Just another Stratocaster...

[HighPlainsDrifter]

But what an appropriate place to post it!

Anyway... Nothing fancy. I haven't done any mods to this guitar. It's bone stock but it's one of my favorites. It has a bit of sentimental value as well but that's not here nor there. I just wanted to post a couple pics and add another Stratocaster to this great Fender forum. She's an American Standard built in 2014 and I guess that her coolest features are the Fat 50 SC's and solid rosewood neck/ head-stock. I'm assuming that additional specs aren't necessary to list on a forum such as this lol, so... here she is!

[S. Cane]

God almighty! I didn't know they did Am Stds with Rosewood necks!

That is just wonderful!

I wonder how the neck feels. Is it finished?

Oh and welcome to the TFF American Standard club! My main guitar is a 2013 Am Std Strat and it is simply fantastic, entirely stock too!

[HighPlainsDrifter]

Oh wow... so you know exactly how they handle and play. Thank you. She's just so comfortable. Seems they did a good job on some ( most?) of these. This one really is flawless in regards to paint/ finish, fretwork, electronics although I always keep thinking about swapping pups for something a little hotter/ nastier. The rosewood feels like a dream... It's unfinished although I don't know what Fender uses to condition/ seal.. if anything. I've cleaned ( Guitar Honey) the "scale" as I think you call it, Sergio but I haven't touched the neck or head-stock with anything in the several years that I've had her. Anyway... it gets noticeably more "worn" feeling over time ( in a good way). Probably depending on other circumstances also, but yea... mine feels very solid/ kinda soft/ very smooth.

Fwiw: This exclusive GC run of guitars also included sea-foam green ( or surf green? dunno all the colors) and wasn't limited to Strats if I remember correctly. I believe they also did a run of Tele's if I'm not mistaken.

[ch willie]

Good graciousarooni! That rosewood neck looks fantastic!

I'm fairly in love with my 2008 American Standard, 3 color sunburst, maple fretboard. Fender just gets it right a lot of the time, Out of the six Fender Teles and Strats I've had--all ordered sight unseen because I'm a lefty--I've had one real stinker, and that one was a 94 or 95 68 reissue made in Japan. That was an anomaly because I had a MIJ Tele from around the same year, and it was a wonderful guitar, and I missed it horribly until I got a 2011 AmStd Tele.

[S. Cane]

Oh pretty cool!!!

I never really understood what makes people sometimes bash on the American Standards, the ones I've played were all very well finished, comfortable, balanced and good sounding instruments.

I am a fan, I admit. I think this is the line where you enter the territory of the outstanding guitars; from there to American Vintage, Deluxe or Custom Shop is a matter of taste and preferences. The quality itself is of professional level. The US Standard is the flagship of Fender, the "currently made classic" guitar. What's not to love about that series?

In my band both me and the other guitarist play American Standard Strats as our main axes.

About swapping the pups, I myself will never do that. It sounds just as a strat should with the CS Fat 50s, I wouldn't commit the sacrilege of changing anything that is immaculate. I did need some hotter pickups for some of the music I play, but for that I bought a Gibson SG , which I love but still prefer the Strat as an all rounder guitar.

P.S. I know this is your thread, but I'm sure you don't mind if I show a couple of pics of mine, do you?




And here she is, doing what she's made to do:

[ch willie]

I really like the Am Std pups of the last 30 years, but I was wanting more of a vintage quack and got the 57/62s. They were just more to my tastes. I wasn't miserable with the stock pups, but the 57/62s just do it for me.

[renderit]

OMG that is beautiful! What a hunk of wood! I like the way they did the logo as well. Classy.

[S. Cane]

Funny, Willie: my 50's quack quite beautifully.

[Don]

That's a cool neck! One piece? I like the engraved logo. I have epoxy filled engraved logos on my USACG necks.

[HighPlainsDrifter]

Good graciousarooni! That rosewood neck looks fantastic!

I'm fairly in love with my 2008 American Standard, 3 color sunburst, maple fretboard. Fender just gets it right a lot of the time, Out of the six Fender Teles and Strats I've had--all ordered sight unseen because I'm a lefty--I've had one real stinker, and that one was a 94 or 95 68 reissue made in Japan. That was an anomaly because I had a MIJ Tele from around the same year, and it was a wonderful guitar, and I missed it horribly until I got a 2011 AmStd Tele.

Thanks, man! I think just as with ANY brands/ models/ years, that there's always some duds, but for the most part it seems that Fender gets it right more often than not... even into the MIM models. I'm currently eyeballing a few Tele's and a couple of those are actually Squires. Fender continues to make me feel if I'm going to roll the dice on one of their lower-end production guitars, that I'm likely going to end up satisfied. Not many companies make me feel that way these days. I'd roll the dice on a MIJ Tele too. Glad you were able to get yourself a few good ones.

Oh pretty cool!!!

I never really understood what makes people sometimes bash on the American Standards, the ones I've played were all very well finished, comfortable, balanced and good sounding instruments.

I am a fan, I admit. I think this is the line where you enter the territory of the outstanding guitars; from there to American Vintage, Deluxe or Custom Shop is a matter of taste and preferences. The quality itself is of professional level. The US Standard is the flagship of Fender, the "currently made classic" guitar. What's not to love about that series?

In my band both me and the other guitarist play American Standard Strats as our main axes.

About swapping the pups, I myself will never do that. It sounds just as a strat should with the CS Fat 50s, I wouldn't commit the sacrilege of changing anything that is immaculate. I did need some hotter pickups for some of the music I play, but for that I bought a Gibson SG , which I love but still prefer the Strat as an all rounder guitar.

P.S. I know this is your thread, but I'm sure you don't mind if I show a couple of pics of mine, do you?

Well just like with most things out there, the haters are often times much more vocal than the satisfied customers. I think a lot of it is just blown out of proportion by a minority of disgruntled buyers... and probably by those that have never even played an AmStd lol. I'm also weary of simply believing everyone that says that "such-n-such guitar is crap!!". I think that there's plenty of people playing guitars that simply aren't set up correctly. Certainly the blame is warranted at times, but surely there are many times that it is not.

I'm glad you hit upon the pup issue/ non-issue. I feel that the issue that I have with the Fat 50's is more related to what I'm playing through. I've got a fairly long effects chain and all of that is run into a Yamaha THX10. That may be part of the issue however when I plug my Gibson SG or my PRS Custom 24 into the same rig, those particular guitars sound so much more full, resonant, and clear. I've adjusted pup height but still feel that the 50's sound a bit anemic. With proper gain and EQ adjustments the guitar comes to life but I dunno... I feel like I'd possibly like to do a swap at some point. We'll see.

BTW- I'm always glad when you chime in, Sergio. I really enjoy reading what you post and your pics are always interesting, entertaining, etc. Please feel free to post up whatever you want in any of my threads... Awesome photos, man... and Thank You!

I really like the Am Std pups of the last 30 years, but I was wanting more of a vintage quack and got the 57/62s. They were just more to my tastes. I wasn't miserable with the stock pups, but the 57/62s just do it for me.

I may wind up with the same perspective as you on this topic, Willie. I'll probably start researching options out there before too long. The 50's certainly don't sound BAD... just a little flat. Again... It certainly may not be any fault of the pups so I'll just have to see.

OMG that is beautiful! What a hunk of wood! I like the way they did the logo as well. Classy.

Thank you. It's definitely not as bright-sounding as most of the maple necks that I've played but I really love the richness and warmth that this solid rosewood contributes. I dig the look of the logo as well.

That's a cool neck! One piece? I like the engraved logo. I have epoxy filled engraved logos on my USACG necks.

Yes.. one piece with laser-engraved head-stock logo.

[CoyotesGator]

Just another stratocaster?

Nope, that is just delicious!

Thanks for sharing, made my day better!

[chuckocaster]

That's gorgeous! My main P bass has a Wenge neck, always heard it sounds like Rosewood. I polished mine out to 2,000 grit so it's really smooth.

[melody]

She's a fine looking instrument.. Thanks for sharing!

[HighPlainsDrifter]

Just another stratocaster?

Nope, that is just delicious!

Thanks for sharing, made my day better!

Ha! Really glad you dug it. I gotta tell you though... Your dog makes me nervous every time I look at that avatar picture.

That's gorgeous! My main P bass has a Wenge neck, always heard it sounds like Rosewood. I polished mine out to 2,000 grit so it's really smooth.

Sounds like a dream. I hope if you sanded on that wenge, that you wore a mask or respirator lol. That wood is supposed to be bad stuff to work but worth it for all the excellent properties.

She's a fine looking instrument.. Thanks for sharing!

Thanks so much. I sincerely appreciate the comments.

[OldStrummer]

I think I'm going to have to try playing a rosewood necked Stratocaster; that is one fine looking guitar!

Ever since I started playing a maple neck, I've favored them, and I sure like the looks of them. But I should be open-minded enough to consider the possibilities, right...?

[HighPlainsDrifter]

I think I'm going to have to try playing a rosewood necked Stratocaster; that is one fine looking guitar!

Ever since I started playing a maple neck, I've favored them, and I sure like the looks of them. But I should be open-minded enough to consider the possibilities, right...?

Indeed! I agree. Not sure of their availability though.

I mentioned above that I thought the other color was surf or sea-foam green but I was mistaken... It was Daphne Blue. It also looks as if that Daphne Blue is no longer available in the Strat HOWEVER, you can still get a Telecaster in Surf Green with the solid rosewood neck so that's pretty cool. Anyway... I'm pretty sure that NONE of these Strats nor Tele's ( with solid rosewood necks) are in production anymore.

Anyway, to summarize... What appears to be still available ( but only through GC) are some Surf Green Telecasters and some Sunburst Stratocasters ( like mine)... both with solid rosewood necks. Also fwiw- The Telecaster comes with a Twisted SC Tele in the neck location and a SC Broadcaster in the bridge location. $1450 will bring this guitar home to you in a HSC.

[CoyotesGator]

Zoinks!

Surf, sea foam, Daphne?

Where are you, my darling Daphne?

I would have gotten away with it if it weren't for those meddling kids!

[DanTheBluesMan]

I've never played a solid rosewood neck except on an all rosewood tele, bitch nearly drove me into the floor it was so heavy

but on another-wise standard/stock strat, hmm. I love rosewood fingerboards. Now I'll probably never seen another guitar like that again to try. Just as well, I couldn't buy it