#3. Who do you pick as one of the best guitarist of all time, Alnico5 single coil pickups in a 2019 player strat. Do fret size and material affect tone and playability? Different guitar body tonewoods and their effect on tone, Do guitar tops affect tone? But do guitar pickups make a difference in sound? Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. 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 Youll find medium jumbo frets on the Ultra models and narrow tall frets on the American Pro II models with the following dimensions: There are some model-specific differences between guitars in the American Ultra and Professional II series. Want To Sound Like The Captain & Pete? Not concerned with tuners. We will outline how pickups work and what are the central factors that determine how they influence the tone of your instrument. Your IP: This is a forum where guitarists, from novice to experienced, can explore the world of guitar through a variety of media and discussion. The AmPro always had a Deep C neck. 8:46 Fender American Pro I Vs Pro II Fender American Pro II Telecaster in Mercury | https://tinyurl.com/yxz2e2gk If the condition of Fender's USA-made production-line guitars provides a useful temperature test for the fortunes of the brand as a whole, then the new American Professional II series provides compelling evidence that the people at the company who really know guitars are making their voices heard loud and clear. In short, a guitars top has a slight, but perceivable, influence on its tone, however, they are mostly used for aesthetic purposes. Compared to some higher-end Fenders, including two Custom Shops, it stands up among the very best I've spent time with. And Fenders new Panorama tremolo gives their American Professional II Jazzmasters a smoother vibrato arm action, of which can easily be popped in and out on-the-fly. Strat Talk is the leading online community and marketplace for Stratocaster guitars. Prosoundhq.com is also a member of other affiliate programmes. I'd say not really. Allowing you to access more pickup combinations for greater tonal versatility, these electronics therefore work very similarly to the Push/Push systems found in Fenders new American Professional II guitars. Pattern As a huge fan of the Fender Jazzmaster, Cooper needed to get his hands on all of these to do a proper comparison-- with upgrades from the predecessor American Professional line including a beveled heel carve, V-Mod II pickups, the return of the "rhythm circuit" controls, and new finishing options, these guitars are up to the excellent standard The Fender American Performer Stratocaster guitars replace the American Special and include a selection of all-new appointments such as Yosemite single-coil pickups, a push-pull pot to activate the neck/bridge pickup, Greasebucket tone circuitry and new Classicgear tuning machines for smoother tuning action. Here is a video comparing the tones of the American Professional II (Butterscotch Blonde) and American Ultra Telecaster (white). Agreed but I don't blame people for not liking the price. But similarly to those models, Fenders American Ultra instruments have smooth satin-finished necks that allow for fast playability. Some of the add-ons on this site are powered by. To know everything there is about this part of the guitar, please go here: The Fender American Professional II Stratocaster has a bridge integrated tailpiece. Sporting active/passive switches, these allow you to quickly change between vintage and modern voicings with a simple flick, while flexible 3-band EQ systems enable you to precisely sculpt their tones to perfection. 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! I have literally never had issues with Fenders in that price range. All these necks are based on the C-shape and have the following PRS SE vs S2 Guitars (Including Custom, Standard, McCarty). I do like the rolled fingerboard edges on the II, and less important, I prefer the slight vintage tint. Danish Pete's Rig | https://www.andertons.co.uk/danish-petes-rig Watch this video for Lee & Petes thoughts on the new Fender Ultra guitars, plus an actual tone shoot out between the old Elite models & the new Ultra versions! The Fender American Ultra Stratocaster fretboard is built of maple / rosewood. The push-pull thing seems interesting, although I was never a fan of the S1 switch on other models and thought it a bit gimmicky. Even if youre a traditionally bent player, dont be dismayed: the American Ultra Stratocaster is a Strat through and through. 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. Fender's reimagined American Pro II series brings over features from the popular American Ultra line, including a truly ergonomic neck heel. If you can go to a shop and play a few that would be a good idea, bc neck/fret preferences are pretty subjective. I have an American Pro I and had an Ultra. Thanks for visiting. Pickups are [] pretty awful in the Am Pro II, but that's an easy fix in either case and I wouldn't let it sway your decision. Different scale lengths have varying influences over things such as string tension, and of course, fret gap size. Fender's flagship USA-made guitar & bass lineup has just received a major makeover! However, American Ultra bodies are heavily-contoured at the rear around their lower horn, neck and belly-cut sections. What Telecaster necks feel most like a 2011 American Standard Stratocaster? This thin profile offers optimal support for contemporary players, but is unlikely to appeal to traditionalists who prefer thicker, vintage-like neck carves or even the somewhat neutral Deep C profile that the American Professional II electric guitars have. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. If you are here, it seems like I have already done that job for you. You must log in or register to reply here. Guitars in both series have a push/ pull tone pot which activates the additional switching that you wont find on many other Fender models. However, selected Fender American Professional II guitars and basses (with natural finishes) boast Roasted Pine bodies instead. Hence, if you are using a lot of distortion then the Ultra will probably be more suitable. (3) Fender American Professional II Telecaster Deluxe - Dark Night with Rosewood Fingerboard. But Im unsure about several things, namely Fenders QC and the guitars lifespan. [Complete guide]. Fender American Pro Strat in Sunburst, with maple neck. IMO the hard finish sounds.well.harder. The neck heel on the Pro II is still sculpted but just not as dramatically. In terms of the neck designs, the Pro II Jazzmaster has a slightly thicker deep C neck and narrower fingerboard radius compared to the Ultra Jazzmaster which has a slightly narrower modern D neck and wider fingerboard radius. Click here to view all of our Labs articles! For the most part, Fenders American Professional II guitars maintain almost everything that made the original American Pro models so great. I also recently needed to replace my wah pedal, and I tested the new one out with a Pro-II Strat. In many cases, the manufacturers dont inform the same features about the instruments that you want to compare and you have to start digging all over the web to find them. These kits feature new rear bumpers, spoilers, side skirts, valances, grilles, grille emblems, and fender extensions to transform the look of your Mustang. Check out my complete guide to the different Stratocaster models to make sure you get the best option. [Guide], Does a guitars neck joint affect its tone? 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). American Professional II guitars have a deep C neck profile and 9.5 fretboard radius, whereas American Ultra models have a modern D neck profile with a 10-14 compound radius fretboard. The Fender American Ultra Stratocaster is built with a Modern D neck. Further performance upgrades include a contoured heel joint, Super-Natural satin neck finish, and upgraded electronics. Maintaining everything that made the original Fender American Pro Series great, the eye-catching guitars of the American Professional II range boast upgrades that bring them more up-to-scratch for contemporary musicians. Fender's QC at the US factory is excellent. The electronics of an electric guitar are what give the instrument its name. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Necks: American Professional vs. American Pro II nadzab Mar 10, 2021 nadzab Play Don't Worry Silver Member May 15, 2009 6,456 New England Mar 10, 2021 #1 For those who have hands-on experience with both: Is the only difference the "Super-Natural" finish on the back of the AmProII neck? Then, there are wood wings glued to its side to complete the body shape. Pattern Vintage Go on reverb and look at the price of secondhand Baja teles vs Americans pro series. It's a bit expensive, but it sounds, looks and feels incredible. 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. What is fretboard radius and why is it important? But the pickups are an easy fix and the S1 series / parallel switching is pretty cool, I think the ultra just has a D shape neck, the elites had a C to D. Id suggest going to your local shop and checking them out, lefty or otherwise youll still get to see and feel them. You could then perhaps argue that the Fender American Professional II guitars, which have been refined with Ultra-like tweaks, offer more bang-for-your-buck and are clearly better than their predecessors from the original American Pro range. The American Professional II Jazzmaster has an alder body whereas the American Ultra Jazzmaster gives you the option of either an alder or ash body which also has a more dramatic sculpted neck heel and body contours. American Original 70's Tele Custom neck finish, Cap outer foil tester build -- Peegoo Custom Special. Pickups are ok in the Ultra and pretty awful in the Am Pro II, but that's an easy fix in either case and I wouldn't let it sway your decision. All American Ultra guitars have enhanced body contours on the back of the guitar which are designed to make them more comfortable. Even if you only use P split coil Pickup in passive mode exclusively the Playability along with build quality, fit and finish, comfort from new contours and P tone from Ultra Noiseless pickup is worth the xtra $ Click to expand. You can also hear an example of the Pro I as well (sunburst). The other big thing is resale value - American Fenders go for higher prices in the used market. Ordered a used pro i online from guitar center. A host of new Fender colours were introduced for the American Ultra series. Bigger frets make a guitar easier to play, however, they hinder the overall intonation of the instrument.