NGD - I'm (not) Batman...

[Surfysonic]

Bit of an overdue NGD (bought in early March 2025). While ever striving towards downsizing, I'm not completely prohibiting myself to find a guitar that fills a need in my tonal arsenal.

Here's my new, used Fender American Professional II Telecaster Deluxe in the Dark Knight finish. I've been getting into ambient music and expanding my sonic pallette to include Fender humbucker pickups. In general, the only humbucker pickups I'm a fan of are Gretsch or TV Jones pickups. I typically find other humbuckers (Gibson, Fender, etc.) tonally muddy for me.

However, these Tim Shaw-designed V-Mod II Double Tap humbucking pickups have a lovely sweet tone. The push-push double tap coil split thing is fine but I doubt I'll make use of it as I have plenty of single-coil equipped guitars. It's a nice option to have, though.

Overall, I'm really enjoying this Tele Deluxe. Anyone else have one of these? I've always thought these Fender guitars with the Dark Knight finish were cool. Some time ago, I had the AmPro II Jazzmaster in Miami Blue with the maple neck. I ended up moving it on to pay down the ol' gear debt some time later. As I have too many Jazzmaster guitars at the moment, I had to restrain myself from getting another AmPro II Jazzmaster in the Dark Knight finish.

So I went with the Tele Deluxe. I do like this model in the Miami blue finish with maple neck as well. Since I have a few other Teles with maple necks, I really wanted a rosewood fingboard on this one.









https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Plfr2zk ... el=Dropout

[Futuron]

(I got the Jazzmaster in this colour, but sometimes regret the colour choice since the Precision V doesn't have many options and I'd rather that in this colour. But I never play bass these days anyway.)

Yes, I do also have one of these guitars: in the mercury colour. I quite like it, even though single coils are more my thing. The split modes don't do it for me on this as well as the fireballs on the Meteora do. But the humbucker modes sound good. I appreciate that they made the pots push-push on this one. Pulling Strat/amp knobs off by accident is annoying. Down side to it is that doing a quick change almost always moves the tone setting. I prefer the S1.

Kinda funny, but it effectively has 4 middle positions: H+H, S+S, H+S, S+H.

[Surfysonic]

(I got the Jazzmaster in this colour, but sometimes regret the colour choice since the Precision V doesn't have many options and I'd rather that in this colour. But I never play bass these days anyway.)

Yes, I do also have one of these guitars: in the mercury colour. I quite like it, even though single coils are more my thing. The split modes don't do it for me on this as well as the fireballs on the Meteora do. But the humbucker modes sound good. I appreciate that they made the pots push-push on this one. Pulling Strat/amp knobs off by accident is annoying. Down side to it is that doing a quick change almost always moves the tone setting. I prefer the S1.

Kinda funny, but it effectively has 4 middle positions: H+H, S+S, H+S, S+H.

Nice! The Mercury finish is fantastic, too. I had a Player Plus Meteora HH that I regret movinjg on in my gear purge process. I'm seriously considering getting another after move some other gear. I liked the Fireball pickups and I'm also a big fan of the S1. I'm fine with Pau Ferro fingerboards now.

[ryland]

I got one of these in Mercury a few months ago. Due to obligations of playing acoustic for a few months, I just recently picked it up to set up and really play. It's quickly become a go-to. I like both the single coil and humbucker sounds. The neck, though...it fits my hand perfectly.

[LeftyJ]

I appreciate they went with the large CBS style headstock on these! Looks very classic. Not a fan of the Dark Night finish, but lovely axe! A Tele Deluxe is way at the top of my GAS list, but lefties are rarer than balls in a nunnery. The Mod Shop offers them, but it's unavailable where I live.

Are the Am Pro II neck shapes the same between all models? I love the one on my Jazzmaster!

[Surfysonic]

I appreciate they went with the large CBS style headstock on these! Looks very classic. Not a fan of the Dark Night finish, but lovely axe! A Tele Deluxe is way at the top of my GAS list, but lefties are rarer than balls in a nunnery. The Mod Shop offers them, but it's unavailable where I live.

Are the Am Pro II neck shapes the same between all models? I love the one on my Jazzmaster!

Yes, all the models have a "Deep "C"-shaped neck profile with rolled fingerboard edges".