I’ve been saving for an Am Pro P. Have the money now and I almost pulled the trigger a few days ago until I saw this post. Now I’m wondering if I should wait and see if roasted necks are in play with whatever comes next.
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Fender American Professional series discontinued?
- Thread starter Shorty3
- Start date
I don't get the big deal with roasted necks personally. It sounds to me like the baggage that comes with them, namely the brittleness, isn't worth the effort.
They're lighter, they're stiffer, they have less pronounced dead spots/reduced sustain areas (none of mine are bothersome in that regard), and are more stable environmentally. Compared with standard necks, well, let's just say I stopped buying standard necks after my first roasted one - they're just so much easier to work with. In working with over a dozen of them (I build basses for myself and others), I haven't had a single issue with brittleness.
Note that my experience is all with Warmoth necks, can't speak for other manufacturers.
You had me at "they're lighter"
I didn't know that. I was reading reviews of them today, and I'm just going by what others have said about the possible downsides, but I didn't read that they were lighter, although Rick from Moonshine just told me he got some roasted blanks today that were very light. Also heard from a friend that they can sound more compressed and less bright, but the way i set my gear these days, that could be a good thing.
I just saw a video n you tube where it said Fender is discontinuing the use of ash on all its production guitars and basses. Is the body alder or ash on the American pro models. I have also read that many companies are operating with minimal employees to keep social distancing in effect during these annoying covid19 times. Maybe one or both of these things have sumthing to do with the Fender American pro basses and guitars appearing to be no longer available exceot for what's left in stock at dealers. Fenders website is showing the 5 string pro basses still available and just the 4 string Pro Precision in black only. I'm not sure on the pro Jazz basses. Gotta check that out
The natural finish basses had ash bodies but the rest of them are alder.
Fender discontinues use of Ash?
No one is answering me back when I ask why the Frnder website only has one black professional precision basses up at the moment and when you click on precision basses it doesn't show any pro P or J basses at all anymore just the other series mim, ultra etc. etc. music123 has not emailed me back yet either about what is going on with the professional series guitars and bassess
As far as Europe is concerned, after noticing that Thomann has no Pro series available, I looked around local shops where I live that is Milan, north Italy.
The one shop which is definitely the most reliable told me the Am Pro, as we know it, is discontinued. They said they do not know if Fender will keep or change the name of the series but there will be some changes in the basses (I hope they will do away with the V-mod pickups and bring back tort pickguards on sunburst models).
They also told me that a price increase is expected and that the "new" series will be available in september.
After this I wrote to GAK UK, who replied the current Am Pro are discontinued.
I also wrote to Thomann, who are usually specialized in keeping their lips sealed, so I wrote them that I KNEW Am Pro series is discontinued and so I wanted to know when the "new" series will be available. All they replied was "unfortunately we do not know".
This is all I can tell you from the European front.
I 3rd that! Never was in to P necks until I tried the AM Pros. Best necks in my hands! Agree that the V-mods are less than stellar so thank God for the EMG Gzr!
I was told the same thing by a guy that knows a Fender production employee, and he said the American pros are discontiued and they will be coming out with a new American series P and J bass and that there will some minor changes to the basses. Nothing too drastic. I'm also hoping the Vmod pickup gets replaced with something better. I liked the American standard pickups. I would also love it if Fender made a Passive PJ bass for their new American line full time instead of just now and then. Never tried a Performer series PJ bass yet but I think they should just make the PJ pickups available all the time on their American pro line or whatever they will call the new line of revamped basses.
Fender has been flying through these market refreshes the last few years. The constant name changes get a bit confusing, but at least they have a consistent process:
- Choose a product line
- Change the name
- Change (but not necessarily upgrade) functionality ever-so-slightly
- Jack up the price
- Start at step #1 after just a few years
Good maybe this time they'll add a damn truss rod wheel
I've only tried one roasted neck, which was on a StingRay 5, and it was enough to convince me of their stiffness. My G&L M-2500 and JB have amazingly rigid quartersawsn necks, and I quickly noticed this MM neck was probably even stiffer than those, and it felt great. I was very impressed. The smallest possible sample size, for sure, but if that's the norm they're winners.
I’d hold off until they start discounting them. I bought my AmStd bass and guitar, both new, for $900 each when the AmPros were announced.
When questioning why there were no American Pro Jazz basses in my local sam ash yesterday, the sales associate said they're no longer receiving inventory as it's been discontinued.
This might explain why Thomann here in Germany also currently has such a low stock of American Pro instruments....
Spoke to a retailer in the UK today who confirmed this. He had no idea what was coming next but felt that there would be something, otherwise there'd be a gap between the Performer and the Ultra. So, it's either wait and see, try to buy an outgoing model, or buy another brand?
