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Post subject: American Std. Stratocaster or strange mix Stratocaster?
Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2014 9:31 am
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Hi Everybody. This is my first time in fender forum to me. A pleasure to write here. I wish you all the best from Spain.
Well, my case is the next. I bought a second hand Stratocaster as a American Standard Stratocaster in a small shop in Madrid. The last owner was a Cuban musician, they told me, who bought this guitar in 2005 in Praha (Czech Republic).
This days, trying to change my guitar for a Am. Std. Telecaster, I love telecaster and I have another Stratocaster, some mysteries come to the light.
We don't know what to think about the originality of the guitar. Neck looks like American, pickups too (I put a Dimarzio DP420 on bridge position) , but the body...
The mystery appeared because the bridge does not look like the am. std. Stratocaster bridges in this date of fabrication. SORRY FOR MY ENGLISH...
Please, help me... At least, the guitar sounds amazing, and the playability is good.
The bridge is 56,5 mm between first and sixth hole.
You can see photos here: http://1drv.ms/1kw7kdx
Thx!!


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Post subject: Re: American Std. Stratocaster or strange mix Stratocaster?
Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2014 10:13 am
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The guitar is a genuine pre-2006 Highway 1 Strat. You'll notice the dual easygliders in the peghead, the HSS pickup routing and the lack of a microtilt adjuster in the neckplate.

In 2006 Fender redesigned the series to CBS-era specs with a large headstock and black CBS decals. Pickups changed to AlNiCo IIIs with a Greasebucket tone circuit.

The revised HWY1 bodies were subsequently routed for an HSH configuration.

Discontinued in 2011 and replaced by the American Special line.


Last edited by chromeface on Fri Jun 13, 2014 6:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Post subject: Re: American Std. Stratocaster or strange mix Stratocaster?
Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2014 11:19 am
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Ok.. thank you very much.


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Post subject: Re: American Std. Stratocaster or strange mix Stratocaster?
Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2014 11:31 am
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Would agree. The bridge which was your concern also seems perfectly correct for that vintage hwy one. A magnet should stick to the block confirming it is indeed a USA trem steel hi mass block. The Mexican model reissues use a block that looks identical but it is not pure steel and a magnet won't stick to it. Enjoy the guitar and rest assured that is the real deal.

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Post subject: Re: American Std. Stratocaster or strange mix Stratocaster?
Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2014 11:36 am
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I agree. The most important is playing and enjoy the guitar. I am happy with the guitar, I use only at home. In our band I play my hot rod vintage 57 strat, lovely neck in V soft.


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Post subject: Re: American Std. Stratocaster or strange mix Stratocaster?
Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2014 6:33 pm
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ebaysux wrote:
The Mexican model reissues use a block that looks identical but it is not pure steel and a magnet won't stick to it.


Those blocks have no ferrous content whatsoever -- they're solid cast-zinc alloy.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: American Std. Stratocaster or strange mix Stratocaster?
Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2014 6:54 pm
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Retroverbial wrote:
ebaysux wrote:
The Mexican model reissues use a block that looks identical but it is not pure steel and a magnet won't stick to it.


Those blocks have no ferrous content whatsoever -- they're solid cast-zinc alloy.

Arjay


Well then technically I was correct that it is not pure steel..... :twisted:

But that piece of info is good to know. I have seen some on ebay claiming that a Mexi reissue big block was steel and I do know for a fact a magnet will not stick to it so what you posted makes sense. I was mislead to believe it was just a low steel content.

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Post subject: Re: American Std. Stratocaster or strange mix Stratocaster?
Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2014 11:06 pm
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ebaysux wrote:
I have seen some on ebay claiming that a Mexi reissue big block was steel and I do know for a fact a magnet will not stick to it so what you posted makes sense. I was mislead to believe it was just a low steel content.


Most of them are too lazy to remove the trem cover and try the magnet shtick on the bottom of the block where direct contact is possible -- they merely wave the magnet over the top of the bridge where there is in fact a steel base plate and saddles, it sticks, then they gleefully declare "See? it's a steel trem block!". Old hands at the Strat game are never convinced by such a ruse.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: American Std. Stratocaster or strange mix Stratocaster?
Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2014 1:53 am
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I remove the cover and stick the magnet to de bottom of the block.
The magnet does not stick too much good. I suppose that the bridge is not of pure steel.
:evil:


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Post subject: Re: American Std. Stratocaster or strange mix Stratocaster?
Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2014 1:25 am
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Don't judge the steel content based on magnetism. Austenitic stainless steel is non-magnetic, while ferritic stainless steel usually is paramegnetic, i.e. reacts to magnets without being a magnet. But some types even hold magnetism, i.e. become magnets[*], and are true magnetic.

[*]: Even some strings - if you place a guitar with the strings parallel to the magnetic field of the earth, and let it sit for a few days, chances are the strings become magnetic, and will react to a compass held close to either end, and may sound more dead at the bridge pickup. The "fix" is to play it for a few minutes. Or place your guitar case facing east/west. No, I'm not making this up.


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Post subject: Re: American Std. Stratocaster or strange mix Stratocaster?
Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2014 2:00 am
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arth1 wrote:
Don't judge the steel content based on magnetism. Austenitic stainless steel is non-magnetic, while ferritic stainless steel usually is paramegnetic, i.e. reacts to magnets without being a magnet. But some types even hold magnetism, i.e. become magnets[*], and are true magnetic.


None of this techno-babble tap dance is topical or applicable to the Stratocaster's trem block. By Leo Fender's original spec (and contemporary FMIC standards for premium-priced guitars) they are fabricated from cold-rolled carbon steel of high ferric content. And any magnet will easily attract and affix itself to one. It's why Fender has always painted them -- without it, they rust.

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Post subject: Re: American Std. Stratocaster or strange mix Stratocaster?
Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2014 7:15 am
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To IsmaGP72: this is a highly personal view, but I'd always choose a strange mix Strat over an AmStandard - the mojo factor vs. just your average tool, you know.
Besides that, I get the feeling the Highway 1 series seems to be getting more&more in fashion - maybe part of that falls to Jack White's Tele.

To you all, since the topic has already gone a tad off topic: any of you old enough to remember the eighties, when everybody switched to brass trem blocks, saddles, nuts..? 8)


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Post subject: Re: American Std. Stratocaster or strange mix Stratocaster?
Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2014 9:01 am
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I remember the brass blocks. I still use them on the customs I build with Floyd roses. But the point was that American strats are supposed to be using steel blocks and the others do not. I know on my Mexi blocks I have laying around a magnet will not stick at all.

I recall my moms BF who is the one that got me into Strats when I was a wee lad used to replace the nuts and saddles with brass. He swore by it and I am pretty sure he knew his stuff. But then again sound and feel (not to mention looks) being such a subjective thing it seems many swear by many things and someone will always say one is better then the other.

I have also used the Callaham steel block as they "claim" the "manufacturers" are using inferior steel. Not sure if the claim is accurate but considering their blocks cost around 65 bucks and you can get a Fender USA "steel" block for 30 bucks I should look into it.

I know that on the bridge block on my 73 strat a magnet sticks to it like glue.

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Post subject: Re: American Std. Stratocaster or strange mix Stratocaster?
Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2014 10:37 am
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ebaysux wrote:
I have also used the Callaham steel block as they "claim" the "manufacturers" are using inferior steel. Not sure if the claim is accurate but considering their blocks cost around 65 bucks and you can get a Fender USA "steel" block for 30 bucks I should look into it.


The Callaham is a nice block and features the delrin bushing to prevent the trem arm from swinging around indiscriminately. Is it worth the added expense? Only your wallet and your desire for bragging rights can make that determination. I've installed several over the years but never in one of my own Strats.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: American Std. Stratocaster or strange mix Stratocaster?
Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2014 11:28 am
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ebaysux wrote:
...American strats are supposed to be using steel blocks...


Bad news for you, the Am Std blocks are "copper infused", are not cold rolled, they are cast, and are not all steel by any account. The Am Spcl and even the Am Dlx are cast blocks (low grade leaded steel).

Even the bigger blocks on most Fender Strats that attract a magnet are not cold rolled steel, they are cast blocks. The only Strats that claim to have CRS are the vintage reissues and CS guitars. Even then, the CS hasn't exactly been straight-forward about their blocks. The claims about using "original tooling" were quite misleading, as it doesn't matter what kind of steel is put into the tooling, and they didn't even drill the holes to vintage specs. Only recently did Fender actually make the blocks "just like Leo did", as was reluctantly admitted by the departed ME of the CS. I still don't believe that they use CRS either, but I would be willing to admit that I'm wrong if someone could test them and prove it.

I can tell you that the Fender CS blocks are lighter weight than Callaham blocks, and Callaham claims to use CRS, and I believe Callaham over ME any day. :wink:

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