FENDER AMERICAN PROFESSIONAL II STRATOCASTER HSS

review
FENDER AMERICAN PRO II TELECASTER & STRATOCASTER HSS
82
GUITARIST DECEMBER 2020
PROS The subtle changes make a
noticeable difference – very neat
new bridge; the push-push switch
series pickup link is very welcome.
A great middle-ground Telecaster
CONS Notching those saddles
wouldn’t go amiss
PROS Superb neck feel and very
dialled in setup – superb musical
tool with relatively modern voicing
that’s hard to put down
CONS Not everyone will get the
roasted pine’s appearance, but there
is plenty of choice besides that
FENDER AMERICAN
PROFESSIONAL II
TELECASTER
PRICE: £1,599 (inc case)
ORIGIN: USA
TYPE: Single-cutaway solidbody
electric
BODY: Alder
NECK: Maple, modern ‘deep C’ profi le,
bolt-on
SCALE LENGTH: 648mm (25.5”)
NUT/WIDTH: Bone/43.25mm
FINGERBOARD: Rosewood, white dot
markers, 241mm (9.5”) radius
FRETS: 22, narrow tall
HARDWARE: Nickel/chromed-plated
strings-through-body or top-load
Tele bridge with three compensated
brass ‘bullet’ saddles and six-screw
mounting, Fender standard cast/
sealed staggered tuners
STRING SPACING, BRIDGE: 55mm
ELECTRICS: 2x Fender V-Mod II
single coil Tele pickups, 3-position
lever pickup selector switch, master
volume (with treble bleed) and master
tone with knurled dome-top knobs
WEIGHT (kg/lb): 3.65/8.03
OPTIONS: See ‘Colours & Woods’ box
RANGE OPTIONS: The roasted pine-
bodied Telecaster costs £1,649, the
same price as the new Tele Deluxe
LEFT-HANDERS: We can expect
a left-handed Strat, Tele and
Jazzmaster early 2021
FINISHES: Mercury (as reviewed).
See ‘Colours & Woods’. Gloss urethane
body and headstock face, ‘Super-
Natural’ satin urethane neck back
FENDER AMERICAN
PROFESSIONAL II
STRATOCASTER HSS
PRICE: £1,649 (inc case)
ORIGIN: USA
TYPE: Offset double-cutaway
solidbody electric
BODY: Roasted pine
NECK: Maple, modern ‘deep C’ profi le,
bolt-on
SCALE LENGTH: 648mm (25.5”)
NUT/WIDTH: Bone/43.2mm
FINGERBOARD: Maple, black dot
markers, 241mm (9.5”) radius
FRETS: 22, narrow tall
HARDWARE: Nickel/chromed-plated
2-point synchronized vibrato with bent
steel saddles and pop-in arm and cold-
rolled steel block, Fender Standard
cast/sealed staggered tuners
STRING SPACING, BRIDGE: 52.5mm
ELECTRICS: Fender V-Mod II
DoubleTap humbucker (bridge),
V-Mod II single coil Strat (middle &
neck), 5-position lever pickup selector
switch, master volume (w/ treble
bleed), tone 1 (neck & middle), tone 2
(bridge) w/push switch coil split and
aged white plastic knobs
WEIGHT (kg/lb): 3.45/7.59
OPTIONS: See ‘Colours & Woods’
RANGE OPTIONS: With an alder
body the Strat HSS costs £1,599. The
standard three-single-coil Stratocaster
follows the same pricing as the HSS
LEFT-HANDERS: As left
FINISHES: Roasted Pine (as reviewed).
See ‘Colours & Woods’. Gloss urethane
body and headstock face, ‘Super-
Natural’ satin urethane neck back
9 9
5. The rounded corner of
the heel brings a more
modern element to the
Am Pro IIs, which still use
the very handy Micro-Tilt
neck pitch adjustment
Verdict
Is roasted pine the new ash? Impossible to
say on the evidence of a single guitar, but
listening to this Strat in comparison with
both alder and light ash references, it’s
definitely in the right ballpark and perhaps
sits between the two. Obviously, you’re not
just hearing a body wood, but what we’re
hearing overall is extremely good. The pine
does look different: we are so used to ash
under blonde finishes or just natural that
anything that looks different will always
have its detractors. Despite the high-gloss
finish, there’s a rather rustic vibe here that
not everyone will enjoy.
The Tele looks more showy and just
expands on the first version in both feel
and sounds and, with a couple of minor
exceptions, it’s difficult to see how Fender
could have improved these further. They
do feel like subtly modded versions of the
first range with added attention to feel and
detail. We’re big fans of the first American
Pros and these II versions are simply nicely
polished, very everyman instruments with
colossal appeal to players everywhere.
A superb job.
5
Is roasted pine the new ash?
Impossible to say… but it’s
defi nitely in the right ballpark
GIT466.rev_fender.indd 82 29/10/2020 12:21