American Performer or American Professional Stratocaster?

Oh yeah, to add, there are often limited edition Performers and sweetwater may have one. I got one once with Aztec Gold with matching headstock, that was awesome but it was the previous model (the Am Special).

 

The pros have the best necks I have ever played

 

I'd rather have a classic series, to be completely honest with you.

My CS50s is one of my favorite strats on earth, and I have the neck of a 60s, and it's great too.

I don't think you get much added value with the extra money you spend on the higher level models. But I'm sure all of them are very nice.

 

I agree. The Classic 50's I owned was far better than the Am Pro and indistinguishable from the Am Std's I've owned. And it cost (in 2015) like $600 or so.

 

I own a Professional (Olympic White) and a Special (Fiesta Red) Stratocaster’s. My 2018 Special is very similar to the new Performer.

I love both guitars. Both are very different. The Professional is probably the nicest Strat that I’ve owned (many past American Standards) and it may have the best neck of any guitar that I’ve owned.

The Special is also very nice, but very different. I love the jumbo frets and nice rolled neck.

I vote buy both guitars if you can afford them. If not, test drive both, and go with the one that feels and sounds the best to you.

 

So was there a verdict?

 

I’ll take either one and be grateful.

As long as the performer is honeyburst or lake placid blue
and the professional is olympic white or sonic gray.

 

Why would they do that when they have the Original Series?

 

Id go with the professional for looks and the screwless whammy bar.

Cant stand the headstock+logo+tuners combo on the performer. The only thing Id like better on the performer would be the frets.

Pickups are overrated.

 

I love this forum, and I really like some of the posts whether technical, funny or a combo of each, reviews and other things. But this forum is the worst, of any type forums I visit with regularity. I'm referring to when you ask a question, a or b. and within 3 or 4 replies will be c. It does make it hard to read through a fairly long thread and learn or just enjoy one's self, without having to sort through a ton of stuff that has nothing to with the OP's question. So if you ask whether people prefer strawberry's or apples, somebody is surely going to answer "neither, I like cake". Trying to find different ways to re-ask the question to narrow it down the the info you want is mostly moot.

 

Performer, just because I like the 6 screw bridge, and jumbo frets.

 

The tuners on the Performer baffle me.
It's got the CBS style headstock, but instead of coming out with a 2-pin version of the original "F" tuners (which they make), they went with the pre-CBS Kluson style.

Not a big deal really, since it is a 2-pin Ping tuner and can be quickly replaced by the locking tuners.

But why the Kluson style tuners on the CBS headstock? It would have made sense had they gone back to the original Highway One small headstock.

 

I think they make it weird on purpose so people will not ALL buy the performer instead of the professional cuz $ reasons.

 

Pickups or tone control setup never stopped me from buying any guitar.
Including Gibson's.
All my American Special's have CS '54's and vintage style 3 way selector switch.
I prefer the jumbo frets, 6 point bridge, big headstock.
My next Strat will be a Performer.
I hate the satin finish or I'd buy a blue one.

 

That Lake Placid Blue performer with Maple neck is pretty nice looking. Considered one before going with my AM STD.
Just have to get over that large head stock, but still, sweet looking.

 

Thats what the poll is for, plain and simple. It's black and white, no if's, and's, or but's.

But going into more descriptive details...

If you ask an artist (and I think of every member on here as an artist), or anyone very passionate on a subject, a purely subjective question, its the kind of answer one would expect to get.

 

I have had many Stratos (7 now) and if you aint a real professional studio musician the differences are actually pretty small. Just pick the neck profile and color you like and you'll be fine. Later on you can always changes pickups (or to locking tuners etc.) if you start to desire something more.
I've seen an American standard from -95 whose neck was mint and I've seen an American standard from 2015 whose neck was already a bit of an S.

 

Yes! I have the very one:




And we must be like-minded, I note your previous comment re: Penny - here's my Performer Tele:

 

Off topic but how do you like the Performer telecaster? Might get a Performer tele or older Standard Tele next year.