The Hype: Fender American Ultra Series
With 2019 in the books, Fender is putting yet another highlight on their American Ultra Series as we gear up for the Winter NAMM Show out in Anaheim, California. The line will replace the American Elite (which replaced the American Deluxe in 2016- I know it gets confusing.) But, nomenclature aside this revamp of Fender’s staple models has our shop particularly excited.
Let’s hit the highlights of the series as a whole rather than delve into the details of individual models for now. Starting at the top, the truss rod adjustment is back at the headstock. Why move backward on a favorable feature in this newer line? Though I found the Truss Rod Wheel was incredibly convenient, the master builders at Fender are finding those guitars to need more frequent micro adjustments to stay in best playing order, and find that the wheels leave the guitar’s neck far more susceptible to the elements. I imagine this feature will return if/when Fender feels they have mastered the building technique.
As we make our way down the neck, we’ll find the fingerboard to be quite smooth with “extremely rolled edges” in an effort to make the Ultra Series stand up to weathering conditions yet again. Goodbye sharp fret ends! The fast Satin Finish feels natural and breathes and the Modern D Profile plays easier than ever.
Getting down to the Body, Fender has reworked the contours even further for maximum comfort. The heavily sculpted neck joint has a slight pitch angle and a highly rounded edge to allow a player consistency of technique when playing in the highest register. Fender once again updated their Noiseless Series Pickups for the Ultra models, and made a Treble Bleed circuit standard across the board.
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