Fender Am Ultra II Strat HSS MN SFL

Fender Am Ultra II Strat HSS MN SFL review

The Fender Am Ultra II Strat HSS MN SFL is an American-made Stratocaster with a humbucker at the bridge and two noiseless single-coil pickups in the middle and neck positions. Its alder body, maple neck and fingerboard, compound-radius fingerboard, locking tuners, and two-point tremolo put it firmly in Fender's high-end modern lineup. The listed price is 2169, and the model has been available since October 2024.

Hands-on reports point to a guitar with appealing sounds and a comfortable playing experience, but they disagree sharply about its factory setup. One owner describes a well-adjusted instrument and considers the Ultra II series a successful update. Another received a guitar that was out of tune, needed neck and tremolo adjustments, and had audible fret buzz around frets nine through eleven. That difference matters at this price: buyers should check the setup on arrival rather than assume every example will be ready to play.

HSS pickups and controls

The bridge position uses Fender's Haymaker humbucker, while the middle and neck positions use Ultra II Noiseless Hot Strat single-coil pickups. Together with a five-way switch, this gives the guitar its familiar range of Strat-style pickup combinations, with a higher-output bridge option. The owner who compared it with an earlier Ultra HSS model found the Ultra II pickups more powerful and well matched to one another.

The controls include a master volume with an S-1 switch, Tone 1 for the neck and middle pickups, and Tone 2 for the bridge pickup. The same owner found the volume and tone controls responsive to small adjustments. That should be useful for players who shape their sound from the guitar rather than relying entirely on amplifier settings. The supplied information does not specify what additional switching options the S-1 switch engages, so its precise effect should be confirmed before purchase.

Neck, fingerboard, and hardware

The maple neck has a Modern D profile, a 42.8 mm nut width, and a compound fingerboard radius that transitions from 10 to 14 inches. The maple fingerboard carries 22 medium-jumbo frets and black pearloid dot inlays. One reviewer found the D-shaped neck unfamiliar and had not decided whether it suited their hand. Players who prefer a different neck profile should try this shape in person if possible.

A Graph Tech TUSQ nut and closed Deluxe cast locking tuners are fitted. The bridge is a two-point American Ultra synchronized tremolo, with polished stainless-steel block saddles and a cold-rolled steel block. The instrument ships with Fender USA 250L nickel-plated steel strings in a.009 to.042 gauge set. One owner disliked the supplied strings and planned to replace them. That is a personal assessment, but new strings and a fresh setup are reasonable first steps if tuning or feel disappoints.

There is also a specific concern about tuning stability. One owner reported acceptable stability in standard tuning but said the guitar would not hold a half-step-down tuning during a test. They also found the tremolo unusable without adjustment. These are observations from a single instrument, not proof of a general defect. Still, players who regularly change tunings or use the tremolo should test both carefully during the return period.

Finish, case, and buying advice

The listed finish is Solar Flare, described in the product data as yellow. The guitar has a single-ply black anodized aluminum pickguard and nickel-chrome hardware. It comes with a Deluxe molded case, not a gig bag. The body is alder, with no separate top listed. Fender identifies the instrument as made in the USA.

The critical owner also reported yellow marks near the nut that appeared to come from the fingerboard finish, and questioned the build quality relative to the price. The other owner's experience was much more positive, reporting a well-set-up guitar and praising the pickup balance. The contrast suggests checking the individual instrument's fretwork, finish around the nut, neck relief, intonation, and tremolo balance before deciding whether to keep it.

Verdict

The Fender Am Ultra II Strat HSS MN SFL has a versatile pickup configuration, detailed control layout, compound-radius maple fingerboard, locking tuners, and a substantial included case. Its strongest reported points are the lively, higher-output pickup set and responsive controls. The main reservation is inconsistent setup feedback, including fret buzz and tremolo problems on one example. At 2169, a careful inspection and a proper setup are important parts of the buying decision. Players who like the Modern D neck and want an HSS Stratocaster with noiseless single coils may find a lot to like, provided the specific guitar checks out.