Playability and Tone
Any player with some real mileage on the
odometer, who’s not a newcomer to Fender,
will have developed some preferences where
the Stratocaster and Telecaster are concerned,
and it’s for certain that one of the
trade-offs that makes the American Special
series possible is a limited set of options.
For players who find these guitars chock-full
of their favorite features, they’re sure to be
more satisfying than for those who gravitate
toward different specs. In the interest of full
disclosure, this pair of reviewers has to admit
we find ourselves a little more in latter camp.
We do tend to be more finicky about Strats
than Teles—a disposition that is not uncommon.
It may be simply the fact that the Tele
is in many ways a much simpler instrument,
while the Strat has always been, in the succinct
words of one of our colleagues, “a
delicate balancing act.” We tend to prefer
rosewood boards on our Strats, but we like
maple just fine on our Teles. Neither of us is
crazy about the super-size frets, though we’re
more agnostic when it comes to the larger
headstocks and the differences between the
2-point and vintage-style tremolo systems.
Both American Specials did require significant
setup work upon arrival, but both
yielded gracefully to the undertaking. They
are as accommodating and playable as any
of their like, and the modern C-shaped neck
is comfy and familiar. The fretwork is good,
and the Texas Special pickups on both guitars
obediently delivered the signature tones
we were looking for when we plugged them
into a Vox AC30CC2. The Strat has plenty of
quack in the notched positions; the bridge
pickup has just the right amount of cutting
bite without the harsh brightness; and the
neck pickup offered up a characteristic bluesy
swagger. All three are balanced well with
each other in terms of output, and they clean up nicely when you roll the Volume
knob off. Our only reservation here is with
the taper of the Strat’s volume pot, which
leaves a little to be desired in terms of its
evenness and usefulness for volume swells.
Like the Strat, the American Special Tele’s
pickups are on the hot side, with plenty of
sizzle. They too are well balanced, though
they tend much more toward modern sounding
even with the traditional bridge. The
brass saddles do seem to provide all the snap
and bite we like to hear in a Telecaster, and
they didn’t frustrate our efforts to achieve a
workable intonation. We didn’t like the sound
of the bridge pickup with the Volume and
Tone knob maxed (a go-to setting for both
of us) as much as we wanted to, but we have
to admit we’ve been fairly spoiled by the
sound of the Mexican-made Road Worn ‘50s
Telecaster we acquired last year. It has bona
fide vintage tone and a degree of subtlety
and tonal versatility that’s hard to compete
with. Despite that, the American Special
Telecaster does have what it takes to satisfy
many, if not all, Tele afficionados.
The Final Mojo
We found the build quality, fit and finish
of the American Special Stratocaster and
Telecaster to be on a par with many of
Fender’s top Mexican-made offerings, but
we can’t say they’ve exceeded them. For the
price, that means a good, solid value—provided
buyers aren’t set on having a wider
variety of options available to them. Those
who do know exactly what they want in an
über-reliable Fender axe would probably do
well to consider the long-term benefits of
stepping up to an American Standard, even
if it means a little more money.
Buy if...
these specs make your heart go
pitter-patter, and a “Made in the
U.S.A.” label is essential.
Skip if...
you’re looking for a number-one
Fender electric that’s just the way
you want it.
Rating...
