Well, we could pick for you but if I were you and had the $1500 in hand, I would go play any and all the strat guitars (if a strat is truely what you want) and then decide. I am a bit of a traditionalist so I tend to favor the original designs more.

FWIW

T2

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What time is it? It's Fender Time.

Ok, thanks for the info

Unfortunatley there is not one better than the other. It really comes down to what you like. I always recommend for consumers to go out and play as many models as they can. Even in the same model there are subtle differences, so you really have to play a lot to know what you are looking for. If I had $1500 I would look into the American Standard, American Deluxe, Highway 1, or American Special. Each have their own pros and cons.

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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

may i suggest a 62 reissue strat. thought a new one is 1600 hundred bucks a used one could be found for around 1200-1500 bucks. I have one and they are great guitars

I have an American Standard and Two American Specials (HSS Black and an SSS 2TS) They're all wonderful guitars no doubt so it's really down to your own tastes. Personally I'd go with the Standard American Strat just because I like the more modern headstock and bridge but that's only my opinion. Make sure they include a free set up as not all places do. One other thing .. don't rush for your purchase, I bided my time in deciding which of the American Specials I was going to purchase until one day I walked in to the shop and they had a one for one sale. I got both the American specials for under $1,000 ($500.00 each) with gig bag and free set up and both were brand new, not a scratch on them. If you're willing to take your time and not rush you'll do very well. Good Luck to ya. !!

One other thing I forgot to mention. Personally I'd advise you go with just a basic Start with no bells or whistles, no relicing, or none of that custom rubbish. Just get yourself a decent basic machine and you can't go wrong buddy. Good Luck !!

my bro went through this recently....

choose a neck
choose a color
choose the pup config

play a bunch of them...

haggle the price down.

He wound up buying a used Am Strat for $600.

I just grabbed a mint condition 2001 American Series Hot Rod Red for $675. Strangely its one I owned/sold 6yrs ago for my daughters bday... it popped up at the store. Supposedly a local collector sold 6 of his guitars...it was mint, not a scratch on the pickguard even and it had a little grain in the headstock I remembered.
It was at GC $675 US with original hardshell Fender case.

just saying...you might not have to spend the entire amount.

american standard.
you can always do mods if ya want.
but IMO its perfect the way it is, no need to muck it up untill something has to be replaced.

Thanks guys for the advice, apreciate it alote.

If I had the $1500 in my pocket and I was just getting into playing I'd find a nice USED American Standard Strat (you can probably find one around 700 bucks) and spend the rest on a decent amp, you could blow your wad on a brandy new Am std. strat but a great guitar plugged into a crap amp will sound like crap. Just my little 5 cents just be sure to play a bunch of guitars don't worry about what your playing sounds like and buy the one that feels and sounds the best to you. I did that for a year before picking up my Am Special over the Am standards...just a point of preference remember have fun trying out guitars is as much fun for guys as trying out shoes is for women

I'd wait till I had another hundred and get a Clapton strat.
That's just me though.
Try em all.

My .02

I was making the same decision as you about a couple of months ago. I took a month to decide. On every day off, I went to another guitar store and played with all of the strats in my price range that had the specs that I wanted.

During those times, I played a Am Standard that had the worst feeling neck and fret problems that I could imagine. I played a bunch of AM Specials that were ho hum and though the pickups were what I wanted, the neck didn't feel like I wanted.

I finally chose an AM Special, that just felt perfect. I have never been more pleased with a guitar.

I concour, but you might be able to find a nice used one. I own a green '01 and it's great.

In the end I would just place a butt load of guitars and see which one really catches your fancy

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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

If you really don't have to own a brand new guitar, then don't buy one. Take your $1500 and go cruising around as many stores as possible... find a shedload of used ones, take your pick. Try eBay too... not the best place as it'll typically be sight unseen, but it's some idea of what you can get for your hard-earned. Craigslist too..?

Just a thought... personally, Custom Shop aside, the nicest Strats I've played have all been from late '90s-early '00s. That kind of 'fat cash' can get you a very tasty early '00s American Deluxe, and then some.

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'01 American Deluxe HSS Strat.
'87 Japan HSS Strat.
'11 Custom Shop FMT HSS Strat.

"Without music, time is just a bunch of boring production deadlines and dates by which bills must be paid."