A Stratocaster is a Stratocaster is a Stratocaster. Or is it? As the most famous guitar in the world, tradition is paramount, so that it can be recognized very quickly. However, with the American Ultra Stratocaster, Fender has taken a slightly different path. It seems inconspicuous and, at first glance, is definitely recognizable as a Strat. But behind the façade, this latest version is an ergonomically and technically modernised edition of the classic that accommodates several of the guitarist’s needs. All components are still built in the main plant in California, where some of the parts are made using the original machines from the 1950s. The guitar ships in a modern and robust Elite case, which optimally protects the instrument during storage and transport.
The guitar features the classic recipe of an alder body combined with a bolt-on maple neck with a maple fingerboard. At its core, the American Ultra Strat is ultimately still a Stratocaster however, despite all of the modernisation measures. Modern appointments include a rounded neck heel for easier access to the higher registers, as well as a two-point tremolo and locking machine heads for high tuning stability. The guitar also features modern circuitry with noiseless pickups. These have the basic characteristics of a single coil, but with a second coil that suppresses hum. The S-1 switch in the volume control adds the neck pickup to any position, giving you a Tele-like intermediate position of bridge and neck pickups, or even all three pickups.
Live musicians need reliable instruments. With the American Ultra Strat’s noiseless pickups, you will be protected from nasty surprises in the form of unwanted noises on stage. And with the locking tuners, bone nut, and two-point tremolo, players can expect rock-solid tuning stability. The improved contours on the back of the body and the compound radius of the fingerboard ensure comfortable playing ergonomics. One of the tone controls is responsible for the neck and middle position, while the other governs the bridge pickup. The S-1 switch extends the guitar's sonic/ possibilities even further with pickup positions that are not possible with classic Strats. It goes without saying: This guitar is adaptable and suitable for professional use.
Fender is without doubt one of the most legendary guitar and amplifier manufacturers of all time. The company was founded in 1946 by its namesake Leo Fender († 1991), whose innovative ideas brought a breath of fresh air into the musical world. His Telecaster, Stratocaster, Precision Bass, and Jazz Bass are not only classics – they also continue to shape the styles of musicians in countless genres to this day. Timeless Fender amplifier models such as the Bassman, Twin, Deluxe, and Princeton also enjoy a stellar reputation. Besides maintaining its classic product portfolio, however, the company is also constantly developing new products that make Fender a driving force in today’s music industry.
The Fender Stratocaster is the best-selling guitar in the world, and Fender offers different versions of this guitar shape. These range from models that are built traditionally and according to original specifications for a real vintage feeling, all the way through several intermediate stages to the all-round modern Ultra series. In other words, there are Strats for every taste and price point. If you are afraid of compromising your sound with noiseless pickups, you can rest assured: Guitarists like Eric Clapton, Yngwie Malmsteen, and Jeff Beck – who are responsible for creating some of the world’s most revered guitar tones – have long used noiseless single-coil pickups in their Strats. What is more, the AM Ultra Strat uses the very latest version of these pickups. Overall, this guitar doesn’t want to be a vintage collector's item: It demands to be played.
S-1 Switch
Barely noticeable at first glance, the S-1 switch is a push switch built into the volume control. This switch adds the neck pickup to every pickup position on the Ultra Stratocaster. If you have already selected the neck pickup, the switch has no effect on the sound. But if you have selected the bridge pickup on the five-way pickup selector, you can activate the neck pickup with the S-1 switch and thus obtain a tone similar to that of the intermediate position on a Telecaster (bridge and neck pickup activated). If you have the 5-way selector in the intermediate position between the bridge and middle pickup, you can switch on the neck pickup with the S-1 switch and thus have the unusual option of having all three pickups active at the same time.