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Fender American Professional II Stratocaster
PRS SE Silver Sky
VS
Playability
70
Sound
79
Build
70
Value
68
Score
73
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Playability
70
Sound
74
Build
60
Value
73
Score
68
FIND IT ON:
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Fender American Professional II Stratocaster vs PRS SE Silver Sky

Reasons to Get
Fender American Professional II Stratocaster over PRS SE Silver Sky

Country of Manufacturing
United States vs Indonesia
Built with higher quality standards
Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Type of Frets
Narrow Tall vs Vintage Tall
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Neck Profile
Deep C vs 635JM
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Pickup Mods
S-1 Switch vs None
Modifies the pickups
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.8'' (20.3mm) vs 0.846'' (21.5mm)
More comfortable open chords for small hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.92'' (23.4mm) vs 0.949'' (24.1mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for small hands
Nut Width
1.685'' (42.8mm) vs 1.625'' (41.3mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Fretboard Radius
9.5'' (241.3mm) vs 8.5'' (215.9mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend

Reasons to Get
PRS SE Silver Sky over Fender American Professional II Stratocaster

Release Year
2022 vs 2020
From a more recent year
Type of Frets
Vintage Tall vs Narrow Tall
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Neck Profile
635JM vs Deep C
Thick neck that gives you a better grip
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.846'' (21.5mm) vs 0.8'' (20.3mm)
More comfortable open chords for big hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.949'' (24.1mm) vs 0.92'' (23.4mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for big hands
Nut Width
1.625'' (41.3mm) vs 1.685'' (42.8mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Fretboard Radius
8.5'' (215.9mm) vs 9.5'' (241.3mm)
More curved fretboard helpful to play chords without muting strings
Value Score
73 vs 68
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Fender American Professional II Stratocaster vs PRS SE Silver Sky

Bridge Pickup
Fender V-Mod II Single-Coil Strat vs PRS 635JM "S"
Different Bridge Pickup
Middle Pickup
Fender V-Mod II Single-Coil Strat vs PRS 635JM "S"
Different Middle Pickup
Neck Pickup
Fender V-Mod II Single-Coil Strat vs PRS 635JM "S"
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Alder vs Poplar
Different Body Wood
Fretboard Wood
Maple vs Rosewood
Different Fretboard Wood
Headstock
6 vs 3-3
Different Headstock
Nut Material
Bone vs Synthetic Bone
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Fender American Professional II Stratocaster vs PRS SE Silver Sky

Neck Wood
Maple
Same Neck Wood
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Switch Positions
5
Same pickups versatility
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Tone Knobs
2
Same tone control
Pickups
SSS
Beautiful cleans and good tone versatility
Number of Frets
22
Same maximum octave
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Bridge
Tremolo
Simple vibratos without too much maintenance
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm)
Same string tension and fret separation
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Neck Joint
Bolt-On
Allows you to detach and swap the neck

Common Strengths

  • High-Quality Nut
  • Top Pickup Brand

Common Weaknesses

  • Neck-Through Build
  • Weight Relief
  • Locking Tuners
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • Strap Lock
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Fender American Professional II Stratocaster is probably the better product overall with its final score of 73 compared to the PRS SE Silver Sky's 68 score, although not by a lot.

The Fender American Professional II Stratocaster wins when it comes to sound, build quality. On the other hand, the PRS SE Silver Sky has the upper hand when it comes to value for the money.

If you got small hands, you'll probably feel more comfortable playing the Fender American Professional II Stratocaster.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the Fender American Professional II Stratocaster is the better choice.

The Fender American Professional II Stratocaster meets 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the PRS SE Silver Sky meets only 4. This takes into account the type of frets, scale length, nut width, bridge type, fretboard radius, and neck profile to determine the easiest combination for new players.

New Player Friendliness

Fender American Professional II Stratocaster
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

PRS SE Silver Sky
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale
  • Comfortable neck
  • Locking tuners

Nevertheless, when it comes to choosing an instrument, you should pick the one more compatible with your personal style. Still, below we'll try you to give you our results as objectively as it's possible to help you decide.

Fender American Professional II Stratocaster Overview

  • From Fender's 2020 American Professional II series
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 9.5" Fretboard Radius
  • Alder body
  • Maple neck
  • Maple fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Fender V-Mod II Single-Coil Strat (Single Coil/Passive)
  • Middle pickup: Fender V-Mod II Single-Coil Strat (Single Coil/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Fender V-Mod II Single-Coil Strat (Single Coil/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 2 tone Bell knobs
  • 5-way Switch
  • 2-Point Synchronized Tremolo with Bent Steel Saddles, Pop-In Tremolo Arm and Cold-Rolled Steel Block bridge
  • Deep C Bolt-On neck
  • 22 Narrow Tall frets
  • Fender® Standard Cast/Sealed Staggered tuners
  • Weight between 7.35lbs (3.3kgs) and 8.4lbs (3.8kgs)
  • Compare Specs >

PRS SE Silver Sky Overview

  • From PRS's 2022 SE series
  • John Mayer Signature
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 8.5" Fretboard Radius
  • Poplar body
  • Maple neck
  • Rosewood fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: PRS 635JM "S" (Single Coil/Passive)
  • Middle pickup: PRS 635JM "S" (Single Coil/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: PRS 635JM "S" (Single Coil/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 2 tone Bell knobs
  • 5-way Switch
  • 2-Point Steel Tremolo bridge
  • 635JM Bolt-On neck
  • 22 Vintage Tall frets
  • Vintage-Style tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Sound Quality Comparison

The wood used in an electric guitar or bass is not as important to determine the final tone. However, some people prefer specific wood types, so we'll take a look at those first. Then, we'll take a look at the electronics to determine the versatility and sound quality of each instrument.

Woods Used in Both

Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple

Maple is one of the most popular necks for good reasons. It is a strong wood that is relatively cheap to make and looks beautiful. The highest quality maple is the hardest that comes from North America. Find out more about Maple.

Woods Used in the Fender American Professional II Stratocaster

Alder wood pattern used for guitar building
Alder

Alder is the most popular wood that Fender uses in most of their guitars nowadays. Even though they say it's because of its balanced tone with an emphasis in the upper midrange, it probably is because it isn't too expensive, and it's also pretty lightweight—more than Mahogany. Find out more about Alder.

Woods Used in the PRS SE Silver Sky

Rosewood wood pattern used for guitar building
Rosewood
Poplar wood pattern used for guitar building
Poplar

Rosewood is an almost purple-looking wood that is used mainly for fretboards since it's heavy, rare, and expensive. It's sometimes used on acoustic guitar bodies to create stronger warm tones. Find out more about Rosewood.

Poplar is a cheaper and heavier alternative to Alder wood. It terms of tone, it emphasizes the low-end and has cutting mids. It's relatively soft compared to most body woods. Find out more about Poplar.

Winner: PRS SE Silver Sky.

Pickup Configuration

Both pickup configurations are SSS. SSS is perfect for players who like to play clean. The definition you get between notes and the crispiness is unmatched by most other configurations. You can still use it for distortion, but you won't get the same kind of output and power compared to a humbucker, and the hum they produce also makes them less adequate for high gain.

Pickups Quality

Both come with some of the top pickups on the market. You can't go wrong with either of them. You'll probably never need a pickup upgrade.

Both use Passive pickups. This is what's used for most music genres. They have a regular output and will serve you for both high-gain and clean tones. The alternative (Active pickups) offer a higher output that is mostly used for heavy music.

Winner: Tie.

Versatility Comparison

Some instruments offer you more ways to explore your creativity than others. Below you'll find how both compare when it comes to versatility.

Switch Options

Both are equal when it comes to the pickup switching option.

Only the Fender American Professional II Stratocaster comes with some kind of pickup modification: S-1 Switch.

An S-1 switch can do a lot of different pickup combinations. It can split them, connect them in series, parallel, add more pickups to each position, and more. Check out the diagram to know how it affects this model.

Fender American Professional II Stratocaster pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Fender American Professional II Stratocaster's switch options
PRS SE Silver Sky pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
PRS SE Silver Sky's switch options

When evaluating versatility, we also take into consideration bridge and neck joint type, number of frets, switch options, amount of pickups and more.

Winner: Fender American Professional II Stratocaster.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Fender American Professional II Stratocaster
Pickups 100
Sustain 70
Versatility 82
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 79
PRS SE Silver Sky
Pickups 100
Sustain 60
Versatility 72
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 74

Build Quality Comparison

When it comes to build quality, we like to take into account everything used to build the instrument. This includes materials, hardware and the quality control expected depending on the country where it was built. Let's see how the Fender American Professional II Stratocaster compares to the PRS SE Silver Sky.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Fender American Professional II Stratocaster is built in United States while the PRS SE Silver Sky is made in Indonesia.

The United States is considered one of the best electric guitar manufacturers in the world. A guitar made in this country is supposed to have world-class quality control. Nowadays, guitars made in other countries can beat some of the ones made in the US, but most of the time, this country offers the best you can get. Of course, that comes at a price.

Indonesia is becoming the most popular country for guitar building because they can make good instruments for a low price. Some people think that they're 'the new China' when it comes to build quality. But the truth is that Indonesian guitars are more consistent, although Chinese quality has improved a lot in the last few years.

Winner: Fender American Professional II Stratocaster

Nut Material

If you want your guitar to stay in tune and sound good, you need a well cut nut. Nut quality can be inconsistent even when comparing two copies of the same model. The best way to make sure you're nut will be well done is by getting a nut made by an expert company like TUSQ or Micarta.

The Fender American Professional II Stratocaster has a Bone nut. It's a type of nut found in high-quality instruments. They sound similar to Ivory since they give a lot of sustain and a bright sound (at least when striking open strings). The only problem they can run into is that you may get a bone piece that simply doesn't sound as well as others because that's just how natural materials are.

On the other hand, the PRS SE Silver Sky comes with a Synthetic Bone nut. Bone is the best natural material for guitar nuts. However, its tonal properties can be inconsistent. That's the problem that synthetic bone fixes. This is much better than using a plastic nut because the nut is more slippery—which helps with tuning stability—, and it gives your open strings rich harmonics.

Winner: Tie.

Fret Material

Most fret wire is made of nickel silver. This material eventually wears down after a lot of use and most instruments end up needing a complete fret replacement. However, some expensive models come with stainless steel frets. This is what you should aim for if you can afford it.

Unfortunately, none of them come with stainless steel frets.

Winner: Tie.

Bridge

The perfect bridge for you will depend on your playstyle because they all have advantages and disadvantages. However, some bridges are more expensive—like Floyd Roses and Evertunes—and thus add more value to a guitar.

Both come with a similar bridge: Tremolo. Tremolo bridges give you more versatility than fixed bridges. They let you perform the intense vibrato effects that would be impossible with a fixed bridge. However, since the bridge floats and there's less contact with the body, the strings lose sustain slightly faster. They can also be a bit harder to restring and set up correctly than fixed bridges.

Since we need to be objective, the most expensive type of bridge will be the winner of this section. In the end, this doesn't matter if you're not going to use the bridge for its original purpose, so choose the bridge that fits your playing style better.

Winner: Tie.

Tuners

Both come with regular tuners. The Fender American Professional II Stratocaster's are Fender® Standard Cast/Sealed Staggered while the PRS SE Silver Sky's are Vintage-Style

Winner: Tie.

Neck Joint

Contrary to popular belief, the difference in sustain and tone that some neck joints give to a guitar is simply unperceivable—if they're all well built. However, some of them do have advantages over the others.

Both have a Bolt-On neck joint. This neck is joined to the body by 4 bolts that you can simply unscrew. This allows you to replace the neck or take it off for travel. It's the most common and cheapest way to build a guitar.

Winner: Tie.

Here is the list of features that were considered when choosing the winner in the Features subcategory:

Strengths & Weaknesses
Fender American Professional II Stratocaster
  • Made in United States
  • Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • S-1 Switch Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • No Expensive Woods
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
PRS SE Silver Sky
  • Expensive Wood
  • Synthetic Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Fender American Professional II Stratocaster
Quality of materials 61
Features 60
Quality Control 90
Build Quality 70
PRS SE Silver Sky
Quality of materials 56
Features 55
Quality Control 70
Build Quality 60

Playability Comparison

Let's now compare their playability. Bear in mind that the instrument will feel different depending on your hand size and play style. That's why you should always test before buying. But if you can't or want a second opinion on it, we can still take a look at each of the important measurements of the instrument for you. This way, we can predict how easy a guitar might be to play, or how different it will feel compared to the other.

Remember that, even though the difference might seem small, every inch counts when it comes to feeling of the instrument in your hands. Any variation can completely change how comfortable a guitar feels in your hands.

Nut Width

Fender American Professional II Stratocaster Nut Width
Fender American Professional II Stratocaster Nut Width
PRS SE Silver Sky Nut Width
PRS SE Silver Sky Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Fender American Professional II Stratocaster has the wider nut with 42.8mm (1.685'') vs 41.3mm (1.625''). This is a 1.5mm (0.06'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Fender American Professional II Stratocaster, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.

Scale Length

Fender American Professional II Stratocaster and PRS SE Silver Sky's Scale Length
Both have the same scale length

The scale length is one of the things that influences playability the most. This is the distance between the nut and the bridge and will affect everything from low action allowance, difficulty to perform bends, fret separation, and even tone.

In this case, both have a scale length of 25.5".

This is the scale used in most Stratocasters. It's slightly longer than the typical 24.75'' size found in Les Pauls, and it's one of the main reasons why Stratocasters have such a bright sound in general. A longer scale also means that the strings will have higher tension. This will help you get lower action without suffering fret buzz, which will also be helpful when playing in lower tunings without having to increase your string gauge.

However, this also means that there will be more separation between frets, which can make it more difficult to play. Also, bending the strings will require more strengths due to the increased tension, but remember that a tremolo guitar will offset this difficulty.

Lastly, remember that you can also affect the tension of the strings by changing your string gauge. You can use a thicker gauge for more tension and a lighter one for less tension.

Neck Profile

Fender American Professional II Stratocaster Neck Profile
Fender American Professional II Stratocaster's neck profile
PRS SE Silver Sky Neck Profile
PRS SE Silver Sky's neck profile

No single neck shape is better than others. However, most people tend to prefer a thinner necks because it doesn't get in their way when playing fast and most hand sizes can adapt to it pretty well. However, some people still prefer thicker necks for a better grip, especially if they have big hands.

In this case, both have different neck shapes:

The Fender American Professional II Stratocaster has a C type of neck. This is what you'll find in most modern guitars. Most people feel like the thickness of a C neck is simply the less intrusive one for playing fast, while at the same time allowing you to grab the neck easily for resting if you want to.

The PRS SE Silver Sky, on the other hand, has a Vintage neck. This means that it's thicker than most modern necks, and makes it a better fit for playing chords and slow solos. Some people prefer this type of neck because it gives them a better grip thanks to the extra mass. Still, the vast majority prefer a thinner, faster, and more ''modern'' neck.

Fretboard Radius

Fender American Professional II Stratocaster Fingerboard Radius
Fender American Professional II Stratocaster's Fingerboard radius
PRS SE Silver Sky Fingerboard Radius
PRS SE Silver Sky's Fingerboard radius

Most guitar fretboards are not flat; they usually have a curve or arc across their width. A curved fretboard will make it easier to perform chords without muting strings, while a flatter one will make it easier to play single notes, which is good for bending and soloing in general. The best fretboards have a compound radius that varies across the fingerboard, but they're not common since they take a lot more work to build.

In this case, the PRS SE Silver Sky's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Fender American Professional II Stratocaster's. This extra arc will make playing chords easier in this model. You won't be as likely to mute the strings, especially if you have big hands. However, playing single notes and bending will be easier on the Fender American Professional II Stratocaster.

Hand Size Comfortability

Everyone has a different hand size, and that's why it's recommended to try a guitar before buying, even if others tell you that it's comfortable to play. However, we can know whether a guitar favors small or large hands just by knowing its exact measurements.

And after taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that the PRS SE Silver Sky favors large hands more than the Fender American Professional II Stratocaster.

Fender American Professional II Stratocaster:
Big Hands
Small Hands
PRS SE Silver Sky:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Fender American Professional II Stratocaster Frets Size
Fender American Professional II Stratocaster's Frets Size
PRS SE Silver Sky Frets Size
PRS SE Silver Sky's Frets Size

The Fender American Professional II Stratocaster has Narrow Tall frets, which should be taller than the PRS SE Silver Sky's Vintage Tall frets.

Some people prefer taller frets because they result in more sustain since the strings get pressed cleanly without interference from the fretboard. However, if they're too tall—like Jumbo frets—, you might change the pitch of the strings accidentally if you press too hard because you won't be touching the fretboard with your fingers. This is also why some guitarists with a heavy grip prefer smaller frets. They like to feel the fingerboard to avoid pressing down too hard and getting out of pitch.

Final Playability Scores

Fender American Professional II Stratocaster
Bending & Vibrato Ease 70
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 70
Playability 70
PRS SE Silver Sky
Bending & Vibrato Ease 60
Chord Playability 100
Solo Playability 50
Playability 70

Specs Side-by-Side

Fender American Professional II Stratocaster vs PRS SE Silver Sky
General Fender American Professional II Stratocaster PRS SE Silver Sky
Brand: Fender PRS
Year: 2020 2022
Configuration: SSS SSS
Strings: 6 6
Made in: United States Indonesia
Series: American Professional II SE
Colors: White, Sunburst, Black, Blue, Green, Brown, Gray Burst White, Blue, Green, Red
Left-Handed Version: Yes No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Alder Poplar
Bridge: 2-Point Synchronized Tremolo with Bent Steel Saddles, Pop-In Tremolo Arm and Cold-Rolled Steel Block 2-Point Steel Tremolo
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Bolt-On
Tuners: Fender® Standard Cast/Sealed Staggered Vintage-Style
Fretboard: Maple Rosewood
Neck Material: Maple Maple
Decoration: Black Dot Small Birds
Scale Size: 25.5" 25.5"
Shape: Deep C 635JM
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.8'' (20.3mm) - 12th Fret: 0.92'' (23.4mm) 1st Fret: 0.846'' (21.5mm) - 12th Fret: 0.949'' (24.1mm)
Frets: 22 Narrow Tall Nickel Silver 22 Vintage Tall Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 9.5" 8.5"
Nut: Bone Synthetic Bone
Nut Width: 42.8mm (1.685'') 41.3mm (1.625'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Fender V-Mod II Single-Coil Strat (Single Coil / Passive) PRS 635JM "S" (Single Coil / Passive)
Middle Pickup: Fender V-Mod II Single-Coil Strat (Single Coil / Passive) PRS 635JM "S" (Single Coil / Passive)
Neck Pickup: Fender V-Mod II Single-Coil Strat (Single Coil / Passive) PRS 635JM "S" (Single Coil / Passive)
Switch: 5 Way 5 Way
Knobs: Bell Bell
Pickup Mods: S-1 Switch None
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 2 2