THE ASH PROBLEM
In April 2020 Justin Norvell, Executive Vice President of Fender Products, revealed in an exclusive interview with Amit Sharm, Guitar World, that Fender would no longer use ash bodies for production-line guitars, but only in selected and historically appropriate vintage models.
Norvell explained that the decision came in the wake of the ash tree destruction caused by the Emerald Ash Borer, an invasive beetle native to Asia that spread down from Canada and was highly destructive to the North American ash tree. Unfortunately, the attempts at curbing the beetle’s impact were largely unsuccessful. Although FMIC usually used the lighter, more porous swamp ash grown in the south of the USA, the spread of the beetle had been fast. Moreover, the increased flooding of the Mississippi Delta, where Fender got most of its swamp ash wood, caused a near-total elimination of ash lumber from the market. Swamp ash was harvested from trees that had been soaked in flood waters and taken when they recede. But climate change affected the ability to reach it. 2019 saw record-setting floods, which caused the swamp ash harvesting grounds to remain underwater for most of the year.
As a result, Fender, as of March 27th stopped supplying dealers with certain ash models such as the American Professional Stratocaster, Telecaster and Jazz Bass.
This marked the beginning of a new chapter at Fender. Alder continued to be Fender's principal tone wood. Along with maple it was a fast growing and fast-replenishing wood. But the possibility of adding new woods like pine, sassafras or Western cedar was also on the horizon. FMIC also started looking at little heavier ash and working on different chambering techniques that would allow it not to be 12 or 13 pounds, as Fender actually did with the new US Kenny Wayne Shepherd strat.
Norvell explained that the decision came in the wake of the ash tree destruction caused by the Emerald Ash Borer, an invasive beetle native to Asia that spread down from Canada and was highly destructive to the North American ash tree. Unfortunately, the attempts at curbing the beetle’s impact were largely unsuccessful. Although FMIC usually used the lighter, more porous swamp ash grown in the south of the USA, the spread of the beetle had been fast. Moreover, the increased flooding of the Mississippi Delta, where Fender got most of its swamp ash wood, caused a near-total elimination of ash lumber from the market. Swamp ash was harvested from trees that had been soaked in flood waters and taken when they recede. But climate change affected the ability to reach it. 2019 saw record-setting floods, which caused the swamp ash harvesting grounds to remain underwater for most of the year.
As a result, Fender, as of March 27th stopped supplying dealers with certain ash models such as the American Professional Stratocaster, Telecaster and Jazz Bass.
This marked the beginning of a new chapter at Fender. Alder continued to be Fender's principal tone wood. Along with maple it was a fast growing and fast-replenishing wood. But the possibility of adding new woods like pine, sassafras or Western cedar was also on the horizon. FMIC also started looking at little heavier ash and working on different chambering techniques that would allow it not to be 12 or 13 pounds, as Fender actually did with the new US Kenny Wayne Shepherd strat.
FENDER AMERICAN PROFESSIONAL II
Rumors of a sequel to Fender’s American Professional Series, which first launched in late 2016, circulated as far back as August 2020, and, on October, Fender unveiled all-new flagship American Professional II Series.
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Since its debut, American Professional Stratocaster became one of the most widely adopted instruments by players and working guitarists in the world. This guitar evolved into American Professional II Stratocaster with adjustments inspired by feedback from influential artists across genres. Whether a live concert or virtual format, the new American Professional II Series continued to meet the needs of modern artists and remained the top choice to deliver an unforgettable performance on a stage at drive in concerts, in the studio or streaming a live session at home.
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“Over the past few years we have refined and elevated the American Professional series as a result of ongoing conversations with our artist partners. With their feedback and innovation, a priority, we reviewed every element across the series, incorporating new specs like a new sculpted neck heel, new pickups, 'Super-Natural' neck finish, and various aesthetic refinements including bold colorways, tonewoods like Roasted Pine and Tortoise shell guards on select models.”
Justin Norvell.
“We stand behind all artists by providing them with the tools they need, no matter where they are creating or performing, and remain committed to making every great instrument even better through thoughtful innovation,” said Justin Norvell
“Music has a special unifying power and guitar - and the artists wielding the instrument - play a big role in that. As always, our creators and artists came first as we refined The American Professional II series to push the boundaries of guitar forward, deliver epic sound and offer reliability to artists across every genre of music, when the world - and our artists - need it most.”
“Music has a special unifying power and guitar - and the artists wielding the instrument - play a big role in that. As always, our creators and artists came first as we refined The American Professional II series to push the boundaries of guitar forward, deliver epic sound and offer reliability to artists across every genre of music, when the world - and our artists - need it most.”
American Professional I vs American Professional II
As the name suggests, the American Professional II line-up was an evolution of the series rather than a revolution, with new features designed with input from Fender’s artist roster.
The American Ultra Series unveiled one year earlier seemed to have had at least some influence on this new American Pro’s added switching options and improved higher fret access—and though the sculpted neck heel here wasn’t quite as dramatic.
The American Ultra Series unveiled one year earlier seemed to have had at least some influence on this new American Pro’s added switching options and improved higher fret access—and though the sculpted neck heel here wasn’t quite as dramatic.
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The introduction of pine on the Natural and Sienna Sunburst finishes was part of Fender's sustainable response to the declining supplies of ash in the USA.
The ‘Super-Natural’ satin finish on the back of the neck made it feel more broken-in and comfortable right out of the box. New features also included a cold-rolled steel bridge block for increased sustain, clarity, high-end sparkle, and tuning stability, as well as rolled fingerboard edges. |
The rolled fingerboard edges are a welcome upgrade
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Pickup guru Tim Shaw explained in an interview with Vini Moreira for Guitar Guitar: “Five years ago, we couldn’t do that roll the way we’re doing it now. But over time, we’ve developed the right techniques and tools. There’s still a lot of handwork involved, but now that subtle detail—which makes a tremendous difference in playability—that’s something we can actually execute. And not just on a one-off in the Custom Shop—we can do it across a run of a thousand guitars. So, there are opportunities like that we’ve really been able to take advantage of.”
Of course, new finishes were available, such as Miami Blue, Dark Night, Mercury and Mystic Surf Green.
American Professional II Stratocaster HSS, Roasted Pine
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American Professional II Stratocaster Dark Night
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V-Mod II Pickups
Since the American Professional V-Mod pickups had not achieved the expected success, Tim Shaw redesigned them. “First off, we listened a lot,” said Tim. “We listened to the original pickups [V-Mod, editor’s note], and we listened to what people had to say about them. These weren’t broken designs by any means, but they were designs that could be refined. So, while we’re still using mixed magnets, we now have access to magnet varieties that weren’t historically available, giving us more freedom to make adjustments when needed.”
The first American Professional Strat also featured V-Mod pickups, but they differed slightly from Tim Shaw’s original prototypes. With the V-Mod II, Fender managed to bring the specs closer to Shaw’s initial vision, resulting in a more refined and balanced tone.
In the interview with Vini Moreira for Guitar Guitar, Tim Shaw said that he used a coil winder based on a design that Bill Lawrence used to carry around in the trunk of his Cadillac back in the ’70s—a really primitive machine. Tim controlled the wire’s travel and tension with his right hand the entire time.
Steve Casado, Design Engineer at Fender, spent about a week with Tim Shaw. Steve managed to adapt elements of that meticulous, manual process for large-scale manufacturing.
The first American Professional Strat also featured V-Mod pickups, but they differed slightly from Tim Shaw’s original prototypes. With the V-Mod II, Fender managed to bring the specs closer to Shaw’s initial vision, resulting in a more refined and balanced tone.
In the interview with Vini Moreira for Guitar Guitar, Tim Shaw said that he used a coil winder based on a design that Bill Lawrence used to carry around in the trunk of his Cadillac back in the ’70s—a really primitive machine. Tim controlled the wire’s travel and tension with his right hand the entire time.
Steve Casado, Design Engineer at Fender, spent about a week with Tim Shaw. Steve managed to adapt elements of that meticulous, manual process for large-scale manufacturing.
Tim Shaw
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“After Steven watched me wind for a while, we were able to translate some of that hand-crafted, hands-on process […] into production. A lot of those original pickups already sounded pretty darn good, so we didn’t change much. But we managed to add just a little more presence and breath to things like the Strat and Tele pickups.” |
Steve Casado said: “I haven’t been here as long as Tim has, but I definitely see how, for a long time, pickup design was viewed almost like a black art. […] But I see the future of this becoming more and more of an engineering project. And that’s something Tim—and a few others—have been doing for quite a while: bringing more precision and consistency to the process. That means more accurate measurements, tighter control over manufacturing, and the ability to capture those subtle nuances in guitar pickups in a repeatable, reliable way.”
American Pro II Strat Maiami Blue
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Fender V-Mod II pickups indeed have a slightly lower DC resistance (DCR) compared to the original V-Mod pickups.
This reduction in DCR contributes to a more open and brighter tonal character. This decrease in DCR in the V-Mod II pickups results in a tonal shift that is less dark and more aligned with the classic Stratocaster sound, enhancing clarity and brightness. It’s important to note that while DCR is a useful metric for comparing pickups, it doesn’t solely determine a pickup’s output or tone. |
Factors such as the number of coil windings, wire gauge, and magnet strength also play significant roles in shaping a pickup’s characteristics.
"THE ONE. FOR ALL." CAMPAIGN
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The new flagship American Professional II Series arrived alongside Fender's “The One. For All.” Campaign, conceived by Wieden+Kennedy Portland and Fender’s in-house creative team. This campaign amplified new artists who were breaking conventional rules about the path to success - changing what it meant to be a musician right now, and in the future - and captured the essence of what guitar is capable of and how it continues to inspire, uplift and encourages people to keep moving forward.
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Through a spot narrated by actor and musician Billy Bob Thornton, the breadth and reach of Fender was shown through the eyes of the iconic models of the American Professional II Series. Each guitar model was paired with artists whose voices showcase how inherently versatile Fender instruments were, a signature part of the strength and enduring popularity of the brand. The new artists showcased within the film included Steve Lacy, Lindsay Ell, Dominic Fike, Joy Crookes and more. The series continued Fender’s legacy to drive guitar, music and culture forward by connecting modern artists, players and fans everywhere through that shared loved of music.
“The American Professional II Series is the connective tissue that both artists and music fans are seeking now more than any other time in our nearly 75-year history,” said Evan Jones, Chief Marketing Officer of Fender. “In addition to making the best tools possible for artists, it’s also very important for us to use the Fender platform to amplify and spotlight how their music is positively impacting the world.”
“The ‘The One. For All.’ campaign celebrates how guitar today is expanding both musically and culturally, which is why we’ve featured more artists in our creatove marketing than any other Fender campaign to date. We are honored to have collaborated with diverse, talented artists to showcase how the American Professional is a versatile tool that supports their ability to create music that brings people together as music and creativity hasn’t stopped.”
“The American Professional II Series is the connective tissue that both artists and music fans are seeking now more than any other time in our nearly 75-year history,” said Evan Jones, Chief Marketing Officer of Fender. “In addition to making the best tools possible for artists, it’s also very important for us to use the Fender platform to amplify and spotlight how their music is positively impacting the world.”
“The ‘The One. For All.’ campaign celebrates how guitar today is expanding both musically and culturally, which is why we’ve featured more artists in our creatove marketing than any other Fender campaign to date. We are honored to have collaborated with diverse, talented artists to showcase how the American Professional is a versatile tool that supports their ability to create music that brings people together as music and creativity hasn’t stopped.”
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