Electric Guitars Fender American Professional Stratocaster

[DaveV]

I played a few of the american professional strats at guitar center tonight and I think I'm in love. Wonderful neck feel and tone. I didn't want to put it down.

I went in thinking I'd prefer to go all single coil, but the Shawbucker on the HSS sounded absolutely amazing to me. I managed to walk out without buying, but I can't get it out of my head. I'm leaning really hard towards getting the HSS now.

Any owners of these sweet new strat models want to weigh in?

 

[CapnDenny1]

My Longboard Strat is basically an Am Standard, and has the HSS with Noiseless 3 neck and middle, and the Shawbucker. The Professional is the newame for the Standard I think. Or is it the new Elite, which took overfor the Standard?

Regardless, top end Strats are really nice. I use the Shaw occasionally, but I tend to live on the neck pickup.

 

[Rancid Rumpboogie]

I voted SSS ... so I could replace all the pickups with Zexcoils.

 

[Many Moons]

I had the same dilemma when I was buying. I went for the SSS because that's what Strats are. Although if money was no object, I would have the HSS as well, cos it produced some pretty cool sounds. Like Dennis, I tend to live on the neck pup as well.

 

[tommytubetone]

I have the American Standard with the Shawbucker also. The Shawbucker gets a lot of use. I'm not sure a single coil in the bridge would.

 

[mountain man]

I'm pretty conventional. I like my Fenders with single coils. I like my Gibsons with Humbuckers. That being said, I'm really Jones'g for that Fender Limited Edition American Elite Nashville Telecaster Parallel Universe..............

 

[Bernie Fitz]

I did play an American Professional with the Shawbucker a while back. I liked it a lot, especially the feel of the neck over my MIM Strat. I just about never used the bridge pickup alone on this guitar because I didn't care for the sound of it. I spent some time A-B'ing mine (with SD SL1's) against the Pro and, while there was a big difference, I couldn't really justify the price at this time. Even with a trade-in I'd still be looking at laying out about $1000. So what I did was had a SD mini-humbucker installed in the bridge of the MIM. I definitely find myself using the bridge more than I did, but still not very often. The only complaint I have is the same one I had with the Shawbucker, that being the volume spike when switching to the bridge. I guess that's just normal but it was an adjustment for me. I plan on living with this for a while but may still upgrade down the road. I'm wondering what the new American Performer line is like. There aren't any around here for me to check out yet.

 

[Grateful_Ed]

I voted assuming that the 'bucker was in the bridge position. My reason for voting HSS is that I already have an American Deluxe and a MIM Deluxe Players Strat with SSS. Besides that, I really like the 'buckers in the neck position of my Teles.
But you already know the answer without the poll results. You NEED one of each.

 

[PapaBear]

I have an American Hotrod series "Lonestar", Texas Specials neck and middle and Pearly gates Humbucker bridge, not sure I'd use the bridge if it were single coil

 

[snarf]

The only true Strats are SSS. That's how Leo Fender originally made them. That means that's how he intended them to be made. SSS. And they also have Fender on the headstock. Anything else isn't really a Stratocaster.

Love to all,
That guy with 5 Strats

*ducks and runs for cover*

 

[MarkDyson]

The only true Strats are SSS. That's how Leo Fender originally made them. That means that's how he intended them to be made. SSS. And they also have Fender on the headstock. Anything else isn't really a Stratocaster.

Love to all,
That guy with 5 Strats

*ducks and runs for cover*

 

[tommytubetone]

View attachment 6968

 

[Rancid Rumpboogie]

The only true Strats are SSS. That's how Leo Fender originally made them. That means that's how he intended them to be made. SSS. And they also have Fender on the headstock. Anything else isn't really a Stratocaster.

Love to all,
That guy with 5 Strats

*ducks and runs for cover*

Where's my tommy gun! Neither of my Strats say "Fender" on the headstock. One says "Warmoth" 'cause it has a Warmoth neck on it, the other says "Belly Acres Custom Shop" 'cause there isn't a Fender part anywhere in it. One of them is SS S SS ... five separate single coils, two in the bridge and two in the neck which can be run either pickup or both in series for essentially a H S H configuration. Snarf is the cwazy wabbit and I am Elmer Fudd.

 

[Crossroads]

Whatever floats your boat baby. If everyone followed conventional thinking, there would never have been a Coodercaster.

And who cares what Leo thought? There are rumors that he used to wear frilly woman's underwear to work, and was wearing them when he invented the Stratocater.

Good for him. but just because he wore woman's underwear to work doesn't mean you have to play single coils.

I say play whatever feels and sounds good to you, and for that matter wear any kind of underwear you like, just like Leo.

 

[DannyB]

Ya'll cut Leo some slack. It was Christmas time!

"Sleigh bells ring, are you listening,
In the lane, snow is glistening
A beautiful sight,
We're happy tonight,
Walking 'round in women's underwear."

 

[MarkDyson]

I couldn't possibly care less about what folks choose to wear under their clothing.

Now, shed that clothing and I reserve the inalienable right to form a judgement on the aesthetic appeal of what's left. YMMV.

 

[sloslunas]

This is a trick question. Single coils hurt my ears. My vote would be HHH all the way...

Steve

 

[snarf]

This is a trick question. Single coils hurt my ears. My vote would be HHH all the way...

Steve

Reminds me of something I saw on the tube of you the other day. Don't remember what I was watching, but they said they were in their local GC once looking for new humbuckers, and the store person's response was "we don't carry humbuckers. We only have single and double coil pickups."