The Fender American Roadhouse Stratocaster, part of Fender's Hot Rodded American Standard Series, was produced between 1997 and 2000, blending classic Stratocaster design with modern features of the time. Made in the USA, the Roadhouse Strat was "hot rodded" with higher-output Texas Special Pickups, while maintaining the basic specifications of the Fender American Standard Stratocaster of that era. The Roadhouse Strat was later succeeded by the Fender American Texas Special Stratocaster. Available in several finishes including 3-Color Sunburst, Olympic White, Black, Candy Apple Red, Shoreline Gold, and Teal Green Metallic, it offered players a variety of aesthetic options.

Models built in the late 1990s came with the Fender Deluxe Black Tolex case with Red Lining, while those from 2000 shipped with the Fender Standard Molded Hard Case. Early models featured a Swimming Pool body routing, which was later changed to an HSH configuration. These differences serve as useful markers for dating your USA Roadhouse Strat. It's important not to confuse this USA model with the Mexican-made Deluxe Roadhouse Stratocaster, which was made to a completely different price point. The relatively low number of listings for the American Roadhouse Strat reflects its limited production numbers, making it highly sought after by players and collectors alike.