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Average Price: $800
Standard/Professional
$400
$1001+
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Description
Unveiling a refreshing take on the iconic American Standard, the Fender American Special Stratocaster redefines the expected with its potent Texas Special pickups and innovative Greasebucket tone circuit. Boasting a sleeker neck radius and a vintage-inspired tremolo, this masterpiece manages to command a lower price point, making it a perfect entry point for players yearning for an American-made Fender. Whether you're a blues enthusiast, a country crooner, or an indie rock artist, this Stratocaster delivers a more consistent, dynamic tone as you roll off highs, thanks to the Greasebucket tone circuit.
Key Features:
- Texas Special pickups for a hotter, more intense sound.
- Innovative Greasebucket tone circuit for maintaining volume and bass levels while rolling off highs.
- Flatter neck radius for enhanced playability.
- Vintage spec'ed tremolo for a rich, resonant sound.
- More affordable pricing, ideal for those seeking their first American-made Fender.
- Suited for various music genres including blues, country, and indie rock.
Product specs
| Brand | Fender |
| Model | American Special Stratocaster |
| Finish | 2-Color Sunburst, Black, Candy Apple Red, Mystic Seafoam Green Metallic, Olympic White, Sonic Blue, Surf Green, Walnut |
| Year | 2010 - 2018 |
| Made In | United States |
| Categories | Solid Body Electric Guitars |
| Body Material | Alder |
| Body Shape | S-Style |
| Body Type | Solid Body |
| Bridge/Tailpiece Type | Tremolo Bridge |
| Color Family | Black, Blue, Brown, Green, Red, White |
| Finish Pattern | Sunburst |
| Finish Style | Gloss |
| Fretboard Material | Maple, Rosewood |
| Fretboard Radius | 9.5" |
| Model Family | Fender Stratocaster |
| Neck Construction | Bolt-On |
| Neck Material | Maple |
| Number of Frets | 22 |
| Number of Strings | 6-String |
| Nut Width | 1.6875" |
| Offset Body | Non-Offset Body |
| Pickup Configuration | SSS |
| Right / Left Handed | Right Handed |
| Scale Length | 25.5" |
| Series | Fender American Special, Fender FSR Limited Edition |
| Wood Top Style | Plain |
FAQs
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What type of pickups does the Fender American Special Stratocaster use?
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The Fender American Special Stratocaster is equipped with Texas Special single-coil pickups, known for delivering a bright, punchy sound with enhanced midrange, making it ideal for blues and rock genres.
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What is the neck profile of the Fender American Special Stratocaster?
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This guitar features a modern C-shaped neck profile, providing a comfortable grip for both rhythm and lead playing, suitable for a wide range of playing styles.
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Does the Fender American Special Stratocaster include a case or gig bag?
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Yes, the Fender American Special Stratocaster comes with a gig bag, offering basic protection for transport and storage.
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What is the Greasebucket tone circuit on the Fender American Special Stratocaster?
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The Greasebucket tone circuit allows you to roll off high frequencies without adding bass, maintaining clarity and preventing muddiness when adjusting the tone controls.
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Is the Fender American Special Stratocaster suitable for beginners?
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While the Fender American Special Stratocaster is a high-quality instrument that can serve advanced players, its playability and versatile sound also make it accessible for dedicated beginners looking to invest in a long-term instrument.
Videos
GAK
Fender American Standard Stratocaster vs Fender American Special Stratocaster comparison at GAK
Fender American Standard Stratocaster vs Fender American Special Stratocaster comparison at GAK
GAK
Fender American Special Stratocaster CAR
ProGuitarShopDemos
Fender American Special Stratocaster Rosewood Fingerboard | N Stuff Music
N Stuff Music
Fender American Special Stratocaster Tone Review and Demo
MusicStoreLive.com
Fender American Special Stratocaster • Wildwood Guitars Overview
Wildwood Guitars
Fender American Special Stratocaster Review
PMTVUK
2015 Fender American Special Stratocaster Demo - Sonic Blue Tastiness
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FENDER American Special Stratocaster MN 2TSB
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Music Outlet Malaysia (MO)
Fender American Special Stratocaster (with Texas Specials) | Review & Demo
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Good Music Instrumentos Musicais
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Sergio Serra Music
Reviews
PROS
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Texas Special pickups provide a powerful and mid-heavy sound
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Greasebucket tone circuit maintains clarity when rolling off highs
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Jumbo frets make bending easy and comfortable
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Modern C-shaped neck is smooth and comfortable for fast playing
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Lightweight and comfortable for extended play
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Vintage vibe with surf green and other color options
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Versatile tone with 5-position switch for a range of sounds
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High-quality American craftsmanship at a reasonable price
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Great build quality with vintage style bridges for perfect intonation
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Ideal for both clean and overdriven tones
CONS
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Fret ends can be rough and may need attention
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Some find the Texas Specials too hot for classic Strat tone
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Noticeable seams in the body under certain finishes
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Heavier compared to some other guitars
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Discontinued model, becoming harder to find and more expensive
Owner Insights
We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Fender American Special Stratocaster.
Comparisons
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The Fender MIJ JV soft V neck is highly praised for comfort, especially for smaller hands, contrasting with the American Special's C shape, which some find less engaging.
Source -
The American Special includes a gig bag, while the Standard comes with a hard case, reflecting a difference in accessory offerings.
Source
Mods and upgrades
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The American Special features David Allen Tru 54 pickups and a treble bleed mod, which are highlighted as significant upgrades for tone enthusiasts.
Source
Features and functionality
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The MIJ JVMOD includes CS Fat 50s pickups, noted for achieving vintage tones, which align well with Hendrix and Mayer musical styles.
Source -
Fender American Special has overwound Texas Special pickups, a 70s headstock, and vintage string tree, offering a unique blend of vintage and modern design elements.
Source
Build quality
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MIJ guitars are generally considered to have superior neck quality, while American models might have better stock electronics, making MIJ an ideal candidate for electronic upgrades.
Source -
The Special's jumbo frets are taller, making it harder to achieve very low action compared to traditional Strat frets, though the difference is subtle.
Source
Use cases and applications
Setup and maintenance
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Special's vintage 6-screw tremolo contrasts with the modern 2-screw on the Standard, affecting tuning stability and feel.
Source
Value and pricing
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The $300 price difference between the Standard and Special is justified by component quality, but the Special remains a solid option for those on a budget.
Source
Critic Reviews
4.5 out of 5
Based on 12 Reviews and 63 Ratings
166
My No.1 (Guitar)
I have used Stratocasters pretty much all the way from the begging of my musical journey, first it was a knock-off Casino Stage series Strat, then a Chinese Squire Bullet-Strat, then a Mexican 60th anniversary Standard Strat, but I knew in my heart I wanted a real deal American Strat! Enter the American Special Stratocaster! Now let me tell you why I have bonded with this piece of musical equipment; the neck is fantastic and smooth like silk, being a maple neck, the frets are Jumbo frets, so they won't bald out on you when you do lots of bends. But the Texas Special Pickups are where its at for me, I know mid heavy single coils won't be for everyone, but as a lead guitar player, that also strums out clean over a loud band, those pickups can really cut through the mix just right, if the twang gets too much, just roll back a bit of your tone knob and you and your audience won't walk out with sliced ear canals. I'd recommend the USA Special Strat to anyone, but then where would the individuality be? I wish I were the only one to own it so I'd feel Special too :P
132
Great bottom line built American guitar
I loved this guitar when I first bought it in 2012 but over time and after playing some other American Strats I noticed it didn't have a very "traditional" Strat sound. By that I mean it just sounded too hot. So last year I swapped the stock Texas Special pickups for a set of Fender Custom Shop '69 pickups -man, now she really SINGS!!! The CS '69's are the mildest hand wound pickups you can get (even slightly milder than the CS '54's) and that means that more of the guitar's "natural" sound comes through. These are the same pickups used in all strats between 1968 and 1971...from Ritchie Blackmore's '68 black strat used on Deep Purple's - "Machine Head" to Hendrix's Black 1968 strat and his famous white '69 strat. Great pickups anyway!!! So now my American Special is PERFECT to my ears! :-)
41026
a little pickup history if you are not aware:
a 69 will have strong magnets but the lowest turn count of nay era strat pickup while a 54 has weaker magnets and a middling turn count, output will be similar but frequency response and dynamics VERY different. Leo experimented a lot on the strat and tele with different windings and magnets in the 50s and then when CBS took over they started winding less and less because the corporate bean counters were trying to save a few cents in wire on every pickup.... they also went with cheaper, poly coated wire instead of the heavy formvar or plain enamel insulation on pre-cbs pickup wire
22
A great guitar.
Love this guitar!! Its the guitar I started on and will love forever. I had my G, B & E strings restrung (steel) as my previous ones snapped. It's a softer steel to the ones professional guitarists use on a daily basis as I don't have all the time they have. The guitar is quite heavy but what guitar isn't?
110
Great value on American build
The guitar's fretboard is incredible, fast and smooth. The Texas Special pickups are fantastic, between the pick-ups and the tone knobs you can get a vast array of tones. Love the the colour scheme (sonic blue + mint pg).
135
Best guitar for me so far.
I play blues and alternative rock alot. This guitar satisfies my desire of epic single-coil tones. I have the Candy Apple Red color and it makes me drool. (Just a metaphor)
186
Same as mine, beautiful guitars!
AS Strat
This guitar is very bright and loud. It's incredible with any drive pedals. I use this through my 2x12 HRD and 1x12 HRD. It soundsgreat through those. Crank the mids and you'll get killer sustaining solos!
112
Just The Pickups I love!!
Pickups: Texas Custom Shop Single coil! Body: Alder Neck: Amazing feel, nice, unfinished, thin and fast! Fretboard: What is not to love on maple!!
43
The best looking AND sounding guitar that I own
I have the Sonic Blue color, rosewood fingerboard, and 70's style headstock and it is absolutely beautiful! The guitar sounds fantastic and I absolutely recommend it....especially for the price!
Artist usage
Add artist
Matty Healy can be seen playing his 1980s Fender Elite Stratocaster, in black at Manchester Academy on 11/28/15. He's been playing this guitar on The 1975's fall 2015 tour.
This is a picture taken from backstage at the American Music Awards
The guitar used by Pepper for the song Learn from this mistake with down on DVD Diary of a Mad Band- 2010
You can identify it because of the two strin trees min 1:21
In this source you'll find the main guitar of Jack Steadman.
Yavuz Çetin frequently played a Fender American Special Stratocaster, as seen in an Instagram post from #YavuzFest.
In his YouTube video covering "Redbone" by Childish Gambino, Justice Der plays a Fender American Special Stratocaster, notable for its 70s-style headstock, jumbo frets, and deep reddish sunburst finish.
In a photo posted on Terry Bickers' official Facebook page dated November 2024, he is seen using a Fender American Special Stratocaster equipped with EMG pickups, as noted by Terry Bickers & The Inner Spiral.
Here, Darwin is clearly seen playing a Fender American Strat
.jpg)
Keith is seen in this image playing a Surf Green American Special.
.jpg)
Kris Leonard is seen with a Fender American Special Stratocaster in an Instagram post, suggesting it might have been a gift from Fender. It was reportedly used on stage a few times before the tragic end of the band.
Album Usage
The Fender American Special Stratocaster has been featured on the following albums:
Genre Usage
Based on how artists on Equipboard use this gear, it is most commonly found in the following genres.
Used With
Based on how musicians on Equipboard use Fender American Special Stratocaster, it is most commonly used with the following gear.
Community setups
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