epiphones and Les Pauls, thinking I might not want the single coils or trem bar--I still did. I even tried out an old Jaguar they had and a Tele, and even a Mexican strat. I nearly went for a cheaper Ibenez, I really liked the way it played, and it nearly went home with me...

...but the Strat called me back. So, here is my new baby, a Fender American Standard Fat Strat! It's true love:



Now I need to look around for a place that sells pin up girl graphics and do her up right

Very nice, congrats!

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07 mahogany strat 05 white mim strat, black schecter c1 blackjack, 00 larrivee dv05e

I thought deluxe serial numbers started with a DZ?

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He who dies with the most Strats wins.

Oskar, I swear I'm not stalking you but we are just happening onto the same threads. . The OP when he first posted didn't remember the serial number; we all went for the visible differences.

Here is the deal with the American Deluxe serial numbers - they did start with a "D". They came out in 1998, so the serial number on a 1998 would be "DN8XXXXXX" - "D" for "Deluxe", "N" for "Nineties", and "8" makes it "1998". A 1998 American Standard would have an "N8XXXXXX" serial number. Similarly, a 1999 American Deluxe would have a "DN9XXXXXX" serial number.

When the decade changed in 2000, the "N" changed to a "Z" for "Zeros" so the American Deluxes now had a "DZ0XXXXXX" serial number. However, sometime during either 2000 or 2001 Fender had a mix-up and accidentally used either the regular "Z0XXXXXX" or "Z1XXXXXX" numbers on a run of American Deluxes. However, outside of this one batch the other American Deluxes had numbers that began with a "DZ".

As of last year Fender no longer uses the "D" for "Deluxe" letter on the American Deluxe serial numbers; they either start with a "10" (from say January through about April) or a "US10" (starting about May) just like the American Standards, American Specials, and Highway 1s.