View other reviews for this product:
heads on fire « Classy, yet smokin'. »
Published on 01/31/12 at 08:34Model Name: Blacktop™ Stratocaster® HH
Series: Blacktop™
Color / MSRP* / Part # :
Black
$739.99
014-8100-506
Candy Apple Red
$739.99
014-8100-509
Sonic Blue
$739.99
014-8100-572
Black
$739.99
014-8102-506
Candy Apple Red
$739.99
014-8102-509
Sonic Blue
$739.99
014-8102-572
Body
Body Material: Alder
Body Shape: Stratocaster®
Neck
Number of Frets: 22
Fret Size: Medium Jumbo
Position Inlays: Black Dots on Maple, White Dots on Rosewood
Fingerboard Radius: 9.5" (24.1 cm)
Fretboard: Rosewood or Maple
Neck Material: Maple
Neck Finish: Gloss Urethane
Nut Width: 1.650” (42 mm)
Scale Length: 25.5" (64.8 cm)
Neck Plate: Vintage Style 4 Bolt
Truss Rod Nut: 3/16" Hex Adjustment
Electronics
Pickup Configuration: H/H
Bridge Pickup: Hot Vintage AlNiCo Humbucking Pickup (Bridge)
Neck Pickup: Hot Vintage AlNiCo Humbucking Pickup (Neck)
Pickup Switching: 5-Position Blade: Position 1. Full Bridge Pickup, Position 2. Two Inside Single Coils, Position 3. Both Full Humbucking Pickups, Position 4. Outer Neck Single Coil, Position 5. Full Neck Pickup
Controls: Master Volume, Tone 1. (Neck Pickup), Tone 2. (Bridge Pickup)
Hardware
Hardware Finish: Nickel/Chrome
Bridge: Vintage Style Synchronized Tremolo
String Nut: Synthetic Bone
Switch Tips: Black or Aged White
Tremolo Arm Handle: Vintage Style Tremolo Arm, Black Tip on (506),(509); Aged White Tip on (572)
Tools
Truss Rod Wrench: 0.1875"
Miscellaneous
Strings: Fender® USA Super 250L's, NPS (.009-.042 Gauges)
Unique Features: HH Pickup Configuration, Custom Switching, Black Skirted Amp Knobs
Accessories
Included Accessories: Truss Rod Adjustment Wrench, Saddle Height Adjustment Wrench
Control Knobs: Skirted Amp Knobs
UTILIZATION
This is a solid guitar from Fender. The traditional Stratocaster is very fun to play - the three single coil pickups give a lot of fun, usable tones. However, most traditional Stratocasters suffer from a noise problem - using any kind of high-gain sound is almost impossible to do. This is where the Blacktop HH comes in. This guitar gives all the good Strat benefits like playability, balance, comfort - yet the pickups are humbuckers, which help block out the hum that single coils can be plagued with. One thing that's very impressive to me is this Candy Apple Red finish! It is expertly applied, and the hue is phenomenal. Another nice detail is that Fender decided to use amp knobs on this guitar, rather than their usual Strat knobs. The finish, with the knobs and the covered humbuckers make for a very classy looking Strat.
SOUNDS
These pickups were surprising to me at this price level. They remind me of a late 60s Gibson SG-type response and output. They are hotter than normal, but with plenty of definition and warmth. The bridge pickup is blazing, cutting, and dynamic, where the neck pickup imparts a nice singing quality to the notes. This is essentially a Strat that sounds like an old SG, which is a very good thing!
OVERALL OPINION
Overall, this is quite a good instrument. I'm glad Fender is branching out of their more traditional fare and offering more modern features that players are looking for. Humbucking pickups now are far more popular than single coils, simply because so many more players are using the high-gain setups, and to have a classy Strat that can help provide this is very nice. Thanks, Fender!
Series: Blacktop™
Color / MSRP* / Part # :
Black
$739.99
014-8100-506
Candy Apple Red
$739.99
014-8100-509
Sonic Blue
$739.99
014-8100-572
Black
$739.99
014-8102-506
Candy Apple Red
$739.99
014-8102-509
Sonic Blue
$739.99
014-8102-572
Body
Body Material: Alder
Body Shape: Stratocaster®
Neck
Number of Frets: 22
Fret Size: Medium Jumbo
Position Inlays: Black Dots on Maple, White Dots on Rosewood
Fingerboard Radius: 9.5" (24.1 cm)
Fretboard: Rosewood or Maple
Neck Material: Maple
Neck Finish: Gloss Urethane
Nut Width: 1.650” (42 mm)
Scale Length: 25.5" (64.8 cm)
Neck Plate: Vintage Style 4 Bolt
Truss Rod Nut: 3/16" Hex Adjustment
Electronics
Pickup Configuration: H/H
Bridge Pickup: Hot Vintage AlNiCo Humbucking Pickup (Bridge)
Neck Pickup: Hot Vintage AlNiCo Humbucking Pickup (Neck)
Pickup Switching: 5-Position Blade: Position 1. Full Bridge Pickup, Position 2. Two Inside Single Coils, Position 3. Both Full Humbucking Pickups, Position 4. Outer Neck Single Coil, Position 5. Full Neck Pickup
Controls: Master Volume, Tone 1. (Neck Pickup), Tone 2. (Bridge Pickup)
Hardware
Hardware Finish: Nickel/Chrome
Bridge: Vintage Style Synchronized Tremolo
String Nut: Synthetic Bone
Switch Tips: Black or Aged White
Tremolo Arm Handle: Vintage Style Tremolo Arm, Black Tip on (506),(509); Aged White Tip on (572)
Tools
Truss Rod Wrench: 0.1875"
Miscellaneous
Strings: Fender® USA Super 250L's, NPS (.009-.042 Gauges)
Unique Features: HH Pickup Configuration, Custom Switching, Black Skirted Amp Knobs
Accessories
Included Accessories: Truss Rod Adjustment Wrench, Saddle Height Adjustment Wrench
Control Knobs: Skirted Amp Knobs
UTILIZATION
This is a solid guitar from Fender. The traditional Stratocaster is very fun to play - the three single coil pickups give a lot of fun, usable tones. However, most traditional Stratocasters suffer from a noise problem - using any kind of high-gain sound is almost impossible to do. This is where the Blacktop HH comes in. This guitar gives all the good Strat benefits like playability, balance, comfort - yet the pickups are humbuckers, which help block out the hum that single coils can be plagued with. One thing that's very impressive to me is this Candy Apple Red finish! It is expertly applied, and the hue is phenomenal. Another nice detail is that Fender decided to use amp knobs on this guitar, rather than their usual Strat knobs. The finish, with the knobs and the covered humbuckers make for a very classy looking Strat.
SOUNDS
These pickups were surprising to me at this price level. They remind me of a late 60s Gibson SG-type response and output. They are hotter than normal, but with plenty of definition and warmth. The bridge pickup is blazing, cutting, and dynamic, where the neck pickup imparts a nice singing quality to the notes. This is essentially a Strat that sounds like an old SG, which is a very good thing!
OVERALL OPINION
Overall, this is quite a good instrument. I'm glad Fender is branching out of their more traditional fare and offering more modern features that players are looking for. Humbucking pickups now are far more popular than single coils, simply because so many more players are using the high-gain setups, and to have a classy Strat that can help provide this is very nice. Thanks, Fender!