Strat Plus/Plus Ultra v 2008 American Standard

[Random Hero]

Which would you chose and why? Which has the better build? Better hardware? Better pickups?

Go.

[CJDM]

Hey, this looks familiar! :)

Owned both, 2008 standard hands down for the classic strat sound.

Not sure why they sound so different, but I'll chalk it up to overall design more so than any single part or any difference in quality. I suspect the bridge/saddles and pickups are part of the reason. The rolled fretboard edges on the Am Standards are also classy.

You can also walk into any guitar center and have your choice of a dozen or so AM Standards so that you can find one that is light weight and has the most mojo. This is a HUGE factor, as there can be a lot of variation on weight and sound between production line strats.

[Random Hero]

Haha, yes, it is familiar. Thanks for the response.