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Fender Chris Shiflett Telecaster Deluxe
Fender American Professional II Stratocaster
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Playability
72
Sound
73
Build
62
Value
69
Score
69
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Playability
70
Sound
79
Build
70
Value
68
Score
73
FIND IT ON:
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Show Full Spec Comparison
Fender Chris Shiflett Telecaster Deluxe vs American Professional II Stratocaster Specs Comparison
Fender Chris Shiflett Telecaster Deluxe American Professional II Stratocaster
General
Brand: Fender Fender
Year: 2012 2020
Configuration: HH SSS
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Mexico United States
Series: Artist American Professional II
Colors: Gold White, Sunburst, Black, Blue, Green, Brown, Gray Burst
Left-Handed Version: No Yes
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Alder Alder
Bridge: 6-Saddle Vintage-Style Strat Strings-Through-Body Hardtail 2-Point Synchronized Tremolo with Bent Steel Saddles, Pop-In Tremolo Arm and Cold-Rolled Steel Block
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Bolt-On
Tuners: Fender Vintage F Stamped Fender® Standard Cast/Sealed Staggered
Fretboard: Rosewood Maple
Neck Material: 1-Piece Maple Maple
Decoration: White Dot Black Dot
Scale Size: 25.5" 25.5"
Shape: Modern C Deep C
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.82'' (20.8mm) - 12th Fret: 0.87'' (22.1mm) 1st Fret: 0.8'' (20.3mm) - 12th Fret: 0.92'' (23.4mm)
Frets: 21 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver 22 Narrow Tall Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 12" 9.5"
Nut: Synthetic Bone Bone
Nut Width: 42mm (1.654'') 42.8mm (1.685'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickups: Fender CS1 Humbucking (Humbucker / Passive) 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 CS2 Humbucking (Humbucker / Passive) Fender V-Mod II Single-Coil Strat (Single Coil / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 5 Way
Knobs: Bell Bell
Pickup Mods: None S-1 Switch
Volume Controls: 2 1
Tone Controls: 2 2
Hardware
Strap Lock: No No
Hardware Color: Chrome Chrome
Show Diagrams Comparison
Fender Chris Shiflett Telecaster Deluxe pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Fender Chris Shiflett Telecaster Deluxe's switch options
Fender American Professional II Stratocaster pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Fender American Professional II Stratocaster's switch options

Reasons to Get
Fender Chris Shiflett Telecaster Deluxe over American Professional II Stratocaster

Type of Frets
Medium Jumbo vs Narrow Tall
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Volume Knobs
2 vs 1
More volume control
Pickups
HH vs SSS
High output without hum
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.82'' (20.8mm) vs 0.8'' (20.3mm)
More comfortable open chords for big hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.87'' (22.1mm) vs 0.92'' (23.4mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for small hands
Nut Width
1.654'' (42mm) vs 1.685'' (42.8mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Bridge
Fixed vs Tremolo
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Fretboard Radius
12'' (304.8mm) vs 9.5'' (241.3mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend
Value Score
69 vs 68
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Fender American Professional II Stratocaster over Chris Shiflett Telecaster Deluxe

Country of Manufacturing
United States vs Mexico
Built with higher quality standards
Release Year
2020 vs 2012
From a more recent year
Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Type of Frets
Narrow Tall vs Medium Jumbo
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Pickup Mods
S-1 Switch vs None
Modifies the pickups
Switch Positions
5 vs 3
More tone options
Pickups
SSS vs HH
Beautiful cleans and good tone versatility
Number of Frets
22 vs 21
Allows to reach higher notes
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.8'' (20.3mm) vs 0.82'' (20.8mm)
More comfortable open chords for small hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.92'' (23.4mm) vs 0.87'' (22.1mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for big hands
Nut Width
1.685'' (42.8mm) vs 1.654'' (42mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Bridge
Tremolo vs Fixed
Simple vibratos without too much maintenance
Fretboard Radius
9.5'' (241.3mm) vs 12'' (304.8mm)
Easier to play chords without muting strings

Other Key Differences
Fender Chris Shiflett Telecaster Deluxe vs American Professional II Stratocaster

Bridge Pickup
Fender CS1 Humbucking vs Fender V-Mod II Single-Coil Strat
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Fender CS2 Humbucking vs Fender V-Mod II Single-Coil Strat
Different Neck Pickup
Fretboard Wood
Rosewood vs Maple
Different Fretboard Wood
Nut Material
Synthetic Bone vs Bone
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Fender Chris Shiflett Telecaster Deluxe vs American Professional II Stratocaster

Body Wood
Alder
Same Body Wood
Neck Wood
Maple
Same Neck Wood
Headstock
6
Same Headstock
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Tone Knobs
2
Same tone control
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm)
Same string tension and fret separation
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Neck Profile Type
C
Comfortable neck that works for most people
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

Price History Comparison

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Hand Size Comfortability

And after taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that the Fender American Professional II Stratocaster favors large hands more than the Fender Chris Shiflett Telecaster Deluxe. But it's still more comfortable for people with small hands, as you can see in the score meter below.

Fender Chris Shiflett Telecaster Deluxe:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Fender American Professional II Stratocaster:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Beginner Friendliness

The Fender American Professional II Stratocaster meets 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Fender Chris Shiflett Telecaster Deluxe meets only 5. 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 Chris Shiflett Telecaster Deluxe
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

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

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
Alder wood pattern used for guitar building
Alder

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.

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 Fender Chris Shiflett Telecaster Deluxe

Rosewood wood pattern used for guitar building
Rosewood

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.

Winner: Fender Chris Shiflett Telecaster Deluxe.

Pickup Configuration

The Fender Chris Shiflett Telecaster Deluxe has an HH configuration while the Fender American Professional II Stratocaster has SSS pickups.

Double Humbucker (HH) is the choice for people who want a fuller, more round sound with tons of mids and lows. Humbuckers also get rid of the hum noise that plague single-coil pickups. They can work out for almost any genre going from Djent to even Jazz.

On the other hand, 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 very good pickups from at least one of the specialized brands in the market. With pickups like these, you probably won't need an upgrade anytime soon.

However, the Fender American Professional II Stratocaster has a slight sound quality advantage when taking into account other factors like the type of pickups, magnet, position, etc.

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: Fender American Professional II Stratocaster.

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

The Fender American Professional II Stratocaster gives you 5 switch options while the Fender Chris Shiflett Telecaster Deluxe gives you 3. This means that the Fender American Professional II Stratocaster gives you more options to find the right pickup combination for the type of sound you want to achieve

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.

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 Chris Shiflett Telecaster Deluxe
Pickups 90
Sustain 75
Versatility 58
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 73
Fender American Professional II Stratocaster
Pickups 100
Sustain 70
Versatility 82
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 79

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 Chris Shiflett Telecaster Deluxe compares to the Fender American Professional II Stratocaster.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Fender Chris Shiflett Telecaster Deluxe is built in Mexico while the Fender American Professional II Stratocaster is made in United States.

Mexico has been for a long time where Fender has built their semi-premium series. If you don't want to overpay for a wellp-built instrument, a guitar built in this country by a good brand always offers good value for the money.

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.

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 Chris Shiflett Telecaster Deluxe has 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.

On the other hand, the Fender American Professional II Stratocaster comes with 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.

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.

The Fender Chris Shiflett Telecaster Deluxe's brige is a Fixed. It's a simple bridge that is very beginner-friendly since it doesn't require any set-up. You can swap strings easily. It might also give more sustain since it doesn't have complex moving parts that make the strings lose vibration. However, it doesn't have the same versatility as a tremolo bridge.

On the other hand, the Fender American Professional II Stratocaster's is a 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 Chris Shiflett Telecaster Deluxe's are Fender Vintage F Stamped while the Fender American Professional II Stratocaster's are Fender® Standard Cast/Sealed Staggered

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 Chris Shiflett Telecaster Deluxe
  • Expensive Wood
  • Synthetic Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Mexico
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Tremolo
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
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

Final Build Quality Scores

Fender Chris Shiflett Telecaster Deluxe
Quality of materials 61
Features 50
Quality Control 75
Build Quality 62
Fender American Professional II Stratocaster
Quality of materials 61
Features 60
Quality Control 90
Build Quality 70

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 Chris Shiflett Telecaster Deluxe Nut Width
Fender Chris Shiflett Telecaster Deluxe Nut Width
Fender American Professional II Stratocaster Nut Width
Fender American Professional II Stratocaster 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 42mm (1.654''). This is a 0.8mm (0.031'') 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 Chris Shiflett Telecaster Deluxe and Fender American Professional II Stratocaster'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 Chris Shiflett Telecaster Deluxe Neck Profile
Fender Chris Shiflett Telecaster Deluxe's neck profile
Fender American Professional II Stratocaster Neck Profile
Fender American Professional II Stratocaster'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.

Both the Fender Chris Shiflett Telecaster Deluxe and the Fender American Professional II Stratocaster have a C-shaped 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.

Fretboard Radius

Fender Chris Shiflett Telecaster Deluxe Fingerboard Radius
Fender Chris Shiflett Telecaster Deluxe's Fingerboard radius
Fender American Professional II Stratocaster Fingerboard Radius
Fender American Professional II Stratocaster'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 Fender American Professional II Stratocaster's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Fender Chris Shiflett Telecaster Deluxe'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 Chris Shiflett Telecaster Deluxe.

Fret Size

Fender Chris Shiflett Telecaster Deluxe Frets Size
Fender Chris Shiflett Telecaster Deluxe's Frets Size
Fender American Professional II Stratocaster Frets Size
Fender American Professional II Stratocaster's Frets Size

The Fender American Professional II Stratocaster has Narrow Tall frets, which should be taller than the Fender Chris Shiflett Telecaster Deluxe's Medium Jumbo 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 Chris Shiflett Telecaster Deluxe
Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 70
Playability 72
Fender American Professional II Stratocaster
Bending & Vibrato Ease 70
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 70
Playability 70