Fender American Professional Classic vs. American Professional II

Introducing Fender American Professional Classic

Within the guitar community, there has always been a divide between players, some continuously striving for innovation and development, while others are firmly grounded in the roots of tradition.

Arguably, the biggest innovation and change to the 6-string guitar is the near-instant success of the Fender Telecaster in 1950. The first commercially available solid-body electric guitar. But even after this gargantuan change to guitar, music and even society following this invention, Fender has always had to maintain the balance of keeping one eye pressed forward while the other firmly back.

For many, finding the perfect middle ground between new and old has always been the objective with electric guitar design. Like fashion, art and automotives, most people, new and old, have a particular soft spot for these old and ‘retro’ designs as well as a deep appreciation for the unmistakable tone and vibe that they offer. It is, however, commonly accepted that change does happen for a reason, and there is a solid and just argument that guitars have actually never felt or performed better than they do today. The sleek ergonomic neck profiles and fingerboard radius provide unquestionably better access up and down the fingerboard, as well as offering a more supportive and performance-focused feel. It’s actually more common than most people think to find vintage guitars, which have at some point been modified in their many years of service to provide a more modern and versatile playing experience. From the introduction of 5-way switches to even having the fingerboard sanded down to a more usable 9.5” radius. It’s also more common than people may think to find very modern guitars, including modern Fenders, which have been modified after purchase to provide a more retro look and sound. From vintage-styled hardware and pickups all the way to full-on vintage-inspired paint jobs. This hybrid fusion between vintage and modern has, for a long time, been one of the biggest selling points of many of the instruments to come out of the famed Fender Custom Shop.

Fusing classic looks with modern playability, the Fender American Professional Classic series is the perfect choice for those seeking classic tone and styling partnered with the high-functioning playability of modern instruments. Perfect for technical playing and providing unmatched versatility. The vintage-inspired, higher-output Coastline pickups provide vintage tones with even more flexibility and the stunning classic and faded finishes offer the quintessential retro Fender look. Partnered with a modern C-shaped neck, finished in satin and paired with a fast-feeling 9.5” radius and medium jumbo frets, the American Pro Classic feels effortless.

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Key Features

• Vintage style hardware with staggard tuners (guitars only)
• Fender Coastline pickups
• Vintage-inspired colours
• Greasbucket Tone System
• Satin finished, Modern C neck with 9.5” radius

Fender Coastline Pickups

For years, Fender’s Pure Vintage pickups have paved the way for authentic vintage Fender tone. Since 2014, these painfully accurate recreations have put the genuine tone and vibe of Fender’s golden era back into the hands of players via the American Vintage and Vintage II series, as well as the Ultra Luxe Vintage range. Although regarded as the ultimate pickup choice for vintage purists, many, however, have requested a fusion pickup from Fender that offers the same tone, vibe and dynamics as the vintage recreations, but with just a little bit more.

Introducing Fender Coastline pickups… Based on the Pure Vintage designs, these pickups are slightly overwound to deliver a more enhanced, higher defined tone that just pushes your rig a little bit further. It’s the perfect choice for those seeking the clarity, volume and punch found in modern pickup sets but who still want the sound and dynamics of the original.

Fender American Professional Classic Stratocaster

The Fender American Professional Classic Stratocaster is offered with either Maple and Rosewood fingerboards and in a classic SSS as well as a more contemporary HSS variant. On both the SSS and HSS models, the single-coil pickups are Fender’s Coastline ’57 Stratocaster pickups, providing the quintessential glassy Strat tone that put these double-cut workhorses on the map. The HSS version comes with a Coastline Humbucker in the bridge offering an articulate and clear humbucking option that excels at high-gain.

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Fender American Professional Classic Telecaster

Like the Strat, the Fender American Professional Classic Telecaster is offered with 2 pickup configurations. Option 1 is the traditional SS configuration featuring a duo of Fender Coastline ’63 Telecaster pickups. These pickups provide the perfect Tele twang full of uncompromised articulation and singing sustain. The 2^nd pickup configuration is a HotShot Tele, which has a ’57 Strat pickup in the middle position as well as a S Style-inspired 5-way pickup selector switch. This allows you to not only get the classic T Style bridge and neck pickup sounds but also something very similar to the in-between position sounds that helped make Strats famous.

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Fender American Professional Classic Jaguar

The American Professional Classic Jaguar features a duo of Fender Coastline ’65 Jaguar pickups for the unmistakable jangle that helped define surf in the ‘60s. Staying true to the originals, this Jag also features an on/off ‘Strangle Circuit’ located on the upper horn, which provides a low-end cut for an even more cutting tone.

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Fender American Professional Classic Jazzmaster

With its instantly recognisable offset body and duo of Coastline ’65 Jazzmaster pickups, the Fender American Professional Classic Jazzmaster perfectly demonstrates why these guitars are regarded as a cult-classic. Featuring a look and sound that helped shape alternative culture, this offset workhorse is built for expression thanks to its seamless floating Jazzmaster bridge and chimey pickups.

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Fender American Professional Classic Precision Bass

The Fender American Professional Classic Precision Bass is the perfect modern, vintage-inspired tribute to the bass that started it all… the Fender Precision Bass. Featuring a ’60s-inspired Fender Coastline ‘60s P-Bass pickup, this bass roars with thunderous low end and brilliant high-end clarity.

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Fender American Professional Classic Jazz Bass

Featuring a duo of Fender Coastline ’62 Jazz Bass pickups, the Fender American Professional Classic Jazz Bass provides the famed midrange growl that put J-Basses on the map but turned up to 11.

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Fender American Professional Classic Mustang Bass

The Fender American Professional Classic Mustang features a ’70s-inspired, split coil Costline ‘70s Mustang bass pickup, which helps to provide the classic punchy mids and highs that are found in the retro-looking originals but with even more wallop. Its short-scale design makes this bass for perfect option for a guitarist seeking a low-end companion that feels around the same size as a typical electric guitar. Its string-through body design ensures powerful and resonant lows, even with its shorter scale length.

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Fender American Professional Classic Side-by-Side Comparison

Fender American Professional Classic vs. Fender American Professional II

Designed with the wants and needs of modern players, the Fender American Professional II models feature Fender’s V-Mod II pickups, providing iconic Fender tones but enhanced to offer a fuller frequency response. This enables them to excel at more contemporary genres and playing styles and work seamlessly with the latest rigs. They have an ergonomic feeling Deep C neck profile with 9.5” and Narrow Tall frets, and also feature a specially sculpted neck heel for effortless playability all the way up the fingerboard. The hardware has been designed with comfort and stability in mind, and the range is offered in a vast array of updated colours.

In a similar vein, the American Pro Classic guitars and basses feature a Modern C neck profile for a modern and ergonomic playing experience. In contrast, however, the American Pro Classic range comes equipped with Fender’s Coastline pickups, providing a higher output vintage voice that is designed to bridge the gap between modern and traditional. They also feature vintage-styled hardware and are finished in a selection of more vintage-inspired colours.

Fender American Professional Classic vs. Fender American Ultra Luxe Vintage

Launched in 2025, the Fender American Ultra Luxe Vintage range is an alternative solution to basically the same problem, however, done in a slighter higher spec’d way. Again, perfectly fusing vintage with modern, the Ultra Luxe Vintage series features their acclaimed Pure Vintage pickups as well as stunning, vintage-accurate nitrocellulose lacquer finishes, sympathetically aged in their Heirloom relic styling. Unlike the American Pro Classic models, the Ultra Luxe Vintage comes equipped with modern hardware with locking tuners for pinpoint accuracy, and each model features Fender’s enhanced ‘Ultra’ contours and neck heel recess. The neck is also carved to a Modern D profile with a compound radius for even more ergonomic enrichment.

Fender American Professional Classic vs. Fender American Vintage II

Built for the purists, the Fender American Vintage II series is Fender’s most faithful vintage-accurate recreation of some of their most desirable and well-loved designs from their famed ‘golden era’. Other than the inclusion of a convenient 5-way pickup selector on the Strat models, these guitars and basses are as near an exact replica as Fender USA can get. Featuring all era-correct pickups, hardware and components and built using vintage accurate woods and finishes with exact contours and neck profiles, these instruments are for those who swear that Leo got things right the very first time!

Although it’s hard to argue that many of the best and most sought-after guitar tones come from vintage or at least vintage-styled instruments, there is no denying that this style of instruments can sometimes fall short regarding performance-focused playing styles. The vintage neck profiles can feel large and clunky, and the 7.25” fingerboard radius is prone to choking out with bigger bends. The Fender American Professional Classic series negates these issues by offering a classic-sounding and looking instrument with the addition of a performance-ready modern neck.

Conclusion

Taking place as Fender’s entry point into their prestigious American-made line-up, the Fender American Professional Classic ticks a lot of boxes. In my opinion, their combination of classic looks, authentic tone and modern playability in conjunction with their accessible (compared to other American-made instruments) price point truly makes this range stand out as a perfect vintage-inspired, versatile, high-performance workhorse.

Playing them, there is an overall feeling of reliability and stability, just like I find whenever I pick up an American-made Fender. I love how the neck feels, especially due to its satin finish and I really think that Fender has nailed it with the Coastline pickups. They sound like a real Fender should and manage to rise perfectly to every situation thrown at them, no matter how much tone alteration I throw at them with gain and effects.

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FAQ

Where are Fender American Professional guitars and basses made?

The Fender American Professional Classic Series is proudly made in Corona, California, in the same factory that makes the American Performer, American Professional II, American Ultra II, American Ultra Luxe Vintage and American Vintage II ranges.

Does the Fender American Professional Classic series come with a case?

Yes, they come with a Fender Deluxe Gig bag case offering superior protection at home or on the road.

Want to know more?

• The Leo Fender Legacy, Part 1: Fender Guitars
• Ultimate Guide to Fender Electric Guitars
• Fender American Ultra Luxe Vintage – Is Vintage the New Modern?
• Nitro vs. Poly – Which Guitar Finish Is Better?
• Why You Should Buy a Custom Shop Guitar