NGD: Fender American Standard HSS Strat

Powdered Toast Man

Powdered Toast Man

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Today I did something sort of on impulse. I straight up traded my Fender EC Vibro Champ (tweed Champ RI with tremolo) for this Sunburst Am Std Strat! I wasn't using the Champ much and realized I could bear to part with it. The Strat is a 2012 and has the Fat 50's singles and a Diamondback Humbucker. The only thing missing was the original molded hard shell case. It case with a generic tolex covered case but the funny thing is I actually picked up one of those new Fender molded cases about a month ago so I've actually got the proper case for it. Value wise I think I won the trade.

Just finished taking it all apart and giving it a proper cleaning and adjustment. Plays nice!

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Re: NGD: Fender American Standard HSS Strat

Why that's real nice Toast Man. I like that a lot. Needs a Duncan 'bucker though. Looks like the color is parchment?
 
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Re: NGD: Fender American Standard HSS Strat

ehdwuld said:
Nice

Black guard coming?
Click to expand...

Hmm wasn't really thinking of doing it to the Strat. I kinda like the classic look of the white on SB on Strats. Telecasters on the other hand require a black guard.

Besides, I've already got that look down.

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Re: NGD: Fender American Standard HSS Strat

A black pickguard will look beautiful on it. I sold my sunburst strat and I'm dying to get another. I always had a soft spot for this Color since it reminds me so much of 50s strats.. I had a black pickguard as well... I miss it :(
 
Re: NGD: Fender American Standard HSS Strat

Very nice. I dig the white/aged white contrast. One of my Strats have that. If........I were to swap it out, it would be for a red tortoise...
 
Re: NGD: Fender American Standard HSS Strat

Very nice guitar and I love the sunburst and maple FB. I own a '98 American Std. in my avatar but I would like someday get a HSS Strat like yours. Congrats.



;>)/
 
Re: NGD: Fender American Standard HSS Strat

Cool. I'd leave it as is, but if I were moving to SSS, I'd do Fat 50's/Surfer Custom on a mint green guard.

I thought of you today, when remembering you bought a Vibro King. I've played them before, but want to know if you love yours or if the honeymoon phase faded for whatever reason. I'm actually in a sell off phase, and a guy with a VK keeps tempting me with a trade.
 
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Re: NGD: Fender American Standard HSS Strat

Gearjoneser said:
Cool. I'd leave it as is, but if I were moving to SSS, I'd do Fat 50's/Surfer Custom on a mint green guard.

I thought of you today, when remembering you bought a Vibro King. I've played them before, but want to know if you love yours or if the honeymoon phase faded for whatever reason. I'm actually in a sell off phase, and a guy with a VK keeps tempting me with a trade.
Click to expand...

Do. Not. Buy. A. Vibro. King.

That stupid amp is loaded with cheap IC caps and Chinese transformers. I've already had the power transformer fail on me and issues with the Reverb power tube redplating. The tremolo ticks as well.

The only reason I've still got it is I'm several hundred dollars into the amp and now I've fixed all the problems. I ended up paying my own tech to do the work because my local Fender authorized shop isn't worth the hassle.

They're junk. Plain and simple. Hand wired from the same parts they put in their Hot Rod series Amps.
 
Re: NGD: Fender American Standard HSS Strat

One week in review:
Cleaned it up, decked the bridge, adjusted the setup, restrung it. The neck is wonderful and it plays beautifully. Even though it's a bit on the heavy side I feel like this might be one of those "muse" guitars. It's inspiring all kinds of creativity whenever I pick it up! The 2008-2016 American Standard necks are some of the best Fender has ever made IMHO. I've got a 2009 AmStd Tele and the neck is equally great on it. The frets are a perfect size and the action is nice and low with almost no string buzz.

The bridge humbucker is interesting. I've heard of pickups being described as "honky" before but never really understood it until now. The bridge pickup is kinda honky. It's not a bad thing mind you, it's just different than what I'm used to (All my other guitars have SC bridge pickups). I'm still learning what it can do and how to coax different tones out of it.

The middle and neck are Fender Fat 50's. I've got these pickups on my other Strat and somehow these seem a tad different (could be the pickup heights?). I've seen them described on Strat forums as one of the best Strat pickup sets ever made. They certainly sound great to my ears! The middle pickup in particular is wonderful. They're glassy and snappy. Exactly what you would expect from a good Strat pickup.

Overall this Strat is nice. Real nice. Acoustically (unplugged) it's not the most vibrant guitar I've got but plugged in it sounds excellent. Even with the weight I'm probably going to hang onto it because I love the neck so much. A guitar that makes you want to play is good to have!
 
Re: NGD: Fender American Standard HSS Strat

When I was younger I perceived many humbuckers as honky and so didn't like them; took Duncan's to relieve that perception for the most part.
 
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