This is a new range of upgraded and enhanced American Series Standard Stratocasters that were released at the 2008 Winter NAMM show in Anaheim California. They have several new features and amendments and this is represented with a slight price increase over and above the previous version of this particular model. To watch a short film explaining this process click here ...
Ok, so let's get down to the nitty gritty, - what extra features do you get for your money, well there are 4 major new design features and two new cosmetic paint options. The new features are as follows :-
A new bridge with improved bent-steel saddles and a copper-infused high-mass block for increased resonance and sustain.
A new neck treatment—tinted for a richer presentation, with the Maple or Rosewood fingerboard buffed to a high gloss, whilst the back of the neck still has that silky satin finish.
A thinner finish undercoat that lets the body breathe and improves resonance.
A new Fender-exclusive SKB moulded case with improved ruggedness to the styling that gets a little closer to a flight case type design.
The new paint options are Sienna Sunburst and Blizzard Pearl ...