ST40 v Highway One, help appreciated

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DarrenL

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Hello all,

First post - In my dotage I have developed a sensitivity to when a guitar is resonant and alive, and when it is not. Two strats which might tick those boxes are a 85-ish ST40 which has hung in a local store for a few years and used Highway One. Of course they need trying, but any input regards build quality expectations would be welcome. The one big issue with the ST40 is that the price is ?499 and the shop won't budge - this is over the odds, no?

Just to add - I blame my preoccupation with wood and build quality on my 1983 Tokai tobacco burst bound edge Tele (Block decal foolishly removed). With a Duncan Alnico II in the back it outguns every other guitar I have.
 
As with all the early Tokais the build quality on the ST40 will be great, but it's IMO overpriced. Plenty of ST50's on ebay or for sale on the forum for about ?400 and you get better pickups and tuners than the ST40.

The Highway 1's are OK too, but tend to be heavy.

Which one to go for is a matter of personal taste, but Id take the Tokai ;)
 
Hi - cheers for the quick reply.

I know, its too much. Trapezoid tuners, cermanic pups etc. It's the build quality that keeps my interested...everything else can be changed, but if the tone's not in the wood...not that you guys need telling!

What influence does condition have? Inspecting the Tokai, I recking it was hardly played before being handed over in part exchange.
 
Condition is important, and does push the price up, but by the time you upgraded your pickups you'll have a ?600 ST40. Just seems daft when you could pick up a nice ST50 for about ?400
 
+1 on JohnA's comments. The '40 is overpriced, even allowing for the fact that it's a shop sale and they need to cover costs etc. If you like the way it feels/plays, I'd hold out for one (40 or 50) either via the forum or ebay. I sold my 40 on here recently for ?250 and you should be able to get a 50 for under ?400.

And ?500 is in decent 80's Jap Strat territory too - just a thought...

As for the Highway 1's, I never got on with the jumbo frets on those things - always felt 'lumpy' by comparison with the Tokais.
 
+1 on the st40, i was the very lucky buyer of furys' guitar, and i can't put it down!
the whole neck reverberates in my left hand when i'm playing, it's amazing.
i did change the pups, which cost around ?130 off ebay, sd ssl5 neck, custom shop 69 middle (both from america) and a mexican hot rod of some description in the neck. this axe rocks!
 
Another +1 for ST40s. I took a punt on one off ebay last year, for a pretty reasonable price, and was very pleased with the result. Unplugged, it?s the loudest solid electric guitar I?ve ever heard: in my case, it?s the body that really reverberates. I did change the pickups (for Wilkinson vintages, which were relatively cheap but really do the job), and maybe I?m lucky but I?ve had no problems with the trapezoid tuners. However, it has a much chunkier neck than my ST55, and I go between liking this and regretting it: the ST55 neck is simply beautiful.

I?d like to know where all these ST50s for sale are! I?d possibly be in the market for another Tokai strat, and can?t say I?ve noticed many around.
 
Highway!!

Yet to find a low end Japanese Strat which is better than HW.
Nitro finish on Highways but thick plastic on Japanese Strats.

Tokai are good but not more than 200? good.
 
will be interesting to see which one darren goes for, if indeed he has a feel for the resonance in the wood and build quality, with both geetars being in the same shop, it should be a good chance to a/b them.
keep us posted darren.
 
Hello all,

In the end, neither. HW1 didn't feel so good, the ST40 was obviously overpriced. But thank you all for taking the time to reply.

BTW, what model number would you ascribe to a 62 pattern bound-edge telecaster, the colour could be best described as tobacco burst. Rosewood board. Finish definitely feels like nitro. Tuners are vintage kluson type. Pups are alnico, not ceramic. The guitar is defintely from 83, though I removed the last of the Tokai decal cos I thought it look tatty...

Sorry, no pics at the moment.
 
My Highway 1 is the nicest Strat I've played - the finish is AWESOME (especially when you buff it), and I don't know what someone meant by heavy, mine is super light. The guitar is very resonant, the entire body vibrates when you play. Personally I love the huge frets, but that's subjective
 

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