| The USA-made Fender Highway One Stratocaster is | | | | glossy finishes. |
| located between Fender's American Standard and the | | | | We decidedly loved the pickups, which had a little |
| Made-in-Mexico Standard series. Rather than just | | | | more "punch" and dirt than American Standard pickups |
| being a "budget" American-made guitar, the Highway | | | | do. We especially dug the Greasebucket circuit, |
| One Stratocaster has a vibe all its own. | | | | allowing you to diminish the highs without |
| The Highway One Stratocaster we examined came in | | | | simultaneously increasing the bass. This instrument is |
| a Flat Black finish. One of the cost-cutting steps of this | | | | especially suited for blues and classic rock tones. |
| series is Fender's choice of a light nitro satin finish. It's a | | | | The neck might not be for everyone, but we really |
| personal preference, but we liked it, and the light finish | | | | liked it. The 70's headstock is purely an aesthetic |
| will surely allow the alder body to breathe better over | | | | decision, but the large frets and satin finished C-shape |
| time. | | | | neck just felt right in our hands. Strings bent like |
| The guitar features a large 70's style headstock with | | | | "buttah" and the neck really helps sweep arpeggios |
| big frets, a vintage-style tremolo bridge, C-shaped | | | | and fast runs. It requires the right touch, but we felt like |
| maple neck (with choice of rosewood or maple | | | | the neck was really well done (we opted for the |
| fingerboard), 3 single-coil pickups with Alnico 3 | | | | maple fretboard, by the way). |
| magnets, and a special "Greasebucket" tone circuit. | | | | If you're not a fan of larger frets, you probably won't |
| The guitar also ships with a gig-bag rather than the | | | | dig the feel, but we thought it was quite comfortable |
| SKB hardshell case that comes with the Fender | | | | and gave the Highway One Stratocaster a feeling all |
| American series. | | | | its own. |
| Upon playing the Highway One Stratocaster, it | | | | With a street price of around $700, the Fender |
| becomes immediately clear that the guitar is a quality, | | | | Highway One Stratocaster is a first-class USA-made |
| USA-made six string, even if it's got some major | | | | instrument at a price that won't break your piggy-bank. |
| differences that set it apart from the American | | | | From its classy satin finish to its lovely C-shaped neck, |
| Standard series. As we've already stated, we dug the | | | | the Highway One Stratocaster is an instrument that |
| nitro finish and value the result it has on the guitar's | | | | we highly recommend to Strat devotees who want an |
| tone (yes, finish does affect tone). Individual notes and | | | | instrument just a little bit different. |
| chords just seemed to resonate better than with | | | | |