The Fender American Ultra II combines American-made quality with modern technology

The American guitar manufacturer Fender continues to master its 21st century with confidence. Although the company has produced a range of guitars and basses since the 1950s that have remained essentially the same, it can still transform this raw material into something new and desirable. This has been ensured in recent years by innovations such as the Acoustasonic series of electro-acoustic guitars and the Tone Master Pro effects system. There were also partnerships with Saint Laurent and Bulgari.

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Beyond all the engineering, guitar building is still an art and a craft, something that collectors will always indulge in, as well as the important work of recognizing, enjoying, collaborating and highlighting the skills of players and artists still in the world The modern music scene is causing a stir.

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That’s the thinking behind the company’s latest release, the Fender American Ultra II series. The four new guitars and basses now added to the line-up are what we call the “most advanced electric guitar series” ever made. The secret here is a combination of craftsmanship, new materials and new electronics, all brought together at the company’s spiritual center, its California factory.

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The new range includes both recognized classic models and more modern designs, starting with two versions of the classic Stratocaster (one with humbuckers, one without). The first of these features three zero-hum pickups from Fender’s Ultra II Noiseless Vintage Strat (the HSS swaps one pickup for a Haymaker humbucker), and both Strats have a tremelo and maple neck.

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The Ultra II series necks are all maple and have ebony or maple fingerboards. In addition to the Stratocasters, there is an Ultra II Telecaster and a Space Age 6-string Meteora bass.

The bass offering continues with the American Ultra II Precision Bass, Ultra II Jazz Bass and American Ultra II Jazz Bass V for those looking to add another string to their low end sound. All eight models are available in a wide range of new body colors including Ultraburst, Solar Flare, Avalanche, Noble Blue, Sinister Red and Texas Tea.

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The pandemic saw one of the largest increases in guitar ownership on record, and although the market has cooled slightly, Fender cites forecasts showing the guitar market will still grow by $1.45 billion over the next four years . Given that collectors are lining up to acquire this new series, that’s no surprise.

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The Fender American Ultra II series consists of: