Quick Opinion: The 2007 and later Highway One Strats are great (previous ones were fine, but for this conversation…). The sound is unmistakable, remarkable, and pure Strat. This particular Stratocaster is a complete joy and has absolutely no disappointments. I’ve had Highway One Fenders before, and have always been pleased. I didn’t quite have the change available for an American Standard or an American Deluxe – so I looked at and fell in love with the Highway One. They’re a part of music’s fabric now – and are one of the greatest easy-to-customize guitars on the market… For every season, for every reason, for every musical decade, there are Strats for them since the 50s. Maple, SSS, HSS, HH, rosewood, alder, ash, mahogany, big frets, skinny frets, vintage headstock, “Jimi” headstock (would that be a Woodheadstock?), gypsy bridge, AlNiCo, ceramic, samarium cobalt, noiseless, noisy, Greasebucket, S1, roadworn… There are so many different Strats and so many different things about those Strats. We have so many from which to choose… Made in Mexico, made in Japan, and made in the United States of America.
FENDER HIGHWAY ONE STRATOCASTER NECK MOD
And whilst you are inside the Hwy1 make sure the lower tone control is wired to control the bridge pickup - the cheapest and most useful mod you can do to a Strat.Strats have changed over the years, from the simpleness of the 50s to the big-hair rock of the eighties to the current array of models. As others have wisely said, buy pickups secondhand and you can try with little or no financial penalty - if you don't like them you can sell them for what you paid. And there are a ton of better pickups from a variety of manufacturers. A steel blocked trem (even the fairly inexpensive unit on the V2 Hwy1 ones) is better than the zinc blocked trem on the V1. In my opinion the V1 Hwy's1 are a great chassis, but the trem and pickups let them down. The V2 Hwy1 also has a steel block trem, with vintage mounting spacing but modern 52.5mm string spacing, which is made in Taiwan, and was also used on the American Specials which replaced the Hwy's1. In 2006 the V2 Hwy1 came out where the nitro finish and grease bucket tone circuit were 'officially' released, along with the big headstock, jumbo frets (previously medium jumbo), and the Mexican made, plastic bobbin overwound A3 pickups (later called the Deluxe Drive pickup set) which are very ROCK and not at all like the pickups in the V1 Hwy1. Later in the run (circa 2005 I think) some changes started to be made, including the nitro finish (they were originally satin acrylic on the bodies), and they also introduced the grease bucket tone circuit, but Fender didn't make much mention of these amendments at the time It also has the same trem as the classic series, including the zinc block.
FENDER HIGHWAY ONE STRATOCASTER NECK SERIES
The V1 small headstock Hwy1's have the same pickups as the Mexican Classic Series (fairly low wind, plastic bobbin, A5 magnet) - the entire pickguard assembly was initially taken from the 70's Mexican Classic Strat. I like the Fender Custom Shop 69's, with that in mind what else could be recommended (classic rock, edging towards the clean end, occasional surf rock). I'd like to stick to around £200 (or below) for both a new harness and pickups. Now my next problem is there are a lot of good pickups out there. My thinking is if it improves the sound beyond what the HW1 is and I still overall prefer the V6, I'll sell the HW1 or if I've found a deeper love for the HW1 and really like the new pickups swap them from the V6 and sell on the V6. It has got me thinking about upgrading the pickups and harness in the V6 to something better than in the Highway One, which I believe are stock pickups apart from the Seymour Duncan Hot Rail in the bridge position. Unplugged they sound the same, though the sustain is marginally better on the V6. The neck is very similar profile (Vintage is slightly thicker) both are beautifully smooth, though I prefer the fretboard on the V6. whilst it sounds better than my Vintage V6 and it has Fender USA on the headstock (to be fair I'm not a brand snob), at this time I actually prefer the V6 (just).