The Guitar Thread

Hx Stomp + 8 strings, impro with OT.

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Ah yes indeed. Captor X has IR?

Yeah, it’s the new one that came out with IRs

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Fender announced a new series of models several times a year. This time it’s the American Professional II. I’m intrigued by the Strat. It has the Push-Push knob for activating the neck pickup in positions 1 and 2, updated tremolo block, and rolled fingerboard edges.

https://shop.fender.com/en-US/electric-guitars/stratocaster/american-professional-ii-stratocaster/0113902719.html

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They do look nice and the V-mod pickups seem good. Not sure about all of the new colours (though I do like the Mercury finish) but happy to see them do something a little different.

Speaking of the constant stream of new Fender models (and there have been so many this year), I bought one of the limited Japanese-made models, the korina offset Tele. Basically I’ve been loving the sound of the P90s in the Yamaha Revstar I bought but whenever I switch back to my 50s-style Tele I find that I prefer the neck, the radius, scale length, frets etc. I think it’s just because I’ve always played Strats and Teles. The Revstar is a fantastic guitar and super easy to play, it just still doesn’t feel as natural for me, I guess.

So when that model popped up, with a korina body & neck (similar tone to mahogany apparently), Jazzmaster body, big chunky tele U neck, rosewood board and P90s… it looked like the ideal combination of characteristics. Plus I think it looks great with the all-over stain (not my pics). Very happy I went for it, it’s lovely.

Undecided on what to do with the Revstar, there’s not a thing wrong with it, it sounds and plays great. May sell, may keep… it’s just a little redundant now. Almost wish I had one of the HH models instead for a more all-out Gibson style option. But then… maybe I’d just end up preferring a HH Tele or Strat… :upside_down_face:

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The offset Teles look great and reviews generally look positive.

As for the Am. Pro II Strats, I like the Miami Blue color the best, followed by the Surf Green, though this variation has more sparkle than I like compared to classic Surf Green. I love my Eric Johnson Thinline Strat but with the unusual design features (decked bridge - so the whammy has very limited range, semi-hollow body, neck shape, etc) I kind of have GAS for a solidbody Strat with a more usable whammy bar. I could remove a couple of springs to un-deck the bridge on the Thinline, but i feel that would mess with the unique character that it has as a semi-hollow Strat.

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I really like the surreal glitchiness of this. Sounds awesome and dreamy

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Just got an upgrade to the Telecaster loving the sound more than my SG

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Player Series, right? Looks good. And (importantly) matches the Blofeld.

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Yeah it’s the player series… I’m all about the aesthetics

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Love this advert. Now I want both an Am. Pro II Strat and a Jazzmaster, lol. Both Miami Blue of course.

Probably get the Jazzmaster first. That’s the one type of guitar missing from my stable. I associated it with being a hipster, which in retrospect was a silly attitude to have.

I also like this shoegazey demo. The kids seem to like that color

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It’s a shame they’re not nitro finishes because that “dark night” colour would look amazing with some genuine (non relic‘d) patina.

That’s the main reason why I would love an American Original 60s JM in ocean turquoise - also they’re the same price.

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As much as I love my Fender, I honestly think I’ll buy a G&L next time I shuffle things up.

I don’t care much about the headstock says on it, and it seems like some of their models like the ASAT and Doheny give me everything I need in the body shapes that I want.

When I was last shopping I was torn between picking up a Fender Strat or Jazzmaster. Ultimately went with the strat because I like the trem system more and I use trem a lot.

At the time I barely gave G&L a passing glance because I was a little too obsessed with having that “Fender” name, but in retrospect it seems like the shit G&L is putting out checks all the boxes that people have been modding or buying “parallel universe” models for anyway.

Anyway, had I spent more time thinking about it, I’d probably own a Doheny instead of a Strat today, and assuming nothing changes majorly between now and a few years down the line, very possible I’ll choose one then.

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Ha, yeah G&L is the actual Parallel Universe.

ASAT with the MFD pickups looks like a great guitar. Also I don’t currently have an electric bass and their short scale ones look neat.

In my country the American Original 60s JM is about $400 more than the American Professional II JM.

This JM has nitro and is reportedly new but I can’t find it on the Fender site. Priced quite a bit lower than the Original 60s.
https://www.altomusic.com/fender-60-s-jazzmaster-nitro-lacquer-finish-surf-green-guitar-0141210757-c01#

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I can see they’re a bit more expensive on the Fender site but they’re the same price at Andertons here in the UK, both £1599 - though that’s probably just because the American Professional II range is brand new.

They do offer some cheaper nitro finished guitars, eg the Road Worn series (but those are relic’d, unfortunately). It’s not the be all and end all (I wouldn’t let a urethane/poly finish stop me from buying a guitar I liked the look of), it’s just a nice to have.

I think that one you posted is a discontinued Mexican-made model circa 2015:

Maybe Fender raised the prices in the US. UK gets a discount because Fender higher-ups have lots of love for UK shoegazers :kissing_heart:

https://reverb.com/marketplace?query=fender%20american%20original%2060s%20jazzmaster

Haha, well, I am biased in that direction myself. Love MBV, early Lush etc.

Looking at the UK RRP/MSRP on the Fender site the American Professional II is £100 less than the Original 60s (£1649 vs £1749).

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Anyone have experience with humidifiers? Since I’ve moved my acoustic gets awful buzzy around this time till spring. Almost unplayable.

My CAR Am Pro Jazzmaster is for sale!
Loving the Mercury AmPro II

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