Fender American Professional II Stratocaster Demo - First Look

The world’s most iconic electric evolves again-this time with a roasted pine body, contoured heel, rolled fretboard edges, and more articulate pickups.
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#fender #stratocaster #strat

[@premierguitar]

More First Look videos: bit.ly/FIrstLook Merch & Magazines: shop.premierguitar.com Don't Miss a Rundown: bit.ly/RIgRundownENL Subscribe to PG's Channel: bit.ly/SubscribePGKZbin

[@williambroadstreet3353]

I am a huge Steve 'The Riffmaster' Clark fan, even though he was a Gibson fanatic, but I cannot find anywhere a guitar strap similar to what 'Steamin' used. It was a light cremish colour, there's LOTS of pictures and Steve was strapped SO low he just oozed cool, and his brilliance in terms of songwriting and ability to create melodies, harmonies, hooks, bends and majestical riffs are like the crown jewels, priceless, they've enabled Leppard to tour off his work ever since. So my question is can you please tell me where you got your guitar strap from as it is the closest to Steve's I have seen. Thanks.

[@dreamscuba]

How does the build quality compare to the EJ Thinline strat?

[@aidanernesto218]

You probably dont give a damn but does anyone know a trick to log back into an instagram account..? I stupidly forgot my login password. I would appreciate any help you can give me

[@milesben7635]

@Aidan Ernesto Instablaster ;)

[@aidanernesto218]

@Miles Ben I really appreciate your reply. I got to the site on google and I'm in the hacking process atm. I see it takes a while so I will reply here later when my account password hopefully is recovered.

[@redkingeye]

Liking the grain on the pine reminds me of my bed frame when I was kid.

[@cmkilcullen8176]

lol!

[@robertolegaspi2322]

Lmaoooo

[@thomasdesnoyers2144]

I can’t unsee it now 😂

[@itsmorphed6416]

I didn't know pine was considered a tone wood . Thought it was for furniture .

[@fendushi]

@@itsmorphed6416 Novo have been making 90% of their guitars out of pine for years. You have to wait a while or pay a premium in the 2nd hand market if you want one of their guitars. Also Rick Kelly from Carmine Street Guitars have been making guitars out of 200 year old pine from old buildings in New York.

[@billyjoseph]

Been listening to you for years. Your guitar playing has jumped recently to my ears. Your dynamics and phrasing have caught my attention in a positive fantastic way! You are sounding better than ever to me. Thank you.

[@johnbohlinger]

Thanks Billy.

[@Bdavis1103]

That was great playing. Better than alot of other reviews I have seen.

[@johnl.6930]

Versatility! All beautiful tones expanding 5 great ones already available. JB you’re playing is stellar. You can sell any product because of your playing!

[@craigthomson3621]

On a guitar marketed as being for “Professionals”, locking tuners should have been fitted as standard to facilitate easy, quick string changes.

[@gr8kzoo]

The tuners are staggered on my AP Strat. I looked at locking tuners as an upgrade but couldn't find staggered replacements from Fender, last time I looked (admittedly a while back).

[@sv1201]

Then the differences with Ultra will be even less. Other than neck, it’s already minimal.

[@craigthomson3621]

Fender Locking Tuners come in packs containing 3 tall and 3 short so it is a straight swap out of the existing tuners.

[@tswrench]

@@gr8kzoo -- I had the same requirement a few years back, and I found a set of Kluson tuners on ebay that were staggered.

[@MrOzgooner]

Thats what the elite version is for buddy..gotta spend more for the best !

[@tedkellison2598]

I've added a push/pull bottom tone pot to every Strat I've ever had to get those combinations. I'd be lost without the neck/bridge setting. Good to see Fender doing that.

[@tedkellison2598]

PS: that Chris Isaac intro never gets old!!

[@alexandreanonimous7056]

Fantastic intro... One of the Best example how skills and creative flow so well together... Thanks to Chris Isaac as well 👏

[@martijnkeijer4666]

Can we get a lesson for the wicked game cover you played in the beginning? Absolutely stunning guitar and playing!

[@ihaveaname05]

Please!

[@robertolegaspi2322]

Yes!

[@bustercampfiresongs]

Just listen and figure out by ear. It's three chords.

[@jesussavessouls8796]

The sound and look of these guitars is on par with a Custom Shop guitar. Great job Fender.

[@tyshred9251]

Why are so many people so incredibly negitive about other guitarists playing? The worst offenders tend to be the ones with zero guitar content, and cant play at all. All sounds good to me, not tough stuff but really smooth and that strat sounds great, some people dont seem to understand you can get a lot more tones out of a strat than any other guitar. Their crazy versatile.

[@jozerpichardo7257]

I used to be the same way buddy until I opened my third eye into the world of a stray. Can’t get enough now

[@thorpypoo]

I've watch a lot of his videos and he's actually a great guitar player.

[@tyshred9251]

@@thorpypoo yeah dude so do I. I love his playing. Even when I see tiny youtubers like myself, I will check them out if its guitar related. The last thing I'd do is go trash them. If they wernt good I'd try to encourage them, which I do. But I see so many people on here and other sites that trash peoples guitar playing because they lose an argument in the comment section. So they go to the person's profile and trash them like it had something to do with the conversation lol. I seriously cant count how many times I've seen this and it's always the guys that dont have any guitar videos or content. I seen a good handfull on this videos comments already.

[@Online_ToughGuy]

Idk who is talking that shit....JB can play his ass off that’s for damn sure.

[@Online_ToughGuy]

Idk who is talking that shit....JB can play his ass off that’s for damn sure.

[@BrewReview]

Just a correction - the solid colors are still alder bodied. It’s the natural finishes that transitioned from ash to pine.

[@TonyAguirreJazz]

These just sound so much nicer than the PRS line. I have to get one

[@brewinquinto762]

Damn, that roasted pine natural finish!

[@antisocialist907]

Fender is making some really great sounding guitars and amps.

[@unhinged17]

Great playing, as always, JB. You're one of my favorite (extant) guitarists - you always inject a lot of fun and humor in your playing, which I find irresistible. This is a fantastic demo of this new guitar - it really has a unique voice and cool tone, and you demo all it has to offer amazingly! Thanks for sharing.

[@johnbohlinger]

Thanks Jason.

[@ulknatmelknatu]

Great jamming. You really do the stratocaster justice and the neck pickup sounds great with your playing. Im now a subscriber! Thx

[@lynnmorgan3283]

I don't care what guitar you demo it's always a pleasure to hear you play John. Awesome!

[@djloertscher]

John! You're playing is amazing!!!! Love the new strats. Gonna have to get me one!

[@mitchilito99]

DAM dude. You ROCK. Been watching you do rig rundown for years but I never realized you're as good or better than a bunch of your interviewees! Oh, nice Strat too :-)

[@johncseward]

Love it! Just one question, is it missing some sustain?

[@adozensparrows]

It's a Strat all right! It started out in tune.

[@johne1599]

I really like everything about these American Professional II Fenders. I notice they have a micro-tilt neck, but don’t mention it in the Specs. These updated Tim Shaw pickups sound amazing on every model I’ve heard: Teles, Wide Range Teles, and Strats.

[@kram21]

Very thorough demo with precision playing

[@bmorebob6624]

I wouldn’t typically go for that color but man it looks killer!

[@bluzzjazz]

Dennis Fano at Novo was ahead of the game. He's been using tempered pine for a while. I had a Serus J built and it is phenomenal. Never in a million years did I think I would have a guitar made out of lowly pine!

[@cleanmike7312]

We have a similar playing style only you’re better than me. I’ve seen so many videos with you playing guitar it’s like seeing one of my buddies play. Gives me that trusted source kind of a feeling. Thinking seriously about pulling the trigger on one of these.

[@ThePequenocristo]

Super cool that Fender is adding so many great features for only around $1,650! They even throw in a nice case. I'm happily surprised!

[@musikus7092]

In Europe they are priced 1800 Euro = 2100 Dollars!

[@kremepye3613]

Except locking tuners

[@codythedoggo7671]

​@@kremepye3613 yeah with PRS out there, Fender needs locking tuners

[@e.k.izzle32]

​@@codythedoggo7671they do have locking tuners, some models come with them, some don't. I have 2 teles that came with locking tuners one Mexican, one american.

[@alessandrotorrescampos522]

Amazing video. I just got a Stratocaster American professional II last week. The guitar is great. But I’m struggling to take the bar off the bridge. It gets stock and it’s really hard to pop it off. Is it normal?

[@gunsofsteele]

Great licks JB! I've been pondering the Rosewood fretboard roasted pine model but would definitely have to swap the pickguard to white like Terry Kaths on 25 or 6 to 4. I can't believe they did his Tele model and not that strat! 🤨 Thanks for the review! 😎

[@robertlottmann]

Cool John... Already had that switch mod on my Strat in the 90s to create a Tele sound..

[@HauntedLabs]

Great song to begin the First Look at the new Fender lineup ❤️

[@lynnmorgan3283]

You are always in the groove Man. Great guitar, great playing.

[@sagezen6414]

The James Wilsey lick sound great. Love that pine Strat.

[@shaunbenson5079]

just tried this in a store and yeah - best strat Ive played in a good while

[@sjoerdklarenbeek]

Every guitar channel is simultaneously promoting these guitars, it’s so very obvious. I don’t have a problem with it but I don’t think I’ve ever witnessed such a massive concerted wave of product promotion clips on KZbin.

[@GetawaysandGuitars]

Yeah, finally! After all the negative comments I get for building guitars out of pine. It's too soft, it'll dent easily, the sap will seep out etc... now Fender have copied me ;0)

[@caseykittel]

If it’s roasted I really doubt you will get sap. I have seen their redwood telecaster in person and that guitar dents like crazy. They didn’t even put finish on it. But hey, that becomes the character of the instrument.

[@michaelc2528]

You play so well John! You're also getting some Tele tones too! Only need one guitar now!

[@jipes]

Great demo @johnbollinger BTW John the Lynyrd Skynyrd anthem was not recorded on a strat contrary to what everyone believes I saw a video where the original guitar player tell the story

[@RealFeelsTrip]

John is not only a great player, he really has some useful insights in every video.

[@larrybethune3909]

Really good player!

[@donmunson4802]

Nowhere am I seeing a detailed description of the modifications between the Pro1 pickups and the Pro2 pickups. Is it all just hype?

[@teleplucker6802]

Wow! Your playing is great but that guitar sounds terrific. I don't know if it is YOUR settings and gear or what but this same model sounds nowhere near this good on any other YT demos. I would love to hear YOU play another model with rosewood FB and alder body just to compare. I wonder how long before any of my local GC's get one in for me to try.

[@Louis_Rain]

Love the Tom Waits riff you threw down at the beginning. Had to learn that while watching! Also dig the neck and bridge switch.

[@jimir68]

Was it not Wicked Game Chris Isaak?

[@Louis_Rain]

Yes guys, for sure your right, Chris Isaac.

[@edgeofeternity101]

Great demo, I have to comment on how clear your camera is, it's amazing. First chance I get I will play one of these new models, but I tend to like the Vintage pickups. What kind of finish do these have, pine is pretty soft wood and my CV Tele is proof of that. It is not roasted pine, I wonder if roasted is more like a hardwood.

[@jeffo8455]

Great review John. I just received mine yesterday in mercury.

[@DavidMorisset]

Wow, that intro will sell many guitars. 😎

[@danielhartman5086]

Love the roasted pine color.

[@BookClubDisaster]

what's the sound difference between pine and ash?

[@johne1599]

John, did the tremolo come setup with that much float you’re using, or, did you do a setup on that guitar?

[@shirleymuhleisen683]

Heard a little “Lenny”? Sounded amazing!😎😀

[@letfreedomring6906]

It's so much better than anything being offered by (over-priced) PRS 'guitars'.

[@LiveFreeOrDie76]

Have to agree, I used to be a PRS fanboy. 7 of their guitars in 3 years and the customer support has been atrocious. I've sold 4 of them, have 3 left I am putting up for sale after I fix the numerous issues they shipped with from the factory. Support sent me parts that were broken to replace parts on a 2100 dollar silver sky that weren't working out of the box. Problem is they have so many "paid" actors out there promoting their stuff there is a fake narrative of PRS quality. You would think if @PRS Guitars cared, they would have cared about a dude who spent 10 thousand dollars during the lockdown to support them, but they don't. That is unless you have a few hundred thousand KZbin followers that they can profit off of. If you are just a hard working dude who plays guitar and was trying to support them during the lockdowns, well you just aren't that important because I can't sell anything for them.

[@musicmatty67]

One things for sure… Your playn’ makes it sound damn good😉

[@ptalley316]

Sounds a bit brittle kinda ice picky! Is that the amp settings? Great playing:)

[@scottmacphee35]

The pickups sound a little hotter than they were.

[@iganpparamarta8813]

Always loving strat reviews/demos, eventhough they all play kinda the same licks/phrases but I really enjoy them.

[@housecatblues7946]

Nice demonstration, I do like the pine which my Tele has; my wish list keeps getting more equipment on it...LOL!

[@carnivaltym]

I'd like to hear this guitar set up with heavier gauge strings thru a cranked Marshall and a 4x12....all the wonderful articulation those pups undoubtably capture, needs to be backed up by some air movement and matching bottom end. Jmo.

[@timwhite5562]

Jesus christ, that was the neck pickup in the beginning? I was thinking "that bridge pickup defining needs a good tone control to reign in some of that treble."

[@nickx1754]

That sounds so good. I may need to pick one up myself. No strat in the collection yet...

[@jordanpratt3821]

Oh man,you Def need a strat.

[@utubepassenger]

Very nice playing, John, and good review. Never tried a pine body Strat nor on any other guitar. Not sure if it has good sustain. Also, this guitar seems to sound very bright and the new pickups seem a bit too hot.

[@musikus7092]

The pickups sound a bit dull and lifeless

[@utubepassenger]

@@musikus7092 "More articulate pickups" in the description of the video. Anyway, to me they don't sound better than the ones on the previous American standard models. What strikes me the most is that this guitar with a pine body, which is a very cheap wood, costs the same or more than the previous model. They should have lowered its price. I' ve seen they are at about 1.500/800 $/€, and that is a lot of money for a standard Strat.

[@musikus7092]

@@utubepassenger Fender raises the price with every new model about 200-300 Euro. They gave the parts new names and thats was it

[@papasmamas1]

This pickups have such a round and spongy sound, but still bright without ice picky. Nice sound.

[@supachatrattananet7533]

Would the soft pinewood cause a long-term consequence?

[@calvinevans6347]

This strat is AMAZING!!! Even I sound like I can really play on it!!! I love it!!!

[@danelectr]

This will be my next strat…. Currently have the mexican deluxe roadhouse.

[@TheThinker39]

Nice playing, John! Interesting that this guitar is pine. I've always thought of pine as a soft, inexpensive wood, and I wondered whether it was strong enough to securely support a bolt-on neck. I'm pleased that Fender is able to use it with good results. Looks like the pickups do not have staggered pole pieces, which appeals to me. I've always disliked the recessed pole piece on the B string on my Strat! And the additional pickup combinations - one and three, and all three -- sound fantastic!

[@musikus7092]

Pine is inexpensive!

[@jktolford8272]

Ash used to be inexpensive. Fender is moving to roasted pine & other woods in response declines in ash supplies due to an insect blight & climate change induced density increases. Attempts are being made to preserve at least some ash supplies but ash may become extinct as has American elm. www.guitarworld.com/features/fender-will-no-longer-use-ash-bodies-for-production-line-guitars-we-found-out-why-and-what-woods-will-be-used-instead

[@ALT3REDB3AST]

@@jktolford8272 ash guitars will become hotly coveted in the future!😄

[@andrewcrouse8840]

They are staggered.

[@mikereynolds3294]

Some of the much coveted early 50’s telecasters were “lowly”pine. Now they fetch a pretty penny.

[@sjk254]

I love pine.

[@dat219]

In my opinion you're a better guitar player than an interviewer Nice job

[@tmitz73]

Sounding Awesome JB!!!

[@wmd5645]

Is this the same electronics as the American Deluxe Strat?

[@sinnertrain7405]

Thanks for the James Calvin Whilsey guitar playing from Wicked Game in the intro. I didn't care for the narrow tall frets on the first version of the Am Pro series. I have a lot of Strats and I just didn't like those frets for the genres of music I play. However, those frets would be great for strictly blues players using heavier strings because it almost too easy to bend strings with those frets. So . . . what frets are used on version II?

[@brisson182]

Same ones I believe

[@RUSTY-A-L]

Awesome guitar and playing!

[@luizhumbertomendes9352]

what's that first tune he was playing up until 0:38? I know it but can't remember where from.

[@ajvass96]

Wicked games - chris isaak

[@TonyAguirreJazz]

Miami Blue baby!

[@massimos6863]

Awesome Demo great playing and great Sounding Guitar

[@veergujral6517]

Love the Chris Isaak intro!

[@gr8kzoo]

I'm pretty sure that the original Teles were pine. The Squire Classic Vibe Teles are pine for this reason.

[@musikus7092]

They were pine because it's cheap

[@jktolford8272]

Ash used to be cheap. Ash is being blighted & may disappear. Fender is adjusting. www.guitarworld.com/features/fender-will-no-longer-use-ash-bodies-for-production-line-guitars-we-found-out-why-and-what-woods-will-be-used-instead

[@craigbranscum4041]

Fender quality is fantastic never disappointed ,the other legendary guitar maker has let me down for the last time. I'm done with them.

[@davidhumphries1146]

An opinion on the narrow tall frets would be nice.

[@seanm4468]

What's the name of that color?

[@GerardoServinmx]

What's the name of the intro song?

[@johnbohlinger]

Wicked Game.. Chris Isak.

[@lynnmorgan3283]

Dig your playin' man!

[@cemsarioglu5947]

It might be the amp but this Strat sounds too bright for my ears. He plays great but this particular guitar in the video has way too much high freqs. Not my cup of tea...

[@soofitnsexy]

the way he recorded it the amp reverb i agree

[@stankowalski4574]

Agreed...sounds way too bright.

[@GuitarMav]

Could be the pine?

[@JohannesLabusch]

Easiest fix in the world. Both the guitar and the amp have tone controls.

[@sassycat]

More interested in the Teles, but this has my attention.

[@swiergol79]

Whats the title of the first song

[@scottmacphee35]

Wicked Game by Chris Isaak.

[@jrtme]

They are using pine not because “We are going through natural resources” The Emerald Ash Borer has done a lot of damage to the North American Ash Trees. Yes this a real thing. The Ash trees around my house have been treated for this.

[@rafsbio]

They are not using pine to replace ash, they’re using to replace alder. Ash is used in a few models and limited runs. And being a wood of faster growth and relatively easy to grow in plantations, it does have a smaller footprint than alder. John is absolutely right here.

[@jrtme]

@@rafsbio nope. The solid colors are alder. So they aren’t replacing the alder. Since they have limited amount of Ash available right now due to complications with Emerald Ash Borer they can not use it in quantities they could before.

[@rafsbio]

@@jrtme You're right, they still used ash for the transparent finishes.

[@jrtme]

@@rafsbio These new American professionals aren't Ash. Only more expensive USA Fenders in limited runs will be Ash for now. Why are you having such a hard time just doing some research and realizing that I am correct.

[@rafsbio]

@@jrtme Didn't I just say you are correct?

[@donbondio]

John could make a clothes line sound great.

[@tonypassanante6836]

He is a very good guitar player and saleman

[@notalkguitarampplug-insrev784]

No stainless steel frets?

[@drewgraysonxoxopanda]

First fender esquire & broadcaster prototypes were made of pine before they switched to ash and telecaster name...

[@bradpoole400]

Don't miss it if you have a chance to see Chris Isaak in concert.

[@tonepilot]

Wicked opening :)

[@dandyroll7610]

I understand the emergency of the planet due to the issue of wood scarcity. What I don't understand is that by using cheaper wood, Fender has increased the price of their instruments in such an obscene way. I'm about to buy a Fender AM Original 50 Stratocaster, but I'll only buy it if it's swamp ash or alder. I won't buy that guitar if they make it out of braised pine, no matter how much they want to convince me that this is how good old Leo made them at the beginning. If so, I'll make the greenest purchase: the second-hand market.

[@aussiecoastie72]

Nice guitar ! Great player

[@chrisowens3817]

Nice disguise of chris I!

[@sonnet9100]

Wow!

[@danielsOFF]

Sweet intro

[@markbass354]

COOL SOUNDS REALLY GOOD

[@poltad]

Hmm, the tele sounds amazing but the strat seems a bit thin and brittle.

[@ironlife783]

Billy Bob Thornton plays well

[@tonepilot]

Sounds way too bright for my tastes but it could just be your settings. Not a fan of treble bleed for the same reason.