It's essentially a MIM "Classic" with a much cheaper finish done in the US.n8tron said:wait... so the only difference between the tele highway and the standard tele is the finish?
I know that the bridge saddles are different for sure... but i thought the highway had better hardware?
Hard2Hear said:Besides the satin finish, the Highway series guitars also use all the same hardware, pickups, bridge, and tuners as the Mexican made Fenders.
H2H
Hard2Hear said:(note that, of course, a body and neck are not considered hardware .. and they are American parts)
Periodically, you can find a long sale on H1s that make them almost worth it. I very nearly bought a new H1 Jazz bass for a hair over $300 at GC because it was a good example, but the actual difference between it and the (very overpriced MIM) "Classic" was as above, and in this case, the closeness to the "Standard" was striking. I did my homework and passed, in favor of a new MM S.U.B. on sale for $319.99, an infinitely better bass at the price.hixmix said:I don't see the point, unless you really like the guitar, of buying a Highway 1(case not included), when any day of the week you could pick up a used American Standard in exellent condition, with a case, for the same $$, or less.
Hard2Hear said:Ok, I'll make it easy for you.
Here is the parts list for a MIM "Classic 50's Stratocaster"
http://www.fender.com/support/diagrams/pdfs/50SSTRAT/SD0131002BPg3.pdf
Here's a MIM Classic 70's (note pickup codes are different for aged or non aged pickup set. This is identical to the Hwy1 pickups which are non aged):
http://www.fender.com/support/diagrams/pdfs/70SSTRAT/SD0137000APg3.pdf
Here is a parts list for the Highway1 Stratocaster:
http://www.fender.com/support/diagrams/pdfs/HWY1STRAT/SD0111100APg3.pdf
read and compare for yourself. Straight from Fender.
H2H
There certainly should have been, as they are entirely different instruments in terms of what should make sonic differences between nominal Stratocasters or Telecasters, but of course there are wide variations in sound between "identical" instruments anywway.InTheFire said:I don't think there is big difference in the sound of the Highway 1 versus American models that I've heard.
No -- absolutely, categorically not. That's been my entire point since these models were introduced.There is a chasm that separates the Mexican Standard and any American model in sound and price. So, aren't we in agreement that the Highway 1 is a reasonably priced american model that meets these two in the middle?
n8tron said:whats the difference with the highway 1 tele and the american tele?? why is the highway so much cheaper?
thanks
Some H1 subassemblies and parts are constructed in Mexico.aliensurfmusic said:It was my understanding that the Highway one guitars are made in Mexico and assembled in the USA...The guitars are painted in Mexico to avoid environmental laws in the US. The parts I consider to be cheap but can be upgraded. One good aspect of any of the highway 1 guitars is they breathe. They has a nice acoustic response.
No, it's not about price -- it's about value for the price. The H1 at retail does not represent good dollar value, for the reasons that have been amply pointed out here.Remember this about guitars it's not always the price, in fact it rarely is.
bongolation said:There certainly should have been, as they are entirely different instruments in terms of what should make sonic differences between nominal Stratocasters or Telecasters, but of course there are wide variations in sound between "identical" instruments anywway.
No -- absolutely, categorically not. That's been my entire point since these models were introduced.
1: They're not "American" in any sense except a legal fiction based on the huge differential in labor wage value between Corona and Ensenada. Most of the work is done in Mexico and virtually all the parts are import. The raw US materials (wood, paints, adhesives, etc.) and a small amount of expensive US labor for quick, crude matte finishing and final assembly have enough net value to make a legal majority of the production cost attributable on paper to "American" materials and labor. I've discussed this at length with a production manager at FMIC. Legal "MIA-ness" is not based on the amount of labor, but the cost of the labor, though with about 90% of the work now done robotically, I wonder how the beancounters assess value based on the location of the machines.
2: The H1 series is a poor value at market price, as it is only slightly more expensive to produce than a MIM "Standard" -- there is no "chasm" between the H1 and the "Standard." There is a chasm between the H1 and the "American" series. Some H1 instruments are virtually identical to the "Standard (Upgrade)" except for slightly better Mexican pickups and a couple of other extremely minor touches that amount to only a dollar or two difference in manufacturing cost. This is my main beef against the H1, that it's only a minor improvement over the "Standard" in terms of production costs, but you get soaked for hundreds of bucks for almost nothing but a largely fictive "MADE IN USA" decal. FMIC sells the "Standard" for as little as they can as an "entry" buy, and they sell the H1 (and other intermediate instruments like the "Classic") for as much as they can to make up for it.
It's called "marketing."
Of course, if you can get a long deal on a good one -- a price that more accurately reflects the relative production cost -- by all means get an H1. Remember, it's all about the deal - any axe is fine at the right price. I'm just saying that you're getting burned at the going "everyday" H1 prices.