"A strong statement from Fender in 2024 about accessibility and quality": Fender Player II Telecaster and Stratocaster review

Fender Player II Telecaster and Stratocaster: What are they?

When the Player Series was introduced in 2018 it wasn’t just a new Mexican-made Standard series – it was at the centre of a reconfiguration within Fender’s electric guitar lines. 

It became Fender’s bedrock at the time; offering the first step into its catalogue (anomalies like the Chinese-made Modern Player series notwithstanding). But it quickly represented more than that; the US Standard models had already been phased out in 2016 and replaced by the Elite series, which in turn became the distinctly modern Ultra. It was the American Pro series that would become the new Standard in 2017 but the price gap between the Mexican Player and these models California-made guitars became soberingly wide. 

For the average player (that’s most of us, including myself – I own two), the Fender Player became our standard for Strat, Tele, offset and beyond. It was the Goldilocks zone for value and quality… nearly. 

The CITES laws on rosewood threw a spanner in the works by 2019; as much as Fender and the rest of us didn't want to say it, the pau ferro that replaced rosewood for Player series fretboards looked inferior. Ofter paler, and streakier. Even the more expensive Player Plus models of 2021 couldn’t address it, sticking with pau ferro, and even Fender's CEO Andy Mooney seemed to suggest to us that even after CITES restrictions lifted rosewood would probably become a more premium option on Fender guitars.

The Player Plus series did make us realise something else too; the rolled edges of their fingerboards weren’t just a marketing gimmick. But on the subject of rosewood Vs pau ferro area at least, there was still a sense of visual compromise compared to the US models. Rejoice then – those days are over.

The new Player II series is a statement about where Fender is right now because, make no mistake, this is its core line of guitars and basses. And rosewood is back, alongside ol’ faithful maple,  but moreover, the rolled fingerboard edges of the Plus models are here too. So of course, their price hike must be too? No, actually.

I did say it was a statement, and these come in a little over the retail price of the original Players at launch. So much for guitars becoming more expensive and rosewood being reserved for Fender’s $1000+ Mexican-made models like the Mike McCready Strat. Surely there’s a rub?

One way Fender has kept inflation at bay from the main product is by jettisoning the original launch Player guitars' included gigbag. Now I’ve taken Fender to task in reviews about its Deluxe gigbag simply not feeling very deluxe anymore – especially compared to the Acoustasonic Player's bag. Well, it feels like the company’s response is to sidestep an upgrade and possible price hike completely. That told me.

So it’s all eyes and ears on the guitars themselves, and while there are some surprising models in the new series – who had chambered body Strats and Teles on their 2024 Fender Ensenada bingo card? – it makes sense to start the evaluation with the classics many of us will inevitably make a beeline for. 

Fender Player II Telecaster: Performance

With the Chambered variation being lined up for the Player II series, it might not be so surprising that our test Tele is towards the heavier end of the scale at 7.8lbs. No boat anchor then, and pretty much towards typical for the kind of contemporary Teles I’ve tested in the last few years, but for those of us looking for more consistency in the lower 7s it will be interesting to see how the pricier Chambered ash and mahogany model weights pan out in the real world for those tired of the crapshoot involved in finding lighter modern Fender guitars.

The Player II Series introduces four vintage-vibed Fender colours and the Birch Green here looks clean and classic contrasted with the dark slab rosewood. Another reminder, as if it were needed, that the Telecaster is one of the most attractive pieces of design in human history. Alongside the Black, 3-Tone Sunburst and Polar White options players can also choose between Coral Red, Aquatone Blue and Hialeah Yellow. The sense is that Fender is saving its more experimental finishes for some of its other series like the Ultra and America Pro II, and keeping things classic here.

I’m not just here to admire finishes and have fun, you know… playing. My review list after checking the neck relief is to test the strings fretted and open for unwelcome buzzes or choking. The action here is surprisingly medium (in sharp contrast to our test Strat) but I find an issue before I can even test the playability; the low E string is buzzing when played open.

Ruling out neck relief as a cause, I try two other E strings from my emergency electric guitar strings sets. One is a gauge 9 like the stock set and the other is a beefier 54 (the only alternative I had to hand). I find the same issues with the other E string from the gauge 9 set, and none with the heavier gauge. It suggests the nut has been cut too deep at the factory.

It’s fixable with care, and something a shop would and should address if you’re buying in person anyway, but you shouldn’t have to deal with this out of the box when it should have been spotted in a simple QC check. It's disappointing frankly, and we’re probably just unlucky, especially when everything else here is so pleasing – that slightly unfriendly action notwithstanding. 

The neck is lovely. Back when the Player Plus was released (with those pau ferro fingerboards alongside maple) I discovered how the subtle art of fingerboard edge rolling made me believe I was playing something both premium and played in, but without the relic’ing connotations. The process involves gently filing down the edges of the fingerboard so they’re more rounded. It’s a feel thing – and we all know how important feel is with our guitar necks. And it feels like an upgrade from the original Player guitars. 

So too does the darker tint of the maple neck, still with the satin urethane finish of the first Player series and its modern-C profile. The tuners for the new series get a change to kidney bean 18:1 ratio ClassicGear from the Standard type. More a vintage look of course but also just cooler and more of what I envision of when I think 'Fender' in general. I’m now eyeing my own 2019 Player Mustang for an upgrade as a result.

On the pickup front, we don’t get changes on either the Tele and the Strat. They remain the Alnico 5s; pitching for all-rounder appeal. Even the vintage-style Vintera models use Alnico 5 and the significantly pricier American Pro IIs use a ‘propriety' blend of 2 and 5 under the treble and bass strings, respectively for the Teles. But for the Players it certainly wasn’t broken as a recipe on a Tele that gives a very good account of itself as a workhorse with a versatile mix of cut and enough low end in the bridge for a lot of rock needs. Those in search of the twangiest steely country thrills might be put out but this is bright enough for most of us. 

The neck has that hollow rounded character I find really appealing with Teles, and this translates to a middle position that’s fantastic for those singer-guitarists out there who are holding down strumming-heavy sets onstage. The combo of treble twinkle and low mids can sit in the mix wonderfully without threatening the audience with ear fatigue from your relentless chord work. I love adding in some light phaser or Boss-style chorus on my Universal Audio UAFX Astra pedal with this position for a little movement in the already appealing base sound. Lovely stuff! 

Fender Player II Stratocaster: Performance

As we started off talking about weight with the Tele, let’s do it again. This one is 8lbs on the nose – and I even weighed the Hialeah Yellow model Guitar World has had in for review and it was the same on the scales. Very par for the course with Fender Strats these days in my experience, and once again I wonder what difference those Chambered variations will prove. I do prefer lighter guitars myself. 

Here we have a maple fingerboard and a much lower action than our Tele (1.25mm clearance at the 12th fret) and it really does showcase what the Player II necks can offer. Wow, what a joy to play. My fretting thumb has never been so happy as I revel in an irresistibly smooth neck experience from those rolled edges. The gauge 9s feel super slinky but the tuning holds true even as my bends get overenthusiastic. As far as Strat necks with universal appeal go, this is addictive stuff. 

The combo of Polar White with black pickguard means this looks at stylish as it plays, though I’d honestly be pushed to pick between this, Birch Green and Black. The Polar White has the added bonus of being offered in a rosewood fingerboard option too. Tough choices!

Like the Tele, the pots have a responsive taper that offer a lot of scope – especially on the bridge pickup where I actually find myself using the tone control more than I usually would with other guitars because there’s so much to be gained. 

Personal preference would probably lead me to fit a treble bleed cap that I enjoyed on the Mike McCready Strat, but the stock experience here is an excellent demonstration of a modern Strat, without the pickups being wound too hot. 

Tuning is rock solid with the tremolo arm in force – and the fun can really begin. The Player II Strat such a reassuring platform with the smooth, rounded the Modern-C neck getting you in the door and the rest of the package making sure you’re happy to stick around. 

Fender Player II Telecaster and Stratocaster: Verdict

The Player II series is about tweaks rather than any kind of dramatic overhaul, because none was needed. But it's is still a strong statement from Fender in 2024 about accessibility and quality – our Tele nut issues notwithstanding. The lack of any gig bag feels a bit stingy but the improvements here do balance that out and make a difference to playability and aesthetic – especially in the case of the rosewood models. I can’t help feeling Fender’s necks in this series are also consistently the best you’ll find at this price point. And as I said before and we all know, the feel of the neck and the way you connect with it really matters.   

The Tele is still very much a fantastic all-rounder and a superb candidate for your first proper guitar investment –  And maybe your last. There are excellent Squier Classic Vibe deals to be had out there, but when it comes to a contemporary Fender, this is the best Strat available for performance and price right now for me. 

And that’s the great thing about these Player II guitars; the necks are so persuasive and all the ingredients are in check elsewhere, for most of us the American Fenders aren’t going to be a compelling step up for most of us. Because it can be quite a substantial financial jump. That’s a good problem for Fender and its customers to have, especially with this new Mexican series that offers so much for you to invest in elsewhere and broaden your horizons further.  

MusicRadar verdict: The enhancements to the original Player formula here are subtle in places but significant: the Player II Series feels like the centre of what Fender is and needs to be right now.

Fender Player II Telecaster and Stratocaster: Hands-on demos

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Fender Player II Telecaster: Specifications

• Price: $799.99 / £739 
• Body: Alder 
• Neck: Maple 
• Neck profile: Modern 'C'
• Scale length: 25.5” 
• Fingerboard: Rosewood slab
• Radius: 9.5"
• Frets: 22
• Hardware: 6-Saddle String-Through-Body Telecaster Bridge with Block Steel Saddles, ClassicGear Tuning Machines (18:1 ratio)
• Electrics: 2x Player Series Alnico 5 Single-Coil Telecaster, 3-way pickup selector
• Left-handed: Yes
• Gig bag: No 
• Contact: Fender

Fender Player II Stratocaster: Specifications

• Price: $799.99 / £739
• Body: Alder 
• Neck: Maple 
• Neck profile: Modern 'C'
• Scale length: 25.5” 
• Nut width: 
• Fingerboard: Maple 
• Radius: 9.5"
• Frets: 22
• Hardware: 2-point Synchronized Tremolo with Bent Steel Saddles, ClassicGear Tuning Machines 
• Electrics: 3x Player Series Alnico V Single-Coil Stratocaster, 5-way pickup selector
• Weight: 
• Left-handed: Yes
• Gig bag: No 
• Contact: Fender