Any reviews of the American Special series?

I am particularly interested in:

what size trem block is in it?
do you feel that the urethane finish hurts the tone?
how do you feel about the atomic humbucker on the HSS?
is it $400 better than an MIM?
what other thoughts do you have on it?

Thanks

Mike

I have an American special hss and a mim blacktop. My Mia is absolutely wonderful to play, it has a full size block. I like the stock pups (Texas specials) very much, and I personally believe the hb came alive when I decked the Trem. This guitar will probably remain stock forever, it's perfect for me.

I have a thread about my blacktop and it makeover as I am hoping it is as playable as my Mia when I'm done. The block is thin, the pups are not for me, and the frets will take some getting used to. Nothing will be stock but the body and neck when I'm done.

IMO, yes it is worth it for the American special. You gotta play it so ultimately you gotta play em. And just for the record I also personally do not believe the finish matters for anything but appearance, again just my opinion. Good luck enjoy the hunt and go play some guitars!

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— did that sound like something?

I have played several MIM's and have loved them, the most recent models seem to have been a huge upgrade from Fender in the Mex factory.

I LOVE Texas Special pickups, but I also play some heavier stuff too, so I have decided to get the HSS. I am wavering between the Road Worn Player HSS that has the Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates as the humbucker and the American Special. (Both have Texas Specials in the neck and middle)

The Road Worn is not in local stores yet, but I really like the feel of the Nitro, and I like a Relic'd guitar for the feel and comfort. However, I love the idea of the larger Jumbo frets on the Am. Special.

I played the American Special at Guitar Center, and would rather get a new one rather than the one off of their rack which had a bent switch and a fret that felt sharp on the edge.

They are virtually the same price, so I am having a little trouble deciding.

I have the special SSS. I've played some MIM's but don't own one. I liked the feel of the neck and the frets on the special. The jumbo frets make for great string bends. I have nothing against the MIM's, and was considering buying one or a G&L, but the guy at GC showed me the special. Yes it cost a few more bucks but if it's made in America (not much is anymore) I'll spend the extra $. In the end it boiled down to feel, sound, and some patriotic pride.

I have an American Special. It has a full sized trem block. I have the SSS version. Personally I cannot stand the Atomic Humbucker, but that is just me. I have the tremolo flush to the body, more sustain that way (not that it needed it). The only modification I have done to it was Fender/Schaller locking tuners. That was more for personal reasons than a necessity. The Texas Specials are very bright, but the tone knobs can be utilized to cut some of the brightness out without adding bass.

Is it worth more than $400 for a MIM Standard? Yes, at least mine is well worth the extra money. As I always say, play before you pay.

On a side note, I absolutely love my Blacktop Stratocaster. If you are looking for a decent humbucker-equipped Fender, this one is right up there. The tremolo is the same as any other MIM, but it sustains long enough for me once I made the tremolo flush to the body. IMHO much better bang for the same buck as the MIM Standard.

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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

That's cool to hear about the Blacktop. I was looking at the Blacktop Jaguar and I like the shorter scale, and the deeper tone.

I'm going to get back to Guitar Center on Saturday hopefully to play the Special again. When I was there last time, there was so much noise in the place that I couldn't really hear the nuances. If the Atomic isn't perfect, I always know that I love the SD Jeff Beck pickup and would gladly swap them out if necessary.

Thanks for taking the time to answer my question.

I like what you are saying there. I'd love to buy American, for the quality, the sound and retail value... as well as just wanting to buy US.

I was ready to order the Road Worn Player HHS, but the fact that the Am Special has Jumbo frets really made me balk.

I am so excited to finally have the cash together to buy a really decent guitar! I am also picking up a Blues Jr. too.

Thanks for your input. Thanks for taking the time.

No problem Paztormike. As far as the jumbo frets it didn't take long to get use to them. Just a thought.

I have the HSS. (in Olympic White finish...exclusive to Guitar Center)
It's a great looking guitar....nicley made.
Acoustically.....the guitar rings out loudly! (usually the sign of a good guitar!)
But like all the Highway One's that I own....several things HAD to go!
1st: The pickups.....the Atomic HB was horrible!! The Texas Specials were so-so....but the 60 cycle hum was unbearable! (it's 2011...there ARE ways around that!)
In went a DiMarzio 36th Anniv. HB and a Dimarzio Injector(n) and a DiMarzio Area 67(m).
2nd: The Ping tuners. Simply put...I HATE THEM!! Thank goodness that Fender/Schaller locking tuners are a direct drop in replacement!
3rd: the saddles were flimsy and cheap. So like all my Highways...I put on a set of Graph Tech String Savers.
Yep...I had to sink another $300.00 or so into this...bringing it's cost to slightly over $1000.00.
No regrets whatsoever!!
But now I have an instrument that I will put up against a Custom Shop instrument any day of the week.
(pic was taken PRE- mods...)

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I refuse to have a battle of the wits with an unarmed man!

HWY1Strat,

What is the part number for the Graph Tech String savers? I want to replace the saddles on all three of my guitars. I just hate shooting in the dark for parts. Sometimes the fit and other times they don't.

BTW...Love the look of your American Special, they came out with that Special Run a month after I bought my Cany Apple Red AS.

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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

Let's see if I can remember.
I do believe that I got the IMPORT Strat saddles for mine...the PG-8000-OC's.
I did that because the bridge assemblies are made in Mexico...and there is a slight hair difference in the widths.
I made the mistake once of getting 'regular' Strat String savers and my guitar guy had a fit!
Your guitars are relatively new so the chance of the bridge's being Mexican is very good!

Mexican=2 1/16" spacing
American= 2 3/16" spacing

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I refuse to have a battle of the wits with an unarmed man!

HWY 1

Thanks for that review. I already have a Duncan JB pickup that is laying around waiting to be popped in if I don't like the Atomic.

I've heard conflicting statements on the tuners. I certainly might have to get some saddles ordered.

I am still deciding between the Road Worn Player HSS and the AM Special. I just can't find a Road Worn Player HSS to play in Seattle yet, I'd really like to do a side by side test.

I have played 5 different Am Specials around town over the weekend, and I have to say that they are all a bit different.

I am 90% sure that this is the guitar that I am going to buy. I'm just looking for the one that feels the absolute best to me.

Let me know if any of you have more opinions and thoughts about these guitars.

I've got an American Special HSS, all black finish, and I LOVE the thing. The humbucker is hot enough to overdrive my Blues Jr. amp without using a stompbox at all. And the Texas Specials in the other positions are plenty hot on their own. It has unique tone controls that can give you a different kind of sound than a standard Strat. The neck feels good to my hands and the satin finish on the neck makes it fast to play. Great guitar, Fender!!!

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"It's about sound and sound alone. Looks are irrelevant. You can have the best-looking guitar on earth, but if the sound isn't there it is nothing more than a beautiful piece of trash. The sound it makes is the soul of any guitar."

Sweet, I am buying a Blues Jr. too! I basically sold all of the gear that I am not using so that I could buy an amazing guitar, and I am thrilled that I love the Am Special as much as I do. I had gotten about $1200 together. I like the Am Special with the Texas pickups more than I like the other American fenders under $1400.

I was stoked when I realized that I'll have the money for a Blues Jr. after I purchase the guitar.