Both the American Professional Classic Stratocasters combine vintage aesthetics with modern playability at a price point suited to working musicians.
Fender’s American Professional line strives to combine the best of vintage and modern aesthetics, along with playability. In essence, the idea is to introduce a lineup that appeals to both classic Fender aficionados and contemporary players. All coming in at a price point well suited to the working musician, a trait we have come to value from the likes of Fender.
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They say first impressions count, and such is the case upon removing these Strats from their deluxe Fender Gig bags. Yes, this time around, I have been supplied with two American Professional Classic Stratocasters for review: the standard model in a Faded Firemist Gold finish and the HSS, humbucker-equipped model in Sherwood Green Metallic. What differentiates these two is whether you’re after a single coil or a humbucker in the bridge position.
These colours really do a lot to evoke the classic muscle car-inspired vibes of ’60s Fenders, which have served as the obvious inspiration. However, instead of a traditional nitro finish, Fender has opted for gloss urethane on the Professional Classic line.
This type of finish is ideal for gigging musicians, as not only does it look fantastic, “and will continue to for many years to come”, it is also very durable. Gloss urethane lends itself well to the rigours of the stage and studio as it is hard-wearing, freeing it from the wear and tear that can occur with traditional Nitro Cellulose lacquer.
In hand, the American Professional Classic Stratocaster indeed feels very Fender. With a modern C-shape profile, it strikes a nice balance between filling the hand without being baseball bat thick. I feel that this neck carve will suit the vast majority of players, regardless of the playing style they intend to use this Strat for.
Fender has opted for a more contemporary 9.5” fretboard radius, giving the option for either a Maple or Rosewood fingerboard on a maple neck. This, combined with 22 medium jumbo frets and 25.5” scale length, means that the American Professional Classic Statocaster can be set up with a nice low action that still allows for easy string bending, “a setup that isn’t always achievable with a vintage spec 7.25” radius and vintage-sized fretwire”.
Fretwork on these models is fantastic, providing an excellent playing experience without any evidence of high frets or sharp ends. From easy chording down by the nut through to expressive leads higher up the neck, the American Professional Classic Stratocaster proves that you can still have a great playing Strat without seeking out the advanced features and compound radius of models like the American Ultra.
This far into the review, I have covered a lot of what makes these Strats a viable option for the modern player, but I can tell that there are a lot of you who are probably scratching your heads, asking, “So what’s classic about them?”.
Perhaps the most obvious feature is the inclusion of a traditional six-point tremolo system with vintage bent saddles. With many guitars in Fender’s product line opting for the more modern two-point variety, it is nice to see a classic trem back on an American-made Stratocaster.
I’ve always found the old six-point design easy to set up in various configurations—decked, blocked or floating—making it a great option for anyone new to working on and maintaining a vibrato system.
Additionally, you will be pleased to know I experienced no tuning issues when using the tremolo on either guitar—from subtle surfy vibrato all the way through to somewhat more vigorous dives.
The American Professional Classics tuning stability can likely be attributed to Fender’s inclusion of six Kulson-style “Classic Gear” staggered tuners and a well-cut synthetic bone nut. The tuners themselves do a lot to boost the guitar’s vintage/modern aesthetic, as they look like the type of tuners you would find on a vintage Strat; however, their being staggered makes them perform much more like modern counterparts.
In terms of electronics, Fender has packed the American Professional Classic Stratocaster with a set of Coastline 57 Single Coils in all three positions. The HSS model features its own special Coastline Humbucker in the bridge position. These, combined with a 5-way blade switch and Fender’s own Greasebucket circuit, make for a very versatile Stratocaster indeed.
These models are wired with a master volume, tone for neck and middle pickups, and tone for middle and bridge pickups. The Greasebucket circuit comes into play on the later combination “positions 1 and 2”, essentially giving the player control over the high frequencies without adding low-end mud, “an ailment that is not uncommon with traditional tone circuits”.
This electronics configuration will work great for both modern and more traditional players alike, providing great classic Stratocaster tones with just enough modern appointments to make life easy. Finally, Fender offers a solution for players on the fence of whether they lean more towards modern or traditional, striking a perfect balance for players who don’t wish to compromise on either.
Really, the only choice is whether to go for the standard or HSS model, a choice that will be crystal clear for most players who have their personal preferences.
All in all, I found the American Professional Classic to be a very capable Strat that provided fantastic playability for a variety of applications. From Clapton-esque woman tone all the way through to the classic Knopfler jangle and punchy humbucker tones, the American Professional Classic Strat has it covered. This guitar has the best of vintage and modern, all at a price point that isn’t completely out of reach for the gigging musician.
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