Several Hardtails were produced in the CBS era but following the sale and the production difficulties no Hardtails were produced in
the USA for some time . The hardtail offering in the US catalogues 80s and early 90s was model 27-8700 which is of course Made in Japan
and is a variation on the Japanese Standard strat like the ST362.
The first US made hardtail appears in the 1988 price list and 1989 frontline.
Fender refer to the Hardtail strats introduced in 1954 but this model is not meant to be like them it is just an
American Standard with a through-body 6 saddle bridge.
Specs
Body Contoured Alder (Ash on the Natural Finish)
One piece Maple neck
Rosewood or Maple Board 22 medium jumbo frets 9.5" radius dot markers
Headstock 2 string trees Fender Logo serial number below then Stratocaster and Made in USA beneath no other markings
Bi-flex truss rod Microtilt neck adjustment
Deluxe Fender die-cast tuners
Delta Tone system which features
Hot bridge pickup, Reverse wound reverse polarity middle pickup, standard neck pickup
Master Volume control, Standard neck pickup tone control, middle/bridge pickup no load tone control
Colours 3 colour sunburst, Olympic White, Black, Natural (Ash body), Inca Silver, Aqua Marine Metallic or Purple Metallic
Hardshell Molded case.
White Plastic Pickguard (11 hole) and parts
Hardware Chrome inc 6 saddle through-body hardtail bridge
Introduced in 1988 Replaced by the American Series Mid 2000.
Words by John C from the strat forum
July 2000: The American Series replaces the American Standards. Many small changes/updates from the previous model -
neck gets rolled fingerboard edges, staggered height tuners, and a change to 1 string tree. Body gets the more rounded edge
contours, allowing the return of the "Original Contour Body" decal. New alnico 5 pickups with staggered-height polepieces
(a modernized stagger for the typical .009 or .010 string set). Elimination of any veneers on the alder bodies.
Plastic changes from white to parchment, but some colors will get black plastic hardware (but the black plastic is more
prevalent on HSS and HH models). Other features remained the same, including the Delta Tone system of higher output bridge pickup
and no-load tone pot. Case changes to black plastic chainsaw-type case.
2001-2007: Really only color changes. At some point the Schaller straplock buttons are replaced by standard strap buttons,
and toward the end of the run the tuners change from Schaller to Ping (but still the same design).
Fall 2007: Fender ceases production on American Series models to transition to the 2008 American Standard models.
Specs
Specs
Body Solid non veneered Alder or Ash polyurethane finish
Maple neck C satin polyurethane finish
Rosewood or Maple Board 22 medium jumbo frets 9.5" radius dot markers
Headstock 1 string tree Fender Logo serial number below then Stratocaster and Made in USA beneath "Original Contour Body" decal
Bi-flex truss rod Microtilt neck adjustment
Deluxe sealed die-cast tuners staggered
Delta Tone system which features custom staggered pickups
Colours at launch 3 colour sunburst, Black, White Blonde (Ash body) or Hot Rod Red
At various times other colours are Olympic White, Chrome Red, 2 colour sunburst, natural (ash) and others.
Black Plastic "Chainsaw" case
Parchment or Black Pickguard (11 hole) and parts
Hardware Chrome inc 6 saddle through-body hardtail bridge
Replaced in 2007 by a new American Standard Model no hardtail models were produced as part of the second or third series
of the American Standard nor the American professional
