Fender’s American Professional series discontinued?

HAL9000

Apologies if someone else has already posted...

Just browsing Fender’s website and it looks like the American Professional series has disappeared. Also, as far as I can see, there is nothing taking its place. Seems odd as I suspect that it’s probably one of their biggest sellers.

monquixote

I noticed that.

I think it's a balls up on their website. Might be worth mentioning to @MattFGBI ;

Jackobean

Yes, they're still on the US website. 

Shame really, I was hoping for a 'New Coke' style return of the standard.

crunchman

Maybe they will come up with a really ridiculous new name in the forlorn hope that it will make Vintera seem a little less ridiculous in comparison.

stonevibe

I wrote about his on Gearnews, and I asked Fender about it. The official statement was this

Whitecat

Nope, t'is probably true.

https://www.gearnews.com/is-fender-about-to-discontinue-the-american-professional-series/

Loads of threads on other forums/reddit etc about it - sounds like a replacement is dropping next month.

monquixote

I think they've only been around for about 3 years.

Perhaps they weren't proving too popular.

munckee

I still haven't caught up were they the equivalent of AVRI?  Perhaps damaging custom shop sales?

Whitecat

Fender works on a 4 year product cycle, so nearly fits... and it's not that they're not selling, it's that they can replace it with a few "improvements" and increase the price...

https://guitar.com/news/industry-news/is-fender-phasing-out-american-professional-series/

GavRichList

munckee said:

I still haven't caught up were they the equivalent of AVRI?  Perhaps damaging custom shop sales?

American Vintage Series, only with 9.5" instead of 7.25". 

Whitecat

munckee said:

I still haven't caught up were they the equivalent of AVRI?  Perhaps damaging custom shop sales?

They were the replacement for the American Standard. As Gav says above the AO replaced the AV, which in turn had replaced the AVRI. 

Whitecat

Jackobean said:

Yes, they're still on the US website. 

Shame really, I was hoping for a 'New Coke' style return of the standard.

I think they stay on regional websites while there still inventory to distribute. I would guess the European warehouse is now out of them hence removal from the website...

Gerz6558

https://www.strat-talk.com/threads/american-professional-ii-stratocaster.553247/

Jackobean

Gerz6558 said:

https://www.strat-talk.com/threads/american-professional-ii-stratocaster.553247/

American Professional II?

Come on Fender, you can do better than that.

Terrible naming aside - that roasted pine version is mighty tempting if it's real.

Whitecat

Gerz6558 said:

https://www.strat-talk.com/threads/american-professional-ii-stratocaster.553247/

Good find. Fender is now the second builder I’ve heard of that is using roasted pine as a de facto replacement for ash - K-Line is going down that road as well. 

Musicman20

I wonder if we will see a blow out sale....

GavRichList

Whitecat said:

munckee said:

I still haven't caught up were they the equivalent of AVRI?  Perhaps damaging custom shop sales?

They were the replacement for the American Standard. As Gav says above the AO replaced the AV, which in turn had replaced the AVRI. 

just realised im talking nonsense, confusing the American Original with the Am. Pro. as you were. 

JezWynd

stonevibe said:

I wrote about his on Gearnews, and I asked Fender about it. The official statement was this

So they've stopped the Startocaster? 

Thought the olive green was incredibly naff on launch. Of course now they've been discontinued I'm strangely drawn to it.

ICBM

This has all the hallmarks of desperately chasing a dying market.

Babones

So, persisting with 'V-mod' pickups and possibly changing some colours. If the Am Pro range wasn't popular (always my suspicion), then this won't really change anything.

crunchman

Babones said:

So, persisting with 'V-mod' pickups and possibly changing some colours. If the Am Pro range wasn't popular (always my suspicion), then this won't really change anything.

Why buy something like that when you can buy pretty much the same thing from the Mexican range?

I can understand going for the American Original as it has a nitro finish, which I din't think you can get on a Mexican guitar, but the American Pro doesn't have anything that would make me buy it in preference to the Mexican equivalent.