A low price "made in the USA" strat (Fender Highway 1 Strat HSS RW)

Member Name: underdog_78

Product:	Fender Highway 1 Strat HSS RW
Date:	02/07/09 (105 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good hardware, excellent QC

Disadvantages: Dubious "made in the US" stamp, Jap Fender costs the same and is better

It can get confusing with all the Fender models about, and here we have the most confusing model of all, the Highway 1.

Confusing why? Well because it's listed as a Made in the USA, and how honest this is another thing. It's alleged that get this stamped on the headstock they do indeed put the guitar together in the USA, however all the parts are made in Mexico.

On of the big attractions of the highway models is the finish, instead of thick polly finish it actually has the thing nitro finish (however again this is a half truth as the thing finish is over a thick heaving polly under coat).

The guitar itself. Well it's standard Strat affair as you would expect except it has a humbucker at the neck, which gives you a nice variation in sounds, and coupled with the 5 way switch this guitar really could cover all the basis when it comes to sounds.

It's a nice comfortable guitar to play, and well put together (which ever country they done so in). You have your standard Fender trem, and due to better quality parts used for this model it has a thicker block and so slightly more sustain than most lower end Strats.

This guitar is very good, a little step up the Fender ladder from the standard Strat (made in Mexico) the little more you pay for it is worth it. You get a better paint finish, better hardware, and that made in the USA should you ever wish to sell it on, this will make a difference.

The only thing this guitar has against it is, that you could buy a made in Japan Strat for the same kind of money, and the Fender Japan stuff is often at least equal to the American standard series.

Summary: Really well made guitar that could be a gigging mans every day workhorse