All user reviews for the Fender American Special Stratocaster [2010-2018]

Intro/Context:
Fender American Special Stratocaster SSS in surf green with mapple fingerboard.

I'm a Strat guy, this is my 4th strat and by far my favorite to date. I went to the shop wanting to buy my new main axe with a large enough budget to come out of the shop with a deluxe american Strat if that's what suited me.After testing Standard, Deluxe, AS Strats for a few hours (yes I'm that annoying kind of customer) I decided to buy the American Special for 2 reasons:

-Surf Green is life and a paint job is more expensive than changing the tremolo and the pots (if you, as I, don't like greasebuckets)

-The sheer sound of the instrument, the pickups play a role, for sure, but I had an immediate crush on the sound of that particular guitar and at the end of the day this made the choice obvious for me.

Keep in mind while reading that I had that "near perfect match" feel and that, as I try to keep it objective I'm talking about a guitar I really love and can't go by it without saying "what a beauty" even more than one year after the purchase.

I mainly play it on a Fender Blues Jr with a RC Booster into an English Muff'n wich is almost all the time activated and sometimes on a Ashdown Fallen Angel on the saturated channel

I play mostly bluesy stuff from Hendrix to SRV but I also like to shred a little and play hard rock stuff.

workmanship, electronics, and finish

The finish is really good, well assembled with a seemingly fragile but "lovely to touch" varnish. The fingerboard satin finish is quite nice but in my case the wood could have been chosen better as you can see not so sexy darker wood veins.

The trem, well, is a vintage trem. I tried it for a few months and while it works decently it affects the tuning too much to my liking so I locked it.

The electronic part of the guitar is what you'd expect from a US Fender, you can turn the volume all the way while keeping a bright sound.

Sound

That's where this baby shines. Texas Specials can divide but on the bonus side you immediatly know if you like 'em or not, they have a sharp attack wich I love and a quite high output for single coils. They make the guitar sing with an OD and are reactive to any variation of picking, nuance, very satisfying.

the bridge pickup has a very sharp attack without beeing too harsh an is great for saturated chords.

the middle pickup has a "telecasterish" sound, I love it, very in you face

The neck pick up adds warmth while keeping the middle-heavy signature sound of the Texas Specials

The 4th and 2nd positions are in the spirit of the SRV sound on "Mary had a little lamb", I just adore it.

The guitar seems at ease with any kind of clean and saturated sound both for solos and chords.

Pros and cons

+

Available in surf green
Build quality
Available in surf green
Sound
Available in surf green
Price
Available in surf green

-

Vintage 6points trem
Varnish looks fragile
Gig bag

This is the first price Fender Made in USA.
It is a strat with strat qualities: balance, playing comfort ..
Pickups are "Texas Special". Microphones reference to SRV and SRV on guitar was still often right.
A maple neck Modern C
A large head, as loved Hendrix.
Color it red unusual beautiful blood and makes a lot of people say "it's great your guitar"
Etc ...

UTILIZATION

The grip is great.
The first time we pass around the neck, it seems to settle an old friend.
And this is the effect it makes me every time we play together.
It is with a strat around his neck and she will accept a lot.
- You want to fool around on stage and gesticulate a little? It will remain there without moving and you will find the handle in a wink.
Those who make fools onstage necessarily have lived this moment or the left hand has trouble finding the handle that walks. Well not here.

- You want to stay in rhythm wisely? No problem, it will take the agreement does not désaccordera easily, and the handle is pleasant to play even when you're hot ...

- You want to walk in the treble? It is a strat anyway, she'll let you do.

Listed factory settings, they are good. It is playable now.
Do not use the vibrato I tightened. This change required an adjustment of the handle but it is normal. Since this is done. Nothing moves.

SOUNDS

I'm a guitarist who plays more on the effects knobs on his guitar.
I do not use vibrato (I remember that I blocked)
80% of the time my strat is in position 2, the neck pickup and the middle pickup. The knobs at the bottom. I love that sound and it supports all the effects.

It will pass in all registers. This is why I call it my Swiss Army knife.
She will excel in any field but it will be a good student throughout.
When I play a repertoire ranging from "Proud Mary" to "Should I stay" through "Stand by me" and "Knock'in" (version guns) without being able to change guitar being, it is what I take.
It will not sound half-case for rock or a fatty LP for big sound but it will be good in both registers. There or half cash and LP do not go for too typed.

OVERALL OPINION

I use this guitar for two years.
She has some concerts to his credit and has never disappointed me.
If I can use several guitars on the same set, it will be part of the trip "spare". Because it is the "spare" any guitar.
If I can only use one guitar is it necessarily comes.

For someone who wants to have a guitar "to do anything" it should put this guitar in his selection to try. American at that price, it tries.

The quality / price is great and I recommend it because I can say without hesitation that I remake this choice of course.

Fender American Special Stratocaster is as its name suggests a real Strat made in USA.
It has a vintage vibrato with mechanical oil bath. (Holding excellent agreement)
The neck is maple room without key reported with 22 frets jumbo. The head is a big guy 70's ... it's beautiful!
It has three single coil pickups Texas Special (coming from the Custom Shop, not to be confused with Tex-Mex). Electronics has a master volume, a tone Greasebucket (limited interest, but it does not work less than standard) for the neck pickup, one for the bridge pickup. (No tone for the middle pickup) and a 5-way switch.

UTILIZATION

The handle is very nice with its satin varnish (and back key). Profile suits me.
The standard weight with a good balance. Access to acute is quite satisfactory.
In short: it's a Strat!

SOUNDS

The sounds are real sounds Strat with a little more a little chubby from the Custom Shop pickups. After, it remains easy to find the crystal clear sound of a Strat ... it does not become a Les Paul!
Crunches are fantastic! But for large saturations, I can not find my account with my H & K Tubemeister ... I must find a pedal for that. The sound is a bit muddy.
This is a perfect guitar for sounds blues / rock / pop not too clean or too heavy.

OVERALL OPINION

I've had little time but I'm already very satisfied. This is my fourth Strat and it's more interesting than I had. She really has his personal character.

The price / quality ratio is unbeatable ... It is about 400 euros less than a standard american Strat, but it is absolutely not an American at a discount. (I recall that the Custom Shop pickups come).
The award is earned on the cover instead of the case (both better is preferred) on the satin finish of the key and the vibrato vintage 6 screws instead of two knives.

In short, happiness!

Stratocaster - Made in USA (better selected / KD and therefore more stable side adjustment compared with Mex or Jap wood)

Bridge Fender - Vintage synchronized - 6points ink.

Handle C. End and satin. Super nice, makes the "satin" movement and super conduction of sound "maple fingerboard" (super attack)

22 frets - 3 micros "Texas Special" with a 5-way switch. More gain than the "standard" mics. Personally I did not like all too bland standard "for my taste" here I found more crunch and velvety moderate gain. Identical to the "SRV" microphones.

Controls: Master Volume, Tone 1. (Neck Pickup) Greasebucket tone circuit (treble cut without raising serious), Tone 2. (Bridge Pickup), Tone circuit Greasebucket
Pickup Switching: 5-Position Blade: Position 1. Bridge Pickup, Position 2. Bridge and Middle Pickup, Position 3. Middle Pickup, Position 4. Middle and Neck Pickup, Position 5. Neck Pickup


9/10 for the electronics could be an S1 or one with more possibilities ... but primons the violin after the electronics are very good and then not be updatée.

UTILIZATION

Maple neck satin - Super nice and easy movement / slippage .. Very good attack. I have a BC LP rosewood handle and it is faster and more responsive.

C-shaped handle - not too big or too late ... good compromise.

Guitar "ergonomic" which is why I selected more micro "single coil". Lightweight "compared to my LP" and bevel to the shape dimensions ... The stratosphere is the next big change ergonomics!

Double cut ... or access to acute carefree ...

Sound: This guitar "sings" .. Both the LP strat sings purrs. Register treble a bit tinny. With a good tube amp in moderate saturation, the sound is mellow in acute beach. It is easy to get good sounds.

SOUNDS

The strat provides all sounds a bit .. then the amp will also A lil much less to hold the tuning, this says j'm original "rope super soft" and vibrato rope never helps to keep good tuning.

Sounds: Rather than the side christallins fat.

I play a AC4TV 11 "cabinet + see VOX 12" / recently on EGNATER tweaker 15w connected to the head office VOX. Exceptionally use a wah wah "cry baby wah fasle" and DS1 boss.

All sounds .. yet with a preference on the 1 and 2 positions.

OVERALL OPINION

I have this guitar for a week.

I tried of course my Gibson Les Paul which is very stable side fatter than strat (the other side of the force settings
I also tested a pacifica which vrmt me no more. Tested Ibanez, Jackson, Fender Telecaster "brilliant but less versatile" and this goal was to add colors to the palette of sounds, being super versatile strat my sights s is given to it.

The two negatives in my opinion are: keeping the tuning with the fender vibrato. The inability to change tuning without having to re-adjust all the guitar "of vibrato."

I would do this choice without hesitation! Great guitar! I was not at all for fender here microphones differ from other models. Ergonomics should not be overlooked .. first workday arrived with my beloved home at 14h and did not laché until 22h. PAs cramps, no printing of the body of my guitar on the sides ... With that sound great .. polyvelent A test is !

The Fender Stratocaster guitar has to be my favorite instrument of all time. I generally lean towards humbuckers installed in my Fender Stratocaster guitars but no matter what it is, it's the ideal weight and balance of this guitar is just perfect for my needs. I love the look of this guitar to you because it has a great modern look with the vintage tone and feel. There is not a lot that this guitar cannot do. It's so versatile and extremely well balanced which makes it perfect for that person that needs one guitar to do everything. If I only had a choice to pick between a Gibson Les Paul guitar and a Fender Stratocaster guitar which in my mind are the two most versatile and highly used instruments, then I would definitely pick the Fender Stratocaster guitar. I would install a hum bucker in the bridge position and probably keep the single coil in the middle and in the neck but there's something about the way this body shape against the certain frequencies that I'd like to hear in my guitar tones.

UTILIZATION


Body Material: Alder
Body Shape: Stratocaster®
Neck

Neck Shape: Modern "C" Shape
Number of Frets: 22
Fret Size: Jumbo Frets
Position Inlays: Black Dot Position Inlays
Fingerboard Radius: 9.5" (24.1 cm)
Neck Material: Maple
Neck Finish: Satin Urethane
Nut Width: 1.6875" (43 mm)
Scale Length: 25.5" (64.8 cm)
Headstock: Large '70s Style
Neck Plate: Standard 4 Bolt
Truss Rod Nut: 1/8" American Series Nut
Electronics

Pickup Configuration: S/S/S
Bridge Pickup: Texas Special™ Single-Coil Bridge Pickup
Middle Pickup: Texas Special™ Single-Coil Middle Pickup
Neck Pickup: Texas Special™ Single-Coil Neck Pickup
Pickup Switching: 5-Position Blade: Position 1. Bridge Pickup, Position 2. Bridge and Middle Pickup, Position 3. Middle Pickup, Position 4. Middle and Neck Pickup, Position 5. Neck Pickup
Special Electronics: Greasebucket™ Tone Circuit (rolls off high without adding bass)
Controls: Master Volume, Tone 1. (Neck Pickup) Greasebucket™ Tone Circuit, (Rolls Off Highs without Adding Bass) Tone 2. (Bridge Pickup), Greasebucket Tone Circuit
Hardware

Hardware Finish: Chrome
Bridge: Vintage Style Synchronized Tremolo
String Nut: Synthetic Bone
Switch Tips: White Switch Tip
Tremolo Arm Handle: Vintage Style Tremolo Arm

SOUNDS


Whether you use this guitar with a clean amplifier all away to a Bogner Ubershalll type gain mega loaded distortion tone, this guitar is really good to give you a great feeling for no matter what you're playing. These guitars are very versatile too so if you take off the pick guard your can easily install a humbucker or another style pick up for your needs. These are very versatile guitars and depending on what you like to hear and feel you can add or modify these instruments quite easily. I generally like to play a Fender Stratocaster with a humbucker installed in the bridge position but I also like the ability to play single coils as well. I am a Stratocaster guy so I have multiple Stratocaster guitars for those times where I like to use a different pick up or variety of tones.

OVERALL OPINION


If you find these guitars pretty much anywhere you find musical instruments online or in most guitar retailers around the world. These are great guitars and I highly recommend any guitarist out there. These are great for gigging or recording and pretty much anything in between. If you're a rock garage or basement guitar player this is a great instrument for you as well. I recommend these guitars to every guitarists on the planet.

In my mind it doesn't get any better than the Fender Stratocaster guitar. This is a fantastic and brilliantly made instrument that is extremely versatile and can pretty much play any style of music. To me this guitar has the perfect feel, weight, and balance that I need from my musical taste. This is a very simple guitar in that he doesn't have a whole lot of extra features that you would find on many modern type guitars. It has three single coil pick ups with a volume control knob and two tone control knobs. It's a very great sounding soulful instrument that sounds beautiful in pretty much any setting that if you put it in

UTILIZATION


Body Material: Alder
Body Shape: Stratocaster®
Neck

Neck Shape: Modern "C" Shape
Number of Frets: 22
Fret Size: Jumbo Frets
Position Inlays: Black Dot Position Inlays
Fingerboard Radius: 9.5" (24.1 cm)
Neck Material: Maple
Neck Finish: Satin Urethane
Nut Width: 1.6875" (43 mm)
Scale Length: 25.5" (64.8 cm)
Headstock: Large '70s Style
Neck Plate: Standard 4 Bolt
Truss Rod Nut: 1/8" American Series Nut
Electronics

Pickup Configuration: S/S/S
Bridge Pickup: Texas Special™ Single-Coil Bridge Pickup
Middle Pickup: Texas Special™ Single-Coil Middle Pickup
Neck Pickup: Texas Special™ Single-Coil Neck Pickup
Pickup Switching: 5-Position Blade: Position 1. Bridge Pickup, Position 2. Bridge and Middle Pickup, Position 3. Middle Pickup, Position 4. Middle and Neck Pickup, Position 5. Neck Pickup
Special Electronics: Greasebucket™ Tone Circuit (rolls off high without adding bass)
Controls: Master Volume, Tone 1. (Neck Pickup) Greasebucket™ Tone Circuit, (Rolls Off Highs without Adding Bass) Tone 2. (Bridge Pickup), Greasebucket Tone Circuit
Hardware

Hardware Finish: Chrome
Bridge: Vintage Style Synchronized Tremolo
String Nut: Synthetic Bone
Switch Tips: White Switch Tip
Tremolo Arm Handle: Vintage Style Tremolo Arm

SOUNDS


My favorite tone with the Fender Stratocaster has to be a Marshall plexi for input style amplifier with a nice Boss OD to overdrive pedal and a good analog delay or digital delay out front of the amplifier. To me that is the most perfect tone and probably the most versatile and resourceful tone that you can find in place in any style of music or any musical setting you find yourself in. That is such a great hard rock and pop tone that will allow guitarist to blend in with the band makes quite easily. To me that is the most perfect and simple tone that won't be the probably the most versatile tone that you can find. But pretty much any setting you put this guitar and it's going to complement your current guitar rig.


OVERALL OPINION


These guitars coming to you right at around $1000 or so. To me that is a great price for an American built fantastic sounding instrument. This is a great color and a classic look to a fantastic guitar at back and sound vintage in modern all-in-one. I highly recommend this guitar to any guitarist out there because it's one of those instruments that I feel every guitarist should own at one point in their career. It's a fun guitar and full of inspiration and won't give you the right tone console for any style of music.

Guitar made in the United States with price floor, the last economic challenge Fender US.Pour the specifics in detail, relying on the Fender site.


Mics: the texas (config three singles) ... I was initially on these microphones with Mark Knopfler on my signature and judging good but below some race condition "boutique" (Van Zandt, Lollar ... ) in the register "vintage hot." Well then, this guitar is parfait.J 've played this guitar in a blues deluxe clean channel, strong enough, and I am delighted in blueseries shuffle and riff or chicago blues of all kinds. it's perfect for this register, at least for pop, variety and cleaner stuff, but not incapable of this kind of music. (I mean that in these cases as well take a strat NAS).

UTILIZATION

HANDLE: excellentisime ... I play Strat for 25 years and I have a dozen all backgrounds ... I certify that the handle is one of the best I've played, modern C profile (small hands welcome ...) with jumbo frets (disturbing at first, with the addictive habit), satin radius of 9.5 inches, clean finish (sanding the edge of a button) for me it is in "very good" with a adjustable head which is very prartique when the rule is even manches.Le that the handle is in one piece without key reported adds to the conduction of sound, of course we must also love the touch "maple" and only rosewood fans may have to say.
So not a tiring round, sensual, with a head 70 Groos' I personally like a lot.

SOUNDS

the guitar sounds clear, generous and "chubby" and requires that to what he comes in as Texas blues-rock.Donc
For me, the choice Fender in terms of cross-violin pickups, is successful, there is nothing to change.
Finally, the profound character of this guitar is "hot vintage" US music is made for the blues rock, blues shuffle, Texas, to Chicago without excluding any registry "Americana" and country music.
Only a musician looking for something more "sharp / clear" to the ethereal pop straoshérique, or harder rock, hardcore should enjoy it less.
Finally, it is still very versatile.

OVERALL OPINION

This is a guitar that I tested in store, I test routinely (almost) all the strats that Fender fate and that are likely to go inside in my stable, so I tested on principle, and it struck me quite strongly as the New American Standard, which is more "clean" but also extremely catchy.

What I like about this guitar is its neck, modern, compiling all the data to make it perfect, radius balanced, bracing for a realistic low-action bends and extreme C-section etc. .. .

Stratocaster Made in USA. Alder body maple neck maple 22 key jumbo boxes.
Mechanical oil bath and 3x simple secial.Vibrato texas vintage.
tone for bridge pickup and microphone serious and volume and 5-way switch.
Broad head type 70's and C handle modern.
Neck satin varnish.

UTILIZATION

Lightweight and good feeling on the neck. The learned are facilitated by the shrinking jumbo.Bonne intonation aussi.Bonnes finishes. Adjusting the handle on the head handy.

SOUNDS

Tested in store on Marshall jvm.
Everything sounds typical strat hotter. The Texas Special are very blues sound that stratum.
I loved every position pickups on all types of sound, ultra-clean, crunch, overdrive and high gain thrust aside the breath (normal for simple and more JVMs it blows a lot ...) there How to have fun. In fact it is the texas special pickups that give color and grain.
Lots of personality and character in the sound of its microphones. These pickups have heat and a good level of output but are not cons "precise". But they sound "grainy" than std strat does pas.Moins versatile and "typed" a standard.
After there are more "pure" as his stratocaster for clean sounds with other microphones of the mark but I think that crunch and overdrive were very hot pickups and rock. For it is not very precise sounds these pickups that I agree pense.Par example in the bridge position is a bit messy for the heavy or the other "simple" are pleased and net set. For the "funk" in it is also not clear the asses precis.Donc need to know what we're looking kind of sound and love the texas special.
The handle is very comfortable. This is not the kind of vintage race due to its profile and the frets.
No problems on this set, everything goes smoothly. The varnish is there for something.

OVERALL OPINION

If you like the Texas Special is a very good deal! The price / quality ratio is great for américaine.Environs € 1000.
Just missing a few more colors of red and sunburst.
I put 10 because I found no faults and I was very pleasantly surprised by the comfort of the handle and the sounds issued by the Texas special.
Very different from the std.
Fewer but more versatile character.

Specifications FENDER Stratocaster American Special MN CAR:

• Channel: Screwed
• Made in USA
• Number of boxes: 22
• Body: Alder
• Neck Material: Maple
• Neck: Maple
• Pickups: 3 single coil Texas Special home. mine on an easel DiMarzio strata
• Hardware: Chrome
• Machine Heads: Fender Standard
• Presence of vibrato: Yes
• Accessories: Deluxe Case

UTILIZATION

Channel enjoyable.
Easy access to acute.
Its very good but very typical stratovolcano is the goal.

SOUNDS

For now she deserves a good setting in the maker but it already sounds very good.
I tried it on my Bandit 112 sound is perfect and the sounds are clear tops. I tried a classic 50, but it sounds less saturated own good.

OVERALL OPINION

I've been here one week and more than 20 years had not affected k a stratovolcano and I'm not disappointed. In addition to the varnish is really wonderful that nothing is wasted.

Fender Stratocaster American Special
Made in USA
The bridge is a vintage style synchronized tremolo
Maple neck, in the form "C"
22 Jumbo frets (my first jumbo, that's so funny ... get used to not press too hard to avoid bender notes)
3 Texas Special Pickups
1 volume and 2 tone, 5 position switch

UTILIZATION

Channel very pleasant, it glides on its own.
The mantient the handle playing is easy even when you have small fingers)
I repeat what has already been said but the playability is much easier thanks to the varnish used.
I think this guitar is really well balanced, she stood perfectly follows the solicitations being asked (it seems to dance the tango limit ^ ^)
Access to the last 4 frets is not easy even if not impossible ... (for the cons is barred wrong start in this part of the handle)

For my part I find that the sound is really superb.

SOUNDS

The sound is superb, I use a Vox AC4TV, with occasionally a small distortion pedal base. Instead I play rock, blues and even a bit of grunge and the clean and crunch are really beautiful.
I can not describe sounds more for now ... I discovered it again after 3 months.
Anyway I love everything that brings me scratch, especially one starts with fun exploring improvisation in its tones, a pure delight for a guitar of this range.

OVERALL OPINION

I've had it three months, she followed a Squier Affinity Stratocaster (absolutely nothing to do obviously)
I hesitated with humbucker guitars. But I do not regret those little simple Texas that are clear and warm at once.
I wanted a good shovel to continue my musical experience on guitar, and not a skyscraper at 1500 €.
For 829 € in Candy Apple Red or 869 € in sunburst is a choice I would do it again.
Moreover, its finish is well above that of a Highway One.
It comes with a padded Fender Bag not bad at all.
on the other hand is strapless ... damage.
Vibrato I do not use the tremolo is not a vibrato like that, and anyway it's not my style to use for now.

It sounds good and it is beautiful! ^ ^