I want to know... are the bodies and necks on American Standards and Highway One basses essentially the same? Is the main difference the body finish and headstock logo?
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Highway One/American Standard Comparison
- Thread starter jeffbass
- Start date
For all intents and purposes, yes.
The Highway body is cut on a different machine as there is different routing. The neck is the same american "bi-flex, graphite rod with truss adjustment at the heel" type.
The Highway One also has the MIM tuners. The finish is nicer, IMHO on the American Standard. I compared brand new "just-arrived" 2009 American Standard and Hghway One Jazzes two weeks ago at a shop and bought the American Standard because I liked the feel of the neck better, plus the finish.
Sound....not a lot of difference. I just liked the American Standard better to play.
Roger
Sound....not a lot of difference. I just liked the American Standard better to play.
Roger
Other than what has already been noted, I think you'll find the American Standard bodies are typicaly 3 piece Alder while the H1's are 4 or more piece. Not that this makes any HUGE difference, but it's worth noting.
The neck finish is more refined on the American Standard as well. A "buffed out/broken in" satin finish vs. the more "rough" feeling satin finish on the H1.
Actually, 3 or 4 years of constant use does it better.
I've used oil, polish and a buffing wheel, or a BUNCH of "elbow grease" to beat down those awful satin finishes (not just Fender, but ANY satin finished neck) in the past. Works fairly well, but not as well as just playing the snot out of it untill it starts to feel good. (required IMO)
Plus, I will always equate "satin finished neck" with "cheaping out", and not finishing the job, regardless of price.
Technically, the finish on the HW1 basses isn't just a satin, it's a matted nitrocellulose paint job, which essentially means that the paint doesn't cure, it stays quite soft, thus wearing into a nice vintage shape quite fast, I've seen basses with the paint worn of on the elbow cut after less than a year of use. You could probably polish them up to quite a shine with a bit of elbow grease and a nitrocellulose compatible wax, but they will not look wet like a poly finish, more like a really worn vintage bass, that elbow polish look. 
Technically, the finish on the HW1 basses isn't just a satin, it's a matted nitrocellulose paint job, which essentially means that the paint doesn't cure, it stays quite soft, thus wearing into a nice vintage shape quite fast, I've seen basses with the paint worn of on the elbow cut after less than a year of use. You could probably polish them up to quite a shine with a bit of elbow grease and a nitrocellulose compatible wax, but they will not look wet like a poly finish, more like a really worn vintage bass, that elbow polish look.
I was talking about the finish on the back of the neck, not the body.
Not sure if that's nitro on the neck or not. I kind of suspect it isn't, as it feels the same as the old American Series satin finish.
Just checked Fender specs.
"Satin Nitrocellulose Lacquer Body Finish"
That would lead me to go with my gut that the neck isn't Nitro, but the older style (non buffed out) satin poly.
The Am. Standard has through-body stringing option, and the Highway One does not, but has a top-load Badass bridge.
Pretty sure an american standard can survive 40 odd years of gigs and have some paint left the highway 1 will be missin paint the 1st month you own it.
As savit said american standards have 3 piece bodies.Also they can string top load or through as stated.I would get an 08 used MIA standard over a new highway one.
As savit said american standards have 3 piece bodies.Also they can string top load or through as stated.I would get an 08 used MIA standard over a new highway one.
They don't make Highway One's in a 5 string. I've got a 08' MIA Jazz V and it's a fantastic bass. It fits into the mix when all my other basses don't. My other basses are a Ibanez BTB405, Carvin LB75AP Anniversary, Carvin Icon IC5 and a 4 string Steinberger L2. The American Standard is the shiznit.
thinking about picking up a HWY one and switching necks with an american standard I have with an aftermarket neck.
I've played my H1 steady, 40+ weekends a year four hours at a time for almost 6 years and suprisingly the finish is still holding up strong. I keep waiting for it to break down and look 30 years old but she's hanging on to her youth.
I've played my H1 steady, 40+ weekends a year four hours at a time for almost 6 years and suprisingly the finish is still holding up strong. I keep waiting for it to break down and look 30 years old but she's hanging on to her youth.
Thats kind of a bummer, IMO.
I've played my H1 steady, 40+ weekends a year four hours at a time for almost 6 years and suprisingly the finish is still holding up strong. I keep waiting for it to break down and look 30 years old but she's hanging on to her youth.
That is great to hear, I am OCD and cannot stand to look at relic'ed basses.
What's different?
Pretty much everything. Much of it non-obvious. There's a lot of undocumented incremental grading in FMIC product, particularly in materials quality.
That aside, when people ask questions like this they would serve themselves best by looking at the .PDF parts lists Fender publishes on their site for the models in which they're interested. It's very enlightening.
That said, the new H1s are greatly improved as distinctive models from their previous status as somewhat downgraded MIM Classic instruments with a funkier finish and final assembly done in the US.
For their hefty current price, it's the least they could do.
Pretty much everything. Much of it non-obvious. There's a lot of undocumented incremental grading in FMIC product, particularly in materials quality.
That aside, when people ask questions like this they would serve themselves best by looking at the .PDF parts lists Fender publishes on their site for the models in which they're interested. It's very enlightening.
That said, the new H1s are greatly improved as distinctive models from their previous status as somewhat downgraded MIM Classic instruments with a funkier finish and final assembly done in the US.
For their hefty current price, it's the least they could do.
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