After numerous leaks online over the weekend, Fender has now officially announced the American Ultra Series electric guitars and basses. With the release, the iconic brand is aiming to set "a new industry standard for precision, performance and feel."
The American Ultra Series comprises three bass guitar models and four electrics. To the casual eye, the shapes look somewhat familiar. But Fender says that players can look forward to new body designs, together with brand new technology inside.
"Since 1946, Fender has embraced artist and player feedback as the core driver of its process, leading to decades of subtle yet crucial innovations," said Fender. "These thoughtful changes in design and technology can’t always be seen by the naked eye, but are meaningful to artists who crave products that evolve with the times. As younger players create new sounds, meld existing genres and push the limits of what a guitar can do, Fender products also continue to evolve."
The Series marks the debut for the company's Ultra Noiseless pickups, which are made available in two flavors. The Vintage variety are reported to deliver an authentic Fender single-coil sound, while the Hot pickups aim for modern performance and classic tone. In both cases, players are promised hum-free performance.
Fender also says it has redesigned the Series' bodies for "next level comfort and playability." This includes new back contouring, and a sculpted neck heel. And there's a new "Modern D" fast-playing neck with a compound-radius fingerboard, smooth satin finish and rolled edges.
The Ultra bass guitars come with a HiMass bridge for "serious sustain, precise intonation and rock-solid tuning stability." The thunder thumpers can be used in passive mode, but rock a redesigned pre-amp with three bands of active boost/cut too.
The HSS Stratocaster gains a brand-new Double Tap Humbucker with an overwound coil for matched volume between coil-split pickup modes. There's an all single-coil Strat too, an Ultra Telecaster, and an Ultra Jazzmaster. All instruments in the Series are said to feature a treble-bleed circuit for high-end response preservation at all volume levels.
The American Ultra Stratocaster, HSS Strat, Telecaster and Precision Bass starts at US$1,899.99, the Jazzmaster and Jazz Bass start at $1,999.99, and the Jazz Bass V starts from $2,099.99. The video below has more.
Product page: American Ultra Series