Fender Am Pro II - new finishes

Gerz6558

I dont think my american original strat is in danger. But Miami Blue and Dark Night are incredible colours.

Getting a bit pricey for Fenders American "Standard" these days for me. Especially as the previous iteration of this model was met with a lot of so-so responses.  

TINMAN82

Meh.

Id prefer to see some new colours In the American Original range, including unbound 60s teles.

Getting too pricey too. The last incarnation of the American standard (circa 2012 I think) retailed at around £1010.

PonchoGreg

Gotta say, that Miami Blue with maple neck looks righteous. Great combo.

But yeah - revert to American Standard name, and the price is indeed getting a bit punchy.

I'm also curious to see if they have a refresh of the American Original range in mind. It's about time they bring back some more colours (black and fiesta red 50s should be a must, as should an unbound blond/white 60s tele) and I personally would quite like to see a return of an early 60s strat rather than the 65.

RandallFlagg

I had a Am Pro Strat last year and found it heavy and a bit bland. The pale satin neck was anaemic and reminded me of far east manufactured guitars like the Yamaha stratty types. 

jeztone2

I don’t like any of those colours. I think Fenders best non vintage colours were on the American Deluxe of about 15 years ago. Candy Tangerine, the sparkly black. A good red. These are garish. 

birtner

Hideous. They just look like fender did not cope well with lock down 

shaunk26

I like the dark night finish on the Tele deluxe. That's about it. Once I get a used candy apple red USA strat that'll do me. 

thegummy

stonevibe said:

Probably costs less to use a push/push switch. The one on my review guitar stuck out really high and I reckon I'd snap it off when gigging if I wasn't careful with it.

The S1 is relatively expensive so, percentage-wise, it's much more expensive than a simple push-push.

But we're still talking single digit pound difference and with the very high price of the guitars I'm surprised they'd penny pinch that much.

Of course it's all to do with what sells rather than what benefits the player and the S1 switches never seem to be as popular as they should be.

ZenOvertone

Odd they didn't put on locking tuners too, they are on the much cheaper Mex Roadhouse but I guess that would erode sales from the Ultra range...

chris78

Love that blue colour. The first couple I’ve seen have been over 8lbs on a tele though. Fender back to 70s style heavy woods

Whitecat

chris78 said:

Love that blue colour. The first couple I’ve seen have been over 8lbs on a tele though. Fender back to 70s style heavy woods

Many of the pine ones I’ve looked at are under 8 so far. Maybe they all are - some shops just don’t post weights. 

But even Custom Shop weights appear to have been creeping upwards lately. Perhaps lightweight alder is getting rarer or more expensive...

skunkwerx

I wonder why they have reverted to the oldskool string tree too? 

I really like the modern type on the previous runs. 

Bellycaster

At a glance! Strats

Likes

The introduction of the Tort Guard on the 3TSB and Oly White

Dark Night Finish

Mercury Finish

The Maple on the Necks, Headstocks looks a slightly deeper/aged finish, not pale like some previous models

New Neck Heel shape

Dislikes

No Rosewood option on Black Strat, was always both options for years

Pine replacing Ash

Miami Blue

Would have preferred matching headstock on Dark Night Finish.

Would have preferred Aged white Knobs, Pick Ups and Tip on Dark Night (Cool Black Plate though)

Never ending inclusion of Sienna Sunburst (For fuck sake, choose something close but different)

Not Sure

Mystic Surf Green @stonevibe likening to Bath Salts is funny and spot on. I want to like it though.

Musicman20

Pretty dull series and far too expensive. 

shaunk26

Musicman20 said:

Pretty dull series and far too expensive. 

I was mocked for saying it elsewhere but I think the professional range will hit 2k by the middle of the decade. 

PonchoGreg

Well that didn't take long



Fender PR department working around the clock.

RandallFlagg

The fiddly push push on the Tele tone pot is unnecessary, it will make the tone put stick out and not feel the same as the volume pot, I can't stand push pull mini switch this or that on any guitar anymore, that alone would make me pass over it.

stonevibe

RandallFlagg said:

The fiddly push push on the Tele tone pot is unnecessary, it will make the tone put stick out and not feel the same as the volume pot, I can't stand push pull mini switch this or that on any guitar anymore, that alone would make me pass over it.

I'm not a fan either, the one on this review Strat sticks out really high and it looks like it would break off or at least crack the skirted knob, as it is so proud from the body of the guitar. Essentially, an accident waiting to happen.

https://imgur.com/a/OMMogio

stickyfiddle

I really like push-push compared to push-pull, but that one looks a bit shit and certainly quite precarious in the "up" position. 

The best thing about these seems to be the JM rhythm circuit now being a series/parallel switch. I also found it quite ironic that they talk about how the new JM trem can do "strat like divebombs" (:vom) but don't show even a hint of that in the 9 minute video... smh

gordiji

skunkwerx said:

I wonder why they have reverted to the oldskool string tree too? 

I really like the modern type on the previous runs. 

Me too.(teles) But they have kept the reduced sides on the bridge plate which is more comfy and compensated saddles which are a plus. The series/parallel  option is a good addition especially without all the s1 options. Whether the tone pot sticks out is another thing, not having tried one.

Ironically the best bridge is on the ultra which used to be on the standard (like mine) and is very comfortable being flat, even the saddles have no proud screws so it'scomfy for the hand when positioned there & intonates perfectly.