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Fender Highway1 Stratocaster
List: $1,450
The Highway1 (H1) series of instruments by Fender is the latest addition to the American family, which made a debut in 2003. Unlike its American Series brethren, the H1 models feature both vintage & modern features & prominently identified by the peculiar satin finished body. The H1 is American in its entirety but the hardware & electronics are non-American makes.
Construction/ Fit/ Finish
This H1 strat is an extension of Fender`s superb construction & fitting, which is virtually faultless. The modern appointments here are largely attributable to the neck- 22, jumbo fretted, C-profile; a very grab-&-play feel awaits eager players. The tuners feature non-staggered machine heads which necessitated a pair of string trees you see here. Moving on to the neck-body joint, keeping true to the vintage appointment, there isn`t a micro-tilt feature. It`s the old shim-in-the-pocket trick if you wish to rectify your neck`s tilt anomaly.
The body features the familiar trio layout of single coils which aren`t hum canceling in any combination. The bridge pickup is also devoid of tonal manipulation for an accurate vintage brightness. Completing the vintage specification is the vibrato bridge which sports those protruding height adjustment screws we all love to file down. They do get in the way but keep in mind that they have been tried & tested over time- they work well despite being irksome.
The contentious body finish is described by the manufacturer as a `satin lacquer` overcoat which is very thin & absolutely scratch & dent prone. If your heart skips a beat every time that happens, steer clear of the H1 series. The satin finish is polyurethane/ polyester-free to give you that intriguing matt appearance.
Playability/ Tone
This guitar is a typical Fender by another manifestation & remains playable to the max. speed freaks will appreciate the jumbo frets which makes them feel absolutely at home next to a proverbial bluesman, a very thoughtful inclusion.
Nothing beats the maple fretboard + single coil tone of a Fender- nothing. That excellence is preserved by this H1 strat, the alnico single coils sing beautifully clean/ with a healthy dose of Tubescreamer drive. Under high gain setting, the tone control-free bridge unit proves to be a menace, unlike the middle & neck counterparts which remain demure. These are after all vintage output units; they weren`t conceived to prove anything in the distortion domain, this you must understand. The thin satin finish lets the pickup sing through beautifully. What you get to hear is the emulation of a relic Fender; sweet toned while remaining tastefully bright.
Last say
If you think the H1 is all about cost cutting, then you`ve missed the point. This range of instruments was produced under the `Everything you need, nothing you don`t` philosophy, to quote the manufacturer. The H1 strat is a no frills guitar, possessing the essential components to make it a very good player without the costly refinements which add marginally to tone. This strat will be dismissed by players who value looks over tone. It will also put certain would be buyers into disillusion- why pay for an American guitar which isn`t entirely American? Regardless of your personal bout with any of the H1 offering, it`s a fantastic unit per se; you dislike it because you prefer something else, not because it`s a lousy instrument.
