I purchased the MIJ Fender "Hybrid" Telecaster after your review of the MIJ "Traditional" Telecaster. The Hybrid has medium jumbo frets (I also wear through vintage frets), U profile maple neck with a satin finish, American 58 vintage pickups (plenty of output) and a 1 piece ash body plus a few other modern tweaks that don't affect the vintage feel of the guitar. I would not hesitate to recommend it.
I couldn't agree with you more. I own 5 telecasters... I should point out that there are differences with all of them and they are all fantastic in my opinion. But the Japanese one is not only the best of the bunch but also the best guitar I've ever owned.... and I've owned alot of high end guitars over the years. The fit and finish and the feel of it is as good as anything I've seen and played. But... Its all subjective at the end of the day.
Another big difference is the nitro finish on the ash body 50’s original. It will age well and feels amazing. Even smells nice. The American Pro 2 is pine with a polyurethane gloss finish. It’s a plastic feeling and lacking in my opinion. I have a 2017 American Pro and those were still made of ash.
Which one would you recommend to me? I know i prefer the satin feel of the pro II neck but other than that I don't know of any preferences apart from that the vintage II looks quite a bit better
I have a Fender Telecaster Brent Mason with 6105 frets and 7,25 radius and feels GREAT! A long time ago i have a Valley Arts Brent Mason Tele with Jumbo frets and 14 radius...was a GREAT guitar and GREAT tone...but the Fender model was SUPERIOR on versatility... got the Twang Country of course... and GREAT for rock, blues and slide!
Great vid Shane. Teles are just so good. I've got the American Original, love it. Big neck, nitro finish. I recently pushed the boat and got the Custom Shop 60s relic. Not a lot between them really. I wouldn't mind a dark night or Miami blue Pro 2 though.
MIJ Fenders are so beautifully built. The issue has always been the electronics, for me. I have a Nashville style Foto Flame tele from the 90's and I opened up cavities for the first time ever the other day and the decision to upgrade the pickups was basically made on sight. The build quality is unmatched, but the pickups and wiring are essentially Squier grade, which is probably why it sounded like that to you LOL. Great video!
@@lazvt8469 I don't have any experience with that brand at all. I only know what I have seen for myself. I will tell you that I paid about $950 for my Fender and I got what I would consider to be sub $500 electronics. To be clear, I am not mad about it. And the guitar does not sound "bad". I just felt like for around a grand, the pickups would have been a higher quality. I have a Seymour set on the way and it was about 200 bucks in total. Maybe look into what those FujiGen pickups are spec'd at? See if you like what you see.
@@Sean_Plays_Guitar I LOVE SD's. they are using Seymour Duncans...PICKUP (NECK) Seymour Duncan® STR-1 PICKUP (BRIDGE) Seymour Duncan® Vintage '54™ Tele STL-1
@@lazvt8469 Dude...those are exactly what I have on order for my fender MIJ tele. I would say you would be spending right around or a little less than I am (in total) so it would be a yes on the FujiGen, for me. I am partial to the Foto Flame tele's that Fender did with the Japanese factory in the 90's for sentimental reasons, but it sounds like would be worth the cash, to me for that guitar!
Japan produces some amazing guitars. They have come a long way. I have an American Professional 1 Telecaster with an all rosewood neck and I love it. My next one will have binding. Just have to make the extra dough to make it happen.
I now have a MIJ Hybrid 2 tele after previously owning a MIA with Texas special pups. I play mainly at home. I prefer the less output of the MIJ rather than the more ‘in your face’ MIA. Add a good drive pedal and Bob’s your Uncle. Personal preference of course.
Great vid as always. I have a Japanese Blue Flower Tele that I've owned for 20 years. It's had two changes of pickups over the years, but currently has a Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounder in the neck position, and a Seymour Duncan Little '59 Humbucker in the neck. Amazingly, the Quarter Pounder has just as much output as the Humbucker. Sounds great though, and I can thoroughly recommend a pair of Quarter Pounders as an upgrade to the original, slightly weak, Fender Japan originals. I'm fully intending to put a second Quarter Pounder in the bridge position of mine.
another great video! I have been a Strat guy for years. Back in July I went to try out the Noventa Strat - but walked out with my first Tele - the Vintera 50s Modified - comparable price point to the Japanese one that you demoed, I tried the Japanese one and the tone and feel of the Vintera won me over. Anyway thanks again
Shane, do you feel that the Am.Orig. 50s "breathes" or resonates more fully/authentically because of the nitro finish vs the poly goop on the AmPro2? Thank you in advance for any response. Cheers from California. We love you here!
No surprises really, given the price differences between the 3. I got the Lefty Trad 50s and Love it, but I do NOT shred like you Shane! You make anything sound amazing, it's almost not fair! BTW, nice production on your Vids.
The neck pickup on my American Pro 2 tele is the best Ive heard, but Ive already bought a 52 reissue bridge pickup to replace the vmod2 in there. Theres something about the stock one in that position Im just not jiving with. After your evaluation of the pickups, I believe Ill have the best of both worlds at that point!
Hi Shane, I just discovered your channel and I'm happy that somebody talented and qualified who is a left-handed guitarist is doing these videos. I purchased an american professional to Sunburst Rosewood Telecaster 2 years ago but the Frets were a little over beveled so the high e kept sliding off the edge of the neck on pull-offs plus the guitar weighs about 8 lb, a little too much for me. I'm about to buy an American professional too Mystic surf green Maple board. I couldn't help but notice that you said that the professional 2 has medium jumbo frets but the fender site says that they are narrow tall.... unless you know something I don't know, like perhaps that the maple neck models use medium jumbos but I don't think that would be the case. Anyway I'm already a big fan of your videos and I appreciate all the time and energy you put into them.
Great comparison. I’ve not played any of them, but I do have a Pro2 Strat and love the neck on that. I’m really not a fan of gloss finished necks so I think the Pro2 would win out for me. Saying that, my Player series Tele is pretty good so would it be worth changing up? Might try fitting a new bridge and a new bridge pickup to that. Any thoughts on pick-up choice for blues and classic rock tones? Thanks.
Ide like a fender tele someday, till then my new Dean Nash Vegas select and Ltd e200 will do for now. Thanks for sharing Shane, your videos definately help when time comes to chose gear!
Great video, I think Fender needs to rethink their American lineup. The Player series is amazing, the player plus has some nice upgrades, the performer is a head scratcher at $200 less than the professional, minus the $200 dollar case, but with lower specs, the ultra is a nice contemporary version, and the original is really the best overall. I think they should combine the performer and professional and put the price in the middle and call it the standard. But it begs the question, how much of the pro and performer are now manufactured in Mexico and only assembled in the USA, and at what point does it matter for double the cost. The current guitars are never going to be collectable, look at American standards from the 90's they are not worth anymore than a new one. The reason 50's and 60's are so valuable is the limited quantity produced and the fact no one took care of them because no one knew they would be collectable. So if you are not getting much more quality in the USA series, or features, the American pro and performer are really not worth double the price of the performer.
I think they shake the lineup so much now is that one of Fenders biggest competition is their used guitars. By changing up the names they offer guitars that seem different. In reality there are minor differences in the various lines.
@@tlister67 I agree, in studying business, when Steve Jobs rejoined apple in the 90’s the first thing he fixed was their over saturated line of products that was confusing and competed against each other. Fender seems to have created the same problem. Gibson’s new CEO fixed the same issue there, Gibson had a terrible lineup and was missing a true les Paul standard. I think Fender makes great guitars and did a great job with their Mexican lineup, but they need to clean up their American lineup. The performer and Lux can be cut, keep the original for a 50’s and 60’s version, make a standard, and an ultra with all the latest technology.
The performer and professional are completely made in the US factory. You can take the tour or see a factory video (andertons has a good one). Don't know where that nonsense came from. Probably because most employees in the US factory are Mexicans. The Highway One series was a Mexican strat finished in the US if I remember. Also, Fender can hardly produce enough guitars while Gibsons are a hard sell outside a few select models. The new owners are destroying Gibson, I wont be surprised if it goes under again. They are suing everyone and people are sick of them. The Fender performer is around 1200 in Europe, while the Pro II is between 1800 and 2200 depending on color. Can't find a performer anywhere overhere.
@@jamesryan1939 : what is so confusing in the Fender lineup? Performer is the US entry. The pro II is the flagship. Ultra is a modern superstrat and the original/vintage is for history enthousiasts. Not like that ridiculous Gibson with their lines : "tribute" "studio", "classic" (which is in the modern collection??), "deluxe" because mini humbuckers(??), "modern", "standard", "special", "junior", "custom shop", "murphy lab", "memphis line". Etc..... the new owners are crazy. It's more confusing than ever.
I recently picked up a vintage 88 MIJ Jazz Bass and I was surprised how small the frets were on that guitar as well. I guess it is hard to change old habits.
Interesting. I'm quite the opposite, I don't like the jumbo frets on my American Special Tele at all, feels like railroad tracks or speed bumps, I much prefer smaller frets. And I bend bend lot. The other thing I didn't like about it is the satin neck, but I've polished it to a gloss finish, so now it feels and looks much better. Still, I think it's on the transfer list in favour of a MIJ Tele, they seem to tick all the boxes for me. We all like different I suppose.
The american original series wins, doesn’t matter what guitar it is. I guess if you like poly finishes then you might disagree but that’s okay. It’s just my opinion and “best” is subjective. Edit: I have said for years though, the american professional series is the best run fender has made since the 60’s. Big words I know but I’ve yet to play one I wouldn’t be happy with. I do like the first pro series over the II but that’s just me.
Excellent video Shane 🤗 I thought it very useful you included a Japanese variant, they often get overlooked. I suspect one of the 'hybrid ' series would have addressed the smaller frets, but not 100% sure off the top of my head. I'm assuming this model tried to remain somewhat vintage. Prices in various regions may tip the scale one way or another. It's not unusual to see the Am II roughly $1000 more than the Japanese Fenders as you'd likely find Shane. However, in the us 🇺🇸 they are about the same or more(?), so region prices can be key. Cheers. 👍
@@intheblues Sorry to disturb you. I am Munich. I have sent you several emails before, but there is no reply. If possible, would you like to check out my emails?Thanks ~
I get the resistance to small frets on the basis of quickly wearing out. I used to have a 70s Ibanez Les Paul that had frets so low they looked painted on. The thing was a joy to play. If set up right it can feel effortless. I know you tore through the frets on your 52RI, but if you had those old frets on it now, would you go through them as fast seeing as you have more other guitars to divide your playing time between?
There are still some of the "off-brand" Teles out there- we're going through an off-brand renaissance- you should have a look at. Grote, Xavierre, Harley Benton, Glarry, etc.
I’d love to see you get your hands on a lefty Sire L7, and hear your thoughts They do have a left handed model, but are out of stock right now- bummed!
I think it would have been good to throw in the Player Plus MIM Tele (single coil) too as that's had some great reviews! So that's a Player Plus vs Classic Vibe vs MIA Pro II as a follow up review. Only then can I start writing to that Fat Chap at The North Pole....
Lol I have the squier bullet in butterscotch like that and I love it. It’s sooooo freaking light cuz the body isn’t as thick and I love it. It’s like strapping on a pillow lol. Until I bought that guitar I never really paid attention to weight. These all 3 are superior guitars to mine obviously but I enjoy mine and the fact it was only 150 bucks shipped to the door.
Could you mention the mij model? I have one from around 2014 that looks pretty similar but they had three 50s tele options back then including USA pickups. Mine does have the small frets but I do a lot less bending these days so I am ok with that. I have picked up a few classic vibes and they were significantly heavier.
I have a Profession II Telecaster in Miami Blue, it's absolutely gorgeous. Plays and sounds great, only mine is a bit of a heavy beast at 8 1/2 pounds. Would have liked her to be lighter, but all in all it's fantastic!
In regards to the weight. I just found out that most if not all butterscotch AP2’s come in roasted pine instead of alder. Is this common? I checked sweetwater and fender and both have the blondies listed as roasted pine with no alder option. Strange that other colors come in Alder.
MIJ is not only has lower output, it has lower the clarity, turn down the tone knob and it would lose it, the same issue in the Player series and Squier. I played Vintera 50s road worn and Performer series the clarity is astonishing even the tone knob is 0.
Damn, I was looking for a second guitar which would be at least on par with my current Vintera Jazzmaster and I got interested in a MIJ traditional 2 telecaster. I guess I need to look for something else now
@@xleftsidex1627 MIJ tele neck isn't even aesthetic as classic vibe 50s tele. The color is pale, thin fret. On the same price, vintera 50s butterscotch blonde 2019-2020, s1 switch is a much better option
I'm pretty sure the Am Pro II has vintage tall frets. It's the one thing holding me back from getting one. I'd like to play one first to see how they feel vs medium jumbo that I'm used to. Lefty problems.
I just purchased the American Professional II telecaster with roasted pine body two weeks ago, and yes, it has narrow tall frets. All my other guitars have medium jumbo frets. I don't really notice any difference between the different frets. This said, the Pro 2 is an AMAZING guitar. It sounds and feels SO great. I'm so happy I got it.
@@peterhenderson2193 vintage tall and narrow tall are not the same thing. Narrow tall (aka 6105) are much taller, virtually the same height as Fender jumbos, but without the width.
@@JaredSchumaier Yes, it's still a great guitar all around. I wouldn't mind if all of my guitars had a roasted pine body. That said, I find myself still playing my MIM Player Series Stratocaster more than anything else. I think I'm just more of a Strat lover in general. I prefer it's sound and it's ergonomics over a traditional Telecaster. Maybe if I had a Telecaster with a Twisted Tele pick up (a bit more "Strat-y sounding) in the neck position and it had more modern ergonomics (belly and arm cutaways) I might play it more.
"Made in Japan" means noting in terms of quality. I just bought two Yamaha FGX5's ($1469) and had to return both. Worst workmanship I've ever seen on a guitar at any price.
Just a quick correction for viewers. The Pro II frets are tall narrow, not medium jumbo.
I have a 50’s American original and I absolutely love it. Highly recommend 👍
I purchased the MIJ Fender "Hybrid" Telecaster after your review of the MIJ "Traditional" Telecaster. The Hybrid has medium jumbo frets (I also wear through vintage frets), U profile maple neck with a satin finish, American 58 vintage pickups (plenty of output) and a 1 piece ash body plus a few other modern tweaks that don't affect the vintage feel of the guitar. I would not hesitate to recommend it.
I actually like those “obsolete” little frets but, only on a rosewood board guitar. We all have our preferences.
I couldn't agree with you more. I own 5 telecasters... I should point out that there are differences with all of them and they are all fantastic in my opinion. But the Japanese one is not only the best of the bunch but also the best guitar I've ever owned.... and I've owned alot of high end guitars over the years. The fit and finish and the feel of it is as good as anything I've seen and played. But... Its all subjective at the end of the day.
Another big difference is the nitro finish on the ash body 50’s original. It will age well and feels amazing. Even smells nice. The American Pro 2 is pine with a polyurethane gloss finish. It’s a plastic feeling and lacking in my opinion. I have a 2017 American Pro and those were still made of ash.
Pro 2 is alder or roasted pine.
I spent a lot of time taming the Tele treble on my MIM Tele. I live here in Mexico. Great video. It's 7 a. M. Here.
Shane, I believe the frets on the Am Pro 2 are narrow tall, not medium jumbo.
Nice review Shane. I have both the 50s and Pro II and really enjoy playing both.
Which one would you recommend to me? I know i prefer the satin feel of the pro II neck but other than that I don't know of any preferences apart from that the vintage II looks quite a bit better
@@vyvynylification I prefer the 50's, nitro finish and sounds amazing! It ages gracefully. Hope this helps!
@@texasbootlegger3752 I´m actually debating a gorgeous vintage II 1951 tele... the same thing really, just with an actual 7.25" radius
I have a Fender Telecaster Brent Mason with 6105 frets and 7,25 radius and feels GREAT!
A long time ago i have a Valley Arts Brent Mason Tele with Jumbo frets and 14 radius...was a GREAT guitar and GREAT tone...but the Fender model was SUPERIOR on versatility... got the Twang Country of course... and GREAT for rock, blues and slide!
Great vid Shane. Teles are just so good. I've got the American Original, love it. Big neck, nitro finish. I recently pushed the boat and got the Custom Shop 60s relic. Not a lot between them really. I wouldn't mind a dark night or Miami blue Pro 2 though.
MIJ Fenders are so beautifully built. The issue has always been the electronics, for me. I have a Nashville style Foto Flame tele from the 90's and I opened up cavities for the first time ever the other day and the decision to upgrade the pickups was basically made on sight. The build quality is unmatched, but the pickups and wiring are essentially Squier grade, which is probably why it sounded like that to you LOL. Great video!
Would this apply to the FujiGen guitars I discovered last night? They look great and at $1000. Saw a lefty on Reverb last night...
@@lazvt8469 I don't have any experience with that brand at all. I only know what I have seen for myself. I will tell you that I paid about $950 for my Fender and I got what I would consider to be sub $500 electronics. To be clear, I am not mad about it. And the guitar does not sound "bad". I just felt like for around a grand, the pickups would have been a higher quality. I have a Seymour set on the way and it was about 200 bucks in total. Maybe look into what those FujiGen pickups are spec'd at? See if you like what you see.
@@Sean_Plays_Guitar I LOVE SD's. they are using Seymour Duncans...PICKUP (NECK) Seymour Duncan® STR-1
PICKUP (BRIDGE) Seymour Duncan® Vintage '54™ Tele STL-1
@@lazvt8469 Dude...those are exactly what I have on order for my fender MIJ tele. I would say you would be spending right around or a little less than I am (in total) so it would be a yes on the FujiGen, for me. I am partial to the Foto Flame tele's that Fender did with the Japanese factory in the 90's for sentimental reasons, but it sounds like would be worth the cash, to me for that guitar!
Being a lefty axe player myself , it’s nice watching other lefties do these demos . Thank you.
The only thing I dislike about the AM pro II is the butterscotch blonde looking kinda green, I wish it was more yellow
Japan produces some amazing guitars. They have come a long way. I have an American Professional 1 Telecaster with an all rosewood neck and I love it. My next one will have binding. Just have to make the extra dough to make it happen.
I now have a MIJ Hybrid 2 tele after previously owning a MIA with Texas special pups. I play mainly at home. I prefer the less output of the MIJ rather than the more ‘in your face’ MIA. Add a good drive pedal and Bob’s your Uncle. Personal preference of course.
Definitely
Great vid as always. I have a Japanese Blue Flower Tele that I've owned for 20 years. It's had two changes of pickups over the years, but currently has a Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounder in the neck position, and a Seymour Duncan Little '59 Humbucker in the neck. Amazingly, the Quarter Pounder has just as much output as the Humbucker. Sounds great though, and I can thoroughly recommend a pair of Quarter Pounders as an upgrade to the original, slightly weak, Fender Japan originals. I'm fully intending to put a second Quarter Pounder in the bridge position of mine.
another great video! I have been a Strat guy for years. Back in July I went to try out the Noventa Strat - but walked out with my first Tele - the Vintera 50s Modified - comparable price point to the Japanese one that you demoed, I tried the Japanese one and the tone and feel of the Vintera won me over. Anyway thanks again
Shane, do you feel that the Am.Orig. 50s "breathes" or resonates more fully/authentically because of the nitro finish vs the poly goop on the AmPro2? Thank you in advance for any response. Cheers from California. We love you here!
No surprises really, given the price differences between the 3. I got the Lefty Trad 50s and Love it, but I do NOT shred like you Shane! You make anything sound amazing, it's almost not fair! BTW, nice production on your Vids.
The neck pickup on my American Pro 2 tele is the best Ive heard, but Ive already bought a 52 reissue bridge pickup to replace the vmod2 in there. Theres something about the stock one in that position Im just not jiving with. After your evaluation of the pickups, I believe Ill have the best of both worlds at that point!
How’d it turn out with the 52 in the bridge?
Nice round up, Shane. They are all out of my league, but Santa might be listening, so...
Hi Shane, I just discovered your channel and I'm happy that somebody talented and qualified who is a left-handed guitarist is doing these videos. I purchased an american professional to Sunburst Rosewood Telecaster 2 years ago but the Frets were a little over beveled so the high e kept sliding off the edge of the neck on pull-offs plus the guitar weighs about 8 lb, a little too much for me. I'm about to buy an American professional too Mystic surf green Maple board. I couldn't help but notice that you said that the professional 2 has medium jumbo frets but the fender site says that they are narrow tall.... unless you know something I don't know, like perhaps that the maple neck models use medium jumbos but I don't think that would be the case. Anyway I'm already a big fan of your videos and I appreciate all the time and energy you put into them.
Great comparison. I’ve not played any of them, but I do have a Pro2 Strat and love the neck on that. I’m really not a fan of gloss finished necks so I think the Pro2 would win out for me. Saying that, my Player series Tele is pretty good so would it be worth changing up? Might try fitting a new bridge and a new bridge pickup to that. Any thoughts on pick-up choice for blues and classic rock tones? Thanks.
Btw you got the best tone with the MIJ! You should reconsider or just turn it up a bit
In Jack Nicholson Joker voice “where does he get all these left-handed guitars?!”
Love my American Pro II Tele. The build quality is excellent. I just need to learn how to play it! Lol
American Original for the Tele and the Strat all day long. I have both. Thanks for the demo and showing the gear. Cheers from Vancouver Canada.
Another great demo/comparison. 👍
Ide like a fender tele someday, till then my new Dean Nash Vegas select and Ltd e200 will do for now. Thanks for sharing Shane, your videos definately help when time comes to chose gear!
Great comparison video!
Great video, I think Fender needs to rethink their American lineup. The Player series is amazing, the player plus has some nice upgrades, the performer is a head scratcher at $200 less than the professional, minus the $200 dollar case, but with lower specs, the ultra is a nice contemporary version, and the original is really the best overall. I think they should combine the performer and professional and put the price in the middle and call it the standard. But it begs the question, how much of the pro and performer are now manufactured in Mexico and only assembled in the USA, and at what point does it matter for double the cost. The current guitars are never going to be collectable, look at American standards from the 90's they are not worth anymore than a new one. The reason 50's and 60's are so valuable is the limited quantity produced and the fact no one took care of them because no one knew they would be collectable. So if you are not getting much more quality in the USA series, or features, the American pro and performer are really not worth double the price of the performer.
I think they shake the lineup so much now is that one of Fenders biggest competition is their used guitars. By changing up the names they offer guitars that seem different. In reality there are minor differences in the various lines.
@@tlister67 I agree, in studying business, when Steve Jobs rejoined apple in the 90’s the first thing he fixed was their over saturated line of products that was confusing and competed against each other. Fender seems to have created the same problem. Gibson’s new CEO fixed the same issue there, Gibson had a terrible lineup and was missing a true les Paul standard. I think Fender makes great guitars and did a great job with their Mexican lineup, but they need to clean up their American lineup. The performer and Lux can be cut, keep the original for a 50’s and 60’s version, make a standard, and an ultra with all the latest technology.
The performer and professional are completely made in the US factory. You can take the tour or see a factory video (andertons has a good one). Don't know where that nonsense came from. Probably because most employees in the US factory are Mexicans. The Highway One series was a Mexican strat finished in the US if I remember. Also, Fender can hardly produce enough guitars while Gibsons are a hard sell outside a few select models. The new owners are destroying Gibson, I wont be surprised if it goes under again. They are suing everyone and people are sick of them. The Fender performer is around 1200 in Europe, while the Pro II is between 1800 and 2200 depending on color. Can't find a performer anywhere overhere.
@@jamesryan1939 : what is so confusing in the Fender lineup? Performer is the US entry. The pro II is the flagship. Ultra is a modern superstrat and the original/vintage is for history enthousiasts. Not like that ridiculous Gibson with their lines : "tribute" "studio", "classic" (which is in the modern collection??), "deluxe" because mini humbuckers(??), "modern", "standard", "special", "junior", "custom shop", "murphy lab", "memphis line". Etc..... the new owners are crazy. It's more confusing than ever.
Great review Shane. Must admit I like thin C Maple fretboards on fenders; most of the time. just my preference though.
I recently picked up a vintage 88 MIJ Jazz Bass and I was surprised how small the frets were on that guitar as well. I guess it is hard to change old habits.
Interesting. I'm quite the opposite, I don't like the jumbo frets on my American Special Tele at all, feels like railroad tracks or speed bumps, I much prefer smaller frets. And I bend bend lot. The other thing I didn't like about it is the satin neck, but I've polished it to a gloss finish, so now it feels and looks much better. Still, I think it's on the transfer list in favour of a MIJ Tele, they seem to tick all the boxes for me. We all like different I suppose.
my mij tele is fantastic
The american original series wins, doesn’t matter what guitar it is. I guess if you like poly finishes then you might disagree but that’s okay. It’s just my opinion and “best” is subjective.
Edit:
I have said for years though, the american professional series is the best run fender has made since the 60’s. Big words I know but I’ve yet to play one I wouldn’t be happy with. I do like the first pro series over the II but that’s just me.
Excellent video Shane 🤗
I thought it very useful you included a Japanese variant, they often get overlooked. I suspect one of the 'hybrid ' series would have addressed the smaller frets, but not 100% sure off the top of my head. I'm assuming this model tried to remain somewhat vintage.
Prices in various regions may tip the scale one way or another. It's not unusual to see the Am II roughly $1000 more than the Japanese Fenders as you'd likely find Shane. However, in the us 🇺🇸 they are about the same or more(?), so region prices can be key.
Cheers. 👍
Sweetwater has a lefty American Original 50s on sale and this video comes out? 🤔 Shane are you saying I need a Tele??? 😂😂🎸🎸🤙🏾
haha it was just strange timing. I shot this video about 2 months ago :) haha
Stop wasting our time with silly questions Jamal, of course you need the tele. You need ALL the guitars!
@@zd351 🤣😂🤣
@@intheblues Sorry to disturb you. I am Munich. I have sent you several emails before, but there is no reply. If possible, would you like to check out my emails?Thanks ~
Lol !
I get the resistance to small frets on the basis of quickly wearing out. I used to have a 70s Ibanez Les Paul that had frets so low they looked painted on. The thing was a joy to play. If set up right it can feel effortless. I know you tore through the frets on your 52RI, but if you had those old frets on it now, would you go through them as fast seeing as you have more other guitars to divide your playing time between?
There are still some of the "off-brand" Teles out there- we're going through an off-brand renaissance- you should have a look at. Grote, Xavierre, Harley Benton, Glarry, etc.
WHICH Tele is right for you? Answer: YES!
Keep in mind you have a narrower nut width on the AO than the Pro II
I just discovered the FujiGen Strat/Tele guitars online....look terrific at around $1000.
I’d love to see you get your hands on a lefty Sire L7, and hear your thoughts
They do have a left handed model, but are out of stock right now- bummed!
I think it would have been good to throw in the Player Plus MIM Tele (single coil) too as that's had some great reviews! So that's a Player Plus vs Classic Vibe vs MIA Pro II as a follow up review. Only then can I start writing to that Fat Chap at The North Pole....
Lol I have the squier bullet in butterscotch like that and I love it. It’s sooooo freaking light cuz the body isn’t as thick and I love it. It’s like strapping on a pillow lol. Until I bought that guitar I never really paid attention to weight. These all 3 are superior guitars to mine obviously but I enjoy mine and the fact it was only 150 bucks shipped to the door.
Could you mention the mij model? I have one from around 2014 that looks pretty similar but they had three 50s tele options back then including USA pickups. Mine does have the small frets but I do a lot less bending these days so I am ok with that. I have picked up a few classic vibes and they were significantly heavier.
I have a Profession II Telecaster in Miami Blue, it's absolutely gorgeous. Plays and sounds great, only mine is a bit of a heavy beast at 8 1/2 pounds. Would have liked her to be lighter, but all in all it's fantastic!
Mine is 8.2 lbs Dark Night just got it last week. Very nice.
In regards to the weight. I just found out that most if not all butterscotch AP2’s come in roasted pine instead of alder. Is this common? I checked sweetwater and fender and both have the blondies listed as roasted pine with no alder option. Strange that other colors come in Alder.
You said American Pro II has medium jumbo frets but specs say narrow tall just like the American Original?
MIJ is not only has lower output, it has lower the clarity, turn down the tone knob and it would lose it, the same issue in the Player series and Squier. I played Vintera 50s road worn and Performer series the clarity is astonishing even the tone knob is 0.
Damn, I was looking for a second guitar which would be at least on par with my current Vintera Jazzmaster and I got interested in a MIJ traditional 2 telecaster. I guess I need to look for something else now
@@xleftsidex1627 MIJ tele neck isn't even aesthetic as classic vibe 50s tele. The color is pale, thin fret. On the same price, vintera 50s butterscotch blonde 2019-2020, s1 switch is a much better option
Shane one of thereasons the pro 2 feels .lighter is because it's a pine body and the original is ash
I'm pretty sure the Am Pro II has vintage tall frets. It's the one thing holding me back from getting one. I'd like to play one first to see how they feel vs medium jumbo that I'm used to. Lefty problems.
I just purchased the American Professional II telecaster with roasted pine body two weeks ago, and yes, it has narrow tall frets. All my other guitars have medium jumbo frets. I don't really notice any difference between the different frets. This said, the Pro 2 is an AMAZING guitar. It sounds and feels SO great. I'm so happy I got it.
@@lapk78 good to know. Thanks for the info!
@@peterhenderson2193 vintage tall and narrow tall are not the same thing. Narrow tall (aka 6105) are much taller, virtually the same height as Fender jumbos, but without the width.
@@lapk78 still loving the roasted pine?
@@JaredSchumaier Yes, it's still a great guitar all around. I wouldn't mind if all of my guitars had a roasted pine body. That said, I find myself still playing my MIM Player Series Stratocaster more than anything else. I think I'm just more of a Strat lover in general. I prefer it's sound and it's ergonomics over a traditional Telecaster. Maybe if I had a Telecaster with a Twisted Tele pick up (a bit more "Strat-y sounding) in the neck position and it had more modern ergonomics (belly and arm cutaways) I might play it more.
I really like your show mostly because you are a TELE lover but I'm more a StratCat
Fighters, stand in your respective corners. Keep your hands above the 3 to 5 way switch. NOW! LET’S GET IT ON! 🤣🤣🤣
LOL!
I hate the original series because of the super glossy neck
So your American 50s original is one louder?
It goes to 11!
So no regrets in your guitar then ?
Awesome great music song rock so sound playing guitar 🎸.
Those "lefty" Tele shapes kept scambling my brain...
Why doesn’t fender Japan ever stain their maple
they dont know how
👍🏿🤘
"Made in Japan" means noting in terms of quality. I just bought two Yamaha FGX5's ($1469) and had to return both. Worst workmanship I've ever seen on a guitar at any price.
I don’t know about Japanese Fenders. But I will say thatJapanese Gretsch guitars are superior to Korean and Chinese Gretsch’s.
Fender Japan is another animal. I’ve always preferred the MIJ/CIJ instruments. But American original is fantastic
Please stop reviewing Fender Telecasters ! I get a pain in my stomach every time I see and hear one.