Fender's just launched the American Professional Classic series, marking the latest evolution in their modern classic American Professional lineup. After nearly 80 years of building electric guitars, they've clearly learned a thing or two about what players actually need – and this series shows it.
Taglined “Tested. Trusted. Night After Night,” the Fender American Professional Classic series is aimed squarely at working musicians who need reliability and versatility without compromise. This new series isn’t about vintage collecting, but about building instruments that can really handle the realities of gigs, recording and everything in between.
Catch up on all the latest news here.
What’s new?
They’ve taken Fender’s Pure Vintage pickup designs and wound them a bit hotter. The result is more clarity and punch without losing that classic Fender character – the warmth’s still there, the bite’s still there, but they respond better to how you’re actually digging in. Works whether you’re playing clean rhythm parts or pushing your amp hard for leads.
The neck’s worth mentioning, too. It’s a Modern ‘C’ profile with rolled fretboard edges, so it feels worn-in right away. You won’t be dealing with sharp edges catching your palm after a few hours of playing. These guitars feel fast and smooth right out of the case, which matters when you’re tracking all day or playing multiple sets.
When it comes to hardware upgrades, you can look forward to premium vintage-style bridges and ClassicGear tuning machines that really hold their tuning. As Turnstile’s Pat McCrory notes in the campaign, when you’re playing different venues every night, consistency matters. These upgrades deliver exactly that.
The guitars
The Stratocaster features Coastline ’57 pickups and comes in both rosewood and maple fingerboard options. Finishes span Faded Black, Faded Dakota Red, Faded Sherwood Green Metallic, Faded Firemist Gold, Faded Lake Placid Blue and three-colour sunburst. An HSS version adds a humbucker for extra muscle.
Telecaster players get the classic config with Coastline ’63 pickups and slotted barrel saddles. Finish options run from traditional Butterscotch Blonde to bolder choices like Faded Sherwood Green Metallic. The HotShot Telecaster throws a Strat pickup in the neck for added versatility.
Offset fans are well served. Both the Jazzmaster and Jaguar feature Coastline ’65 pickups and Mustang saddles for improved intonation. Finish options include Faded Firemist Gold, Faded Sherwood Green Metallic and Faded Dakota Red, alongside the traditional three-colour sunburst.
Bass lineup
Fender’s American Professional Classic bass range mirrors the guitar’s approach. The Precision, Jazz and Mustang bass models feature era-appropriate Coastline pickups – ’60 split-coil for the P-Bass, ’62 single-coils for the Jazz, and ’70 split-coil for the Mustang. Classic ‘lollipop’ tuners complete the look.
Fender’s timing here is spot-on, with good ol’ guitar-driven music having a genuine resurgence, from Turnstile playing huge shows across the globe to emerging acts bringing more raw energy back to the mainstream. The American Professional Classic series gives players across genres the tools they need without the usual compromises between vintage feel and modern performance.
For more information and full specs, head to Fender.
