Fender American special....good guitar?

[Craig Williams]

Reading a bit about these they sound kind of good. I like the Jumbo frets and Texas specials. Just wondering what the deal is with these? I have seen people running them down before, I think one comment was they are essentially made with Mexican parts but assembled in the States? I could imagine the vintage style trem being manufactured in Mexico. Anybody have and information on these?

 

[John C]

Reading a bit about these they sound kind of good. I like the Jumbo frets and Texas specials. Just wondering what the deal is with these? I have seen people running them down before, I think one comment was they are essentially made with Mexican parts but assembled in the States? I could imagine the vintage style trem being manufactured in Mexico. Anybody have and information on these?

American Specials were made in USA; I do think that the bridge might have been assembled in Mexico but I'm not sure about that. They were designed to be the "entry level" USA model so they don't have some features found on the American Standards and they come with a gig bag instead of a hard case.

 

[medic_90]

Nothing but good things to say about the American Special Series. I've owned two American Special Telecasters and a Strat over the years. When I sold my original Olympic White AS Tele I instantly regretted it and bought another. Here's my current American Special. Installed an Emerson 4 Way Switch, Twisted Telecaster Pickups and Swapped for vintage style tuning heads.

 

[gridlock]

I own a 2018 Fender American Special Stratocaster and I love it. The Texas Specials sound good, and I love the jumbo frets and nice rolled neck. My only guitar with a Maple neck.

 

[Ringo]

American Special Strat has a great 22 fret neck, Texas Special pickups, steel tremolo block, good guitars. The Performer series replaced them, also good guitars.

 

[sloppychops]

I have one, but I sold the rosewood neck and put a Vintera 50s neck on it because I didn't like the jumbo frets or how thin the original neck was. The transplant went without a hitch.

I bought this one used and the previous owner had put a Mastery bridge on it and flipped the controls. It weighs 7 lbs 6 oz. Fit and finish is excellent.

I'm not a huge fan of the pickups and plan to replace them. They are "hotter" than vintage spec pickups, so this Tele doesn't quite have the classic Tele sound.

 

[johnDH]

I have an Am Special Strat from 2010, with HSS pickups. Its my best axe out of several. Very well finished. It has two Texas Specials as the singles, not too hot at about 6.2k each. The humbucker is 8.4k, very good indeed, a bit hotter than the singles, but that's the whole idea on an HSS.

It's as well made as an Am STD of the time IMO, just a few different features which are more a matter of opinion than being absolutely better or worse.

 

[DHart]

I have a mix of Teles including American Professionals, American Specials, American Performers, Players and MIM Special Editions, American Standards, and MIM Standards.

Honestly, I love playing them all and they're all of excellent quality.

My opinion of American Specials is quite positive - if you find one you like, just do it!

Here comes one now! (As with all of mine, including some mods.) Very solid, well-made guitar.

Tone-wise... I do my own thing with pickups, completely independent from whatever Fender might have chosen originally for the guitar models.

I never buy a guitar for the pickups that comes with it, as that would be like buying a vehicle for the tires that comes with it. No. Easy to replace and modify or upgrade.

Buy a guitar for the NECK and the BODY - everything else is an easy switch-er-oo/swap-a-rama... "to taste".

 

[Axegrinder77]

When I was Strat shopping a few years ago, I found the American specials to sound and feel very similar to the Mexican made. Nothing wrong with them, but I consistently found the American standards /professional to be a noticeable step up.

I'm not even sure if the special uses custom shop pickups or lower grade Texas specials. Someone might clarify that, but something was different tonally.

 

[DougM]

I've had a few of those, and I actually preferred them to the Am Std with Fat 50s, 'cause I don't care for those pickups. However, I like the Performer even more (my avatar). I think the quality is a cut above the Special, and I LOVE the Yosemite pickups in the Performer.

 

[Ringo]

When I was Strat shopping a few years ago, I found the American specials to sound and feel very similar to the Mexican made. Nothing wrong with them, but I consistently found the American standards /professional to be a noticeable step up.

I'm not even sure if the special uses custom shop pickups or lower grade Texas specials. Someone might clarify that, but something was different tonally.

I've owned MIM, MIJ, MIA and other Strats, some of the MIM Strats were as good as the USA models.
The main differences between an American Special and the Am Std , Am Special has vintage style bridge, big peghead.
Am Std has two point trem w a different trem block and smaller headstock, also micro tilt neck adjustment (does anyone use that?) and different pickups.
Some folks think the Texas Specials (fiber bobbins alnico magnets) are better than the plastic bobbin alnico magnets Am Std pickups.
Really it's just a matter of what you like personally IMO.
I don't see the now discontinued Am Std as that much of a "step up" other than what they cost when new. The Professional models were the top of the line so there were even more differences.
YMMV of course.

 

[Minivan Megafun]

It's funny how people rag on one type of guitar and love another that's almost the same thing.

Highway One guitars are now sought after. However that series became the American Special. Literally the only difference between an 06-11 Highway One and the American Special is they changed the body to a poly finish instead of the satin nitro. Otherwise they are identical. And then the American Special became the American Performer. And even then the only tweaks were the pickups and the S-1 switch.

So yes, the American Specials are fine guitars. They're basically the American Performer.

 

[Willie Johnson]

I have a mix of Teles including American Professionals, American Specials, American Performers, Players and MIM Special Editions, American Standards, and MIM Standards.

Honestly, I love playing them all and they're all of excellent quality.

My opinion of American Specials is quite positive - if you find one you like, just do it!

Here comes one now! (As with all of mine, including some mods.) Very solid, well-made guitar.

Tone-wise... I do my own thing with pickups, completely independent from whatever Fender might have chosen originally for the guitar models.

I never buy a guitar for the pickups that comes with it, as that would be like buying a vehicle for the tires that comes with it. No. Easy to replace and modify or upgrade.

Buy a guitar for the NECK and the BODY - everything else is an easy switch-er-oo/swap-a-rama... "to taste".

I did up my Bullet Tele like this over the weekend--burst, black guard, chrome bridge and plate, black knobs; looks very custom and slick.

 

[Reedo]

I owned a Strat and found it to be pretty nice, but nice isn't enough to keep, and I didn't really take to jumbo frets. Texas Special pickups were pretty cool though.

 

[gkterry]

Excellent guitars and the Texas Special pickups sound way cool, YMMV. One of my favorite Teles.

 

[gkterry]

However that series became the American Special.

Yep, and if you look on the Fender service diagram for the American Special, several parts including the neck, pickups & bridge are listed as Highway1 parts.

 

[stratisfied]

American Special has a narrower, MIM spaced bridge. Feels different because of this. Otherwise every bit as good as an American Standard.

 

[Blackmore Fan]

I own a 2018 Fender American Special Stratocaster and I love it. The Texas Specials sound good, and I love the jumbo frets and nice rolled neck. My only guitar with a Maple neck.

View attachment 849708

That's a beautiful Strat!

 

[Blackmore Fan]

American Special Strat has a great 22 fret neck, Texas Special pickups, steel tremolo block, good guitars. The Performer series replaced them, also good guitars.

Yes, I've often thought that the American Special would make a great starting point for a Robin Trower inspired Strat.