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Post subject: Re: Dlx American Strat Plus Photos
Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2015 4:42 am
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A lot of questions. I'll answer them as best I can.

Personality Cards -

I feel like the personality cards take the place of the S1 switch on many ways. Correct me if I'm wrong, bit haven't there beem like 2 different versions of the S1 switch? I suspect that future cards will have these.

I love having the personality cards. All these various tone combos go well with effects/stomp boxes. I'm still trying to get my ears around the N3 pups.

Having played Strats with single coil pups for years now, my ears are like, "This doesn't sound right to. It doesn't sound like a Stratocaster." And they don't. They are a little less sparkling and with less definition to my ears. But I didn't just want another Strat. Fender does sell other pups for this guitar, but I figure I should give these a real chance before passing judgement.

I'm not sure what you mean by, "PCB."

Cons about about the new model:
1. I feel the "roll-off" with the tone pots (which become blender and cutter knobs) is too sudden for my taste. I prefer more a more gradual roll-off.

2. There isn't a lot of explanation of how to use the dip switchs on the back of the cards. They allow you to adjust the pots and add a tribble blead.

3. The manual that comes with the guitar is not well designed. It lists the card name and should the various pickup selections, but no explanations. For instance, for the Blender card, position 1 and 5 at first glance look the same, and you might think they are, but they are not. both positions give you neck and bridge pups, but each position gives one pickup more voicing than the other. It's like allowing one pickup to sing just a little louder than the other. Using the 2nd tone knob, you can dial in more of the other pup. The same goes for position 2 and 4 (all three pups at once).

Monkeying with the guitar and looking very closely at the manual, was the only way I figured out how it all worked.

4. Not a choice of Rosewood neck for the SSS model. A short sighted move in my opinion.


Saddles -

I never noticed the saddles. I haven't handled too many dlx Stratocasters, so I just assumed that Fender did away with block saddles.

I am glad that it doesn't have the contour heal. But I do wish it had the chrome Fender logo, rosewood finger board and abalone dot inlay. Blue Strats and rosewood just look awesome together.

Clapton tone -

As to the Clapton thing, I suspect we'll be seeing that, too.

Final thoughts

I will say that, like the regular Dlx series, this guitar might not be everyone's cup of Joe, but I find it an
elegant alternative to the run of the mill Strat. If you like the S1 switch, I think you'll like this guitar, and check one out. I've play both the HSS and SSS, and I really prefer the Blender card over the Splitter card. You can only get the Blender card with the SSS model.

The case and personality card walet are pretty nice. The fit and finish are well done. The color is almost sureal to me. The compound radious neck is very comfortable. Fender needs to redesign the instruction manual and train sale people. Every person I delt with didn't know how to use the guitar and couldn't tell me how the guitar worked.

Fender might want to expand on the colors. I've heard stories that the 3-color mystic sunbursts aren't moving as quickly, but the Mystic Ice Blue Metallic is doing pretty well. There was a mystic black for the HSS model, but dropped after 2014.

Hope this all helps.


Last edited by paris on Thu Apr 30, 2015 5:11 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Post subject: Re: Dlx American Strat Plus Photos
Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2015 4:58 am
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WOW...beautiful guitar Paris...

I've been reluctant to accept the cards...they seemed like a fad but your reports are encouraging...

...now I'm looking forward to the new Personality Cards coming out and I don't even HAVE a guitar that uses them! :lol:

...And your video too..

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Post subject: Re: Dlx American Strat Plus Photos
Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2015 6:53 am
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paris wrote:
I'm not sure what you mean by, "PCB."



PCB = Printed Circuit Board - on these instead of all the components being hand-soldered together there is circuit board material and all the components plug into sockets on the board. It's just a different way of doing the assembly, and probably one of the reasons why these are priced in-between the American Standards and the other American Deluxe models. You can see the PCB in drawing form on the "Service Diagram"; Deluxe Strat Plus loaded pickguard assemblies do show up on ebay from time-to-time and you can see the circuit board clearly in the photos of the underside.

paris wrote:
Saddles -

I never noticed the saddles. I haven't handled too many dlx Stratocasters, so I just assumed that Fender did away with block saddles.

I am glad that it doesn't have the contour heal. But I do wish it had the chrome Fender logo, rosewood finger board and abalone dot inlay. Blue Strats and rosewood just look awesome together.


The other American Deluxes have retained the chrome block saddles, and the Strats still have the snap-in trem arm. The Deluxe Strat Plus has the current American Standard tremolo. It also has the regular headstock decal and standard black dots on the maple fingerboard/standard white dots on the HSS models since they have rosewood fingerboards. If you look at the Fender "Service Diagram" the necks on the Deluxe Strat Plus are actually called "American Standard Compound Radius Neck".

Since you haven't had a "regular" American Deluxe in a while, they did drop the abalone dots for the 2010-spec models; maple boards now have black pearloid dots, and rosewood boards now have pearl dots.


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Post subject: Re: Dlx American Strat Plus Photos
Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2015 7:20 am
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John C wrote:
paris wrote:
I'm not sure what you mean by, "PCB."



PCB = Printed Circuit Board - on these instead of all the components being hand-soldered together there is circuit board material and all the components plug into sockets on the board. It's just a different way of doing the assembly, and probably one of the reasons why these are priced in-between the American Standards and the other American Deluxe models. You can see the PCB in drawing form on the "Service Diagram"; Deluxe Strat Plus loaded pickguard assemblies do show up on ebay from time-to-time and you can see the circuit board clearly in the photos of the underside.

paris wrote:
Saddles -

I never noticed the saddles. I haven't handled too many dlx Stratocasters, so I just assumed that Fender did away with block saddles.

I am glad that it doesn't have the contour heal. But I do wish it had the chrome Fender logo, rosewood finger board and abalone dot inlay. Blue Strats and rosewood just look awesome together.


The other American Deluxes have retained the chrome block saddles, and the Strats still have the snap-in trem arm. The Deluxe Strat Plus has the current American Standard tremolo. It also has the regular headstock decal and standard black dots on the maple fingerboard/standard white dots on the HSS models since they have rosewood fingerboards. If you look at the Fender "Service Diagram" the necks on the Deluxe Strat Plus are actually called "American Standard Compound Radius Neck".

Since you haven't had a "regular" American Deluxe in a while, they did drop the abalone dots for the 2010-spec models; maple boards now have black pearloid dots, and rosewood boards now have pearl dots.


Thanks for the update. As the "PCB," I haven't taken the guitar apart and don't really know if this is better or worse.

For my thinking, I suspect that these differences (necks, saddles, trems, and other American Std. like things) were done to keep the price down. Noticed that the regular Dlx Strat is $200 more than the Dlx Strat Plus.


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Post subject: Re: Dlx American Strat Plus Photos
Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2015 10:13 am
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JACSTRAT wrote:
How do you like the personality card and PCB so far? ...


Indeed. I can perhaps see the point if you are a pro and can reduce your guitar transport from 12 to 2 (You always need a spare) but for most of us mere mortals (who have one or two guitars that we like and use nothing else) I'm not really seeing the point.

Were it a GC configuration mule so that you could try multiple PUP's before you buy now that would be a good idea.....


Sorry, should have read the 2nd page :oops:

Love the colour though.

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Post subject: Re: Dlx American Strat Plus Photos
Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2015 10:36 am
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Sounds like the personality card with PCB is a good thing! Glad to hear it! I question some modern updates on guitars like some of the crazy stuff that Gibson has come up with on their 2015 Les Paul models. In the future I want an American made Standard Stratocaster. I don't mind the molded case but, i prefer the more traditional rectangular ones. Tweed is nice but, tolex works for me as well on hard cases. By the way, I'm a big Gibson fan, I have three Les Pauls.


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Post subject: Re: Dlx American Strat Plus Photos
Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2015 10:58 am
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JACSTRAT wrote:
Sounds like the personality card with PCB is a good thing! Glad to hear it! I question some modern updates on guitars like some of the crazy stuff that Gibson has come up with on their 2015 Les Paul models. In the future I want an American made Standard Stratocaster. I don't mind the molded case but, i prefer the more traditional rectangular ones. Tweed is nice but, tolex works for me as well on hard cases. By the way, I'm a big Gibson fan, I have three Les Pauls.


It turns out that Fender makes solderless CS fat 50s, the same pups that go in the Amderican Std. Strat. One of the personality cards that comes with the Dlx Strat Plus is a "Standard" card. This allows the player to use the guitar in treditional manner, with volume, tone 1 and tone 2. I may have to get some CS Fat 50s; I really like them.

By the by, I've on the fence with Gibson. I've owned several (ES335 and Les Pauls) and I keep parting with them. I had 2003/04 LP Std. Beautiful guitar, but it never stayed in tune no matter what I did and the pickups sounded too mid-rangy. I ended up selling it for a '98 "10" Top PRS McCarty.

As for the current Gibson models, I'm not a big fan of the robo tuner and what's up with the new headstop logo?

I've played several Gibsons I loved, but couldn't buy: 1968 ES335, 1976 ES335 and a Gold Top Les Paul with P-90s. I wanted to buy each of these guitars, but didn't have the money at the time.

No matter what I do, I always seem to come back to Strats and Teles.


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Post subject: Re: Dlx American Strat Plus Photos
Posted: Fri May 01, 2015 5:03 am
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paris wrote:
Not a choice of Rosewood neck for the SSS model. A short sighted move in my opinion.


Necks are interchangeable, just buy an HSS model and swap them. :idea:


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Post subject: Re: Dlx American Strat Plus Photos
Posted: Fri May 01, 2015 6:23 am
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chromeface wrote:
paris wrote:
Not a choice of Rosewood neck for the SSS model. A short sighted move in my opinion.


Necks are interchangeable, just buy an HSS model and swap them. :idea:




Yes, and thought about doing that. They also cost money. I have to weigh the cost. My birthday is January.


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Post subject: Re: Dlx American Strat Plus Photos
Posted: Fri May 01, 2015 6:45 pm
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Perhaps Fender will offer both models with maple and rosewood fingerboards if demand for the two neck options grows. :roll:

There's a reason why certain HSS guitars are available only with a rosewood neck.


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Post subject: Re: Dlx American Strat Plus Photos
Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2015 9:56 pm
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I just got the Mystic Sunburst with the rosewood neck in the HSS configuration from MF at a great price this week. Has anyone noticed the bridge humbucker being unusually dark compared to the other N3 pups? Also, what styles will be coming out on the new cards slated for release this summer?


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Post subject: Re: Dlx American Strat Plus Photos
Posted: Wed Jul 29, 2015 9:51 am
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mmcwill wrote:
I just got the Mystic Sunburst with the rosewood neck in the HSS configuration from MF at a great price this week. Has anyone noticed the bridge humbucker being unusually dark compared to the other N3 pups? Also, what styles will be coming out on the new cards slated for release this summer?


Good question. No word as of yet. My Sweetwater rep keeps me in the know about such things. Here's what I see happening:

1. Some sort of volume boost and/or mid-range boost.
2. S-1 style parallel and out of phase wiring


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Post subject: Re: Dlx American Strat Plus Photos
Posted: Wed Jul 29, 2015 3:18 pm
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The guitar has been out for some time and I'm surprised they are just now releasing new cards. I suppose they had to reach a critical mass in sales to make it profitable to research, develop and produce the cards.

Yeah, the bridge HB doesn't have a lot of high end, but still sounds decent. I wonder what humbuckers are available in the marketplace with the push-on jacks?


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Post subject: Re: Dlx American Strat Plus Photos
Posted: Wed Jul 29, 2015 5:18 pm
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mmcwill wrote:
The guitar has been out for some time and I'm surprised they are just now releasing new cards. I suppose they had to reach a critical mass in sales to make it profitable to research, develop and produce the cards.

Yeah, the bridge HB doesn't have a lot of high end, but still sounds decent. I wonder what humbuckers are available in the marketplace with the push-on jacks?


I just played my SSS Dlx Strat Plus today, and I love it. I keep that new cards (11 of them) are forth cloming
cloming, but I'll believd it when I see it.

I was very close to choosing the HSS, but I just seemed too limited to me. The Blender card is just too darnned cool.


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Post subject: Re: Dlx American Strat Plus Photos
Posted: Wed Jul 29, 2015 9:16 pm
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Yeah, hopefully they will add a blender card for the HSS by using the outside coil of the humbucker. That would definitely be cool. I've heard they may add some boost function too. Too bad the Strat Plus doesn't have a S-1 switch that could be programmed with the card.


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