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Fender American Special Stratocaster HSS

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Fender American Special Stratocaster HSS

$882.13 Price Tier: Standard

5.0 (17)

1 Critic Review

4 Reviews

Find out who is using Fender American Special Stratocaster HSS

2 community setups

1 wishlisted

31 saved

Page last updated Jul 04, 2026

Pricing and availability

We compare 600+ stores and found this item at 1 store. Prices updated July 4, 2026.

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Price

5.0 (32)

$882.13 21 available Used

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Average Price: $882

Standard/Professional

$400

$1001+

Price Tier

In the Solid Body Electric Guitars category, Fender American Special Stratocaster HSS is priced in the upper end of the Standard/Professional range. This is quality gear at a fair price point, suitable for beginners, hobbyists, and pros alike.

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Description

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Experience the fusion of classic design and modern innovation with the Fender American Special Stratocaster HSS. Crafted in Fender’s renowned Corona, California facility, this guitar encapsulates the spirit of American craftsmanship. With a blend of timeless Fender style and contemporary features, this Stratocaster is tailored for musicians seeking versatility and performance.

The alder body, renowned for its balanced tone and light weight, is paired with a supremely playable maple neck featuring a Modern C profile. The rosewood fingerboard and jumbo frets allow for precise playability, making it easy to navigate swift solos or complex chord progressions. The Texas Special single-coil pickups in the neck and middle positions deliver the quintessential Strat sound, perfect for blues, rock, and beyond.

Where this Stratocaster truly stands out is the powerful Atomic humbucker at the bridge, injecting a dose of modern aggression that pushes your sound into overdrive territory. Fender's innovative Greasebucket tone control provides nuanced tonal shaping, allowing you to roll off highs without muddying your sound or losing volume, ensuring clarity and punch whether you're on stage or in the studio.

Key Features:

American-made quality at a competitive price
Alder body with a comfortable, contoured design
Maple neck with Modern C profile and rosewood fingerboard
Jumbo frets for enhanced playability
2 Texas Special single-coil pickups and 1 Atomic humbucker
Greasebucket tone control for precise tonal adjustments
Vintage-style synchronized tremolo system

Product specs

Brand	Fender
Model	American Special Stratocaster HSS
Finish	3-Color Sunburst, Autumn Blaze Metallic, Black, Candy Apple Red, Fiesta Red, Olympic White
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, Brown, Orange, Red, White
Finish Pattern	Sunburst
Finish Style	Gloss
Fretboard Material	Maple, Rosewood
Model Family	Fender Stratocaster
Neck Construction	Bolt-On
Neck Material	Maple
Number of Frets	22
Number of Strings	6-String
Pickup Configuration	HSS
Right / Left Handed	Right Handed
Scale Length	25.5"
Series	Fender American Special

FAQs

What pickups does the Fender American Special Stratocaster HSS feature?: The Fender American Special Stratocaster HSS is equipped with Texas Special single-coil pickups in the neck and middle positions and an Atomic humbucker in the bridge position, offering a versatile range of tones suitable for various music genres.
Is the Fender American Special Stratocaster HSS suitable for beginners?: While the Fender American Special Stratocaster HSS is a high-quality instrument with professional features, its excellent playability and versatile sound make it a great choice for both beginners and experienced players.
What is the neck profile of the Fender American Special Stratocaster HSS?: The Fender American Special Stratocaster HSS features a modern C-shaped maple neck with a satin finish, providing a comfortable and smooth playing experience ideal for various playing styles.
Does the Fender American Special Stratocaster HSS come with a case?: The Fender American Special Stratocaster HSS comes with a gig bag, offering basic protection and easy transport for your guitar.
How does the Greasebucket tone circuit on the Fender American Special Stratocaster HSS work?: The Greasebucket tone circuit on the Fender American Special Stratocaster HSS allows you to roll off the treble without adding bass, maintaining clarity and preventing muddiness in your tone.

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Reviews

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PROS

Versatile HSS pickups produce a wide range of tones, from clean to dirty
Custom Shop Texas Special single coil pickups offer classic Fender tone
Comfortable neck with jumbo frets facilitates easy bending and fast play
Lightweight build enhances playability for extended sessions
Greasebucket tone circuit allows smooth volume roll-off without added bass
Distinctive '70s headstock adds unique visual appeal
American-made quality at a reasonable price
Exceptional sustain and playability noted by multiple users
Attractive aesthetics with various finish options, including tobacco burst and white/black combo

CONS

Poly finish on the neck can feel plasticky to some users
Tremolo quality perceived as inferior compared to higher-end Fender models
Atomic humbucker may be underwhelming for some, leading to replacement
Slight fret buzz reported around the 12th fret by one user

Owner Insights

We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Fender American Special Stratocaster HSS.

Features and functionality

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The Atomic humbucker is praised for delivering punchy tones reminiscent of early '80s hard rock, adding versatility to the guitar's sound range.
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The oversized headstock is a distinctive feature that many owners appreciate for its aesthetic appeal.
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Setup and maintenance

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Texas Special pickups are noted for their high output and mid-range dominance, with some owners lowering them flush to the pickguard to tame their intensity.
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Some users block the 6-screw tremolo due to personal preference, noting that it's more cumbersome to set up than a 2-point bridge.
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Comparisons

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Owners transitioning from Les Paul appreciate the 22 frets, as it avoids the reduction to 21 frets typical of many Stratocasters.
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The neck and middle pickups are identical to those in the SRV signature model, offering similar tonal qualities for blues enthusiasts.
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Many consider the PRS Silver Sky not significantly superior in quality to the American Special Strat, suggesting it might not justify its higher price for some players.
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User experience

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Aesthetic preferences are highlighted with mentions of the Olympic White finish paired with a black pickguard being particularly striking.
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Owners describe the guitar as a "tone monster," capable of delivering both clean blues and distorted hard rock sounds effectively.
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A player highlights using their American Special Strat more than a custom shop model, indicating the guitar's exceptional playability and personal preference.
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Mods and upgrades

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Some users desire coil tapping for the humbucker to mimic an SSS setup, providing more tonal versatility.
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Value and pricing

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It's noted that the American Special Strat HSS can be found at competitive prices, offering substantial value for its versatility and build quality.
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It's noted that used PRS Silver Sky guitars can be found for under $2,000, offering a potential cost-saving option for those interested.
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Other

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One owner describes their American Special Strat as having a "brutalist" aesthetic in an all-black configuration, contrasting with more colorful options like the pink Silver Sky.
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Critic Reviews

Fender American Special Stratocaster HSS review | Guitar Jar

guitarjar.co.uk

The Fender American Special Stratocaster HSS offers a well-built and visually appealing guitar, but it falls short on sound quality with its weak stock pickups and unreliable tuners. Enthusiasts will need to invest an additional $300 in upgrades to unlock its full potential. While it mimics the Highway One series with a poly coating, its performance leaves much to be desired. For those willing to modify, it can become comparable to a Fender Custom Shop guitar, but out of the box, it fails to impress. Proceed with caution and expect extra costs for premium performance.

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Full Review

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5.0 out of 5

Based on 4 Reviews and 17 Ratings

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millerman7355

141

4 months ago

Amazing guitar

Perfect guitar, great sound. So comfortable to play. Got my friend to switch from Les Paul with this guitar.

Roles:

Singer Guitarist Composer

Genres:

Rock Funk / Soul Alternative rock

paperback_writer

176

almost 11 years ago

Excellent

I have this guitar since 2010 and has become my main axe since then... One of the most versatile guitars I've played with. The humbucker its good, but I replaced it with a DiMarzio PAF 36th Anniversary that gave a little more agressive sound, specially with distortions... The neck is really comfortable, specailly with the jumbo frets, and the single coils give that classic clean Fender tone...

Roles:

Guitarist Composer Music Producer

Genres:

Electronic Rock Pop

jacob_keplinger

517

over 8 years ago

It's an HSH now...

Dropped a Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates humbucker on the bridge and neck, and a Seymour Duncan Custom single coil in the middle.

jacob_keplinger

517

8 years ago about 8 years ago

UPDATE: got rid of the middle single coil, installed a 3 way switch, took out the second tone knob and shifted the remaining two knobs down a hole, put a coil split in the master tone knob and changed the pickguard to white to match the new layout of the electronics.

jacob_keplinger

517

about 9 years ago