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Post subject: American Performers replacing American Specials?
Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2018 1:51 pm
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They just leaked across the Web, the American Special series has a replacement: American Performer.

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Available in SSS and HSS configurations, with new exciting finishes including Aubergine and Penny.


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Post subject: Re: American Performers replacing American Specials?
Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2018 4:39 pm
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New name, 70s vintage tuners, and yellowed plastics.
Moving closer to a 70s reissue than the AmSpec, which was more of a 70s clone (in appearance, ignoring the electronics.)

Neat.

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Post subject: Re: American Performers replacing American Specials?
Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2018 4:42 pm
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chromeface wrote:
They just leaked across the Web, the American Special series has a replacement: American Performer.

Image

Available in SSS and HSS configurations, with new exciting finishes including Aubergine and Penny.

Had the chance to play the HSS and SSS Strats and the SH Tele at my favorite Guitar Center's Fender Room and liked them all. The HSS Strat had a Surf Green satin finish that reminded me of a Highway One HSS I owned years ago.

The Tele is calling to me the loudest but I need more info about the pickups and I'm wondering if there are any other color options than Vintage White.

John


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Post subject: Re: American Performers replacing American Specials?
Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2018 8:48 pm
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Pickups are Yosemite single coils (neck & mid) and Double Tap humbucker (bridge).

The Double Tap on the Tele SH features chrome metal covers. The 5-way super switch to split the Double Tap is not present in this model; this operation can be done via a push-pull pot in the master Greasebucket control knob. That same function is also applicable on the HSS Strat using the 2nd tone knob.

On the SSS Strat the push-pull activates the neck pickup allowing players to access neck/bridge and “all on” combinations with a simple finger flick.


Last edited by chromeface on Mon Dec 03, 2018 3:04 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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Post subject: Re: American Performers replacing American Specials?
Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2018 9:54 pm
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CB91710 wrote:
New name


I woud say a revival of an old series from the 1980s rather than a new name.

Hopefully we'll not see John Page's radical body designs with the Swinger headstocks, angled active humbuckers and Schaller System I locking tremolos but a fresh update on an already existing product.

Another marketing strategy from Fender to make profits and sell their products.

They already did the trick in 2016 with the American Deluxes renaming them as American Elite.


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Post subject: Re: American Performers replacing American Specials?
Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2018 11:07 pm
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Personally, I like the direction they are headed in here...

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Post subject: Re: American Performers replacing American Specials?
Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2018 3:10 am
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I think I'll stick with my HW1 but I like the new split post tuners (and the honey burst finish ;-) ).

I hope the tuners become available as a spare part (at sensible money) I'd be up for a set of them. I think they look a bit fake retro on the back (New Mini ?) but I assume will fit modern head stock drillings. Split posts are so much better all round that I don't understand why they stopped doing them - manufacturing costs perhaps.

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Post subject: Re: American Performers replacing American Specials?
Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2018 6:25 am
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The Honeyburst is the only one I like.
Lake Placid Blue is really cool, but they went with satin.

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Post subject: Re: American Performers replacing American Specials?
Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2018 9:44 pm
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CB91710 wrote:
The Honeyburst is the only one I like.


Honeyburst Strats look astounding, especially with a maple neck. :P


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Post subject: Re: American Performers replacing American Specials?
Posted: Fri Dec 21, 2018 2:17 am
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chromeface wrote:
CB91710 wrote:
The Honeyburst is the only one I like.

Honeyburst Strats look astounding, especially with a maple neck. :P

I'd love to play one of the Honeyburst American Performers. It reminds me of a Hand Rubbed American Special I owned a few years ago that I traded away.
Image000_1002 by John Bohn, on Flickr
I miss it.

John


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Post subject: Re: American Performers replacing American Specials?
Posted: Fri Dec 21, 2018 4:59 am
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Unfortunately it's only available with a rosewood fingerboard.


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Post subject: Re: American Performers replacing American Specials?
Posted: Fri Dec 21, 2018 6:56 am
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chromeface wrote:
Unfortunately it's only available with a rosewood fingerboard.


Indeed so.

One assumes, if the finish is popular it will migrate to other models with other necks.

I am hoping the tuners will be readily available in due course as all my non vintage models will be getting a set of them when they do.

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Post subject: Re: American Performers replacing American Specials?
Posted: Sun Dec 23, 2018 4:01 am
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The good news is American Performer necks are interchangeable and bodies universally routed, allowing players to modify their favourite axes at their heart's delight.


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Post subject: Re: American Performers replacing American Specials?
Posted: Sun Dec 23, 2018 12:13 pm
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chromeface wrote:
The good news is American Performer necks are interchangeable and bodies universally routed, allowing players to modify their favourite axes at their heart's delight.

Aside from cost.
If you want to retain the large headstock, the American Special necks are $429 for maple and $479 for rosewood.
$500+ for the other American designs.
And of course, you'd need to keep the original neck since your serial number would be replaced with the one from the raw neck and show as such in Fender's files ("not found" in the registration database)

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Post subject: Re: American Performers replacing American Specials?
Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2018 1:46 am
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Only the USA Elite necks and pickguards are incompatible.


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