Hands-on demo: Fender American Performer Series

News
By ( Total Guitar ) published

The new Stratocaster, Stratocaster HSS and Tele Hum demoed

Simon Arblaster and Michael Astley-Brown cherry-pick three of Fender’s latest American Performer range for a slice of the hands-on treatment.

Above, they share their first thoughts on the most affordable American-made guitars from the legendary guitar maker.

Highlights this time around include Fender’s newly designed Yosemite and DoubleTap pickups, Greasebucket circuitry and push/pull electronics.

MORE INFO: Fender launches American Performer Series with 9 new guitars and basses

Stay up to date with the latest gear and tuition. image
Stay up to date with the latest gear and tuition.
Subscribe and save today!
More Info
Simon Arblaster
Simon Arblaster
Video Producer & Reviews Editor

I take care of the reviews on MusicRadar and Future Music magazine, though can sometimes be spotted in front of a camera talking little sense in the presence of real musicians. For the past 30 years, I have been unable to decide on which instrument to master, so haven't bothered. Currently, a lover of all things high-gain in the guitar stakes and never one to resist churning out sub-standard funky breaks, the likes of which you'll never hear.

More about electric guitars
Gibson Les Paul Special with Mini Humbuckers Tobacco Burst: exclusively available direct from Gibson, these solid mahogany singlecuts remix the Special recipe with mini humbuckers, giving the singlecut a different voice.

“The mini humbucker fits into the same sized pickup cavity as a P-90 and delivers low-noise humbucking pickup performance and a slightly brighter and more open tone”: Gibson remixes the Les Paul Special with mini humbuckers
Gretsch Limited Edition Streamliner 2025: three limited edition semi-hollow electric guitars are pictured against a bank of studio hardware.

“Exceptional performance, sound, and style at an incredible value.”: Gretsch unveils trio of limited edition Streamliner electrics that offer Bigsby wobble, semi and hollow-bodied rock ’n’ roll mojo for $699
Pink Floyd

“I’ve often wondered if it was the Devil grinning up at me, or God smiling down on me. I still haven’t figured out who had the final say”: How a feat of spontaneous creativity resulted in one of Pink Floyd’s most majestic moments
See more latest
Most Popular
Mythos Pedals x That Pedal Show Argo Boost Deluxe
“Instead of pairing a new booster inside this new pedal, think of it as changing lanes inside the pedal”: Mythos and That Pedal Show team up for the Argo Boost Deluxe – an octave fuzz with a switchable boost
The Beatles
“I didn’t even realise it had synthesizer on it for decades”: This deep dive into The Beatles' Here Comes The Sun reveals 4 Moog Modular parts that we’d never even noticed before
Chris Hayes [left] wears a purple checked shirt and plays his 1957 Stratocaster in the studio; Michael J. Fox tears it up onstage as Marty McFly in the 1985 blockbuster Back To The Future.
“We’re looking at the movie going, ‘Urgh! It’s kinda cheesy. I don’t know if this is going to work”: How Chris Hayes wrote Huey Lewis and the News’ Back To The Future hit Power Of Love in his pyjamas
Noel Gallagher
“I thought it’d be a big deal, but I was a bit taken aback by just how much of a big deal it was”: Noel Gallagher finally speaks about Oasis ticket chaos
uli behringer
Uli Behringer speaks out on Behringer's pricing strategy: "Our competitors say 'how much could I charge and get away with it?' We take the cost, add a small margin and that's the sale price"
PinkPantheress
“Some people were questioning if I knew the genre and did my research, I guess because I’m young”: PinkPantheress says that having her authenticity doubted by dance music purists “was a bit annoying”
Jaco Pastorius
“I have never felt so ashamed to be onstage. If I never see you again, it's too soon!”: When John McLaughlin laid into Jaco Pastorius after an onstage meltdown
Eric Clapton sits on a cream sofa and plays one of his new signature Martin acoustics, with the other sitting on a stand beside him
“Over the past three decades, his partnership with Martin has produced some of the most sought-after signature guitars in the company’s history”: Martin recreates Eric Clapton’s MTV Unplugged acoustic for limited edition anniversary run
Joseph Quinn, Barry Keoghan, Harris Dickinson and Paul Mescal
“I can assure you there is still plenty left to explore and I think we found a way to do that”: On-screen Fab Four actors and release plan confirmed
Jeff Beck
"I believe I’ve got the last recording Jeff Beck ever did in the studios": Guitarist Mick Rogers thinks he's in possession of a piece of musical history