Last year (February 2021), I bought the American Professional II Stratocaster with the roasted pine body and maple fingerboard for my son's 18th birthday. It was his dream guitar since he saw it on Fender's page. His guitar skills skyrocketed as he just can't put the guitar down. He plays and practices several hours a day. So I guess it was a really good investment. ❤️
I really do think there's something to that phenomena. A truly great guitar that's predictable, stays in tune and has great intonation up and down the fretboard really will cause a lot of musicians to practice a lot more. I bought a Schecter Blackjack a while back and while it's far from the most expensive guitar in the world (around $1300), it's a magnificent guitar. I wouldn't say it's as nice as a $2800 les paul standard, but it's around 95% as nice, does a couple of things better than the les paul, and is just a joy to play. As a consequence, I've practiced far, far more due to that guitar. And btw, you're a damn good dad for investing in your son's musical journey. Kudos, sir.
I played the American professional 2 series and I played the American ultra before I bought either of them and I went with the pro series 2 HHS because it is a much more versatile guitar I don't care what they say in the video he is a wonderful guitar player but I don't see how they can't hear that the pro 2 series is better.
@@exposingthetruth3427 I agree with you. I thought the pro 2 sounded better than the ultra. I have been thinking about buying the ultra, but now I don't know.
@@craigladeroot642I just got back from testing them both for the first time. I thought I'd have to think about it and go back a few times...I got home and bought the pro ii immediately...it's so much better in my opinion.
Just bought the ultra for my son for his 16th birthday.. I realy bought it for my self for when he is at school .. I hope he never moves out ...hee hee
Dude with the hair, sorry don't know your name but that was the best demo I've seen to showcase the Fender Strat sound that I've been looking for. I was about to purchase the ultra but the pro 2 sounds better to me. Thank you so much :)
I agree. I’ve owned 6 or 7 American Strats since the 90s, and the Pro II is the best electric I’ve ever owned. I own a PRS Core Custom 24, which cost more than twice as much. And, I honestly prefer my Pro II strat.
I chose Miami Blue with rosewood AP2. Went SSS almost went HSS. What a guitar!! Liked the Ultra, but loved the color on AP2. Best deal is a Performer or Player with new PUP's if you don't care about American. Going even further a classic vibe Squier is the best bang for buck at half Fender price. I just had to have the Miami Blue and absolutely love it!! Buy whatever floats your boat and love to play. No bad choices!
I bought the metallic "Mystic surf" pro II and upgraded to locking tuners and replaced the white pic guard w a vintage mother of pearl guard and matching back plate. Cant put it down and cant stop looking at it. Just an incredible guitar.
I agree, the noiseless pickups sound great, but sound like they are processed through a studio mixer, whereas the noisy single coils sound more authentic and perhaps more 3 dimentional?
True.. that Strat Nuance.. Only one reason for me of getting a Strat.. is that sounding like a classic Strat... otherwise, there is no other reason.. even the Ultra is more expensive.. it doesn't have that classic Strat clean tone that we go for (well maybe it does.. like 85-90%).
I ran the gamut. I'd been trading several guitars to reduce the fleet and improve the quality of my collection (wife's suggestion). In the process I obtained a Pro II Strat HSS (mercury)and it was wonderful; Then a Pro II Telecaster (mercury) and it was wonderful; then a Pro II Jazzmaster (Dark Night) and it was......wonderful. Then I obtained an Ultra Stratocaster (Mocha Burst) and it was amazingly wonderful...dang these things are something! Well, couldn't stop there, onward to a Jeff Beck Signature Stratocaster (Olympic white) ...yes - wonderful; and for the finale an Eric Clapton "Blackie" signature Stratocaster. Oh man that guitar is a singer with a 25dB boost providing girth and endless sustain. Conclusion: They're all incredibly great guitars and I'm no help. Sure am lucky though!
I am a player of 50 years and have had many strats. Never bonded with one. Had an Ultra for a week and returned it. Was selling a PRS CE 22 and an even trade was offered feta new pro ii. I love it.
Nice playing! The pro 2 is a fantastic guitar. Got a miami blue one with rosewood fingerboard and I love it. Does anyone know what song is played at 10:59? Great song to demo a Strat!
I've been playing guitar since 1990. Even played professionally from 2008 to 2016. I have yet to be able to tell a difference in sound between fretboard woods. If the guitar was built well, it will play and sound well regardless of the wood species. If it was not built well, it will not play or sound well, regardless of the wood species.
Yeah I never got the fuss over wood species and tone. For me I go for the wood type that looks the best and I rely on the pick ups, pre-amp, and post processing to get the tone I need.
i think people just want to sound smart and thats why they say those things... when it comes to electric its really about the magnets, strings, amp and effects
The neck pickups don't persuade me either way; but the bridge position sounds so much better to me on the Ultra than it does on the AmPro II. I was expecting the "noiseless" pickups on the Ultra to leave me cold; but what happened instead was that the bridge pickup on the AmPro II seemed to me to have not just the stereotypical Strat quack, but to actually be really shrill. I just wish the finishes available for the AmPro II were available for the Ultra; because the Dark Night finish for the AmPro II is for me the best finish I've ever seen Fender do.
Lesson 1: How to promote a Stratocaster video: "This is the intro to the part of the video that we want you to get excited about so you watch the rest of the video." (Shows Les Paul)
Love my black ap2. Neck is like a Cadillac and I love the pups. Getting locking tuners is an easy adjustment. Have tech set it up and check the bone nut for any needed fine adjustments.
Very short mention of neck profiles . Most important features Pickups i.e sounds available and playability /comfort or wanting to fight a little with the neck . So many reviews gloss over the neck profile . If I pick up a guitar and I hate the neck I put it down .
Man, I just pulled the trigger on the Plasma Red Ultra strat from Alamo (via Reverb), and I can't *wait* to lay hands on it! It ticks all my boxes - ash body, coll transparent burst, rosewood fretboard, and all the modern features. And that neck - I was able to play one (not the color I wanted) up in Reno, but there aren't any like that plasma burst anywhere in driving distance to me. So, it's my first purchase from Alamo, and I'm so excited to get it! Thanks for all of your great videos, Chris and Cooper!
@@daveowens Well, it's an amazing Strat. I have a 1990 Strat Plus that I've always considered my holy grail strat, but the Am. Ultra in plasma burst, with a gorgeous ash body, rosewood fretboard - man, it's really something else. The rolled edges are incredible, and it sounds fantastic. I'm used to noiseless pickups (my '90 Plus has the gold Lace sensors), so while purists might cringe, I think the new noiseless sound great. There is nothing to dislike about my Ultra. It's another 'lifetime' guitar for me...
I need a strat but I torn. Which would handle better overdrive. I am looking for a strat that handle overdrive well., i.e., AC/DC, Beatles Classic Right, where I can plug into a Fender Twin Reverb, and a Marshall Plexi?
Sounds like you are headed for a Strat HS condig as this would be a better fit for the ac/dc overdrive stuff as Malcom uses SG Gibson with dual humbuckers
Nice! I have a Strat I put together. It has an American maple neck that I got from the F website. It cost just under 800. One of the best necks I have ever played
More magic in the sound of the American Professional II to my ears, but when I played them both in store I have to say the Ultra neck was the clear winner for feel and playability. Maybe I can find some store that will let me take two of them and swap the necks, lol.
It surprises me that the pro II with maple neck sounds warmer than the ultra with rosewood, that's an unffair comparation, and even so the pro II sounds more Straty. I compare the pro II with the ultra, both with rosewood neck, and I bought the pro II it's sound more like a real Strat to my ears.
I don't see $900 difference between the two. I bought the Pro II with rosewood fingerboard and love it, after a few mods and extensive set up to my liking. I hate those noiseless pickups on the ultra or mexican strats. The V Mods are hot. So hot I had to lower the middle and neck almost flush to the body with the treble side a little higher. save $900 and get a decent amp!
I have the Ultra HSS, and even the Hot Noiseless pickups don’t hold a candle to my custom strat with Texas Specials. I also prefer the C vs the compound D. It’s crazy that my ultra spends most of its time in the case. Either way... don’t see myself selling it.
same here, i felt even my Player Strat HSS sounds better... i like everything about my Ultra HSS, specially the Texas Tea finish is just amazing, but the pickups... especially this what they call it "Double Tap" Humbucker, it's just way too warm and compressed for a bridge humbucker, i really want to love this guitar and am still trying hard...
@@owen4255 saaaaaame. Ultra is gorgeous, super playable, but the pickups are just… soft. Weak. My American Texas Fat Strat from ‘99 crushes it on all positions (it IS noisier tho). The Ultras are just too polite. Prolly selling mine.
@@thesmr Or u know u can easily swap in prewired pickguards like with Fat ‘50s pickups or Texas Specials. Best of both worlds, you get the premium neck/body and no dull/dead noiseless pickups.
@@joshL28 Yeah... I could. But I just don't vibe with this guitar as a whole. My TX Fat Strat just works with me better, even though it lacks all the refinements of the Ultra. Live and learn.
I recently bought an American Professional II Stratocaster and loved it in every way except one; sadly, the one problem was a fatal flaw, so I returned the guitar: whenever using the tremolo arm, even moderately, the guitar would return out of tune. Even after the strings were well broke in.
For anyone else reading this, buy some nut lube! Check if your nut has a sharp feel to it and tell the shop you got it from. They’ll fix it in a couple minutes and you’re good to go 90% of the time!
I own the pro 2 HSS and I think it is a more versatile guitar than the ultra and not to mention I think that it sounds better mine is the American version also. Even in this video I think the pro 2 series sounds better
I bought a Tele last year Miami blue, next month I’m buying strat .. I’m still thinking whether to go for SSS or HSS. Does the coil split sound exactly like the single coil out of phase? Secondly,, Does noiseless PUs destroy (suck ) the natural tone compared to the noisy normal PUs? Thanks 🙏🏼
sounds to me the ultra has a more tamed output especially in the lower frequencies. The pro ii is more "boomey" and has heavier lower frequencies. If I were to choose one as a professional I would probably go ultra and then change the pickups according to where I find myself using it. Good value on the ultra considering all the features and I really enjoyed the neck and rolled edges.
The Ultra sounded better to me. It is however ash vs alder, noiseless 4 vs V Mod 2s and rosewood vs maple. I'm trying to say that it's not just the pickups, they really are different guitars.
For those on a budget save money and get a MIM strat. I had a Clapton that now sells for 2500 and sold it and bought a MIM strat. I spent a couple hours fine tuning it and like it more than the Clapton. That being said, if you have the money buy whatever feels good when you play it. I have the money to buy any guitar I desire, my two favorites are a MIM tele I swapped pickups to American Vintage 52's and put in a 5 way switch and the MIM strat that is the same as I bought it. I also believe the more time you put into a guitar and make it yours (kinda like a song you make your own) the pride and ownership feels better than a decked out best hardware from the box 3000 plus guitar.
Currently own a pro II strat HSS. I have some expensive acoustics and a pro II tele as well. Nothing came close to my pro II strat when it comes to 'out-of-the-box-greatness'. It's just flawless in any way and feels like home from the first chord I played. However, am considering getting rid of the tele and strat to get 1 ultra luxe tele or strat because i'd like to keep my amount of guitars minimal. As for the tradition thing: The ability to split the humbucker to get a single coil sounds works good enough
I own the AP2 and, precisely, in Miami Blue. Total lover! Between these two, this is more like Vintage Tone vs Modern (noiseless) Tone. I recognize the advantages of noiseless single coils; but the "original" recipe still wins. American Professional 2 > Ultra
I like am pro II. The pickups is really sing in my ears specially neck pickups. I had try Noiseless 2 times before, it is OK, no complain about it. But there is something that I can not explain when play with V mod II pickups in am pro II.
My buddy and I played the Miami Blue 2 weeks ago when it first arrived at our local GC. It sounds great and plays very well with no scratchy frets on each side. 👍🎸
You mention the traditional Strat versatility, as well as the S1 switch to add the neck pickup into the rear positions to give you that many more tonal choices. Seems like the HSS would be one notch more versatile. So, how about a AmPro II / Ultra HSS-vs-SSS comparison? Demo the coil split humbucker sound compared to the single-coil bridge in the SSS version, what happens to the output balance with the other pickups, straight humbucker bridge tone vs the single-coil. Comparing AmPro II vs Ultra would let you show off the differences in the V-Mod II and the Noiseless Gen 4. (Or I see on Fender's website they have a "Noiseless Hot" and "Noiseless Vintage" now... so many things to compare, Cooper will never get to go home.)
Ha ha and what will the difference be a blob of paint then you will be told by music establishments how much of a game changer it is and why you should upgrade
I agree. AP2 for home and studio. I think these noiseless pickups do sound good though and if you never play completely clean you won’t notice the differences as much.
Which is better? Neither. Each of these signature guitars was made to replicate the "ideal instrument" in the mindset of either Beck or Clapton. As they are both very different players, with different priorities, so are their signature guitars. Best bet is going to a few stores and trying both guitars. That's the only way to a get a true feel of what a guitar really is. Due to all the compression hell RUclips puts on top of every video, a guitar may sound great (or crap) in a video, but completely different in real life. In the end, both are Strats, with the right amp, pedals or audio interface... you can make both guitars sound like a flock of quacking ducks if you that's what you want 😂
Great video and playing. I have a recent bug on the strat again, i find myself gravitating back n forth with this relationship. I purchased that beautiful cherry burst American deluxe strat a few years ago, honestly after 6 months of shows I did not like the ash body tonality. For my ears it was too thin, very bright. I prefer the Alder body tones on the older strats, the resonance is amazing. I ended up selling the Deluxe and a Suhr guitar purchasing a custom Novo Serus j guitar. Unbelievable guitar but that's another topic. My main reason for the ramble, lol, is I hear the strats are going to Pine, which is what my Novo is, I am curious what your take is on that, besides environment an all that jazz.
No choice for lefties as there are no left-handed Ultras (there used to be a left-handed Elite). It would be cool if Fender added Stainless Steel frets and a Ebony fretboard option (while retaining Maple and Rosewood) to the Ultra. That would allow them to add locking tuners as standard to the Professional II while keeping enough spec difference to justify the higher price of the Ultra. I wonder if Fender will offer the Generation 5 noiseless pickups as a stand-alone purchase to allow those with earlier generations of noiseless pickups to upgrade? I wonder what enhancements Fender will make to their Performer and Player lines when they upgrade those?
Just bought the Miami Blue, blond neck. Best Stratocaster I've owned or played .. the pickups are straight up killer" (yeah, im.a Masshole). LOL!!! 😜 🎸 My advice is find the Pro. 2 color and neck configurations you like and buy one,..you'll NOT regret it!!
Can you please do another video where are both guitars have a maple neck and alder body?! In my opinion, I wish that all demos such as this will one day soon compare the same features as far as comparing guitars. Same fretboard and body.🤔
Pro II sounded fatter, warmer. Wish it had the Ultra's locking tuners and neck heel, and the discreet S1 switch instead of the overly tall push-push tone pot on the Pro II.
He literally said that he'd go for the pro II because he already has a jazzmaster ultra but then followed up by saying, if he didn't have that one yet: he'd go strat ultra. And so did the other guy.
Hi guys, nice video! last week I did the same comparison in the guitar shop. I love both guitars. I chose the ultra because of the noiseless pickups and the locking tuners. I also really liked the compound radius neck! Pricedifference was only €100, so the choise wasn’t that hard.
![Noob To Max With DRAGON REWORK In Blox Fruits [FULL MOVIE]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/LnBMOinoOvA/mqdefault.jpg)
Last year (February 2021), I bought the American Professional II Stratocaster with the roasted pine body and maple fingerboard for my son's 18th birthday. It was his dream guitar since he saw it on Fender's page. His guitar skills skyrocketed as he just can't put the guitar down. He plays and practices several hours a day. So I guess it was a really good investment. ❤️
I really do think there's something to that phenomena. A truly great guitar that's predictable, stays in tune and has great intonation up and down the fretboard really will cause a lot of musicians to practice a lot more. I bought a Schecter Blackjack a while back and while it's far from the most expensive guitar in the world (around $1300), it's a magnificent guitar. I wouldn't say it's as nice as a $2800 les paul standard, but it's around 95% as nice, does a couple of things better than the les paul, and is just a joy to play. As a consequence, I've practiced far, far more due to that guitar. And btw, you're a damn good dad for investing in your son's musical journey. Kudos, sir.
I played the American professional 2 series and I played the American ultra before I bought either of them and I went with the pro series 2 HHS because it is a much more versatile guitar I don't care what they say in the video he is a wonderful guitar player but I don't see how they can't hear that the pro 2 series is better.
@@exposingthetruth3427 I agree with you. I thought the pro 2 sounded better than the ultra. I have been thinking about buying the ultra, but now I don't know.
@@craigladeroot642I just got back from testing them both for the first time.
I thought I'd have to think about it and go back a few times...I got home and bought the pro ii immediately...it's so much better in my opinion.
Just bought the ultra for my son for his 16th birthday.. I realy bought it for my self for when he is at school .. I hope he never moves out ...hee hee
sweet
Heck of a gift! Let us know what he gets for his 17th! :p
…dad?
Very cool! I still have my Dean from my 16th birthday - which was in 1982!
Be my dad and buy me one
9:10 Ultra Pos 5 10:55 Pro ii
9:34 Ultra Pos 4 11:22 Pro ii
9:53 Ultra Pos 3 11:42 Pro ii
10:04 Ultra Pos 2 12:02 Pro ii
10:08 Ultra Pos 2 S1 engaged 12:12 pro ii
10:22 Ultra Pos 1 S1 engaged 12:20 pro ii
10:37 Ultra Pos 1 12:31 pro ii
you are welcome.
Thank you!
Dude with the hair, sorry don't know your name but that was the best demo I've seen to showcase the Fender Strat sound that I've been looking for. I was about to purchase the ultra but the pro 2 sounds better to me. Thank you so much :)
The other dude needs the stop interrupting
American Pro II for me. After 37 years of playing I consider it to be the best guitar I've ever owned. Keeper for life.
I agree. I’ve owned 6 or 7 American Strats since the 90s, and the Pro II is the best electric I’ve ever owned. I own a PRS Core Custom 24, which cost more than twice as much. And, I honestly prefer my Pro II strat.
I just bought my 3rd ultra. First was a strat, then the tele, now the Texas tea jazz bass (and I’m not a bassist)
Nice bro.. I got the elite Stratocaster in sky burst ... maple fret .. and I going to this new ultra series.. in hss configuration
I'd consider buying an ultra strat but I'm a lefty🗿
@@Yumemaru. so? There’s lefty models
@@daitosf5537 the lefty models weren't out when I made that comment.
@@Yumemaru. go get ur lefty bro
better be texas tea tho 😵💫
I chose Miami Blue with rosewood AP2. Went SSS almost went HSS. What a guitar!! Liked the Ultra, but loved the color on AP2. Best deal is a Performer or Player with new PUP's if you don't care about American. Going even further a classic vibe Squier is the best bang for buck at half Fender price. I just had to have the Miami Blue and absolutely love it!! Buy whatever floats your boat and love to play. No bad choices!
Nice! Yeah I couldn't afford a GT3 so I went with the Miami Blue strat as well. ;) Love it
Performer is corona USA made I had one
I just bought American Professional II Stratocaster left handed 3 Color Sunburst😊
Pro 2 for me.
Lol
Hell yeah,.I own the Miami Blue with blond neck,..LOVE IT!!!!
I own the PRO2 in Olympic White and I *LOVE* it!! I've been playing it non stop. Crybaby, DS1, RC5, TS9, and the Walrus Slo bring me to another world.
Roger that, brother!
Hmmm....
I think the pickups on the American Professional 2 sound warmer than the Ultra.
I agree, I looked at demos from the Preformer, Pro2, and Ultra. Yet always went back to the pro2.
the PRO 2 is really good on tones, just great
I bought the metallic "Mystic surf" pro II and upgraded to locking tuners and replaced the white pic guard w a vintage mother of pearl guard and matching back plate. Cant put it down and cant stop looking at it. Just an incredible guitar.
I got the American pro ll dark night…for 60 bucks I swapped out the tuners for the fender locking tuners
Had my AMPro2 4 weeks now. Put Fender locking tuners on and now the Dark Night is complete… good enough 😊
Def ! I may get locking tuners as well
Noise less pick ups really take out some of the magic
I agree, the noiseless pickups sound great, but sound like they are processed through a studio mixer, whereas the noisy single coils sound more authentic and perhaps more 3 dimentional?
Couldn’t agree more
True.. that Strat Nuance.. Only one reason for me of getting a Strat.. is that sounding like a classic Strat... otherwise, there is no other reason.. even the Ultra is more expensive.. it doesn't have that classic Strat clean tone that we go for (well maybe it does.. like 85-90%).
@@PinoyMukbangPro agree,i have the texas tea,plan swapping to custom 54 pup
Yup same, all my hero’s did not use noiseless pickups
I ran the gamut. I'd been trading several guitars to reduce the fleet and improve the quality of my collection (wife's suggestion). In the process I obtained a Pro II Strat HSS (mercury)and it was wonderful; Then a Pro II Telecaster (mercury) and it was wonderful; then a Pro II Jazzmaster (Dark Night) and it was......wonderful. Then I obtained an Ultra Stratocaster (Mocha Burst) and it was amazingly wonderful...dang these things are something! Well, couldn't stop there, onward to a Jeff Beck Signature Stratocaster (Olympic white) ...yes - wonderful; and for the finale an Eric Clapton "Blackie" signature Stratocaster. Oh man that guitar is a singer with a 25dB boost providing girth and endless sustain.
Conclusion: They're all incredibly great guitars and I'm no help. Sure am lucky though!
I am a player of 50 years and have had many strats. Never bonded with one. Had an Ultra for a week and returned it. Was selling a PRS CE 22 and an even trade was offered feta new pro ii. I love it.
Nice playing! The pro 2 is a fantastic guitar. Got a miami blue one with rosewood fingerboard and I love it. Does anyone know what song is played at 10:59? Great song to demo a Strat!
I love the color of the ultra 👀
Your videos are always great and tell me exactly what I’m trying to learn!
I have many strats (American original, Malmsteen sign, US Std), and the Ultra is my latest add. It rises up the bar for sure, amazing guitar
Do you know Gianni Vecchio
I've been playing guitar since 1990. Even played professionally from 2008 to 2016. I have yet to be able to tell a difference in sound between fretboard woods. If the guitar was built well, it will play and sound well regardless of the wood species. If it was not built well, it will not play or sound well, regardless of the wood species.
Yeah I never got the fuss over wood species and tone. For me I go for the wood type that looks the best and I rely on the pick ups, pre-amp, and post processing to get the tone I need.
Dead right
Bang on
i think people just want to sound smart and thats why they say those things... when it comes to electric its really about the magnets, strings, amp and effects
Agreed! So little of the fretboard wood surface is in the equation when fretting. The feel of the fretboard wood is, to me, more important.
The neck pickups don't persuade me either way; but the bridge position sounds so much better to me on the Ultra than it does on the AmPro II. I was expecting the "noiseless" pickups on the Ultra to leave me cold; but what happened instead was that the bridge pickup on the AmPro II seemed to me to have not just the stereotypical Strat quack, but to actually be really shrill. I just wish the finishes available for the AmPro II were available for the Ultra; because the Dark Night finish for the AmPro II is for me the best finish I've ever seen Fender do.
i agree but also sometimes the maple board vs rosewood can affect sound a bit in my experience
Lesson 1: How to promote a Stratocaster video:
"This is the intro to the part of the video that we want you to get excited about so you watch the rest of the video."
(Shows Les Paul)
The pro sounds less compressed and much better than the ultra, I was surprised !
That’s because noiseless single coils suck. Takes the life right out of them.
I prefer the sound of the Pro ll pickups over the Ultra’s noiseless.
Same !
Same
Love my black ap2.
Neck is like a Cadillac and I love the pups.
Getting locking tuners is an easy adjustment.
Have tech set it up and check the bone nut for any needed fine adjustments.
They both look and sound great. The American Ultra sounds better to me. Thanks for the gas 😂
Me too
One pro 2 in miami blue with rosewood neck coming up! Thanks guys!🎸🎶
Very short mention of neck profiles . Most important features Pickups i.e sounds available and playability /comfort or wanting to fight a little with the neck . So many reviews gloss over the neck profile . If I pick up a guitar and I hate the neck I put it down .
I tried a pro ii vs a sg gibson and the pro ii blew it out of the park. Great sound and playability
i just bought the American pro 2 in roasted pine and love it
Same ! Love love this guitar 🎸
Miami Blue,.. blond neck,.it's simply incredible!!!!
Man, I just pulled the trigger on the Plasma Red Ultra strat from Alamo (via Reverb), and I can't *wait* to lay hands on it! It ticks all my boxes - ash body, coll transparent burst, rosewood fretboard, and all the modern features. And that neck - I was able to play one (not the color I wanted) up in Reno, but there aren't any like that plasma burst anywhere in driving distance to me. So, it's my first purchase from Alamo, and I'm so excited to get it! Thanks for all of your great videos, Chris and Cooper!
How do you like it?
not the same fingerboard = useless demo
@@daveowens Well, it's an amazing Strat. I have a 1990 Strat Plus that I've always considered my holy grail strat, but the Am. Ultra in plasma burst, with a gorgeous ash body, rosewood fretboard - man, it's really something else. The rolled edges are incredible, and it sounds fantastic. I'm used to noiseless pickups (my '90 Plus has the gold Lace sensors), so while purists might cringe, I think the new noiseless sound great. There is nothing to dislike about my Ultra. It's another 'lifetime' guitar for me...
@@joegriego9805any more updates? Do you still have your ultra?
Ultra feels better, Pro sounds better. So get an Ultra and put new pickups in.
Exactly what I was thinking
I need a strat but I torn. Which would handle better overdrive. I am looking for a strat that handle overdrive well., i.e., AC/DC, Beatles Classic Right, where I can plug into a Fender Twin Reverb, and a Marshall Plexi?
Sounds like you are headed for a Strat HS condig as this would be a better fit for the ac/dc overdrive stuff as Malcom uses SG Gibson with dual humbuckers
Chris is great by himself, but together with Cooper the videos are a bit extra special. They're an excellent duo!
Nice! I have a Strat I put together. It has an American maple neck that I got from the F website. It cost just under 800. One of the best necks I have ever played
More magic in the sound of the American Professional II to my ears, but when I played them both in store I have to say the Ultra neck was the clear winner for feel and playability. Maybe I can find some store that will let me take two of them and swap the necks, lol.
I have an Ultra Tele and Pro II Strat. The Strat bugs me because they nailed the sound. Magical. Those pickups are voiced perfectly.
It surprises me that the pro II with maple neck sounds warmer than the ultra with rosewood, that's an unffair comparation, and even so the pro II sounds more Straty. I compare the pro II with the ultra, both with rosewood neck, and I bought the pro II it's sound more like a real Strat to my ears.
i'm sold on the American Pro II. It's enough. But, i do like them both. Thanks
that v-mod ii pickups are fantastic!!!
I like the sound of the American Pro 2 more
I love the ultra specs and I love the player plus specs the problem is I just don't like sender noises pickups they take away a lot of the punch
I don't see $900 difference between the two. I bought the Pro II with rosewood fingerboard and love it, after a few mods and extensive set up to my liking. I hate those noiseless pickups on the ultra or mexican strats. The V Mods are hot. So hot I had to lower the middle and neck almost flush to the body with the treble side a little higher. save $900 and get a decent amp!
Love the Ultra. (maybe cause I have one????) No bias here. :)
Hows the neck feel?
I have the Ultra HSS, and even the Hot Noiseless pickups don’t hold a candle to my custom strat with Texas Specials. I also prefer the C vs the compound D. It’s crazy that my ultra spends most of its time in the case. Either way... don’t see myself selling it.
same here, i felt even my Player Strat HSS sounds better... i like everything about my Ultra HSS, specially the Texas Tea finish is just amazing, but the pickups... especially this what they call it "Double Tap" Humbucker, it's just way too warm and compressed for a bridge humbucker, i really want to love this guitar and am still trying hard...
@@owen4255 saaaaaame. Ultra is gorgeous, super playable, but the pickups are just… soft. Weak. My American Texas Fat Strat from ‘99 crushes it on all positions (it IS noisier tho). The Ultras are just too polite. Prolly selling mine.
@@thesmr Or u know u can easily swap in prewired pickguards like with Fat ‘50s pickups or Texas Specials. Best of both worlds, you get the premium neck/body and no dull/dead noiseless pickups.
@@joshL28 Yeah... I could. But I just don't vibe with this guitar as a whole. My TX Fat Strat just works with me better, even though it lacks all the refinements of the Ultra. Live and learn.
I recently bought an American Professional II Stratocaster and loved it in every way except one; sadly, the one problem was a fatal flaw, so I returned the guitar: whenever using the tremolo arm, even moderately, the guitar would return out of tune. Even after the strings were well broke in.
I bought a performer strat with the same issue, I returned it for another one exact same colour etc and it’s been fine :)
For anyone else reading this, buy some nut lube! Check if your nut has a sharp feel to it and tell the shop you got it from. They’ll fix it in a couple minutes and you’re good to go 90% of the time!
Almost always a set up issue..
I own the pro 2 HSS and I think it is a more versatile guitar than the ultra and not to mention I think that it sounds better mine is the American version also. Even in this video I think the pro 2 series sounds better
I bought a Tele last year Miami blue, next month I’m buying strat .. I’m still thinking whether to go for SSS or HSS.
Does the coil split sound exactly like the single coil out of phase?
Secondly,, Does noiseless PUs destroy (suck ) the natural tone compared to the noisy normal PUs?
Thanks 🙏🏼
i own the ultra Absolutely killed guitar
I have both guitars, I love them both.
lol
Noiseless pickups suck! I chose an AP2 and grabbed a set of locking Fender tuners that just dropped in. And, it is now perfect.
The push-push knob in Pro II puts the neck pickup in series or parallel with other 2?
it does. you can do bridge, neck and bridge, mid and neck lmao
For Fender strat, which one is more iconic, HSS pickup or SSS pickup? And what kind of wood most signature for strat? Thanks.
1. SSS is known for classic set-up/standard for strat
2. Alder on body & maple neck for sure
Are pickups have hum cancellation?
I was not prepared for that ending.
sounds to me the ultra has a more tamed output especially in the lower frequencies. The pro ii is more "boomey" and has heavier lower frequencies. If I were to choose one as a professional I would probably go ultra and then change the pickups according to where I find myself using it. Good value on the ultra considering all the features and I really enjoyed the neck and rolled edges.
Ultra sounds very well. I’m just a bit sad because besides different guitar models, the comparison has involved rosewood against maple!
The Ultra sounded better to me. It is however ash vs alder, noiseless 4 vs V Mod 2s and rosewood vs maple. I'm trying to say that it's not just the pickups, they really are different guitars.
10000000 percent....it would have been great to see both alder maple....etc
For those on a budget save money and get a MIM strat. I had a Clapton that now sells for 2500 and sold it and bought a MIM strat. I spent a couple hours fine tuning it and like it more than the Clapton. That being said, if you have the money buy whatever feels good when you play it. I have the money to buy any guitar I desire, my two favorites are a MIM tele I swapped pickups to American Vintage 52's and put in a 5 way switch and the MIM strat that is the same as I bought it. I also believe the more time you put into a guitar and make it yours (kinda like a song you make your own) the pride and ownership feels better than a decked out best hardware from the box 3000 plus guitar.
Stopped the video. Now I'm going to play my guitar! Good advice;)
No, now you're commenting on RUclips Videos...
That intro had me laughing so hard😂
Loved it.
as a Les Paul owner the idea of an HSS Strat excites me.. I know it’s not traditional but I’d take versatility over tradition.
Currently own a pro II strat HSS. I have some expensive acoustics and a pro II tele as well. Nothing came close to my pro II strat when it comes to 'out-of-the-box-greatness'. It's just flawless in any way and feels like home from the first chord I played. However, am considering getting rid of the tele and strat to get 1 ultra luxe tele or strat because i'd like to keep my amount of guitars minimal. As for the tradition thing: The ability to split the humbucker to get a single coil sounds works good enough
I own the AP2 and, precisely, in Miami Blue. Total lover! Between these two, this is more like Vintage Tone vs Modern (noiseless) Tone. I recognize the advantages of noiseless single coils; but the "original" recipe still wins. American Professional 2 > Ultra
I thought that AP2 sounded great.
Been considering an AM2 with the solid rosewood neck. Love the feel of that neck...
I like am pro II. The pickups is really sing in my ears specially neck pickups. I had try Noiseless 2 times before, it is OK, no complain about it. But there is something that I can not explain when play with V mod II pickups in am pro II.
My buddy and I played the Miami Blue 2 weeks ago when it first arrived at our local GC. It sounds great and plays very well with no scratchy frets on each side. 👍🎸
It's actually Porsche Miami Blue. Thought that pretty cool!
Porsche does the Macan in Miami blue also up until 2022
The center pick up looks damaged on a "new" guitar? Quality control check before shipping to customer?? i love the finish and the pick guard
Most likely what you're seeing are the protective plastics that are still on the pick ups?
I lived in a very old building where single coils had massive hum. The Pro II had almost no hum at all. For some reason, it's almost noiseless.
Which amp is that - the Princeton Reverb?
GET BOTH....
Anyone got the specs of the Gen 5 noiseless pups? Output and magnets used?
You mention the traditional Strat versatility, as well as the S1 switch to add the neck pickup into the rear positions to give you that many more tonal choices. Seems like the HSS would be one notch more versatile. So, how about a AmPro II / Ultra HSS-vs-SSS comparison? Demo the coil split humbucker sound compared to the single-coil bridge in the SSS version, what happens to the output balance with the other pickups, straight humbucker bridge tone vs the single-coil. Comparing AmPro II vs Ultra would let you show off the differences in the V-Mod II and the Noiseless Gen 4. (Or I see on Fender's website they have a "Noiseless Hot" and "Noiseless Vintage" now... so many things to compare, Cooper will never get to go home.)
We plan to do that comparison when an HSS finally arrives.
I'll look forward to it!
Thoughts on time frame of the next update to the Ultra?
Ha ha and what will the difference be a blob of paint then you will be told by music establishments how much of a game changer it is and why you should upgrade
Gotta say, the AP2 wins it. Probably due to the pickups being noiseless in the Ultra.
I agree. AP2 for home and studio. I think these noiseless pickups do sound good though and if you never play completely clean you won’t notice the differences as much.
Agree
I was considering getting a Jeff Beck, or Clapton ed... Which is better?
Which is better? Neither.
Each of these signature guitars was made to replicate the "ideal instrument" in the mindset of either Beck or Clapton. As they are both very different players, with different priorities, so are their signature guitars.
Best bet is going to a few stores and trying both guitars. That's the only way to a get a true feel of what a guitar really is. Due to all the compression hell RUclips puts on top of every video, a guitar may sound great (or crap) in a video, but completely different in real life.
In the end, both are Strats, with the right amp, pedals or audio interface... you can make both guitars sound like a flock of quacking ducks if you that's what you want 😂
What about the locking tuning pegs, or lack thereof? $1,499++
My favorite is definitely the Ultra. The sound is better.
honestly i like the v mods better bc they have a fuller sound
@@csweat4450 yes but no strat tones there....its a hot guitar the pickups are modern and full
@@soofitnsexy I have an Ultra and the vintage noiseless definitely aren't hot pickups. I really like them... clean, articulate, and well balanced :)
@@soofitnsexy can you explain your thinks about this ?
@@estructure8220 about what???
So the Miami blue pro doesn’t have noise canceling pickups ?
Correct! V-mod II pickups that aren't noiseless. They're great!
Anyone with ideas for nice sweetspot pickup height for the pro II?
Thank you for these amazing and useful videos. You are really really good at this job. Congrutilations to great team.
Is it ok to have 2 strats?
Yes, or 5, or 10 ;)
Great video and playing. I have a recent bug on the strat again, i find myself gravitating back n forth with this relationship. I purchased that beautiful cherry burst American deluxe strat a few years ago, honestly after 6 months of shows I did not like the ash body tonality. For my ears it was too thin, very bright. I prefer the Alder body tones on the older strats, the resonance is amazing. I ended up selling the Deluxe and a Suhr guitar purchasing a custom Novo Serus j guitar. Unbelievable guitar but that's another topic. My main reason for the ramble, lol, is I hear the strats are going to Pine, which is what my Novo is, I am curious what your take is on that, besides environment an all that jazz.
Local shop has them both on sale difference in price is just $100. Considering
No choice for lefties as there are no left-handed Ultras (there used to be a left-handed Elite). It would be cool if Fender added Stainless Steel frets and a Ebony fretboard option (while retaining Maple and Rosewood) to the Ultra. That would allow them to add locking tuners as standard to the Professional II while keeping enough spec difference to justify the higher price of the Ultra. I wonder if Fender will offer the Generation 5 noiseless pickups as a stand-alone purchase to allow those with earlier generations of noiseless pickups to upgrade? I wonder what enhancements Fender will make to their Performer and Player lines when they upgrade those?
I'm a lefty as well and I'm pretty sure Fender sells those pickups on their website.
Update - lefty Ultras are now available, thanks Fender.
Just bought the Miami Blue, blond neck.
Best Stratocaster I've owned or played .. the pickups are straight up killer" (yeah, im.a Masshole). LOL!!! 😜 🎸
My advice is find the Pro. 2 color and neck configurations you like and buy one,..you'll NOT regret it!!
Can you please do another video where are both guitars have a maple neck and alder body?!
In my opinion, I wish that all demos such as this will one day soon compare the same features as far as comparing guitars. Same fretboard and body.🤔
That was the best intro I've seen, ever.
Brilliant review 👍
What amp is that
American Pro 2 pick ups for me but the locking tuners and that thin Ultra neck heel is nice!!
I chose the American Pro 2, and then bought some Fender locking tuners that are a drop-in replacement. It is now the best guitar I’ve ever owned.
Pro II sounded fatter, warmer. Wish it had the Ultra's locking tuners and neck heel, and the discreet S1 switch instead of the overly tall push-push tone pot on the Pro II.
I never played a strat but im leaning more towards the HSS pro 2 , since i dont see huge differences to justify they price increase
Can you Review Fender American Ultra HSS Stratocaster Plasma Red Burst ?
I am curious if you would both choose the Ultra first (if you didn't have anything else already) for the Telecaster as well. What say ye?
I mean the ultra telecasters are bound and have the body contours I’ll be adding one to my collection within the next year for sure!
He literally said that he'd go for the pro II because he already has a jazzmaster ultra but then followed up by saying, if he didn't have that one yet: he'd go strat ultra. And so did the other guy.
The v-mod ii are speaking to me!
I think I need both of them.
Hi guys, nice video! last week I did the same comparison in the guitar shop. I love both guitars. I chose the ultra because of the noiseless pickups and the locking tuners. I also really liked the compound radius neck! Pricedifference was only €100, so the choise wasn’t that hard.
Which is better for Neo Soul/RnB?
They both work. Think of them as having features that deviate from a classic strat. The ultra deviates more