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Fender American Performer Stratocaster HSS - Black with Maple Fingerboard

Solidbody Electric Guitar with Alder Body, Maple Neck, Maple Fingerboard, 2 Single-coil Pickups, and 1 Humbucker - Black
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Fender American Performer Stratocaster HSS - Black with Maple Fingerboard
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The American Performer Stratocaster HSS

A modern expression of the solidbody electric guitar that started it all, Fender's American Performer Stratocaster delivers the latest in US-made quality and value. The American Performer Stratocaster HSS boasts a massive tonal range. A duo of Fender Yosemite single-coil pickups — with flat-staggered pole pieces to increase output — serve up classic Strat spank and sparkle, while a hot DoubleTap humbucker simmers at the bridge, ready to sizzle your solos. A push-pull tone knob lets you split the bridge pickup, opening up an extended range of single-coil tones. The second tone pot engages Fender's Greasebucket master tone circuit, which rolls off highs without reducing gain. Not to be overshadowed by its innovative electronics, the American Performer Stratocaster, naturally, features the outstanding comfort and playability you expect from a Fender Strat.

Play a modern classic

The American Performer Stratocaster gives you the best of old and new, with premium features throughout. From its classic contoured alder body and fast, comfortable maple neck to its cutting-edge electronics and premium appointments, the Fender American Performer Stratocaster is today's affordable, American-made expression of Leo Fender's legendary electric guitar. Fender's latest vintage-style 6-screw Synchronized Tremolo bridge/tailpiece is ideal for adding expressive vibrato to your chords and solos, while their vintage/modern ClassicGear tuners and synthetic bone nut provide superior tuning stability.

Truckloads of legendary tone

The Fender American Performer Stratocaster is loaded with a duo of Yosemite single-coil pickups in the neck and middle positions, complemented by a DoubleTap humbucker at the bridge. From chimey, glassy cleans to searing shred, these pups serve up truckloads of classic and modern tone. This potent sonic elixir is stirred through a 5-way blade pickup selector. You can split the bridge pickup to extend your range of single-coil tones by pulling up on the push-pull neck/middle tone knob. The bridge tone pot engages Fender's Greasebucket master tone circuit, which rolls off highs without reducing gain — an incredibly useful feature that many guitarists at Sweetwater swear by.

Timeless Strat design

Fender introduced the Stratocaster in 1954, but it was Jimi Hendrix who, 13 years later, put the sleek, contoured solidbody on the map as the 6-string object of desire for generations of guitarists to come. Dressed up in new eye-catching finishes and pickguards, Fender's American Performer Stratocasters make a compelling entrée into this American classic — which is still going strong after more than a half century. The Fender American Performer Stratocaster: there's never been a better time to get into a genuine, American-made Fender Strat.

Fender American Performer Stratocaster Solidbody Electric Guitar Features:

  • Yosemite single-coil pickups with flat-staggered pole pieces to increase output
  • Push-pull tone knob lets you split the bridge pickup for an extended range of single-coil tones
  • Fender's Greasebucket master tone circuit rolls off highs without reducing gain
  • Vintage/modern ClassicGear tuners
  • Neck pickup: Yosemite Strat single-coil (Alnico 4, 7.8K)
  • Middle pickup: Yosemite Strat RWRP single-coil (Alnico 4, 8.5K)
  • Bridge pickup: Double Tap humbucker (Alnico 4, 8.2K)
  • 5-way blade pickup selector switch
  • Master volume control
  • Push-pull neck/middle tone control
  • Bridge tone control (Greasebucket tone circuit)
  • Satin polyurethane body and neck finish
  • Comfort-contoured alder body
  • Modern "C" profile maple neck
  • 9.5"-radius fingerboard with 22 jumbo frets
  • 6-screw vintage-style Synchronized Tremolo bridge
  • 1.685" synthetic bone nut
  • Single-action truss rod with headstock access
  • Nickel/chrome hardware
  • Quality crafted in America

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Tech Specs

  • General
  • Number of Strings 6
  • Left-/Right-handed Right-handed
  • Body
  • Body Type Solidbody
  • Body Shape Stratocaster
  • Body Material Alder
  • Body Finish Gloss Polyurethane
  • Color Black
  • Neck
  • Neck Material Maple
  • Neck Shape Modern C
  • Neck Joint Bolt-on
  • Radius 9.5"
  • Fingerboard Material Maple
  • Fingerboard Inlay Black Dots
  • Number of Frets 22, Jumbo
  • Scale Length 25.5"
  • Nut Width 1.685"
  • Nut Material Synthetic
  • Hardware
  • Bridge/Tailpiece 6-saddle Vintage-style Synchronized Tremolo
  • Tuners Fender Classic Gear
  • Electronics
  • Neck Pickup Yosemite Strat Single-coil
  • Middle Pickup Yosemite Strat Single-coil
  • Bridge Pickup Performer DoubleTap Humbucker
  • Controls 1 x master volume, 1 x tone (neck/middle push/pull coil-split), 1 x tone (bridge)
  • Switching 5-way blade pickup switch
  • Miscellaneous
  • Strings Fender USA, .009-.042
  • Case/Gig Bag Gig Bag
  • Manufacturer Part Number: 0114922306

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Customer Reviews

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Rated 5/5

Absolute Sweetness!

I am a rough punk on my guitars, so on 8/13/20 I purchased the DEMO model of the black Performer Strat. My salesman Chris Goldbach must have switched it with a brand new one because I can't even see nor find the supposed scratches that are supposed to be on it. It is so freaking beautiful. Right out of the incredible safely packed box it tuned up perfect. Plays like a dream. Action is low and amazing. Intonation is perfect. The maple neck is so smooth and fast. These pickups have so much incredible sustain; I hit a note Saturday night that I believe might start fading on Tuesday. The single-coil pick ups are incredible. I don't usually use single-coils much in my punk/metal style but they make me want to use them! And the tone is that classic bubbly Fender tone. This guitar makes me feel like Glenn Tipton circa Defenders of the Faith tour. I am truly blown away at how Sweetwater delivered this piece of perfection to me!
Music background: Have toured the world and been signed to Atlantic Records.
Rated 5/5

U.S.A. Made @ Great Price

Had this bad boy for over a month now and played it a ton. Sounds pretty good in a positions but the bridge sounds the best of all. Quite a few different tones/sounds you can get out of this thing all the way from great cleans to bluesy to rock even fair at some styles of metal. Quality of build is spot on nothing bad on my guitar and it looks killer!! Only things I have changed to Groover straplocks, Graphtec nut, & Fender locking tuners. Why change those 3 things you my ask well I put straplocks on all my guitars from new. The nut I just prefer graphtec on these guitars. And I also prefer locking tuning machines for quick string changes. I must say this is not my first guitar purchase from Sweetwater and it won't be my last. These guys & gals treat their customers with the utmost respect and best in the business customer service and care. Shout out to my service rep Paul Eckert.
Music background: 30+ year of giving err
Rated 4/5

Excellent Guitar-Questionable Setup

My 2nd Strat. Much nicer than my "Player" Strat. Super smooth sound and neck. Everything good besides the setup. Five strings were either (slightly) flat or sharp at the 12th fret, and next to impossible to tune. After a good stretch period, tune one string and have to tune 5 others multiple times. If I use the tremolo even a little, all go out of tune. I had the same problem on my "Player" (1st) Strat, and ended up decking both. This time I know it's not me. My sales engineer assured me that the tremolo system could be set up correctly and stay in tune. Hendricks probably used the whammy bar, smashed the guitar, and grabbed another. JK. I'm sure there's a hack or a setup that will make at least this Amerikan one stay in tune. The 1st time was frustrating but i kinda expected it this time. Now that it's (sort of) a hard tail it's really nice to play but just tuning it to and from a dropped d, the other 5 strings go slightly out of tune. Since i ordered it online I won't be flashing it around at the local shop/luthier, so i guess it's youtube for a fix.
Music background: mixed genre bands
Rated 5/5

Great guitar, great price

I've had quite a few Strats over the 50 years I've been playing and this is as good as the best of them. I'm a fan of the Yosemite pickups. good tone. neck feels great. I think it's silly on some of the reviews to rag on the 70's headstock & or gigbag. you bought it ... you went into the purchase knowing. the headstock has nothing to do with anything but aesthetics. and a gigbag just keeps the price down. great guitar & deal ...
Music background: Blues / Blues Rock, gigging 50 years
Rated 5/5

The guitar I’ve been waiting for.

Excellent fit and finish. Mine was under 8 lbs. the pickups sound great and I love the coil tap for the humbucker. A lot of HSS guitars have overpowered humbuckers that don't balance well with the single coils - not this one. The humbucker sounds beefy but not at the expense of the other pickups. The neck feels great and the frets are really nice.
I don't use a tremolo much so I blocked mine, and it stays in tune extremely well.
If you want a US strat at a great value- this is the one.

And as always- Richard W. knocked it out of the park with his stellar service. Great job Sweetwater!
Music background: 30 years of pro and semi-pro

It’s impossible to imagine a world without Fender guitars, and if you’re like many of the guitarists at Sweetwater, then Fender not only made the first guitar you ever bought " they made the last one too! From building the first mass-produced solidbody electric guitars and basses in the 1950s to creating some of the most influential amplifier designs in history, it’s no wonder why Fender is one of the biggest names in the business. As one of the world’s largest Fender dealers, we have countless guitars, basses, amps, effects pedals, and accessories in stock and ready to ship, whenever you need them. We’re always getting our hands on their latest creations, and there’s nothing we love more than to tell our customers all about them! So, whether you’re looking for your first axe or a Custom Shop creation, make sure to give your Sweetwater Sales Engineer a call at (800) 222-4700.

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