2010 American Deluxe or 2006 Highway One Strat?

Jackyboy1996

In searching for a stratocaster to purchase I came across a 2010 American Deluxe for $1500 AUD and a 2006 Highway One for $990 AUD on gumtree. Im fairly ignorant when it comes to strats but I love the sound of them, any help on a comparison between the two would be greatly appreciated.

Is the American Deluxe worth the extra $500? What are the main differences? 

Cheers!  

MattFGBI

The American Deluxe is 3 higher. By that I mean you've got American Standard, American Vintage and Artist guitars between them. The Deluxe is much better in terms of specification.

The question is, what do you want it for? A main guitar with modern appointments? Probably the Deluxe. If it's going to be a back up or you just want a Strat, the HW1 will be fine.

GuitarZero

The American Deluxe has noiseless pickups with the S1 switch, locking tuners, 2 point trem system, contoured heel, micro tilt adjustment.  The Highway One has a nitro finish on the body whilst the Deluxe is Urethane.  Both have a urethane finish on the neck.

These are a few differences I can think of.

newi123

MattFGBI said:

The American Deluxe is 3 higher. By that I mean you've got American Standard, American Vintage and Artist guitars between them. The Deluxe is much better in terms of specification.

The question is, what do you want it for? A main guitar with modern appointments? Probably the Deluxe. If it's going to be a back up or you just want a Strat, the HW1 will be fine.

To clarify - the deluxe is 3 higher - not necessarily 3 better.........................  :-) Like the man says, it depends what you want.

Personally I`ve always been put off by the modern appointments on the deluxe - noiseless pickups, compound neck (not sure if a 2010 has compound or just the most recent ones), 2 post bridge.......... all nice, but not what I wanted in a strat

I have an original highway 1 which has replaced pickups etc, and its a genuinely great guitar. Been kept in preference to EJ and Custom shop Clapton strats I`ve had. Not `better` than either - just suits what I want better. The Highway one is a great base to modify, and gig without worrying too much about it.

An interesting point - and I`m sure MattFGBI can clarify - are all highways ones Nitro finished? I seem to remember the small headstock ones were thin skinned, but not Nitro, and the large headstocks are Nitro - is that correct?

GuitarZero

I think the early models were acrylic lacquer rather than nitro.  Still a nice finish.

I'm a big fan of the Highway One myself, I own one so I'm probably biased anyway, but I have the later model with the large headstock. The pickups were horrible though (subjective obviously) so I swapped them.

SidNewton

If it helps I have a 2010 ash bodied Deluxe Telecaster. It is far and above one of the best guitars I've owned. Superbly well built, super light, fantastic neck plus being ash none of the awful body contours which was a big plus point for me.

Only down side for me were the noiseless pickups and S1 switching. I've had Kinman noiseless in the past and they are far superior. That said I replaced them with Bare Knuckle Flat Pole 50's and replaced the S1 system a Callaham control plate with a 4 way switch. I don't see me ever parting with the guitar.

MattFGBI

GuitarZero;645801" said:

I think the early models were acrylic lacquer rather than nitro.  Still a nice finish.

This is correct as far as I remember. If you let me know the serial number on the guitar in question I can tell you for sure.

ThePrettyDamned

I would much rather have a highway one, 6 point trem, nice big headstock ( ), and the finish can be polished up to something really nice (when satin, the burst looks a bit odd... Imo). The pickups are a bit odd, but very usable.