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Post subject: Excellent! 'Stealth' Deluxe has it all, nice job Fender
Posted: Thu Jul 19, 2007 11:02 am
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I'm writing to let Fender know they really did a great job with the American Mahogany Special Strat, a 'stealth' model you can only find at Guitar Center or online at MusiciansFriend. Cannot find it on Fender.com. It is a killer combination of features at a good price. It has a 'deluxe' serial number and...

- sculpted heel! Better than the warmoth/USACG/JS1000 approach
- polished frets, rolled edges etc.
- S-1 switching
- locking tuners
- LSR roller nut
- abalone dots, R/W board
- upgraded bridge (polished, trem bar is screw-in not pop-in but has the allen screw to adjust tension - sweet!)
- deluxe-style Fender logo
- deluxe accessory pack (strap, cable etc.)
- deluxe hardshell case (OK I dickered for that...)

with some non-Deluxe differences I prefer:
- black 'piano' finished headstock
- satin neck finish - fast!
- TexMex pickups (same as old USA HSS)

I really wanted a Deluxe but was stuck on the fence. For me the clincher was the pickup selection - I tried the SCNs and thought they were pretty darned good & dead quiet, but was underwhelmed with the low end. I did NOT want to pay for a deluxe & end up swapping pickups!

All for the price of a USA sunburst. The guitar was set up perfectly with 9s, I swapped to 10s, tweaked the truss rod a bit, tightened the claw, good to go -- first new guitar I did not have to take to a luthier to get right.

I have built my last 2 guitars & thought I'd never buy another guitar from a mfr...but when I started my latest project, I costed out the custom route, and figured for a grand, see what Fender had, and I was well pleased. They've come a long way in 8 years (last time I bought a strat, 1999 AmStd)..innovations! Cool. Oh, yeah, mahogany, but vibrant, acoustically aliev & not heavy, 7.6 lbs.


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Post subject:
Posted: Thu Jul 19, 2007 11:15 am
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Yea i seen it on the net it looks nice


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Post subject:
Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2007 10:26 am
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I just got my "Stealth" American Special Mahogany HSS two days ago after a month of heavy reseach. This is my first electric and I couldn't be happier with its constuction and SOUND! It's fantastic.

I'm glad its not a regular production model it looks so unique compared to the other strats I've looked at.

I also purchase a Blues Junior to go with it and its awsome as well.


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Post subject: Re: Excellent! 'Stealth' Deluxe has it all, nice job Fender
Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2007 10:56 am
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Location: Palm Beach County FL
Dave Z wrote:
I'm writing to let Fender know they really did a great job with the American Mahogany Special Strat, a 'stealth' model you can only find at Guitar Center or online at MusiciansFriend. Cannot find it on Fender.com. It is a killer combination of features at a good price. It has a 'deluxe' serial number and...

- sculpted heel! Better than the warmoth/USACG/JS1000 approach
- polished frets, rolled edges etc.
- S-1 switching
- locking tuners
- LSR roller nut
- abalone dots, R/W board
- upgraded bridge (polished, trem bar is screw-in not pop-in but has the allen screw to adjust tension - sweet!)
- deluxe-style Fender logo
- deluxe accessory pack (strap, cable etc.)
- deluxe hardshell case (OK I dickered for that...)

with some non-Deluxe differences I prefer:
- black 'piano' finished headstock
- satin neck finish - fast!
- TexMex pickups (same as old USA HSS)

I really wanted a Deluxe but was stuck on the fence. For me the clincher was the pickup selection - I tried the SCNs and thought they were pretty darned good & dead quiet, but was underwhelmed with the low end. I did NOT want to pay for a deluxe & end up swapping pickups!

All for the price of a USA sunburst. The guitar was set up perfectly with 9s, I swapped to 10s, tweaked the truss rod a bit, tightened the claw, good to go -- first new guitar I did not have to take to a luthier to get right.

I have built my last 2 guitars & thought I'd never buy another guitar from a mfr...but when I started my latest project, I costed out the custom route, and figured for a grand, see what Fender had, and I was well pleased. They've come a long way in 8 years (last time I bought a strat, 1999 AmStd)..innovations! Cool. Oh, yeah, mahogany, but vibrant, acoustically aliev & not heavy, 7.6 lbs.



Those guitars are likely a vendor 's special order instrument.

I have a Gibson Heritage Custom Shop Les Paul with a sunburst quilted maple top, and no pickguard, the likes of which I have not seen anywhere else. It was hanging amongst a clutch of gold tops and flame tops on the dealers Gibson wall and stood out like a naked lady in a crowd. So I took her home.

I recall the holiday season Sam Ash had Fender create the 48th Street Stratocaster years ago which was fitted with Red Dual Lace Sensor pickups both neck and bridge. It was likely the segway into the HH guitars of today.


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Post subject:
Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2007 4:18 pm
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I LOVED mine for the week I had it. I wanted more "umph" and ended up with my Highway One, but that red Deluxe so nice and built really well. I miss it. Wish I had the money to get it back, but my wife would not understand the need to have two Strats.

This was what she looked like:

Image

Phil 8)


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Post subject:
Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2007 2:08 pm
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HEY ," STEALTH" AMER. DELUX MAHOGANY SPECIAL. I`M LOVING IT.
I HAVE OWNED A BLUE 66 TELE W/RW NECK FOR THE LAST 35 YRS.
PD. 175.00 FOR IT USED, BUT ALWAYS WANTED A STRAT. LOVE THE
S-1 OPTION, HSS COUPLED WITH THE CUSTOM STAGGERED TEX MEX
PICK-UP`S. AB-DOTS,LSR NUT, LOCKING KEYS.WHAT ELSE CAN I SAY,
EXCEPT THAT I DON`T THINK THAT I WAITED TOO LONG. FENDER ,
TRUELY ANOTHER GREAT GUITAR. PLAYERS...TO YOUR GUITARS
ARTIUS MAXIMUS [/b][/i]


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Post subject:
Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2007 4:04 pm
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Is there any way I could get my hands on a left-handed version of this beauty? I haven't found it in any online store so I was wondering if I could call their HQ or something???


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Post subject:
Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2007 5:21 pm
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Does it still sound like a strat? I see a mahogany body and think Les Paul Jr. with P90s tonewise.

_________________
"is that a real poncho...i mean
Is that a mexican poncho
Or is that a sears poncho?
Hmmm...no foolin ...." FZ


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Post subject: Sounds more like a Strat than a Les Paul
Posted: Mon May 05, 2008 1:38 pm
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I now own both, and I think the Special Mahogany HSS sounds more Strat-like than anything else. The humbucker doesn't have quite the power of my LP Studio. Overall, this guitar has great tone (very much the tone you would expect from a deluxe strat, but still a little unique).


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Post subject: Re: Sounds more like a Strat than a Les Paul
Posted: Mon May 05, 2008 1:46 pm
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photoz238 wrote:
I now own both, and I think the Special Mahogany HSS sounds more Strat-like than anything else. The humbucker doesn't have quite the power of my LP Studio. Overall, this guitar has great tone (very much the tone you would expect from a deluxe strat, but still a little unique).


Lol this post is over 7 months old. :lol:


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Post subject:
Posted: Mon May 05, 2008 1:53 pm
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Stealth marketing... what a concept!


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Post subject:
Posted: Mon May 05, 2008 2:26 pm
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Thanks Dave, I've been considering purchasing one and now as of today GC is shipping one to the house. :D


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Post subject:
Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 9:00 pm
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Location: Bucks County, Pennsylvania, USA
Hello All,

I'd really like to see and play that
mahogany strat, it looks great in the photos.
Best of luck to you fellas that got em.

Cheers.


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Post subject:
Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 9:55 am
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Who gave it that "stealth" name, that totally describes it. It definitely deserves that discription. It usually fly's below radar but thanks to this post it has surfaced into the spotlight. :D 8)


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