Fender Strat MIM Standard vs Highway 1

prince

When in doubt Google, when you have done that and are totally confused ..... yell "help please".

Before lunch I phoned one of the music shops to see if they had stock of the electric guitar I am looking for - Fender Strat MIM. They can only get the colour I would like next week but a have a 2009 Highway 1 in the right colour that they will sell to me at the same price. Apparently it is very slightly used.

I have spent since before lunch googling and reading various reviews and forums about these two guitars and haven't found the answers to some questions I have. The following are the differences I can find/remember between the MiM and Highway 1 but what do they mean to the uneducated beginner like me ....

1 - The headstock is bigger on H1. Other than looks what would this mean?

2 - H1 has Jumbo frets and a 9.5" neck - I have small to medium size hands/fingers, would this make it easier/harder to learn to play?

3 - The finish on the H1 is different (I think it was nitro something) and would wear quicker and damage more if dropped. The chemicals in the finish have also been blamed for all sorts of things from funny or no offspring for males to the problems at Chernobyl. One comment was that you should not lick your H1 nitro finish guitar - do people lick non-nitro guitars?

4 - the pups are different - better or worse depending on where you read. The H1 has "greasebuckets" - sounds like something more suitable to a motorcycle forum.

Please could someone help me out here.

I know the general consensus is that you need to get the guitar that feels right to you but at the moment my case could be likened to putting a kid with a learners licence into 2 different fighter jets and asking "which one feels right to you?".

I do intend getting the feel of the MIM Standard vs the Highway 1. The H1 price has already been reduced because it is used so is maybe a better value for money? They are both the same price and seem much of a muchness so your experienced opinions to the questions above would be important and appreciated.

Thanks for your help and time in advance.

~~Maybe the MIA Standard would be better.~~ Forget I said that.

Keira-WitherKay

isn't the highway a made in USA strat .......... basically bottom of range but still made in USA that would be a good thing for resale ( when you get your top end custom shop strat eventually ?) unless the guitar is an absolute dog ........ cos believe it or not and i know someone who has an awesome MIM strat ...... but i know the fender crowd are quite hung up on where the guitar was made.......

but yeah buy the one that blows you away the most .........

prince

Thanks for the reply Keira.

Yes, bottom of the range USA made but it seems like they use the same or similar quality parts on both. I also read somewhere the "only difference is which side of the border the mexicans assembled the guitar" ?. So probably nothing in it. Like everyone says "take the one that you happy with".

All the different combinations make it difficult for the first time buyer. The "made in the US" label is probably the only reason it is a couple dollars more in the first place.

AlanRatcliffe

The H1s weren't too popular, but that was partly because they didn't really offer anything of real note over the Mexican models, but were more expensive (especially locally). Still, they are decent, if unremarkable guitars. Pretty much like the Standard.

S/H values aren't great at the mo - about the same as S/H Mex models> I think that's least partly because new models were eventually heavily discounted (to about R6K - R7K) to clear the last stock. That may well change in ten years or so, then I suspect the "Made in US" thing will likely make them more valuable than the equivalent Mexis.

What I would say is if you don't have the knowledge to kick the tyres yourself, try take someone with you who does. Especially in those price ranges, most will be fine, but some'll be duds and some'll be diamonds.

Ray

Latest Guitarist mag (the latest on CNA shelf anyway - think it's November - one that's got a pic of the USA Deluxe on the cover) has a letter asking the same ques except not the H1 rather comparing the mex with the American Special. The response from the eds is that both are good guitars made in good factories. one has 21 frets the other 22 and the american will resell better. cant rmember if there is much else though.

deefstes

prince wrote:only difference is which side of the border the mexicans assembled the guitar

? ? ?

prince

Thank you everyone for the replies.

What about the Jumbo frets? Will that make it easier or harder to play on?

IceCreamMan

prince wrote: Thank you everyone for the replies.

What about the Jumbo frets? Will that make it easier or harder to play on?

The new MIM's alos have jumbo frets so no difference there ......

in terms of desireability the MIA will count for a few brownie points an will ensure the resale value is better maintained especially seeing as someone already has taken the deprecitation knock on it....so from an economics POV the highway one is the better option...

From a playability point of view ,yr hands will inform you of that .... MIM is up there with the best of them these days....

love the quote regarding the mexicans ...that is funny

DonovanB

IMO Jumbo frets are easier to play. then again, all my guitars have jumbo frets apart from one. Look at your other guitars as well and see what you like