Which Fender American Guitar is right for you? Ultra, Original, or the new Professional II
Вставка
- Опубліковано 15 лип 2024
- Baxter and Jonathan break down why you could make an argument for each of the top 3 American Made Fender Guitars. The Brand new American Professional II, The American Original, and the American Ultra. Each with killer features unique to each of the lines. Here we break down the Telecasters.
I don’t know how you guys don’t have more subscribers. Your videos are so professional and clean.
This video made me aware of and then caused me to buy an American Original Tele. I’m a sucker for that double binding and vintage pickups. Another great video gentleman!
Awesome review guys ... thx ! I am looking at the new Fender Pro 2 Jazzmaster.... it would be great to see a review from u guys on the jazzmaster line..... cheers !
Nicely done, thank you!
Thank you so much for this video 🙏
I bought an ultra strat and ended up returning it. The pickups were not good for me and I just didn't feel like it was worth the money. I also tried a performer and wasn't in love. Ended up buying the pro with a rosewood neck and I think its the best sounding and best feeling of all of them. The neck profile is perfect. Possibly my favorite strat.
The blue one?
Yeah the American Pro II i got (midnight blue with rosewood) HSS, is one of the best Fenders ive had my hands on in 30 + years and ive played a TON of Fender guitars over the years. They nailed this guitar imho and @ under $2k WOWZA. Ive picked up $3500 Fenders that i didnt like at all, so getting this for 60% of that and it being this good.... just wow. I mention above i usually use G&Ls, but this is the first Fender worthy of hanging with my G&Ls for sure. :-)
Pro neck with pro body with Original nitro finish in Texas tea with HSS pro pickups and original 6 screw bridge. A vintage practical beast!
For looks, love the binding on a Tele.
Hard to beat a tele with binding:) was Hanks a ton for watching!
I have the butterscotch with black binding. Sometimes I just stare at it when I know I should be practicing 😅
Played all three bought the pro 2 in Miami blue. Awesome choice.
why not PLAY THEM....cmon guys...lets hear all three back to back
InstaBlaster...
had multiple of all of these and only 1 series left an impact on me: American originals. I had the burgundy mist 60s tele, 50s tele and ltd 50s tele. All were amazing
One of my favorite neck shapes is the V or soft V whatever they call it which came into play around 57 I think Just seems to work well for me Actually a Tele build I'm doing right now is the soft V w compound radius
The original series is my favorite for sure.
Just bought an American professional telecaster 2
Looking forward to it
Looks like I picked a winner
I understand that we are talking top three American -- but considering that there are only four American production line models, I really think you missed an opportunity to add the Performer line to the discussion. It's a great axe and should be duly noted
The Pro II i just got is hands down the nicest Fender i have put my hands on other than some really really expensive custom shops. Been at guitar for 30+ years. I usually use G&L because over the years ive never kept a Fender for very long, i always find something i dont like. With the Pro II the tone pot can control the bridge pickup, i have the HSS model in that Midnight Blue. This allows me to get some of that brittle sound out of the guitar with ease. Also i can split the humbucker. 5 way switch. One thing i really like about G&L is the PTB system which the tone knobs are actually treble and bass. This Pro II is the best electronic setup ive had in a Fender. SO this guitar is worthy of hanging with my G&L's and thats never been the case before. Also the fretboard was rounded very well, frets are mirror, just have NOTHING bad to say about this guitar. I did add an aluminum (black) anodized pickguard and ebony knobs and a matching midnight blue 5 way tip. Guitar is one for the ages. I got mine from SW, so im not sure who did the work, the factory or SW. But id seen some folks disappointed with the QC of some of their recent Fender purchases so i wasnt expecting much and was honestly ready to have this guitar for sale or trade in 6-12 months from now. The setup was just crazy good. I also put 10s on it, it came with 9s. I did have to adjust the nut slots on the E A D strings a tiny bit because of this. But finally a Fender that is worthy of hanging with my G&Ls :-) Love it !
I have a Pro, a Pro II and an Elite (now Ultra). In my opinion, the Pro line is the best value for the money and I absolutely love the tall narrow frets! Great guitars!
Great thoughts and sincere thanks for sharing those here! I would be hard pressed on a single choice myself. I still
Love the 2016 American standards...those pickups!
Which one sounds better the new pro II or the original pro I?
@@lukeGGlee I’m definitely partial to the pro II pups.
I have 2 of the 3.LOVE the baseball neck on my 50’s Original, and yes… Texas Tea Is the coolest finish ever on my Ultra!
Best Duo on UA-cam Land . Greetings from Germany 👍
Danke and great to hear from you! Sincere thanks and thanks for watching and sharing the good cheer:)
Vintage tuners are amazing. They lock in place they’re not that hard to restring and best of all you don’t get poked by your string. Locking tuners are bulky and if you take your guitar apart good luck using the same strings twice.
Thanks!
The only Fender production (non-custom shop) guitar I own is a 2016 elite strat, I absolutely love it! of the current line-up I'd love an original 50s strat, they look & sound amazing.
I've been a fan of fender signature models. They are like a custom shop guitar being that they're not typically standard specs, but without the custom shop price tag.
We feel the same way about the original series, like the intro to the custom ship world without the hefty price of admission:)
Thanks a ton for sharing!
@@CasinoGuitars Since they use the thin tall fret wire, I will totally agree with you. AOs are very nice. It is my preference of the three models.
I love Fender so much
I'm really digging the American Performer Tele. I have it in the Penny color... beautiful. Just a great playing great sounding bang for the buck US made guitar.
Killer Tele, sounds enormous!
I have a performer and just bought the ultra Tex tea. I think the performer sounds just as good or better for everything except for overdriven tones...the ultra is a beast in overdrive. I was surprised though that my performer sounded just as good or better for almost everything considering my ultra cost so much more. The neck pickup on the performer is significantly clearer than on the ultra. The look and ergonomics on the ultra reeled me in like a fish in a hook though I couldn't resist... it's the most beautiful feeling and looking Tele I've ever played. My performer is perfect and stunning too for a traditional looking Tele... but like like a canoe paddle next to a Ferrari...
As a Texan... I gotta have that TX Tea but wish it was available on the Am Pro.
I have six Telecasters (yes, I like them) including an AO60's. Now, I don't mean this in a bad way, but the AO60's has ruined other Teles for me. What I mean is that it's SO GOOD that everything else I own just doesn't feel or sound as great. The clarity and articulation of the pickups, the neck, the feel, the looks - just blows everything else out of the water. Since getting the AO60's I've sold off two other guitars because what's the point of even having them if I'm never going to pick them up again? So anyone wondering if they're worth the cash, the answer is 1000x yes.
awesome how does it compare with pro and pro 2??? thanks
@@sooparticular I haven't even seen a Pro 2 in the flesh yet. I have an American Standard which was rebranded and updated into the Pro. The main thing is the neck. AO's neck is quite a bit chunkier.
@@MinivanMegafun100 ill bet it sounds great!
I just ordered an original 60 lake placid blue to complete the set up... My main guitar is a Telecaster avri 52 hot rod... Stunning Tele! Can’t wait to put my finger on my new original 60! I’m sure i will not be disapointed.
@@bryanfortin7373 LPB is what I have too! My comment was 5 months ago and I'm still in love with this Tele. I don't think you'll be disappointed!
After testing every new series they have excluding the custom shop.
I think i want a hybrid ii telecaster now in flamingo pink
Love the Texas Tea color!
Agreed! That color is a huge hit and we all love it around here as well:)
I'm mostly a LP/PRS guy, I few years ago I gave a tele a try and is not like I didn't like the sound of it or anything like that I just didn't like it coming out of me. May be I should try again sometime. Funny enough I always wanted a tele, mostly because Mick Ronson at the Freddy Mercury tribute and then Gilmour
Could you do a similar video of the strats? I would love to see comparisons of the player series 2 especially the HSS model compared to the others.
We are going to try to:) we haven’t been able to keep them in stock long enough with this crazy year: we should have a bunch of pieces showing up soon (this week) though so fingers crossed and great idea!
The HSS Pro II allows you to control the bridge pickups tone pot and its tappable. 5 way switch. This sounds like a Fender is suppose to sound to my ears, ive never really been happy with Fenders pickups/Electronic choices in the past. This new system they have and the pickups etc, all gave me a Fender i actually want to keep. Ive owned dozens of Fender guitars and they usually on last a few years (if that) and i trade or sell them. THis guitar i will never part with. Fender finally built a guitar that is as good as G&L guitars.
Bass player here. Seriously debating a master build j-bass. Time will tell if it's in budget or not.
Good Times Cheers
The only thing I'm a little upset about is I like the fender Ultra Lux but the color surf green come on are we not past the 60s yet I would like something done in like the moon White with a Rosewood neck why is that so hard maybe you can explain it thanks
The strat in Batman burst is calling to me
OMG, that’s hilarious! I’m currently waiting on the FedEx dude to deliver my pro II in Batman burst. I’m stealing this and will refer to it as Batman burst hence forth!
That one gets me as well:)
Believe me when I say that this was a tough choice for me. I went back and forth between the pro II and the ultra. The ultra's neck has a great silky smooth feel yes 100%, and don't listen to anybody who tells you otherwise, but then again so does the pro II. I can shred on the pro II at ease and it blew my MIM strat and ibanez away. In this case, I can say confidently that the price difference means NOTHING. This is all based on personal preference from look and feel. After months of debating I ended up going with the Pro II for a few reasons. 1) I really love the Olympic white with the maple neck finish and the turtle shell pickguard, very classy, I also like how the Pro II resembles a lot of the original "American standard" which was the ultimate dream guitar for me growing up as a kid. 2) I personally love the fat neck as I tend to cup the neck a lot and use my thumb to mute or use the low E string while playing a chord.
All in all, it really comes down to preference, I settled on the Pro II because it reminded me more of that original American standard with some crazy cool upgrades put into it and some modern pickups. To me, it feels like that strat that i used to dream of owning when I was 14 at Long and Mcquade. The ultra seemed a little "more" than what i wanted in a guitar, and I felt that it took away from that original "american standard feel" in my opinion. I'm 100% sure the ultra is just as good as the pro II though , and like I said, you can't compare preference. Either guitar you buy I promise you'll love. So go out to your local store now that covid is finally getting better, and see what speaks to you most. Simply reading other people's comments on what's better won't do it for you I promise. Even just do your own research, watch videos, and pick the one that appeals to YOU. Strat's are just as much art as they are instruments, and you'll want the perfect one sitting by your amp.
Does the Professional II feel thicker that the Ultra to the point where you notice it? Especially towards the 12th fret?
@@lightninggod4348 It's definitely noticeable but not a HUGE difference. You'll notice it the most if you're using your thumb to mute or play the low e string. But having said that I personally don't think it makes either guitar better, it's more preference. If you're more of a shredder (lead guitarist) I'd say get the ultra, if you're more rhythmic and play a lot of chords, (for me John Mayer style) , I'd say you'd appreciate the Pro II more. The fat neck really feels comfortable when you're gripping the neck on stretched chords. I feel that my hand has a lot more control gripping the neck with chords on the Pro II... but the ultra would probably be a little more faster for solo's
@@joshs3905 I had an Ultra and it was hurting my wrist to play it unlike on my other necks (U,Modern C and C). They all have 7.25 radius and were somewhat bigger or much bigger. I think it was a mixture of the neck shape and the compound radius so I returned it. I have had American Standards before with Modern C shape necks and was fine. I know the Pro ii has a Full C. Just haven't played it before.
Well put ! :-) The Pro II i have is one of the nicest guitars i have in my 40+ guitar collection and im shocked after 30+ years of getting ok Fender guitars that i never kept, i finally got one that is as good as my G&L guitars. More folks need to check out G&L tho, i think overall they build a better guitar for cheaper than Fender (here in the US) and they solved some of my biggest issues with Fender guitars. Leo def perfected his designs of the Strat and Tele etc when he started G&L with George. But im happy to know that Fender is capable of building a good guitar like this Pro II. I had just about given up on Fender.
@@ctcards2636 I agree so much with G&L, a lot of people don't understand that Leo Fender was an owner of G&L, their custom lineup is in a whole other class of guitars, it's always a treat getting to see one in person
The American Original got replaced with the American Vintage Ii right?
Locking tuners. Yes!
Would you guys do a video on the PRS S2 McCarty 594 line?
have you checked out the prs S2 standard satin. Its a hell of a guitar for $1,000. I just bought a pro 2 tele. Was leaning towards the S2 but i had a dream about the tele and saw it as a sign. I"m happy with my decision because it looks great. Although its the sound thats most important to me I probably would have went with the S2 because for the price you cant beat it. it doesn"t look as good IMO but sounds awesome.
@@josephthompson6942 I did and I liked it, these S2’s are really great. I really like the pattern vintage neck profile on the Mccarty. It’s fantastic!
I wish they done an ultra but without the binding and in a more natural finish. An amber, butterscotch or clear finish ultra would have my cash in a second!
Maybe give the Performers a little love? A great guitar at a fantastic price, particularly when compared with the Ultra if you don’t want or need the bells and whistles. Belongs in the conversation IMHO. Just sayin’.
I have the ultra, very nice guitar, but I had to superglue the Low E string Ferrell back in, fell out changing strings, and the truss Rod is very stiff to turn 🤷🏽♂️
Not sure if it is fluke? Or what, wish I could get fender to at least swap the neck Incase truss Rod is jacked
Doesnt sound so Ultra with some of those issues :-( Hopefully there isnt anything wrong with the truss rod. Hope you were able to figure anything wrong out and are still jamming on your ultra tho. ;-)
Anyone has a recommendation for a jazz tele?
In 60’s Chevelle was the top of Malibu line, just like the Caprice was for the Impala.
Ultra all the way!!!
It's easy guys:
Ultra = "ultra" modern
Original = "original" oldschool
Pro II = "something in beetween" the actuall Series
They call it Texas Tea because that’s an old Texas term for “oil”, which is what it looks like: black till it hits the light.
Oh good I was sooo hoping they wouldn't play them so we can here the difference in the tone.
Ultra!!!!!!
I’d love to have 2 of each but I don’t have a trust fund
There was a new Fender release? Really? I did not know.. haha 😜
Ultra all the way
Fender puts out another Tele and Strat.. Suprise Suprise... with contours like other modern manufacturers have been doing for years....WOW!
Do this for squier! We are all poor in this damn pandemic! (And maybe simple mods?)
Tim Burton lost a lot of weight over lockdown. Well done, Tim.
Thanks man! I haven’t been able to make any movies with the lockdown but stay tuned, Edward scissor hands 2 is coming fast!!!
@@CasinoGuitars wow! I’m a big fan Mr Burton. Could I have a signed American Ultra? You see, I have cancer...and rickets and this is my dying wish.
P.s can you get Al Borland from home improvement to sign it too. Thanks.
@@thebigredwagon we can’t get you the ultra at the moment but once filming wraps we’ll see about a sticker:)
Best to you out there and keep the good humor coming!
@@CasinoGuitars Depp would have done it. 😘
Less choice for a lefty. Fender do not make Tele Ultra or Tele Original 60’s in left-handed orientation. I have lefties as follows: Tele Original 50’s, Tele Professional (old version), Japanese Thinline and a Mexican Player Tele (extensively modded with Nocaster 51 pickups, Gotoh brass saddle bridge, 4-way wiring with left handed taper pots and treble bleed, Graphtec nut and string tree and locking tuners). The other Teles are stock save for locking tuners on the Professional and Graphtec string trees on the Thinline. I think the Original series is the best non-custom shop Fender line.
Could have played them for us...
Squier 50 is made of pine
Whichever one has a Nitro finish..
So the answer is we need all 3.
I’m not really a fan of Fender guitars, so why would I watch a review of them? Because you guys are so damned likable 💜
You guys spoiled me with your custom shop video earlier this year. I bought a Fender Custom shop Nocaster with a fat baseball neck based on your video. Now I don’t even get excited about the production models. In fact I don’t even play my original 50’s, Elite, or original 70’s Teles.
Noooo! They are still wonderful pieces and tons of fun! The custom shop is outrageously good but that original 50s is probably pretty lonely right about now and could use some playing!
Thanks a ton for watching and for sharing:)
To continue your car analogy:
I've always preferred Hyundai/Kia to the comparable GM cars, I've always gotten far more quality and features for the money...so it comes to me as no surprise I prefer my Chapman ML3 Pro (built in Korea) to the comparable Fender Telecaster.
ML3 Pros are just so freaking good.
That pro II
Jesus Christ they didn't even play them I can read the specs myself I don't need a narrator for that. I want that 8 minutes of my life back
Do you realize how stupid that sounds ?
When you didn't have to watch it ,Duh
Do you understand now ?
You do realize that pine is the cheapest-ass wood anyone could build anything out of, right? Talk about maximizing profits! As I was drifting off to sleep the other night, I was thinking "I'll offer Fender $5000 to make a custom guitar as long as it's a prototype for a top shelf guitar they can sell at $3000 and make a healthy profit" and of course I continued drifting off to dreamland because that notion is a dream. They'll keep building $1000 guitars that they can market at $2000 because of brand loyalty.
Plot twist: none because there not strats
The Original is the only one worth owning IMO. The Pro is a budget guitar built to hit a certain price point, and the Ultra is too modernized. Also, poly finish is garbage.
@Luke Flagship doesn’t mean best, if anything it means best-selling which is typically synonymous with an accessible price.
It’s the cheapest of the models discussed here, and other than the Performer line it’s the cheapest USA-made Fender. So it’s absolutely engineered to fill a specific price gap within the lineup.
@Luke You’re forgetting the American Original series.
They all have modern radius necks. So none of them. I'll stick with my CS 55 and AVS 57 P. I like my Fenders to play like Fenders. Everyone makes a flat board knock off. They should have never discontinued the American Vintage Series. Why would anyone pay premium price for a guitar with an entry level neck?
Not a single note was played…. 🥲
So they put a vintage style bridge on the Pro II, but then they give it that hideous neck heel? I just don't get it. I don't mind them putting that garbage on an Ultra, but it doesn't belong on the Professionals. It's just ugly.
lmao thats the dealbreaker for you?
@@user-th6rh8zp3t Totally, it's hideous.
Corny commentary. Play the guitars and talk about them.
Sorry you didn't like it Bag Dad. We tend to yammer on about things on our channel and that tends to be the joy we have here with our friends. Have a super day and thanks for tuning in!
No play estos wnes solo hablaron
So you dont know how to play but you review guitars
The best Fender is a Nash 🥴
I tend to agree with you on that, and I’ll add that the best Fender amp is a Victoria.