Fender Am Ultra II Strat HSS EB NBL

Fender Am Ultra II Strat HSS EB NBL review

The Fender Am Ultra II Strat HSS EB NBL is a U.S.-made Stratocaster-style guitar with an alder body, an ebony fingerboard, and an HSS pickup layout. Fender has fitted it with a Haymaker humbucker at the bridge and two Ultra II Noiseless Hot Strat single-coil pickups in the middle and neck positions. That combination gives the guitar a broad range of sounds, from cleaner single-coil tones to a stronger bridge humbucker sound.

The guitar became available in October 2024. Its listed price is 2169, and it ships with a deluxe molded case rather than a gig bag. The Noble Blue finish, black single-ply anodized aluminum pickguard, and nickel-and-chrome hardware give it a distinctive look without changing its familiar Stratocaster outline.

Neck and playing feel

The bolt-on maple neck has a Modern D profile and a compound-radius ebony fingerboard. The radius transitions from 10 inches to 14 inches, a design intended to feel more rounded near the lower frets and flatter farther up the neck. There are 22 medium-jumbo frets, white pearloid dot inlays, and a Graph Tech TUSQ nut. Fender lists the nut width at 42.8 mm and the scale length at 648 mm, or 25.5 inches.

One owner moved to this model after finding the neck on an American Professional II Stratocaster too deep for their preference. They found the Modern D shape more comfortable and described the guitar's sound and playing feel as excellent. They also reported that the instrument worked well for clean and overdriven playing, as well as faster passages. That account points to a neck and pickup setup suited to players who want one guitar to cover several styles.

There was one notable setup concern in that owner's example. The lower edges of the frets felt sharp during slides, particularly along the high E string. The frets did not protrude beyond the fingerboard, but their side edges were uncomfortable enough to catch the player's little finger. The owner rounded and polished the fret ends, after which the problem was resolved. This is a report from one guitar, not proof that every example needs fretwork, but it is worth checking the fret edges during an in-person trial.

Pickup layout and controls

The bridge Haymaker humbucker supplies a contrasting option to the two noiseless single coils in the middle and neck positions. A five-way switch selects the pickup combinations. The master volume control includes an S-1 switch, while Tone 1 controls the neck and middle pickups and Tone 2 controls the bridge pickup.

That control arrangement makes the guitar more adaptable than a three-single-coil Strat layout. The humbucker gives the bridge position a different character, while the other two pickups retain the familiar single-coil arrangement. The owner feedback describes the instrument as a versatile all-around guitar, with useful clean and distorted sounds. No measured output or frequency response data is provided, so those impressions should be treated as playing feedback rather than laboratory results.

Tremolo and hardware

Fender uses a two-point American Ultra synchronized tremolo with polished stainless-steel block saddles and a cold-rolled steel block. The owner specifically preferred this tremolo's set screws to those on their previous guitar, reporting that they did not feel as sharp. The tuning machines are closed-back deluxe locking cast models. Fender supplies the guitar with.009 to.042 nickel-plated steel strings.

The tremolo and locking tuners are practical choices for players who use the vibrato arm and want convenient string changes. The guitar's hardware also includes the specified black anodized aluminum pickguard. These details suit the instrument's modern design, while its scale length and overall layout remain rooted in the traditional Strat format.

Verdict

The Fender Am Ultra II Strat HSS EB NBL combines a compound-radius ebony fingerboard and Modern D neck with a flexible HSS pickup configuration. Its two-point tremolo, locking tuning machines, and included molded case round out a well-equipped instrument. The available owner feedback is strongly positive about the sound, comfort, and range of uses, while also flagging fret-end comfort as something to inspect on the individual guitar.

For players looking for a contemporary Stratocaster-style guitar with both humbucker and noiseless single-coil voices, the Am Ultra II is a compelling option. The reported fret-edge issue does not appear to have prevented the owner from rating the guitar highly, but a careful play test is sensible, especially for anyone who relies on slides along the upper strings.