I have been a huge fender fan since I started playing 15 years ago. Been lucky enough to own, although now sold on with regret some great Fender guitars, such as a USA lonestar and USA 62 reissue.

I was feeling Strat-less and recently purchased a new American Standard Strat, in Charcoal Frost Metallic with Rosewood neck. The serial number starts with the newer 'us' prefix. Its fantastic, love the colour, the playability, feel, and sounds amazing through my hotrod deluxe fender amp.

I originally thought I might miss the Texas special pickup sound my lonestar had but this guitar sounds sweet, and can get a bit gritty if required. Also great quack in position 4. Although I'm mostly a position 2 player. A very versatile guitar. The necks feels classy and so effortless to play on.

Hard colour to photograph but here it is:

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Fender MIA Standard Strat, MIM Tele Deluxe 72 RI , CIJ Jazzmaster.
Gibson ES-335, Danelectro 56 Pro, Taylor 214CE

First time I see a Stat serial number beginning by US. I vey curious to have the answer. Do you buy it new ? In a store ?

Fender has been using these since last year. At the start of 2010 they dropped the old "Letter + 1st digit = year" system. They did use numbers that just began with a "10" for a few months, then replaced them with the numbers that began with the "US10" by around April or May of 2010. They are on to "US11" numbers now.

Also they no longer put the extra "D" letter on the American Deluxes or the extra "S" on the Artist Signature models; they just have regular "US10" or "US11" decals.

MIM guitars now use "MX10" decals; they may have recently moved on to using "MX11" decals.

Thank's John C

See, it just goes to show you, you learn something new every day!

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You dig?

This guitar has quickly become my number 1 guitar. I am thinking of treating her to a different pickguard. Has anyone else done this on a charcoal frost metallic? Thinking either pearl like my old lonestar or maybe gold anodised but that might look a bit yuck.

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Fender MIA Standard Strat, MIM Tele Deluxe 72 RI , CIJ Jazzmaster.
Gibson ES-335, Danelectro 56 Pro, Taylor 214CE

Very nice. I have an American Standard also and love it. It sounds and plays great and came set up pretty damn well.
And FYO my serial number starts US also.

Hi Martynrss2, what colour did you go for? If the one in your profile photo then it looks like Sienna sunburst and maple? Mine was set up great too and stays beautifully in tune. What do you think of the pickups and what amp do you hook it up to?

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Fender MIA Standard Strat, MIM Tele Deluxe 72 RI , CIJ Jazzmaster.
Gibson ES-335, Danelectro 56 Pro, Taylor 214CE

Spot on! Sienna Sunburst and maple neck - match made in heaven.

I really like the pickups, you can get a wide range of sounds out of them. I spent a while just playing around with combinations and the tone knobs. I can get a nice bright "spanky" tone as well as a nice warm sounding tone.

I'm playing through a Vox VT40+. It sounds pretty good, and has a lot of effects. It's not quite as good as a proper valve amp, but it sound better than most solid states I've played. I'd like to get a Vox Lil night train or a Marshall class 5 but as always its a never ending battle with available finances

While you may miss that old guitar of yours, there is nothing to sneer at with a new(er) American made strat. Those single coils sound great right out of the box. I only wish Fender would label their pickups that are factory installed so if I wanted an American Standard set of pups, I could get them. Aftermarket replacements are a toss up on if they really are the right pups. If only Fender sold their standard series pups after market...

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"Epitaph on a blues musician’s tombstone: “I didn’t wake up this morning”" Davy Knowles


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Hi martynrss. Never played through a box amp. How would you say the sound compares to fender valve.amps? Hope your still enjoying your strat too

Still can't find any photos of a charcoal frost metallic strat with gold anodised or pearloid guards. Maybe its a bad combination.

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Fender MIA Standard Strat, MIM Tele Deluxe 72 RI , CIJ Jazzmaster.
Gibson ES-335, Danelectro 56 Pro, Taylor 214CE

Sweet color. Love the AmStd's...........

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The blues ain't nothin but a good man feelin bad.

Great lookin' Strat! I'd recommend the pearl pickguard. It would kinda give you that Lonestar look again (with the humbucker, of course)..