Let's Talk About Fender's Player II Series

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rhettshullguit...
Fender Player Series II Strat (affiliate link)
sweetwater.sjv...
Fender American Pro II Sweetwater Spec Strat (affiliate link)
sweetwater.sjv...
Fender recently released the Player II series of guitars, hoping to improve on the initial Player series, which I was not a fan of. The new guitars seem like they have a lot to offer, but how do they stack up against the other guitars in Fender's lineup?
Thanks to @sweetwater for sending out these two strats to compare for today's stream.

[@mrelmoresmusiclab]

I just ordered my 9 year old an Aqua Blue Payer II Mustang. Lucky kid. Let his guitar journey begin.

[@blueveinriver3253]

I honestly laughed pretty hard when I saw the Player II. The reason for that is I have a Player I and literally upgraded it exactly to what the Player II is, down to the rolled fretboard edges and classic gear tuners and the aged plastics (which I ended up putting back to stock). Felt like Fender was stalking me

[@europeanzorro4330]

Good!!

[@RF_Burns]

Love it when Fender refresh their range - huge discounts to be on their old stock. In the past 4 months I've bought 7 brand-new Player MK1 guitars and bases for just £3643 UK ($4715 US) and that includes 3 limited edition models including the oxblood tele with ebony neck and USA Pure Vintage ’64 pickups. I'm blown away by the quality and value. THANK YOU FENDER!

[@dah_koh_tah2641]

How do you like the oxblood Tele?

[@rigorhead01]

As time moves forward, competition between companies continue to drive product improvement. PRS's SE line, particularly the Silver Sky SE, played a huge role in Fender stepping up their more affordable product lines. Just like Drum Workshop did back in the 2000's with the Pacific line of drums. Being able to buy a really high-quality, truly great sounding, all maple set of drums turned the industry on its ear, and all the other drum manufacturers were scrambling to catch up. Nowadays you can buy some amazing drums for less than a grand.

[@andbenitz]

I just bought a Player Series strat. My first Fender! It was on sale, probably because of the new series. It plays great and it looks awesome. I love the pau ferro, the grains make it so beautiful, to me more interesting than a pitch black rosewood fingerboard, feels great on my fingers. I'm from Brazil, Fender strats are quite expensive here. To me this new guitar feels like a high end product, so smooth to play. It's the best guitar I've had so far. I tried some american and old mexican strats and still I like my Player Series better. People outside of the US should try the Player Series, the prices are going down and it's a great guitar! Rhett is not fair, he has access to some of the best gear out there. Not to throw shade at Rhett, great vid as always!

[@michaelschmidt6548]

I bought a player plus last year as my first tele. The Mexican stuff has gotten really good.

[@rigorhead01]

I'd still buy the American Pro II. For me, at this point in my life, I want the best I can get. Playing guitar, and music in general, is very important to me. So again I want the best I can possibly get. I understand budgets though. I couldn't afford a private stock PRS or maybe a Murphy Lab Les Paul. Everyone has a different budget of course. I say buy the best instrument you can that fits within your budget.

[@stevep9740]

I had a player ONE tele and it was flawless off the wall at the store... tuning stability was amazing. It needed no attention or set up prior to taking it home.. pick ups were great for a guitar of its price point. Beautiful guitar. Sounds like we've both had hits and misses

[@brandonbutler8808]

After watching this I feel bad for liking my player 1, but really I think it's just fine also, maybe I'm just not pro level

[@CraigFlowersMusic]

42:00 Gibsons aren't more expensive than Fenders. Just, everybody isn't scrambling for the fanciest, frilliest Fenders. I have a 2004 Gibson SG Special Faded that's worth well under a grand, and that's despite having held its value AND being American-made. So no, Fenders aren't cheaper; we just go for the cheaper fenders. My Les Paul Standards are my only Les Pauls, but if I had that bare bones SG before I bought the Les Pauls, I probably wouldn't have paid 3x what I could have gotten the Tribute models of the Les Pauls for. Academically I guess I knew I couldn't hear the binding, but it took this old SG feeling like a custom shop to make me realize what's important.

[@yasekkviatkoski]

Player I is at the moment on big discounts. You can get one for 200 EUR cheapper than Player II. Player I is not a bad Strat at all for 600 EUR. If you will save 200 EUR and change pickups you will get a far better guitar in the and in compare to Player II. I have Player I with maple freatboard. After time I had changed bone nut and do some fretgorks in the edges - it is not a rocket sience. Everyone can do it with YT tutorials. With good pickups it is a killer strat.

[@sagittated]

I know it's unpopular, but I love my Player series bass with Pao ferro. The hate is in people's heads. It's between maple and rosewood in hardness. Its sound is fine. Its color is different than maple and rosewood, but I kinda like the reddish brown. I get it if you want very dark wood, but it's not pau ferro's fault. I think the main issue was that when rosewood landed on the CITES list and they started using Pau ferro, people incorrectly saw it as a cheap out, or they were just bitter about environmental restrictions.

[@thedoyleharcavy]

My ‘95 Mexican Strat is still the best I’ve ever played. It’s from the “Squier series” rumored to have been created due to a fire at the Mexico factory. Essentially they shipped American made necks and bodies down and assembled with Squier pickups and electronics and labeled them as MIM fenders. Instead of “contour body” on the ball of the headstock it says Squier series. I dropped in a pre-wired Tex mex pickguard and it easily blows the player 1 series out of the water

[@madmick78]

Rhett, that picture of you, on the thumbnail... you should have saved that one for the back flap of your first serious book. It looks all pensive, or maybe constipated, I'm not sure which. 😂

[@braedonmorrissey7548]

It can still be used in the future! One thumbnail doesn’t render a photo useless

[@ryanevans371]

You'd be surprised how often "pensive" and "constipated" go together... they're certainly not an either/or

[@johngerson7335]

"The Twin" red-knob amps are true sleepers. A Fender clean channel, and a "Marshall-esque" dirty channel that is capable of crunch-to-kill levels of preamp distortion. And yes, they're kind of a nightmare to service, but they do make great tone. On the "loudest" front, the original custom-shop handwired "Tonemaster" heads designed and built by Bruce Zinky for Fender (not the solid-state amps that get called "Tonemaster" now) in the 90's are the loudest and most toneful amps that Fender _ever_ produced. And the crazy thing is; the longer you leave one on, the warmer it gets, and the louder it gets lol.

[@ebikes2xs159]

Bought the Jaguar Player II. Its pretty great, really like the changes. They moved the Tremolo closer to the bridge for a better string angle and installed a Mustang bridge. New pick-ups are very clean and sound refined, modern. They cured my issues with the original and the Aqua Blue is killer. Got the CS Fat 50's pick-ups in my Mod Shop Strat. Rhett playing clean and the tone of a good Strat is heaven.

[@ericolson326]

I've always had a soft spot for how unrepentantly hair metal-y the drive channel of the red knob Princeton Chorus was. 😄

[@Bimmer2047]

I love my 01 Mexican Strat for sure. And one thing I learned about that time frame “early 2000s” was supposedly the Mexican factory was running low on parts like necks and pots and stuff so many of those era mex ones ended up with American necks and things. And it you look at mine you would agree with that. The flame in the maple on the neck is insane way to nice for what we would think is “mex factory quality”

[@adeptgopnik]

I have a classic vibe Mustang that is amazingly resonant. I swear its the loudest acoustic guitar out of all my electrics. Its an amazing guitar. I want a fender, but I feel like I got a good one already, so Im just sticking with the Squier. I also did all new wiring and put a hot rail in the bridge, cause, why not?

[@Jim_Cox]

Oh man, I don't need another guitar, especially an 'expensive' one, but that AM PRO II looks awesome. They don't mention anywhere but those dots look clay colored, which is neat. It has the looks of the AM VINT II but yet has an 11" radius and an accessible truss rod nut. The plastics aren't 'aged' colored but that's a quick fix. If you own, or have access, to an American Vintage II 1961 Strat* I would love to hear your thoughts on the differences (*or a similar custom shop model).

[@1loveMusic2003]

I got a Pro 2 Jag with out of phase and series wiring and it is amazing!

[@kraggsmash9413]

Bought a Player 1 series when they first came out. I never really had any problems with it, frets are nice ( never any sprout ), nice and smooth. I have played it alot so the fretboard edges seem to have rounded alittle bit. It does have the maple board not sure if that makes a difference ( sound wise maybe ).

[@mikecorey8370]

Totally agree about the Player 1 frets. I've got one. What's weird is that not all of them feel that way. Seems to be starting around the 13th fret.

[@jamesrichardson4988]

Great video as always Rhett. Have you tried the Sire "Larry Carlton" guitars? The features you mentioned on the new Player II have been standard on those since they came out roughly 2 years ago.

[@fenderbender8132]

Showing support has the whole family should! Great show Rhett

[@ScottfromBaltimore]

I polish frets and oil fret boards on my guitars if they need it whenever I change the strings. I'm getting better at it each time.

[@TheDrunkenScoundrel]

If you want to learn a Chili Peppers riff? "Behind The Sun" all the way. Sounds cool, is cool, fun to learn and play.

[@rmaxtpmx]

It sounds like people don't know that beeswax exists. Why are we out there playing dry fretboards? Treat your pau ferro, and then judge whether you like it. It also looks a lot more interesting.

[@larsfocken3456]

I use Montypresso Relic Wax for Pau Ferro and Indian Laurel. It’s really good.

[@ramlerendleg]

I'm old enough to remember pau ferro being sold as high spec because SRV was said to have it on his No.1 and Fender put it on his signature guitar. Make of that what you want.

[@sferguson1130]

I think too many people trip on pickups, and electronics specs in general, when they’re not gigging, or recording. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to chase tone, but a lot of people get bogged down with researching this stuff, and going through subreddits, when they could be spending all that time practicing and enjoying playing. The differences in pickup quality, for sound, is so minimal, and the cost can get up there, for the average Joe noodling and playing at home. At the end of the day though, to each his own. Whatever tickles your pickle 🤷‍♂️ I play the shit out of my CV Tele. Only thing I did, was fretwork, rolled the edges, sanded down the back of the neck and treated it with boiled linseed oil, sanded down the maple fretboard from gloss to satin, and replaced the saddle with nicer compensated brass.

[@stk7778]

You are so incredibly wrong I can barely fathom it. I will concede that pickups entail a lot of compromising--ie, one sounds better on leads, another chords; one sounds better with one overdrive, but not clean or with a different overdrive. Having said that, pickups are absolutely the #1 thing that affects tone, and if a guitar comes with shitty pickups it's a pain in the ass to have to replace them. G&L come with better electronics than most fenders. Some pickups fender put on guitars are embarrassingly bad...

[@NickBernzz]

I'm with ya on the middle position on Strats. It's always been my favorite.

[@Mr.8point5]

Ordered a player ii Strat and it comes tomorrow. New to guitar. Can’t wait. Still learning bass on my squier affinity P bass.

[@onevoiceinc]

Fender Player series - one of only two guitars I've reviewed (and was so excited to try out) and sent it back very soon after trying it. I had purchased a higher end model, too. In addition to what was later described to me as "stratitis," the brash sound of either the alder body or maybe it's the pickups - not sure which, but alder guitars never do nice for my ears - not a fan. I'm a mahogany body fan due to the mid cut. If I were to *have* to buy another Fender guitar, it would undoubtedly be another Fender Special Edition Custom FMT telecaster made in (wait for it) Indonesia. Mahogany body with Seymour Duncan pickups. Best Fender guitars I've ever played. Everybody but me who loves an actual strat tends to sound great on a strat. Not me. It rubs against my ears the wrong way. I love the neck radius and feel. Can't get around the sound I get. Blyeck. Then I made the wonderful mistake of buying my first Musicman Sabre. Then another. Will probably never buy another non Musicman guitar ever again. I strongly agree about people "sleeping on the middle position" though. It's become a go to for a smooth bluesy sound, but slightly brighter than the neck. It's great for building dynamics without adding actual volume. As far as the 2 position, I'll only use that for high gain, for a lower "verse 1" type setting before kicking into the chorus. Anyway, cool video as always. (And buy a Musicman Sabre. You'll love them!)

[@stubdeux]

Paisley, Scotland, UK. Thanks for the vid, Rhett.

[@MP_Single_Coil]

Love my Ventera II. If it had a nitro finish it would be perfect. MIM has definitely stepped up. OG BiB is the shiz.

[@compucorder64]

Yip. All my Fenders are Vinteras & Vintera IIs. Telecaster, Stratocaster & P Bass. I did try a maple neck Buttercream Player Jazz Bass, with maple neck, on sale for around 600, new. It's good, thinking of buying it. I have a Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster and I prefer it to these Player Jaguar and Jazzmasters, which aren't really either.

[@troublemaker1145]

I have a vintera 2 60s tele and I absolutely love it, i always get compliments on its tone. Really great guitars. I can only imagine how the other guitars of that series are. For sure will bug another sometime. But yeah I recommend avoiding the player series 2 and saving up a few more hundred for a vintera guitar

[@compucorder64]

@@troublemaker1145of mine, the 60s Vintera Tele is the pick of my Fender bunch. Just a really good sounding guitar. Very strong, rich and complex and plays really well. Really opened my ears to how good a guitar a Telecaster is. I think it beats my #3 Gibson Les Paul Special to #2 spot. My favourite guitar being my #1 Baum Wingman. #4 is the Vintera 60s Strat, it's really good but I feel lacks a tad in sustain and fullness, compared to the Wingman, Tele, and Les Paul Special. But, it does the Strat neck and middle tones thing very well, and that's mostly what I use it for. I think a setup, or maybe some minor mods would help it along.

[@RagggedTrouseredPhilanthropist]

@@troublemaker1145 I've got a Vintera II 60's strat in Olympic white with a rosewood fretboard and it's an outstanding guitar. I love it. I played the Vintera II and the American Vintage II side by side in the shop, and whilst I could afford the Vintage II I simply couldn't justify an additional £1000 for what I was seeing, hearing, and feeling. Funnily enough, I couldn't take the guitar with me on the day for whatever reason so I had to return to the shop to pick it up. When I went to collect the guy at the shop went in the back and came out with a Vintage II and handed it over. I laughed and pointed out it wasn't the Vintera, much to the amusement of the other guys working in the shop! As one of them pointed out, that's a ringing endorsement for the Vintera.

[@ramlerendleg]

I bought the Fat 60s some weeks ago from Thomann Germany. I wanted them for my '86 MIJ rosewood board Squier Strat. Ok, I had Noiseless Gold version 1 in it before, not that great but by winding them down a lot I got quite decent sounds out of them. But the new ones are night and day to the old ones, It used to be like messing around a lot to get a good sound. Now it's just plug in, adjust the amp controls and I' m good to go.

[@tylernolff7711]

Rhett we want a Martin showcase.. 18 vs. 28 vs 35 vs 42. What kind of player is each best for and which is the best for a road gig. Martin showcase!

[@ihop4no14]

"Old Granddad" Ha! I grew up about an hour from where that's distilled.

[@robertflood552]

Calgary Canada! Rock on Rhett!

[@James-l3e]

Thanks for the conversation. Appreciate ya!

[@JH-ks9oi]

I played Mexican 62’ Reissue Strats and put the fat wound 58’s set in my neck n mid, then a Hot Tex-Mex in bridge, I got every sound I wanted… That was the 90’s

[@robertcompitelloii7793]

Thank you for playing some Floyd!!!!

[@tbone2451]

Nice review ! Rhett would you choose the player ll , or the PRs se silver sky ???

[@Sparksnorthern]

Good vibe chat. You should definitely do these more on the regular.

[@Baci302]

So then what’s the bottom line level series of Fender guitar worth buying? The Squier CVs or the American Professional IIs?

[@mattmanley7118]

They’re good indeed. if I was in the market for one just based on Rosewood I would get one, but honestly Pau Ferro doesn’t bother me aesthetically. My Player Strat is just great. Plus the old stock gets heavily discounted folks. I’m glad RW is back on these for sure. I do love these colors vs what the first series had at launch. Mine being Sonic Red I think it was. This coral is great too!

[@andsoistopped]

I have a being guitar made for my 50th. The fretboard has Palmira. It looks incredible. Going to be interesting to hear what it sounds like. I’ve always preferred maple. But only because of how it looks.

[@Metalhead0283]

get the player 2 and put the custom shop pickups in it and have cash left over for a sammich

[@ericolson326]

If you ever come across one, I'd be interested to hear your take on the discontinued Triple Tele. (The one with three slanted tele bridge pickups, not the John 5 signature HHH model.)

[@ScottfromBaltimore]

I bought a pack of those trem arm springs. They worked for about five minutes. They would squish down and not bounce back. Maybe I screwed the arm too far in, or maybe I got a bad batch.

[@petersaccoccio1664]

I agree with alot you have to say on these guitars. I went to Guitar Center and played 3 different player 2 strats . A rosewood fingerboard, maple fingerboard and one with a humbucker in the bridge position. All three had beautiful feeling necks, great consistent fretboards and fretwork. I believe the tone knob worked on the bridge pickup. I don’t know if the player 1 does. But That is a game changer and what G&L strats had over Fender. The player one and I believe even the vintera strats, the necks were horrible! Consistently I found the fret ends were sharp and unplayable. And for that kind of money, that was unacceptable. The Squier necks and esp. the classic vibes , were much better. While I’m always looking for used gear to pick up, I think I may actually buy a Player2 in the near future .

[@nancyvanrijn9732]

Great hang, even though it was the replay 😄 You just made me want 2 more guitars 🙈 Looking forward to your EP and the Good Trouble stuff! 🤗

[@fenderbender8132]

Showing support after the show as all the family should great show Rhett !!

[@93greenstrat]

I think the Player/Player II bridge is the same part as on the American Standard (2nd version)/American Pro/American Pro II. With the competition from the PRS Silver Sky SE they had to step things up. Perhaps Fender was too afraid to make the Mexican guitars to good because then they'd be competing against themselves and the American Professional II. Compared to the old Mexican Standard model, the Player series is much more like their American counterparts. They are both modern interpretations of the classic Strat by incorporating things like the 22-fret neck, 2 post vibrato, and 9.6" neck radius. When the American Standard was first introduced, Fender was getting their backsides handed to them, so they sought to keep the Strat familiar, but with features that appealed to modern sensibilities.

[@ianshongtrs]

I agree with Rhett about Player vs CV in general but those thin necks are a deal breaker for me. I prefer the CV Tele as far as tone but prefer the tones from the Player Strat vs the CV Strat. The Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster is probably my favorite Squier.

[@DenMan24Fan]

I was ready to buy a Player Strat back in June when I ran across a used Squier Deluxe at Guitar Center mis-marked as a Bullet Strat for $100, so I bought that instead. The Squier has a 22-fret satin maple neck with rolled fretboard, really nice Duncan Designed AlNiCo V pickups, and a stable 2-point trem with block saddles. I feel like I ended up with a better Strat and had enough left in my pocket to pick up a Taylor acoustic. Now I’m curious to try a Player II to see if it’s any better than what I have.

[@effdpaul1815]

As for fingerboard woods, ebony has been the best in my experience .... I've had and still have guitars with rosewood fingerboards, have played straight maple fingerboards. Feel under the fingers is noticeable, but I think that the tone is perceivable ... playing clean that is.

[@admarhermans1]

Love that ugly twin! The music school my band rehearsed in 1991 had one. I used it for bass! They let me borrow it for playing gigs too. I used my Boss GE Bass eq pedal with it, because like my peers I wanted those mid scooped Faith No More, Nirvana and Flea tones, but it didn’t have the ‘punch’ button my Peavey TNT bass combo had 😂! It sure was loud! It sounded great too. Those red knobs were perceived as really, really ugly in 1991 too. That’s why we put one of my friend’s mother’s large black silk scarfs over it at gigs 😄. It never occurred to us the amp getting so hot might’ve caused us some 🔥 trouble...

[@admarhermans1]

Your strings don’t actually need to touch the fingerboard itself for the fingerboard material to influence tone. The frets, that actually do go into the fingerboard, will do that for you. I play bass, and I do actually think that pau ferro is a nice and beautiful wood to use for a bass’ fingerboard. I do like the feel and sound too. And yes, pau ferro used to be a more expensive upgrade on (fretless) basses for decades. That started with the now famous (New York) custom bass luthiers we all know and love. Since the 90’s the less vintage but more exclusive basses by Fender and Ernie Ball/ MusicMan came with pau ferro boards. Like their fretless and 5 string basses and the first signature Fender bass: Stu Hamm’s Urge 1 and 2. Pau ferro was never cheap. But, I’ve spoken to lots of guitarplayers over the last few years and both their feelings and facts on their personal experiences with pau ferro fingerboards are quite the opposite from those of bassists in the 90’s and early 2000’s: they don’t like the tone, feel and more important the last ten years: the color (because it looks too different from ‘vintage dark’ rosewood). So, I totally get it why guitarists dislike pau ferro. Their objections go beyond the subjective. Fender made a mistake there. They acted too late on this. They know that now. But, pau ferro was never the cheap alternative Fender chose for rosewood like people argue! That’s just a fairytale! Laurel wood would’ve been, like most other brands used. And, are still using. Leo would’ve too... Fender was convinced they provided us with a beautiful and quality alternative. So, it’s great Fender went back to rosewood! Everybody happy again 😆.

[@lazylazy871]

Fingerboards don’t contribute to sound. Only the feel of the instrument gets changed. Not sure about acoustically but when plugged to an amp and recorded it won’t have any effect. It can’t. It is impossible. If we’re talking about a difference that is over 0.01%

[@weets69]

Love that 80’s patch tone

[@aldovergara9035]

I once got a telecaster from Sweetwater where the bridge was off kilter and the high e string was slipping off the fretboard. My conclusion about Sweetwater and companies of that ilk is that they'll send someone like yourself: a professional musician with a KZbin channel with tons of subscribers, their best quality examples of an instrument, while they don't care that much about the QC grade for John Q. Guitar Player. Those companies are unreliable at best.

[@j_drichmond]

If you want a good cup of coffee, I recommend Gaslight on Fullerton and Milwaukee.

[@therandom802]

The problem with the player2 is the price. They need to be $50-100 cheaper imo. Plus, if you already have a reliable guitar, you’re better off saving a bit longer and going AmPro2. The difference in quality is quite noticeable…at least that’s true of the couple I’ve played at the local shop.

[@jeremythornton433]

I'm form Ballentrae Ontario. A tiny little town just half an hour north of the east end of Toronto. Love Strats but i really don't see the need to get fancy expensive ones. I have a late 90s Mexi and a 5 year old Squire. Both play, look and sound amazing. I don't play live gigs anymore. I'm primarily a keyboard player; with 17 guitars!; and between all the moving of heavy gear and the crap pay, it just isn't worth it.I'm much happier writing and recording in my studio.

[@f3uibeghardt522]

Just bring back the American Standard lineup and the Standard (MIM) series again. I'm not buying another Fender until they do that.

[@RomainBigeardGuitar]

The American Pro II is the new Standard in the US line from what I understand

[@Paul-lj3qw]

I agree

[@Paul-lj3qw]

Quit trying to fix what is not broken

[@davidd.bennett6863]

And the deluxe 12" or 10" radius necks

[@clarkitothebaddito]

​@@RomainBigeardGuitardifference betweent the standard and the American standard. American standard = performer and pro and standard = player mim

[@A_Noid]

Found it amusing that Sweetwater went with the CS Fat 60s in their Pro II Strat. I modded my Pro I to have these. They sound great.

[@louiscassis3426]

Quite a few top players like Robert Cray used that middle pickup. I think Clapton plays middle sometimes too.

[@MoneyGrip70]

Mustang is sweet. Versatile

[@miketaylorID1]

FromDirty Jersey and Imma digging that green and it’s a surprise to me!! cheers all!

[@Dragon_rls]

I’m sure glad they come in pink. I will buy my 12 year old niece one.

[@Barnstorm757]

I love that green. Wish they would make a American one with a maple neck 😈

[@portratratra]

Why not just get a second hand 2000s american standard? Can anyone who paid full price for a player series guitar explain what I am not getting?

[@charlesbolton8471]

This doesn’t apply to me, but I know many who don’t want to buy preowned guitars.

[@BG-jg4pt]

I absolutely love the color

[@stuminnis4050]

I have to throw in that a few years ago I got a Player 1 Mustang 90. Hated the pickups and switched them for some DiMarzio stacked humbuckers, but otherwise it’s been possibly the best guitars I’ve ever owned…pau ferro and all

[@billmangan603]

I picked one up at guitar center it felt really nice

[@brianrollins7275]

Very interesting and informative video. To be honest I’m quite lazy so I would save for the more expensive guitar so I wouldn’t have to worry about upgrades. But I agree with you about it not being a $1200 difference. Luckily I’m very happy with having just my tele and not feeling like I’m missing anything. Of course I like the sound of other guitars and am interested in jazzmasters and 335’s but I love my tele’s sound so much it trumps anything else for me. Good on you for posting videos like this that will definitely help people who are in the market for a new guitar. Really enjoy your work. Thanks

[@robertlennox3607]

I feel the same way about the American Pro I vs the American Pro 2. My main strat at the moment is an American Standard. I tried the American Pro I and there was no difference. The American Pro 2 is better than the American Pro I imho.

[@davidsmith7588]

The American Pro II sounds like the American Vintage 1957 Strat. My American Pro II has a little more bite to it.

[@RurouniTenShins]

The player 1 were on sale at my local shop… and holding the Jazzmaster made me want to save for an American professional one lol

[@mikegutterman3427]

My biggest problem with the player series as a Jaguar fan is how Fender continues to neuter the Jaguar into something that isn't a Jaguar.

[@Rustocaps]

So how about that player II with the fat 60s pickups?

[@robertclarkguitar]

So nobody is confused. The pickups are identical to player 1..

[@sagittated]

They have different styles in the Jazzmaster and Jaguar.

[@Gevin555]

Birch green looks killer btw

[@chriswaggie1619]

Thanks for trashing my fender player 1 now i feel like a loser cause i like my fret board. Well i guess i have to sell it now great.

[@RagggedTrouseredPhilanthropist]

If you're being serious - don't sell it! If you like something and it works for you that's all that matters. I've been playing for 30 years and am lucky enough to have a few nice guitars. I bought a Player 1 Telecaster with a maple neck during lockdown because I'd never owned a Tele or a guitar with a maple neck. It's an outstanding guitar for the money and I love it. My advice would be to use all these amazing Internet resources as a guide, not rules for life.

[@erasmogonzales7428]

My brother n law is a great guitar player. He has played with cheap fender strats his whole life. One day I let him use my American strat. His life changed! Really! He said he playing was better. He never really put any effort into setting up his guitars he just played them. So I took his main guitar and had it professionally set up. He was amazed on the difference the sound and his playing changed. I then gave him my American strat! Made him a 100% better player.

[@747lch]

I wish they used that green color in some of their better guitars

[@erasmogonzales7428]

The player II has really changed fender on how to buy them. I mean, a 1200$ difference is really hard to come up with in this country right now. So the PII would be what most get. I do feel that the PII if your a good guitar player would work for any pro gig. I was was told, doesn’t matter what you’re playing if you can play it’ll show. Ami am not a pro player more of a lover of the fender guitars. I have always wanted the best, I feel right now the best for the buck! Is the player II. I can always put 200$ into pickups and have a pro level guitar.

[@albertoz5450]

Thanks a lot, a very interesting review, with a lot of useful considerations.

[@keithmulcahy3417]

Watching from Ireland love the vids

[@Berndaddie]

Thx Rhett. 😊

[@temorinkaari]

I would like to know if Player II strat is worth getting over Performer strat, especially if you plan to swap out the pickups.

[@erasmogonzales7428]

I have the performer tele, with rose wood. This is a great tele! 100% I am getting the player II in a few days. I don’t think the PII is going to sound as good as the performer. The performer has a beautiful sound! I play it through a Texas red delux fender. It a great combo!

[@temorinkaari]

@@erasmogonzales7428 i personally don't care about the stock pickups, will be swapping those out and hotrodding it. Would like to know if in that case it's even worth considering performer over player2

[@bdwillis8284]

Downingtown Pa. Thank you!

[@lucatangherlini1824]

I tried some days ago in a shop the player II hss and the Sire S7 hss and wow!!! The Sire is better in sound, neck and playbility. And is more cheaper than the Fender!

[@scottedwards9026]

The effects you ran for the Angel riff @ 1:04:25, remind me of Big Head Tod and The Monsters.

[@erasmogonzales7428]

400$ for pickups and bone nut! And you’re still 1000$ in your pocket! Get the player II. If you worried about the cheap now like player II then your just trying to keep up with the jones. Player II is a fine guitar and if your a good player then you make it work and know one will really know what your playing

[@MarkStearle]

Just the video I was looking for,thanks.

[@YouTubeHandlesAreMoronic]

That riff sounds like some sort of inversion of the Eurythmics', "Would I Lie to You?"

[@phil.7064]

Would be great if the lefties got more than just a strat and a tele

[@timothycrews4315]

Will you be doing a video on the player 2 tele?

[@michaelmeehan9083]

Watching the recording from Maumee, Ohio..

[@guitarswhiskeyandgolf]

kind of hard to believe these are now half the price of an inspired by Gibson Epiphone

[@brandonbryson3317]

I’ve owned many games baobab and fender guitars and I hve to agree…I’ve had more issues with Fender than my Gibsons on the QC front. I think the complaining about Gibson is overblown.

[@stk7778]

At first this showed up in my feed, then I could barely find it when searching....