But is one of these flagship Fender series clearly better than the other? Wide Thin Read the full Fender American Professional II Stratocaster review (Image credit: Fender) 8. Holy ****, manI just looked and youre right. Shop all Fender American Pro II Telecasters | https://tinyurl.com/y4o2htq2 Shop the Fender American Ultra Series: https://tinyurl.com/2d2d5fmw Fender American Pro II Telecaster in Mercury | https://tinyurl.com/yxz2e2gk Very well-made, great players. With free UK delivery on all orders containing only a T-Shirt, Hoodie or Jumper & super low international shipping costs, there is no better time to be an Andertons fan than now! This is a tiny tweak, but these simply offer an extra layer of finesse by blending beautifully into the shapes of their sculpted neck heels. The nut of a guitar is a small but very important part of the instrument. Ive been doing a lot of research on strats in the $1000-1500 range, and the American Pro II seems like the best choice for me. The V-Mod pickups in the Fender American Professional Strat help give it a classic sound, that's more than capable of handling modern music if you need it to. Also, there are different fret materials to consider. S2 Fender has decided to retain its popular Deep C neck shape for its American Professional II electric guitars. Can't say any of the new features convince me other than the pine bodied variants coming in as low as 5lbs! If you want to know more about how its measured and the effect it has on the playability of a guitar, you should look at the following article: The Fender American Professional II Stratocaster has 22 narrow tall nickel silver frets. I didn't like mine until I raised them to spec, they came installed about 3/16" from the strings, far too low. Chapman Charvel Cort D'Angelico Dean Epiphone ESP E-II ESP ESP LTD EVH Fender Custom Fender Fender Squier Gibson Custom Gibson Gretsch Harley Benton Ibanez . Released in late 2019 as the replacement for the short-lived American Elite range, the American Ultra series encompasses what Fender describes as its most advanced production guitars to date. Andertons Guitar & Bass YouTube Channel: https://goo.gl/kRJCpb 22:14 Fender American Pro II Jazzmaster Jeff Beck, Ritchie Blackmore, Eric Clapton, Rory Gallagher, Jeff Beck, Ritchie Blackmore, Eric Clapton, Rory Gallagher, David Gilmour, Jimi Hendrix, George Harrison, Eric Johnson. Press J to jump to the feed. With so many options on the market, it can be difficult to make a decision. Fenders American Professional II Stratocaster offers multiple upgrades from its inaugural configuration. Other ergonomic updates include rolled fingerboard edges across the whole Fender American Professional II line, as well as sculpted neck heels that allow for unrestricted upper-fret access. Fender American Ultra Tele Rosewood Fretboard Arctic Pearl - https://tinyurl.com/yxo3fm6f I will then talk about their main specs one by one, and link you to some other interesting articles I have written about these specific features. Introducing the Fender American Professional II Series, with new colours, refined hardware & re-voiced pickups, their iconic American Pro range just got a whole lot better! American Professional II guitars have thicker necks and higher output pickups giving them a more modern tone compared to the American Performer guitars. What Telecaster necks feel most like a 2011 American Standard Stratocaster? Pattern A guitar's lifespan is mostly related to how well it is maintained and treated. It helps define string spacing, action, and is the source of many of the tuning issues cheaper instruments suffer from. The basses havent been left behind either when it comes to their hardware. I was thinking about getting a Professional. The pickups - while always a matter of taste - tend to sound more, shall we say, Fender like - they sound like what you would expect a Fender to sound like more than the other models. Its probably my favorite neck on any of my guitars and I somehow had the profile wrong. Fender Stevie Ray Vaughan Stratocaster. My favourite guitar in 25 years. The main differences between the Fender American Performer and American Professional guitars are the neck profile and pickups. Fender American Pro II Jazzmaster in 3-Tone Sunburst | https://tinyurl.com/yxz8kalr The Fender American Elite Strat has got more tonal possibilities, compared to the American Special and Pro. After a lot of back and forth, I moved from a Squire to an American Professional, skipping the Mexican Player models. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. These kits feature new rear bumpers, spoilers, side skirts, valances, grilles, grille emblems, and fender extensions to transform the look of your Mustang. Guitars in both series have a push/ pull tone pot which activates the additional switching that you wont find on many other Fender models. While the bridge is removed, locate the retainer clip from the back of the . Fender American Ultra Strat Maple Fretboard Ultraburst - https://tinyurl.com/yyouf2rz Lets explore this question, so you can make an informed decision for your next purchase. Good mid-range prices with great quality. Both series include SSS and HSS pickup configurations however only the American Professional II series includes a left-handed version of the SSS Strat. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Buy A T-Shirt | https://tinyurl.com/vdq7rmg But ultimately, these small refinements bring these instruments more up-to-scratch for contemporary musicians looking for greater tonal flexibility and added playing comfort. I created this website to share everything I've learnt over the past 15 years of playing guitar. This is measured from the nut to the bridge, and for intonation purposes, the middle point is always the 12th fret. Having yet to play one the marketing reads like they are just doing even more rolling on the fingerboard edges - much like what they started doing on the American Ultras last year. Finding the particular specs of 2 guitars online is quite some work. Ive tried the Pro II and really like the neck profile. IMO the hard finish sounds.well.harder. $1,799.99. For the most part, Fenders American Professional II guitars maintain almost everything that made the original American Pro models so great. Or $300/month for 6 months. Andertons Shopping Website: https://goo.gl/TPsG2Q Fender American Professional II Stratocaster Dark Night $1,699.99 in stock 24 new from $1,699.99 2 used from $1,453.49 as of February 25, 2023 8:21 am Browse Fender American Professional II Stratocaster - Miami Blue with Maple Fingerboard $1,699.99 Browse Fender American Deluxe Stratocaster 2007 USA Sunburst Electric Guitar w/ Case $1,165.50 Browse [Playability, tone, and scale], Does guitar scale length affect tone? A high end fender is totally worth the cost. I really like the Ultras compound radius, C to D neck carve and recessed heel I dislike the truss Rod dial on front and the pickups. I recently bought a 2017 AmPro HH RW Strat and was quite blown away by the playability and feel of the neck. On both guitars youll get additional switching which is activated by the push/ pull tone control. The Fender American Ultra Stratocaster has Fender Deluxe Die-cast Sealed Locking tuners, Ultra Noiseless Vintage Strat Single-coil (SSS) / Ultra Noiseless Hot Strat Single-coil (HSS) pickups, and Noiseless, Coil-tapping (HSS), S-1 neck pickup blend electronics. 11:00 Fender Pro II Stratocaster with Gain The Ultra Strat has some notable upgrades such as the locking tuners, enhanced body contours and a more sculpted neck heel which are not seen on American Pro II Strat. On the subject of fingerboards, Fenders American Ultra models come installed with Medium Jumbo frets. Lightweight tuners are also installed on these basses, which prevent neck-dive and thus make the instruments more balanced in standing positions. But which is the best? Fender's QC at the US factory is excellent. Bigger frets make a guitar easier to play, however, they hinder the overall intonation of the instrument. These also have a push-push pot for series-parallel switching. In this extensive blog, weve broken down the key features of Fenders new American Professional II guitars. American Ultra guitars and basses are unique in the Fender catalogue for their non-typical Modern D-shaped necks. Designed for modern musicians that seek ultimate performance, precision and tone; these contemporary models go above and beyond those in previous top-of-the-range Fender series' without straying too far from their original, iconic formulas. Yet, one of the most popular debates is about nitro vs poly. The quality between USA, MIM, and Japan are all very similar. [Complete guide], Do guitar tuners affect tone? Bear in mind that most guitars will need a pro setup to get them in optimal playing condition and to align with the player's preferences. SE I'm very happy with the guitar, love the neck profile and the playability of the guitar (you have to learn to set up any guitar by yourself to get the best results). They also have slightly different properties that some players argue can influence the tone of your guitar. Some of the new finishes are nice, I like mercury (with rosewood) and sienna burst. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. Interested in other Andertons YouTube channels? They're both crazy high quality for general production run guitars in terms of fit and finish. The PRS range consists of 4 different lines: Wound differently to their older counterparts, Fender describes its V-Mod IIs as some of the best sounding pickups it has ever made promising extra note definition and more mid-range punch. One feature all our reviewers were quick to note is the tapered low-profile neck heel, which gives you access to fret positions youd never dare into on your vintage Strat. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. It is a central part for the transmission of vibrations through the instrument, and also defines many important factors for playability such as string spacing and action. The neck is really nice, but its a little different from other Fenders. Interested in finding out more about music gear and expanding your knowledge? Now, Fender has revised these with their newly-designed V-Mod II pickups. [Complete guide], Do pickups make a difference in sound? [Complete guide with examples], Does a guitars finish affect its tone? Main Stratocaster Guitar Discussion Forum. With both the American Ultra Precision Bass and Jazz Bass models boasting HiMass bridges, these specially-designed components guarantee piano-like sustain and huge, bellowing lows. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. Fender American Professional II Stratocaster Rating: 9/10 If you have guitar related questions, use the "Search" field FIRST, Then ask the community. Alongside the new pickups, upgraded hardware appointments breathe new life into Fenders American Professional II guitars. The pickups on the American Professional II Telecaster sound crunchier and fuller compared to the brighter sounding noiseless pickups on the Ultra Telecaster which do not suffer from humming and feedback. But fret work and fit/finish on the American Pro is very good. The American Pro series seems just in that goldilocks zone of high quality for a good price, so Im hoping that itll work out. Here is a table outlining which models and pickup configurations are available in each series and whether they are available in left-handed or just right-handed versions. I now own an acoustic guitar and several electric guitars including my personal favourite, a PRS SE Custom 24. Five iconic guitar and bass shapes make up Fender's American Professional II series. Fender Custom Shop SHOP BY MODEL Stratocaster Telecaster Jaguar Jazzmaster Lead Duo-Sonic Mustang Meteora Other Shop All Electric Guitars SHOP BY SERIES American Professional ll American Ultra American Ultra Luxe American Performer Player Plus Player JV Modified Vintera Noventa Made in Japan Limited Edition Artist Signature HIGHLIGHTS This requires removing the bridge from the instrument but should allow the arm to pop in and out easily. I think the Vintera line is the best value and then you got a steep point of diminishing returns. Andertons Drummers YouTube Channel: https://goo.gl/9yKSS9 Fender American Ultra Tele Rosewood Fretboard Texas Tea - https://tinyurl.com/y6kv9bdr The American Ultra series encompasses Fender's most advanced, forward-thinking instruments to date. And with Fenders new American Professional II series breaking cover, were sure that players from all over the world are intrigued to discover how the US guitar giant has refined its flagship instrument line. Simply put - there's tonnes of variety! Here we compare the Fender American Ultra Jazzmaster and the Fender American Professional II Jazzmaster. Fender American Ultra Strat HSS Maple Fretboard Ultraburst - https://tinyurl.com/y4frspd5 [Complete wood guide]. Also, take into consideration that the fretboard is the point of contact for your playing fingers with the guitar, so feel is also a very important factor. Fender American Professional II Series Telecaster Deluxe (Image credit: Fender) Originally introduced in 1973, this twisted Tele packed two Seth Lover-designed "Wide Range" humbucking pickups and a Gibson-style setup of dual volume and tone controls and a three-way toggle. Fender American Ultra Strat Maple Fretboard Texas Tea - https://tinyurl.com/y4al8ffc Theres also greater diversity within the American Professional II series, not only in terms of colour options, but also with Telecaster Deluxe models and more 5-string/fretless bass variants available. Fender has also introduced some tasteful new colour options that are exclusive to these guitars and basses. After that, I will show you some sound tests I found, and give you a brief history of each one of them.