There are also many factors that could determine what weight of guitar would be best for you. Solidbody Electric Guitar, with Alder Body, Maple Neck, Rosewood Fretboard, 2 Single-coil Pickups, and Tremolo - 3-color Sunburst. A heavier guitar will give you more sustain, but a lighter guitar will be more resonant, and easier to play and carry around. The best off the line guitar they make. This functionality expands their tonal palettes, as it extends beyond the customary switching capabilities available on typical Strat, Tele and Jazzmaster models. The Stratocaster wears the American Ultra's contemporary stylings well. The Fender American Ultra Stratocaster is built with a bone nut. All these necks are based on the C-shape and have the following PRS SE vs S2 Guitars (Including Custom, Standard, McCarty). The scale length of a guitar refers to the longitude of the vibrating part of the string. Fender American Pro II Stratocaster in Miami Blue | https://tinyurl.com/y4w9svgg For more information on the other topics mentioned in this guide, check out our related articles: 2022 Andertons Music Company These are not factory-fitted on the American Pro II guitars, but can be purchased as an aftermarket upgrade. If I hadnt sold my Pro I a few years ago, I wouldnt necessarily feel the need to upgrade, but Im a bit happier with the Pro II as a total package now. The neck was super smooth. 31:07 Jam Between The Captain & Danish Pete [Guide], Does a guitars neck joint affect its tone? Additionally, the Ultra only has 21 frets whereas the Pro II has 22 frets which are spaced more closely together. 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. The Pro has a 20-fret, C-shape neck with a 9.5" radius fingerboard. The V-Mod pickups in the Fender American Professional Strat help give it a classic sound, that's more than capable of handling modern music if you need it to. I think it will end up being the Professional II then. The Fender American Ultra Stratocaster is built with a 10 14 Compound radius. Balancing a perfect blend of traditional design & modern practicality, Fender has truly listened to its players' & collaborated with various artists in order to improve the American Pro II Series to what it is today. These also have a push-push pot for series-parallel switching. I have a Pro 2 and an Ultra, and had a Pro 1 as well. Very well-made, great players. I now own an acoustic guitar and several electric guitars including my personal favourite, a PRS SE Custom 24. However, if you take good care of a guitar, storing and maintaining it properly, even a cheap one, it should last decades. I'd have to sell a Strat or two first. So its time for an upgrade. I love the deep C neck carve and the pickups sound stellar. Episode Guide GearAficionado . IMO the hard finish sounds.well.harder. Fender American Pro II Stratocaster in Dark Night | https://tinyurl.com/y4c85od6 Further performance upgrades include a contoured heel joint, Super-Natural satin neck finish, and upgraded electronics. Fender's reimagined American Pro II series brings over features from the popular American Ultra line, including a truly ergonomic neck heel. It may not display this or other websites correctly. A host of new Fender colours were introduced for the American Ultra series. Click on one of these links to find out more Andertons Synths, Keys & Tech YouTube Channel: https://goo.gl/ns172M Fender American Ultra Strat Maple Fretboard Texas Tea - https://tinyurl.com/y4al8ffc The Fender American Ultra Stratocaster is built with Noiseless, Coil-tapping (HSS), S-1 neck pickup blend electronics, 1 x master volume (with s-1 switch), 2 x tone controls, and a 5-way blade switch. Most of the CS Relics have VERY THIN nitro finishes while the AM Pro has a much thicker (compared to CS) poly finish. But fret work and fit/finish on the American Pro is very good. The (original) Professional series will be tough to improve on, in my book. ThorpyFX Dane Overdrive/boost - https://tinyurl.com/y6eoposs I think the Vintera line is the best value and then you got a steep point of diminishing returns. The American Pro series seems just in that goldilocks zone of high quality for a good price, so Im hoping that itll work out. It would be tough to choose between the Ultra and the Pro 2 for me, they're both excellent. Standards were modern C, as are performers. JavaScript is disabled. Youll find medium jumbo frets on the Ultra version and narrow tall frets on the Pro II version. As you probably know, the body type of a guitar is a defining factor for its character and tone. The Pro II Tele features two V-Mod II single-coil Tele pickups and a newly designed bridge that marries the classic brass saddle tone with modern comfort and individual string intonation. 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. I have literally never had issues with Fenders in that price range. The most important thing to note is that it is not just the type of pickup that determines a guitars sound, but also how and where you place the pickup on the guitar. Go on reverb and look at the price of secondhand Baja teles vs Americans pro series. Or $300/month for 6 months. [Complete guide]. 16:28 Fender American Pro II Telecaster Wound differently to their older counterparts, Fender describes its V-Mod IIs as some of the best sounding pickups it has ever made promising extra note definition and more mid-range punch. Fender American Ultra Tele Maple Fretboard Cobra Blue - https://tinyurl.com/y3odjufd Fender American Pro II Stratocaster HSS in Sienna Sunburst | https://tinyurl.com/yyuluks6 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. I pulled the trigger. These are bigger than the Narrow Tall frets fitted on the American Professional II guitars, with their modern size providing a more controllable feel and enhancing tone/sustain. $1,799.99. The Fender American Ultra Stratocaster is built with a 25.5 scale length. But ultimately, these small refinements bring these instruments more up-to-scratch for contemporary musicians looking for greater tonal flexibility and added playing comfort. Fender American Ultra Strat Rosewood Fretboard Arctic Pearl - https://tinyurl.com/y57233cl Here is a table highlighting the differences between the Fender American Professional II and American Ultra Stratocaster models. The lightweight, contoured body delivers a nicely balanced tonal foundation with a highly-resonant quality. They also have slightly different properties that some players argue can influence the tone of your guitar. On the subject of fingerboards, Fenders American Ultra models come installed with Medium Jumbo frets. [Complete guide], Types of guitar pickups and their effect on tone [Guide], Do guitar electronics affect tone? I wanted the specs that it came with. The Fender American Professional II Stratocaster has a solid body. I compared it and a Japanese made one that was 30% less and equally enjoyed the feel, only marginally preferred the sound of the Pro. There is a truss rod, of course, with 22 frets with dot inlays inset. I'd look for guitars in the range of $500 - $800. Fender Launch American Professional II Series. There are many kinds and materials of nuts out there, and if you want to know how they can impact your instrument of choice, you should go to this article: The Fender American Professional II Stratocaster has Fender Standard Die-cast tuners. Both guitars have a 2-point tremolo bridge with a pop-in tremolo arm and also include extra switching. But Im unsure about several things, namely Fenders QC and the guitars lifespan. My friend got a Pro-II P-Bass, and it's awesome. American Ultra guitars boast Fenders ingenious S-1 switching circuitry. Each package comes ready to be painted to get the perfect match for your Fox Body . Five iconic guitar and bass shapes make up Fender's American Professional II series. Ive been playing for about two years now. Even better, the neck has rolled edges for premium playability and comfort. The PRS range consists of 4 different lines: For example, the American Professional II Strats Push/Push knob allows you to add its neck single-coilto switch position 1 which means that you can somewhat mimic a Telecasters pickup configuration. The radius of the fingerboard is a measure of how curved the neck of the guitar actually is when looking at it from bridge to nut. Pattern Regular The American Pro II series includes left and right-handed versions of the SS model as well as a HH right-handed version. The Fender American Ultra Stratocaster is built with a solid body. I have an American Pro and love the modern C neck. Click here to view all of our Labs articles! This is a tiny tweak, but these simply offer an extra layer of finesse by blending beautifully into the shapes of their sculpted neck heels. CE 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. Fender American Ultra Strat HSS Maple Fretboard Ultraburst - https://tinyurl.com/y4frspd5 This is definitely one of the best Jazzmasters manufactured by Fender! Thanks for visiting. Fender's reimagined American Pro II series brings over features from the popular American Ultra line, including a truly ergonomic neck heel. 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). Fender American Professional II HSS Strat and Telecaster Deluxe guitars come equipped with newly-voiced V-Mod II Double Tap humbuckers too, which perfectly complement Fenders V-Mod II single-coils. Read the full Fender American Professional II Stratocaster review (Image credit: Fender) 8. I looked into the ultra, and I just cant justify the cost vs what you get. Pretty neat! Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Fender American Ultra Strat HSS Rosewood Fretboard Ultraburst - https://tinyurl.com/y4xzt6vt The most noteworthy of these are Fender-designed Deluxe locking tuners fitted as standard on the electric guitar models. Here is a video comparing the tones of the American Professional II (Butterscotch Blonde) and American Ultra Telecaster (white). 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. PRS Neck Profiles Explained: Comparing Shapes and Sizes. Like the OP, I'm also torn between these two models. In short, a guitars top has a slight, but perceivable, influence on its tone, however, they are mostly used for aesthetic purposes. Theyre both great, very different, and neither is really better. A high end fender is totally worth the cost. Both series include SSS and HSS pickup configurations however only the American Professional II series includes a left-handed version of the SSS Strat. [Complete guide], Does a guitars bridge affect the tone? Shop all Fender American Pro II Stratocasters | https://tinyurl.com/y68vk8bk I figure if I dont like it, I can return within the 30 or 45 day window. 111 NE 1st St, Miami, FL, Miami-Dade, US, 33132 Andertons Synths, Keys & Tech YouTube Channel: https://goo.gl/ns172M All guitar and bass models now sport bevelled neck plates too. The best place to start if you're new is right below in our "Rules" section. Sporting minor yet noteworthy upgrades, these instruments perfectly merge classic Fender design with modern practicality. Guitars and basses from the original American Professional lineup came fitted with Fenders V-Modpickups. Fender American Professional II vs American Ultra Stratocaster The American Professional II Stratocaster has warmer sounding pickups with a higher output and more mid-range emphasis compared to the noiseless pickups on the Ultra Strat which sound brighter and cleaner. Bolt-on necks are attached by screws at the heel of the neck and can be removed easily for repairs or customization. The versatility of the new American Professional II Fender Jazz Bass (or J Bass) comes to life thanks to twin V-Mod II single-coil Jazz Bass pickups and its HiMass vintage bridge for increased sustain. Agreed but I don't blame people for not liking the price. 1:25 What's New? I didn't like mine until I raised them to spec, they came installed about 3/16" from the strings, far too low. Thanks. Thanks for visiting! The Fender American Ultra Stratocaster is made in USA has a solid alder body, a bolt-on Modern D maple neck, maple / rosewood fingerboard, and SSS / HSS pickups. This activates a series mode to fatten up the tone. The other big thing is resale value - American Fenders go for higher prices in the used market. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a2d90c11c2fe174 Guitars in the Fender American Ultra series have a slimmer modern D neck with a flatter fingerboard radius compared to guitars in the American Professional II series which have a deep C neck. However, selected Fender American Professional II guitars and basses (with natural finishes) boast Roasted Pine bodies instead. For the last 70 years, Fender has largely set the tone in the guitar industry.