What You Need To Know

1 What’s the deal here?

For 2017, Fender’s long-running American Standard range has changed to the American Professional. We looked at the first raft of models in issue 416; here we have the Jazzmaster and Jaguar.

2 There’s already plenty of these offsets in Fender’s range. Do we really need more?

There’s little doubt that this style has never been more popular. That said, there’s still a large disparity in Strat and Teles vs offsets in the number of instruments Fender currently offers: the company lists 53 Strats and 36 Teles, but just eight models of both the offsets.

3 Who are these aimed at, then?

Like the rest of the American Professional range, these are not vintage-specific instruments but include a raft of changes and tweaks. They are modern mainstream designs. Both have simplified electronics as well – a Jazzmaster and Jaguar for those of us who don’t get on with the vintage style?