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Post subject: So, I want to get the new Lonestar Strat...
Posted: Tue Oct 22, 2013 1:30 pm
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...that I saw on Chapper's/Anderton's youtube vid:



but I'm a left-handed guy who plays left-handed guitars and from the looks of it Fender isn't planning to release a lefty model. A real bummer.

( by the way if you, the reader of this post, are a Fender rep and have some info on the release of a future lefty model, now would be a good time to share that info with everyone! :p )

So, let's go for the alternative solution: Trying to figure out how much it would cost to get a regular MIM Strat and modding it like a Lonestar. Any ideas?

From what I gathered I need a humbucker pickup, a pickguard with a humbucker slot on the bridge position, a S-1 switch and..? Do I need to change the wiring? Also I would probably settle for a plain coloured pickguard and not replacing the single coil pickups to keep the extra cost as low as possible.


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Post subject: Re: So, I want to get the new Lonestar Strat...
Posted: Tue Oct 22, 2013 4:09 pm
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Don't the new Lonestar and Roadhouse Strats seem like needless duplicity?

They are barely distinguishable from the USA-made American Special HSS and SSS models. The Roadhouse in particular looks exactly like my Candy Apple Red Am Spl.

The old Roadhouse and Lonestar MIMs, which were discontinued before the introduction of the Am Spls, featured Texas Special pups... just like the US Am Spls do now. The old Lonestar had a Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates Plus bucker but my understanding is the new one now has an Atomic bucker... again, same as a Am Spl HSS.

Since the price point on a MIM Deluxe Strat must be pretty darned close to the price of the USA-made American Specials... what is the target consumer as distinguished from the target consumer for the Am Spl? Guitarists who hate the US maybe?

The marketing of new MIM Roadhouses and Lonestars just makes no sense. I think Fender should have reintroduced the Roadhouse, Lonestar and the Big Apple too as premium USA Standards or USA Deluxes. Even then Fender should give them specs very distinguishable from the American Special line.

Oh, and why the heck doesn't the color of the humbucker match the color of the single coils on the new Lonestar???

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Post subject: Re: So, I want to get the new Lonestar Strat...
Posted: Tue Oct 22, 2013 5:20 pm
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The new Roadhouses boast a modified MDX circuit which delivers six variable presets via the groundbreaking V6 rotary switch, giving you a killer array of bedazzling tones ranging from wiry single-coil to searing humbucking lead.


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Post subject: Re: So, I want to get the new Lonestar Strat...
Posted: Tue Oct 22, 2013 6:48 pm
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Yes, and the new Lonestar "boasts" a coil tap on the bucker... not quite as original!

Might explain the decision to offer them as MIMs. The onboard pre-amp effects probably appeal more to the younger budget-conscious crowd than to the Fender aficionados that can afford US-made instruments and a signal-boost pedal to boot. And I guess there is a sizeable enough price difference between the $600 Lonestar and Roadhouse and the $900 American Specials. I thought the new Roadhouse and Lonestar would be priced similar to the MIM Pawn Shop series which is right up there with the American Specials but they are lower.

I am not an old pro by a longshot; but from what I read many do not like the S-1 switching and even Chappers and the Captain at Andertons were commenting that the pre-amp effects on the Roadhouse rob it of pure Strat tone.

So they are marketed for the younger hi-gain tone seekers much like the Blacktop series. I would still like to see them as US-made models again, but I guess the US-made market is shrinking and the MIM market is expanding with guitar prices being what they are in this economy!

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my gear:

Jackson USA Phil Collen PC-1
Warmoth Custom-Build Stratocaster (The Andersong)
Fender American Special Stratocaster
Squier J. Mascis Jazzmaster
Fender Mustang GT40
Eleven HeadRush w/ two Alto TS212 FRFRs


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Post subject: Re: So, I want to get the new Lonestar Strat...
Posted: Tue Oct 22, 2013 8:51 pm
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Tiger J wrote:
Since the price point on a MIM Deluxe Strat must be pretty darned close to the price of the USA-made American Specials... what is the target consumer as distinguished from the target consumer for the Am Spl? Guitarists who hate the US maybe?

The MIM ones appear to be $600 and the Am Specials appear to be $900. Not that close.


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Post subject: Re: So, I want to get the new Lonestar Strat...
Posted: Tue Oct 22, 2013 10:07 pm
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Why compare copies with the originals. :mrgreen:


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Post subject: Re: So, I want to get the new Lonestar Strat...
Posted: Wed Oct 23, 2013 12:02 am
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The Gibson Varitone system also offers 6 different voicings, except this circuit is passive and does not require a battery.

I can honestly describe the V6 as a sort of an "MDX meets Varitone" as an homage to the artists who are using these circuits on their personal guitars.

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Post subject: Re: So, I want to get the new Lonestar Strat...
Posted: Wed Oct 23, 2013 12:21 am
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Before there was a ever such thing as an "HSS" Strat there were models called the Lonestar and the Roadhouse. IIRC there was also an HH model called The Big Apple or some similar NYC reference. These models are not new, they've been brought back. The redundant model is the HSS. Another name Fender once used to describe what we now think of as HSS was "Fat", as in Fat Strat.

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Post subject: Re: So, I want to get the new Lonestar Strat...
Posted: Wed Oct 23, 2013 1:23 am
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BMW-KTM wrote:
Another name Fender once used to describe what we now think of as HSS was "Fat", as in Fat Strat.



The HH stands for "Double Fat" while the HHH stands for "Triple Fat".

Personally I've seen Stratocasters modded with three humbuckers but not official Triple Fat Strats from Fender.


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Post subject: Re: So, I want to get the new Lonestar Strat...
Posted: Wed Oct 23, 2013 5:19 am
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Andeus wrote:
...that I saw on Chapper's/Anderton's youtube vid:
So, let's go for the alternative solution: Trying to figure out how much it would cost to get a regular MIM Strat and modding it like a Lonestar. Any ideas?

From what I gathered I need a humbucker pickup, a pickguard with a humbucker slot on the bridge position, a S-1 switch and..? Do I need to change the wiring? Also I would probably settle for a plain coloured pickguard and not replacing the single coil pickups to keep the extra cost as low as possible.


To me, it seems that the S-1 switch is more of a marketing gimmick; the applications in which they are employed could easily by handled by a push/pull pot or even the Super Switch (as was the case with the original USA Lone Star Strat).

So; you could start with a LH Standard Strat and simply replace the pickups and pickguard which would make it similar to the specs of the outgoing Deluxe Lone Star. If you want to be able to split the humbucker, you'll need to use some kind of special switching and again, you don't need the S-1 to do that - if I recall, I think you could even wire the regular 5-way to split the humbucker in position 2.

The pickups are, of course, Texas Specials in the neck and mid positions and a new (at least for this model) Twin Head humbucker in the bridge. This a departure from the previous incarnations of the Lone Star which had used a unique variant of Seymour Duncan's Pearly Gates pickup: the Pearly Gates Plus. This pickup was made specially for Fender and is not available from Seymour Duncan (well, they might do it for you....they do custom wind pickups for their customers). But according to Duncan, the closest stock pickup they offer to the PG+ is the '59 humbucker. Also on this point, I personally feel that this change makes this guitar more of a Deluxe HSS Strat than a true Lone Star...BTJM.

Tiger J wrote:
Since the price point on a MIM Deluxe Strat must be pretty darned close to the price of the USA-made American Specials... what is the target consumer as distinguished from the target consumer for the Am Spl?


Comparing prices for the American Standard, American Special, and new Deluxe Lone Star; there is a $300.00 price difference as you progress up the product line. So if you like the guitar and it saves you $300.00, then Fender has hit its target.


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Post subject: Re: So, I want to get the new Lonestar Strat...
Posted: Wed Oct 23, 2013 5:32 am
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Last edited by donnycraven on Wed Oct 23, 2013 5:40 am, edited 2 times in total.

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Post subject: Re: So, I want to get the new Lonestar Strat...
Posted: Wed Oct 23, 2013 5:33 am
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Last edited by donnycraven on Wed Oct 23, 2013 5:37 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Post subject: Re: So, I want to get the new Lonestar Strat...
Posted: Wed Oct 23, 2013 5:36 am
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Tiger J wrote:
Don't the new Lonestar and Roadhouse Strats seem like needless duplicity?

They are barely distinguishable from the USA-made American Special HSS and SSS models. The Roadhouse in particular looks exactly like my Candy Apple Red Am Spl.

The old Roadhouse and Lonestar MIMs, which were discontinued before the introduction of the Am Spls, featured Texas Special pups... just like the US Am Spls do now. The old Lonestar had a Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates Plus bucker but my understanding is the new one now has an Atomic bucker... again, same as a Am Spl HSS.

Since the price point on a MIM Deluxe Strat must be pretty darned close to the price of the USA-made American Specials... what is the target consumer as distinguished from the target consumer for the Am Spl? Guitarists who hate the US maybe?

The marketing of new MIM Roadhouses and Lonestars just makes no sense. I think Fender should have reintroduced the Roadhouse, Lonestar and the Big Apple too as premium USA Standards or USA Deluxes. Even then Fender should give them specs very distinguishable from the American Special line.

Oh, and why the heck doesn't the color of the humbucker match the color of the single coils on the new Lonestar???

You took the words right out of my keyboard.
I second everything you just said.
I think little by little all our favorite models and parts are going south.
Sad, Ross Perot was right.
Thanks NAFTA!

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Post subject: Re: So, I want to get the new Lonestar Strat...
Posted: Wed Oct 23, 2013 5:47 am
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chromeface wrote:
The new Roadhouses boast a modified MDX circuit which delivers six variable presets via the groundbreaking V6 rotary switch, giving you a killer array of bedazzling tones ranging from wiry single-coil to searing humbucking lead.

This promo is no value to the sinisterly impaired and Fender's unwillingness to remedy the affliction, the main intent of the post. :wink:

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Post subject: Re: So, I want to get the new Lonestar Strat...
Posted: Wed Oct 23, 2013 6:33 am
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ZZDoc wrote:
chromeface wrote:
The new Roadhouses boast a modified MDX circuit which delivers six variable presets via the groundbreaking V6 rotary switch, giving you a killer array of bedazzling tones ranging from wiry single-coil to searing humbucking lead.

This promo is no value to the sinisterly impaired and Fender's unwillingness to remedy the affliction, the main intent of the post. :wink:


Unfortunately for leftys; they often get left out in the rain unless they are cool with the Jimi Hendrix upside down look!

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Tiger J

my gear:

Jackson USA Phil Collen PC-1
Warmoth Custom-Build Stratocaster (The Andersong)
Fender American Special Stratocaster
Squier J. Mascis Jazzmaster
Fender Mustang GT40
Eleven HeadRush w/ two Alto TS212 FRFRs


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