So...my ‘62 or my Highway One? Which do you prefer? 🤔

important to note that this guy could make a shoe box with rubber bands sound better than I could make a 62 strat sound. great playing sir.

Chris, you could literally make a triangle sound like a 62 Strat.

The Highway One sounds great, but yeah, there is just something about that '62. It's somehow more subtle. It's a rounder sound but still has a sparkle. It is like magic.

God, that Highway One sounds fantastic.

They sound pretty much exactly the same... both sound amazing with Chris playing..yet another shootout that proves yet again, its 95% fingers 5% guitar.

Forget about 62 strat. I just compered all your jam's with most famous guitar solos, and guitar players and came to 1 conclusion. You are my favorite guitar player that ever walked on this planet. D. Gilmoure is close second. If you have Radio and TV time that was available to musicians before you, 20 years from now , people would talk about you as they talk today about, Clapton, Gilmoure, Handrix .etc.

If anything, I'd say this video is just a testament to how good Fender still is. Having said that, I have the slightest preference for the 62

Congrats on 5th in the Music Radar poll. Your channel is my favourite discovery of 2020. Your playing is absolutely incredible!

As its often said tone is in the fingers. Friday Fretworks is the best. Cheers Chris

Came across a forum thread a few days ago blaming you for the price of Highway 1 Strats going up. I think they were right 😂

This is the perfect showing of what a great guitar player can do with any guitar regardless of value, pickups, or amplifier. Truly spectacular.

I'm honestly a little shocked at how good that 62 sounds. They both sound great for sure and the diff can be subtle, however the subtleties are what differentiate a good/great guitar from the cream of the crop rare elite guitars. This 62 example is, for me a cream of the crop example. That's one for the greatest guitar tone examples I have heard. It takes a truly great player to be able to reveal those subtleties, so thanks so much for doing this. Love this video!

The red strat is my fave here..sounded warmer ..seriously Chris..every guitars you touch will sound amazingly lol...cheers

The 62 is warm and cozy sounding!

When I get home from work every Friday, without fail, I watch Friday Fretworks before anything else. I'm always entertained but honestly, I look forward to what you play the most.

Chris, I've owned a bunch of old Strats -- I'm 77 and played for a living for many years. I have never had a problem owning a veneer board Strat or Tele. When I was your age, an old hand told me the veneers sounded better because it was the maple neck that generated the tone and the slabs tended to muffle the tone and the sustain. You can believe as you wish but I think the old guy was onto something. Always a big thanks for your shows and your chops. Tommy Quinn, Celt through and through, Irish, Welsh and Scots...

I get the Highway One sound, The clarity and crispness without being harsh is def killer.The slightly "thinner" tone really comes through with the softer notes and still has an awesome bluesy depth. (both of which you seem to like) And yet that '62 on the detailed stuff is outstanding. I thought it tended to be a little muddy on some of the heavy chords you played at the beginning of the vid. Other than that though, '62's a winner.

The playing is just mesmerising. Insane.

I know what you mean when you say there's a 'complexity' in the 62's sound. It's slightly darker at first listen but there's all sorts of lovely overtones floating around. That said, I absolutely love your ID:CB pickups in my 2006 Standard. They transformed that guitar. Also, that outro 'JAM' is mindblowing.

62 has a warmth and slight natural compression that only vintage strats seem to have - yours reminded me of my Dads 63 strat. They both sound great tho!

The highway one is indeed great but there’s something special about that ‘62. Vintage guitars seem to have a certain resonance that only comes with age.

The best dynamic and feel of Guitar player! Awesome chris buck!

Their small differences in tone don't matter too much, it's how it feels in the players hands and if one guitar gives the player a little more back then we as the audience get that little extra in return. Chris Buck can make anything sound great.

Must come down to feel - cause soundwise they are very close. And feel and inspiration is important 😎

Can't wait until all these amazing intro jams make it to an album I can buy 😉

Every Friday about 10AM US Mountain time, I remember, "Hey, its time to hear me some Friday Fretworks!!" Congrats on the #5 landing, we were pulling for ya. Have a great weekend. Merry Christmas to you, your family, to all the FF team and all your subscribers and supporters. May you all live to strum another power chord.

the 62 is clearer. You particularly hear it when Chris hits those fat chords clusters, the 62 keeps definition and harmony whereas the highway one starts to cave a bit. The highway one is still killer but you can definitely notice it and thats a small thing that makes a difference imo

You just proved that indeed, it’s in the fingers!

I was most interested in the way you felt about playing them and how you felt about they way they responded to you physically and sonically. THAT'S the part that's intriguing, not the tones which you can just A/B and take your pick what you like as a listener. I like to hear what the player likes and why they like to play this guitar over that one.

The 62 has that throaty woody bite that makes it sit in the mix so perfectly. Wow what a guitar. On the other side... that Highway One is crazy good and will nog limit in player in the real guitar playing world. Cool video!

Thanks for the video. Please keep me coming. It food for thought and a inspiration for us all.

Sorry if it’s sacrilegious, but I prefer the tone of the highway one.

The clarity and tone on that '62 is unparalleled, and as Paul Davids has proven... if you want a million subs, you gotta have a red strat! =]

I agree that they both sound really good!

That outro was cherry Chris, keep it up and happy holidays!

Yes, they both sound great. But when the video started I didn't know which was which and the 62 was my clear favorite. The attack is sharper, the sustain is clearly better, and I just find it more engaging all around. The Highway One sounds sterile and flat by comparison. Awesome outro, BTW! I just discovered you through the Paul Davids challenge thing and am very impressed and now a subscriber.

To a 55 yr old man who putts around trying to learn tunes off YT , I like the highway..It sounds crisper , sharper..The 62 has that great blended sound but I have to give to the highway..I love your stuff , and enjoy watching your vids and hearing you play.. Peace

Cracking channel and playing and you are so elaborate. The level of language you display is a pure joy to listen to. As a non native speaker I frequently recommend your channel to others as a ressource for learning. Now on topic: '62 wins for me. That increased bass resonance is just what I like in a Strat tone. Doesn't sound like something you couldn't dial in for the Highway though.

I played for 25 years, mainly strats.. I think that we can say that vintage strats and cs reissues usually sound more open, less compressed and have a wider spectrum oh harmonics then modern strats. Of course with upgrades you can obtain both flavors. This has been said, the magic with strats is that you never play 2 that sound or feel exactly the same.. which is by the way a great commercial argument to push you own and buy and many of them :) . By the way, awesome playing and feel. Keep on rocking ! Cheers

At first I couldn't hear much difference but as Chris played on, the highway has a bit more spank, it's brighter and the notes are more articulated - sounds great. But the 62 is a more full / complete tone, like it's the perfect vintage tone. Definitely more subtle, not as articulated, but the warmth in contrast to the spankiness is so perfect it just brings it home. Great video

That was amazing Chris. Thanks so much!

Thankfully I can't tell the difference. I've got enough OCD issues in my life without having to deal with my love of music. Another great Friday evening thanks to Chris.

This is not a testament to how good these guitars are, but how good a player you are. I hope you're not tired of hearing/seeing this, but you've earned it time and again. I've owned a May '62 Strat for a few decades. The fingerboard is the short-lived thick curve, a transition from the slab board and the "veneer" board. I've also owned six other Strats, none of them older than 1990. When I got them, they were all carefully and painfully selected from many dozens of others and were/are all very good. I still have three of them, but the '62... well, like your's, it's just magic. I don't know why or how this is, but it definitely is both in feel and sound. Both guitars sounded great but I attribute that to your playing more than to anything else. I'm very interested in purchasing your signature pickups and, damn' it, I will!

The 62 has a slight 'woody' deep mids thst sound lovely, whilst the HW1 has a chime in the top thats beautiful and cut through mix. As much as I would love the 62 for mist of us mere mortals just shows you can use a cheaper Fender and be reasured its bloody good. Thanks for sharing. Diolch o galon Chris. Da iawn. 😎

Love your playing!🎸🔥🎸🔥🎸🔥🎸

I felt the 62' had a twinge of a deep whistling resonance that I didn't hear in the 2004 - but they both sounded wonderful - I just wish I could play like you.

They both sound great, they both sound like a strat, seem to have a comparable output, yet each one with its own character. Most importantly, Chris sure knows how to make them both sing beautifully. Congrats on your achievements Chris!

Thats mad, about 10 years ago I sold a les paul to a guy, he was really friendly and I ended up playing on his other guitars and he showed me the pickups he'd been making and was going into business selling them, they were good!. Radioshack pickups happened to be the name and now I'm Watching this and see them on your guitar.

Oh man... both have a Strat sweetness about them. I think, and maybe it’s just me, but I heard a slightly sweeter sustained ring and warmth out of the 62’. The Highway a more modern twang that many of us look for in a Strat. Both sounded priceless behind your masterful bends though....

hopefully the chris buck Christmas means the announcement of his signature revstar model with yamaha 😁

What a cool sound and tone dude, amazing.

Enjoyed your video as always. Both sound terrific. I'm currently playing a Les Paul but throughout my career I've played three American made Strats. The first one was a 72 sunburst maple fretboard and I hated it however I acquired a 64 Olympic white Strat through a friend of mine for 125 dollars, this was in 1975. It needed a refretting and I found a guy in York, Pennsylvania that refretted it with Les Paul Jr frets and a new nut. Played through a blackface Fender pro reverb bought shortly after. Best rig ever. I also had a 1984 Fender Strat that I swapped the pickups for Seymour Duncan alnico pro ll's that sounded terrific through my 83 Mesa Boogie mark ll. All and all I personally like the 62 once again. Im not familiar with the neck profile on a 62 but the necks on a 63 and 64 were the best for me.

When somebody plays like that, it doesn't matter what guitar it is...

I bought a ticket to the show but couldn't catch it live. I watched the replay though and really enjoyed it. I live in the southern USA so I'd probably never get to catch a real live show anyway. P.S. I watched the show while driving to increase my adrenaline and feel the show more. Worked great 👍🏾

Both sound beautiful in your hands. Cleans to me are awesome on the 62. The 'Strattiness' in the drive sounds is better to me with the H1. I'm guessing that this is part of the type of warm full drive sound you chose. In the end, if it feels good, then it's all good... Tnx Chris, keep up the Fretworks and stay safe

A cheap fender with some upgrades sounding like a Custom Shop has no price. I love my modified MIM like you love your Highway One.

I believe the tones are very similar. The 62 has an edge in timbres and the ring of sustain. The bridge pickup seems to have a tiny bit more treble, could be the wiring. It is so little that it could just be the broken pot on the Hiway 1 - ha! :)

That opening solo was/is so incredibly inspiring to watch. Ty

Child please! That 62 is absolutely ridiculous. I couldn't believe the difference in sound when that picture switched quickly. I LOVE the Highway One Strats too though and the neck profile on those were awesome to me.

‘62 all the way! It has a warmer tone with rich harmonic overtones. As much as I love your 04 I have to say it sounded harsh side-by-side with the 62. As always, great video!

Fascinating! This was such a fun comparison. I tell you what, I really notice a big difference in the bridge pickups especially. Probably because of the metal baseplate on your Radioshop pickups, the Highway 1 has more ability to cut and is more punchy in the bridge. I know those are arbitrary terms, but for an all-around workhorse, I’d have to choose the Highway 1 over the ‘62. I will say, though, that the ‘62 had a special harmonic quality to it. Each sustained note, especially, I heard a distinctive harmonic ring that was, as you said, magical. For me, in the end, it came down to: “Which tones gave me Guitar Player Face Winces?” And every time it was the Highway 1. I responded, at a gut level, in my soul, to the sounds out of the in-between positions on the Highway 1. So, again, that’s where I’d put my money. I would be interested to hear the ‘62 with your Radioshop pickups loaded up. That could be something really special. Sacrilegious, maybe, to change the stock pickups, but could be worth it!

Deen Ween's been playing his red '62 Strat forever; that is one loved instrument.

Red one has more chime and lets the notes bloom a little more with more top end definition.

Honestly, when I'm listening to your playing, I pay more attention to your phrasing and picking technique than to the tonal differences between the guitars... ;) Both sound great to me, anyway... Thanks so much for sharing, and best regards.

It could be the setup or strings but the 62 had that warmer buzzy vintage sound I love

I have an old highway one strat with the Nitro finish that I am planning to update. I think I have found the new pickups that are going into it ! All I need now is the talent that lives in your fingers !

Thanks Chris. ⚓️

one of the best solos I've ever heard in my life. Awesome!

I see you deck your tremelos. A man after my own heart! I never really figured out how to get the best from one....and I've tried over the past 50 years. I now have an '85 Japanese Strat with well modded pickguard, I just refretted the skinny end, but left the Gotohs alone. I keep the trem arm in a drawer out of respect to Leo. One day I'll work out what to do with it!

You have a slippery style of playing that reminds me a lot of Derek Trucks. I really enjoy your style

The Highway One totally held its own. Well done!

Chris! I am a massive fan, and have been for so long, would love to find out more about a signature model or something similar? Please say more in the next video so I can start saving my pennies :) Thank you and congrats on 5th place! You had my vote!

I really enjoyed that, cheers Chris!

Played a '62 sunburst rosewood board Strat a few years back, and it sounded surprisingly warmer than the guy's early 2000s Custom Shop version he also had.

Hi Chris! Greetings from Brazil! I have been following your videos and your music here and I greatly appreciate your technique, your musicality and your friendliness. Unlike LA and Norman Harris boring, their accent is great to hear, very quiet !! I hope you read this acknowledgment of your talent here in Brazil. Peace, Gratitude and Music always!

Your show last week was great!

Damn you! I always thought my 2002 Highway One was nitro :-O Lovely playing mate, doesn't matter what guitar you're playing, it all sounds sublime, rarely have I been so moved by another player...I have a stock '64 Strat, a Highway One and a whole bunch of others, and your videos prove to me (a player of 43 years) that it's in your fingers!

YAYYYYY Chris Buck and a Stratocaster video! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

that HWY One is holding its own! back to practice

62 sounds noticeably better to me. More fullness, and low end content while retaining the highs. The HW1 sounds good too, but in this comparison it comes off a bit thin relative to the 62.

The fact that there is no clear favorite is a testament to how good your signature pickups are. In this video, your pickups sound livelier and clearer than the 62. That’s why I bought your pickups Chris. 😉

I’ve got those radio shop CB’s in my American standard and it sounds absolutely INCREDIBLE

Important to note that Chris's Radioshop pups (the one in the 04 Highway One strat here) are $360 per set, which is on the higher end for boutique pickup sets, while the sound coming from that 62 is with factory original pickups that have been in that guitar for sixty years. Wild to think about.

Probably my favorite you've done.

The 62 seems to have a bit more clarity and note definition, but I can see that the pickups are adjusted higher than on the Hwy 1, so that may have something to do with it.

They both sound good but that 62 is just on another level.

62 had a warmer sound to me, both were very nice. I didn't know which one was the 62 until you said it in teh video.

I’m not one for the whole older = better but that 62 sounds absolutely stunnnnning

The ‘62 just has just a little shimmer that isn’t there with the Highway One but I don’t think it’s possible for any guitar to sound bad in the hands of Chris Buck. They both sound amazing.

I do think you are a fantastic guitarist.❤

The 62 sounded like the pups were slightly lower output, giving a slightly more "airy" sound...but though it was close I think the Highway 1 sounded fuller and richer. On the other hand...your playing is amazing! Regardless of what axe you're pounding on!

The only thing sweeter than @chrisbuck ‘s sweet, sweet tone is his video editing skills. I’ve got an ‘02 highway 1 in honey blonde with a maple board and it’s my favorite guitar. I paid $400 used in 2004 and if the house was burning, I’d grab it first before my insanely nice Gibsons. It just does it for me.

The old timer has a lovely warm yet mellow sound to it and the highway one is much sharper and cleaner. By a smidge I would have to say the 62 in terms of sound, but considering the price difference, that’s actually saying more to me about the highway one.

both sound great and maybe in a blind test you couldn't tell. just goes to show. great vid mate.

They both have a wonderful tone but different characters - the deep resonance of the Highway one and the forensic highs of the '62 - they are both fantastic instruments. Congratulations on your Music Radar poll result! Nadolig Llawen a Blwyddyn Newydd Dda!

62 had ever so slightly more balance and clarity. Both great, Godly sounding instruments

I have 2004 and 2005 Strat and a 2004 Tele. I ended up buying the guitars I liked, the dates were just coincidence. They are fabulous. I think this was a magic time for modern era Fender. I don’t think either was a clear ‘better’ here.

"The Highway One really held it's own." "There's something magic about that '62 strat." Both those statements are valid IMHO and they do not in any way contradict each other. One can entertain more than one concept, and like more than one thing. Also, the person wielding the guitar might be of some minor importance as well. :)

Hi Chris, I'm new to the channel. Congratulations on the videos. I started playing strato a short time ago. I'm loving it. I've always played guitar with humbukers pickups.