I'm far from an "expert", but I'll give it a go....
The Highway 1 Strats/Teles are assembled at Fender's plant in Corona, CA - so yes, they carry a "made in USA" tag. The electronics are the exact same as used in both MIA and MIM Fenders - CTS pots and CRL switches. The major difference between the Hwy1's and the MIA's is the body finish - the Hwy1's have a very thin, satin nitro finish. Some people like it, some don't.....I've played a few of the Hwy1 Teles, and really don't feel strongly either way about the finish. People who've owned them for any amount of time say that the finish "relics" very quickly and easily (i.e. shows dings and wear from playing) - a desirable trait for some, while others prefer their guitars to stay looking brand-new. Some have polished them up using rubbing compound and/or very fine sandpaper, and the pics I've seen show that they can get a pretty good shine on them.
The MIA's have upgraded pickups (Samarium-Cobalt, which some like and some hate), and they tout the neck as having hand-rolled edges (gives it more of a worn-in feeling). The MIA body has a nitro-over-poly finish which is thicker and won't ding/wear as readily as the Hwy1.
FWIW - on another guitar board, the Hwy1 Teles get pretty consistently high reviews and are well-liked by just about everybody who's bought one.
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Originally Posted by lle7
...if you have $800 would you buy the fender highway one or the Gibson Les Paul Vintage Mahogany Electric Guitar (i love to have both )
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My choices, in order, would be:
1) Hwy1 Telecaster
2) Hwy1 Stratocaster
3) Les Paul
...but that reflects my personal preference of Teles and Strats over Les Pauls. You'll definitely get varying responses on this one, as it's a very personal choice.
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