American standard or highway1, how do i know ?

It usually says "Made in ..." either on the headstock or on the back of the neck by the neckpocket. Or you can ask the seller for the serialnumber and trace it. Maybe e-mail Fender with the serialnumber.

 

The two have "Made in USA on the headstock. But the body is different: the American Standard have through the body holes. And for older HWY1 the neck is different, with the truss rod's hole at the headstock. Also, the headstock of the updated HWY One is 70's like; the American Standard headstock is like the old HWY1. Moreover, if you want, you can remove the pickguard and check the capacitors to see if it has the Greasebucket: if it has two capacitors, it's a HWY1. By the way, I have an old (before upgrade) Precision HWY1 and I prefer his neck. I hope it helps.

 

highway one basses have basass bridges standard, no strings through body and the finish Is a matte thin nitro. If the bass is shiny, has a standard bridge and the strings go through the body, it's an American STD.

 

There's also the logo difference.

This might be an American Series bass you know.

 

Are you talking about an old American Standard..Pre 2000 or a new one?
There is an old and a new version of the Highway one as well.

The easiest way to tell the difference is that the H1's have a satin finish while the American Standard/American Series have Glossy fininshes.

The tuners on the American Standard/American Series basses will also be branded with a backwards F, while H1's have the "vintage" style tuners.

The newer American Standard/Series basses will have string through bodies, but the older ones (late 80's early 90's not sure when they started with the string through, but around there some time) won't, so you can't really use that as the defining factor.

 

Highway 1/One

Made in USA appears on back of headstock

V.S.

American Standard/Series

Made in USA appears on front of headstock

 

That would apply to recent production.

The old American Standards of the late 80's early 90's had a logo more similar to the first logo you have pictured. Smaller, and not all black.



Show us a pick of your headstock, and we'll tell you what it is.

 

Some excellent information on this thread so far...

In addition, the American Standards have "Corona California" on the neck bolt plate.

 

Again, that only applies to current production.

The old American Standard line didn't neccissarily say Corona on it, depending on when it was made.

Keep in mind, the American Standard line pre dates the factory in Mexico.

 

this is what the headstock of an '06 Highway One that i just picked up in the classifieds here, great bass.