Highway One Tele

L

louthunder

New member
Just recently, I realized that I am w/out a tele right now, and I just found a HWY 1 in our local music store. Amer. made, plays good and cheap to boot. It's cheap enough to put in a few upgrades if needed too. What do you guys think of the HWY 1 ? I'm probably going to get it , but I just want to know what you guys think? Anyone own one, and if so, watch kind of toyz did you add?
 
Re: Highway One Tele

The H1 is a good, basic Tele. If you like the way it plays and looks, buy it. If you decide later that you don't like some aspect of the guitar, it will be simple to modify.
 
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Re: Highway One Tele

I have a HWY-1 Texas Tele and love it.

I got the Texas tele because it came with an ash body and has a 12" fretboard radius, which works well for me.

IMHO the HWY-1 tele is a GREAT value.

I've performed a bunch of mods on mine:
- Barden bridge w/ compensated brass saddles
- black single-ply bakelite pickguard
- 5-way switch for series-in-phase and out-of-phase options
- reversed control plate
- thicker copper baseplate under bridge pickup

I also buffed the body to a nice mellow shine and filed the fret edges on the neck.

It's kind of my "beater guitar" but it plays great, looks cool, and sounds awesome. Every time I use it on stage, I get compliments on my tone.

Highly recommended.
 
Re: Highway One Tele

Thanks, That's what I'm going to do, but I value the opinion of the folks around here. Keep em coming!
 
Re: Highway One Tele

I didn't get into Tele's until 2004 or 2005...bought my first one in 2005 and wound up with a HW1...Great guitar!

I still have it and still use it a fair bit even thought im up to 4 Tele's now!

I pulled the ping keys and put in a set of Kluson style Gotoh's, new bridghe saddles, new guardplate, jack cup, caps, CS Duncan Pickups, strap locks and a 5 way switch but the truth is it was good out of the box and with new pickups I could have left it alone...the rest fo the mods were just personal taste kicking in!
 
Re: Highway One Tele

I love my Hwy 1 Tele - nice lightweight body, fast neck, solid construction and i actually even like the stock pickups. Someday I'll probably throw some Duncans in there, but it definitely sounds like a Tele should right out of the box.

Only thing to note about the Hwy 1s is the thin matte finish - pesonally I think it looks really cool and it naturally "relics" very easily (wears away in spots and chips off with minimal impact). It also seems to let the wood resonate more. Again, I think this is cool, but if you're one of those guys who MUST keep their axe in pristine mint condition, then it might not be for you - it's gonna start looking "roadwarn" after some gigging.
 
Re: Highway One Tele

I had a Highway 1 and it was a great guitar once I changed the neck on it. I traded a guy the neck for a MIM Classic 50's neck. It was much better after that. I also routed the body and made a pickup and pickguard change. Rushofblood has that Tele now.
 
Re: Highway One Tele

first thing i'd do is compensated saddles...

i like the HWY1 line... i like the Teles more then the strats in that model line... i've found a few HWY1 teles that were nice but everytime i try a HWY1 Strat they seem dead to me... might just be my luck... LOL
 
Re: Highway One Tele

The Highway 1 stuff is the best line Fender's producing right now...

when i decide to get one it'll probably be a Texas Tele similar to SoSomething's...they're the perfect blend of what i like in a modern guitar and what i need in a vintage-style Tele.

Honestly, it doesn't make sense to me to spend any more or less money than the Highway 1. Less money and you get an import with the tone-sucking inch-thick poly gloss finish and cheaper wood and hardware...more money and you're getting the same quality wood with maybe a better bridge and tuners...and the tone-sucking inch-thick poly gloss finish hahahaha...

I like the pickups a lot...vintage but midrangey for good bite and crunch. I dunno what the Greasebucket thing is all about but whatever. I don't think you get a better Telecaster by spending more and getting into the American Standards and "vintage" series...you just get a different one. :smokin:
 
Re: Highway One Tele

Butch Snyder said:
I had a Highway 1 and it was a great guitar once I changed the neck on it. I traded a guy the neck for a MIM Classic 50's neck. It was much better after that. I also routed the body and made a pickup and pickguard change. Rushofblood has that Tele now.
Click to expand...

+ it's great. I found a good deal on an american standard later on, but at this point I'm thinking about getting rid of that and keeping the butch tele...snappy.
 
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