Fender's new American Pro Series

[Sérgio]

This is the series that will replace the American Standard, a successful flagship series of US made guitars that's been around since 1986, temporarily called American Series...

http://shop.fender.com/en-US/electric-series/american-professional/

Slightly different neck profile and new pickups, but in essence, just a name change. The piéce de resistence of Fender remais essentially the same, and IMHO, will probably be renamed again to Am Std in a couple of years.

 

[gball]

I got an e-mail blast this morning about these and checked out the video for the Telecaster. Not sure I follow Fender's logic here in renaming them or understand why they feel the need to have so many variations on the same theme. From what I can tell, these still have not caught up with the features or quality of G&L, but they are creeping up in price and getting to be about the same money, so at least for now I am decidedly meh on these and will stay with G&L for my bolt-on needs.

 

[Sérgio]

It's always been like this with Fender and Gibson, the main difference being that Gibson definitely overprices more and sometimes they sc**w up the models, like they did in 2015...

About G&L, it's a personal thing, I wouldn't let go of a US Fender for any other bolt on...

 

[gball]

Agreed - personal thing. I've owned so many Fenders over the years, Custom Shop/USA/Mexico/Japan, but never had any that compare to the G&L's that I've owned (maybe the Custom Shop ones, but they were double the price of the G&Ls).. Play what you feel.

Don't even want to get started on the Gibson nonsense of 2015. At least they have largely redeemed themselves for 2016/2017.

 

[tazz3]

There nice i wish i had the money i would get one lol

 

[eSGEe]

I like ---even like the color--- send me 2 please Sergio! I will forward 1 on to you

 

[jjudas]

USA versions still way out of my price range. I'm happy with Mexican made Strats.

 

[gasket]

My son has a 65 reissue Jazzmaster and thinks it's the best guitar GOD ever produced.
This week he sent a link to a vid promoting the new American Pro Jazzmaster and Pro Jaguar.
I watched with interest and noted the so-called advancement of changing from push in trem arm to screw in, OK.
When the vid finished it auto played the vid for the new Pro Strat.
I watched with interest and noted the so-called advancement of changing from screw in trem arm to push in.
What a transparently bad joke from the sales team. Do they think potential Jazzmaster buyers don't watch Strat promotion and vice versa?

EDIT ...
If interested, check this at 6:00 min

and this at 5:34 min

 

[Sérgio]

These things come and go. Market makes companies have to present something new periodically, and how can you improve something that has 60 years of perfection?

Go back and forth to make people believe there's something new.

 

[Inspector #20]

Our bandleader is a die hard Fender player. His custom shop Stratocaster buzzes and hums as one would expect from unshielded single coils, but it does have good overall tone....

 

[Catmandue]

It's always been like this with Fender and Gibson, the main difference being that Gibson definitely overprices more and sometimes they sc**w up the models, like they did in 2015...

About G&L, it's a personal thing, I wouldn't let go of a US Fender for any other bolt on...

Totally agree. Hang on to your USA Fender electrics.

 

[Catmandue]

I have played one G&L and it was very nice. I really really like both my USA made 2007 Deluxe Strat and my incredible American Special Strat with some excellent Texas Specials pups. G&L are in essence Fenders as well.

 

[Tony M.]

It's about marketing.
The American Standards are now the American Pros.
All the "gotta have the latest" people have to buy new guitars.
In 3 years these same guitars will have yet another name.

 

[Inspector #20]

Agreed - personal thing. I've owned so many Fenders over the years, Custom Shop/USA/Mexico/Japan, but never had any that compare to the G&L's that I've owned (maybe the Custom Shop ones, but they were double the price of the G&Ls).. Play what you feel.

Don't even want to get started on the Gibson nonsense of 2015. At least they have largely redeemed themselves for 2016/2017.

What exactly was Gibson's nonsense in 2015???

 

[Sérgio]

What exactly was Gibson's nonsense in 2015???

They tried to pass monstrosities and oddities as something "new" and "innovative"

 

[Inspector #20]

They tried to pass monstrosities and oddities as something "new" and "innovative"

Ahhh...yes....that makes sense.

I wonder when the PCB first came out???

 

[SirFlintstone]

The American Professional seems like a good ole USA Fender to me. Fender seems to be always tweaking something or another each year, but pretty much everyone does from phones, to computers, to cars, to music gear.

 

[Inspector #20]

I am really liking the USA Jackson's as well....the Fenders really look good too this year!

 

[Tony M.]

The next guitar I buy will be either a PRS or an EBMM.
Maybe the next 2 or 3. (Large Birthday in a couple of months (hopefully...)).

 

[BlackSG91]

I'm a proud owner of a 1998 American Standard Strat myself. It's a great guitar and all that I need. I think they changed the name from Standard to something like pro series in the year 2000 and then back to Standard. It's all a marketing ploy to confuse consumers and make more money. As long as the guitar is not over-priced like Gibson's guitars, it's alright with me.


;>)/