Housed within Fender’s newly revamped American Professional line is a bridge previously only available on top-line Custom Shop models: “It was like, ‘How can you make it in quantity?’”
Fender has revamped its flagship US-made American Professional line, offering up redesigned bridges, upgraded electronics, reshaped neck profiles and new V-Mod III pickups.
Clocking in starting at $1,799.99 (£1,849 in the UK), the new American Professional line comprises all the usual Fender suspects, including a Stratocaster, Stratocaster HSS, Telecaster, Hotshot Telecaster, Jazzmaster, Jaguar, Precision Bass, Precision Bass V, Jazz Bass and Jazz Bass V.
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Fender says the changes are aimed at how the instruments feel, respond and hold up on the road, while keeping what defines each model. “You don’t evolve an instrument like the Strat or Tele by changing things just to make them new,” explains Justin Norvell, Fender’s Chief Product Officer for guitars and basses.
Fender American Professional series – what’s new
V-Mod III pickups are voiced for balanced output, string-to-string clarity and touch sensitivity. The Strat, Tele, Jaguar and Jazzmaster get new single-coils, the Strat HSS gets a redesigned bridge humbucker, the Precision Bass gets a new split-coil and the Jazz Basses get new pickups of their own. Fender senior design engineer Steven Casado tells Guitar World that revised magnet staggers follow the fingerboard radius more closely, which he said helps tone hold up under heavy distortion. These pickups are paired with ClassicGear Precision potentiometers, and every guitar gets a push-pull tone control for an additional voice.
The Strat has ClassicGear Radial bent-steel saddles and an upgraded 2-point tremolo. The Tele has a top-load or string-through bridge with compensated brass bullet saddles. The Jaguar and Jazzmaster pair a ClassicGear J-Bridge with a Panorama tremolo and both basses get a redesigned HiMass Modern Bridge.
Interestingly, the new ClassicGear J-Bridge found on the new Jaguar and Jazzmaster arrives as a cheaper version of the Fender Custom Shop RSD J bridge. This is only available on the brand’s top-line Custom Shop guitars and routinely sells for hundreds on the second-hand market as a result. “Everyone’s loved the Custom Shop RSD bridge,” says Justin Norvell. “That bridge is one of one, handmade and milled. It was like, ‘How can you make it in quantity?’”
Credit: Fender
Elsewhere, the guitars across the new American Professional line sport Deep “C” profile necks, while the Precision Bass has a Medium “C” profile, and the Jazz Bass a slim “C” profile – all with rolled fingerboard edges. The Telecaster and Hotshot Telecaster also get a newly sculpted heel.
Justin Norvell has also explained that the new Strat saddle design, which keeps screw ends from sticking up, addresses a “70-plus year gripe”.
The Hotshot Telecaster adds a V-Mod III Stratocaster pickup in the middle position with 5-way switching. The Jaguar and Jazzmaster have a tap function on the bridge pickup, plus the Rhythm Circuit. The Jaguar keeps its 24-inch short scale.
Finishes include Aged Cherry Burst, Oxblood, Dark Night, 3-Color Sunburst, Olympic White, Black, Natural and Butterscotch Blonde, depending on the model, with maple or rosewood fingerboards.
Fender says it will add left-handed versions of the Stratocaster, Telecaster, Precision Bass and Jazz Bass in spring 2027.
Learn more at Fender.
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Source: www.guitar-bass.net
