[yetibone]

I had an unaltered '87 American Standard Strat a few years ago that sounded nice, clean and dry. It sounded great thru the Roland JC120 I had; very Mark Knopfler, Making Movies-ish. The action was lower than my Les Paul, so it liked very light strings. It played very easy. The neck was thinner and had the odd option of a Rosewood fingerboard. I'd have rather have had a maple fingerboard, but that's more of a personal preference. The Rosewood had some grain, and of course a maple board would be totally smooth.

I hadn't known about the road worn series until you mentioned it, Doug. Seems like that's just cosmetic stuff. Nitrocellulose paint, yellow-tinted lacquer on the neck, Scotchbrite scuff marks on the body and fingerboard...Close your eyes, rip a scale, and it sounds like any Stratocaster.