Should You Buy a Fender American Deluxe in 2023??

The Fender American Deluxe is an older guitar with a lot of cool features. But is it viable for the modern player? Check out this video and let me know below!
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IkeGuitar is a KZbin channel designed to give intermediate and beginning guitarists the tools they need to take their next step in their guitar career. We seek to mentor and provide guitarists with practical tools, concepts, and ideas to bridge the gap in their knowledge that will take them from hobbyist to paid professional.

[@donmunson4802]

How did you overlook the SCN pickups available around 2006? Those were what made the Deluxe a Deluxe. Incredibly versatile, and a couple steps up from Fender's N3 line. And I agree that you can live without ever using the S1. The standard 5-way switching is more than adequate.

[@stevenculliton9112]

Cool, I have a American Deluxe, 2006 HSS, love it!

[@BillyBlaze7]

in my humble opinion after owning more american strats than any one man should, the pre 2013 american deluxe strats were so great that theres nothing made to date that comes close to comparing to them. I personally own one strat right now that does all i ever wanted from a strat, its a 2012 FSR american deluxe in Aztec Gold, i love it so much i have owned 4 of them and they only made 460 world wide. They just dont make them like they used to anymore.

[@batman6540]

I have a 2012 deluxe usa made olympic white....i love it.

[@BillyBlaze7]

@@batman6540 the 2012 deluxes are awesome

[@MightKillDawn]

I have one too! And only 300 in the USA.

[@sparkyguitar0058]

In 96 I bought a used 93 deluxe plus Strat. Almost brand new unplanned condition. Now I've had and worked this guitar for 27 yrs. When I got it, I added a Hipshot Tremsetter and set the F F Rose trem to whammy up and down. And have NEVER done another adjustment to any part of this work tool. When I researched this, in the guitar rags of the day , they claimed "As close to custom shop as you get". 30 yrs later , this still is the most perfect Strat I ever played. Not bad for a $750 used item.

[@Lysdexia]

As an alternative view, those noiseless pickups are not only sonically solid - they are a must-have-feature if (like me) you play/record directly in front of a monitor/computer/audio interface with a wireless connection instead of a lead from the bygone days of yore.

[@warhawk83]

You didn't say if its a worthy guitar or if you should buy it. You missed the locking tuners, the locked in tremelo arm, the adjustable neck at the base plate, the locking strap connections (which I hate and replaced), the abalone dots in the fret board, the spegetti gold logo in the headstock, . You didn't give the audience how it performs through its options. No comparison between a Deluxe or a Standard. No price points. I am just saying you missed quite a bit there I was hoping for.

[@IkeGuitar]

Most of your feedback is valid. But to be honest, couldn't care less about locking tremolo or tuners. Abalone, spaghetti gold, or petrified duck's anus inlays aren't my priority when I review. Just cosmetic. Not here to give price points for guitars that old. A short Reverb search on the price guide will help you there.

[@gina803]

I have a 2010, mint condition all the case candy and all that. This has a nitro finish. It's an excellent guitar in the n3 pickups are great

[@gina803]

Bought it brand new by the way. Kept everything exactly like it was. Everything in the case sealed and it's little plastic bag. Even the strap that it came with. And the cable with the original wire tie still on it. Lol

[@paulcartwright2810]

Greetings from great Britain..nice review and playing...that said id have liked you to demonstrate its clean tones as it excells in those.....I own a 98 with rosewood fingerboard...and a reslly dark nice piece of rosewood it is too...ive had it about 20 years..its rock solid ...plays really in tune....mine hasn't got the S1 switch..they came in a bit later.....i quite like the noiseless pick ups..to me they compare favourably to my old 80s tokai copy pickups it sounds ....like a strat but no annoying buzz..lol..and .its a really well made guitar...almost custom shop level...actually as it has no flaws i guess its as good as a Custom Shop one.???...these 90s strats are a great way of getting a great "real" usa fender relatively cheaply as they have some modern improvements ( nothing too drastic as a strat was already kinda perfect)...that are not as fashionable these days..( similarly its a great time to buy really cheap CDs and hair metal super strats as in the UK floyd rose equipped metal guitars are considered hideous...so you can bag a super high quality guitar on the cheap...although your not going to get that gig in a oasis or The Smiths tribute band with that USA BC Rich gunslinger..lol..) .every one seem too want a vintage spec guitar with pretend wear and scratches...with a kinda ruined paint job cracked every where....you not fooling anyone...you're a rich guy playing a new guitar pretending its been played in hot damp smokey pubs for 60 years....with pretend dings where it pretended to get knocked over during a fight between some bikers that broke out in to pub you were playing....when in reality it sits in your tastefully decorated air conditioned man cave with your pretend Murphy lab 59 Gibson les Paul standard and you vinyl record collection...and your art posters of USA depression era memorabilia....Damm you got the blues...lol

[@IkeGuitar]

Call me old-fashioned, but these Fenders aren't my jam. Much prefer a relic'd custom guitar I'd pay a bit more for. Checkout Bluesman vintage. Have a great S-Style guitar that has the mojo of a '66 without the price and has great feeling vintage pups.

[@earthmachine1]

Love my 2011 Deluxe HSS in Sunset metallic! Searched everywhere for one with a maple neck and got it for a steal on Reverb! LSR Roller nut is highly underrated! I like the N3's. With the stock humbucker I think they sound great.

[@makingnoise307]

I got that TS808 like you suggested and man my Strat jams now. I have had a long time hate relationship with guitar now I don't think I will ever let it go. Thanks

[@trevorarthurson6815]

Mine is the 2008 V neck version with Samarium Cobalt Noiseless pickups.

[@Dam-oH]

The deluxes can still be had for a bargain and are great guitars. Yours at 7.2 pounds is actually on the very light side of fenders outside of custom shop and extremely light for the fender deluxe models, which have locking tuners and stacked single coils. Even the current ultra and player plus line seem to be on average weightier guitars than other fender series in my experience.

[@makingnoise307]

I own a 2007 American Deluxe and I wish I could get it to sound as good as the one in this video. It sounds great on any clean channel ,but add gain and it sound like mud and I'm using a 5150 iconic. Is 2007 a bad year for the Fender American Deluxe or all of them like the one I have?

[@IkeGuitar]

Add a 808 Screamer to the signal chain. Cut your lows out and do what the prog heads do and you get a nice high-pass from the 808 to your high gain that cuts really nice.

[@makingnoise307]

The original Ibanez TS808 or the newer TS808 model? Thanks @@IkeGuitar

[@IkeGuitar]

@@makingnoise307 any. Even the Behringer 808 is great for $35

[@makingnoise307]

Thanks@@IkeGuitar

[@user-tz8tz8bm6p]

This guy missed so much here. These guitars are superior built to even the most modern ultra guitars. The N3 pickups are amazing sounding quiet & perfect for playing live. If he was a decent guitar player, he’d realise the sound is excellent. Don’t rip out the pick ups on such a great guitar; only a fool would.

[@IkeGuitar]

Disagree. And I'm a fine guitar player be nice.

[@user-tz8tz8bm6p]

@@IkeGuitar Just stating the truth.

[@BillyBlaze7]

I agree with the N3 being some of the best pickups the strat has ever had, mine has the S1 switch and it gives me a few more tonal options. I bought an Ultra with the N4's and to my ears they were absolute trash compared to the N3's