Fender | American Professional Series At CME!
Fender Unveils a New Generation of Iconic, American-Made Guitars & Basses, Reimagined for Today’s Gigging Professional!
In the early 1950s, the Fender Electric Instrument Company established a foothold in the American Musical landscape by catering to the needs of professional musicians touring up and down the West Coast. Their focus on putting high-quality, reliable instruments into the hands of professionals drove innovation, with the Precision Bass, Stratocaster, Jazzmaster, Jazz Bass, and Jaguar all resulting from Leo Fender’s assessment of the needs of the touring musician. Although Leo wasn’t a player himself, his read on the market proved to be a large part of his true genius, and led to the iconic shapes that bear his name.
Now, Fender is reaffirming their aim to fit the needs of the working professional with the reimagined American Professional Series! With V-Mod III pickups, smooth rolled fingerboard edges, modern C-shaped neck profiles, ClassicGear Precision Potentiometers, and updated hardware, this series has been redesigned and refined, showcasing the articulation, stability, and immediately identifiable tonal profile that makes so many gigging professionals reach for Fender guitars and basses. To be among the first to add these guitars and basses to your rig, call us at 773-525-7773, chat with our sales team, or come into our Lincoln Avenue Showroom!
Put on your Slim Suits and Get on Your Scooters for new V-MOD III Pickups!
The defining upgrade across the series is the new V-Mod III pickups! These pickups feature updated magnet combinations, adjusted bobbin wiring, and a new stagger that follows the curve of the 9.5” radius fingerboard! This results in improved tonal balance that makes heavily distorted tones sound smoother across the range of new American Professional Guitars and Basses!
Better Living Through Hardware
Another central upgrade to the new American Professional lineup is a reimagined series of bridges, saddles, and tremolo systems! These have been updated to improve stability, intonation, and sustain across the lineup, making each guitar and bass even more suited to the rigors that professionals demand out of their instruments!
A Professional Lineup
Tapping into Leo Fender’s spirit from the ‘50s and early ‘60s, each of the new Fender American Professional guitars and basses are designed to handle day after day on the stage or in the studio:
American Professional Telecaster
- Two V-Mod III single-coil Telecaster pickups
- 3-saddle top-load/string-through Tele bridge with ClassicGear compensated brass bullet saddles
- Deep “C”-shaped neck profile with rolled fingerboard edges
Gig after gig, session after session, you can count on the performance and comfort of each Fender American Professional guitar and bass!
To be among the first to add the newest American Professional guitars and basses to your collection, call us today at 773-525-7773, chat with our sales team, or simply stop in to our Lincoln Avenue Showroom!
SHOP FENDER GEAR ARRIVALS AT CHICAGO MUSIC EXCHANGE!SHOP AMERICAN PROFESSIONAL SERIES
Related Posts
Bad Cat Amplifiers | CME Exclusive Mod Shop Hot Cat 50
Dating back to 1999, Bad Cat has brought in talent from all corners of the amp world, most notably Matchless founder Mark Sampson. Their dedication to building Class A amplifiers with a British-inspired growl has drawn praise and use from players as varied as John Rzeznik, Nick Johnston, and Bonnie Raitt. That's why we're excited to team up with Bad Cat on our newest CME Exclusive amplifiers: the Bad Cat Mod Shop Hot Cat 50 1x12" Combo Amp and Amp Head in Black Levant. We started with the Hot Cat 50, added Marshall-inspired visual touches and a gold chassis, then built in a vintage/modern gain switch and EC Collins Pinstripe Grill Cloth for a tone-shaping experience you can't find anywhere else. Call us today at 773-525-7773, chat with our sales experts, or come into our Lincoln Avenue Showroom to grab yours!
Read more
Introducing | Recording King Guitars Is Back!
One of the most trusted names in value-packed vintage instruments has returned.Recording King, first introduced in 1929, built its reputation on incredible value and a direct line to Gibson's own craftsmanship. Now, with St. Louis Music behind it, the brand is back — flattops, parlor guitars, and resonators, all built with period-correct specs and all-solid tonewoods. Call us at 773-525-7773, chat with us online, or come into our Acoustic Room to be among the first to play them!
Read more
EarthQuaker Devices | 2026 One-of-A-Kind Series
For the fifth consecutive year, Chicago Music Exchange has partnered with EarthQuaker Devices to bring players a collection of one-of-a-kind pedals featuring exclusive, never-before-seen graphics. Built from EarthQuaker’s trusted circuits — the same pedals relied on by musicians worldwide — each piece in the 2026 collection carries a unique visual finish you won’t find anywhere else. Since 2022, this annual collaboration has given players an easy way to put as much personality into their pedalboard as they put into their playing. Once these one-of-one EarthQuaker pedals sell out, they’re gone for good, so shop the 2026 CME Exclusive collection today.
Read more