All user reviews for the Fender Blacktop Stratocaster HH

Mexican guitar, 22 frets on rosewood fretboard and maple neck, alder body and especially two humbucker "hot alnico" kind of super PAF.

UTILIZATION

A strat ... you can hardly do better!

SOUNDS

This is what the strong point of this guitar, offering a double strat. The pickups are great, powerful but not restricted to rock, they sound good in all styles, from jazz to metal (yes sir) through the blues. I'm not a big fan of positions splite, nice, but not really interesting face full humbucking positions. Gibson sound typed with 7ender dynamic, it includes made super strat 80's!

OVERALL OPINION

Well-born hip, versatile, not too expensive and sounds. Impeccable finishes, but he remains at large??

Fender Stratocaster Blacktop ie the series hybrid Fender. Was low for the Jazz Bass pickups with Accuracy and Precision Bass with Jazz pickups. For guitars Fender Strat models released, TV and Jazzmaster models with 2 humbuckers + some other models.

UTILIZATION

Varnished handle very pleasant. Strat enjoyable in its entirety.

SOUNDS

This is for any style of music, but also need a good amp if here is useless.

OVERALL OPINION

I have this guitar since May 2012, I chercais more luxurious than a Strat copy my Peavey Raptor (this is not fancy at all, but when no one is in content) and I did not Squier. I flashed on the Fender Blacktop. Level sound is perfect for any type of syle, you can even approach the metal with the 2 humbuckers.
Budget level is excellent, there is a Fender Mexican manufacturing for less than € 560. And nothing to say on the finish.
The only worry I had was that I changed the strings too fast let me explain: the original strings were still clean but I've changed to another string pulling. And now the D string at the nut frieze. Must remain on strings in this case Fender 3150LR Bullets are originally installed on the Fender Strat.

Model Name: Blacktop™ Stratocaster® HH
Series: Blacktop™
Color / MSRP* / Part # :
Black
$739.99
014-8100-506
Candy Apple Red
$739.99
014-8100-509
Sonic Blue
$739.99
014-8100-572
Black
$739.99
014-8102-506
Candy Apple Red
$739.99
014-8102-509
Sonic Blue
$739.99
014-8102-572
Body

Body Material: Alder
Body Shape: Stratocaster®
Neck

Number of Frets: 22
Fret Size: Medium Jumbo
Position Inlays: Black Dots on Maple, White Dots on Rosewood
Fingerboard Radius: 9.5" (24.1 cm)
Fretboard: Rosewood or Maple
Neck Material: Maple
Neck Finish: Gloss Urethane
Nut Width: 1.650” (42 mm)
Scale Length: 25.5" (64.8 cm)
Neck Plate: Vintage Style 4 Bolt
Truss Rod Nut: 3/16" Hex Adjustment
Electronics

Pickup Configuration: H/H
Bridge Pickup: Hot Vintage AlNiCo Humbucking Pickup (Bridge)
Neck Pickup: Hot Vintage AlNiCo Humbucking Pickup (Neck)
Pickup Switching: 5-Position Blade: Position 1. Full Bridge Pickup, Position 2. Two Inside Single Coils, Position 3. Both Full Humbucking Pickups, Position 4. Outer Neck Single Coil, Position 5. Full Neck Pickup
Controls: Master Volume, Tone 1. (Neck Pickup), Tone 2. (Bridge Pickup)
Hardware

Hardware Finish: Nickel/Chrome
Bridge: Vintage Style Synchronized Tremolo
String Nut: Synthetic Bone
Switch Tips: Black or Aged White
Tremolo Arm Handle: Vintage Style Tremolo Arm, Black Tip on (506),(509); Aged White Tip on (572)
Tools

Truss Rod Wrench: 0.1875"
Miscellaneous

Strings: Fender® USA Super 250L's, NPS (.009-.042 Gauges)
Unique Features: HH Pickup Configuration, Custom Switching, Black Skirted Amp Knobs
Accessories

Included Accessories: Truss Rod Adjustment Wrench, Saddle Height Adjustment Wrench
Control Knobs: Skirted Amp Knobs


UTILIZATION

This is a solid guitar from Fender. The traditional Stratocaster is very fun to play - the three single coil pickups give a lot of fun, usable tones. However, most traditional Stratocasters suffer from a noise problem - using any kind of high-gain sound is almost impossible to do. This is where the Blacktop HH comes in. This guitar gives all the good Strat benefits like playability, balance, comfort - yet the pickups are humbuckers, which help block out the hum that single coils can be plagued with. One thing that's very impressive to me is this Candy Apple Red finish! It is expertly applied, and the hue is phenomenal. Another nice detail is that Fender decided to use amp knobs on this guitar, rather than their usual Strat knobs. The finish, with the knobs and the covered humbuckers make for a very classy looking Strat.

SOUNDS

These pickups were surprising to me at this price level. They remind me of a late 60s Gibson SG-type response and output. They are hotter than normal, but with plenty of definition and warmth. The bridge pickup is blazing, cutting, and dynamic, where the neck pickup imparts a nice singing quality to the notes. This is essentially a Strat that sounds like an old SG, which is a very good thing!

OVERALL OPINION

Overall, this is quite a good instrument. I'm glad Fender is branching out of their more traditional fare and offering more modern features that players are looking for. Humbucking pickups now are far more popular than single coils, simply because so many more players are using the high-gain setups, and to have a classy Strat that can help provide this is very nice. Thanks, Fender!

A Unique Stratocaster Design with Powerful Humbucker Tone!
Alder Body with Bolt-on Maple Neck
Rosewood or Maple Fingerboard (as shown)
Hot Vintage Alnico Humbucking Bridge and Neck Pickup
Vintage Style Synchronized Tremolo
Standard Cast/Sealed Tuning Machines


Mexican made. Basic strat specs. Rosewood board. 3 control knobs with classic bridge. 2 humbucker pickups.

UTILIZATION

First of all my biggest issue is the tuners. They are garbage. Mine out of the box were very hard to turn and wouldn't stay in tune very well at all. They are borderline unusable even for the least picky players. The setup as well was pretty bad. It took about an hour of messing with the bridge and truss rod to get an action that was playable. The neck angle needed a ton of adjustment. The bridge is hard to adjust because some of the hardware is very cheap. And the finish is pretty cheap feeling. I know it sounds like I'm being harsh on what is a budget Mexi made guitar and maybe I am. The electronics, while feeling cheap work well enough. Overall I guess I feel dissapointed because in the past, Fender's mexican line has wowed me and this is just not good for their standards. Not to mention the equivalent G&L model feels way better.

SOUNDS

When I got it home I plugged it into my Matchless Chieftain combo. The tone was a bit disappointed. I feel like this guitar is not a victim of bad pickups, but more a victim of bad wiring, and cheap wood. I think if you gutted it and put in some new pots and maybe a set of Duncans you would have something. The pickups tend to sound pretty sterile no matter what you do with the tone knobs. I'm not expecting miracles from a guitar at this price, but with the overseas makers ramping up their game, I think Fender should be able to do better than this.

OVERALL OPINION

With new tuners, new electronics, new pickups, maybe a new bridge, and a good setup, this guitar would be very playable and probably tourable. But we're talking about $300 worth of upgrades which would get most players into American or GL territory. I hate to bash on a manufacturer that has given me so many good guitars but this was a letdown and I'll be returning it.

I own the Fender Getty Lee Jazz Bass made in Japan, and I have played many Fender P Basses made in Mexico and the in USA. This brand new Black Top P Bass became available July 1, 2011 and I think I was the 1st person to purchase it thru The GC in Buffalo on July 2nd. I have this new Fender already and it is amazing.

UTILIZATION

The body is alder, the neck is solid maple, the weight is great, just right - and the 2 pickps have the sound and the great capabilities to vary the sound - unlike the standard P basses have been. Wow, try it out for yourself; I know you'll agree with all that I have described.

SOUNDS

The 2 humbucking pickups are unbelievable. Just like Fender describes this New P Bass: "Sleek and supercharged, the Blacktop Precision Bass guitar features two pummeling humbucking pickups that make it one of the most powerful basses—if not the most powerful bass—Fender has ever offered". Yes, it is absolutely the most powerful bass I have ever played. When I asked some of the staff pro bass players at GC to try it out for me, they were surprised how nice it is, the fantastic sound, look and feel, they were impressed.


OVERALL OPINION


Awesome guitar with lots of kick and easy action. two sets of Humbucking pickups give it loads of power. Like the "no buzz" of the passive pickups. The finish on the body is ok, but certainly not top quality you would expect from Fender. The sound does tend to make up for that. For the money, I prefer the sound over looks. Also note, I don't recommend shipping this item to your home unless you have the skills to set it up, because it arrived unplayable. I guess that's one of the differences between a MIM and a USA made Fender

This guitar was manufactured in Mexico.
It has a vintage vibrato bridge type.
A handle 22 boxes, so 22 frets.
The pickups are Vintage Hot Alnico Humbucking, at the config a neck pickup and a pickup.
There is a volume control and 2 tone settings and a 5-way switch:
Position 1: bridge pickup humbucking single position. The stamp is powerful and rich and is perfect for aggressive rhythm, yet precise.

Position 2: the two inner coils of each humbucker are used together.
Position 3: neck + bridge pickup.

Position 4: outer coil neck pickup. It is with the one and my favorite position = 5)

Position 5: neck pickup only position humbucking. We blame this position too serious that increase greatly the stamp obtained.

The only regret is not having 24 cases.

UTILIZATION

The handle is sticky at the beginning (too sticky when you sweat), this effect fades to keep playing if I heard of wet sanding, however, I preferred to wait until the handle is 'done' alone and that the varnish is best.
Ergonomics are good except "where we put the arm" (which I do not know the name) lacks a bit to get used to tilt a little but I do not mind it in my game
Access to acute is easy as well as the heel of the handle starts at the 17th case in the form of strat allows finger (but not to get inches below) to easily access the last boxes, such as a piece of Metallica in the treble is easily playable.
In sound bah I love it whether clean or saturated (although this guitar is designed to clean the saturated sound is very good).

SOUNDS

They are well suited to my style of music Rock, Hard Rock, however I think it would be a bit tight for the metal: it is not a shred stick.

You can get a lens as its very very solid sound, according to selector positions: position 1,3,5 a big sound on 5 is great for solos and the fourth position is almost a bah its stratum, c is also what makes it a good guitar to get good sounds hard rock, rock and have a sound of strata and to do as the blues.

The problem is there at the amp ^ ^ I will soon buy an all-tube head but right now I "only" a bass amp that is expensive I won a contest but the guitar is not a sound with my amp Line 6 Spider IV transistor 15 which I think does not let his personality on the guitar and therefore can not fully estimate my guitar if I use the last brief Cry Baby Dunlop (base model) and it makes good (in any case one always makes Cry Baby: p).

I like all positions of the guitar, but if I were to say that I like least that would be the third (+ neck pickup bridge pickup). My three favorites are the 1st, 4th, and 5th. I have not mentioned the second position because it looks like the fourth but with a lower output level.

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for 2 months.
I have not tried the other model, I really had a shot on his heart and the design and finish of this guitar.

Most: Everything: the sound, design, color (I picked black rosewood), comfort.
The -: 2 The only downside I find is not having a handle 24 cases and the default is no longer the end of a 1 ~ 2 months, the varnish a little sticky when you have to play the guitar a number of hours for it to fade (you can always go faster with such a wet sanding).

I think the value for money is very good after the guitar seems very solid and robust but that there is that the time will tell if it really is, at least as I write these lines it is very well and in perfect condition =)

With experience, I would do this choice still leaves to be € 50 more in this guitar.
Anyway I hope this helps to enlighten you a bit if you're not sure (yet!) =)

Just a teaser, 45min test.

Mexican vintage vibrato bridges with 6 points folded sheet metal, mechanical oil bath.

Channel 22 frets, frets thin profile almost Ibanez (a D or C then a very oval) end but not too close. Completely painted.

2 humbuckers, 5 positions in the Ibanez (1-3-5 and 2-4 type les paul kind strat splitted with microphones), all without a sound.

Greenish pickguard (on sonic blue is medium, but good), and type amp knobs (volume, but it really bothers you know ... since 60!).

Unit tested very well made, well cut nut, frets, which exceed, sonic blue paint spotless, well-adjusted microphones (cell blocks below the strings).



UTILIZATION

I was surprised by this handle, I almost found my profile rg, frets are all fine vintage. The varnish is unpleasant, sticks to the palm, but hey I had not taken with my patoune eh.

Light weight, nice, the guitar sounds good vacuum. Good access to treble just need to climb on the button, nothing catastrophic.

Ergonomics very good except for one, always the same, moreover, the bevel to the forearm is badly cut, if you do not play with the guitar under the chin I mean. Ole sombrero on!

The screws on the bridges, especially the low E, and beyond the palm charcutent happily, thank you Fender.

SOUNDS

Tested the headphone via pedal board Expo boss (aside, except for the reverb and tweed sd1 is a true horror these pedals), and small amp volume necessarily reduced.

Well it sounds nice, okay it doubles but always with that character foil a bit hollow in the stratum. Ventilated I would say.

Vintage at heart, the sounds go really well in the media (especially compared to my basswood RG) is articulated and round / heat.

Positions 2 and 4 are differentiated, and make it rather well. You will not texmex peps of course, but no noise either.

I do not see the pure metal with the equipment tested (sonic blue clear handle), the frequencies are not enough outfits (in the wrong way?) For that. Here is the reigning rg.
That said, you see an ugly scratch with a light blue?! This is the revolution in

OVERALL OPINION

fender! A known count to 22 and finally 2 we finally got a guitar that makes noise is worth nothing in the contemporary electro!
I am baba!
It's very very well as a guitar!
Vibrato wins not to be used on the other hand is probably much in his vintage Stratocaster.
The finish is wonderful, the pickups too, comfort is all good.
The asking price is ridiculous compared to what the house you charge for Squier.

In short, why I have not taken away again? Ben had not 600roros on me, but I just said I was cycling then again ...
My God I'm a liar, ho! A strat