After getting my end of year bonus at work I thought I should spoil myself a bit and here it is! A new Fender Player II Series Stratocaster made in Ensenada, Mexico! Unlike the other new MIM Fenders, this one has a rosewood fretboard that's hand rolled like the American Fenders. The neck feels identical to my 2003 American Standard Strat and plays like butter. It has the same satin finish on the back of the neck.
Me being me, of course I had to mod it. I got rid of the stock white pickguard and put on a mint pickguard to give it a classier look. I also swapped out the pickups for a Seymour Duncan SSL-5 in the bridge and SSL-1 pickups in the middle and neck positions. The stock pickups were decent, but these pickups brought the guitar to a whole new level! I think I might change the wiring to 50's wiring to get a bit more clarity when rolling off the volume, but it stills sounds great right now. This guitar is definitely a keeper!
I love these recent Player series guitar. I think it was 2018 when they switched to the 22 fret neck and the exact same neck profile as the American Standard. They're a killer value for a Strat or Tele.
