Acting as Fender’s new flagship series, American Professional II packs a wide array of models to cater for all players, with a few left-handed models even being offered for good measure.
Players can choose between a range of Stratocasters, Jazzmasters, Telecasters and Precision and Jazz Basses, with Deluxe, HSS, fretless and five-string options putting the icing on the cake for the fussy ones among us.
While all models retain the Deep C neck profiles introduced in the 2017 American Professional range, there’s a fair bit that’s new to talk about here. There’s a contoured neck heel and beveled neck plate on each model for enhanced access to the higher frets, while the neck itself features rolled fretboard edges and a Super Natural finish for a stick-free, smooth playing experience.
Other tweaks include a cold-rolled steel sustain block for the Stratocaster models for increased clarity and sustain, a Panorama Tremolo and Pop-in Arm for the Jazzmaster, a Top-Loader/String-Thru bridge for the Telecaster and new string trees and strap button designs. On top of all that, there’s also a number of models available with Roasted Pine bodies, while a handful are also equipped with tortoiseshell pickguards.
For Stratocaster enthusiasts, there’s the choice between the American Professional II Stratocaster and a DoubleTap humbucker-equipped Stratocaster HSS, each loaded with new Fender VMod II pickups for extra articulation and chime. Both models feature push/pull switching for on-hand tonal variations, and can be purchased in an array of finishes, including Sienna Sunburst, Miami Blue, Dark Night and Mercury.
Next up, the American Professional II Telecaster and Telecaster Custom also feature tweaked pickups and push-pull controls, with the new three-bullet Top-Load/String-Thru bridge allowing for players to adjust the tension and tone of each string to their personal preference. For finish options, there’s a bold mix between classic and contemporary, with everything from Butterscotch and Blonde through to Mystic Surf Green Green and Roasted Pine being on offer.
New features to the American Professional II Jazzmaster include V-Mod II pickups, wired with a tap function on the bridge for a low-output vintage tone, perfect for busting out a throaty lick to cut through the mix. Finishes include Sienna Sunburst, Three-Tone Sunburst, Mercury, Dark Night, Mystic Surf Green and Miami Blue.
The American Professional II Precision Bass, which is available in four and five-string variations, is fitted with a new V-Mod II Precision Bass split-coil pickup for a bit of extra character, while a HiMass Vintage allows for both string-thru-body or top-load set-up preferences. For finishes, you’ve got the choice of Olympic White, Three-Tone Sunburst, Dark Night, Roasted Pine, Mercury Miami Blue, Mystic Surf Green and Black.
Likewise, the American Professional II Jazz Bass comes in a colourful assortment of finishes, and includes V-Mod II single-coil pickups for that classic J-Bass funk tone. These bad boys are also available in four and five-string variations to appease any low-end theorist on the market.
We were lucky enough to get our mitts on some of the new Stratocaster and Jazzmaster models for review ahead of launch, and we can confirm that these guitars are certainly the real deal. The original American Professional range set a pretty high standard for the series, and these new flagship models are a very welcome update for fans of the range. Keep your eyes peeled for our reviews on both guitars soon!
Explore the Fender American Professional II range in its entirety via Fender’s Australian webstore.