Read the review: [ Ссылка ]

Strat traditions aren’t merely deep—they’re also wide. It wasn’t long after the instrument’s 1954 debut before players started tinkering with Leo’s original recipe, and the model’s evolution in the decades since has often been dramatic. These days, the Stratocaster line is like a family tree that can be charted on a vintage/modern graph, with near-exact vintage replicas such as the Fender American Vintage line at one end of the spectrum and humbucker-equipped hotrods at the other.

If a historically accurate American Vintage Strat rated a 9.5 on this imaginary spectrum, the new American Professional Strat would get about a 7.5. At $1,399, the Professional’s price is about average for a U.S.-made Fender Strat—costlier than the American Standard (which the Professional replaces) and American Special instruments, but not as expensive as high-end American Elite and American Vintage models.

The Professional certainly feels like an old-school Strat. If you’re a veteran Strat player, chances are someone could hand you a Professional for the first time just as you stepped onstage, and you could play all night with barely a second thought, except perhaps to admire the quality and consistency of the guitar’s workmanship.

This build is excellent. The narrow/tall frets are perfectly installed, with smoothly rounded ends and a fast, sleek feel. The neck employs Fender’s “deep C” profile, which feels svelte where the neck edges meet the fretboard, but with substantial mass filling your palm. The modern “sonic gray” finish has a subtle blue-green tint and a chic industrial look. The gloss finish polyurethane is mirror-perfect. The rear of the neck wears a thin matte finish.

Continue reading the review: [ Ссылка ]

свернуть