Hwy 1 strat

[Mer2112]

And a matching headstock! Were you the filthy bastard who scored that thing for $388?

No, paid $750 for it. Found it at JC's Guitars in Algonquin. It took me about 2 or 3 minutes to realize that it was really a Highway 1. It had the sticker on the pick guard but the color and headstock weren't what they should be. I guess these were only distributed in the Midwest and only 125 or so were made. It came with a pretty cool certificate listing all the special options included. I emailed Fender about since it wasn't on their web site and here is what he sent back:

Model Name: FSR Highway OneTM Stratocaster®
Model Number: 017-0069-(357)
Series: Highway OneTM Series
Body: Alder
Neck: Maple, Modern "C" Shape,
(Light Tint Satin Polyurethane Finish)
Fingerboard: Rosewood, 9.5" Radius (241mm)
No. of Frets: 22 Jumbo Frets
Scale Length: 25.5" (648 mm)
Width @ Nut: 1.6875" (43 mm)
Hardware: Chrome
Machine Heads: Fender®/Ping® Standard Cast/Sealed Tuning Machines
Bridge: Vintage Style Synchronized Tremolo
Pickguard: 3-Ply Mint Green
Pickups: 3 Custom '69 Single-Coil Strat® Pickups with Grey Bobbins
Pickup Switching: 5-Position Blade:
Position 1. Bridge Pickup
Position 2. Bridge and Middle Pickup
Position 3. Middle Pickup
Position 4. Middle and Neck Pickup
Position 5. Neck Pickup
Controls: Master Volume,
Tone 1. (Neck Pickup), GreasebucketTM Tone Circuit, (Rolls Off Highs
without Adding Bass)
Tone 2. (Bridge Pickup), GreasebucketTM Tone Circuit, (Rolls Off Highs
without Adding Bass)
Colors: (357) Surf Green,
(Satin Nitrocellulose Lacquer Finish)
Strings: Fender® Super Bullets® 3250L, Nickel Plated Steel, (.009 to
.042), p/n 073-3250-003
Unique Features: Satin Nitrocellulose Lacquer Body Finish,
Aged Plastic Parts,
Contemporary Headstock Shape,
Spaghetti Logo,
Original Body Shape,
"Original Contour Body" Decal on Headstock
Source: U.S.
Accessories: Deluxe Gig Bag
U.S. MSRP: $1,034.99
Specs: Product Prices, Features, Specifications and Availability Are
Subject To Change Without Notice
INTRODUCED: 1/2007
WRENCH SIZES: Truss Rod Wrench #023811 (1/8" Hex)
Saddle Height Adjustment Wrench #0050919000 (Hex 1.5mm)

[Samnite]

No, paid $750 for it. Found it at JC's Guitars in Algonquin. It took me about 2 or 3 minutes to realize that it was really a Highway 1. It had the sticker on the pick guard but the color and headstock weren't what they should be. I guess these were only distributed in the Midwest and only 125 or so were made. It came with a pretty cool certificate listing all the special options included. I emailed Fender about since it wasn't on their web site and here is what he sent back: Model Name: FSR Highway OneTM Stratocaster(r) Model Number: 017-0069-(357) Series: Highway OneTM Series Body: Alder Neck: Maple, Modern "C" Shape, (Light Tint Satin Polyurethane Finish) Fingerboard: Rosewood, 9.5" Radius (241mm) No. of Frets: 22 Jumbo Frets Scale Length: 25.5" (648 mm) Width @ Nut: 1.6875" (43 mm) Hardware: Chrome Machine Heads: Fender(r)/Ping(r) Standard Cast/Sealed Tuning Machines Bridge: Vintage Style Synchronized Tremolo Pickguard: 3-Ply Mint Green Pickups: 3 Custom '69 Single-Coil Strat(r) Pickups with Grey Bobbins Pickup Switching: 5-Position Blade: Position 1. Bridge Pickup Position 2. Bridge and Middle Pickup Position 3. Middle Pickup Position 4. Middle and Neck Pickup Position 5. Neck Pickup Controls: Master Volume, Tone 1. (Neck Pickup), GreasebucketTM Tone Circuit, (Rolls Off Highs without Adding Bass) Tone 2. (Bridge Pickup), GreasebucketTM Tone Circuit, (Rolls Off Highs without Adding Bass) Colors: (357) Surf Green, (Satin Nitrocellulose Lacquer Finish) Strings: Fender(r) Super Bullets(r) 3250L, Nickel Plated Steel, (.009 to .042), p/n 073-3250-003 Unique Features: Satin Nitrocellulose Lacquer Body Finish, Aged Plastic Parts, Contemporary Headstock Shape, Spaghetti Logo, Original Body Shape, "Original Contour Body" Decal on Headstock Source: U.S. Accessories: Deluxe Gig Bag U.S. MSRP: $1,034.99 Specs: Product Prices, Features, Specifications and Availability Are Subject To Change Without Notice INTRODUCED: 1/2007 WRENCH SIZES: Truss Rod Wrench #023811 (1/8" Hex) Saddle Height Adjustment Wrench #0050919000 (Hex 1.5mm)

 

 

Yep. There was a guy here in HCEG who managed to snake a GC out of one of those for the $388 clearance price. I was incredibly jealous.

[RUExp?]

How are the humbucks on those? I think that's the configuration I'd most likely go for. I'd love to hear your thoughts/comments on how they sound.

 

 

The humbucker sounds really nice. It's got some output without being over the top or harsh.

[Honky-Tonk]

No worries Honky-Tonk! Like I said, I'm just realy curious about these H-1's and I'm trying to figure out if they are a really good deal, or if we're getting ripped off on American Standards. BTW, you should try crossing that border - it is MISERABLE trying to get back in to the states.

 

 

i imagine the body wood is probably not the cream of the crop, and probably recieves considerably less attention to the finish than the more expensive models. (four or five+ planks of wood glued together rather than a three or two piece body) Probably constructed using older/cheaper methods/less experienced luthiers. Cheaper hardware. Does it come with a case? (case probably tacks on another $100 for the American series)

 

My LP vintage mahogany was $900for most of the same reasons: cheaper tuners, and extremely thin nitro finish. It plays at least as good as a lot of much more expensive LP models I've tried; and from what I've read, does so consistently from guitar to guitar. Cheaper mainly because of the time not spent working on the finish; but it still looks really cool. When I bought the guitar, an itemized reciept stated that the case was $159.00. If I had known I was being charged seperately for the case I would have opted to not have it, so really my LP was about $740.

[DaleH]

My H-1 tele has a 3 piece body. Not sure about the strats though.

[Honky-Tonk]

My H-1 tele has a 3 piece body. Not sure about the strats though.

 

 

Does it have one of the transparent finishes?

[Honky-Tonk]

You know I said in an earlier post that H1s are probably cheaper because less time is spent perfecting a gloss finish. I love my $1300 deluxe american fat strat, but it had two really bad drip spots. One along the side, near the forearm contour, and another on the sculpted part of the heel. It's a really pretty guitar but those drips kind of piss me off. It's a three piece ash body.

[DaleH]

No it's black but I can clearly seen where the joints are.

[dwerlin]

hey guys, just wanted to check in...i ended up buying the Fender by Meguiar's Guitar Care Kit (the 3 step system), and finished up step 3 tonight!

here's what my highway one looks like now:



i'm extremely pleased with the results!

[RUExp?]

Totally hot!

[Glyder]

Looks Goooood!!!!

[ChaseA17]

I love my highway one

 

Its a great guitar and outplays many standard MIA strats that are hundreds of dollars more. I built mine from parts on Ebay and used the Vintage Noiseless pups i had in my MIM and have been extremely happy with the results.

 

Note: i have swapped out the tortise shell pickguard for a white one since that pic was taken.

 

 

as can be seen there

[Doctor Morbius]

hey guys, just wanted to check in...i ended up buying the Fender by Meguiar's Guitar Care Kit (the 3 step system), and finished up step 3 tonight! here's what my highway one looks like now: i'm extremely pleased with the results!

I polished up my Honey Blonde Highway One using Meguiar's too. Used step #2 polish followed by Quik Wax. IMO, it looks better.

[bluesrock70's]

I played one today at my local music store, wine red with maple fret board and this is one sweet strat:thu:

[Honky-Tonk]

hey guys, just wanted to check in...i ended up buying the Fender by Meguiar's Guitar Care Kit (the 3 step system), and finished up step 3 tonight! here's what my highway one looks like now: i'm extremely pleased with the results!

NIce!!

[Honky-Tonk]

Note: i have swapped out the tortise shell pickguard for a white one since that pic was taken. as can be seen there

That's the exact guitar I want. I wanted the wine red one, because I want a red strat, but I played the daphne blue one at a local shop, and now...

[ChaseA17]

Ya i love it, especially the color. The finish is great as well, it has aged well and you can see in short amounts of time where it is wearing down and i imagine over a few years will wear down and give it that cool vintage look. The finish really feels good and it almost responds to your playing in that it dulls where it has had the most friction.

 

I know that this is a passe thing, but i personally dig the broken-in vintage look of a strat and cant wait until the day that my highway 1 reaches that!

[Honky-Tonk]

Ya i love it, especially the color. The finish is great as well, it has aged well and you can see in short amounts of time where it is wearing down and i imagine over a few years will wear down and give it that cool vintage look. The finish really feels good and it almost responds to your playing in that it dulls where it has had the most friction. I know that this is a passe thing, but i personally dig the broken-in vintage look of a strat and cant wait until the day that my highway 1 reaches that!

 

 

I always wanted a late 60s era strat, because of the big headstock, but I didn't want a 70's strat because of the three bolt neck. But a custom shop 69 strat is what, $2500+?! Hwy 1 is $750 new and is essentially an american made late 60s CBS style guitar, with a few modern tweaks; IMO. And I love the fact that it will age like a vintage guitar, unlike my current strat that I've been playing religiously for almost six years, and it hardly shows.

 

I know, it seems a little stupid to want a guitar that will wear out faster, but there is a market for distressed merchandise, and I think it would be so much cooler to have a guitar that is distressed from my actual playing, instead of paying some guy an extra $500 to abuse it with belt buckles and dremel tools