Highway 1 Strat

[leonjay1]

Man those Custom shop 69's really sing. I need some in my life.

[kossolas]

Great playing and great guitar!

[lighteningboy]

Great tone

[keowidan]

Killer TONE man. Heaps and heaps. Fantastic touch, too.

[e7353]

those pickups sound a lot like the old strats from Jimi's days... I'm getting one as soon as possible!

[sarinapaparone]

Great playing. Lovely stuff!

[IronPump89]

wow man... I bought this same guitar 5 years ago, its very nice, especially the fretboard

I installed a Bare Knuckle pickup in the bridge and it rocks

[robertpmc]

- developed 90 deg. [or more acute] exit angles on metal at right-angles to the strings) but the graphite took the edge of the string tone off. The guitar was never set properly in the first place - or if it ever was, it was not set well when I bought it new. The finish was nice. So I'm thinking of putting it on the wall as a nice iconic sculpture.- with a note to self: Never be tempted again. Save for the better models.

[robertpmc]

Mine wore out in a few months. Crap fret metal, crap bridge saddle metal, 5pos. switch defective in a week, machine heads iffy - Altogether, I wish I'd never bought it. Though for the first few weeks, I could hear that authentic "strat" sound. After that the guitar started to fail. I got some new bridge saddles after a few weeks as existing ones began to get cut by the strings, I mean deeep! I didn't want stock replacements so I got 80's style graphite. Strings stopped breaking (old saddles

[SavaEQZY]

this is some good playing, like.

hope the haters will shut up and listen to the great tone of this guitar.

[50j0urn3r]

very nice playing :)

[Adamtage]

does it have a large headstock?

[awddwas]

@Adamtage yeah

[noslen1968]

Very nice - I have just bought a HWY1 and have some CS69s - what sound difference would you say you got with them? Did you get an increase in that 'hollow' woodiness?

[Mattguitarman1234]

nice playing would you recomend this guitar for someone looking for a cheep american strat?

[w1ll1a9m]

hey man i almost buy that guitar same finish and wood, I didnt because the maple on the fretboard looked kinda pale, and i though it may get really dirty since it has not finish on it. did that happen to you ?. i ended buying a highway one honey blone with rosewood, nice tone btw

[SkiNNyLight1]

Wow It's fucking amazing ... can u please send me the tab \:D please

[topografer]

Is there a clean video of this guitar? I mean yes the strat is great with a bit drive but i would like to hear your guitar in a very clean setting. At this setting though you got a grrrrreat sound

[netosogo]

Do you use the tremolo?

which tremolo setting are you using? (gap and stuff)

[lucasrenguero79]

Hi, I wondered if this beautiful guitar worth buying! pink floyd is my style. sorry but I speak very little Spanish is English!

[jerru91]

sweet tone !

shame that you didn't show us other effects.

[XxBaNaNaSpLiTxX]

Dude! nice fuking playing.......rock on.....peace hendrix lives in you

[koolami268]

what is the distortion on this track?

[thepman28]

Boss SD-1

[fredericiscool]

@thepman28 Great demo and great guitar! What do you play from about 1:30 ?

Thanks. :)

[Dvermoet]

@thepman28 Boss DS-1 right?

[thepman28]

@Dvermoet

SD-1

[stratdem]

the S-1 switch and rolled frets are all new things fender is doing to the strats today. the highway one sss strat is based on the strats from years past. up until june 2009 when fender droped there prices on most of there stratocasters the highway one sss strat listed for with out (any case) $1,130 your cost was $900 to $930 now since fender drop there prices there $700. the highway one sss strat is superior over the new american standard and the new american special strats and the road worns.

[Guitarvirtuoso666]

I never played a HW1, I only own an american standard, so I haven't experienced de difference yet.

Anyway, I don't understand why this guitar would be better than an american standard, that would be commercially dumb right? making a better instrument for a lower price?

[daviddet]

it's sold for a lower price because it costs less money to make. the price has little to do with the quality of the instrument. it's not always the most expensive guitar that plays/sounds the best.

[Guitarvirtuoso666]

yeah but it's like 25-30% cheaper than an American Std.

If I was ceo of Fender, I would never sell a better stratocaster model for 25-30% less...

[daviddet]

like i said, the highway 1 strat probably costs less money to make. that's why it's not as expensive.

[Guitarvirtuoso666]

hmm yeah,

what's so diffirent about it?

I know it has a tinner finish

[daviddet]

the finish is a huge thing. nitrocellulose is very time consuming to put on, so the less there is, the less expensive it will be. the standard strat has a tinted neck so that would cost a little extra, plus the standard strat comes with a custom molded case.

[stratdem]

the highway one sss stratocasters are crafted from the same woods Alder/maple or rosewood that the new american standard and many other USA crafted strats are made from. the highway one is based on old school style strats from the past with exception that the Alnico III pick ups are a little hotter in the highway one sss strat. you did not find the S-1 SWITCH or ROLLED FRETS in or on the old scholl strats hendrix and clapton or david gilmour never had this useless shit on there strats.

[stratdem]

up until june of 2009 thats when fender drop there prices on almost all there strats the Brilliant and legendary highway one sss strat listed with (no case) $1,130 and your cost what you paid was about $900 to $930 the highway one is classified by most pro guitarist as a legendary strat. it blows the new american standard off the planet! period. the highway one is simply one of the most tone versatile strats ever crafted and best of all it has that old school strat feel and look.

[flightbyshred]

@Guitarvirtuoso666 maybe it's just marketing/preference. personally i think highways are easier to play. If there is a huge difference, let me know

[live2rock4u]

Very Nice !!!!

[morbidtales22]

real nice tone mate should have one coming next month =]

[stratdem]

the Alnico III pick ups are suposed to have a modern and classic tone to them. thats one out of many reasons the highway one sss strat is highly sought after and why you find the 2007 highway ones in recording studio's more than any other strat. i record out of a studio in philadelphia pa. and we have

(4) 2007 highway one strats and (1) american standard strat. the highway ones sss are just simply tone superior better sustain and more of a old school strat feel than the american standards.

[stratdem]

my coments little man who put the -2 are based on FACTS! unlike yours that is only your personal bullshit opinion.

[DanGerving]

honestly its not facts, some people might like the american special series which are very similar to the highway one, only minus the nitro finish, and they have texas special pickups, i think they are really good, dont get me wrong i love the highway one, but you dont have and reason to knock other fender guitars on EVERY SINGLE video with a highway one, as it comes down to the individual player. fender realizes that! they make diff guitars for different players/player styles

[Deadfreeeak]

Very nice playing....n guitar.

[stratdem]

the highway one sss stratocaster befor fender did there price drop on most of there strats last year listed with out a case for $1,130 the highway one sss strat is tone superior and sustain goes for ever. it also has a old school strat feel and look. the new american standard couldnt touch the highway one sss strat end of story!

[rasticles]

Screw the idiot(s) who trash your video man.... this video is very nice for hearing the various tones from the HW1 Strat, which is what this video is for, and what I wanted.

HW1 ordered, should be here today.

[joaokorb]

Great bang for the buck stratocaster! Got same flavor as yours. Almost exclusive pickup stock set. Fast and smooth neck/fretboard. Jumbo frets are a dream!

[Scottmaster84]

nice Hendrix style!

[PopExpo]

sorry the highway one pickups are to modern sounding for me. i like the mellow pickups on my american standard, plus i got a callaham trem block on my american standard and the kicks the shit out of the highway one any day...... bitches.

[stratdem]

the Alnico III pick ups are some of the most versatile pick ups fender has put out in years. they are top 5 pick ups fender has ever made!

[freeagentxms]

You've got a really nice setup their man! Sweet guitar. I just put CS 69 pickups in my old MIM strat, and it sings.

[unaibeasko]

whats the height of the string?

[Tateg264]

What's the point of this video? Can't see the guitar, can't see the other gear, can't see the fingering! Just a load of aimless rambling!

[thepman28]

You can't see the guitar?! Sorry mate, I don't know what to tell you?!

How beneficial would it be for you to be watching the amp whilst I play?! It doesn't dance!?

I'll offer my usual response to such 'critiques' - get some examples of your own playing on youtube before you criticise others.

[Tateg264]

Sorry Thepman, this isn't about the QUALITY of your playing, just WHAT you were playing, It's rambling, like many other YouTube offerings. As for what we see, isn't this about your Highway One Strat? Do you think the view of 2 pickups and the odd glimpse of your left hand when you play above the 12th fret is good video. What's it for? If you want to show off your technique, sit further away from the camera. If you want to show how good a player you are, let's see you play something valid.

[TruckyNiggets]

@Tateg264 Don't be a douche.

[topografer]

@Tateg264 yes but you still "hear" right? I mean it's an instrument what you really need to see?? The gear is mentioned in the info (something that is really important for me when i see a demo of a guitar)

[randomtwit]

@Tateg264 Lol its about tone.. You have ears?

[cybrhckr]

@Tateg264 there is no point with this video if you looking for fingers to buy,it just want to show you how it sounds

[captinclutch1987]

I'm thinking about getting one of these, but I was told that the pick-ups were really noisy, and the bridge & tuners are MIM's

A guy wants to sell me his 2001 model for $400. Would you reccomend this?

[thepman28]

@captinclutch1987 yeah, being honest, the hardware isn't excellent - i'm thinking about changing the tuners on mine because the stock ones are pretty crappy. If i was buying again i might spend the extra on a nice Am Std. Didn't notice the stock pickups being that noisy tho

[stratdem]

the highway one sss strat pick ups/tunners and bridge are fender custom shop designed the middle pick up is reversed wound. the highway one sss strat is also made in corona california usa. the highway one is tone superior over the new american standards hands down! and has that old school strat feel its the perfect stratocaster!

[lambo866]

it's the best finish out there hey.

[xr650r01]

Very nice demo.

[dacop13]

I love the stock HW1 pups. Surprised you made the move to 69's. Do you get a lot of hum with those 69s? I have them in my MIM and I get hum in all 5 positions, unlike the stock HW1's.

[bmr21021975]

what is the major diff between a standard and a highway 1?

[christhekiwi12]

the name

[bmr21021975]

highways are inferior

[christhekiwi12]

have you played both? If you have you would know american standards are not better than highways. In fact most people are saying the highways are better.

[rikinoki]

i ve got mine from 2007 . i love it the best guitar i ever had for the money ,but i never understood what's that upgrade mean the manual i got with mine doesn't say anything

[jon14t]

whats the finish on the highway ones, does it still shine like the other strats or is it just dull

[DanGerving]

its satin nitro, its dull, but it kinda grows on ya, it doesnt really show dust and it sounds better than the glossy poly finishes of other strats, and HW1s are made in USA! i like the finish on mine, i have the sunburst with rosewood fretboard

[yoyogee4]

its not really dull its just a lot thinner. so the woods tone comes out a little better i think

[caseguit]

real sound STRAT !! nice vidéo !

[stubaru]

hey pman,

nice videos

I was wondering how you like the whammy bar for this Highway1 Strat?

Is it smooth going down and up? I have a guitar that isn't so smooth. It dives abruptly down.

thanks

[skypekai]

champion seems to take fuzz pedals very well, i had my vox ac4tv and unfortunately i had to sell it because it was just buzz coming out of it.. thinking about champion now!

[thepman28]

Hmm, I'd persevere with the AC4 and try and get it fixed. I recently sold the Champion and have been looking at the AC4 which I would think would take fuzzes better being more British sounding.

[stratdem]

great playing also my strat brother!

[thepman28]

Thanks man...

[stratdem]

hey highway one players i kept mine stock i love the alnico III pu's there simply brilliant and very versatile. and it seems the 2007 highway one sss model's are in high demand for there tone versatiltyfeel and there the closes to what the strat were years ago. no S-1 switch or rolled edges just straight up solid balls to the wall strat. just like they were years ago.

[joaokorb]

Really man 2007-2009 Highway Ones are same feel/tone. There's no such rumor about the 2007 series. All i could find was you spreding the word about the 2007 series. Nothing more. Got a Dec/2009 Sunbust/Mapple SSS. When I opened the backplate for tremolo ajusting was written with atomic pencil behind the springs "AmerSpec". Sweet hugh? All the series got its particularity, but not because you claim to have tree 2007's you can create this fantasy that they're the best in the world. Keep on Rockin!

[stratdem]

@joaokorb same empty bullshit opinion here to. the only fantasy created my friend is in your fucked up head!

[ki8arwdos]

does the highway 1 strat 3TSB have any difference from the flat black one apart from the colour?

[diazcamille]

hey man, this is a smokin jam. im getting this axe in honey blonde. cant wait. its got incredible tones and feel.

[thepman28]

Thanks man, hope you enjoy the strat!

[SpaceDuck9]

Hey thepman28, I did a video just to test my Canon FS200 and also the uploading to YouTube.

[SpaceDuck9]

Hey this is Duckwank....I've finally rewired my Highway One Strat. I couldn't wait for my CS69's because they are still in backorder. I've just finished it a few hours ago. It plays great. It sounds a little bit raw and I like it. It wasn't easy and I'm glad I got a hold of the correct wiring diagram and compared it to the standard wiring. I wished I had the schematics to figure out why the two are so different.

[thepman28]

Cool ...is the sound difference significant? Thanks for keeping me updated

[SpaceDuck9]

The sound is fantastic. It amazes me everytime I play it. There is a big demand on CS69 pups, and I don't know when I will get mine. I made a few mistakes on rewiring. The biggest mistakes was putting on new strings and found out the tone controls didn't work. (I didn't recheck the wiring) The next mistake was changing the switching. (I should have left that alone) It would have been easy but I'd never rewired a strat before.

[Kyite420]

dude your champion sounds insane, i should have bought that instead of my Orange Crush 30w...

its 5w tube right?

[thepman28]

Yep, 5 watt.

[SnoopPog]

Why didn't you get the classic player 60's strat, they're cheaper than the hwy1 and come with cs69 pickups stock, it also comes with a better bridge and tuners than the highway 1. they look great with that classic mojo and play great too with the 12" neck radius, all in all a much better deal! i have one with pickups wound and signed by aw they sound great, i highly recommend them for that classic strat sound and tone

[SpaceDuck9]

I would have liked that. Having another strat would be great so that I could drop down the tuning a half step and use 11's.

[thepman28]

Classic player wasn't available when I bought the Highway 1. Also, i wouldn't put too much emphasis upon the spec of a guitar. I've played Custom Shop Strats that were no better guitars than MIM. Likewise, I've played some cheap strats that were very good guitars. I've said it before but IMO the secret to finding a good strat is to play as many as possible and buy the best of the bunch rather than be lead by models or spec.

[stratdem]

great playing. i left my 2007 highway ones stock i like the tone versatility the Alnico III pick ups give.

[rrradiohead]

AWESOME....

[Duckwanker0]

Today I got the shorter tremelo arm, and I went for two sizes: the intermediate, and the 4.25". So far I like the intermediate because it is only an inch shorter than the standard length. I still havn't got my CS 69 pickups yet.

[thepman28]

Cool, I'll be interested to see what you think once you get the pickups. I really like the CS 69's...

[Duckwanker0]

I am really thankful that I got to listen to various people who had modified their Highway One Strats. There is nothing wrong with them, it just what people do when they own stratocaster guitars. This next week or hopefully this weekend I will start doing surgery on my Fender Strat Hwy 1 guitar. I did get the short tremelo bar and also the intermediate size. Thank you thepman28 for sharing us this video, and I will stop acting like a mad scientist who is trying to create a monster strat.

[Duckwanker0]

I was listening to snaskc on YouTube and I mentioned your video. He change his SRV guitar by replacing with CS 69 pickups. Which means he took out the Texas Specials. He still have the .022uf on his neck tone control, and It gives off a very bright high treble sound on the neck pickup.. Lot of todays top famous guitar players are doing that, but I like to use the .047uf. It gives off a little brightness but not too much. I could spend all day reading all about this stuff.

[Duckwanker0]

I just want the classic sound back.

[Duckwanker0]

The CS 69 does have the crunch but I think the grease bucket circuit on both of the tone controls is causing all the smoothness. It sounds great but I think the mid-range is a little narrow. They say "it rolls off the highs without adding bass". It plays nice and that's about it. So I'm making some changes. I got $100 in the cookie jar, and I need another $100 and a desoldering tool to get started with the CS 69's. I also got some stuff on order to give my guitar some character.

[thepman28]

Thanks man. I agree about the trem, I'm a Tele player at heart and I like to have my hand resting on the bridge so it takes a bit of adjustment playing a strat.

David Gilmour always used a shortened trem arm - I'm sure they are pretty easy to buy.

[Duckwanker0]

I do like your guitar playing. Someday I will show off some of my skills. I get into fusion, because I think creating wild jazzy blues and rock is fun. Then I'll throw in some heavy metal intro to something really bizzare.

I was learning about some of the techniques Jeff Beck uses on his guitar, and that is, he likes to uses his tremelo arm a lot. I tried to use it on some of my leads, but the tremelo arm is too damn long and I couldn't get much control with it.

[Duckwanker0]

I need to start practicing on my selector switch. I'm real slow at it. (just joking)

I'm thinking about getting the short tremelo arm because I think Fenders made theirs too long.

[oresamaa]

For me, the 69s Sound is so clean ! I want some crunch

[tbriscoeiii]

awesome playing. i imagine you're going for hendrix tone? i actually have a Hwy 1 too and i watched this video because I was lookin into getting 69s put in as well b/c I wanna go for more hendrix tone. any advice?

[thepman28]

The 69s sound pretty good to me. As an upgrade to the stock p'ups it was a no brainer because they sound much more vintage.

There may well be better pickups out there, the lollars for example always sound very nice. However, for the price, I think the 69s are a great choice. And yes, to me, they sound very hendrix-y especially through a large amp (i.e. not the champ 600!) with a good fuzz face!

[thepman28]

Hi all, just as a quick update I recently got this guitar set up by a really great guitar tech. It plays amazingly well now - stays in tune perfectly as well (the problem was the nut).

As for the neck wood debate - I like the look of both but I prefer the feel of maple. I do wish the maple was slightly darker though...

[eugenbiscuitulhipiot]

rosewood fret works better with this sunburst finish imo

[tcrangle963]

u kiddin? i think it looks nice. i own one. killer guitar

[jaysucks312]

either way, it's still a nice guitar. i'm picking up an amer. strat sometime this week :D

does anybody know where to buy cs '69s ?! i cant find them at cosmos and long and macquades :(

[stratlover37]

mine is sunburst 2006.rosewood neck .best strat for the money.

[jaxeplayer]

i love this guitars body and coulor but i can deside what neck i like more what would u recoment rosewood or mapel?

[ABoyWhoLovesTwilight]

That would depend on the music your going to play.

maple is better for lighter more bluesy-ish sounds.

rosewood is for the darker, harder stuff.

[golfnut20]

Really the sound difference between the two is minimal.

It is more important what it feels like to you, as in terms of difference in sound really it is quite hard to tell the two apart.

Having said that I prefer rosewood on Strats, but maple on Teles.

[tcrangle963]

mayb this will help

i find that there is more friction on a rosewood neck. i tried one after another in a guitar store. on the maple my fingers could just fly. then i tried the rosewood. i felt like it was slowing me down. i suppose id like it if id had it for a while

[wmw1490]

Just purchased one myself...thanks for posting the video

[at1m6nn]

I have a highway one strat too (in black), I use it with a Fender Frontman 25R.

And I love it. D:

[tatohendrix]

i got one of these guitars, now only need a lot of practice to play like this mfkr, jaja. salute u

[tareum420]

nice playing dude, but please give that 5 positions switch a rest !!!!

keep up the good work

peace

[Buzzjugs]

Nearly died laughing at your comment. Worth watching again just for that alone :-)

[marc12marc]

Can you post some clips plaing just clean chords no effects to hear the CS 69 pickups with this guitar's wood ?

[stratdem]

i have 3 2007 highway ones all stock .

i would not change a thing on these guitars. i also feel the highway one by far is a much better strat than the new american standard. tone versatility/feel/sustain the highway one walks all over the american standard. the highway one is simply brilliant!

[boddah27]

well hello mister hendrix! I'm about to buy a highway one, cause we play britrock like music (eg: arctic monkeys, kings of leon). Is it worth for this kind of music?

thx a lot

[bindestreck]

well this is probably a little to much rock 'n' roll for that, if you want britpop should you go for a higway one tele instead, it's got more clean sound

[alldini]

i have a big problem , i bought a fender stratocaster highway one and i have real problems with tuning ! i cant do bends or use the whammy bar ! is every highway one like this?

[thepman28]

Hi, I have some tuning issues - I changed my strings to 10's and I think these guitars ship with 9's - it might be something to do with the nut if you are having tuning problems - get a tech to have a look at it with a file maybe?

[stratdem]

i'm useing 10's on my highway ones i have no trouble tuning or staying in tune

[johnnysmoker314]

i just got one and i have some tuning issues on it. i suggest that you buy fender schaller locking tuners for it, which i am getting this week on mine, i'm sure that would solve it.

[GabiM3112]

Sounds to me as if your vibrato system /tremolo wasn't adjusted well. There are a number of videos out here to teach you how to adjust it. You can have it done at a guitar store as well.

[matrags]

So are these any good or what?

[gibsonrocks212]

Nice Job!! sounds like Stevie Ray Vaughan!

[BorisSs7]

sounds great man...

ive got a highway 1 as well,and im thinking about buying either the 54 or the 69 custom pickups, which ones u think r better?!

and btw did u have any problems installing these pickups?! and what about the 5 position switch, does fit the 69 pickups?

thnx

great playin btw ))

[Bundini3x]

Sounds fantastic! I have a HW1 with the newer Alinco3 pu's. I think they are great and underated. As one Highway man to another, are the 69's,worth the change? Sounds like it is to me.

[bratta69]

sweet dude! do the fender stuff just cool!!!!, i happen to have a very guitar geekish question, do you happen to know what radious your fretboard, or does it have a curve? i don´t know if i am explaining myself but i heard somewhere that the american fenders have a different neck scale?

[thepman28]

It has a 9.5 radius - slightly flatter than vintage models for easier bending.

[AX100G]

nice, enjoyed listening to that, what exactly were you playing?

Sounds great :),

[thepman28]

Thanks, not sure if you mean tunes or equipment...tunes were mainly my own rubbish, equipment is listed in the description

[cemyy]

amp??

[thepman28]

Read??

[MalejKralik]

:D lol

nice sound btw..maby I'll upgrade my mexico strat with thoce pickups..

[eddiefan36]

Does it sound good with Pink floyd kidna stuff? im interested in gettin one but im only gettin a strat for floyd stuff hope fully it is good on lots others but that is all i care about realy

[thepman28]

yeah, with the right pickups/effects/amp it would sound great for Gilmour stuff. Check out the Gilmourish site if you haven't already - great for tips on getting that sound.

[darek277]

nice tone!

[thepman28]

Thanks!