Fender American Professional II Telecaster - Butterscotch Blonde with Maple Fingerboard Reviews

Absolutely love this guitar. Haven't touched another for two months. The neck feels great with the rolled edges. Light weight roasted pine body. Frets are great. Polished and no pointy fret ends! The pickups have everything I was looking for! This thing does it all. The series/parallel option really makes a difference on this guitar. It doesn't with my MIM tele with "noiseless" fender pickups. Love the treble bleed as well. Just so comfy, it's a joy to play.

This is the first telecaster I have owned. After playing several friends telecaster's I wanted my own. The neck is smooth and fast, dry nor sweaty hands won't slow you down. The whole guitar feels solid even at only 7-8 lbs. super clean tones , the twangy crunch is phenomenal. Simple things in life , like this tele make everything alriiight! I play it everyday since I bought it , and I don't think I will pick any of my other guitars up for quit some time. Honestly regret not getting one when I started playing. I'm glad I chose Sweetwater as well, I chose the exact shade , and weight that I was looking for. August Yingling was good at helping me , and not pushing me into something I didn't want. Great guy, company, guitar not much else to say. Thank You for making this purchase enjoyable!

Freaking awesome guitar. It's just beautiful and plays like a dream. Thanks Sweetwater!!!

Of all my guitars (now and ones I've sold), this is my favorite. My go to. A workhorse. The weight, the balance, the feel, the neck, even the natural resonance and sustain when you're not plugged in. If there is something better than a Fender American Professional II Telecaster in Butterscotch Blonde with Maple Fingerboard anywhere around this price point, please someone tell me and I will buy that too. One specific mention is the narrow tall frets. They play and feel amazing. I also own a AP II Strat and the frets don't feel the same. If you've got Tele Fever, this guitar is the cure.

Such a great Tele! I mean, that neck and those frets - this thing practically plays itself. The guitar showed up in tune and the action is spot-on perfect. Nice high-quality pickups with just the right amount of Tele-Twang but put a little distortion to them and they growls so nice. SUPER happy with this American Pro II. Easy 5-Star rating and a terrific value when compared to other higher-end Tele-like guitars. Buy with confidence!

I bought this tele about two years ago and is still rock solid. Sounds great and feels smooth to play.

I set out to buy a telecaster a few months back. I researched a lot online and played a lot of different models at local guitar shops. I chose this model for the following reasons:

-reputation of American Professional II line. If you're gonna do it, do it right.
-the classic butterscotch/blackguard/maple neck look. It's drop dead gorgeous.
-pickup versatility. It has single coils with the bridge pickup twang everybody loves, but there's also a push switch that lets you choose between running the pickups in parallel or in series in the middle position which acts as a humbucker when engaged.
-neck playability. This has a 'deep C' neck which is less chunky than the U neck on the American Vintage 50s model. I find it to be easier to play.

I ordered from Sweetwater instead of buying local because Sweetwater lets you choose the specific axe based on pictures and weight. This allowed me to choose the best body and the light weight I prefer.

I've had my new axe for a couple of weeks and it has exceeded my high expectations. Looks, sounds, plays fantastic.

A few months ago I became obsessed with telecasters and decided to get a good one. I was looking only at new American teles, so the Professional II, the American Vintage, and Ultra models. I demoed all kinds of different models with different woods, necks, and/or pickup arrangements.

I picked this specific model of tele for the following reasons:
-I wanted the classic blackguard blond with a maple neck aesthetic. This has it in spades, it's drop dead gorgeous.
-I wanted pickup versatility: I knew that if I was going to get a telecaster I had to have single coil twang of the bridge pickup. But I like humbuckers too. This model has a push switch in the middle position that allows you to toggle between running the pickups in parallel or in series, which achieves a very humbuckerish effect when engaged
-I wanted a deep C neck for playability (easier to play as opposed to the chunkier U neck on the American Vintage 50s model)


Word to the wise- this model has lightly visible pine wood grain on the body that can have irregularities that can almost look like smudges on the finish. (I was going to buy one of these on the spot when I demoed it in person at a local shop, then I noticed a blemish I just couldn't get past). That's the value of buying from Sweetwater, they give you photos so you can shop between different serial numbers of the same model to decide which body and weight best suits you.

I could not be happier with my new Am Pro II tele. Looks, plays, sounds incredible. It's now my number 1 axe.

This guitar is amazing. I had a Fender American Professional Telecaster before this and I loved it. I now have the Professional ii and it is a huge improvement over the previous version. Also, it has the best neck shape I have ever felt on a Telecaster. 10/10

Made a call to Sweetwater to get advice about the Tele American Pro II. I found the answers I was looking for speaking with Chris Eads. The answers I got were concise, and knowledgeable. I got the guitar 2 days later delivered to my hands. So far the Guitar has been better then I even hoped for. I got a good price, and always happy about that. I did restring with Ernie Ball regular Slinky strings. I also checked the neck and frets, and found in excellent condition. This was an excellent purchase, and love the Butterscotch color. The sound through a 65 Twinn reverb!!!

This is a great guitar! Been wanting one for years and I have been very pleased with it! Sweetwater rocks!

I love this guitar,great tones and playability is unreal.

Awesome guitar and setup!! Nick Hammer comes through, again!!

It's a Tele mad in Murica! How much better can it be? The Butterscotch Blonde finish appears flawless, and the axe comes to hand effortlessly. Being, primarily, a bassist this feels like a ukulele in my grip, but I love the feel.

While I also own Gibsons, several high--end Ibanez Gretsch, Martin, and D'Angelico products, this Fender may be the most "swiss-army-knife-like" of the bunch. Buy it, and you'll love it!

This review is mostly about the Sweetwater customer service, which is top-notch. I wanted to get back to having an old school type telecaster like the one I owned years ago, butterscotch blond with black pickguard. I also wanted pickups that are similar to those in 60's and I think the updated V-mod II are as close as you'll get without installing after market pickups. I haven't had chance to really explore the guitar but I would like to comment on Sweetwater's service. I ordered guitar with fender locking tuners to be installed, have the 9.5-44 gauge Primo Slinky strings installed over the bridge rather than through the body (old school style), and I paid $60 for the professional set up. Well, guitar arrived perfectly tuned (just a half step low, but in tune), everything perfect, factory tuners were in the case, in the box that locking tuners came in, had an extra set of strings. I could not be more satisfied with this purchase and I've said it before, I'll be back again.

As for the pine body, I don't see any problem with that. Some say the wood is softer and will get nicks and dings easier, but as for the tone I do not think it is affected at all, a telecaster tone is more about pickups and neck (I have maple). the important thing for me is to have that true telecaster twang and flowing rhythm tones.

After purchasing lower price point guitars for many year's, i went all in and purchased this Dandy of a guitar. American made Fender, I'm not a professional player but you don't have to be to see, hear and feel the difference in this instrument. The only regret is that I didn't do it sooner.
Sweetwater support and service 5 Stars as well.

I couldn't be happier with my purchase! Sweetwater's customer service is fantastic!
Could not be happier with my purchase! Love the tone and neck feel on the pro 2!

I've had a lot of guitars of really high quality but this one has really become my number 1. I've recorded, gigged a bunch, and teach with this guitar. It's so easy to dial in a great sound while also having many different tone options. This tele is amazing. Never thought I'd be a "tele guy" until I bought this guitar. It's all I play now. And I play everything from psychedelic rock, country, jam band Grateful Dead stuff, and more. It covers every sound I need with ease. It's amazing. And the guitar itself is beautiful.

The neck by the way is ridiculously nice. Has a satin finish that feels vintage almost. Has a little bit of gloss but not much. Seriously try this guitar out at the very least.

Ordered a demo butterscotch blonde and it was better then I could hope for. Been playing a Stratocaster for years and always wanted a Telecaster. Very happy with this guitar and extremely impressed with the neck and overall playability of this guitar. This was my first time ordering from Sweetwater and it won't be the last. Thanks to all the people at Sweetwater, keep up the great work.

I've wanted a real Fender American Tele for years. I finally added it to the collection and love every minute of it. The classic Tele sound rings so true, especially the bridge pickup. You can hear a little bit of every rock song for the last 50 years when you play it. I plan on putting plenty of miles on this one, just wish I didn't wait so many years!

Well made beautiful guitar. Tone is bright and crisp. Hard shell case is great I keep my tele in the case when its not in use. This is my first telecaster and it was well worth it! 5 big Stars 2 thumbs up and highly recommended!

This was the first guitar I brought from Sweetwater. For decades I bought from the big box store where you can at least hold & play a guitar before choosing one. So , this was a leap of faith for me. I've had to return even expensive guitars to the box store because no one took the time to look them over before shipping.

I have owned many Telecasters . I currently have a Chinese 50's Classic Vibe that I bought used for $200 . I love this guitar & have actually played it live a few times. I also have a MIM Nashville Tele that is versatile & has some nice features. I finally decided I'm
not getting any younger & I want to get the guitar I've always wanted ... an American Professional Tele. You can immediately see the difference in the quality from other Teles.
The volume / tone controls , bridge, pickups , tuners & frets are all top of line products of Fender ... you can feel & hear the quality.

If you're like me , I play .10's for strings ... I had the luthier at Sweetwater replace the strings with.10's & even though I like to set up my own guitars , I paid the extra $60 to have the luthier do a complete set up. The guitar arrived perfectly intonated & I am a big stickler on this ... I lowered the action a little bit more & I love it.

The rolled frets and fretboard along with the satin neck make for very smooth playing. It sounds , plays & looks great.

If you just sit at home and play , a $200 -$700 guitar will suffice. If you gig and you really want a dependable guitar that stays in tune & is built for the long haul, this is why you pay $ for a guitar. Trust me , this is about as good of a guitar that you will ever own. And knowing Sweetwater will at least do their 55 point inspection & has their return policy , you have nothing to lose.

Phenomenal out the case! Action is everything I wanted! Great player and looker!

I just received this Fender APII Telecaster. It is my first Fender electric guitar (I've gravitated to Gibson for some time, and I own a P-Bass) and my first bolt on neck. Overall the guitar is solid, rings and plays beautifully. The thicker neck is very much to my liking and the satin finish is easy and fast. I did not know one can micro adjust the neck tilt angle. Super cool! The neck angle out of the box is stellar and no adjustment is needed however I love the feature as someone who sets up their own guitars. Truss rod has smooth action, the frets are filed well enough for comfort. I recommend a lighter model if you can. I picked up one at 6 lbs 10 oz and it rings and sings! Killer guitar for a killer price. The APII series nailed it. I am considering a Strat in this series while it lasts. As always the Sweetwater team is exceptional, thank you!

Awesome guitar, sound quality, fingerboard and neck are smooth and easy to maneuver around.
Dave was outstanding to work with, dealing with my extremely selective self, that in itself is an accomplishment. Thanks, looking forward to my next purchase. ✅✅✅✅✅

This is the absolutely first time in over 45 years I have purchased any instrument on a completely impulsive basis. I happened to be watching a Vince Gill Video and I wondered why, after all these years, I had never even picked one up. So I went looking. I had been reluctant to purchase any guitar online unless I had actually played the exact same one elsewhere. This time was the first ever. I have been playing Gibson guitars my whole life. I do own one Strat and it would be considered vintage. My amps are all Fender Twin Reverbs with one being an actual purchased in '65 '65 Twin Reverb. Back to the Tele purchase. I started watching some videos of Tele players and realized the wealth of tones the different players were getting from them. Fender sends me a lot of emails and this particular one showed up, so I looked over the specs, etc. on Fenders website and then proceeded to Sweetwaters to see what they had available, and watched a demo video of this axe and a few days worth of thrashing about whether or not I needed another guitar I pulled the trigger and ordered the Tele. I was not disappointed at all. This guitar plays like a million bucks! Sounds great and is rapidly gaining favor over my other guitars. I have been developing some moderate arthritis and trigger fingers lately and had to change how I play significantly. This Tele is by far the easiest guitar to play of any I have. It can't magically make up for moves I can no longer play, and it doesn't correct any mistakes I might make, but it does play extremely well and is easy on my hands. Tonal qualities are exactly what I expected. I haven't been this happy with a new guitar since 1971 when I finally had saved enough to buy my first new Les Paul Custom. Simply put, it is perfect and I am glad I bought it. Nothing I would change. I simply love it.

My previous review focused on Sweetwater's great attention to detail customer service. Now that I've had this guitar for a couple of weeks I've been able to explore all it has to offer with a new Katana MKII Artist amp. Well, this certainly is a telecaster, has all the signature tones I remember. My first telecaster was a 70s model frankin-tele butterscotch blond. It had rosewood fret board, I chose maple.

Now, the thing about Fender guitars is they always provide plenty of bright, crisp tones. Some players don't like that "brittle" sound, but I've learned over the years that pushing the bass setting on the amp and limit the midrange, or "presence" setting that a fender guitar will give you just about any sound you want. Similar to my Les Paul, when I play that I generally push the mid range a little more and put bass and treble equal, sometimes push treble depending on what effects I use.

This Tele has the pine body. I've never owned a pine body but I see absolutely no problem with it, and it is certain much lighter. And the V-Mod II pickups are fantastic. I especially like that hollow "scooped" tone using the neck pickup -- just so liquid. I have not figured out if the phase/series push/push feature using middle setting adds anything for me. Once I've had a chance to play it live I'll have a better idea. I do like the sound it provides but nothing I can't live without. I think using a slide in that setting will be nice so I'll check that out in near future.

Hey, it's a Tele. I think the price is right, the product is great, Sweetwater customer service and quality are top notch.

I don't usually like to leave reviews for things until I'm past the "honeymoon phase." I picked up my Am Pro II Tele right at the end of 2021 and have spent a lot of time with it. Overall I've been pretty pleased with it. It came set up decently, of course still needing some tweaking for my tastes and also I found some of the nut slots still a little high. This doesn't bother me much as I have the tools to remedy those problems and they are pretty typical. I really like the neck carve on these, the "Deep C" fits my hand better than Fender's typical modern thin C. The fretwork was good, I think there were a couple very minorly high frets, nothing enough to fuss about. The compensated "bullet" bridge saddles allow for intonation to get well within tolerance and I like the ashtray bridge plate with the cutaway.

The main things I would criticize are:

1) Fender really needs to start fully shielding these things. At the very least have some foil on the back of the pickguard as they will always - ALWAYS - snap crackle and pop with static otherwise, and it is a very obnoxious sound everyone will notice when playing at volume. Every time your pinky touches that pickguard it is going to *POP*.

2) The VMODII pickups aren't bad but the neck pickup is frankly pretty dull. The bridge I kind of like and I haven't swapped them out yet, but I have two other teles with pickups I like a lot more.

So, all in all I have been very pleased with this Tele and would recommend it if it's features appeal to you.

I never was a fan of telecasters, but I pulled the trigger on the fender roasters pine butterscotch, Pro ll, with a silky smooth maple neck, that neck sold me.the playability of this guitar is hard to beat,Signed a player of 55+ years.

My first move with a guitar is to get it set up ASAP, this thing was perfect out of the box with the exception of needing a little nut lubrication. My rep, Caleb Berry went the extra mile to get one in the weight range I was looking for.