How to tell Highway 1 or American strat?

[stajcer]

Hey guys, I just signed up for this site because it looks like there are alot of knowledgeable people here.

I need a question answered please.

Currently, I have rented a strat from my local guitar store, to see if I want to buy it. They're selling it as an American Strat, for $850 canadian with a fender hardshell case. Its very slightly used (for about 3 days, the guitar looks brand new by all accounts) and I was wondering how the price could be so low, as the other americans they have there are about $1100 new.

I jsut went to the fender website, and it turns out, it looks like it might be a highway 1. It has the red 'clear' finish where you can see the woodgrain, BUT it doesnt look like the highway 1 finish on the fender webpage. The one on the webpage is clear to the edges,and the finish on mine is not. Its like a burst almost, but instead of dark to light, it goes sparkly (like metallic flakes in the paint) on the outside to clear red on the inside.

Is there any way to tell other than checking the SN (im at work, I dont have the SN) if its american or a highway 1 (i am still going to buy it, but if its highway 1, i'm definatly going to be bargaining my ass off)?

Thanks

PS - Sorry if this has been asked before.

[cvansickle]

American Strats have the two-point bridge fulcrum. Highways have the traditional six-screw bridge.

[Thelonius]

also, I believe, correct me if I am wrong guys, the highway 1s all have that dull satin finish where the AmSe have the standard glossy finish.

[B Vance]

Originally posted by Thelonius
also, I believe, correct me if I am wrong guys, the highway 1s all have that dull satin finish where the AmSe have the standard glossy finish.


You are correct.

[stajcer]

Originally posted by Thelonius
also, I believe, correct me if I am wrong guys, the highway 1s all have that dull satin finish where the AmSe have the standard glossy finish.

I do believe the one I have has a glossy finish. However, the colour is not listed on the fender website. Is it possible for it not to be listed, or maybe it was a 2004 model?

[John Phillips]

That color was available on US Stds a few years ago - it could be a very old-stock model.

If it has a high-gloss finish and a two-post bridge, it's one of those.

[stajcer]

I just remebered it has two string trees. I read something somewhere that said that Highway 1's had two string trees and regular americans had only 1. Does that help with the identification at all?

[John Phillips]

The older US Stds (the ones which had that metallic-red-burst finish) also had two string trees. It should have had a 'TBX' tone control too - a detent in the '5' position on the middle/bridge pickup tone control, whereas the later US Series has the DeltaTone pot, which has a detent at '10' (for the no-load tone control). The Highway 1 doesn't have a detent.

What does the serial number start with?

[Unburst]

Look at the bridge and see how many screws connect it to the body.

2 screws=American Std.
6 screws=Highway 1

[nemp]

The HWYs don't have a micro tilt adjust. That would be a hole between the bottom screws on the neck/heel plate.

[madsr]

All of the HWY's I have seen have a blank neckplate..not sure if this is true with all of them...just the ones I've seen at guitar center and daddies junkie music...american standards(newer) say corona, california on the neckplate...I'm sure there must be a way from the serial # to tell... just don't know what it is.. maybe you should just ask why it's cheaper than the other american standards?...I think if you call fender they can tell you what it is by the serial#..and probably what day it came off the line....

[madsr]

the serial number will give you the year of manufacture for instance mine is an'01 the serial starts with Z1xxxxxxx...I had a '99 that was N9xxxxxx...so if your's says Z4xxxxxx then it's an '04...beyond that I'm not too sure on the rest of the numbers....