Fender's Player Plus Series, is exciting news for electric guitar lovers of all stripes. For the Player Plus Stratocaster HSS, Fender has taken advanced features and popular mods, like rolled fingerboard edges, noiseless pickups, locking tuners and a bridge humbucker, from the most refined of their American series guitars and incorporated them in the top of their Ensenada-made Player Series. They've also created some amazing new signature finishes that truly stand out. These are instruments that provide top-end pro features at an extremely accessible price. We are, as the British say, totally chuffed about these guitars. We think you will be too after taking a look.

Heart Transplant

The heart of any guitar is the neck—where you make your most primal connection with the instrument. When it feels right, there's no stopping you. The Fender Player Plus HSS Strat updates its neck for modern players who like fast, comfortable and easy-to-play. Starting with the popular Modern C profile, Fender flattens the fingerboard to a bend and speed friendly 12" radius. Then they gently roll the edges of the fingerboard for added comfort. By widening the nut by a barely perceptible .035", intricate picking styles become easier and smoother. Once you grab hold of this neck, hang on, because it's going to be a thrilling ride.

High Gain, No Problem

One fundamental change for the Player Plus Strat is fresh pickups. To start, Fende has added the latest generation Noiseless N4 pickups. These high-output Alnico V transducers are as quiet as then can be aggressive. But, when you roll the volume knob back just a little, they drop into sweet, classic Strat sounds, while a smooth, well-engineered treble bleed circuit keeps you from losing the clarity that you need. In the bridge position, for some extra fire, is a carefully designed, coil-splittable humbucker to add that extra growl and grunt when you need it. For extra tonal versatility, Fender has added a push/pull pot for the second tone control. This control activates the coil-split on the bridge pickup, switching it to a true single-coil tone for the full range of classic Strat combinations..

What else have you got

One of the classic Strat features is the synchronized tremolo bridge, and Fender does not disappoint with the Player Plus Strat HSS. With the revered 2-point fulcrum bridge plate and high-mass, steel-block saddles, you get stability and sustain combined with extreme precision. That stability is nailed down with the addition of Fender's locking tuners and a self-lubricating synthetic bone nut. So, whether you just wiggle it for a shimmer or grab it for full dive-bombing madness, it delivers.

Why we think you're going to love it

The Strat's classic "Custom Contour Body," as the headstock decal used to advertise, is considered by many players to be the most comfortable electric guitar body ever made. The Player Plus follows that tradition, with a resonant alder body, and many of Fender's classic color finishes. But, unique to the Player Plus Series are new linear burst finishes inspired by the "Stratoburst" finishes of the early '80s Elite series. Each model in the series has one of these finishes available and they're all stunners. The Player Plus Strat HSS "Belair Blue" adds a cooling touch that defies the tonal heat of the guitar. But whichever finish you choose, the Player Plus Stratocaster HSS is one of those guitars that aims to bring you a seriously pro feature set on an amazingly playable guitar. We think it succeeds admirably, and all at a price that you can't argue with.