The New Fender American Professional II Telecaster in Sienna Sunburst is upon us! The American Professional II Series received some massive upgrades over the original version including updated V Mod Pickups, updated Tele hardware including Brass Bullet Saddles, and a new Deep C neck profile with rolled fingerboard edges. Sienna Sunburst gets a roasted Pine Body instead of Alder and we absolutely love these Pine Bodied Guitars!
The ultra-playable neck on this upgraded model is made from a piece of maple and topped with a maple fingerboard. The neck features a Deep C Profile which has a nice medium size to it. The back of the neck has what Fender calls the Super Natural Finish which simulates the feel of natural wood. It's a satin urethane that is super durable yet thin. A slightly wider nut width than vintage is present at 1.685" along with a 9.5" fingerboard radius, 22 narrow-tall frets, 25.5" scale length, and a bone nut.
The body is made from Roasted Pine which is has a storied past with Fender. Leo Fender used Pine on the prototypes he built that helped launch the brand. Pine is softer than Ash and Alder and does a great job at allowing the pickups to sound pure. Because the wood is softer than Ash, it vibrates A LOT while being played. I find softer wood bodies to be incredibly inspiring to play as they respond incredibly;ly well to the player's touch. The guitar is finished in Sienna Sunburst for a sleek look and it allows the charming grain of the roasted pine to peer through.
The New V Mod II Single Coil Pickups have been revamped to be more articulate, and maintain their Fender-Esque bell-like quality and chime. A master volume, master tone controls, and a 3-way switch make finding the tone you are looking for easy. The bridge pickup barks and bites with the best of them while the neck pickup has a fairly traditional slightly muted, round on the bottom-end, fat tone. The 2 single coils pair incredibly well in the middle position.
The bridge on the American Professional II Telecaster is a thing of beauty! Revamped for comfort and beauty, this bridge has trimmed edges for unfettered string access but the picking hand. Many aftermarket companies have been trimming the edges on the bridges so it's a breath of fresh air to see Fender responding to player preferences! This bridge also allows for either Top Loader (meaning string through the back of the bridge) or Thru-Body string functionality. Top-loading reduces string tension and tapers back the twang making this Tele the perfect rock machine. Brass Bullet Saddles offers increased intonation, added comfort, and Vintage Tone.
Fender keeps building guitars for players. With their eye on offering tons of features for not a whole lot of money, you can easily find the right Fender for whatever your needs may be. Stop by the shop today and see what's new from Fender, all the way from Squier to Fender Custom Shop!
