Fender Player II Modified Stratocaster Floyd Rose Rosewood Fingerboard Electric Guitar Olympic Pearl
Fender's answer to the superstrat era, pairing Player II Noiseless pickups with a coil-splitting humbucker and Floyd Rose Special tremolo. This modified Strat is built for players who need EVH divebombs and Nile Rodgers funk from the same guitar.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- +12-inch radius rosewood fingerboard delivers ultra-fast, flat playing feel ideal for lead work
- +HSS configuration with coil-split humbucker covers metal aggression to crystalline clean tones
- +Player II Noiseless single-coils eliminate hum while maintaining classic Strat clarity
- +Floyd Rose Special double-locking tremolo provides excellent tuning stability once properly set up
- +Push/pull tone control adds single-coil voicing from bridge humbucker for expanded tonal range
Cons
- −Floyd Rose wasn't set up out of the box and requires proper setup to function optimally
- −Guitar World review noted quite a few blemishes in the white finish
- −Floyd Rose Special is a step down from the original Floyd Rose system
- −At $1,190, you're paying a premium for the Floyd-equipped model versus standard Player II
The Verdict
Fender reclaiming the superstrat concept is long overdue, and this Floyd-equipped Player II delivers where it counts. The 12-inch radius neck and HSS layout nail the shred-friendly playability, while the coil-split expands versatility beyond typical dive-bomb machines. Setup issues out of the box are disappointing at this price point, and finish QC concerns suggest you should inspect before buying. If you need a modern Strat with a whammy bar that actually works for metal and hard rock, this is a solid choice once properly dialed in.
