Fender Highway One Jazz Body vs. American Body

[brogandutcher]

Hi I was wondering if there is any difference between a Fender Highway one Jazz bass body and an American Jazz Bass Body. Also does a Highway one body on an American Jazz Bass reduce value? I want a Highway One bass body on my American because it wears better? Is it a smart move or a terrible one???!!!

 

[Rocky McDougall]

I would guess that the Highway 1 bodies are the same quality as the ones made for Mexico. I believe that all bodies are cut out and shaped by CNC machines is Carona. The ones with multple laminations and slight imperfections are sent to the Mexican plant for final finishing and assembly.

 

[ThaLowEndTheory]

I've never seen a Hwy 1 body with veneers like the MIM bodies. Only 2 and 3 piece bodies. Of course I haven't seen them all.

 

[angrypanda]

No bass that cost over 600 dollars should be anything but one piece! PERIOD!!

I refinished an American standard jazz and it had a three piece of crap body under the finish so I had to replace it with a warmoth. Unacceptable at this price range.

 

[Stilettoprefer]

No bass that cost over 600 dollars should be anything but one piece! PERIOD!!

I refinished an American standard jazz and it had a three piece of crap body under the finish so I had to replace it with a warmoth. Unacceptable at this price range.

+1 that's why I don't buy fender. Same quality body and necks as higher end squier, and only slightly better electronics. For less than half the price of an MIA fender I could make a squier play and sound just as good if not better. and for even cheaper I could build my own

 

[ThaLowEndTheory]

No bass that cost over 600 dollars should be anything but one piece! PERIOD!!

I refinished an American standard jazz and it had a three piece of crap body under the finish so I had to replace it with a warmoth. Unacceptable at this price range.

I don't believe there is any advantage to a 1 piece body other than visually. Even then pieces of wood big enough to make a 1 piece bodies aren't as plentiful as they used to be, so they fetch a premium. Especially one without flaws. There's also the argument that 1 piece bodies are more likely to warp or cup. How likely I couldn't say. I've seen it once or twice, but it seems pretty rare. Tonally I can't imagine there would be a discernible difference. A nicely matched 2 or even 3 piece body seems to be more than good in most people's opinion. Then again, what does it matter how it's matched if its not a transparent finish? Just my opinion of course so YMMV.

 

[KingRazor]

I don't believe there is any advantage to a 1 piece body other than visually. Even then pieces of wood big enough to make a 1 piece bodies aren't as plentiful as they used to be, so they fetch a premium. Especially one without flaws. There's also the argument that 1 piece bodies are more likely to warp or cup. How likely I couldn't say. I've seen it once or twice, but it seems pretty rare. Tonally I can't imagine there would be a discernible difference. A nicely matched 2 or even 3 piece body seems to be more than good in most people's opinion. Then again, what does it matter how it's matched if its not a transparent finish? Just my opinion of course so YMMV.

Yeah. I really can't see a reason why a 2 or 3-piece body would be inferior in any way accept visually.

 

[Stilettoprefer]

Yeah. I really can't see a reason why a 2 or 3-piece body would be inferior in any way accept visually.

But for $1700 would you rather have a solid piece of wood, or 3 prices glued together?

 

[jmbjandfam]

A Highway One is an American made Fender. The biggest differences between it and the American Standard is the finish that is applied and the Highway One is not a string through body where the American Standard is.

 

[ThaLowEndTheory]

But for $1700 would you rather have a solid piece of wood, or 3 prices glued together?

If it's a sunburst finish or some other trans finish? Honestly a 1 piece, or a nicely matched 2 or 3 piece body is fine. When I say nicely matched I'm talkin about visually. I don't want the seams to be obviously detectable. If it's a solid color it really doesn't matter, but I'd say 3 pieces max. I wouldn't want to find a 6 pieces glued together with veneers on front and back.

 

[KingRazor]

But for $1700 would you rather have a solid piece of wood, or 3 prices glued together?

Depends completely on the finish. Solid? I couldn't care less. But with a translucent finish I expect good looking wood.

 

[Need2KnowBasses]

No bass that cost over 600 dollars should be anything but one piece! PERIOD!!

I refinished an American standard jazz and it had a three piece of crap body under the finish so I had to replace it with a warmoth. Unacceptable at this price range.

Why do people think one piece bodies are better? Multi-piece bodies are actually stronger and more durable. Two or three piece bodies have little to no effect on tone when comparing to a solid piece and if well matched can be much more attractive. This applies to necks as well and I know there are plenty of people that think necks should be one piece. With necks the added strength of a multi-piece build greatly improves the durability and stability.

 

[DTF]

fender doesnt offer one piece bodies , personally id take a highway one over am st body,I dont use string through, american vintage would be my first choice , then hwy one , then amstd as far as bodies go, ive had 2 P's and one J all were feather weights and the finish looks incredible with some elbow grease and meguiars. resale on a parts bass will be horrible regardless

 

[Bongolation]

No bass that cost over 600 dollars should be anything but one piece! PERIOD!!

You should stay away from Fenders as they have never put a one-piece body on a production instrument since Leo's day to this.

 

[Bongolation]

For what it's worth, in Fender's utterly chaotic 2011 production, Highway Ones and American Standards are often using identical two- and three-piece blanks.

All of the HOs that came through here made in February or March of 2011 had two- or three-piece alder bodies of higher quality than on my American Standard Jazz.

Other people here have seen four-piece 2011 Highway Ones, but so far I haven't.

I'm not clear if the two models have identical contours and edge radii, but the blanks seem to be coming out of the same pile.

Fender's way behind schedule and isn't wasting time with false incrementalism, it appears.

 

[recreate.me]

I own a highway One Jazz, and have played many American standards. IMO the Hwy 1 is better choice due to the nitro, if you want wear. The american std bodies will more then likely never wear due to playing and will resist dents and dings better. The hwy 1 will wear over the years just like the vintage ones.

I agree with above saying AVRI>Hwy 1>American Std. Mostly due to nitro, i might even slot a RW jazz body in there before american std because from what i have seen they are super light and i dont mind the wear because eventually it will shape to my pattern anyway...

 

[Bongolation]

I own a highway One Jazz, and have played many American standards. IMO the Hwy 1 is better choice due to the nitro, if you want wear. The american std bodies will more then likely never wear due to playing and will resist dents and dings better.

You're kidding, right?

The American Standard has an appallingly fragile finish, which is the main reason I can't see paying extra for it. The American series had an extremely durable finish, but the new American Standards ding and scratch if you cuss at them. I truly regret buying mine.

The Highway One is just a cheap matte finish (FMIC calls it "dry") that saves huge labor buff-out costs. If you want you can polish it out to look identical to an old pre-Fullerplast finish without much effort. It's what I've done on mine and I like the look.

But there's no magic in nitro finishes, especially the modern formulations. This is just one more example of FMIC marketing's pandering to pervasive myths believed by buyers.

 

[KingRazor]

They made the finish thinner on the new american standards so that the bodies would be more "resonant". Supposedly, a thicker finish blocks some of that.

I don't really buy it though.

 

[DTF]

You're kidding, right?

The American Standard has an appallingly fragile finish, which is the main reason I can't see paying extra for it. The American series had an extremely durable finish, but the new American Standards ding and scratch if you cuss at them. I truly regret buying mine.

The Highway One is just a cheap matte finish (FMIC calls it "dry") that saves huge labor buff-out costs. If you want you can polish it out to look identical to an old pre-Fullerplast finish without much effort. It's what I've done on mine and I like the look.

But there's no magic in nitro finishes, especially the modern formulations. This is just one more example of FMIC marketing's pandering to pervasive myths believed by buyers.

dude youre out of your mind , nitro sounds so much better ,

seriously though I seem to like the fender nitro bodies better not sure why

 

[Bongolation]

They made the finish thinner on the new american standards so that the bodies would be more "resonant". Supposedly, a thicker finish blocks some of that.

I don't really buy it though.

Neither does anyone at Fender...or, come to that, anyone with a logical turn of mind..

Bubbas believe it religiously, though.

Likewise "tight neck pockets," which are flat wrong.