Highway One Strat...wow!

paulnb57

Bought one used recently, some may remember my post regarding truss rod issues and how it was packaged, anyroadup, I thought it was ok, virtually unplayed simce 2006, but it didn't really grab me until yesterday when my Marshall Origin 20 head arrived, this Amp so suits a Strat and pedals.
The Highway One has Overwound Alnico 3 pickups and I think they are fantastic, they have punch and clarity, without being brittle, very nice indeed......that bit different, its off the potential sale/trade list!

munckee

I thought about getting a highway one strat to mod, my favourite tele pickups are alnico 3, a bit sweeter than alnico 5.

What are the necks like are they very satin feeling as I think that might put me off a bit?

paulnb57

Neck is not sticky feeling like my Original 50's Strat was before I Micromeshed it.....satin smooth...steel block trem, made over the pond (obvs affects the tone!!)
H1 is really nice, Nitro finish, pretty big frets, pressed steel saddles, tone on bridge and neck and those pickups, I really like it....

edit @munkee I'm not sure its really a modding platform, it's so good! Its one of two Strats I haven't modded at all and I usually mod something! (the other is a Lone Star...)

martinw

I love the later, big headstock Highway 1 Strats. I've had 4 and want another.

Tried many times to find a pickup I liked better than the standard A3 jobs, thinking there must be a boutique one that would be better, right?
Nope. Just really good pickups for rock, pop and blues.

paulnb57

They really are a cracking guitar.....

lovestrat74

I thought HW1 pups were TexMex no?

Funkfingers

lovestrat74 said:

I thought HW1 pups were TexMex

One variant of the H1 Telecaster came with Texas Special pickups.

The H1 Stratocaster SSS had the overwound A3 pickups mentioned above, using the same moulded plastic bobbin forms as the American Standard Stratocaster.

martinw

lovestrat74 said:

I thought HW1 pups were TexMex no?

Not on the later ones. (2006 on?)

They're unique to that model, I think.

martinw

guitartango

munckee said:

I thought about getting a highway one strat to mod, my favourite tele pickups are alnico 3, a bit sweeter than alnico 5.

What are the necks like are they very satin feeling as I think that might put me off a bit?

Adam 

Do you want me to bring my Highway Strat along ?

guitartango

martinw said:

I love the later, big headstock Highway 1 Strats. I've had 4 and want another.

Tried many times to find a pickup I liked better than the standard A3 jobs, thinking there must be a boutique one that would be better, right?
Nope. Just really good pickups for rock, pop and blues.

I have Blackie pickups made by Spencer (Shed Pickups), made a big difference to the sound

martinw

guitartango said:

martinw said:

I love the later, big headstock Highway 1 Strats. I've had 4 and want another.

Tried many times to find a pickup I liked better than the standard A3 jobs, thinking there must be a boutique one that would be better, right?
Nope. Just really good pickups for rock, pop and blues.

I have Blackie pickups made by Spencer (Shed Pickups), made a big difference to the sound

Y..e..ah, kinda the point I was making. I'm sure you might prefer your Blackies, and of course they're different.

I tried all sorts, refusing to believe that I preferred the H1 standard pickups. After all, the don't have Formvar wire and fibre baseplates lol! 

lovestrat74

martinw said:

lovestrat74 said:

I thought HW1 pups were TexMex no?

Not on the later ones. (2006 on?)

They're unique to that model, I think.

Thanks - good vid btw  

CountryDave

Stonking guitars, for it's the combination of 6 screw trem, great neck and all round decent hardware.

I must admit visually, the earlier, small headstock ones do it for me, but a friend has a couple of the larger headstock ones and they are brilliant guitars.

paulnb57

And pretty cheap for a USA built Strat......a bit of a sleeper....

rlw

I sold my late one - big headstock - recently and feel stupid for doing so.  Would have another like a shot.

paulnb57

What a good video, I'd forgotten the Strat came as SSS of HSS, mine is all singles, guess what I'd like next?...Oh and a Tele!!

skunkwerx

I have an american special which I believe replaced these. I love it

CasperCaster

lovestrat74 said:

I thought HW1 pups were TexMex no?

No TexMex pickups on the Hwy1 range.

The first version of the Hwy1 initially had the loaded pickguard from the 70's Mex Classic Series Strat with its plastic bobbin vintage style pickups, along with the Classic Series trem, Mex Std tuners, and a satin acrylic finish. The product evolved through the run of manufacture and acquired the grease bucket tone circuit and satin nitro finish around 2004/2005, but Fender didn't make any noise about either change until the major revamp of the model in 2006.

'Texas' versions of the Hwy1 were also produced and had Texas Special pickups, a big headstock on the Strat (pre-dating the 2006 upgrade), and a different neck with different fingerboard radius on the Tele (12" I think, also Kluson style tuners).

The 2006 upgrade properly introduced the big headstock, grease bucket tone circuit, satin nitro finish, jumbo frets (previously medium jumbo) and the Mexican made A3 pickups (HSS models also had the Duncan JB inspired Atomic humbucker). The pickups were later briefly sold in sets as the Deluxe Drive set, but are otherwise unique to the v2 Hwy1 models. V2 Hwy1's also have a different Ping manufactured trem which was initially unique to that product, but was subsequently used on the American Specials which replaced the Hwy1's. I've not yet seen one, but I'd guess its also on the Performer series Strats. Its vintage mount, but with a modern narrow string spacing (52.5mm) and has a steel block stamped PW36.

I think for some people, the plastic bobbin construction and modern tone (they are quite a hot wind) immediately prejudices them against the A3 pickups. But not everyone wants a sparkly Strat all the time. I like a bit of variety and the A3 pickups suit a hot blues/rock style - the bridge pickup in particular lacks the thin brittle sound that can afflict a vintage Strat in that environment. I've had five Hwy1 guitars sold some and regretted it, but I still have two Strats, and they aren't going anywhere. Great workhorse instruments as they are, but also a good chassis if you are into modding and upgrades. I'd add another without hesitation. 

Modulus_Amps

I remember trying one in 2003 and could not believe how good it was for the price, didn't have the cash then to buy it though

guitartango

Love my blonde strat, even with the nitro finish wearing away