I'm not qualified to even try one of these out. I'll just have to wait for the "Amateur Series" to be released.
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Fender American Professional Series
- Thread starter Lazarus27
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- american fender professional series
I'm not qualified to even try one of these out. I'll just have to wait for the "Amateur Series" to be released.
It really is. I am a Fender defender, but this is just "American Standard with a new name."I truly do want to get excited over Fender releasing a new line, but I just can't. At the end of the day, this line is just a marketing update.
I would love to A/B the American Pro with an American Standard, just to see how the little changes stack up. I’m curious how the new frets would feel.
I like them. The updates are minor, but I like them.
A whole lot of meh. New colors are cool, but I still don't understand why they didn't go to the truss rod wheel. Heck, even a headstock adjustment would be a plus.
For me as a lefty, I can't have a '63 AVRI, but I can have that neck with the new narrow/tall frets on a lefty American Pro! Plus the new pick up sounds extremely good on the video. Interesting mix of AlNiCo 2 and 5 poles for the bass & treble halves of the split single coil Precision p'up. It's much more than just a simple name change as the naysayers would have you believe.
Yes, THEE Michael Bump!
I am glad I have my American Standard. There is nothing about this new model that would make me consider an upgrade. I guess if I didn't have a P-bass, one of these would be nice if the price was right.
Until I saw the videos, I didn't know about the addition of the '63 neck profile and the narrow-tall frets. Those seem like substantive changes to me.
Putting the location of the headquarters instead of "Made In USA" is a marketing trick to make you think MIA when I'm willing to bet theres a few things on those basses that are not MIA. Companies like Craftsman Tools has been doing it for a while.
Hi all, new guy here. I am new to bass, but have been playing guitar for a while. I have settled on a P Bass, and am trying to decide between this new American Pro model, and the previous American Standard. Many here seem pretty blah about the new models, but the neck profile and frets (along with the Vintage Olive color) have me intrigued. From guitar, I know that neck profile and frets can make a big difference in playability. I like the idea of the taller frets, but maybe that's not a big deal on a bass? I guess you factor in the bone nut, supposedly better case, and new pickups as well.
I won't be upgrading, just picking one that I plan to have for a while. So, is a difference of around $300 bucks worth getting the new one? Or do I take the money and run! Just looking for some advice either way. Thanks!
I won't be upgrading, just picking one that I plan to have for a while. So, is a difference of around $300 bucks worth getting the new one? Or do I take the money and run! Just looking for some advice either way. Thanks!
I would love to see and play the new AM Pro model, but to be excruciatingly practical...
Not knowing how far along your bass-playing is, I'd probably recommend that you go with the AM Standard model for now. The Pro is going to be great, but there's nothing about the Standard that is going to slow down your playing development and growth. I had an AM STD P5 and it really was a great bass and if I play my cards well, I'm going to buy that bass back after the NY.
That's simply my take. If you really want the Pro, I don't think you'll be wasting $300 by going on and getting that one at all.
If you don't go American Pro it will eat at your sanity night & day.
You will feel that you have missed out, and indeed you will have missed out. Save yourself from this mental misery. Buy the Fender American Professional Precision Electric Bass Guitar.
It's the right thing to do. 
This is prominent on Fenders with light bodies, and cheap straps. I have an MIM Dimension 5 that is on the heavier side but balances REALLY well. My old MIA P4, not so much...
You can only buy the Professional if you are a professional. Fender asked for your proof of professionalism before you can buy one
Some of the very best products in the world are produced according to the strategic process of "continious improvement". Think Toyota Camry, the iPhone, and the Canon DSLR camera, to name a few.
Rather than radical change, a successfull product is continually studied and many rather minor improvements are introduced over time to enhance the functionality and depenability of the product.
I think the P- and Jazz basses are good examples of "continuous improvement". If you compare the 1960 versions to the new "Professional" series, they are very similiar in appearance, design, features and function. But the modern instrumens are better in almost every way, IMO. I am old enough to have played the 1960s Js and Ps AND their modern counterparts (American Standards).
There is also a place for more dramatic change in a company's product line-up. For example, the recent Dimension series and the Jaguar Bass (introduced in '06, IIRC) are examples.
Most products of any type that are considered standards and "bullet-proof" are solidly in the "continiously improved" category.
Just my two pesos-worth...
Here's my take having purchased an American Standard P-Bass about a month ago. The changes incorporated in the new Pro models may be significant to some based on personal preference, but do not objectively represent significant upgrades or revisions to the US P-Bass line. The differences between the new Pro and my new American Standard are the pickups, neck profile, frets, and nut. (Sweetwater included a molded case that is nearly identical to the new case with my Am Std.)
Addressing the differences, in the promo video the new pickups sound good, but I find the Custom Shop pickups in my Am Std completely satisfy me with classic P-Bass tone and output. If I played the two side by side might my opinion change? Maybe, but I will continue on in my state of contented bliss.
The modern C profile on the Am Std is wonderfully comfortable and playable. Again, I think it would require an immediate side by side comparison to even notice the difference with the '63 profile, especially if you are new to bass.
The frets are going to be a matter of personal preference. I am accustomed to the medium jumbo frets, and, though I'm curious, I would have to play the tall frets before I could commit. In fact, the idea of narrow tall frets actually scares me a little bit.
As for the nut, there is nothing lacking in the synthetic bone nut on my bass and I don't think there would be any discernible difference in play-ability or durability with a genuine bone nut. After all, when you are fretting a note what difference does the nut make?
None of my opinion is meant to diminish the new Pro series, but I fully understand that some of the changes, likely frets and colors, on the new series will be attractive to some. However, I am happy that I took advantage of what was coming and saved $300 on what I view as an objectively equivalent bass. Plus, my three-tone sunburst bass came with a tortoise pickguard, not white like the Pro's. And everyone knows that tortoise pickguards make a P-bass sound better.
