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Average Price: $1,178
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$400
$1001+
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Description
The Fender American Professional Stratocaster seamlessly melds timeless style with contemporary performance, making it a standout choice for musicians of all levels. Crafted in Fender's Corona factory, this guitar is a testament to American craftsmanship, boasting a "Deep C" neck profile that offers a comfortable grip for both intricate solos and powerful chords. The inclusion of Tim Shaw-designed V-Mod single coil pickups ensures a versatile tonal range, from sparkling highs to rich, full-bodied lows.
What sets this Stratocaster apart is its innovative electronics, featuring a treble bleed circuit that maintains clarity and brightness across all volume levels. Whether you're shredding at high gain or playing clean, your tone remains vibrant and true. The two-point synchronized tremolo bridge provides smooth pitch modulation and reliable tuning stability, inviting expressive play without compromise.
With its blend of vintage aesthetics and modern enhancements, the American Professional Stratocaster is more than just an instrument—it's an experience, inviting creativity and delivering the signature sound that has defined rock and roll for decades.
Key Features:
- Tim Shaw-designed V-Mod single coil pickups
- Treble bleed circuit for consistent high-end clarity
- "Deep C" neck profile for enhanced playability
- Two-point synchronized tremolo bridge for smooth pitch modulation
- Crafted in Fender's Corona, California factory
Product specs
| Brand | Fender |
| Model | American Professional Stratocaster |
| Finish | 2-Color Sunburst, 3-Color Sunburst, 50s Burst, Antique Olive, Black, Butterscotch Blonde, Candy Apple Red, Lake Placid Blue, Natural, Olympic White, Sienna Sunburst, Sonic Grey, Vintage White |
| Year | 2017 - 2020 |
| Made In | United States |
| Categories | Solid Body Electric Guitars |
| Body Material | Alder, Ash |
| Body Shape | S-Style |
| Body Type | Solid Body |
| Bridge/Tailpiece Type | Tremolo Bridge |
| Color Family | Black, Blue, Brown, Green, Grey, Natural, Red, White, Yellow |
| Finish Pattern | Sunburst |
| Finish Style | Gloss, Metallic |
| Fretboard Material | Ebony, Maple, Rosewood |
| Fretboard Radius | 9.5" |
| Frets | Narrow Tall |
| Model Family | Fender Stratocaster |
| Neck Construction | Bolt-On |
| Neck Material | Maple |
| Number of Frets | 22 |
| Number of Strings | 6-String |
| Nut Width | 1.685", 1.6875" |
| Offset Body | Non-Offset Body |
| Pickup Configuration | SSS |
| Right / Left Handed | Right Handed |
| Scale Length | 25.5" |
| Series | Fender American Professional, Fender FSR Limited Edition |
| Wood Top Style | Opaque, Plain |
FAQs
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What is the neck profile like on the Fender American Professional Stratocaster?
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The Fender American Professional Stratocaster features a "Deep C" neck profile, which provides a comfortable grip for most players, combining elements of a modern C shape with a slightly thicker feel for enhanced playability and support.
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What kind of tones can I expect from the pickups on the Fender American Professional Stratocaster?
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This guitar is equipped with V-Mod single-coil pickups, designed to deliver a balanced tone with a mix of warmth and clarity, making it versatile for genres like rock, blues, and pop.
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Is the Fender American Professional Stratocaster suitable for beginners?
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While the Fender American Professional Stratocaster offers high-quality features ideal for experienced players, its comfortable neck and versatile sound make it accessible for dedicated beginners looking to invest in a long-term instrument.
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Does the Fender American Professional Stratocaster have a tremolo bridge?
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Yes, the Fender American Professional Stratocaster comes with a 2-point synchronized tremolo bridge, allowing for smooth pitch modulation and expressive playing techniques.
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What materials are used for the body of the Fender American Professional Stratocaster?
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The body of the Fender American Professional Stratocaster is made from alder or ash, known for their balanced tonal properties and lightweight feel, contributing to the guitar's overall resonance and sustain.
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How many frets does the Fender American Professional Stratocaster have?
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The Fender American Professional Stratocaster features 22 narrow tall frets, which provide easier bending and better intonation across the fretboard.
Videos
Fender
Mac Demarco & The American Professional Stratocaster | Fender
Reviews
PROS
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Resonant feel with smooth, tall frets for comfortable playability
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V-Mod pickups and treble bleed circuit for clear, powerful tones
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Satin finish and modern C neck shape enhance speed and playability
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Pop-in tremolo system prevents losing the spring
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High-quality build offers significant difference from entry-level models
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Versatile for studio sessions with clean, sharp sound
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Rosewood fingerboard adds a sleek, premium touch
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Neck has substantial feel, likened to a "baseball bat," appealing to fans of larger necks
CONS
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Control layout might not be intuitive for all users
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Lacks strap lock buttons as standard equipment
Owner Insights
We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Fender American Professional Stratocaster.
Features and functionality
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The American Professional II Stratocaster includes a contoured neck joint and an S1 switch, offering additional pickup configurations like neck+bridge or all three pickups on.
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The American Professional II Stratocaster's narrow tall frets with rolled edges are favored for their smoother playability, often compared to those on Fender's Custom Shop models.
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The American Ultra's noiseless pickups are praised for retaining a "straty" sound, even when using fuzz or overdrive, making them suitable for jam band styles.
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Comparisons
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The American Professional I uses a standard 4-bolt neck pattern, unlike the II's sculpted heel, which may affect neck swapping with other Stratocaster models.
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The Pro II is favored over the Ultra for its deep C neck, which many find more comfortable despite the Ultra's faster neck.
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The Pro II's Mystic Green and Dark Knight finishes are likened to high-end car paint due to their sparkle and shine in different lighting conditions.
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The American Ultra's slim modern D-shaped neck is favored by players used to slimmer necks, like those on a Squier, for its comfortable playability.
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Mods and upgrades
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Owners commonly dislike the V-Mod 1 pickups in the American Professional I and suggest replacing them with Custom Shop Fat 50s for improved tone.
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Build quality
User experience
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Some players report the American Professional II neck as too skinny compared to vintage-style necks like those on the AO 60s, influencing playability preferences.
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Owners with smaller hands often find the Ultra’s neck more suitable, while others appreciate the Pro II's deep C neck for its classic Strat feeling.
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Use cases and applications
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The Pro II's V-Mod 2 pickups are praised for their modern "stratty" tone, suitable for jazz, modern covers, and even John Mayer-style music.
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The Pro II’s V-Mod pickups are noted for their excellent performance without fuzz noise issues, except in environments with LED light interference.
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Setup and maintenance
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Some owners report significant setup issues from the factory, including neck tilt and uneven frets, necessitating adjustments for optimal performance.
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Critic Reviews
5.0 out of 5
Based on 7 Reviews and 42 Ratings
413
Better than i thought it would be
Couldn't be more happy with my purchase, I love lofi sounds achieved with vibrato and delay and this guitar does it perfectly, also i think those tall frets are a stupid thing to do, but actually it allows you to push harder and detune the string a little to achieve even more tonal properties in lofi tones. Maybe someone could have the same opinion or are achieving more cool stuff with the new changes to the strat line.
472
Well made guitar
A very well made guitar that sounds awesome. The neck is perfect but the control layout just doesn't work for me! Can't knock the guitar but just not best suited to me.
Edit; After spending some more time with the strat due to not wanting to give up on 'that' sound, I've adapted to the layout. It'll still never be as natural to me as a tele but I'm managing better now.
26901
how is the control layout on this guitar different than any other Stratocaster?
472
Hi. It's not different to any other Stratocaster. My opinion is the same for all Strats. I'm not hating on Strats. Far from it. I'm desperate for them to work for me but just feel awkward for me personally. Regards,
458
1251
Classic As Classic Gets
While I'm not the biggest stratocaster fan, this guitar covers all the bases that I would need! This is a big utility guitar for me. When a studio session needs a a clean, sharp sound, this is my go-to. I'm a big fan of large necks, and this guitar has a baseball bat for a neck. It's very clean and lets me dig into it without ruining the tone.
215
Perfect.
That’s a superb guitar. Typical Strato flexibility and tones. The satin finish on the neck and the modern c neck shape are awesome and really improved my speed. The frets are taller than usual, and I felt it extremely comfortable. I couldn’t have a better guitar.
65
Great Sounding Guitar
This was my first >student level guitar. It is a well build guitar that I find to be comfortable, efficient, and fun to play with. The feel of the guitar is almost unbeatable, the versatility and sound is the traditional, outstanding, and easy to grasp stratocaster feel. Great guitar.
Artist usage
Add artist
This White Fender Stratocaster was used by Jimmy Page to record rhythm tracks on Thank You June 1969 at Morgan Studios, in Willesden, North London, England.
Jimmy Page said in his photographic autobiography Jimmy Page by Jimmy Page that this guitar was also used on Ten Years Gone in Jan.-Feb. 1974 at Headley Grange, Hampshire.
At some point, Page loaned the White Fender Stratocaster to John Paul Jones. Jones returned the Strat back to Page around Sept-Oct. 2007.
http://www.led-zeppelin.org/studio-and-live-gear/1979 Guitar description
Mac throughout this video is using a Fender American Professional Stratocaster in Natural Finish.
One can see Sam Fender play this guitar multiple times throughout his gig supporting Liam Gallagher at the Manchester Ritz. The guitar was also mentioned in the 2021 Premier Guitar interview, though it is unclear whether the "Fender Stratocaster" denotes the American Professional.
John uses a bunch of fender guitars live and in studio. One guitar he uses live is his fender american pro strat
his main guitar is a fender American professional Stratocaster in olympic white with rosewood fingerboard you can tell by the string tree and the back plate which has a fender corner California on it
"thank u @fender for sending me this new beauty so excited to add it to my fender collection"
During the "Out in the Way" tour, Jack Tatum used a Fender American Professional Stratocaster with a Maple Fingerboard in Antique Olive, alongside a Telecaster. This is noted in a reflective Instagram post by his account, wildnothing.
According to an article on the official Fender website titled "Fender Feedback: Michael Kiwanuka on the 'Emotional' Stratocaster," Michael Kiwanuka uses a Fender American Professional Stratocaster.
Album Usage
The Fender American Professional Stratocaster has been featured on the following albums:
Genre Usage
Based on how artists on Equipboard use this gear, it is most commonly found in the following genres.
Used With
Based on how musicians on Equipboard use Fender American Professional Stratocaster, it is most commonly used with the following gear.
Community setups
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