Fender American Professional II Stratocaster Miami Blue Maple Neck Electric Guitar, (Used)

The Fender American Professional II Stratocaster in Miami Blue with maple fingerboard is a premium USA-made Strat designed for modern working players who want classic Fender feel, refined playability and professional-level reliability. This pre-owned example has also been upgraded with Bare Knuckle The Triptych single-coil pickups, giving it a boutique UK-made pickup set with enhanced clarity, punch and dynamic range.

Finished in the eye-catching Miami Blue colour with a maple neck, this American Professional II Stratocaster delivers the timeless comfort and versatility that made the Strat one of the most important electric guitar designs ever built. Fender’s American Professional II range features player-focused upgrades including a Deep “C” neck profile, smooth rolled fingerboard edges, a sculpted neck heel and a 2-point tremolo with cold-rolled steel block.

This guitar is listed in Very Good condition, meaning it shows some cosmetic wear consistent with careful ownership but remains fully functional. It comes with a hardcase, making it a strong choice for players who want a gig-ready American Stratocaster with a serious pickup upgrade already installed.

Condition Overview

Very Good Condition

This Fender American Professional II Stratocaster is in Very Good condition. This means it shows some cosmetic wear consistent with careful ownership, but remains fully functional and ready to play.

Very Good condition is ideal for players who want a well-looked-after pre-owned USA-made Fender guitar that may show light signs of previous use but has clearly been cared for.

What’s Included?

✔ Fender American Professional II Stratocaster Miami Blue Maple Neck
✔ Bare Knuckle The Triptych Pickup Set Installed
✔ Hardcase

✘ No Additional Accessories Included

Condition Notes

This guitar is listed in Very Good condition, so it may show light signs of previous use such as small marks, surface scratches, minor handling wear or pick marks.

This example has been modified with Bare Knuckle The Triptych pickups. These are not the original Fender V-Mod II pickups. No other modifications or faults have been supplied for this listing.

Fair Deal Inspection & Assessment

This pre-owned Fender American Professional II Stratocaster has been inspected and assessed by the Fair Deal Music team before being offered for sale.

Our checks include:

• Electronics tested
• Bare Knuckle The Triptych pickups checked
• Pickup selector tested
• Volume and tone controls checked
• Output jack tested
• Frets inspected
• Tuners checked
• 2-point tremolo system checked
• Neck relief assessed
• General playability assessed
• Hardcase checked for basic usability

Service / Setup Work

All pre-owned guitars at Fair Deal Music are set up and checked before leaving the shop.

This Fender American Professional II Stratocaster has been assessed for playability, with the following checked where required:

• Action checked
• Neck relief checked
• Frets inspected
• Tuning stability checked
• Electronics tested
• Hardware checked
• Tremolo operation checked

Please note that guitar setup can sometimes shift slightly during delivery due to changes in temperature and humidity. We take this into account during our checks, but wood can naturally move in transit.

Why Choose The Fender American Professional II Stratocaster?

USA-Made Fender Quality

The American Professional II Stratocaster is built for serious players who want a reliable, high-quality Strat that can handle regular use. It sits as one of Fender’s core USA-made professional instruments, offering a strong balance of classic Stratocaster identity and modern playing comfort.

Bare Knuckle The Triptych Pickup Upgrade

This guitar has been upgraded with Bare Knuckle The Triptych single-coil pickups, a Rabea Massaad signature Strat set designed to combine early-to-mid 1960s Strat-style tones with enough depth, power and clarity for heavier riffs and modern playing. Bare Knuckle describes the set as using an Alnico III bridge pickup with Alnico V middle and neck coils, hand wound with 42 AWG plain enamel wire.

For the player, this means a more boutique, expressive pickup set than the standard factory configuration. You still get recognisable Stratocaster clarity and chime, but with added depth, upper-mid richness and punch that works well for players who move between clean, edge-of-breakup and driven tones.

Deep “C” Neck With Rolled Fingerboard Edges

Fender designed the American Professional II neck around comfort and familiarity. The popular Deep “C” profile gives the neck a substantial but playable feel, while the rolled fingerboard edges help it feel smoother and more broken-in from the start. The sculpted neck heel also improves access to the upper frets.

Maple Fingerboard Clarity

The maple fingerboard helps give this Strat a bright, immediate feel with a snappy attack. Combined with the upgraded Bare Knuckle pickups, it is well suited to players who want articulate cleans, strong note separation and a lively response under the fingers.

Miami Blue Finish

Miami Blue gives the American Professional II Stratocaster a bold, modern look while still sitting naturally on a classic Fender shape. It is a great option for players who want a Strat that stands out visually without moving into overly flashy territory.

Professional Hardware And Tremolo System

The American Professional II Stratocaster features a 2-point synchronised tremolo with bent steel saddles and a cold-rolled steel block, giving players smooth vibrato feel, strong sustain and classic Strat-style expression.

Comparison Against Popular Alternatives

Fender American Professional II Stratocaster vs Fender Player II Stratocaster

The Fender Player II Stratocaster is a strong Mexican-made option for players who want classic Strat tones at a lower price point. The American Professional II sits higher in the range, offering USA build quality, a more refined neck feel, upgraded hardware and a more premium playing experience.

This example also includes Bare Knuckle The Triptych pickups, giving it an additional tonal upgrade over a standard American Professional II model.

Fender American Professional II Stratocaster vs Fender American Ultra Stratocaster

The American Ultra Stratocaster is aimed at players who want more modern features such as noiseless pickups, advanced switching and a faster-feeling neck. The American Professional II is more traditional in feel, keeping closer to classic Strat identity while adding refined modern comfort.

Choose this American Professional II if you want a high-end Strat that still feels familiar and organic, especially with the more expressive single-coil character of the Bare Knuckle pickup upgrade.

Fender American Professional II Stratocaster vs Fender American Vintage II Stratocaster

The American Vintage II range is built around period-correct vintage-style specifications. The American Professional II is more practical for modern players, with a 9.5" fingerboard radius, narrow tall frets, sculpted heel and updated tremolo system. It is a better fit if you want vintage-inspired sound and feel without fully vintage-style limitations.

Fender American Professional II Stratocaster vs Standard American Professional II Stratocaster

A standard American Professional II Stratocaster comes with Fender V-Mod II pickups, which are designed to provide articulate modern Strat tones with vintage character. This example has been upgraded with Bare Knuckle The Triptych pickups, making it better suited to players who want a more boutique Strat voice with extra depth, punch and expressive response.

Who Is It For?

Beginner Players

This is a premium USA-made guitar, so it may be more than most beginners need as a first instrument. However, for a committed beginner who wants a professional-quality Stratocaster to grow into, it would be an inspiring long-term choice.

Intermediate Players

Intermediate players will get a lot from this guitar. It offers a major upgrade in build quality, playability and tone compared with entry-level and mid-range Strat-style instruments. The Bare Knuckle pickup upgrade also gives it a more individual voice.

Professional Players

Professional players will appreciate the American Professional II’s reliability, comfortable neck, versatile Strat layout and boutique pickup upgrade. It is suitable for live performance, studio sessions, teaching, recording and players who need one high-quality Strat to cover a wide range of musical settings.

Suitable Genres And Uses

This Fender American Professional II Stratocaster is well suited to:

• Blues
• Rock
• Funk
• Pop
• Indie
• Soul
• Country
• Worship music
• Session work
• Studio recording
• Live performance
• Pedal-based rigs
• Clean, edge-of-breakup and driven Strat tones
• Players wanting a boutique-upgraded USA Stratocaster

Why Choose A Stratocaster With Bare Knuckle The Triptych Pickups?

A Stratocaster is already one of the most versatile electric guitars available, but the pickup set has a huge impact on how it responds. The Bare Knuckle The Triptych set gives this American Professional II Stratocaster a more distinctive, boutique-voiced character than the standard factory pickup configuration.

The Triptych set is designed to retain the clarity, dynamic response and chime associated with classic Strat tones, while adding enough depth and punch to suit more modern playing. The Alnico III bridge pickup helps avoid excessive harshness, while the Alnico V middle and neck pickups provide strong definition, richness and musical response. Bare Knuckle also lists the set as hand-wound and designed for early-to-mid ’60s Strat sounds with added depth, punch and clarity for heavier music and fat riffs.

For players who use pedals, this can be especially useful. A good single-coil set responds clearly to overdrive, fuzz, delay, modulation and compression, allowing the guitar to remain expressive rather than becoming flat or muddy.

Looking for advice on choosing the right Stratocaster, pickup upgrade or pre-owned Fender electric guitar? Our experienced team of musicians can help by phone, online or in-store.

Story & Context: Fender American Professional II Stratocaster

The Stratocaster has been central to Fender’s electric guitar identity for decades, and the American Professional II range represents Fender’s modern working-player version of that design. Instead of reinventing the Strat, Fender refined the details that matter most to players: the neck feel, fret access, tremolo response and pickup performance.

The American Professional II Stratocaster uses a familiar alder body and maple neck combination, with modern practical features including a Deep “C” neck, narrow tall frets, 9.5" radius and a sculpted neck heel. Retail specifications for the Miami Blue maple model list an alder body, maple Deep “C” neck, maple fingerboard, 22 narrow tall frets, 2-point tremolo and deluxe moulded case as part of the original specification.

This particular pre-owned example adds an important tonal twist through the Bare Knuckle The Triptych pickup set, making it more individual than a standard production American Professional II Stratocaster.

Technical Specifications

Power Requirements

No power supply or battery is required. This is a passive electric guitar and only needs a standard 1/4" instrument cable and a suitable guitar amplifier, pedalboard or audio interface.

Why Buy From Fair Deal Music?

Fair Deal Music is a family-run independent music retailer founded in 1987 and is Birmingham’s largest independent music store. With over 6,000 Excellent Trustpilot reviews, we have built our reputation on honest advice, strong product knowledge and reliable service for musicians across the UK.

When buying a pre-owned Fender guitar from Fair Deal Music, you benefit from a team that checks instruments before they leave the shop. Our staff are musicians themselves and can offer advice by phone, online or in-store, whether you are looking for a USA Stratocaster, a boutique pickup upgrade, a gig-ready electric guitar or a dependable studio instrument.

We offer fast UK delivery, secure online ordering and a large Birmingham showroom where you can browse new, used and vintage guitars, amps, pedals, keyboards, drums, PA equipment and accessories. We also buy, sell and trade pre-owned gear, helping musicians upgrade, part-exchange or sell used instruments with confidence.

FAQ

What condition is this Fender American Professional II Stratocaster in?

This guitar is in Very Good condition, meaning it shows some cosmetic wear consistent with careful ownership but remains fully functional.

Does this guitar include a case?

Yes. This Fender American Professional II Stratocaster comes with a hardcase.

Has this guitar been modified?

Yes. This guitar has been modified with Bare Knuckle The Triptych pickups.

Are the original Fender V-Mod II pickups included?

The supplied details only state that the guitar has been modified with Bare Knuckle The Triptych pickups. The original Fender V-Mod II pickups are not listed as included.

What colour is this guitar?

This guitar is finished in Miami Blue.

Does this guitar have a maple neck?

Yes. This is the maple neck / maple fingerboard version.

What are Bare Knuckle The Triptych pickups?

Bare Knuckle The Triptych is a Rabea Massaad signature Strat single-coil set designed to combine early-to-mid 1960s Strat character with added depth, punch and clarity for modern playing.

Is this guitar suitable for professional use?

Yes. The American Professional II Stratocaster is designed as a professional-level USA-made Fender, and this example’s boutique pickup upgrade makes it especially appealing for serious live and studio players.

Does it need a battery?

No. This is a passive electric guitar and does not require a battery.

Is this good for blues and rock?

Yes. The Stratocaster platform is extremely versatile, and the Bare Knuckle The Triptych pickups are well suited to expressive clean, blues, rock and driven tones.

Can I use this guitar with pedals?

Yes. This guitar works well with pedals, including overdrive, fuzz, compression, delay, reverb and modulation effects.

Can I try this guitar in-store?

Fair Deal Music has a large Birmingham showroom, and our team can offer advice on Fender Stratocasters, pickup upgrades and pre-owned electric guitars.