Derek L Allen from Nashville, Tn
valtiels_requiem@hotmail.com
Subject:
For Vintage lovers who don't mind tinkering.
Quality:
For starters, this guitar is meant to be a lower priced entry point to American Strat's, not unlike a V6 Mustang. Unlike the 'Stang, however, there's a really good chance that you won't be disappointed with this guitar's performance 6 months down the line. Cheap guitar's go south fast, and real cheap guitars never play well to begin with. This axe was built to last, though, and American made is still American made.
Reliability:
All American Strat's are built in California, and all things considered I don't see this guitar going anywhere soon. The truth is, my first guitar ever was an Affinity Squier Strat made in who knows where, and to this day after all the cutting, chopping, rewiring and other modding I did to it, it still plays. I haven't had the HO for long but like all American Strats, this is the kinda guitar that lasts a lifetime.
Overall:
If you like vintage styled guitars, and don't mind some modding, this can be the best axe you've ever played. To be fair, a lot of players I've talked too loved this guitar out of the box, but I thought it had pickups a little too hot for my tastes. I switched out for a Dimarzio Area '58 in the bridge and a Dimarzio HS-3 in the neck position, and I left the middle alone only because I rarely use it. You should be able to get both of these units on this website. Strat's are known for being modified, and the reason I bought the Highway One instead of the standard American or the American Deluxe, was simply because I knew that I wouldn't leave it alone no matter what anyways. The Highway One is as reliable as any other American Strat, but at the same time I saw it as a clean slate to work on. At the end of the day, I couldn't have asked for a better guitar.
Playability and Feel:
As an owner of countless axes, I have everything from a Gibson set neck, an Ibanez contoured heel bolt on, a shaped set neck that looks like a neck through joint, and I also have true neck through body guitars. The Fender heel joint is classic, and very boxy. It never seems to interfere with my playing on the upper registers, and the neck is smooth and fast, and fairly average thickness. If you're spoiled by neck through guitars or super flat, super thin Ibanez Wizard necks, this guitar could take some getting used to. Most players probably started out with a guitar who's neck very closely resembled this ones, though. Tried and true Fender. Controls are typical Fender, too, and it should be noted to any Malmsteen fans that you basically need the volume control as close as possible to the center of the strings in order to get his violin-like volume swell runs. No other guitar puts the volume closer than a Strat.
Tone:
Pickups were too hot for me as I stated before, I switched for Area '58 and HS-3, both by Dimarzio.
Finish:
Thin satin finish, thin enough to see the wood grain, and I got mine in honey blonde so it automatically looks like an aged white paint job. Very cool. If you take extremely good care of it, the finish may last, but even Fender makes no attempt to hide that this finish was meant to wear down quickly, thus achieving a vintage look sooner rather than later. Very well done, overall.
Action:
Action was pretty normal for most well made guitars, I always adjust everything to my tastes anyways, though. It didn't need neck adjustments or fret leveling, and believe me that's worth noting, I've bought a lemon or two along the road and it is possible.
Do you own this product?:
Yes