I tried searching this but no luck for my question specifically.

I am soon going to be purchasing the a 2012 American Strat HSS... I have been debating back and forth between the Standard and the Deluxe models. Now, the difference in pickups is irrelevant to me, and I'm not too concerned with having an S1 switch or not (I know, some people are all about it, just not that big of a deal for me).

My biggest question about the two models is the wood grade, I've heard rumors but nothing solid that the Deluxe models have a higher-grade wood than the Standards. Is this true? I know it's not the biggest concern, but it's just something that I would like to know more about before making my decision. Thanks

Define "higher grade".

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Bill

I don,t think theres a difference in the wood grade.

Hello jlevesque88: as far as I've ever seen the Deluxes don't seem to have noticeably different wood to the US Standards. The matching of grain on two piece ash bodies (you notice it much more on ash than alder, usually) seems just the same in both lines to my eye, and I'm pretty sure there's no other grading differences.

Mike Eldred has said that the "finest" timber tends to end up in the Custom Shop guitars, but in that context finest just refers to the visual appeal of the grain, and maybe particularly light pieces for those customers that order it that way. At the other end of the spectrum it used to be the case that the Mexican plant tended to produce bodies with four, five or six pieces in them and a thin veneer on the front, which some people perceive as lower quality. Though these days two- and three-piece bodies are common in many of the Mexican guitars and even the Squier Classic Vibe series. In fact, I've sometimes seen very nice timbers used in Squiers recently, so really it all comes down to shopping around for an individual guitar with grain you like.

In short, I suspect the Am Deluxe and Standard bodies come off the self-same production line, and for sure Fender don't knowingly use timber that is actually substandard anywhere in their output.

So shop for the guitar with the features and price you like best, is my suggestion.

Cheers - C

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Hi jlevesque88 and welcome to the forum.

I am not sure what you mean by "higher grade" but if your concern has anything to do with structural stability or how the guitar sounds, then as one who owns an American Deluxe, an American Standard, and a MIM Standard, I would tell you not to worry; it's all good.

HTH

Cheers!
BM

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This is the Blues. Are you listening?

Thanks everyone for the responses, was out of the office for a few days so I just got a chance to check back. Very good feedback, I'll be posting my decision once I get up and get to the store to try them both... and get the courage to empty a portion of my bank account again.

And just to reiterate, I don't think there's any difference between the timbers used in the US line of guitars, in terms of resonance, etc. I think any difference will be in visual appeal, as people have already said.

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2012 FSR American Special Satin Honeyburst Stratocaster®