my american deluxe has the nicest feeling/playing neck i have ever played, bar none.
i have however tried some mexican strats and teles that were nearly as good if not just as good. if you have a variety of them to choose from you may very well save a bit of money.
however i haven't heard any MiMs that sound as good without a pup upgrade. but thats really only opinion.
#4491....
Dogbite: I'm really not trying to be a pain in the back. Having said that, your dealer could be correct, depending on his definiton of 'made in USA'. The body is carved in Mexico, shipped to california where the guitar is assembled. A USA-made guitar has a body that's actually made in the california factory. This is the reason why Fender's site won't tell you anything about where the highway is from, unlike the regular MIMs ("made in Mexico") and USA lines ("made in USA"). So in a way, yes, the H1 is made in the USA. And you could just as easily argue it isn't, and is a 50/50 Mexico/USA guitar. If you don't believe me ask your dealer where each part of the guitar is made, instead of where the guitar is made. :)
Bottomlime is that the H1 is a relatively cheap guitar of relatively high-quality. If I had to chose I'd go with it for price/quality ratio without a doubt. Sure wish I had your tele...
arjen. we're cool. one of the problems of email and forums is face making.
I was and wasnt agreeing with you. being pressed for time at work I couldnt elaborate, check my sources, and correct myself.
I think I was in the bite mode of my avatar. sorry.
yup Hwy1 's are nice.
I do like a heavier finish as whats on my strat. but it is a sunburst and needs depth of finish.
heres a pic of my tele Hwy1 before scratches and wear. it was two days old when I snapped the pic:
sorry. I only have this giant photo.
i actually came home with the brand new american series, it sure was a nice guitar but it wasn't what i was looking for which was your basic american strat...i played the mim classic series (60's) model for years and just wanted to upgrade it with an american version...easier said than done...the new american series is a different beast altogether, maybe i have been on the moon for the last 5 years but i wasn't accustomed to the new 2 pivot bridge (i now love them b.t.w.) and the brand new "hand rolled finger board edges" on the neck didn't feel like a strat neck to me (i just wasn't used to it i guess), also the body shape is slightly different ...you will notice it when you put it in it's SKB case, it is a very tight fit.
anyways after a week i exchanged it... first for a '62 r.i. (i was looking to find a strat that had that classic feel but i went too far back...the old 7.25" board radius was too much for me and the old pickups were noisey even with the 5 way installed)...still it felt like a real strat to me as compared to the new A.S....
i then (to the extreme annoyance of my local store) exchanged the '62 r.i. 2 weeks later...since it was an expensive high end production guitar i had a bit of $ (even with the penalty for returning it) to work with...alls i knew was that i wanted a 3 tone burst with rosewood neck and no "hand rolled edges" also a modern 9.5" radius board...well they didn't have any strats of any model to match it...all the sunbursts were maple boards...but when i wrapped my mits around the neck of one 3 tone burst maple deluxe (the only "c" neck one they had), i was sold immediately...i am an indecisive shopper as you may see...but the moment i found this guitar there has been no second guessing... best feeling neck i have ever played (it has made me a huge maple neck fan after years of only rosewood boards!)...plus the smarium cobalt noiseless pups are amazing and i actually use the S1 alot...
what i am getting at is , as i know little of the Highway 1 series (there were none at the store i went to), i have experienced the new american series and i would suggest you wait if necessary or finance and spend the extra 3 hundred bucks and get the deluxe (try to get one of the one's without the rolled edges like i did...that is if you are looking for traditional neck feel)...it is a keeper...best guitar i have ever played !...but i must add the cheap mexican strat i owned (while not coming close to this of course) kept me very happy for many years...if the highway1 is even better, i'm sure it is a great buy...just try to pick out the one that sounds and feels best to you...as i have noticed that they can vary from guitar to guitar considerably , even the production line models.
well good luck and i hope you enjoy your choice - Otis
