Fender American Performer Stratocaster Vs American Special...What's The Difference?

In this video, Sam takes a look at the differences between the new Fender American Performer Strat and the model it's replacing in the range, the American Special. Check out the new model here: www.pmtonline....
The Stratocaster is arguably the most iconic electric guitar ever made, and it’s design has remained pretty much the same for well over half a century. That doesn’t stop Fender wanting to freshen up their ranges every few years though, and that’s exactly what they’re doing with the American Performer series, which is replacing the now discontinued American Special range.
Just like the American Specials, the Performers are genuine, USA made guitars, coming out of Fender’s facility in Corona, California, and they’ve been designed to be the most affordable American made Strats, sitting below the American Professional series in the range. As with the previous Special series, Fender have kept manufacturing costs down by utilising slightly lower grade hardware than that found on the American Professional and Elite Series, more economic finishing methods such as the Satin Urethane necks, a reduced range of colour options, and of course, the guitars come supplied with a gigbag as opposed to a hard case…but all of that means that you’re getting a genuine USA made Strat for under a grand.
So let’s take a look at the differences between the old American Special Strat and the new Performer series guitars. As you’d expect, both share traditional Stratocaster specs, they feature Alder bodies with 4-bolt Maple necks and either a Rosewood or Maple fingerboard depending on the finish that you go for. They’ve got a standard 25.5” scale length, Fender’s modern C neck profile with a lovely smooth Satin finish, and a 9.5” fingerboard radius with 22 jumbo frets, so in terms of feel, nothing much has really changed. Up on the headstock there’s been a couple of little tweaks, the Performer series now features a silver, 70’s style Fender logo, and there’s set of Fender Classic Gear, vintage style slotted tuners, as opposed to the sealed tuners that were found on the American Specials, but down at the bridge, nothing’s changed, they’re still fitted with the classic 6-saddle vintage style synchronised tremolo.
To offer a bit more choice, the American Performer range is available in a wider range of new colours, there’s Arctic White or Honeyburst with a Rosewood fingerboard and Satin Lake Placid Blue or Penny, which is a kind of coppery, champagne gold colour with Maple fretboards.
The biggest changes however come to the electronics. Whereas the American Special guitars were fitted with Texas Special pickups, the Performer Strat features Fender’s new Yosemite single coils to deliver those classic Strat tones. As you’d expect on a Strat, they run through a 5 way selector switch, with volume and two tone controls, and just like on the American Specials they feature Fenders Grease Bucket circuit on the bridge pickup tone pot, allowing you to cut the treble without losing any gain or muddying your tone. The big new feature to the electronics though is the addition of a push pull pot, which allows you to activate the neck pickup, regardless of where the selector switch is. This means that you can access tones that usually aren’t available on traditional Strat switching such as the neck and bridge pickups combined, or all pickups on at the same time, so tonally, they’re much more versatile.
Take a quick look and listen with PMTVUK and try one out at your local Professional Music Technology...
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[@christophercameron4615]

Yousa might wanna check the pronunciation of "Yosemite"

[@leo.y.comprendo]

I expected you to do an AB test with the texas specials, honestly. Good video nontheless

[@Mrjtoomuch]

The bridge and neck position is awesome. With chords, the lower parts are robust and full, and the higher strings ring out beautifully, with plenty of chime and great clarity. I really like the Yosemites.

[@matthewhyman6601]

Love the bridge and neck pick-ups together 😍 that tone is so sweet

[@Nikoo033]

Not being a big fan of strats, I think these new combinations made possible by the electronics are a great addition! Thanks for this nice clean demo.

[@spl1011]

I was expecting a comparison against the American Special... since it was in your hand. A tonal comparison is what I was looking for. Looking thru youtube there isnt a video with a comparison of these pups so you missed out on a good opportunity.

[@Senira322]

how do the necks compare? are they the same?

[@iduncanw]

Even if he's from the UK, surely he's heard of the Looney Tunes character Yosemite Sam.

[@Gman44044]

Can you please do a comparison of Performer vs Professional (rosewood) please?

[@Nothinglefttosay]

Got one...! Brilliant..! Super stoked with mine. 😬

[@venturaVlogger]

I dont like that big headstock, but i prefer that sound

[@kewaDesigns]

Does the honey burst guitar look more vibrant in real life compared to the images provided on Fender's website? The guitar looks so pale on the images but here it looks much better.

[@robdonell9915]

anton It's got a woody appearance. Sounds nice unplugged.

[@Ironboar286]

Thank you for this video, I have been looking for a good compare and contrast on these two. Cheers!

[@aaronlaorrabaquio4230]

Great demo, it's cool to hear If you have to ask there my favorite Rhcp song

[@christosfragias592]

Also, the Performer series has the Fender logo inscribed on the plate attaching the neck to the body. I am really digging the arctic white.

[@donlessnau8675]

Fantastic review, as always Sam. Great job. But, check with someone on how to pronounce Yosemite. You're way off.

[@dtsenear]

This was under $1,000? Now it is $1,300

[@theslayerofgoblins849]

I love this dudes videos

[@POB-rocker]

There's a black Performer too

[@Douglas_I]

My performer is the exact same colors as the non performer in this video lol! It was a limited edition color though is what I was told, called walnut.

[@jbhelms99]

Yo sem mite. Haha

[@robdonell9915]

jbhelms99 I was thinking the same thing. It's pronounced: yoh-sem-i-tee, not yoh-se-might.

[@tanshaomala]

There's a video of Americans doing a review of a Performer strat that think Aubergine is a wine.... so I'd say we're even lmao.

[@jojolapraline]

And the Special sound ???????? I give 1/20

[@mr.rubicon1193]

Yo-sim-ight, lol. Its Yo-sim-it-ee

[@davidtrueslayor7474]

Yosa-Mite , "She gave me a Yosa-mite sandwich, oh you come from a 'liberal land' down-under, where gays are loved and guns blown asunder" LOL !

[@cmkilcullen8176]

neck position alone sounds very non strat like on the American Performer..

[@macuse2008]

I agree. The performer has a robotic tone I even prefer my player it's more raw and gutsy

[@briantaylor2.023]

"Yo-sem-ite" xD

[@mr.j1400]

Why is it that everyone of these Guitar demos is an English or even worse Irish I can’t understand a word you’re saying🤪

[@shckltnebay]

You have the problem, no one should have a problem understanding him

[@MachineGunMan]

@@shckltnebay I'm Italian and I've got no problem at all, so i think you're right

[@lookmanostrings]

Dude I speak 4 languages and I understand him just fine. I think you're defective.

[@AmericanNationalist852]

yose ah mite....

[@Douglas_I]

It's funny that the guy's name is Sam, as in yo-sim-ite(bite minus the 'b') Sam right!? Lol!

[@Spittin_Bars]

Price went up, pickup quality went down, yay

[@cmkilcullen8176]

right?

[@Mrjtoomuch]

No, the new pickups are great.

[@peterd5901]

Lmao. What the hell was this video?