NGD: Fender American Performer Stratocaster

grayn

Just traded this guitar, with forumer, Blackdream (cheers mate).  I thought I'd finished with Strats, having owned almost all levels, over the years.  That was until I picked up a Tom Delonge Strat, a few weeks ago and rediscovered how playable these guitars can be.  So I started to want an HSS Strat, with a trem.  Put an ad on this forum and got a very quick trade.  I particularly liked the finish on this American Performer.  A metallic aubergine, with a subtle sparkle and a mint green scratch and back plate.

The neck is standard Strat modern C, with a nice rosewood fingerboard, that plays quite comfortably.  The Yosemite pickups are OK but lack a little output.  They do have a strong tone though and the HB pushes overdrive pretty well.  You can coil tap the bridge HB, with a push/pull tone knob.  The tuners work really well but I'd have preferred locking tuners.  A change I can make myself.  

I haven't owned a guitar with a 5-point trem for decades, as pretty much every guitar I like comes with a 2-point, these days.  It was the only part of the guitar that needed fettling, as it was set too high above the level of the body.  Soon sorted but overall I find this trem quite stiff.  I thought about reducing the 3 springs to 2 but I wonder if anyone has any tips for getting the most from this type of Strat trem?

Overall a well balanced, nice guitar, with some good sounds.  Perhaps the trem just needs some playing in, as I was told the guitar had seen little use, since being bought.  Well, it'll get plenty of use now.




With new friends.

Funkfingers

I have an ex-HarrySeven 2011 black Am Perf Stratocaster. It arrived with two Texas Specials and one of those 9.5k humbuckers for which Fender has numerous names. 

Inevitably, these were replaced by Seymour Duncans. (The SSL-2 Vintage Flat is ideal.) The Texas Specials are now beefing up my Classic/Classic Player mongrel Fifties Stratocaster in conjunction with a DiMarzio Chopper.

My tip for getting the best out of the stock vibrato is a cold rolled steel sustain block. I chose a Callaham block and so-called virtual push-in arm. 

I set my Fender six screw fulcrum vibrato bridges the Dan Erlewine way. (Tilted up 3/32" at the back edge.) Schaller locking machineheads improve tuning stability.

Blackdream

Cheers greyn, you’re a gent to deal with and I’m glad you the Strat. I’m very happy with the Les Paul Junior I got in exchange!

DrJazzTap

If I'm right, the performer took over from the American special. If you want the trem to float a bit more, replace the springs with the black us standard ones. 

I had an American special and I did that. it made a world of difference. Please note that the claw will need to be screwed in a fair bit.  As the black springs don't pull as much.

Funkfingers

DrJazzTap said:

If I'm right, the performer took over from the American special.

The American Performer series is the fourth iteration of Fender's entry level "Made in America" instruments.

These are, in order;
California Series
Highway1
American Special
American Performer

The formula of American woodwork, wearing "import" hardware, assembled in California, complies with international law on country of origin labelling.

ElectricXII

I don't think the Performer series have completely "imported" hardware. The Yosemite pickups are made in the USA, for example. The Fender® ClassicGear™tuners might be from the Far East, although I don't know for sure, but the pots are CTS.

Alex2678

I’m not a big fan of non-fiesta red Strats usually but that’s really lovely 

KevS

Gorgeous Colour,,I love Performer necks

grayn

The neck is very comfy..  Almost like it has rolled edges, although it doesn't.

I removed the centre one of the 3 springs, on the trem block and it has made just the difference I wanted.

The bridge HB will need replacing though.  A bit too low output for my tastes.  A Seymour Duncan I think.  Either an SH4 or an Invader.

Funkfingers

grayn said:

… Seymour Duncan … a TB4 or an Invader.

CAUTION #1
Either of those will vastly overpower the single coils. 

Depending on how much soldering you want to do, I suggest either the Screamin' Demon, Perpetual Burn or '59/Custom Hybrid models.

Reconfiguring the selector switch to auto-split the humbucker when combined with the middle pickup will require a 24-contact Superswitch.

CAUTION #2
Unless Fender has enlarged the neck pickup cavity, the only way to raise the pickguard is to unscrew the neck!

grayn

Funkfingers said:

grayn said:

… Seymour Duncan … a TB4 or an Invader.

CAUTION #1
Either of those will vastly overpower the single coils. 

Depending on how much soldering you want to do, I suggest either the Screamin' Demon, Perpetual Burn or '59/Custom Hybrid models.

Reconfiguring the selector switch to auto-split the humbucker when combined with the middle pickup will require a 24-contact Superswitch.

CAUTION #2
Unless Fender has enlarged the neck pickup cavity, the only way to raise the pickguard is to unscrew the neck!

Cheers.  Seems a replacement pickup could be a real pain.

Gilly

Love the big headstock. I’m getting serious GAS for one of the new timber editions they just released. 

Offset

Gilly said:

Love the big headstock. I’m getting serious GAS for one of the new timber editions they just released. 

Funkfingers

grayn said:

Funkfingers said:

CAUTION #2
Unless Fender has enlarged the neck pickup cavity, the only way to raise the pickguard is to unscrew the neck!

Cheers.  Seems a replacement pickup could be a real pain.

No worse than making truss rod adjustments on a vintage replica.

Co-ordinate any pickup and wiring mods with a string change. You'll be fine.

•

There is a Discussion on this forum where an American Performer Stratocaster owner has converted to HSH pickups. If recent bodies are routed that way, it should just be possible to wriggle the pickguard assembly out from under the fingerboard extension. 

Raise slightly at the humbucker end.
Draw towards the bridge by 6mm.
Allow the neck pickup to slide within the routed cavity.
Tilt up some more.
Lift clear away.

HTH