One suggestion: when comparing two Strats, please play the SAME licks on both, regardless of the pickups! Very misleading for those who may be relying on a video to make a sound purchase online or sight-unseen! Otherwise, nice playing and two very nice guitars! I have both of them and also have a Super Sonic. The only difference, which is really not much of a difference, is that my American Standard is a 60th Anniversary edition. It just kinda happened that way.
The specials are great,I have the hss strat and the telecaster.The price is lower than the standard because they used stock parts and hardware that were not being used in the standard anymore,vintage trem,free-flyte spring trees,large headstock necks.Add to these the texas special pickups (not really trendy these days),the grease bucket circuit,satin finished necks and not so beautiful maple for the latter,and not to forget the gig bag.The result is that you have the same quality as the standards but with features of past models that fender considers out of date.You get beautiful tone,great tone in fact just as if you have a years gone by standard,and it's great in it's own right.Really liked the vintage bridge on the telecaster with brass saddles,ore teleesque than the standard I can assure you,tried the standard before buying and the special really sang.
Both are great guitars. I changed my standard over a special and no regrets here. Standards are better finished and they have a cleaner tone, perfect for John Mayer kinda sound. But the Specials have that SRV and Hendrix power that please me more, besides that bending is a lot easier on the Specials. I am a blues/classic rock guitarist, thus I prefer the Specials. Summary: it will strong depends on the taste and feeling of each guitarist. Rock on!
I thank this video and the people who commented here because you guys helped me making my decision of buying an American Special Strat. I'm very happy with my acquisition.
In this video, I actually did favor the Special; however, I took an American Standard and American Special testing them beside each other with all of the knobs set to the same specs. The Special is probably better if you really need something harder, but the Standard is much cleaner, more articulate, and more of a multi-genre well made guitar. I prefer the Standard after actually playing them, but I did prefer the Special on here.
I would never play metal with a stratocaster, but I would say that they Special had overwound pickups with a very hot output. You could get away with hard rock on that guitar. The Standard has a more HD sound. Way better for replicating that bell like tone of your blues and jazz heroes and that tone is good because you can simply color it by adding effect pedlas or turning up the gain.
A big thing he forgot to mention here is the fact the Specials come with JUMBO frets as opposed to medium jumbo frets like the Standard (and most other fenders) come with. The neck plays much differently. Jumbo frets are the biggest fret Dunlop makes. The American Special is an awesome guitar, great for those looking for bigger Strat tone and more aggressive playing. Purchased it over the standard after playing each one for a few hours at the local guitar shop!
Thanks for the info. Curious if you think the larger frets accounts for any of that fatter tone you speak of? Do ya think it’s just the pickups or the frets and neck/headstock too?
@@SeemsLikeSomething Now that I've owned the guitar for years, I'd have to say it's the whole package. The jumbo frets allow me to play more aggressively, which lended itself to a bigger, snappier sound with plenty of sustain to boot. According to Fender's website "jumbo fret wire can provide easier playability with better sustain, tone and bending because you don’t have to press as hard to fret the strings." I've always loved the feel of the jumbo frets, although some purists may prefer the standard medium jumbos. It comes down to preference, really. Coupled with a full set of Texas Special pickups (the same set found on the SRV signature Strat) and Greasebucket tone circuit (developed by Fender for Billy Gibbons), you've got plenty off beef to work with for anything from Texas blues to Pink Floyd, in my opinion. With all this aside, your amp matters a lot, as do your pedals, and to some degree, your strings. The player matters too! End of the day, my opinion doesn't really matter - the only opinion that matters is the one from your hands. It doesn't seem like Fender makes this exact guitar anymore - their entire American series has been revamped since this video was posted. Closest I could find was the American Performer. However, it does seem like Guitar Center and a few other retailers may still carry the American Special, and you could certainly find these used as well. If you can find it, I'd definitely compare it against Fender's current standard Strat option as well the American Performer. Hope that helps, good luck!
Steven J. Funny you mention the performer. It has the Yosemite pups and I think it has grease bucket also? I built a strat recently. We got a premade neck. A licensed by fender one. 21 fret, larger headstock, maple. But it was unfinished. So I finished it in a unique way. We made the body out of a huge block of ash. Took a long time. But anyway, we used a combination of specs from the ‘62 blueprint and the performer series. Ended up getting a loaded pickguard with Yosemite in there. I like it. Sounds good. But our frets are more vintage spec. So was curious about the fret thing ya mentioned. I tend to go for smaller frets. Narrow tall. But I’ve heard most players prefer the larger ones like you.
@@SeemsLikeSomething Sounds like a sweet axe! Yeah, I'm curious about the Yosemite pups myself. Would like to take a look at the new American Performer series and see how it compares to the Specials.
Steven J. Definitely try a performer for yourself because I found the videos online not very accurate to the actual sound of the pups. They sounded kinda shrill in most reviews but in person, they sound pretty good! The bridge is definitely a bit too brittle but it reacts nicely to some EQ and higher gain settings. I’m mostly on neck or neck/middle, personally. I’d judge them as an odd combination of vintage and modern in their sound. I think if I HAD to choose, I’d lean toward Texas specials or something with a bit more of that classic strat sound, but the Yosemites are probably a better option for versatility. Have ya tried the ultra series yet? I liked the new generation of noise cancellation pups. Much truer sounding now.
Mmm i think that the Special sounds more like the original strat concept , crunchy and high . Better for rythm play and more natural sound in general. I will buy this one!
I got an incoming American Special in Olympic white. I'm a major fan of both Texas specials as well as the greasebucket technology. To myself the TS pups blow away the fat 50s. I've tried them both out. Every Strat I've ever played with TSs rocked. I have many electrics. I also have a 2007 Fender Deluxe Stratocaster which is really great.
Bought a special recently, aside from changing the machine heads to locking ones and replacing the vintage saddles with blocks it sounds great! It has that hendrix SRV sound which I personally love and mine has a humbucker in the bridge for the extra power, although it isnt amazing it still gets the job done. The wiring is excellent as well, tone does not sacrifice any treble at all so it doesn't make the guitar sound like its underwater.
I have owned a 40th anniversary for a long time, recently bought the standard.. glad I did. The special is a great guitar, but I just love the 50s pickups through my blues deluxe. It's perfect to my ears. Weird going to a 9.5"radius vs the vintage 7.25" on the anniversary. I'm trying to like it!
one thing not mentioned is that for some insane reason the standard has skinny little medium frets and the special has jumbos. makes it a clear choice for me. any strat ive ever owned with medium or medium jumbo frets has had a short life span and needs a fret job or new neck every 3 years.
Very true, that's a huge difference worth mentioning. But, I think you're wrong, the Standard has Medium-Jumbo, not Medium. Yes the Special has Jumbo, and also doesn't have the crappy gloss on the fingerboard that the Standard has. It would be a WAY better Strat than the Standard if it had a 2-point trem. The new Professional Series has Tall-Thin. Maybe people will like those at FIRST, until they are worn out and need a fret job. For now, the Special is $400 USD less than the Professional Series. Obviously, the Special will be getting a $100 price increase soon when Fender realizes that they are trying to charge $400 more for their Flagship guitar when it's barely worth $1 more. But marketing, brainwashing, and stocking the stores with many more Pro Series than Specials will maintain its spot as the bigger seller.
lol 2 point trems are ass you've never used callahams or played a real vintage strat have you? the special is far superior in everyway. especially when you start talking neck finishes, frets, bridges, not just the pickups. the 70s headstock contributes to better tone, ask henderson about that no one mentions the soft "deluxe" gig bag vs the hardshell case that the standard comes with either. that's what changes the price the most i'd imagine
Never really taken a standard for a proper spin but I do have the American special in 2 tone sunburst SSS and its by far the best guitar I think I’ve ever owned!! Paid 700 Canadian for it used ( trades another guitar straight across)
I actually owned a couple of American Specials. My last one, took the TS out and installed the Fat 50s. It sounded sweet playing clean, but man, don't think about adding any distortion. They sound like crap distorted. So, it is a matter of taste and playing style. I ended up throwing some Custom Shop 69s in. The best of both worlds for my taste. Vintage enough for the clean stuff, and enough girth for good balanced distorted sound. They are smoother than the TS, but fuller and rounder than the Fat 50s. Really great pickups. Only downside - middle pickup is not RW/RP. Oh well.
same here mate, bought the 2012 standard to find out that the fat 50s are a pile of shite. soon as you add overdrive they sound like fart,no bell like tone comes through,gutted
The special has a much more boom to its tone, I have the '12 American std. (My first, I come from the Les Paul side and when I played my strat it was love at first "fret"). I also just put an ACME Toneshaper in and the guitar is perfect now. (I use the serial wiring selector on the second tone knob and the volume mod) I was toying with buying a Mexi strat with rosewood neck and fralins with a Toneshaper until I heard this baby. Thank you, I'm going to try out this one and see if it's my number 2).
Note that the Special doesn't come with a case. Another reason it cost less. IMO the Tex Mex p/u's have more backbone and the satin finish makes a faster neck. Same with the Am. Spec. Tele. Try em', you'll like !
The fat 50's pickups I found to be terrible. They had no life and no real response to they way I was playing. Changed them almost instantly. Recently bought a special from a friend, the surf green one. Texas specials sound fantastic! The do everything from glassy to balls out rock! And who doesn't love that big headstock :D
+GinGer Liam I totally disagree. the Fat 50's have way more versatility and clean up way better than Texas specials and I think the big head stock just creates more tuning problems with it's double string tree and detracts from the looks of a classy guitar. it's just cheaper and a way of holding down cost
+Ken Aiello Yeah a lot of people like them! Seems they're well suited to the 'classic' fender player. I found they didn't take overdrive as well as Texas specials. All my strats have humbuckers in now though, so may well be talking bollocks :D
And the specials are more versatile in my opinion,I don't agree on their lack of finesse with clean tones,that of course is if your idea of a strat is an effects platform,which the specials are not,they carry their own character.
I have wanted another strat for quite a while and I have been looking for years for just the right one. stratocasters have 5 different neck designs, and five different fret shapes, the pickups I haven't counted but I finally found something close to what I want ( modern C neck, HSS texas specials, ) with jumbo frets I am not so happy with jumbo frets but I will try to live with them for now, ( I find they go sharp if you don't play with the exactly the right amount of pressure on the strings. the humbucker sounds "BAD" supposed to be a JB copy "they missed the mark by a mile, the single coil pickups are an old design for a different neck radius that makes the D&G poles so high that my pick catches on them, at the same time thew B&E strings loose sound because they are too low. took it back to a fender service tech and he said it's a design issue - and it's with in specs so nothing he could do, I called Fender and the reply I got was "it is what it is" and we aren't going to authorize any repairs or replacement of parts. the only option the tech gave me was to spend another $500 -$700 in mods that I would have to pay for!!! NOT HAPPY WITH FENDER !!AFTER SALES SERVICE - SUX!! also- never judge a guitar or it's tone from the internet
no,go with the special.its more versatile,cheaper and better looking and has nicer pickups. do NOT listen to steve g,he actually endorses squire guitars.
I have an American Special just like that (ash + texas special pups). It looks great and I love the pups, but it has awful fretbuzz which can't be sorted out. I set up all my guitars (i.e. I'm no begginer in the field) but there is just no way around it. I believe it happens due to the lack of a biflex rod - my American Standard (with biflex rod) has virtually no buzz with much lower action.
ya me too, no matter what I have done, I can't get rid of the buzz. So I have to set the action really high but it still buzzes! Going to sell it, what a disappointment over all
Exactly same problem with my 2005 HW1... First it had no fret buzz, after changing strings i didn' t manage to set it up for no fret buzz. I took it to guitar maker and he told me sometimes truss rod can work in a way it twists the fretboard with adjusting. Simply, it's unadjustable guitar. Even i like her very much, it drives me crazy.. Friend's American Series has no fret buzz, hand rolled edges, weight less, feels smaller and plays like heaven...definitely the way to go for me next time ;-)
good to know. what about the standard strats. Any experience with them?its just amazing how much you pay for a strat and its virtually unplayable! ordered it online but ive learned never to do that again, some guitars are just funny like that. gonna do a rigorous test the next one a buy
Niall, i don' t say, it' s every AS or HW1, but this fact really disappointed me about (for me) expensive guitar.. regardind Mexican Standards, i owned 2001 MIM Telecaster and had the same issue.. What i use as reference is not 2K Suhr (which is fantastic), but 2-3 American Standards i played and will definitely buy next time..
...and yes, my 2005 HW1 had been ordered per post, Mexican Telecaster secondhand and i plan to definitely spend some hours in guitar shop before i'll buy next one..i plan to buy a American Series Telecaster, but want to choose the lighter one, which i prefer..another experience :-)
Hey! i have an american special and im gonna be doing some pretty decent live venues with my band, Would you recomend i invest in a standard strat or will my special be just as good. I really like it so i asume ill like the other one just as well.
I have the HSS and it's a great workhorse...sounds and plays great...the pickups have more punch than the USA standard. Yes please what is the song at 4:05?
What about the whammy bars? I understand that on Squire, you cant use them at all, on the Mexicans, you can do little wobbly things, but with dive bombs they go out of tune, but on American Standard, you can still stay in tune pretty nicely. So how does the Special compare with whammy bar abuse and staying in tune vs Standard?
Special has better pickups, but the Standard has a WAY better finish on the fretboard and neck. Standard is higher quality, don't let Fender fool you. I've owned multiple of both take my word for it.
+Hazelwood Guitars I think the custom shop 50's have way more versatility, sound MUCH better clean and give you more options in playing. Texas specials are a one trick pony!
Excuse me, I'm recently deciding which one to buy. But I can't find a store that has both models and let my try. What's the tone difference between Fat 50's and Texas Special? I think I'm probably more into those Texas Special sound, but not quite sure... Thank you!
Hello. The Texas Specials are much hotter and will push your amp in to a natural overdrive, The Fat 50s are slightly lower output and will perform better with clean tones.
Hello. I just got one of these for my older brother's 55th birthday. I am a Les Paul guy myself (R8) and know nothing of the strat. The vibrato tailpiece leaves much to be desired. I am going to lock it out or replace with a hard-tail. Is this possible? Any suggestion? Thank you.
You can fill the Tremelo cavity(in the back guitar) to block the tremelo converting it to a 'hardtail'.. but as for putting an actual hardtail on the strat by taking off the Tremelo bridge, that will be difficult. a really convenient and easy way to block the trem is to put a brass or wooden block in the space near the front of the trem block
reading the comments I`m surprised to see people saying American special sounds nicer than american standard, I saw videos where people say the mexican strats sounds better than American Standard !
I bought the sonic blue American special its an awesome guitar, in my opinion the 6 point tremolo is superior to the fender 2 point which I have wood cracking with and had to have repaired. G&l do a better job of a 2 point imo
The Bird I’m after one but I keep seeing so many of your guitar selling cheap especially the 2018 model. Any idea why? It’s making me think they’re not as good as I hoped. On eBay seen four in last month £500 after only 6-12months new
Tried both of these out, bought the am std. in olympic white / maple fretboard. I was really impressed with the fat 50's. They've just got a nice creamy vibe to em'. The texans were a bit harsh for my tastes.
The American special is the replacement to the highway one I think, I use to have a highway one but I lost it, I've bought a Mexican standard sunburst strat amazing guitar, I'm trying to save to buy a special
You know how it is. They slip through the pillows on your couch, vanish in the dryer, etc. all the time. I can't count how many times I've said to myself "man, I could have _sworn_ I had a Strat around here somewhere" only to have to go out and get a new one.
yes,i lost a 59 gibson les paul somewere,it was a perfect burst and it was just here,actually i was playing it and suddenly it was gone???wtf,i better call my insurance company.thank god for 100% value replacement insurance.
Yeah i know that feel bro. I've lost a '68 marshall 100 watts plexi while i was in the bathroom letting one lose. when i came back it was gone and the door knob was on the ceiling.
Hi! The trems on the Special are very good. I would say that they are very close to that of the American Standard. The Standard still has the edge though!
Fender American Special for the win. Texas special pickups have enough bark for the hard stuff, & plenty of smooth tone for the lighter style of playing.
the 2nd strat sounded the best to me. Only thing I'd change is that annoying as hell fat 70's headstock which is as charming as a rear ended ford pinto. Smaller headstock n that guitar would be perfect for me.
I got the Special over the Standard purely due to the CBS headstock and satin neck finish. It's a nicer looking and nicer neck to play. The pickups are arguably better too. I upgraded the gigbag to a Fender deluxe hardcase and feel like I have the better guitar.
+Vincent Costales do your fingers get hung up on the bottom (high E) side of the neck. I played a nitro with the same neck and my fingers were getting caught on the jumbo frets...not sure if it was in shit condition or just the way the jumbo frets stick out...would like to get the special however i dont want the frets to impede my playing hand
I also own this specific American Spoecial and it sounds great. I think it's the combination of ash and maple neck that give a vintage fender sound. If you ever heard a 57' Fender Mary Kay, you know what I mean.
+Vincent Costales I owned both but I couldn't send my American Special back fast enough, worst guitar I ever owned, no comparison to the American Standard. It's a huge jump in quality compared to a special
Steve G see this is what I suspected but not everyone can tell... like a squire with good pick ups in it haha, not to say if you’re good you can’t make a squire scream though
I laughed a bit because i imagined how racists back in the day might have used the same question to ask for someone's name. A: "Who is this color?" B: "That's Eugene you fuggen racist!"
+GAK Im going to buy my first fender stratocaster, but I dont know which of these two, considering that both are expensive, ive been reading reviews, some people say standard are way better, what do you recommend?
I can't stand that they put gloss on the fretboard. Their argument is the back of the neck gets sticky. Your palm encounters a lot less friction than your fingertips. Should have just made the whole thing satin like in the 90's to early 2000's. I'm regulated to rosewood boards now.
+Sgt. Pepper Between Tele, Strat, and LP, I have all 3 types of fb wood ( did you forget ebony?). After 40 years, I am no longer into looks and "Rosey" is my fav fb, Tone, tone,tone
Robert Markee I prefer richlite personally. There's no maintenance necessary to keep it looking sharp, there's no shrinkage resulting in sharp fret ends. I'll even take polymer (used on Fretlight guitars). There's no difference in tone. Sustain comes from contact mass (Tuners/nut/bridge/body). Tone comes from your play style, pickups, and amp.
You didn't mention the 2 string trees as opposed to one on the American Standard. Just built cheaper. I sent mine back the day I got it, it was totally unplayable. I'll stick with my American Standard with the fat 50's.( Fender's giving away those Texas specials on certain Mexican guitars) They sell for$999 and come with a gig bag no case. By the time your done paying for a quality set up and a case you could have bought a Real American Standard
One suggestion: when comparing two Strats, please play the SAME licks on both, regardless of the pickups! Very misleading for those who may be relying on a video to make a sound purchase online or sight-unseen!
Otherwise, nice playing and two very nice guitars! I have both of them and also have a Super Sonic. The only difference, which is really not much of a difference, is that my American Standard is a 60th Anniversary edition. It just kinda happened that way.
The specials are great,I have the hss strat and the telecaster.The price is lower than the standard because they used stock parts and hardware that were not being used in the standard anymore,vintage trem,free-flyte spring trees,large headstock necks.Add to these the texas special pickups (not really trendy these days),the grease bucket circuit,satin finished necks and not so beautiful maple for the latter,and not to forget the gig bag.The result is that you have the same quality as the standards but with features of past models that fender considers out of date.You get beautiful tone,great tone in fact just as if you have a years gone by standard,and it's great in it's own right.Really liked the vintage bridge on the telecaster with brass saddles,ore teleesque than the standard I can assure you,tried the standard before buying and the special really sang.
American special sounds way better to me!
You failed to mention the jumbo frets , and greasebucket tone circuit, on the American Special.
+PCollen YT Exactly!
I LOVE THE 70s HEADSTOCK!!!!!!!!!
Once ya get used to the bigger headstock, the smaller ones look silly and dinky. Especially the Tele. Lol
Both are great guitars. I changed my standard over a special and no regrets here. Standards are better finished and they have a cleaner tone, perfect for John Mayer kinda sound. But the Specials have that SRV and Hendrix power that please me more, besides that bending is a lot easier on the Specials. I am a blues/classic rock guitarist, thus I prefer the Specials. Summary: it will strong depends on the taste and feeling of each guitarist. Rock on!
I like the Special's sound better. I'm also a fan of late 60's big headstocks, and vintage tremolo bridges.
Good review but the switching angles and from black and white to color is really annoying and unnecessary. It's a guitar review, not an art film.
I thank this video and the people who commented here because you guys helped me making my decision of buying an American Special Strat. I'm very happy with my acquisition.
I've got the special hss. those jumbo frets make playing soooooo buttery smooth.
I do love my American Special!!!!
In this video, I actually did favor the Special; however, I took an American Standard and American Special testing them beside each other with all of the knobs set to the same specs. The Special is probably better if you really need something harder, but the Standard is much cleaner, more articulate, and more of a multi-genre well made guitar. I prefer the Standard after actually playing them, but I did prefer the Special on here.
when you say harder, you you mean like heavy metal or more just har classic rock?
I would never play metal with a stratocaster, but I would say that they Special had overwound pickups with a very hot output. You could get away with hard rock on that guitar. The Standard has a more HD sound. Way better for replicating that bell like tone of your blues and jazz heroes and that tone is good because you can simply color it by adding effect pedlas or turning up the gain.
A big thing he forgot to mention here is the fact the Specials come with JUMBO frets as opposed to medium jumbo frets like the Standard (and most other fenders) come with. The neck plays much differently. Jumbo frets are the biggest fret Dunlop makes. The American Special is an awesome guitar, great for those looking for bigger Strat tone and more aggressive playing. Purchased it over the standard after playing each one for a few hours at the local guitar shop!
Thanks for the info. Curious if you think the larger frets accounts for any of that fatter tone you speak of? Do ya think it’s just the pickups or the frets and neck/headstock too?
@@SeemsLikeSomething Now that I've owned the guitar for years, I'd have to say it's the whole package. The jumbo frets allow me to play more aggressively, which lended itself to a bigger, snappier sound with plenty of sustain to boot. According to Fender's website "jumbo fret wire can provide easier playability with better sustain, tone and bending because you don’t have to press as hard to fret the strings." I've always loved the feel of the jumbo frets, although some purists may prefer the standard medium jumbos. It comes down to preference, really. Coupled with a full set of Texas Special pickups (the same set found on the SRV signature Strat) and Greasebucket tone circuit (developed by Fender for Billy Gibbons), you've got plenty off beef to work with for anything from Texas blues to Pink Floyd, in my opinion. With all this aside, your amp matters a lot, as do your pedals, and to some degree, your strings. The player matters too! End of the day, my opinion doesn't really matter - the only opinion that matters is the one from your hands. It doesn't seem like Fender makes this exact guitar anymore - their entire American series has been revamped since this video was posted. Closest I could find was the American Performer. However, it does seem like Guitar Center and a few other retailers may still carry the American Special, and you could certainly find these used as well. If you can find it, I'd definitely compare it against Fender's current standard Strat option as well the American Performer. Hope that helps, good luck!
Steven J.
Funny you mention the performer. It has the Yosemite pups and I think it has grease bucket also? I built a strat recently. We got a premade neck. A licensed by fender one. 21 fret, larger headstock, maple. But it was unfinished. So I finished it in a unique way. We made the body out of a huge block of ash. Took a long time. But anyway, we used a combination of specs from the ‘62 blueprint and the performer series. Ended up getting a loaded pickguard with Yosemite in there. I like it. Sounds good. But our frets are more vintage spec. So was curious about the fret thing ya mentioned. I tend to go for smaller frets. Narrow tall. But I’ve heard most players prefer the larger ones like you.
@@SeemsLikeSomething Sounds like a sweet axe! Yeah, I'm curious about the Yosemite pups myself. Would like to take a look at the new American Performer series and see how it compares to the Specials.
Steven J.
Definitely try a performer for yourself because I found the videos online not very accurate to the actual sound of the pups. They sounded kinda shrill in most reviews but in person, they sound pretty good! The bridge is definitely a bit too brittle but it reacts nicely to some EQ and higher gain settings. I’m mostly on neck or neck/middle, personally. I’d judge them as an odd combination of vintage and modern in their sound. I think if I HAD to choose, I’d lean toward Texas specials or something with a bit more of that classic strat sound, but the Yosemites are probably a better option for versatility. Have ya tried the ultra series yet? I liked the new generation of noise cancellation pups. Much truer sounding now.
Stop switching between B&W and color - its annoying, not artistic.
:)
Also, get the video in focus!
Mmm i think that the Special sounds more like the original strat concept , crunchy and high . Better for rythm play and more natural sound in general. I will buy this one!
+Dario Iscaro You can think whatever you want but the quality of the American Standard is far superior to the Special IMO
+Steve G mmmm it depends on what you play on each one hehe
what you play has very little to do with the quality of the instrument, hehe
no it isnt,the american standard is just a squire bullet with a water slide decal.
The song at 4:05 sounds like a variation of Gravity, by John Mayer.
Nick was thinking exact same thing was definitely following along the lines of it lol
I got an incoming American Special in Olympic white. I'm a major fan of both Texas specials as well as the greasebucket technology. To myself the TS pups blow away the fat 50s. I've tried them both out. Every Strat I've ever played with TSs rocked. I have many electrics. I also have a 2007 Fender Deluxe Stratocaster which is really great.
Bought a special recently, aside from changing the machine heads to locking ones and replacing the vintage saddles with blocks it sounds great! It has that hendrix SRV sound which I personally love and mine has a humbucker in the bridge for the extra power, although it isnt amazing it still gets the job done. The wiring is excellent as well, tone does not sacrifice any treble at all so it doesn't make the guitar sound like its underwater.
i have a spec strat and i dont understnad why pepole complain about the finish its really niice!!!!
i prefered the American Standard!
Well done.I got the same modell and it keeps me a lot of time to fix it for me!But now its GREAT Strat,good tones,good handling.
Well done that man - beautiful playing - loved the demo as a result.
The Texas special pickups sounds great and seem to have more punch than the American standard ones
I have owned a 40th anniversary for a long time, recently bought the standard.. glad I did. The special is a great guitar, but I just love the 50s pickups through my blues deluxe. It's perfect to my ears. Weird going to a 9.5"radius vs the vintage 7.25" on the anniversary. I'm trying to like it!
Greetings. I have both guitars, I can say that they both have an incredible sound, they just work for different styles.
I like the fender American Standard Stratocaster with rosewood Fretboard there cool guitar and Fender American Special SSS with rosewood fretboard
one thing not mentioned is that for some insane reason the standard has skinny little medium frets and the special has jumbos. makes it a clear choice for me. any strat ive ever owned with medium or medium jumbo frets has had a short life span and needs a fret job or new neck every 3 years.
Very true, that's a huge difference worth mentioning. But, I think you're wrong, the Standard has Medium-Jumbo, not Medium. Yes the Special has Jumbo, and also doesn't have the crappy gloss on the fingerboard that the Standard has. It would be a WAY better Strat than the Standard if it had a 2-point trem. The new Professional Series has Tall-Thin. Maybe people will like those at FIRST, until they are worn out and need a fret job. For now, the Special is $400 USD less than the Professional Series. Obviously, the Special will be getting a $100 price increase soon when Fender realizes that they are trying to charge $400 more for their Flagship guitar when it's barely worth $1 more. But marketing, brainwashing, and stocking the stores with many more Pro Series than Specials will maintain its spot as the bigger seller.
Let's not forget Special has significantly larger "vintage" steel tremolo block, and it sustains forever...
lol 2 point trems are ass you've never used callahams or played a real vintage strat have you?
the special is far superior in everyway. especially when you start talking neck finishes, frets, bridges, not just the pickups. the 70s headstock contributes to better tone, ask henderson about that
no one mentions the soft "deluxe" gig bag vs the hardshell case that the standard comes with either. that's what changes the price the most i'd imagine
really nice melody you played on the FSR, thanks for the demo
John Mayer's 'Gravity'.
wtf is up with the B&W color switch? Make it stooooop !
Never really taken a standard for a proper spin but I do have the American special in 2 tone sunburst SSS and its by far the best guitar I think I’ve ever owned!! Paid 700 Canadian for it used ( trades another guitar straight across)
I actually owned a couple of American Specials. My last one, took the TS out and installed the Fat 50s. It sounded sweet playing clean, but man, don't think about adding any distortion. They sound like crap distorted. So, it is a matter of taste and playing style. I ended up throwing some Custom Shop 69s in. The best of both worlds for my taste. Vintage enough for the clean stuff, and enough girth for good balanced distorted sound. They are smoother than the TS, but fuller and rounder than the Fat 50s. Really great pickups. Only downside - middle pickup is not RW/RP. Oh well.
same here mate, bought the 2012 standard to find out that the fat 50s are a pile of shite. soon as you add overdrive they sound like fart,no bell like tone comes through,gutted
William Simmons no way-- I'm taking the same route with my Special Strat.
William Simmons whats rw rpv?
Reduces the hum when in the 2nd and 4th positions. Reverse wound and reverse polarity on the middle pickup.
The special has a much more boom to its tone, I have the '12 American std. (My first, I come from the Les Paul side and when I played my strat it was love at first "fret"). I also just put an ACME Toneshaper in and the guitar is perfect now. (I use the serial wiring selector on the second tone knob and the volume mod)
I was toying with buying a Mexi strat with rosewood neck and fralins with a Toneshaper until I heard this baby.
Thank you, I'm going to try out this one and see if it's my number 2).
i really like the am special. especially like that fat headstock :D
Note that the Special doesn't come with a case. Another reason it cost less. IMO the Tex Mex p/u's have more backbone and the satin finish makes a faster neck. Same with the Am. Spec. Tele. Try em', you'll like !
There not Tex Mex pickups in the specials, there Texas Specials!
Thank you for the great review!
I think on that particular color the special strat comes with an ash body. On the surf green and the candy apple red colours, they carry alder bodies.
nope its alder only the sienna sunburst comes with ash. At least my guitar (identically specced to the one in the video) sure looks like alder.
sacredgeometry No, it's ash. I also have it and it is ash for sure.
Marcelo Valença Ramos me too and the fender website says alder :)
... goes and triple checks
Model Name: American Standard Stratocaster®, Rosewood Fingerboard, 3-Color Sunburst
Body Material: Alder
Is it bad to like being right :)
I like the special!
The fat 50's pickups I found to be terrible. They had no life and no real response to they way I was playing. Changed them almost instantly.
Recently bought a special from a friend, the surf green one. Texas specials sound fantastic! The do everything from glassy to balls out rock! And who doesn't love that big headstock :D
+GinGer Liam I totally disagree. the Fat 50's have way more versatility and clean up way better than Texas specials and I think the big head stock just creates more tuning problems with it's double string tree and detracts from the looks of a classy guitar. it's just cheaper and a way of holding down cost
Most reviews i read the fats are the most popular!
+Ken Aiello Yeah a lot of people like them! Seems they're well suited to the 'classic' fender player. I found they didn't take overdrive as well as Texas specials.
All my strats have humbuckers in now though, so may well be talking bollocks :D
I love the Fat 50's unless all you play is metal in my opinion they are a fantastic pickup
whats you pickup heights at? MM so far mines low E 3mm high E 2 mm or 2.5
I'll pass on those Fat 50's, I swapped mine out, I hated them. Love my Am Strat now.
I think it sounds better than an American Standard.
WHAT A BEAUTY VERY NICE SOUND AND COLOUR
Can you still get that particular special strat?
Came for the guitar, stayed for the beard.
And the specials are more versatile in my opinion,I don't agree on their lack of finesse with clean tones,that of course is if your idea of a strat is an effects platform,which the specials are not,they carry their own character.
You're playing style is quite Clapton esqe, nice man
You had me at "Texas"
just picked a American Special up today when i first got it i tho i was going to dislike it but i was wrong i really enjoying playing it lol
the special sounds so good. i prefer the special sound
I have an HSS Am Spec, and IMO the Texas Specials blow away the Fat 50's, but it's a matter of taste.
I have wanted another strat for quite a while and I have been looking for years for just the right one.
stratocasters have 5 different neck designs, and five different fret shapes, the pickups I haven't counted
but I finally found something close to what I want ( modern C neck, HSS texas specials, ) with jumbo frets
I am not so happy with jumbo frets but I will try to live with them for now, ( I find they go sharp if you don't play with the exactly the right amount of pressure on the strings. the humbucker sounds "BAD" supposed to be a JB copy "they missed the mark by a mile, the single coil pickups are an old design for a different neck radius that makes the D&G poles so high that my pick catches on them, at the same time thew B&E strings loose sound because they are too low. took it back to a fender service tech and he said it's a design issue - and it's with in specs so nothing he could do, I called Fender and the reply I got was "it is what it is" and we aren't going to authorize any repairs or replacement of parts. the only option the tech gave me was to spend another $500 -$700 in mods that I would have to pay for!!! NOT HAPPY WITH FENDER !!AFTER SALES SERVICE - SUX!! also- never judge a guitar or it's tone from the internet
I like how the fender special sound much more kick i don't know which guitar is better?
+guitar9874 Go with the American Standard you will feel the difference when you play them!
no,go with the special.its more versatile,cheaper and better looking and has nicer pickups.
do NOT listen to steve g,he actually endorses squire guitars.
I have an American Special just like that (ash + texas special pups). It looks great and I love the pups, but it has awful fretbuzz which can't be sorted out. I set up all my guitars (i.e. I'm no begginer in the field) but there is just no way around it. I believe it happens due to the lack of a biflex rod - my American Standard (with biflex rod) has virtually no buzz with much lower action.
ya me too, no matter what I have done, I can't get rid of the buzz. So I have to set the action really high but it still buzzes! Going to sell it, what a disappointment over all
Exactly same problem with my 2005 HW1... First it had no fret buzz, after changing strings i didn' t manage to set it up for no fret buzz. I took it to guitar maker and he told me sometimes truss rod can work in a way it twists the fretboard with adjusting. Simply, it's unadjustable guitar. Even i like her very much, it drives me crazy.. Friend's American Series has no fret buzz, hand rolled edges, weight less, feels smaller and plays like heaven...definitely the way to go for me next time ;-)
good to know. what about the standard strats. Any experience with them?its just amazing how much you pay for a strat and its virtually unplayable! ordered it online but ive learned never to do that again, some guitars are just funny like that. gonna do a rigorous test the next one a buy
Niall, i don' t say, it' s every AS or HW1, but this fact really disappointed me about (for me) expensive guitar.. regardind Mexican Standards, i owned 2001 MIM Telecaster and had the same issue.. What i use as reference is not 2K Suhr (which is fantastic), but 2-3 American Standards i played and will definitely buy next time..
...and yes, my 2005 HW1 had been ordered per post, Mexican Telecaster secondhand and i plan to definitely spend some hours in guitar shop before i'll buy next one..i plan to buy a American Series Telecaster, but want to choose the lighter one, which i prefer..another experience :-)
Hey! i have an american special and im gonna be doing some pretty decent live venues with my band, Would you recomend i invest in a standard strat or will my special be just as good. I really like it so i asume ill like the other one just as well.
I have the HSS and it's a great workhorse...sounds and plays great...the pickups have more punch than the USA standard. Yes please what is the song at 4:05?
john fucking mayer gravity
What about the whammy bars? I understand that on Squire, you cant use them at all, on the Mexicans, you can do little wobbly things, but with dive bombs they go out of tune, but on American Standard, you can still stay in tune pretty nicely. So how does the Special compare with whammy bar abuse and staying in tune vs Standard?
Interesting comparaisons ! How do you get this nice blond color ? The only ones i saw was Red or 2 color Sunburst.
also the am std has the micro tilt, the case, the delta tone. a little more quality.
but i like the sound of the special more.
Which one is the best for the prize?
Special has better pickups, but the Standard has a WAY better finish on the fretboard and neck. Standard is higher quality, don't let Fender fool you. I've owned multiple of both take my word for it.
+iEnjoiCannabis Better is a relative term, too, I prefer the Texas Specials any day.
+Hazelwood Guitars I think the custom shop 50's have way more versatility, sound MUCH better clean and give you more options in playing. Texas specials are a one trick pony!
i have fat 50' in my 2014 strato american standard , ill change them whit a couple of texas special .
what king of string for a american special stratocaster do you recommand ?
+Gentle Math 9's its where the mojo begins
I think the American Special has jumbo frets too - also different than the Standard
Excuse me, I'm recently deciding which one to buy.
But I can't find a store that has both models and let my try.
What's the tone difference between Fat 50's and Texas Special?
I think I'm probably more into those Texas Special sound, but not quite sure...
Thank you!
What's the song being played at 4:03?
Idiot
I think it sounds like "gravity " by john mayer
People are saying Gravity, by John Mayer. But, I hear more of his own take of "Life Without You" by Stevie, due to the Texas pickups.
Hello. The Texas Specials are much hotter and will push your amp in to a natural overdrive, The Fat 50s are slightly lower output and will perform better with clean tones.
Hello. I just got one of these for my older brother's 55th birthday. I am a Les Paul guy myself (R8) and know nothing of the strat. The vibrato tailpiece leaves much to be desired. I am going to lock it out or replace with a hard-tail. Is this possible? Any suggestion? Thank you.
You can fill the Tremelo cavity(in the back guitar) to block the tremelo converting it to a 'hardtail'.. but as for putting an actual hardtail on the strat by taking off the Tremelo bridge, that will be difficult. a really convenient and easy way to block the trem is to put a brass or wooden block in the space near the front of the trem block
sound beautiful
reading the comments I`m surprised to see people saying American special sounds nicer than american standard, I saw videos where people say the mexican strats sounds better than American Standard !
I bought the sonic blue American special its an awesome guitar, in my opinion the 6 point tremolo is superior to the fender 2 point which I have wood cracking with and had to have repaired. G&l do a better job of a 2 point imo
The Bird I’m after one but I keep seeing so many of your guitar selling cheap especially the 2018 model. Any idea why? It’s making me think they’re not as good as I hoped. On eBay seen four in last month £500 after only 6-12months new
Tried both of these out, bought the am std. in olympic white / maple fretboard. I was really impressed with the fat 50's. They've just got a nice creamy vibe to em'. The texans were a bit harsh for my tastes.
Hi, would you be kind enough to mention the song at 4:02. thank you.
Gravity- John Mayer, maybe?
The American special is the replacement to the highway one I think, I use to have a highway one but I lost it, I've bought a Mexican standard sunburst strat amazing guitar, I'm trying to save to buy a special
You....you lost it?
You know how it is. They slip through the pillows on your couch, vanish in the dryer, etc. all the time. I can't count how many times I've said to myself "man, I could have _sworn_ I had a Strat around here somewhere" only to have to go out and get a new one.
yes,i lost a 59 gibson les paul somewere,it was a perfect burst and it was just here,actually i was playing it and suddenly it was gone???wtf,i better call my insurance company.thank god for 100% value replacement insurance.
Yeah i know that feel bro. I've lost a '68 marshall 100 watts plexi while i was in the bathroom letting one lose. when i came back it was gone and the door knob was on the ceiling.
ive had standards are deluxe n this american special is just as good,cracking guitar for the price
For sure the Texas Special sound far better !!!! Not to talk about the money
Hi! The trems on the Special are very good. I would say that they are very close to that of the American Standard. The Standard still has the edge though!
American Strats rule,
Fender American Special for the win. Texas special pickups have enough bark for the hard stuff, & plenty of smooth tone for the lighter style of playing.
Hey! What amplifier did u use for recording?
the 2nd strat sounded the best to me. Only thing I'd change is that annoying as hell fat 70's headstock which is as charming as a rear ended ford pinto. Smaller headstock n that guitar would be perfect for me.
CJ99 I love the cbs headstock
I got the Special over the Standard purely due to the CBS headstock and satin neck finish. It's a nicer looking and nicer neck to play. The pickups are arguably better too. I upgraded the gigbag to a Fender deluxe hardcase and feel like I have the better guitar.
nice playing!
American Special sounds better the American Standard. just my opinion. Btw, I own bought of these guitars.
+Vincent Costales do your fingers get hung up on the bottom (high E) side of the neck. I played a nitro with the same neck and my fingers were getting caught on the jumbo frets...not sure if it was in shit condition or just the way the jumbo frets stick out...would like to get the special however i dont want the frets to impede my playing hand
I also own this specific American Spoecial and it sounds great. I think it's the combination of ash and maple neck that give a vintage fender sound. If you ever heard a 57' Fender Mary Kay, you know what I mean.
+Vincent Costales I owned both but I couldn't send my American Special back fast enough, worst guitar I ever owned, no comparison to the American Standard. It's a huge jump in quality compared to a special
Steve G see this is what I suspected but not everyone can tell... like a squire with good pick ups in it haha, not to say if you’re good you can’t make a squire scream though
what's that first song he plays? reminds me of something from blink 182.
4:05 Gravity?
What's the name of the song right in the intro?
I've heard about the Special is built in USA with Mexican parts, is it true?
Is fake.
I prefer the Special.
Does anyone know the name of the first song he played on the blonde special?
Unclaimed Pantss sorry, i cant remember the name of the song, but im almost certain its a john mayer tune. Hope you can find your way from there
Unclaimed Pantss It's called Gravity by John Mayer.
nice guitars
Who is this color? Natural or yellow?
Hey. This guitar is natural.
what is this color,color is never a who unless its like mr .white
I laughed a bit because i imagined how racists back in the day might have used the same question to ask for someone's name. A: "Who is this color?" B: "That's Eugene you fuggen racist!"
hahaha
What is the song at 4:05? Can I have the name/artist?
gravity,been mentioned about 150000 times already/.
How much does this retail at?
Hey. The American Special Stratocaster is available from £738.
+GAK Im going to buy my first fender stratocaster, but I dont know which of these two, considering that both are expensive, ive been reading reviews, some people say standard are way better, what do you recommend?
+GAK hey what was the first song you played on the American Special? I really liked it.
mark the song sounds like "gravity" by John mayer
American Standard Strat the best strat of all time.
Any idea what amp that is?
Fender Supersonic
Special is my choice
American special I think won that :D
I can't stand that they put gloss on the fretboard. Their argument is the back of the neck gets sticky. Your palm encounters a lot less friction than your fingertips. Should have just made the whole thing satin like in the 90's to early 2000's. I'm regulated to rosewood boards now.
+9unslin9er rosewood has always felt nicer for me. but the look of the maple...
+Sgt. Pepper Between Tele, Strat, and LP, I have all 3 types of fb wood ( did you forget ebony?). After 40 years, I am no longer into looks and "Rosey" is my fav fb, Tone, tone,tone
Robert Markee I prefer richlite personally. There's no maintenance necessary to keep it looking sharp, there's no shrinkage resulting in sharp fret ends. I'll even take polymer (used on Fretlight guitars). There's no difference in tone. Sustain comes from contact mass (Tuners/nut/bridge/body). Tone comes from your play style, pickups, and amp.
+9unslin9er I love the gloss on my 2012 Standard it feels fantastic and plays like a dream, I hate the feel of RAW WOOD
My 2017 Am Special has a rosewood fretboard. Well worth the extra $50 to me
You didn't mention the 2 string trees as opposed to one on the American Standard. Just built cheaper. I sent mine back the day I got it, it was totally unplayable. I'll stick with my American Standard with the fat 50's.( Fender's giving away those Texas specials on certain Mexican guitars) They sell for$999 and come with a gig bag no case. By the time your done paying for a quality set up and a case you could have bought a Real American Standard
I think the special blew away the standard! I bought the american special!
Can't hang with jumbo frets on special.