I am surprised that Fender would phase the HWY 1 out. It is a great guitar and had truly built quite a following.

Having said that, I am the proud owner of the American Special HSS 2011 and love it. I love Texas Specials, I love the Atomic Humbucker, I love the build and quality. I chose it even though I was willing and ready to spend twice as much on a US Strat.

The American Special is a "can't go wrong" guitar for Fender. Less expensive than any current US Strat, but still has the build quality and some of Fender's most beloved pickups. I am sure that we will see a full expansion of the American Special line with new colors and configurations. I can see this being my "go to" guitar for a long time.

You can't fault Fender's logic at the time. "Let's try an affordable US Strat.."

I'm hardly surprised they sold bucketloads of them - if only to just one Forum member here..

Like others who bought them, I wanted a US strat and the Highway was the cheapest way in. Actually, on the day I bought mine, I was struggling to choose one of two strats: I was auditioning the newly upgraded Highway and the (new at the time) Classic Player 60s (in Blue) which was £100 cheaper and sounded fantastic. For half an hour I couldn't decide. At the time, I actually preferred the Classic Player, and when the sales guy came back to see how I was getting on, I said "I'll take the Classic Player.." Or that's what I meant to say. What I actually said was "I'll take the Highway1.." Because I nearly forgot what I went in there for, and that was a US Strat..

Polished mine up, upgraded the pickups and I've never regretted buying it. Even though, when I add it all up, I could have had the Standard US Strat for the same money..

Actually, I've never understood the original advertising spiel ~ "Highway 1, stripped down, no frills Strat". Because it's not stripped down and there are no 'missing' frills. It was just a different finish. Gig bag instead of a case perhaps?

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

The other thing that I will say about the highway one's is that EVERYONE that I know who has purchased one has become an all-out evangelist for them. It really is hard to ignore how much people love the Highway 1 series. The only negatives that I have heard are people who don't care for the pickups, but everyone raves about the quality and the style of these guitars.

It's kind of comparable to the love that the Classic Vibe guitars seem to be getting. People are feeling like they are getting a fantastic guitar and a great price.

It's part of the reason that you have to love fender. Generally when someone that I know loves a Gibson, PRS or whatever, they will also tell you the crazy price that they had to pay to get a quality model with class components.

My point exactly!! I love these guitars so much now that I've customized them to my specs. They ARE well made resonant, toneful pieces of wood!
I would confidently put any one of my babies up against a much more expensive Custom Shop instrument!
I've had years of blissful use out of them and expect many more! I WILL NOT EVER part with any one of them!!
Evangelist...indeed!!

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

i havent really paid close attention to the highway one strats but i know the teles have gone up about 30 dollars in price