Buy Fender Blacktop(TM) Stratocaster® HH Electric Guitar, Sonic Blue, Maple FretboardFender Blacktop(TM) Stratocaster® HH Electric Guitar, Sonic Blue, Maple Fretboard Product Description:
- Hot vintage AlNiCo humbucking neck and bridge pickups offer a great range of raw, aggressive tones.
- A 22-fret freeboard with medium jumbo frets and a 9.5" radius is made for intensity playing.
- Chrome pickup covers and skirted amp knobs look cool, and custom switching offers an expanded range of useable tones.
Product Description
Drive your sound with raw humbucking power. Fender’s new and innovative Blacktop™ guitar series expands the sonic horizon of classic Fender Stratocaster®, Telecaster®, Jazzmaster® and Jaguar® guitars by powering them with high-gain humbucking pickups. The Blacktop series delivers on modern player demands for a thick and heavy sound with guitars that drive a wide array of deep, rich and aggressive tones that match the intensity of any playing style.
Sleek and supercharged, the Blacktop Stratocaster HH has dual over-wound alnico humbucking pickups, with other distinctive touches including skirted black amp knobs and a synchronized tremolo bridge. Other features include an alder body, maple neck with 9.5”-radius rosewood or maple fretboard, 22 medium jumbo frets, gloss polyester finish and chrome hardware.
Specifications
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
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful.
By Robbie Bell
I got this about a week ago. I love the color and finish. Every bit as good as any American Strat I've played. The neck has a gloss finish on it. It doesn't give me any problems, but I can understand why some would want a satin finish on the neck. The frets are clean, smooth, and seem to be level (I haven't noticed buzzing anywhere). Honestly, I wasn't crazy about the Sonic Blue mixed with the ugly "mint" green pickguard and tremolo cover. The greenish hue of the software seems to skew the whole color of the instrument to a greenish blue instead of the "baby blue" that Sonic Blue is supposed to be. The nut is listed as "synthetic bone." It's not very slick and I did notice some pinging while tuning. I'll fix that with a Graph Tech nut.Now: the sound. In short, it's amazing. I've read other reviews that said the humbuckers are too dark or lack the definition characteristic of a strat. I didn't hear it. Cranked through a mildly-chorused clean tube amp, any of the three HB positions produced the wonderfully bold and gritty sound I've come to expect from a Fender Stratocaster. I did notice a considerable drop in volume when switching to positions 2 and 4, but I just consider it an instant cut/boost switch as much as anything.The guitar is heavy enough to be sure it's solid wood, but light enough to be manageable for a long set list. I added Schaller straplocks and my 20+ year old fender brown-yellow-black logo strap to give this guitar more of a vintage vibe.Positives: tight, true-Strat sound with a couple of added db's in positions 1, 3, and 5 for added rock-out value; beautiful finish and feel; good weight and balance (though Fender's been getting that right for 60 years now); a price that begs you to buy this guitar.Negatives: inferior nut material and setup; ugly choice of pickguard and tremolo cover color (white or aged white would've been better); volume drop in positions 2 and 4 might be disconcerting to some.Overall: I would definitely recommend this guitar to anyone looking for a good example of a Strat, but for half the price of Fender's American Standard line.
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.
By Robert Wood
I already have a Fender Blacktop Telecaster that I found on Craigslist that I am very happy with. Fender's recent Stratocaster sale (MIM Strats for $399) prompted me to add this beauty to my collection. My Telecaster was made in 2011 to the highest build quality I've ever seen on a Mexican Fender and I was hoping that because most people buy new guitars from the big online music gear retailers that Amazon might have a 2011 model lingering in stock. Sure enough, my new Stratocaster is a 2011 model! I couldn't be happier. I was already familiar with the great tonal characteristics of the overwound alnico humbuckers on my Telecaster so no surprise there. The neck is a bit slimmer on the Strat and the trem block and springs make for a slightly different flavor than the through body bridge on the Tele. Variety is good! I am delighted with both guitars and they alternate as my stage guitars. Excellent service from Amazon, as always!
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.
By ATF
A decent guitar for the money. Sometimes you want the playability of a Stratocaster, but need a heavier sound, and this Strat has two humbuckers.Sonic Blue is a sweet color - but for some reason, it comes with an odd, translucent green pick guard. For a few more dollars I've got all black accessories ready to go on it.I look forward to adding this to the rack.I hesitate with "5 stars" because regardless of advertising and a cool name, it's basically a MIM Strat and should be quite a bit cheaper.I ordered mine from Playground Music and they have been excellent - helpful and a pleasure to do business with.**UPDATE - 10-29-12**Excellent guitar. Have played it quite a bit and it is capable of trebley-stratocaster strumming, or just crunchy over-driven wailing. Makes me wonder if Trower has one. And the black parts look sick. Still should be cheaper though.
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