FirstMeasure Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 love the nighthawk. such a different sound for Gibson. I find it's a very overlooked instrument. I think the only band I've ever seen with this guitar was Wide Mouth Mason, a Canadian band from around the mid to late 90's who'd become popular on the national level at the very least. Loved their sound. If I'm not mistaken they're attempting a comback. I've been seeing their albums stocked in music stores lately...something I hadn't seen for years. It sound and feels better than a Les Paul with 498 and 490r pickups. It balances nicely, plays smooth, and has a very Tele-sounding split bridge pick up setting that comes in pretty handy. I'll have t check out Wide Mouth Mason, I've only seen a Nighthawk in use once and for the life of me I can't find the video again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
damian Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 MIA Fender HW-1 Strat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EvanPC Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 09 Amer. Std Factory Special Run Candy Tangerine w/ Matching Headstock "Custom" wiring - 4th postion activates bridge/neck combo as opposed to the normal middle/neck combo It's pretty, plays great and sounds good, but my LP is still far and away my number 1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
damian Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 Nice colour Evan.......Love it.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EvanPC Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 Nice colour Evan.......Love it.... Thanks, man. Congrats on the NGD! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heilly Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 MIA Fender HW-1 Strat Nice one damian. I have the opportunity for an MIA Highway One, 2009, red with CBS headstock, Texas Specials, maple fretboard, jumbo frets, and orig HSC. $500 USD. Seem like a decent price? Budgetary restrictions have always resulted in me buying Japanese Strats (which I love, BTW). Just want some takes on the HW-1's vs. the other models offered. Seems like the HW-1's were sold at a significant lower price when compared to others. I'd love to hear thoughts on Highway One Strats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
This_Dying_Soul Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 I find their awesome. If I hadn't been looking for noiseless pickups, locking tuners and the S1 switching system I would have considered a Highway 1 as my next choice. All the features I was after were found on the American Deluxe model and I just loved the neck so that's what I went for. as far as I can tell the wood on the Highway 1's are comparable to American Standards...the main difference if I remember correctly is that the Am Standard is more "Vintage style" than the Highway 1's. 3 piece body - Am Standard also has 3 piece; American Deluxe is 2 piece. I assume it also has the compound radius neck like the Am Deluxe. Texas Special pickups are the ones on the SRV sig strat and the Jimmy Vaughn Tex/Mex strats. Basically, anything MIA is typically of noticably better quality than those made outside US, although some of the Mexican guitars would be comparable to less expensive US models if you try enough of them out and the Japanese models are also very good for the money (hint - if you come across the Japanese Squire models made in the mid 80's grab 'em... a simple pickup swap and they're just as good or better than any US made Fender of the time... Especially during the end of the CBS years). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heilly Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 Thanks for the reply Dying Soul. I also heard the Highway 1's have a nitro finish and the stds have poly.....? Any other comments out there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stein Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 Thanks for the reply Dying Soul. I also heard the Highway 1's have a nitro finish and the stds have poly.....? Any other comments out there? Really, the HW1 Strats are maybe the closest thing to a 60's Strat unless you get the custom shop stuff (which are using finishes as close to the original as you could maybe get). The "thin" nitro finish is a lot of the reason, as well as using the same body wood. There is a lot that can be made about the finish type, or too much. Even though it is nitro, it is not the same as Gibson nitro. 2 reasons: on the colored Fenders (colors other than sunburst or blonde) there was more than one finish type applied in more than one coat. The SOLID colors were usually an acrylic, and the metallic was nitro, but the metallic finishes really were thicker with lots of stuff in it. The sunburst ones were also DIPPED in a sealer. The moral here being that you can't just say "nitro" and describe a typical Fender finish, even referring to older Fenders. What IS important is weight and wood. Fenders used one, two, and 3 piece bodies and didn't always make then center seamed, so that doesn't seem to matter. But what makes a GOOD sounding Strat (or one that sounds like the best of the older ones) is a lighter weight body. A strat that is on the light side sounds a lot different than a heavy one, and the original ones were on the light side. So, it seems the corners that were cut in the HW1 series actually makes them CLOSER to what an original and good sounding Strat is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
damian Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 Yes Heilly; Stein and Dying Soul nail it well.......Nice nitro finish....Shiny, but more satin....Jumbo well dressed frets....A light radius....It's interesting how Stein says this model is very close to original specs outside of a Custom Shop....I'll agree....Mine does have a WELL MATCHED three piece body, so well done my gal and I kept wondering if it was veneered or a one piece....Yes, $500.00 with a case seems like a good deal Heilly...( I payed less).................. I'll be using mine for recording...IMHO, many MIA Strats are overpriced (new)......Strats are tanks as well....Hard to hurt them...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heilly Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 Thanks damian. Sorry gents, my mistake. Just figured out the guitar I'm looking at is a 2009 American Special not a HW-1 .... hence the TX Specials and Jumbo frets. I know the msrp's are a bunch of bs, but the Std. Specials go for $1,145 vs. $999 for the HWY-1. Must be the TX Specials? Anyone have experience with the American Std. Specials? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluesguitar65 Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 Thanks damian. Sorry gents, my mistake. Just figured out the guitar I'm looking at is a 2009 American Special not a HW-1 .... hence the TX Specials and Jumbo frets. I know the msrp's are a bunch of bs, but the Std. Specials go for $1,145 vs. $999 for the HWY-1. Must be the TX Specials? Anyone have experience with the American Std. Specials? I have all the above you mentioned, American Standard, American Special and the Highway One strats. All great guitars, but to me I choose the American Special over the American Standard and the Highway ONe. The American Special has all the features that I want in a strat, Jumbo Frets, 9.5 radius fingerboard, grease bucket tone circuitry, large 70s style headstock and Texas Special pickups. Its pretty much hot rodded to my specs. The highway one is a step below the American special. The American Standard has better selected woods and it comes with a hard shell case as opposed to a gigbag and its about $150 more than the American Special. I suggest you try all of them out and see which one you like better. I got my American Special for $700 out the door and I got my Highway One back in 07 for $525 out the door and I got my lates American Standard for $780 out the door. You can probably get them for around that price if you know how to haggle and use price match tatics from online to use as your haggling arsenal at guitar center. GC's sales people are like sharks and are in desperate for commison, so play with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluesguitar65 Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 Thanks for the reply Dying Soul. I also heard the Highway 1's have a nitro finish and the stds have poly.....? Any other comments out there? Yes, the highway one has a thin coat of nitro, the american standard and american special have poly gloss finish. Here is my highway one, three tone sunburst and my new American Special candy apple red. By bluesguitar65 at 2011-10-04 By bluesguitar65 at 2011-10-04 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluesguitar65 Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 Nice one damian. I have the opportunity for an MIA Highway One, 2009, red with CBS headstock, Texas Specials, maple fretboard, jumbo frets, and orig HSC. $500 USD. Seem like a decent price? Budgetary restrictions have always resulted in me buying Japanese Strats (which I love, BTW). Just want some takes on the HW-1's vs. the other models offered. Seems like the HW-1's were sold at a significant lower price when compared to others. I'd love to hear thoughts on Highway One Strats. Wow! Great price on that American Special and you got a HSC? They usually come with a Fender Deluxe gigbag. Check the frets if they are worn out. I paid $700 out the door for my Candy Apple Red with gigbag out the door, new. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morkolo Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 Yes, the highway one has a thin coat of nitro, the american standard and american special have poly gloss finish. Here is my highway one, three tone sunburst and my new American Special candy apple red. By bluesguitar65 at 2011-10-04 By bluesguitar65 at 2011-10-04 I was under the understanding that the Highway One actually had a heavy poly coat underneath the nitro finish. By the way nice special I recently bought the same model. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluesguitar65 Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 I was under the understanding that the Highway One actually had a heavy poly coat underneath the nitro finish. By the way nice special I recently bought the same model. Its sprayed with very thin nitro coating. The idea was for the guitar be easily road worn with the player's prolong use. My Highway One does show signs of natural wear, specially around where my right forearm rests on the guitar body. You can feel the wood grain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morkolo Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 Its sprayed with very thin nitro coating. The idea was for the guitar be easily road worn with the player's prolong use. My Highway One does show signs of natural wear, specially around where my right forearm rests on the guitar body. You can feel the wood grain. So you're telling me I compounded down to the paint on my Highway One Tele It has a shine now, almost like a pearl finish looks great and has a bit of wear from my arm, like yours. One of the best values in Fender's line up in my opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluesguitar65 Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 So you're telling me I compounded down to the paint on my Highway One Tele It has a shine now, almost like a pearl finish looks great and has a bit of wear from my arm, like yours. One of the best values in Fender's line up in my opinion. Oh yes, Highwayones are great value for the money. The American Specials are just an upgraded version of the Highway Ones. By bluesguitar65 at 2011-09-21 By bluesguitar65 at 2011-09-16 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heilly Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 Thanks for all of the info bluesguitar! Price for the American Special, candy apple red, with ohsc is $500. I just don't know the condition; can't tell from the pics. Sounds like this deal is like a sore peter...... hard to beat! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluesguitar65 Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 Thanks for all of the info bluesguitar! Price for the American Special, candy apple red, with ohsc is $500. I just don't know the condition; can't tell from the pics. Sounds like this deal is like a sore peter...... hard to beat! Oh yes... great find!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimbabig Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 Ok, I'll play, it's an 80's Peavey, Made in USA, the trem block was replaced with a big lump of brass, it's blocked, has guage 12's on it and the action jacked up, it absolutely loves fuzz and sounds amazing rather than looks amazing, isn't that what matters? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valeriy Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 Beautiful guitars, of course. I played all the time on the Les Paul, but had heard about an interesting Strat sound. Finally I bought an inexpensive Korean Strat . Its sound was, of course, so-so, but after second attempt to intervene into the guitar, it seems, I could make a good sound. The truth is that its face changed a little. Though now I will possibly record something by means of this Strat :) . http://www.esnips.com/doc/b9ed3545-b3ee-4d70-9b14-a0d73309eed3/Strat-1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S t e v e Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 Lets see em! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFgM_UF3cSY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heilly Posted October 21, 2011 Share Posted October 21, 2011 Gents, Picked up the Candy Apple Red Stratocaster Special. One huge problem: went to pick it up (while the case was not latched) and everything fell out . Now I have a dinged up '09-'10 strat. Interestingly, the finish underneath is gold metallic. Any thoughts on refinishing? Or do I just chalk it up to added character? Maybe I should make up a better story... something with ninjas in it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EVOL! Posted October 21, 2011 Share Posted October 21, 2011 This thread is making me nauseous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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