If in 2006 Fender made the first vintage style Stratocasters which gave a nod to the modern, the Mexican Classic Players Series, then in 2007 it was the turn of the “corresponding” American Vintage Hot Rod guitars.  This series was based on the American Vintage but differed in the flatter fretboard with larger frets and the modern pickups with custom wiring. 
The series was inaugurated with the ​Vintage Hot Rod '57 Stratocaster and the Vintage Hot Rod '62 Stratocaster. The first one was equipped with two Samarium Cobalt Noiseless pickups (at the neck and in central position) and a mini humbucker Di Marzio Tone Zone at the bridge.  The second had three American Vintage Strat Single-Coils (reverse wound/reverse polarity middle pickup).

'57 Vintage Road Stratocaster advert

'62 Vintage Road Stratocaster advert

The series was renewed in 2014, but lasted only one year.  The new ​​Vintage Hot Rod '50s Stratocaster and Vintage Hot Rod '60s Stratocaster had the S-1 switch, which added bridge pickup at positions 3, 4 and 5, and a neck plate on which two checkered flags and the serial number starting with “HR” (in the old series it started with “V”) were engraved.  The '50s was equipped with a Texas Special at the bridge and a '56 American Vintage pickup at the neck and in central position, and had a compound radius fretboard.  The '60s featured a 4-ply tortoise shell pickguard equipped with an American Vintage '56 at the bridge, an American Vintage '65 at the middle and an American Vintage '59 at the neck. 

Antonio Calvosa
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