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Fender Kingfish Telecaster Deluxe
Fender American Professional II Telecaster Deluxe
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Playability
72
Sound
73
Build
70
Value
62
Score
72
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Playability
72
Sound
78
Build
70
Value
68
Score
73
FIND IT ON:
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Fender Kingfish Telecaster Deluxe vs American Professional II Telecaster Deluxe

Reasons to Get
Fender Kingfish Telecaster Deluxe over American Professional II Telecaster Deluxe

Release Year
2022 vs 2020
From a more recent year
Number of Frets
21 vs 22
Warmer neck pickup
Type of Frets
Medium Jumbo vs Narrow Tall
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Neck Profile
V Shape vs Deep C
Great if you like to hang your thumb over the fretboard
Fretboard Radius
12'' (304.8mm) vs 9.5'' (241.3mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend

Reasons to Get
Fender American Professional II Telecaster Deluxe over Kingfish Telecaster Deluxe

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
Neck Profile
Deep C vs V Shape
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Pickup Mods
S-1 Switch vs None
Modifies the pickups
Number of Frets
22 vs 21
Allows to reach higher notes
Fretboard Radius
9.5'' (241.3mm) vs 12'' (304.8mm)
More curved fretboard helpful to play chords without muting strings
Value Score
68 vs 62
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Fender Kingfish Telecaster Deluxe vs American Professional II Telecaster Deluxe

Bridge Pickup
Fender Custom Kingfish Humbucking vs Fender V-Mod II Double Tap Humbucking
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Fender Custom Kingfish Humbucking vs Fender V-Mod II Double Tap Humbucking
Different Neck Pickup
Neck Wood
Roasted Maple vs Maple
Different Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Rosewood vs Maple
Different Fretboard Wood

Shared Features
Fender Kingfish Telecaster Deluxe vs American Professional II Telecaster Deluxe

Body Wood
Alder
Same Body Wood
Headstock
6
Same Headstock
Nut Material
Bone
Same Nut Material
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Switch Positions
3
Same pickups versatility
Volume Knobs
2
Same volume control
Tone Knobs
2
Same tone control
Pickups
HH
High output without hum
Nut Width
1.685'' (42.8mm)
Same string separation at the nut
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Bridge
Fixed
Good sustain and needs no set-up
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
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • 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 Telecaster Deluxe is probably the better product overall with its final score of 73 compared to the Fender Kingfish Telecaster Deluxe's 72 score, although not by a lot.

The Fender American Professional II Telecaster Deluxe wins when it comes to sound, value for the money. On the other hand, the Fender Kingfish Telecaster Deluxe has the upper hand when it comes to.

If you got small hands, none of these instruments will make a big difference when it comes to comfortability.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

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

The Fender American Professional II Telecaster Deluxe meets 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Fender Kingfish 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 Kingfish 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 Telecaster Deluxe
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Short scale
  • 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 Kingfish Telecaster Deluxe Overview

  • From Fender's 2022 Artist series
  • Christone "Kingfish" Ingram Signature
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Alder body
  • Roasted Maple neck
  • Slab Rosewood fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Fender Custom Kingfish Humbucking (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Fender Custom Kingfish Humbucking (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 2 volume and 2 tone Bell knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Adjusto-Matic with Anchored Tailpiece bridge
  • V Shape Bolt-On neck
  • 21 Medium Jumbo frets
  • Fender Vintage-Style tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Fender American Professional II Telecaster Deluxe 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 Double Tap Humbucking (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Fender V-Mod II Double Tap Humbucking (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 2 volume and 2 tone Bell knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • 3-Saddle Custom Cut-Off Vintage-Style Tele Bridge with Compensated Brass Saddles bridge
  • Deep C Bolt-On neck
  • 22 Narrow Tall frets
  • Fender® Standard Cast/Sealed Staggered tuners
  • Weight around 7.85lbs (3.6kgs)
  • 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

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 Fender Kingfish Telecaster Deluxe

Roasted Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Roasted Maple
Rosewood wood pattern used for guitar building
Rosewood

Roasted Maple is just maple without a finish. It's technically cheaper than regular maple, but it doesn't have any extra disadvantages because of this. The color is darker, and it's lighter weight and very stable even when there's a lot of humidity.

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.

Woods Used in the Fender American Professional II Telecaster Deluxe

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.

Winner: Fender Kingfish Telecaster Deluxe.

Pickup Configuration

Both pickup configurations are HH. 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.

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.

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 Telecaster Deluxe 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 Kingfish Telecaster Deluxe pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Fender Kingfish Telecaster Deluxe's switch options
Fender American Professional II Telecaster Deluxe pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Fender American Professional II Telecaster Deluxe'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 Telecaster Deluxe.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Fender Kingfish Telecaster Deluxe
Pickups 90
Sustain 75
Versatility 58
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 73
Fender American Professional II Telecaster Deluxe
Pickups 90
Sustain 85
Versatility 68
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 78

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 Kingfish Telecaster Deluxe compares to the Fender American Professional II Telecaster Deluxe.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. Both in this comparison where made in United States.

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: Tie

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.

In this case, both have Bone nuts. 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.

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: 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.

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 Kingfish Telecaster Deluxe's are Fender Vintage-Style while the Fender American Professional II Telecaster Deluxe'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 Kingfish Telecaster Deluxe
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • 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 Telecaster Deluxe
  • Made in United States
  • Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • S-1 Switch Pickups
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • No Expensive Woods
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Tremolo
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Fender Kingfish Telecaster Deluxe
Quality of materials 66
Features 50
Quality Control 95
Build Quality 70
Fender American Professional II Telecaster Deluxe
Quality of materials 66
Features 55
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 Kingfish Telecaster Deluxe Nut Width
Both Guitars Have The Same Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, both have a nut width of 42.8mm (1.685'').

This is considered a narrow width for a 6-string guitar. This means that this guitar will have a narrower string separation at the nut, which will affect your fretting hand.

If you are a player with big hands, you might find it difficult to play chords without muting strings. However, this is good for players who have smaller hands, as it will allow them to reach each string more easily at the nut.

Scale Length

Fender Kingfish Telecaster Deluxe and Fender American Professional II Telecaster Deluxe'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 Kingfish Telecaster Deluxe Neck Profile
Fender Kingfish Telecaster Deluxe's neck profile
Fender American Professional II Telecaster Deluxe Neck Profile
Fender American Professional II Telecaster Deluxe'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 Kingfish Telecaster Deluxe has a V type of neck. This neck shape was more common during Fender's early years. Some people like it because they use their thumb over the edge of the fretboard to press the lower strings. It's rather thicker than most modern necks, so it's not usually used for playing fast solos.

The Fender American Professional II Telecaster Deluxe, on the other hand, has a C 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 Kingfish Telecaster Deluxe Fingerboard Radius
Fender Kingfish Telecaster Deluxe's Fingerboard radius
Fender American Professional II Telecaster Deluxe Fingerboard Radius
Fender American Professional II Telecaster Deluxe'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 Telecaster Deluxe's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Fender Kingfish 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 Kingfish Telecaster Deluxe.

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.

After taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that both in this comparison favor small hands .

Fender Kingfish Telecaster Deluxe:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Fender American Professional II Telecaster Deluxe:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Fender Kingfish Telecaster Deluxe Frets Size
Fender Kingfish Telecaster Deluxe's Frets Size
Fender American Professional II Telecaster Deluxe Frets Size
Fender American Professional II Telecaster Deluxe's Frets Size

The Fender American Professional II Telecaster Deluxe has Narrow Tall frets, which should be taller than the Fender Kingfish 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 Kingfish Telecaster Deluxe
Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
Chord Playability 80
Solo Playability 60
Playability 72
Fender American Professional II Telecaster Deluxe
Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 70
Playability 72

Specs Side-by-Side

Fender Kingfish Telecaster Deluxe vs American Professional II Telecaster Deluxe
General Fender Kingfish Telecaster Deluxe American Professional II Telecaster Deluxe
Brand: Fender Fender
Year: 2022 2020
Configuration: HH HH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: United States United States
Series: Artist American Professional II
Colors: Purple White, Sunburst, Blue, Green, Gray
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Alder Alder
Bridge: Adjusto-Matic with Anchored Tailpiece 3-Saddle Custom Cut-Off Vintage-Style Tele Bridge with Compensated Brass Saddles
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Bolt-On
Tuners: Fender Vintage-Style Fender® Standard Cast/Sealed Staggered
Fretboard: Slab Rosewood Maple
Neck Material: Roasted Maple Maple
Decoration: White Pearloid Dot Black Dot
Scale Size: 25.5" 25.5"
Shape: V Shape Deep C
Frets: 21 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver 22 Narrow Tall Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 12" 9.5"
Nut: Bone Bone
Nut Width: 42.8mm (1.685'') 42.8mm (1.685'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Fender Custom Kingfish Humbucking (Humbucker / Passive) Fender V-Mod II Double Tap Humbucking (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Fender Custom Kingfish Humbucking (Humbucker / Passive) Fender V-Mod II Double Tap Humbucking (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Bell Bell
Pickup Mods: None S-1 Switch
Volume Controls: 2 2
Tone Controls: 2 2