Hey all, i'm very interested in knowing which years procuced the best American standard Strats. Thanks!

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I believe in Christianity as i believe that the sun has risen. not only because i see it, but because by it, i see everything else. C.S. Lewis

Are you asking about pre or post CBS production?????

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Xhefri's Guitars
www.xhefriguitars.com

I'm sorry, but i don't know anything about CBS production, i'm just asking which years in general.

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I believe in Christianity as i believe that the sun has risen. not only because i see it, but because by it, i see everything else. C.S. Lewis

I guess my question is not really the best. I was thinking that the American Standard Strats were made back pre-1986. But really they were introduced in 1987. So they were all post CBS. To explain a little about that: The Fender company was taken over by CBS in 1965 and then sold to Bill Schultz in 1985. The whole operation moved at that time into a new factory at Corona, California located about 20 miles away from the old Fender plant in Fullerton. Some early reissues from 1986 were crafted with left over parts from the Fullerton factory, BTW. So people often talk about pre and post CBS ownership Fender guitars as well as CBS guitars in general. It is often said that CBS cheapen the Fender product line and quality steadily went down hill under their ownership.

Anyhow the American Standard Strats were introduced in 1987. Fender set out to restore the quailty of their products and renew buyer confidence. The whole series was a great guitar. As with all instruments, you can find a lemon or one that has been abused. A but good American Standard, set up right, is a super nice guitar. I do not think there was necessarily "best years" as there was "best individual guitars." If you get a nice one you can't go wrong, no matter what year. IMHO.

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Xhefri's Guitars
www.xhefriguitars.com

I would say the early to mid 2000's for the Am Std were likely the best (non current) years. As Xhefri said the "Standard" is a relatively new concept considering the entire history of the guitar.

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Just think of how awesome a guitar player you could have been by now if you had only spent the last 10 years practicing instead of obsessing over pickups and roasted maple necks.

Thanks Guys, i was just hoping that my 97' is a good year.

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I believe in Christianity as i believe that the sun has risen. not only because i see it, but because by it, i see everything else. C.S. Lewis

1997 was a great year for Strats. Fender went through some production changes in early 97, such as their jigs for making the bodies and such. I have own a lot of 97 Strat Plus guitars which was the exact same as the American Standard Strat but with Lace Sensor pickups, and there were all great quality. Lots of nice body colors that year too and DX versions as well.

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Xhefri's Guitars
www.xhefriguitars.com

It was during 1997 the TBX has been replaced by the Δ-tone pickup system with the hot bridge pickup & 'No-Load' tone circuitry.

I'm guessing that when you say, "American Std. Strat" you are referring to all Std. American Strat (to include Strats made from 1954-1986, the Am. Std 87-99, the Am. Series 99-2010?, and the current Am. Std from 2010?- to the present).

Best from 1955 - 1962 (Best years of the model)
87-99 Am. Std A return to the good sounding quality guitar that we missed, but didn't like the swimming pool puckup cavity or flattened body contours.
99-2010? I really love this version. Love the rolled edges on the neck and the better, more rounded body contours. I don't like the thinner bridge block.
I'm familiar with the latest version of the Stratocaster, but the one I played was pretty nice.

Least liked: The 70s. Something everyone should know. Not all Fender guitars made in the 70s were bad and not all 50s and 60s are perfect. You'll find good and bad examples of each.

American Strats weren't officially available with a humbucker option until 1989 if my memory serves.

Thanks very much everyone! That's some great knowledge there!

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I believe in Christianity as i believe that the sun has risen. not only because i see it, but because by it, i see everything else. C.S. Lewis

Hey Paris, this is what I was thinking the same things your stated with my first post on this tread, but then when I went back and did some digging around, I never saw where Fender "officially" called there pre-CBS or even CBS "American Standard Strats." Please correct me. What I did see was the obvious: Strats were American made, but the officially title "American Standard Strat" seems to be used exclusively with the series in 1987. Can you shed some light on this for me? I am very interested. I looked through all my Fender books and I kind of assumed that the early Strats, being American was Fender's "standard" issues so therefore called "American Standard Strat." BUT I can't see where Fender really used that title "officially" until after the CBS buyout and the start of this line in the middle of 1986 and then released at NAMM in January of 1987.

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Xhefri's Guitars
www.xhefriguitars.com

In my completely unbiased opinion 2005 was a very good year for Strats - 26 February, to be exact. (OK, they happened to be calling the Am Std the "American Series" at that point, but we won't get hung up on that.) Though I'd only settle for a Strat with a neck built by Mr Servin.

...From which some of you will deduce I have the neck off one of my Strats at this second.

Cheers - C

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Well I think what you have here is all part of Fender's re-launching after emerging from CBS ownership. Since Fenders were by default, all American made, there was no need to specifically identify them as "American Standards"....you simply had the "Standard" Stratocaster etc. Also, bear in mind that during the transition from CBS to FMIC, the company relied almost exclusively on Japanese made Fenders to keep themselves going until the new Corona plant was ready for production. While the then new American Standard is in essence a continuation of the classic Stratocaster design, it also introduced some significant changes compared to its Standard predecessor in terms of not only form, but functionality. It was a new model, but yet very familiar.

For me the name American Standard Stratocaster is a brand name and post CBS.