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Post subject: Fender Stratocaster American Standard or Special?
Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2015 11:06 am
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Hi, friends!

I am new to the Fender guitars universe and I have a doubt. Some people say that the Fender American Standard is best than the Special series. Some say the contrary.

Some people say that the Special series has better pickups (Texas special single coils) but the American Standard construction and hardware parts are better.

What is your opinion about that considering wood quality, construction, hardware parts and of course pickups. I would like your opinion including the market´s point of view: Wich model is more valuable in a future sell?

Thank you guys in advance.
Take care.

Sergio


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Post subject: Re: Fender Stratocaster American Standard or Special?
Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2015 11:34 am
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I've owned the Highway One (which is very close to the American Special as I believe). Unfortunately, I had to bring it to the store on the next day. But I'm very happy with my American Standard I bought next and still own.

The key difference was the wood obviously. The HW1 sounds powerful, but somewhat dark and not intelligent at all. It's an overpowering sound. The American Standard is balanced and perfect in every way no matter how you look at it.

But. You can probably be happy with both because it's still Fender. That depends on the guitar. But still my sincere recommendation: look for the American Standard!

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Post subject: Re: Fender Stratocaster American Standard or Special?
Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2015 11:51 am
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Hi, neteraser!

Thank you for your information and experience with your Fender guitars. I am going to buy an American Standard from 1999. I will pick up the guitar with the seller next tuesday. Another fact: At the Fender website we can notice that the Fender American Standards are more expensive than the Special series.

Take care.
Sergio


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Post subject: Re: Fender Stratocaster American Standard or Special?
Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2015 12:43 pm
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Play both and decide for yourself which one is best. Everyone is different.


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Post subject: Re: Fender Stratocaster American Standard or Special?
Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2015 1:03 pm
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Thanks, budglo!

I have played with a Fender Special and this American Standard that I am going to buy. I really prefered the Standard. The neck seemed more confortable to me and the tone was more like the traditional Fender tone. The Special tone sounded a little bit louder and fat (with to much low/bass for me) than the Standard, but I thought the Standard tone more balanced.

Take care.
Sergio.

But my topic in fact is more related to construction quality and the their value in the market. We are always trying to buy better instruments in search of the Holy Grail of the tone! We need to think about future sells.


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Post subject: Re: Fender Stratocaster American Standard or Special?
Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2015 1:17 pm
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SergioBurlamaqui wrote:
But my topic in fact is more related to construction quality and the their value in the market. We are always trying to buy better instruments in search of the Holy Grail of the tone! We need to think about future sells.


If this interim Strat is merely preliminary foreplay, why not just buy the "better instrument" to begin with?

That said, both the Standard and the Special will depreciate in equal measure once purchased.

Buy the guitar that plays easier and sounds better to your ear.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Fender Stratocaster American Standard or Special?
Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2015 4:03 pm
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A guitar is like a wife/girlfriend/mistress/dog. You don't get one on the assumption that you will be trading up some time. If you don't have a connection with a guitar don't get it.

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Post subject: Re: Fender Stratocaster American Standard or Special?
Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2015 7:05 pm
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It's an instrument, not a financial vehicle.
Buy the one that moves your musical soul, if resale value is your concern then you have already dismissed the reason for the guitar to exist in the first place.

Or in other words .... Take $1,500 and invest it in a 500 index fund for a year or two. Your returns will be far better than that guitar.. Most of us buy guitars because they move us and we believe we can become better musicians in the process. It is about music, not revenues..

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Post subject: Re: Fender Stratocaster American Standard or Special?
Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2015 11:32 pm
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I prefer the Fat 50s pups in the Am Std by far over the TS pups in the Special. The Am Std is better quality overall, the bridge saddles for one thing. The traditional headstock shape, and case, better quality, better pups, yeah the Am Std is the better choice..... for me anyway. 8)

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Post subject: Re: Fender Stratocaster American Standard or Special?
Posted: Sat Aug 01, 2015 12:44 am
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SergioBurlamaqui wrote:
.... I am going to buy an American Standard from 1999....


Guitar specs change over the years. The difference between a current Standard and Special is irrelevant if you are looking at a 16 year old guitar. You just need to establish if that particular guitar is what you want.

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Post subject: Re: Fender Stratocaster American Standard or Special?
Posted: Sat Aug 01, 2015 7:41 am
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SergioBurlamaqui wrote:
Hi, friends!

I am new to the Fender guitars universe and I have a doubt. Some people say that the Fender American Standard is best than the Special series. Some say the contrary.

Some people say that the Special series has better pickups (Texas special single coils) but the American Standard construction and hardware parts are better.

What is your opinion about that considering wood quality, construction, hardware parts and of course pickups. I would like your opinion including the market´s point of view: Wich model is more valuable in a future sell?

Thank you guys in advance.
Take care.

Sergio


First and foremost, whether it's a $200 Squier or a $4000 Custom Shop, the "best" guitar is simply the guitar that you enjoy and play the most...period. One of my favorite guitars is actually a cheap Applause acoustic/electric...she's not really even worth $100, but I probably play that guitar more than the rest of the guitars I own (currently around 25 total). The cheap little acoustic is always up here by my computer or down in the living room and it's the guitar that goes to the park, goes on camping trips, river side, etc.. Just a really fun little guitar to play! Very simply as others have already said, everyone is different. The best bet is to play the two instruments side by side, thru the SAME amp and decide which you prefer. Leave your preconceptions at the door and don't even look at the headstocks or anything...just let your hands, ears and heart decide which is right for you. Personally I don't really care for either...I've always been a fan of the Mexican made Fender Standards from the mid 90's and the Japanese instruments from the mid 80's. Again, everyone is different and only YOU can decide which is right for YOU.

As far as resale goes, as others have already suggested if you're buying it based on the idea that you're going to be selling it...you're probably buying it for the wrong reason to begin with. Like cars, most guitars tend to loose a great deal of value the moment they walk off the show room floor...with only rare exceptions, they're typically a rather poor investment option. To be honest, if resale value is a big concern for you, you're probably better off buying an inexpensive Squier as they typically hold their value BETTER than American or Mexican made instruments do...most American and Mexican made instruments typically suffer from a 38 to 40% depreciation, where as most of the inexpensive Squiers only tend to suffer from 35% depreciation or less. That said, either way while I haven't ran the numbers on the Specials, I strongly suspect the resale value is very comparable on both of the instrument lines that you're interested in. Again, I would suggest that you simply play both instruments side by side, in the same room, thru the same amp and decide which YOU actually prefer.

At the end of the day, it's not about how much your guitar cost, how it was made or where it was made, it's about the person playing it....as I've said often on these forums, I've seen guys with the cheapest, rattiest gear you can imagine who can bring tears to your eyes because they're playing it THAT good. Conversely, I've met a few with the most expensive gear money can buy...who honestly can't play a note to save their souls.

Just my own opinion...use it as you will.


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Post subject: Re: Fender Stratocaster American Standard or Special?
Posted: Sat Aug 01, 2015 8:30 am
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I love the American Standards.

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Post subject: Re: Fender Stratocaster American Standard or Special?
Posted: Sun Aug 02, 2015 5:05 am
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Quote:
with to much low/bass for me

That is exactly what I was speaking about! :) Glad you decided on the Standard. Btw, mine is '99 too!

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Post subject: Re: Fender Stratocaster American Standard or Special?
Posted: Sun Aug 02, 2015 5:33 am
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Quote:
Guitar specs change over the years. The difference between a current Standard and Special is irrelevant if you are looking at a 16 year old guitar.

Don't want to argue, but sorry... have to disagree. Until your guitar is in an original sealed state it can preserve it's sound for many many years to come.
So here a few tips for maintaining your instrument in it's perfect shape:
1. Don't drill or sand anything
2. Don't use lemon oil. If you insist on it, remove excesses right away, but preferably don't use it at all. Find other ways to clean your fretboard.
3. Don't let your guitar stay for a long time with the neck and body taken apart.
Hope that helps!

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Post subject: Re: Fender Stratocaster American Standard or Special?
Posted: Sun Aug 02, 2015 7:27 am
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neteraser wrote:
Quote:
Guitar specs change over the years. The difference between a current Standard and Special is irrelevant if you are looking at a 16 year old guitar.

Don't want to argue, but sorry... have to disagree. Until your guitar is in an original sealed state it can preserve it's sound for many many years to come.
So here a few tips for maintaining your instrument in it's perfect shape:
1. Don't drill or sand anything
2. Don't use lemon oil. If you insist on it, remove excesses right away, but preferably don't use it at all. Find other ways to clean your fretboard.
3. Don't let your guitar stay for a long time with the neck and body taken apart.
Hope that helps!


Then I'll disagree also.... Lemon oil is fine on a rosewood or ebony fingerboard. Useless on a maple fingerboard since those are lacquered over. We have used lemon oil on fine furniture and old expensive acoustic instruments for years. Yes you do wipe off the excess. It is a great cutting agent while at the same time a moisturizer. Additionally you should be using lemon oil labeled for use on fine furniture as those products do not contain additional chemicals that may harm guitars.. A good brand is " Howard Feed-N-Wax " which is actually orange oil and beeswax.

You can leave a neck detached from a body for a long time with no adverse effects. storage is the issue. But more importantly the conventional wood screw fastening of Fender guitars is the culprit. Wood screws are aggressively threaded and designed to self-tap themselves into the wood. Each time you remove and reinsert these wood screws, the holes get bored out which results in a looser fit over time. Not designed to be repeatedly taken apart.

Its the old fastening system which was based on two factors back in the 1950's.
(1) Leo Fender as an engineer believed in using what was available as much as possible.
(2) He designed the Telecaster and then the Stratocaster from guitarist requests and feedback for a guitar that would be simple and easy to repair and still be a a great instrument... Needless to say he more then succeeded.

A simple upgrade is to replace the wood screws with brass wood inserts and fine machine threaded bolts. It is what I do to all my guitars. Resonance is increased...

And if you need to redrill to install a Bigsby or some hardware it is not going to affect the guitar that much. It's an electromagnetic system of converting string vibration to sound... What applies to an acoustic guitar ( mechanical system ) does not apply to a solid body electric guitar.
As for sanding down a guitar, the modern finishes are based on acrylics / plastics, are incredibly hard and seriously toxic when rendered into airborne particle form...

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