Fender launches American Performer Series with 9 new guitars and basses

Fender has announced the American Performer Series, which replaces the American Special Series as the guitar company’s most affordable entry point to its Corona, California-built models.

Key specs for the new range include all-new Yosemite single coils and patent-pending DoubleTap humbuckers, the latter of which incorporates coil-splitting without losing volume.

You’ll also find enhanced circuitry via push/pull pots on a number of new models, such as the ability to blend the neck pickup with the bridge and middle on the Strat.

Elsewhere, there’s the ’70s-style logo in silver on all models, oversized ’70s Strat headstocks, plus five new gloss colours and two satin finishes: Arctic White, Aubergine, Honeyburst, Penny, Satin Surf Green, Satin Sonic Blue and Satin Lake Placid Blue.

Also making their debut are Fender’s ClassicGear tuners: vintage-style 18:1 machineheads combining classic styling and modern gear ratio.

These features appear across nine new guitars and basses: the American Performer Stratocaster, Stratocaster HSS, Telecaster, Telecaster Hum, Mustang, Jazzmaster, Precision Bass, Jazz Bass and Mustang Bass.

Of particular note with this lovely lot are the tremolos on the offset models: a Strat synchronized offering on the Jazz, and a new tremolo design for the Mustang.

Greasebucket tone circuits also appear across the range, meaning no more treble loss when you roll back the volume knob.

The models will be officially launched at NAMM 2019, but you can get all the info below and hear them in action in our hands-on video demo above…

American Performer Stratocaster

• $1,099/£999
• New Yosemite Pickups
• New ClassicGear tuning machines
• Push-pull pot activates neck pickup
• “Modern C”-shaped neck
• 9.5”-radius fingerboard; 22 jumbo frets
• Greasebucket tone circuitry
• Alder body with gloss or satin finish
• Maple or rosewood fingerboards available 
• Includes deluxe gig bag
• FINISH OPTIONS: The American Performer Stratocaster with a maple fingerboard is offered in Satin Lake Placid Blue and Penny. The American Performer Stratocaster with a rosewood fingerboard is offered in Honey Burst and Arctic White.

American Performer Stratocaster HSS

• $1,099/£999
• New Yosemite Pickups
• New Patent-pending Double Tap humbucking pickup
• Push-pull pot activates neck pickup
• New ClassicGear tuning machines
• Greasebucket tone circuitry
• “Modern C”-shaped neck
• 9.5”-radius fingerboard; 22 jumbo frets
• Alder body with gloss or satin finish
• Maple or rosewood fingerboards available
• Includes deluxe gig bag
• FINISH OPTIONS: The American Performer Stratocaster HSS with a maple fingerboard is offered in Black and Satin Surf Green. The American Performer Stratocaster HSS with a rosewood fingerboard is offered in 3-Color Sunburst and Aubergine.

American Performer Telecaster

• $1,099/£999
• New Yosemite Pickups
• New ClassicGearTM tuning machines
• “Modern C”-shaped neck
• Greasebucket tone circuitry
• 9.5”-radius fingerboard; 22 jumbo frets
• Alder body with gloss or satin finish
• 3-saddle string-through-body bridge
• Maple or rosewood fingerboards available
• Includes deluxe gig bag
• FINISH OPTIONS: The American Performer Telecaster with a maple fingerboard is offered in Vintage White and Penny. The American Performer Telecaster with a rosewood fingerboard is offered in Honey Burst and Satin Sonic Blue.

American Performer Telecaster Hum

• $1,099/£999
• New Yosemite Pickups
• New ClassicGear tuning machines
• “Modern C”-shaped neck
• 9.5”-radius fingerboard; 22 jumbo frets
• Greasebucket tone circuitry
• Alder body with gloss or satin finish
• Maple or rosewood fingerboards available
• Includes deluxe gig bag
• FINISH OPTIONS: The American Performer Telecaster Hum with a maple fingerboard is offered in 3-Color Sunburst and Vintage White. The American Performer Telecaster Hum with a rosewood fingerboard is offered in Aubergine and Satin Surf Green.

American Performer Jazzmaster

• $1,199/£1,049
• New Yosemite pickups
• New ClassicGear tuning machines
• Greasebucket tone circuitry
• “Modern C”-shaped neck
• 9.5”-radius fingerboard; 22 jumbo frets
• Strat six-screw vintage-style synchronized tremolo bridge
• Alder body with gloss or satin finish
• Includes deluxe gig bag
• FINISH OPTIONS: The American Performer Jazzmaster with a rosewood fingerboard is offered in 3-Color Sunburst, Satin Lake Placid Blue, Vintage White, and Penny.

American Performer Mustang

• $1,099/£999
• Yosemite Mustang single-coil pickups
• New American Performer Mustang bridge and tremolo
• New ClassicGear tuning machines
• Greasebucket tone circuitry
• “Modern C”-shaped neck
• 9.5”-radius fingerboard; 22 jumbo frets
• Alder body with gloss or satin finish
• Includes deluxe gig bag
• FINISH OPTIONS: The American Performer Mustang with a rosewood fingerboard is offered in 3-Color Sunburst, Vintage White, Penny, and Satin Sonic Blue.

American Performer Mustang Bass

• $1,199/£1,049
• New Yosemite Pickups
• Fender “F” light-weight vintage-paddle keys with tapered shafts
• “Modern C”-shaped neck
• Greasebucket tone circuitry
• 9.5”-radius fingerboard; 20 medium-jumbo frets
• Alder body with gloss or satin finish
• Includes deluxe gig bag
• FINISH OPTIONS: The American Performer Mustang Bass with a rosewood fingerboard is offered in 3-Color Sunburst, Aubergine, Artic White, and Satin Surf Green.

American Performer Precision Bass

• $1,199/£1,149
• Yosemite single-coil Jazz Bass pickup (bridge), Yosemite split single-coil Precision Bass pickup (middle)
• Fender “F” light-weight vintage-paddle keys with tapered shafts
• “Modern C”-shaped neck
• Greasebucket tone circuitry
• 9.5”-radius fingerboard; 20 medium-jumbo frets
• 4-saddle vintage-style bridge with steel saddles
• Alder body with gloss or satin finish
• Includes deluxe gig bag
• FINISH OPTIONS: The American Performer Precision Bass with a maple fingerboard is offered in Satin Lake Placid Blue and Penny. The American Performer Precision Bass is offered with a rosewood fingerboard in 3-Color Sunburt and Artic White.

American Performer Jazz Bass

• $1,199/£1,149
• Yosemite single-coil Jazz Bass pickups
• Fender “F” light-weight vintage-paddle keys with tapered shafts
• “Modern C”-shaped neck
• GreasebucketTM tone circuitry
• 9.5”-radius fingerboard; 20 medium-jumbo frets
• Alder body with gloss or satin finish
• 4-Saddle vintage-style bridge with steel saddles
• Includes deluxe gig bag
• FINISH OPTIONS: The American Performer Jazz Bass with a maple fingerboard is offered in Satin Surf Green and Penny. The American Performer Jazz Bass with a rosewood fingerboard is offered in 3-Color Sunburst and Arctic White.