Having played Strats for getting on 40 years now, I pretty much automatically check that the tone controls are on 10 and then ignore them. Maybe sometimes roll off the neck one a bit, but that's about it.
So imagine my surprise when, after two days with this new one, I discover that the bottom tone control *IS FOR THE BRIDGE PICKUP*!
Mind = blown
Been A/B ing with the PartsCaster I made years ago to be like a 1962, and I gotta admit the new American Vintage white one is pretty cool.
My old one has Seymour Duncan Antiquity pickups in the neck and middle but a Fender Custom Shop 'Fat 50s' in the bridge.
The advertised '1961' ones in the white guitar are simultaneously kinda open when clean and a bit dirtier on the gain channel. The Duncans are more defined, so you can hear all the strings in every chord to my ears 🤷♂️
Beautiful... I want the white one. (My buddy has an actual 61 -- that looks exactly like yours;-- that I'll been drooling over for years...)
Too popular that it became unpopular.
I could understand the hate back in the 80s, but I reckon we should all go into every music store and play it to the grumpy music store teen who gives attitude.