Yes - it's amazing that Fender rolling the fingerboard edges is 'a huge upgrade' when Sire have been doing this since the release of their Larry Carlton range, even on the cheapest models. They also have a contoured heel on all of their models.
Yup, Fender finally is trying to get their asses up to speed and it only took like, forever. "Time is Money" and they don't waste much of that on us, their customers aka their Bread and Butter unless of course we are stupidly willing to cough up $2000+ for a still relatively mediocre guitar when Vigier guitars will give you an absolute Dream Gem for about that.
@@bladeoflucatiel My squier bullet mustang is the best guitar ive ever played, not sound wise but im gonna change the pickups, but after a good set up the playability is insane
My biggest takeaway from doing my own video is that the Player II is no longer a “budget guitar” - quality, neck, hardware, pickups - they’re all legit and don’t require upgrading to use. Of course you always could get more out of after-market pickups but they don’t feel 100% required. It’s a real instrument. And now financially it doesn’t make sense to buy a classic vibe squier and mod it. By the time you update everything you’re basically at the cost of this. Big win from Fender for us all!
It’s just their Mexican Strat now. It’s renaming what they were doing before, with a new name and promo campaign, saying this is higher quality. $750-850 new While the Pro is $1350-1439.99. Hopefully the quality control has gotten better, because nearly every foreign made Fender Strat, I’ve tried out for several years, feel and/or sound bad. Some I can feel it, and not even plug it in, because I know it’s not going to stay in tune, and/or the frets are so jagged, that I don’t even want to play it if it did .
@@CorbCorbin yeah same here. I’ve avoided entry level fenders in the past - fret sprout, dry fretboards, neck pocket cracking, etc. I’ve played a few Strats, teles and jazzmasters in this line so far and all of them have been a cut above what the player I series was, hands down. Time will tell if the quality stays up, but so far I’ve been impressed. And I’m just a random dude trying things out - no paid sponsorships or anything like that. I’ve got some custom shops and some American Fenders, so I like the brand and hope that they can keep these instruments solid because it’s really nice having an entry level that’s actually a joy to play.
Not only is it not required, but the value tradeoff of upgrading isn't as much. Where before a neck or pickup replacement would be about $100-$300 and grant a 50% increase in tone/playability/etc., now you're looking at a 5% or 10% increase max. So now buyung upgrades is gonna take an extra consideration of deciding whether you REALLY love that guitar to an extent where you're willing to invest chunks of cash just to provide a marginal performance benefit. Because now, that money could be saved to invest in a whole new guitar which would provide a lot more variety to your playing options. Of course, if you have enough guitars and fell in love with your strat's colorway/design/playability, then perhaps investing small chunks over time could be what you want. It's just it won't be night and day, and while the tone/comfort may be better, you might feel like it's nearly imperceptible and maybe even more of a sidegrade than an upgrade.
@@spawn302 more of a Gibson player. Did upgrade a Squier Sonic with about $600 in parts(I actually have a specific reason for a couple of the parts) or so, but that’s largely because I don’t get along with standard size Strats(thickness didn’t fit my body right). I am building a custom off a Player Tele body, and the one major complaint I have is that the Fender neck profile doesn’t sit well with my hand. If I bought a Player II Tele, I would have had to order a custom neck(probably around $350-$600) just to be able to play it. My ideal neck is a thin, asymmetrical neck with a 12” Straight radius in Gibson Scale, with a Tusq XL nut. Out of the guitars I own, my Epi LP Classic Worn has the best playing neck. I already do pickup swaps automatically because I have a preferred sound, always a Super Distortion derivative in the bridge, and the other pickup/s depend on the guitar, but typically ceramics or Alnico IIs.
@@bradleyolinger1691 I dunno man, I have a squier contemporary jazzmaster, made in us fender strat, strandberg, ibanez, ive never had a neck I NEEDED in order to play it. To each his own
they do, BUT I have an American Vintage 2 in Fiesta Red that looks AMAZING and pretty much is, but the side clay dots are damn near invisible against the rosewood. I have a hard time seeing them on a dimly lit stage, even in my studio is the light is lower its hard to see. Never realized in over 40 plus years of playing how much I depend on the side dots!! I may put some white our or something on them its actually that bad.
@@brianseneca3546 wait... the side dots are also clay coloured? yikes, i can see that becoming a problem fairly quickly. you can buy a lume kit for watchmaking depending on your situation. it's classier than dot stickers. it'll be off-white in the day, still brighter than clay dots, and then glow in darker situations. just a thought.
It was one of the factors that sold me on the purchase of one. I love the mix between vintage looking and modern. I have an AM Vintage II ('57 though with maple FB) and it's great but if the neck changes because of weather I have to take it off to make adjustments. I haven't had to yet, knock on wood. As cool as vintage spec is the more modern niceties are worthwhile IMO. You can just adjust the truss rod at the top, the fingerboard is flat, the tall frets are kinda nice, I just like the playability of the GT11, and the looks are just a bonus. Just give me one of each. :D
@@marcaustin Absolutely. They really do a great job of recreating vintage tone and adding some new dimensions as well which are perhaps more suitable to modern playing. You can really shape a wide variety of sounds. I can't imagine that I'd ever consider swapping them out on this guitar.
Not sure this is a useful comparison unless you only buy from Sweetwater. That pink guitar is not am pro ii specs, am pro ii have 2 points terms, string trees, back plates, no clay dots, vmod pickups, etc. this is just a big Sweetwater commercial
Yeah just looked on the Fender website and its true - the standard Pro II comes with Vmod II pickups - not Custom Shop Fat 60s like the one Rhett is showing us - tsk :-/
That Pro II sounds incredible, but for $800 bucks that Player II is a steal. I didn’t notice that much of a difference with an untrained ear. I’d swap out the nut to bone as you suggested on that Player II and maybe locking tuners as I’m a lazy string changer and that’s it. Great vid Rhett. I will say the Pro II in Olympic White via Sweetwaters site is the one I’d lock down if I was in the market for a new Start, but my wife has crushed that dream😎
For exactly this reason I changed my mind about replacing the standard tuners as well,@@blackfrancis33. When string replacement is done correctly, locking tuners don't offer that much advantage in terms of tuning stability. In fact, I had replaced standard tuners for Kluson locking ones on a semi-hollow and found little to almost zero difference. There are many other aspects of guitar setup that come before when talking about tuning accuracy and stability. When all these are understood and embraced the need for locking tuners disappears where I'm concerned.
The American having no string tree is most likely due to the American having staggered tuners. (Lowering the angle of the strings without needing a tree)
Oh I didn't see this comment earlier. Yeah, even from the close ups in this video you could see the Am Pro IIs staggered 3 long/ 3 short (non-locking apparently) tuners. Negating the need of any string trees.
The standard issue American Pro II in my possession absolutely DOES have a string tree. I'm guessing that the absence in Rhett's guitar has to do with the fact that it's a Sweetwater spec
Sonically the sound a lot closer than I would have expected. The American Pro II has a little bit more sparkle especially high up the neck during the "Shine on You, Crazy Diamond" but for the money the Player II is actually a pretty good value.
In this video audio....I can't hear the price difference between the Player ii Alnico 5s, and the Am Pro II CS Fat 60s. Yeah back to back here, the AM Pro's CS's have a bit more roundness. But put either of these guitars in a typical "garage/jam" band scenario. And I bet you couldn't hear a difference.
I was not even considering buying a new Strat but thanks to your live stream, I saw the Shell Pink Strat with all the additional features and bought one. Amazing guitar! On sale now for about 20% off. Thanks, Rhett and Sweetwater!
A few weeks ago I bought a Fender vintera 2 60s stratocaster in Olympic white mint pickguard after a fresh set of strings and setup it's a great Stratocaster it's better than some other higher American made ones I tried. Best 899 I ever spent my money is in my amps
I have an ‘02 MIM HSS Strat. If I were to buy a new Strat today I would still go with the Player Series. From the countless videos I’ve seen comparing the levels of guitars, the Players sound just as good as the American or Custom shops. Get it set up, put some quality strings on there and just do your thing.
Underrated comment A DECENT setup, is the MOST important thing. With any electric guitar of any price range. Who the hell plays an electric guitar out-of-the-box? ...Other than youtube guitar reviewers....
@@Mexxx65 good shout - although that being said the local guitar center where I see a lot of people buy guitars (especially beginners) has a backlog of a month on setups - there are lots of players who don’t set up a new guitar either thinking they shouldn’t have to or not even knowing it’s a thing. Different brands are definitely more playable out of the box and others. For instance, a PRSI wouldn’t worry about a set up in most circumstances. It’s kind of cool to see fender just putting a little bit more care and attention into what they’re shipping out of the factory.
@@dadtimejamtime True, but I think still think its hit or miss with MIM/Fenders. A decent seutp to your specs/settings is paramount for any player of any level.
Always fun to watch, but a fair number of details are either slightly off or inadvertently misleading. Player II kept a lot of specs from Player I, including the same pickups. Biggest changes are the return of rosewood from pau ferro (indian laurel is what you find on recent squiers), lightly rolled fingerboards, some hardware upgrades (tuners), several new colors, and apparently slightly better QC going by early reports. Meanwhile, the "American Professional II" shown here is a limited run GT11 series done by Sweetwater, which costs a couple hundred more and has completely different specs than the original American Professional II, so it's kind of a strange comparison. The GT11 is Sweetwater's attempt to port over their custom shop specs to a more affordable line. They seem like great guitars, but all the specs and hardware choices are subjective. Regular Am Pro II has a 9.5" radius "deep C" neck, compared to GT11 with an 11" radius "60s C"; Pro II has 2-point trem, GT11 has 6 point; Am Pro II has normal dots, normal maple neck, normal Fender string tree, while GT11 has clay dots, roasted maple neck, no string tree (staggered post tuners); Pro II has V-Mod II pickups, GT11 has Custom Shop 60s pickups; both have the same push/push pot to activate neck pup; GT11 comes in a handful of vintage colors on alder bodies, whereas Am Pro II has way more color options, with alder on most and roasted pine for natural and sienna transparent finishes. (Personally, I don't need the GT11 upgrades and love my pine-bodied Am Pro II.) All in all, the Player II series seems like a solid upgrade and a good value compared to the reasonably nice but overpriced Vintera II line. Am Pro II in original form or GT11 is a definite step up and still a good value, with an incredible neck, much nicer pickups, and all-around great specs and features for a modern strat.
The Player One Strat is excellent. Rolling a fretboard is a pretty simple task. I have 7 Fender Custom Shop guitars and my Player One is better than any of them when it comes to soloing. I have no idea what this guy is complaining about.
True, my Player 1 from april this year also came with really smooth fret edges, so I guess they improved the quality of mexican fenders in general (the fretwork is still far from perfect, but definitely playable in recommended factory setup).
My Player II Strat (in Birch green like the one Rhett has) came to me from Sweetwater with the nut slots cut too shallow. I had a luthier fix that for $60.00. Sweetwater reimbursed me for that repair (I consider this a completion, not a repair) which is cool. I just don't think Fender was ever made aware and that irks me. Anyway, now this Strat plays awesome and I really love it. Cheers!
Many manufacturers cut their slots a bit shallow in order for the buyer to complete their preferred setup with a luthier. For whatever reason this is never explained. Still, the guitar should be close when it leaves the factory.
My take on these Fender models I go with the Made in USA and higher end Professional II model due to they are offered at the moment for $1600 at GC and at Sweetwater vs $800 for a Player II model ... They are both offered with 48 month payment plan with no interest. So that means for $34/month you can have a Pro II Strat and then you do not need to fiddle with swapping the pickups, changing the nut and adding a push/push circuit, plus you'll end up with a USA Fender vs MIM one... Plus if you want to compare apples to apples, remember you'll need to add a $230 expense to get a hard case for the Player II... That makes your $800 guitar $1030...while your Pro II comes with that case. So the real difference is $570... And for that reason I choose Pro II all day long! I know, at first, it feels too much to pay $1600 for a Strat but again in my case it was only $34/month payment while I am enjoying a really cool instrument. I am not a pro or on stage ever. I am a 66 yr old guitarist who plays to bug his wife and two little dogs when the mood strikes. I don't even have friends to jam, so thanks to Online Free Guitar Backing Tracks + my iPad & JBL wireless speaker, I make my own "poor man's band" and enjoy myself for hours and hours at times. IMHO that's the most fun you can have for $34/month!
Rhett, this was my favorite playing of yours I've heard for feeling, technique, and tone. I really appreciate that you played music, as opposed to the meandering noodling one hears on the vast majority of review videos. The Player II gave the Pro a genuine run for its money, even with the stock pickups on the Player II. The upgrades on the Player II are phenomenal for the money.
This is why free market competition is good kids! Definitely a response to how good the Silver Sky SE was.. probably why rosewood was brought back to the mexican line as well!!
I’ve owned many American strats. I own an American Eric Clapton strat and it’s incredible. But for kicks I bought a fender players surf green with a roasted maple neck it came with fat 50s custom shop pups. It sounds and plays awesome. So I believe I have two great fenders.
Rhett is correct about Fender Stratocasters not receiving proper quality control. I had to to exchange my 2021 Pro II five times to get a nice one. If you look inside a lot of Pro II bodies, you can see how careless they can be over at Fender.
He's so certain about the pickups... needing to swap pups in the player. But there's really not much between them. The yosemite pickups were absolutely used on custom shop strats before they landed in the player II series They both sound great.
It's interesting you think the 6 screw bridge is an upgrade. I've been a loooong time since I've owned one but all my plus and ultra guitars from the 90s have the two point and that has just always felt way more precise to me than the 6 screw ones (yeah I know you can unscrew half the screws and do little tricks to make it feel different). My biggest issue with Fender is they just have so many options that don't make sense to me. Do people still like the old school rolled saddles? Do you have to upgrade to the next model just to get the more boxy saddles that don't hurt your hand as much? I've always felt like Fender needs 4 lines, an intro American made guitar, a more premium guitar, and ultra style guitar and then a retro guitar. Instead they have around 10 models that make it really confusing. Since none of these modern guitars will ever hold their value, I'm more inclined to just buy parts online from Stratosphere or Stigatsu and make the one you really want. I dunno, Fender is one of my favorite companies but the way they try to market the same guitar drives me crazy.
I love my Player II. Love your vids, but I think you need to check your info on the Player II. There is no change to the pups on the SSS Player II, per Fender. It's also the same trem as the Player 1. I have both, and the 70th Anni Player sitting right here. The changes for this model as I understand it are only these: Rolled FB edges, Rosewood option & split shaft classic gear tuners. The necks & fretwork on all 3 of my Players is really nice. All are 2024 models, which may make a difference. The QC on my Player 1 could have been a bit better though. My Player II & 70th are flawless.
Mr. Shull, I think the player 2 really put the pro to shame in this video and settings, I loved the Kenny Wayne Shepherd sound you had going very unique very awesome. Don’t know if anybody else recognized it but I sure did. Close to 45 years of searching for the right sound, and I loved the sound of the player 2 , I almost think I was supposed to, we hear our own playing and sound that we want better so badly we mess it up, the truth is we get bore, tiered of listening to ourselves if this video is accurate, I wouldn’t give $10 extra for the pro. thank you for a nice video and nice chords. Enjoyed the sound.
You helped me make up my mind . I was real curious about these new player2's. They already sound and feel better than my player 1 just by the various videos and reviews. Thank you very much!
Wow…..great vid Rhett! I always adjust, modify, tweak, add to, take away from, alter, trash, start over, constantly learn, fail, learn again, experiment, succeed, fail again, learn again on all of my guitars ( except on my Martin HD 35…just a few minor tweaks, added a pickup system, and that baby is being allowed to blossom on it’s own, and it is! ) That being said, I immediately noticed a huge difference in the sound of both guitars. The green one, although it sounded good, it almost seemed as if each string was competing for top billing. There was a total lack of unity in the sound. The pink one? There was still a lot of focus on the main notes being played, but there was an overall unity in the sound. It just felt warmer, smoother, and left me wanting to hear more. I totally agree with your assessment…….put some better pickups on that green guitar, and it will be something to be cherished. But now…..that push-pull pot to bring in the neck pickup……hmmmmm. Guess what I will be experimenting with tomorrow?!
100% agree about the crummy fret work on player I strats and teles. I seriously played dozens of them in guitar stores and hated every one of them. At least they were consistent. But, I also don’t love how low the player I frets are. Not really my jam. And this is from someone that gets on ok with genuine vintage fender frets. Note, I didn’t say I loved vintage frets, just that if I’m buying a new guitar, my preference is for something like the so called ‘narrow tall’ frets fender uses on a lot of other guitars. Final thought, I don’t think fender listens to their customers one bit, I think they noticed people buying less expensive T and S style guitars and then not looking back. I’m close to pulling the trigger on a non fender S body myself.
This is your best video yet, Rhett. I too dislike the AlNiCo 5 magnets - too harsh-sounding, whilst the AlNiCo 3s are too slow and sluggish-sounding. To my ears, the AlNiCo 2s are the just-right-sounding, ‘Goldilocks’ of magnets. 👱🏼♀🧲👌🏻
Glad to hear the Players are given more attention to detail and consumers desires as far as most of the specs. I was surprised by how noticeable the difference was between these two great guitars for their price point.
I find it interesting how mid-range instruments compared to high-end ones in terms of sonority, high-end ones tend to have a clearer mid-range, regardless of whether they are brighter or duller, in several videos including this one I see the same difference, the Player II has some strange harmonics in the 500-800 Hz area while the Americana is cleaner, it is not an abysmal difference, but in the mix it makes things much easier.
Uhm that's the pickups. I bet he didn't even set equal height. People put they're pickups wherever and claim a difference in sound that vanishes once you use a set of calipers to adjust height. You cannot even measure it in a scientific analysis beyond the margin of error.
Nice shoot out! I think Fender had better listened as they're seeing lots of competition from really high quality copies of the Fender-Strat build by Japanese, Indonesian, South Korean and Chinese manufacturers. E.g. I got myself a Squier Deluxe from Indonesia, did some mild mods and today it can really stand its ground against similar models three times the original budget, except Sire's Strat series. To me, their quality in build and sound kick all competitors in that price range right out of the ball park, that's how great their products are IMHO.
Thanks for the review Rhett. I was about to pull the trigger on a Pro II GT11. But my wife is battling cancer, so it’s just not a good time to spend $2K as much as I would like to. Adulting sucks! This review was very helpful and it nudged me over the edge. I’m most likely gonna get a graph tech nut, and a loaded DG pickguard from 920D, It’s gonna come in at a grand and some change, so thats a bit more doable. After this, I feel much better about the purchase. Thanks for hitting all the high points. As soon as I’m done here I’m placing my order. So SW owes you one. Thanks again man.
I have to say the Player II pickups sounded great through headphones. I'm sure there was more of a difference in the room, but both guitars came across really well with UA-cam audio quality.
For a Nashville vibe cat like you , that Shine on your crazy diamonds hommage is pure class , and the primal reason why Strat sound gets directly into my soul. I'm taljing about the player one off couse . Thank you for this content
Hey Rhett! The Player 1 and Player 2 has the same pickups on the strats. The official fender website says Player Series Alnico 5 Strat® Single-Coil pickups for both player 1 and 2. And when they made a comparison they even said that they are the same. The two saddle bridge is the same too. I agree tho it looks and feels much nicer and the tuners are better as well... But yeah I think it's worth correcting and pointing out because player 1 is much cheaper now used and it makes a difference for most people... And they should know that some features stayed the same;) peace!❤
Rhett really likes vintage guitars and rolled fingerboards. Basically a broken in feel is a top factor for him. What I find most interesting with his guitar shootouts is he tends to omit the entry level American “standard” version of instruments.
yeah, for me Rhett lost all his credibility long time ago, the guy just doesn't have good ear or taste for a good tone... he is the only youtuber I saw trash talking the Player I series
Player, player II, pro, pro II, heck even some classic vibes if you play enough of them you'll find a good, even great one in any series. If your a modder it doesn't really even matter much at all. One of my favorite guitars I own is a modded player 1 tele. I have ultras, elites, a sweet mod shop, even a broadcaster but I always go for my players series. The player 1 came with a paufaero fret board which to me feels alot more like ebony, which I personally like better than rosewood. One of the best necks I own came on a squier classic vibe that is absolutely full of flame and has the best rolled edges I've felt on a neck. So my point is try as many as you can, you may like the feel of one better than a more expensive model or the sound out if one you wouldn't have even thought to consider. At the end of the day price doesn't mean a guitar will fit you better and the folks that build guitars in Mexico take the same pride in what they do just like the USA guys do. Just find a good one and the more you play it the better it will feel to you. A guitar doesn't have to break the bank to be a great instrument. Hard work and practice is far more important to make any guitar sound great than a price tag.
Am Pro IIs all have the push push S1 switch that adds the neck pickup. They also normally come with a 9.5" radius, not 11" unless that was a Sweetwater specification.
The 11 inch radius is a Sweetwater exclusive thing. They do it on their custom spec’d GT11 which is an incredible looking guitar in the chrome blue finish.
I spent a couple years off and on wanting to find a Tele that felt good, but everything I tried short of custom shop did not make me smile and often made me bleed the fret work was so bad. Ended up with a Reverend Greg Koch signature T-Style with roasted maple neck, locking tuners, brass saddle that makes me smile every time my hands caress that neck.
I appreciate the fact that Fender has finally listened to their customers and added some improvements to their lowest Fender labeled line. But like one commenter below, i think they're looking over their shoulders at the improving value market competitors gaining ground in the quality of their products. Without naming any names, I recently purchased a guitar with a roasted maple neck, locking staggered tuners, bone nut, rosewood fingerboard, ball end stainless steel frets, solid mahogany body EXTREMELY good quality and more for about half the price of a Player or Player ll. The neck alone, if it had Fender on the headstock, would sell for $699. I think the Player and now the Player ll were and are still the best bang for your buck Fenders, but watch out.....the competition is gaining.
I tried a couple of Player II Strats and although they do have better necks, they seem to have weaker tone to me. However, I also tried the Player II Teles and those sound incredible. Also, in a rare case where I agree with the upcharge, I tried both the Player II Strat and Tele with chambered ash or mahogany bodies, and the altered woods really brought more of both guitars to life!
If they put a maple neck on that Player II series I'd probably buy one immediately. Sonically... I thought it was very close and can easily be improved with new pickups. That birch green color is unreal! Love it.
Player II has exactly the same pickups as Player I. That is a fact confirmed by the Fender dealer. And you will not find anywhere Fender say anything about "upgrading" the pickups on these models. Rosewood, fingerboard and new colors are super nice though. They are basically the same guitar a Fender American standard used to be some 15 years ago.
The mex has no comparison to the pro 2 nor amstd , though some prefer the max tone etc , the mex is a comparatively inferior constructed gtr to the pro2 , by wood grade and pup's & hardware.. if you can't HEAR the difference then you don't need the better guitar ... 🎶🕊🕉
Sounds amazing, much better than the previous gen (I do like the AlniCo5s though). The Gibson QC problem vs the Fender? True, Fender might have a few slips here and there but their modular design is a great advantage. Look at this very example, you did not like the pickups in that Player II? well- there is a large market of special parts to choose from and you know you can easily find something to your taste. So does everyone else when choosing a Fender or Squier even. These things are made to be modded and adjusted to each player's preferences. Not so with the Gibsons- sure, you can change parts on those as well- but it's not a huge aftermarket out there, and people tend to judge- oh a Gibson with switched pups.. desecrated etc. Nobody bats an eyelash over a swapped pickup set in a Fender/Squier. There are always good, very good and excellent options- and if the potential SH buyer does not like what the seller did to the guitar, they can easily change it back - even to stock specs if so desired- without too much effort or money.
I agree with you regarding the fret work, or lack thereof, on the first Player series. I bought one used and had to file the fret edges before I could comfortably play the guitar. For the price of the original player series, it was very disappointing that Fender sold these guitars with such rough fret edges.
Both of them sound surprisingly really great. I think the player sounds a bit thinner and has more twang, but the pro also sounds really nice with it's fatter sound.
one key point I think needs to be addressed is that the AMPro II is a special run for Sweetwater only with 11" radius fretboard, as one point of difference. SO, this is not a "regular" off the shelf Pro II
On the Strat Player II, the specs say it has a synthetic bone nut (i.e. plastic). On an $800 guitar, they can't afford to use a bone nut? How much is a bone nut, $8-$10 retail?
Good info! I have been seeing videos lately on the Player Series and how much better they are….so I figured it was time to give Fender another go and just pulled the trigger on a Player Series Saturday Night Special. Should arrive in a few days and we’ll see if the legends are true…..🤞
Loved this video. The PRO definitely sounds better, the pickups are richer, more balanced and more pleasant. It feels as if perhaps you can tweak your tone slightly better for the Player but I can't imagine you'll reach the same depth of tone you get with the PRO. The PRO is much more expensive tho. This was a good video.
The player 1 had a 2 point tremolo. What’s the upgrade in the player 2? The saddles look the same in photos. Sweetwater themselves don’t mention any upgrade of the tremolo between the 1 and the 2.
I don’t get the fuss about rolled edges. Just makes it easier for the string to fall off the edge during aggressive playing. I’ll take normal edges thanks.
Neither here nor there, but that new Birch Green color is a knockout. WHEEWWWW. Stunning! Never really liked green on Strats before, even though it's a classic color, but I MUST have one of THOSE.
My Player 2 Aged Chery Burst Strat arrived yesterday (Aug. 29th) from Sweetwater/ It's definitely a noticeable step up from my Squier Affinity Tele. I'll probably put a set of the Fat 60's Pickups in it and do that Push/Push mod to the tone control in the next month or so. Overall I'm quite pleased with my purchase and look forward to playing this beauty for years to come.
Awesome video which was very informative. I have the American Pro I series and the American Performer series and love them both. This video you made just helped me make my decision on buying a new Player Series. I just purchased it in yellow and should be here in a few days. Thank you for your video and you sound amazing, your a very talented guitarist and play amazing.
Sweetwater is an awesome dealer. I bought a Les Paul Custom through them earlier this year, 2024. It was set up perfectly to my specs and shipping was quick (I'm in SoCal, SW is in Ft. Wayne, Indiana). I couldn't have asked for more even if I tried. 👌👍
I have a "60's" Strat. It has the Custom Shop 69's in it. Two point trem. Impressive thicker neck. The guitar was laser straight and clean when I got it. The NECK on it is like a thick 1960's oval Strat neck. Plays great.
Can you imagine being like "Hey Sweetwater, send me those Fenders". Dang man, you worked hard and you are living the dream for real. You have a huge studio, you have all the gear you want. What life God has blessed you with. You're a cool guy, I wouldn't mind jamming with you and having a couple glassed of Old Grandad.
Well done on this comparison. That pink panther looks sick but not that drastically different for the price points. Thx for sharing and look forward to more upcoming content.
I have 2010 MIM lone star strat, two fender Texas special single coils and a Seymour Duncan pearly gates humbucker , came stock in it. I love it! With that said I’ll def be adding the push / pull tone knob for the neck pickup mod. So thanks for sharing!!
Thanks for the demo, I have a Clapton Strat from 91, which I love, but looking for a Strat with a rosewood neck and this demo is exactly what I needed, I liked the pink one tone from the pick ups the best sweeter and more vintage sounding. But agree buy the other one and put the fat 60’s in it and will be golden. Thanks again Rhett always enjoy your videos .
I was glad the see the changes. Swapping for better pickups is simple and relatively inexpensive, but changing the nut, oof. Unless you've done it a few times and are good at it, it's a bit of work, and then the filing and always looking at it thinking you could've done better is annoying. I don't know how much it costs to have a pro do it, but I imagine it will be more than a few dollars. I'd probably stick with plastic nut.
The pink coral colored guitar had more body to the sound, more full frequency. They definitely sounded distinct from each other but it was a matter of degrees.
It's "UA-cam:. The last place to listen and judge the tone of anything. Speaking of which, what about "Quack"? Which one has the best "Quack"? (I said in my best sarcastic voice). Chasing tone . Like tossing a stick for a dog. "Fetch!!"
I didn't at first. Then I listened with my ATH-M50x headphones instead of my computer speakers and it was easier to tell. I doubt that the average listener would be able to tell no matter what speakers or headphones they listened thru.
Respect for the honest opinion. So many great guitars around for around £1000 now, it makes playing so much more enjoyable now without pimping out your Granma 😄
I have a Player I Stratocaster (a secon hand one), the Buttercream color (maple fretboard), originally born with HSS that I totaly swapped (the whole pickguard and pots and so on...) with one classic SSS with Lace Sensor pickups. I've got several Vintera Series Stratocaster, and despite the fact I prefer the 7.25 radius over the 9.5, I usually use this Player I for recording. I really love the neck of that guitar. On frets, You are right: they were horrible, I had to bring to my local luthier to get rectified and set to dignity. It's the only complain I had on that Player I Series. For the price I paid (500 euros in Italy) it's an awesome guitar. I didn't check out the Player II yet but I'm eager to try the one with tonal chambers in Transparent Cherry Burst. Might be my next one...🤪
@RhettSchull, aside from the colors in this year’s Player II options, the one reason I didn’t buy a Player II is the neck itself. For whatever reason, Fender necks, and the 9.5” radius, do not suit my hands. I have that on my Sonic Strat(heavily modded otherwise). I was able to pick up a Player I Tele body only(Tidepool), and am going to get a custom neck to better fit my hand. My Epi Les Paul Classic has a great asymmetrical, thinner neck with a 12” straight radius I love, so going with a custom neck. Going to also do a P90 in the neck and Super Distortion T in the bridge with a coil tap option and individual tone/volume controls(due to the hotter pickups I want a bit more control than the standard Tele setup) using concentric pots. I think the Player/Player II series are ideal for the player that prefers to make the guitar their own.
I love Strats and I have 4 Fenders. I wanted to get a great HSS Strat and ended up with a Suhr Classic S Antique. It has their noise cancelling system built in. I love everything about it. If I were looking into an affordable SSS Strat, I might consider a Player II.
My only question is, since you're getting the guitar from Sweetwater, aren't they giving you the best possible version of the guitar and not just the random one off the wall?
I went and checked them out when they hit the stores, and I wrote a little review for FB - I personally concluded they were a big improvement on the player I, and I have 2 player 1's. I 100% agree with 1's poor fretwork, and the neck makes the player 2. I said this makes Fender a serious player the 750 to 1000 mkt again (especially with Sire's QC really falling off based on feedback). I also said I wouldn't buy another Player, if I were buying I'd move up to MIJ. Then five days later I bought a player 2 tele. And I haven't put it down. If I were buying another strat, I would still go up series, but i do not like ashtray bridges, and the 2 really checked all the boxes. And I bought the one I'd had time to play on, so I knew what I was getting.
I’ve been waiting for this video since your livestream. Please do more of these type of comparisons. That GT11 is awesome with shell pink. I just wish they would have used nitro instead of urethane
The regular non-GT11 Pro Am II Strat also has the push-push Tone knob to add neck pup. (I'm buying a GT11 as soon as Sonic Blue is back in stock. I was sold before this vid though. :) )
The overseas competitors finally made them step up their game.
@@daxmoore2060 100%
Yes - it's amazing that Fender rolling the fingerboard edges is 'a huge upgrade' when Sire have been doing this since the release of their Larry Carlton range, even on the cheapest models. They also have a contoured heel on all of their models.
A 100 bucks squier is as good as a MIM strat from 10 years ago.
Yup, Fender finally is trying to get their asses up to speed and it only took like, forever. "Time is Money" and they don't waste much of that on us, their customers aka their Bread and Butter unless of course we are stupidly willing to cough up $2000+ for a still relatively mediocre guitar when Vigier guitars will give you an absolute Dream Gem for about that.
@@bladeoflucatiel My squier bullet mustang is the best guitar ive ever played, not sound wise but im gonna change the pickups, but after a good set up the playability is insane
My biggest takeaway from doing my own video is that the Player II is no longer a “budget guitar” - quality, neck, hardware, pickups - they’re all legit and don’t require upgrading to use. Of course you always could get more out of after-market pickups but they don’t feel 100% required. It’s a real instrument. And now financially it doesn’t make sense to buy a classic vibe squier and mod it. By the time you update everything you’re basically at the cost of this. Big win from Fender for us all!
It’s just their Mexican Strat now.
It’s renaming what they were doing before, with a new name and promo campaign, saying this is higher quality.
$750-850 new
While the Pro is $1350-1439.99.
Hopefully the quality control has gotten better, because nearly every foreign made Fender Strat, I’ve tried out for several years, feel and/or sound bad.
Some I can feel it, and not even plug it in, because I know it’s not going to stay in tune, and/or the frets are so jagged, that I don’t even want to play it if it did .
@@CorbCorbin yeah same here. I’ve avoided entry level fenders in the past - fret sprout, dry fretboards, neck pocket cracking, etc. I’ve played a few Strats, teles and jazzmasters in this line so far and all of them have been a cut above what the player I series was, hands down. Time will tell if the quality stays up, but so far I’ve been impressed. And I’m just a random dude trying things out - no paid sponsorships or anything like that. I’ve got some custom shops and some American Fenders, so I like the brand and hope that they can keep these instruments solid because it’s really nice having an entry level that’s actually a joy to play.
Not only is it not required, but the value tradeoff of upgrading isn't as much. Where before a neck or pickup replacement would be about $100-$300 and grant a 50% increase in tone/playability/etc., now you're looking at a 5% or 10% increase max.
So now buyung upgrades is gonna take an extra consideration of deciding whether you REALLY love that guitar to an extent where you're willing to invest chunks of cash just to provide a marginal performance benefit. Because now, that money could be saved to invest in a whole new guitar which would provide a lot more variety to your playing options. Of course, if you have enough guitars and fell in love with your strat's colorway/design/playability, then perhaps investing small chunks over time could be what you want. It's just it won't be night and day, and while the tone/comfort may be better, you might feel like it's nearly imperceptible and maybe even more of a sidegrade than an upgrade.
@@spawn302 more of a Gibson player. Did upgrade a Squier Sonic with about $600 in parts(I actually have a specific reason for a couple of the parts) or so, but that’s largely because I don’t get along with standard size Strats(thickness didn’t fit my body right). I am building a custom off a Player Tele body, and the one major complaint I have is that the Fender neck profile doesn’t sit well with my hand. If I bought a Player II Tele, I would have had to order a custom neck(probably around $350-$600) just to be able to play it. My ideal neck is a thin, asymmetrical neck with a 12” Straight radius in Gibson Scale, with a Tusq XL nut. Out of the guitars I own, my Epi LP Classic Worn has the best playing neck. I already do pickup swaps automatically because I have a preferred sound, always a Super Distortion derivative in the bridge, and the other pickup/s depend on the guitar, but typically ceramics or Alnico IIs.
@@bradleyolinger1691 I dunno man, I have a squier contemporary jazzmaster, made in us fender strat, strandberg, ibanez, ive never had a neck I NEEDED in order to play it. To each his own
i dunno why, but the clay dot inlays on the pink one is really aesthetically pleasing.
That's why they do it!
they do, BUT I have an American Vintage 2 in Fiesta Red that looks AMAZING and pretty much is, but the side clay dots are damn near invisible against the rosewood. I have a hard time seeing them on a dimly lit stage, even in my studio is the light is lower its hard to see. Never realized in over 40 plus years of playing how much I depend on the side dots!! I may put some white our or something on them its actually that bad.
@@brianseneca3546 wait... the side dots are also clay coloured? yikes, i can see that becoming a problem fairly quickly.
you can buy a lume kit for watchmaking depending on your situation. it's classier than dot stickers. it'll be off-white in the day, still brighter than clay dots, and then glow in darker situations. just a thought.
@@brianseneca3546 Get some good glow in the dark marker pen and put just a tiny touch on the side dots. You can always wash it off later.
It was one of the factors that sold me on the purchase of one. I love the mix between vintage looking and modern. I have an AM Vintage II ('57 though with maple FB) and it's great but if the neck changes because of weather I have to take it off to make adjustments. I haven't had to yet, knock on wood. As cool as vintage spec is the more modern niceties are worthwhile IMO. You can just adjust the truss rod at the top, the fingerboard is flat, the tall frets are kinda nice, I just like the playability of the GT11, and the looks are just a bonus. Just give me one of each. :D
The American Pro II strat has the Fender Short-Post tuners that make a better break angle and no need for a string tree.
As an owner of an American Pro II Strat, I must point out that the standard spec for this model has V-Mod II pickups and a 9.5 inch radius.
are you happy with the pickups ?
@@marcaustin Absolutely. They really do a great job of recreating vintage tone and adding some new dimensions as well which are perhaps more suitable to modern playing. You can really shape a wide variety of sounds. I can't imagine that I'd ever consider swapping them out on this guitar.
Same, mine is a late 23 model in 2 tone burst with v mod pups and 9.5 radius
and a 2 point bridge rather than the 6 point bridge
Yes indeed and on also has a string tree
Not sure this is a useful comparison unless you only buy from Sweetwater. That pink guitar is not am pro ii specs, am pro ii have 2 points terms, string trees, back plates, no clay dots, vmod pickups, etc. this is just a big Sweetwater commercial
don't forget it has the upgraded synchronized 6 screws tremolo. It's better because it's upgraded xD
Definitely a mod spec guitar for Sweetwater... indeed a 6 point is a downgrade, and staple vs roller tree for string guide is just unacceptable.
If this is true then the whole video is bogus.
Yeah just looked on the Fender website and its true - the standard Pro II comes with Vmod II pickups - not Custom Shop Fat 60s like the one Rhett is showing us - tsk :-/
That Pro II sounds incredible, but for $800 bucks that Player II is a steal. I didn’t notice that much of a difference with an untrained ear. I’d swap out the nut to bone as you suggested on that Player II and maybe locking tuners as I’m a lazy string changer and that’s it.
Great vid Rhett.
I will say the Pro II in Olympic White via Sweetwaters site is the one I’d lock down if I was in the market for a new Start, but my wife has crushed that dream😎
You know those vintage style tuners they have on the player 2 are actually a dream to change strings with. Not much advantage getting locking tuners
@@blackfrancis33
True true, I just suck at string changing😎
fair point
For exactly this reason I changed my mind about replacing the standard tuners as well,@@blackfrancis33. When string replacement is done correctly, locking tuners don't offer that much advantage in terms of tuning stability. In fact, I had replaced standard tuners for Kluson locking ones on a semi-hollow and found little to almost zero difference. There are many other aspects of guitar setup that come before when talking about tuning accuracy and stability. When all these are understood and embraced the need for locking tuners disappears where I'm concerned.
The American having no string tree is most likely due to the American having staggered tuners. (Lowering the angle of the strings without needing a tree)
Oh I didn't see this comment earlier. Yeah, even from the close ups in this video you could see the Am Pro IIs staggered 3 long/ 3 short (non-locking apparently) tuners. Negating the need of any string trees.
Both my American Pro II’s have string trees.
I see now that the American Strat is Sweetwater specs. I don’t have the Fat 60’s pu’s either.
I love that feature! 🎸
The standard issue American Pro II in my possession absolutely DOES have a string tree. I'm guessing that the absence in Rhett's guitar has to do with the fact that it's a Sweetwater spec
Sonically the sound a lot closer than I would have expected. The American Pro II has a little bit more sparkle especially high up the neck during the "Shine on You, Crazy Diamond" but for the money the Player II is actually a pretty good value.
In this video audio....I can't hear the price difference between the Player ii Alnico 5s, and the Am Pro II CS Fat 60s. Yeah back to back here, the AM Pro's CS's have a bit more roundness. But put either of these guitars in a typical "garage/jam" band scenario. And I bet you couldn't hear a difference.
@@Mexxx65 The push push wiring configuration on the Pro 2 sets it apart
@@harrymanilow I have the same pickup selector switch on my MIM Roadhouse Deluxe strat.
@@Mexxx65 that’s cool but that’s not the player 2 retail out the store.
The Player Series is a great guitat
I was not even considering buying a new Strat but thanks to your live stream, I saw the Shell Pink Strat with all the additional features and bought one. Amazing guitar! On sale now for about 20% off. Thanks, Rhett and Sweetwater!
I'll take 10!
A few weeks ago I bought a Fender vintera 2 60s stratocaster in Olympic white mint pickguard after a fresh set of strings and setup it's a great Stratocaster it's better than some other higher American made ones I tried. Best 899 I ever spent my money is in my amps
I have an ‘02 MIM HSS Strat. If I were to buy a new Strat today I would still go with the Player Series. From the countless videos I’ve seen comparing the levels of guitars, the Players sound just as good as the American or Custom shops. Get it set up, put some quality strings on there and just do your thing.
Underrated comment
A DECENT setup, is the MOST important thing. With any electric guitar of any price range. Who the hell plays an electric guitar out-of-the-box? ...Other than youtube guitar reviewers....
@@Mexxx65 good shout - although that being said the local guitar center where I see a lot of people buy guitars (especially beginners) has a backlog of a month on setups - there are lots of players who don’t set up a new guitar either thinking they shouldn’t have to or not even knowing it’s a thing. Different brands are definitely more playable out of the box and others. For instance, a PRSI wouldn’t worry about a set up in most circumstances. It’s kind of cool to see fender just putting a little bit more care and attention into what they’re shipping out of the factory.
@@dadtimejamtime True, but I think still think its hit or miss with MIM/Fenders. A decent seutp to your specs/settings is paramount for any player of any level.
@@retiredguyadventures6211 what kind of fretboard is your HSS strat?
I feel the Player II sounded awesome. It is always a personal thing and reviewers should take that into account.
Always fun to watch, but a fair number of details are either slightly off or inadvertently misleading. Player II kept a lot of specs from Player I, including the same pickups. Biggest changes are the return of rosewood from pau ferro (indian laurel is what you find on recent squiers), lightly rolled fingerboards, some hardware upgrades (tuners), several new colors, and apparently slightly better QC going by early reports. Meanwhile, the "American Professional II" shown here is a limited run GT11 series done by Sweetwater, which costs a couple hundred more and has completely different specs than the original American Professional II, so it's kind of a strange comparison. The GT11 is Sweetwater's attempt to port over their custom shop specs to a more affordable line. They seem like great guitars, but all the specs and hardware choices are subjective. Regular Am Pro II has a 9.5" radius "deep C" neck, compared to GT11 with an 11" radius "60s C"; Pro II has 2-point trem, GT11 has 6 point; Am Pro II has normal dots, normal maple neck, normal Fender string tree, while GT11 has clay dots, roasted maple neck, no string tree (staggered post tuners); Pro II has V-Mod II pickups, GT11 has Custom Shop 60s pickups; both have the same push/push pot to activate neck pup; GT11 comes in a handful of vintage colors on alder bodies, whereas Am Pro II has way more color options, with alder on most and roasted pine for natural and sienna transparent finishes. (Personally, I don't need the GT11 upgrades and love my pine-bodied Am Pro II.) All in all, the Player II series seems like a solid upgrade and a good value compared to the reasonably nice but overpriced Vintera II line. Am Pro II in original form or GT11 is a definite step up and still a good value, with an incredible neck, much nicer pickups, and all-around great specs and features for a modern strat.
I think you should have made the video. Lol. Nice job identifying the gt11
That PRS amp is gorgeous and the tone is absolutely stellar. Incredible.
The Player One Strat is excellent. Rolling a fretboard is a pretty simple task. I have 7 Fender Custom Shop guitars and my Player One is better than any of them when it comes to soloing. I have no idea what this guy is complaining about.
True, my Player 1 from april this year also came with really smooth fret edges, so I guess they improved the quality of mexican fenders in general (the fretwork is still far from perfect, but definitely playable in recommended factory setup).
Agree. 2021´s player is just perfect
He def has a lot of opinions. Did you see him bump the guitar into the table while holding them up at 5:30 into the video. Rookie move!
My Player II Strat (in Birch green like the one Rhett has) came to me from Sweetwater with the nut slots cut too shallow. I had a luthier fix that for $60.00. Sweetwater reimbursed me for that repair (I consider this a completion, not a repair) which is cool. I just don't think Fender was ever made aware and that irks me. Anyway, now this Strat plays awesome and I really love it. Cheers!
This is unfortunately way to common with fender
@@Project25_01Same with my Player 1 Strat and Tele both
This is normal and is part of a setup that you should get done locally when you buy the guitar.
Many manufacturers cut their slots a bit shallow in order for the buyer to complete their preferred setup with a luthier. For whatever reason this is never explained. Still, the guitar should be close when it leaves the factory.
My take on these Fender models I go with the Made in USA and higher end Professional II model due to they are offered at the moment for $1600 at GC and at Sweetwater vs $800 for a Player II model ... They are both offered with 48 month payment plan with no interest. So that means for $34/month you can have a Pro II Strat and then you do not need to fiddle with swapping the pickups, changing the nut and adding a push/push circuit, plus you'll end up with a USA Fender vs MIM one...
Plus if you want to compare apples to apples, remember you'll need to add a $230 expense to get a hard case for the Player II... That makes your $800 guitar $1030...while your Pro II comes with that case. So the real difference is $570... And for that reason I choose Pro II all day long!
I know, at first, it feels too much to pay $1600 for a Strat but again in my case it was only $34/month payment while I am enjoying a really cool instrument. I am not a pro or on stage ever. I am a 66 yr old guitarist who plays to bug his wife and two little dogs when the mood strikes. I don't even have friends to jam, so thanks to Online Free Guitar Backing Tracks + my iPad & JBL wireless speaker, I make my own "poor man's band" and enjoy myself for hours and hours at times. IMHO that's the most fun you can have for $34/month!
Rhett, this was my favorite playing of yours I've heard for feeling, technique, and tone. I really appreciate that you played music, as opposed to the meandering noodling one hears on the vast majority of review videos. The Player II gave the Pro a genuine run for its money, even with the stock pickups on the Player II. The upgrades on the Player II are phenomenal for the money.
This is why free market competition is good kids! Definitely a response to how good the Silver Sky SE was.. probably why rosewood was brought back to the mexican line as well!!
I’ve owned many American strats. I own an American Eric Clapton strat and it’s incredible. But for kicks I bought a fender players surf green with a roasted maple neck it came with fat 50s custom shop pups. It sounds and plays awesome. So I believe I have two great fenders.
Rhett is correct about Fender Stratocasters not receiving proper quality control. I had to to exchange my 2021 Pro II five times to get a nice one. If you look inside a lot of Pro II bodies, you can see how careless they can be over at Fender.
I believe the tremolo on the player and player ii are the same.
exactly, I'm pretty sure too
Just hack it out and fit a floyd rose with a locking nut.
They are. So are the pups.
I have a Player II and I absolutely love it! The nut wasn’t cut well, but other than that, pretty wonderful. Great tone and plays beautifully.
He's so certain about the pickups... needing to swap pups in the player.
But there's really not much between them.
The yosemite pickups were absolutely used on custom shop strats before they landed in the player II series
They both sound great.
I think yosemites are in the american performer, not the player 2
It's interesting you think the 6 screw bridge is an upgrade. I've been a loooong time since I've owned one but all my plus and ultra guitars from the 90s have the two point and that has just always felt way more precise to me than the 6 screw ones (yeah I know you can unscrew half the screws and do little tricks to make it feel different).
My biggest issue with Fender is they just have so many options that don't make sense to me. Do people still like the old school rolled saddles? Do you have to upgrade to the next model just to get the more boxy saddles that don't hurt your hand as much? I've always felt like Fender needs 4 lines, an intro American made guitar, a more premium guitar, and ultra style guitar and then a retro guitar. Instead they have around 10 models that make it really confusing. Since none of these modern guitars will ever hold their value, I'm more inclined to just buy parts online from Stratosphere or Stigatsu and make the one you really want. I dunno, Fender is one of my favorite companies but the way they try to market the same guitar drives me crazy.
I love my Player II. Love your vids, but I think you need to check your info on the Player II. There is no change to the pups on the SSS Player II, per Fender. It's also the same trem as the Player 1. I have both, and the 70th Anni Player sitting right here. The changes for this model as I understand it are only these: Rolled FB edges, Rosewood option & split shaft classic gear tuners. The necks & fretwork on all 3 of my Players is really nice. All are 2024 models, which may make a difference. The QC on my Player 1 could have been a bit better though. My Player II & 70th are flawless.
Mr. Shull, I think the player 2 really put the pro to shame in this video and settings, I loved the Kenny Wayne Shepherd sound you had going very unique very awesome. Don’t know if anybody else recognized it but I sure did. Close to 45 years of searching for the right sound, and I loved the sound of the player 2 , I almost think I was supposed to, we hear our own playing and sound that we want better so badly we mess it up, the truth is we get bore, tiered of listening to ourselves if this video is accurate, I wouldn’t give $10 extra for the pro. thank you for a nice video and nice chords. Enjoyed the sound.
You helped me make up my mind . I was real curious about these new player2's. They already sound and feel better than my player 1 just by the various videos and reviews. Thank you very much!
Wow…..great vid Rhett! I always adjust, modify, tweak, add to, take away from, alter, trash, start over, constantly learn, fail, learn again, experiment, succeed, fail again, learn again on all of my guitars ( except on my Martin HD 35…just a few minor tweaks, added a pickup system, and that baby is being allowed to blossom on it’s own, and it is! ) That being said, I immediately noticed a huge difference in the sound of both guitars. The green one, although it sounded good, it almost seemed as if each string was competing for top billing. There was a total lack of unity in the sound. The pink one? There was still a lot of focus on the main notes being played, but there was an overall unity in the sound. It just felt warmer, smoother, and left me wanting to hear more. I totally agree with your assessment…….put some better pickups on that green guitar, and it will be something to be cherished. But now…..that push-pull pot to bring in the neck pickup……hmmmmm. Guess what I will be experimenting with tomorrow?!
100% agree about the crummy fret work on player I strats and teles. I seriously played dozens of them in guitar stores and hated every one of them. At least they were consistent. But, I also don’t love how low the player I frets are. Not really my jam. And this is from someone that gets on ok with genuine vintage fender frets. Note, I didn’t say I loved vintage frets, just that if I’m buying a new guitar, my preference is for something like the so called ‘narrow tall’ frets fender uses on a lot of other guitars. Final thought, I don’t think fender listens to their customers one bit, I think they noticed people buying less expensive T and S style guitars and then not looking back. I’m close to pulling the trigger on a non fender S body myself.
This is your best video yet, Rhett. I too dislike the AlNiCo 5 magnets - too harsh-sounding, whilst the AlNiCo 3s are too slow and sluggish-sounding. To my ears, the AlNiCo 2s are the just-right-sounding, ‘Goldilocks’ of magnets.
👱🏼♀🧲👌🏻
Glad to hear the Players are given more attention to detail and consumers desires as far as most of the specs.
I was surprised by how noticeable the difference was between these two great guitars for their price point.
@@retiredguyadventures6211 Someone shares their experience and observation and you call em' a "know it all" ?
Cmon lighten up it's not healthy.
The pickups are the same as player I according to Fender. They just tweaked the Humbucker on the HSS model
I find it interesting how mid-range instruments compared to high-end ones in terms of sonority, high-end ones tend to have a clearer mid-range, regardless of whether they are brighter or duller, in several videos including this one I see the same difference, the Player II has some strange harmonics in the 500-800 Hz area while the Americana is cleaner, it is not an abysmal difference, but in the mix it makes things much easier.
Uhm that's the pickups. I bet he didn't even set equal height. People put they're pickups wherever and claim a difference in sound that vanishes once you use a set of calipers to adjust height. You cannot even measure it in a scientific analysis beyond the margin of error.
Wow! The Pro II sounds unbelievable! I really don’t think they are that close in tone, but that’s just me.
Nice shoot out! I think Fender had better listened as they're seeing lots of competition from really high quality copies of the Fender-Strat build by Japanese, Indonesian, South Korean and Chinese manufacturers. E.g. I got myself a Squier Deluxe from Indonesia, did some mild mods and today it can really stand its ground against similar models three times the original budget, except Sire's Strat series. To me, their quality in build and sound kick all competitors in that price range right out of the ball park, that's how great their products are IMHO.
Thanks for the review Rhett. I was about to pull the trigger on a Pro II GT11. But my wife is battling cancer, so it’s just not a good time to spend $2K as much as I would like to. Adulting sucks! This review was very helpful and it nudged me over the edge. I’m most likely gonna get a graph tech nut, and a loaded DG pickguard from 920D, It’s gonna come in at a grand and some change, so thats a bit more doable. After this, I feel much better about the purchase. Thanks for hitting all the high points. As soon as I’m done here I’m placing my order. So SW owes you one. Thanks again man.
🙏 Sending Prayers for your Wife’s recovery And permanent remission from cancer!!🙏 May God grant my prayers for her recovery.
@ Thank you.🙏
I have to say the Player II pickups sounded great through headphones. I'm sure there was more of a difference in the room, but both guitars came across really well with UA-cam audio quality.
For a Nashville vibe cat like you , that Shine on your crazy diamonds hommage is pure class , and the primal reason why Strat sound gets directly into my soul. I'm taljing about the player one off couse . Thank you for this content
Hey Rhett! The Player 1 and Player 2 has the same pickups on the strats. The official fender website says Player Series Alnico 5 Strat® Single-Coil pickups for both player 1 and 2. And when they made a comparison they even said that they are the same. The two saddle bridge is the same too. I agree tho it looks and feels much nicer and the tuners are better as well... But yeah I think it's worth correcting and pointing out because player 1 is much cheaper now used and it makes a difference for most people... And they should know that some features stayed the same;) peace!❤
Player 1s also had Pau Ferro fretboards, not Indian Laurel. Not sure where he was pulling those Player 1 specs from, but they were way off
Rhett really likes vintage guitars and rolled fingerboards. Basically a broken in feel is a top factor for him. What I find most interesting with his guitar shootouts is he tends to omit the entry level American “standard” version of instruments.
Underrated comment.
yeah, for me Rhett lost all his credibility long time ago, the guy just doesn't have good ear or taste for a good tone... he is the only youtuber I saw trash talking the Player I series
@@blackstormer95strictly sound wise player I was a good guitar, it felt like shit on the hands though and pau ferro was horrid dry and scratchy
Isn’t the American Pro line equivalent to the old American Standard line? That’s what he’s shown here.
@blackstormer95 yeah, a lot of his videos feel like he's being a contrarian just for the sake of it.
Player, player II, pro, pro II, heck even some classic vibes if you play enough of them you'll find a good, even great one in any series. If your a modder it doesn't really even matter much at all. One of my favorite guitars I own is a modded player 1 tele. I have ultras, elites, a sweet mod shop, even a broadcaster but I always go for my players series. The player 1 came with a paufaero fret board which to me feels alot more like ebony, which I personally like better than rosewood. One of the best necks I own came on a squier classic vibe that is absolutely full of flame and has the best rolled edges I've felt on a neck. So my point is try as many as you can, you may like the feel of one better than a more expensive model or the sound out if one you wouldn't have even thought to consider. At the end of the day price doesn't mean a guitar will fit you better and the folks that build guitars in Mexico take the same pride in what they do just like the USA guys do. Just find a good one and the more you play it the better it will feel to you. A guitar doesn't have to break the bank to be a great instrument. Hard work and practice is far more important to make any guitar sound great than a price tag.
Am Pro IIs all have the push push S1 switch that adds the neck pickup. They also normally come with a 9.5" radius, not 11" unless that was a Sweetwater specification.
The 11 inch radius is a Sweetwater exclusive thing. They do it on their custom spec’d GT11 which is an incredible looking guitar in the chrome blue finish.
the 6 point bridge and fat 60s CS pickups are also unique Sweetwater specs and a stock Pro 2 has the VMod 2 pickups and a 2 point bridge.
I spent a couple years off and on wanting to find a Tele that felt good, but everything I tried short of custom shop did not make me smile and often made me bleed the fret work was so bad. Ended up with a Reverend Greg Koch signature T-Style with roasted maple neck, locking tuners, brass saddle that makes me smile every time my hands caress that neck.
Thanks Rhett! This was a really good comparison video and a good representation of the Player II Stratocaster in general... Keep up the good work!
I appreciate the fact that Fender has finally listened to their customers and added some improvements to their lowest Fender labeled line. But like one commenter below, i think they're looking over their shoulders at the improving value market competitors gaining ground in the quality of their products. Without naming any names, I recently purchased a guitar with a roasted maple neck, locking staggered tuners, bone nut, rosewood fingerboard, ball end stainless steel frets, solid mahogany body EXTREMELY good quality and more for about half the price of a Player or Player ll. The neck alone, if it had Fender on the headstock, would sell for $699. I think the Player and now the Player ll were and are still the best bang for your buck Fenders, but watch out.....the competition is gaining.
I tried a couple of Player II Strats and although they do have better necks, they seem to have weaker tone to me. However, I also tried the Player II Teles and those sound incredible. Also, in a rare case where I agree with the upcharge, I tried both the Player II Strat and Tele with chambered ash or mahogany bodies, and the altered woods really brought more of both guitars to life!
If they put a maple neck on that Player II series I'd probably buy one immediately. Sonically... I thought it was very close and can easily be improved with new pickups. That birch green color is unreal! Love it.
Player II has exactly the same pickups as Player I. That is a fact confirmed by the Fender dealer. And you will not find anywhere Fender say anything about "upgrading" the pickups on these models. Rosewood, fingerboard and new colors are super nice though. They are basically the same guitar a Fender American standard used to be some 15 years ago.
The player 1 series had alnico 2 pickups and now they have alnico 5 pickups btw bro keeps editing peoples comments thinks he knows everything
@@noahhaworth3697 sonically they are 98% the same thing
Geeze calm down no one made you the gatekeeper@@retiredguyadventures6211
@@noahhaworth3697Editing other people's comments?
The mex has no comparison to the pro 2 nor amstd , though some prefer the max tone etc , the mex is a comparatively inferior constructed gtr to the pro2 , by wood grade and pup's & hardware.. if you can't HEAR the difference then you don't need the better guitar ... 🎶🕊🕉
Sounds amazing, much better than the previous gen (I do like the AlniCo5s though). The Gibson QC problem vs the Fender? True, Fender might have a few slips here and there but their modular design is a great advantage. Look at this very example, you did not like the pickups in that Player II? well- there is a large market of special parts to choose from and you know you can easily find something to your taste. So does everyone else when choosing a Fender or Squier even. These things are made to be modded and adjusted to each player's preferences. Not so with the Gibsons- sure, you can change parts on those as well- but it's not a huge aftermarket out there, and people tend to judge- oh a Gibson with switched pups.. desecrated etc. Nobody bats an eyelash over a swapped pickup set in a Fender/Squier. There are always good, very good and excellent options- and if the potential SH buyer does not like what the seller did to the guitar, they can easily change it back - even to stock specs if so desired- without too much effort or money.
I agree with you regarding the fret work, or lack thereof, on the first Player series. I bought one used and had to file the fret edges before I could comfortably play the guitar. For the price of the original player series, it was very disappointing that Fender sold these guitars with such rough fret edges.
As someone with larger hands, how do you find the nut width difference?
42.8mm on American pro ii
42mm on player ii
Fantastic choice playing Shine On… That’s what a Stratocaster should sound like! Great demo comparison! All the sounds!
Both of them sound surprisingly really great. I think the player sounds a bit thinner and has more twang, but the pro also sounds really nice with it's fatter sound.
For sure, thats mainly down to pickups and probably the bridge choice.
Yeah! Thinner, more twang and, I’ll say, more clarity. That’s the type of strat sound I like. The American Pro sounds muffled to my ears.
one complaint i had is the Allan key that they supply doesn't fit the saddles you need a 1.27mm key not the 1.5mm supplied
one key point I think needs to be addressed is that the AMPro II is a special run for Sweetwater only with 11" radius fretboard, as one point of difference. SO, this is not a "regular" off the shelf Pro II
On the Strat Player II, the specs say it has a synthetic bone nut (i.e. plastic). On an $800 guitar, they can't afford to use a bone nut? How much is a bone nut, $8-$10 retail?
4:31 you can have identical Strats from the same line and they will both sound different acoustically without an amp.
Good info! I have been seeing videos lately on the Player Series and how much better they are….so I figured it was time to give Fender another go and just pulled the trigger on a Player Series Saturday Night Special. Should arrive in a few days and we’ll see if the legends are true…..🤞
Those subtle tweaks on the Sweetwater spec Strat are awesome little upgrades over the stock amproii. That's a really awesome guitar.
Loved this video. The PRO definitely sounds better, the pickups are richer, more balanced and more pleasant. It feels as if perhaps you can tweak your tone slightly better for the Player but I can't imagine you'll reach the same depth of tone you get with the PRO. The PRO is much more expensive tho. This was a good video.
What are the weights like on these guitars. It seems that whenever I pickup any Fenders in a store at sub CS level they're just really heavy.
The player 1 had a 2 point tremolo. What’s the upgrade in the player 2? The saddles look the same in photos. Sweetwater themselves don’t mention any upgrade of the tremolo between the 1 and the 2.
It’s the staggered tuners, my dude. 5:41
my dude, oh my dude.
I don’t get the fuss about rolled edges. Just makes it easier for the string to fall off the edge during aggressive playing. I’ll take normal edges thanks.
I have the player 2, White with black pickguard, i absolutely LOVE it!
Neither here nor there, but that new Birch Green color is a knockout. WHEEWWWW. Stunning! Never really liked green on Strats before, even though it's a classic color, but I MUST have one of THOSE.
My Player 2 Aged Chery Burst Strat arrived yesterday (Aug. 29th) from Sweetwater/ It's definitely a noticeable step up from my Squier Affinity Tele. I'll probably put a set of the Fat 60's Pickups in it and do that Push/Push mod to the tone control in the next month or so. Overall I'm quite pleased with my purchase and look forward to playing this beauty for years to come.
Awesome video which was very informative. I have the American Pro I series and the American Performer series and love them both. This video you made just helped me make my decision on buying a new Player Series. I just purchased it in yellow and should be here in a few days. Thank you for your video and you sound amazing, your a very talented guitarist and play amazing.
Sweetwater is an awesome dealer. I bought a Les Paul Custom through them earlier this year, 2024. It was set up perfectly to my specs and shipping was quick (I'm in SoCal, SW is in Ft. Wayne, Indiana). I couldn't have asked for more even if I tried. 👌👍
I have a "60's" Strat. It has the Custom Shop 69's in it. Two point trem. Impressive thicker neck. The guitar was laser straight and clean when I got it. The NECK on it is like a thick 1960's oval Strat neck. Plays great.
Can you imagine being like "Hey Sweetwater, send me those Fenders". Dang man, you worked hard and you are living the dream for real. You have a huge studio, you have all the gear you want. What life God has blessed you with. You're a cool guy, I wouldn't mind jamming with you and having a couple glassed of Old Grandad.
Well done on this comparison. That pink panther looks sick but not that drastically different for the price points. Thx for sharing and look forward to more upcoming content.
You got the lighting figured out in this video, looks great
I have 2010 MIM lone star strat, two fender Texas special single coils and a Seymour Duncan pearly gates humbucker , came stock in it. I love it! With that said I’ll def be adding the push / pull tone knob for the neck pickup mod. So thanks for sharing!!
Thanks for the demo, I have a Clapton Strat from 91, which I love, but looking for a Strat with a rosewood neck and this demo is exactly what I needed, I liked the pink one tone from the pick ups the best sweeter and more vintage sounding. But agree buy the other one and put the fat 60’s in it and will be golden. Thanks again Rhett always enjoy your videos .
Which pickups would you recommend putting on the player II?
I would love to see a video expanding on why you like the fat strat pickups and not the alnico 5... or even on what makes a good pickup in general
I was glad the see the changes. Swapping for better pickups is simple and relatively inexpensive, but changing the nut, oof. Unless you've done it a few times and are good at it, it's a bit of work, and then the filing and always looking at it thinking you could've done better is annoying. I don't know how much it costs to have a pro do it, but I imagine it will be more than a few dollars. I'd probably stick with plastic nut.
How we looking in terms of value vs the classic vibe line now?
awesome content as always! and THANKS SWEETWATER!!
Am I the only one who hears virtually no significant difference in tone between these two?
Nope...
The pink coral colored guitar had more body to the sound, more full frequency. They definitely sounded distinct from each other but it was a matter of degrees.
The Pro II seems to have a little more warmth/depth/focus to the tone.
It's "UA-cam:. The last place to listen and judge the tone of anything. Speaking of which, what about "Quack"? Which one has the best "Quack"? (I said in my best sarcastic voice).
Chasing tone . Like tossing a stick for a dog. "Fetch!!"
I didn't at first. Then I listened with my ATH-M50x headphones instead of my computer speakers and it was easier to tell. I doubt that the average listener would be able to tell no matter what speakers or headphones they listened thru.
Respect for the honest opinion. So many great guitars around for around £1000 now, it makes playing so much more enjoyable now without pimping out your Granma 😄
The pink is so smooth holy crap
I have a Player I Stratocaster (a secon hand one), the Buttercream color (maple fretboard), originally born with HSS that I totaly swapped (the whole pickguard and pots and so on...) with one classic SSS with Lace Sensor pickups. I've got several Vintera Series Stratocaster, and despite the fact I prefer the 7.25 radius over the 9.5, I usually use this Player I for recording. I really love the neck of that guitar. On frets, You are right: they were horrible, I had to bring to my local luthier to get rectified and set to dignity. It's the only complain I had on that Player I Series. For the price I paid (500 euros in Italy) it's an awesome guitar. I didn't check out the Player II yet but I'm eager to try the one with tonal chambers in Transparent Cherry Burst. Might be my next one...🤪
@RhettSchull, aside from the colors in this year’s Player II options, the one reason I didn’t buy a Player II is the neck itself. For whatever reason, Fender necks, and the 9.5” radius, do not suit my hands. I have that on my Sonic Strat(heavily modded otherwise). I was able to pick up a Player I Tele body only(Tidepool), and am going to get a custom neck to better fit my hand. My Epi Les Paul Classic has a great asymmetrical, thinner neck with a 12” straight radius I love, so going with a custom neck. Going to also do a P90 in the neck and Super Distortion T in the bridge with a coil tap option and individual tone/volume controls(due to the hotter pickups I want a bit more control than the standard Tele setup) using concentric pots. I think the Player/Player II series are ideal for the player that prefers to make the guitar their own.
I love Strats and I have 4 Fenders. I wanted to get a great HSS Strat and ended up with a Suhr Classic S Antique. It has their noise cancelling system built in. I love everything about it. If I were looking into an affordable SSS Strat, I might consider a Player II.
My only question is, since you're getting the guitar from Sweetwater, aren't they giving you the best possible version of the guitar and not just the random one off the wall?
Good review, very helpful and informative!
I recently picked up a Player II Telecaster, and as a Gibson guy I think that it is excellent!
@5:25- they put short post tuners on the AM Pro II to eliminate the need for string trees.
its like melted butter over my ears... such a classic sound... the Player 2 aint so bad either
For the clean comparison, I liked the Player II way more. I think the Pro II sounds a little too muffled.
Same.
Great video! Would love to see a comparison of the standard American Pro II vs the Player II.
Most Pro2 Strats have a string tree and a 9.5" radius board. That 11" board was the deal killer for me.
I went and checked them out when they hit the stores, and I wrote a little review for FB - I personally concluded they were a big improvement on the player I, and I have 2 player 1's. I 100% agree with 1's poor fretwork, and the neck makes the player 2. I said this makes Fender a serious player the 750 to 1000 mkt again (especially with Sire's QC really falling off based on feedback). I also said I wouldn't buy another Player, if I were buying I'd move up to MIJ. Then five days later I bought a player 2 tele. And I haven't put it down. If I were buying another strat, I would still go up series, but i do not like ashtray bridges, and the 2 really checked all the boxes. And I bought the one I'd had time to play on, so I knew what I was getting.
Why does the MIM sound more Stratty?
Funnily, in this video recording. I also hear a more authentic "strat" sound from the green Player II !!!!
I’ve been waiting for this video since your livestream. Please do more of these type of comparisons. That GT11 is awesome with shell pink. I just wish they would have used nitro instead of urethane
The regular non-GT11 Pro Am II Strat also has the push-push Tone knob to add neck pup. (I'm buying a GT11 as soon as Sonic Blue is back in stock. I was sold before this vid though. :) )