Fender Player II Stratocaster HSS Chambered Mahogany Body Maple Fingerboard Electric Guitar Transparent Mocha Burst
A serious upgrade to the Strat formula. Chambered mahogany body, rolled fingerboard edges, and new pickups make this HSS configuration legitimately competitive with guitars twice the price.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- +Factory-rolled fingerboard edges eliminate sharp angles and provide that premium played-in feel at this price point
- +Chambered mahogany construction adds weight savings and tonal warmth compared to solid alder models
- +Position four in the five-way selector delivers glorious middle-bridge blended tone
Cons
- −Requires setup out of the box—Sweetwater's 55-point inspection doesn't always prevent playability issues
- −Control layout differs from modern preferences; some players prefer master volume positioned differently
The Verdict
The Fender Player II Stratocaster HSS represents significant structural departure for Fender, and it pays off. This isn’t cosmetic tweaking; this is genuine evolution of the Strat formula that makes sense for modern players.
Guitar World’s 4.5-star review focused on the rolled fingerboard edges, and rightfully so. That detail alone—simple file work that removes the sharp angle at the fingerboard edge—makes extended playing sessions noticeably more comfortable. It’s a luxury feature on guitars costing thousands that somehow made it to a $1000 instrument. If you’ve mainly owned cheaper guitars, this detail alone will astound you.
The chambered mahogany construction isn’t just weight savings—it fundamentally changes how the guitar resonates. You get warmer, more organic tone compared to solid alder models. Combined with the new pickups in HSS configuration, position four delivers that glorious middle-bridge blend that Strat players specifically crave.
Out-of-the-box setup varies, and some units arrive in less-than-optimal condition despite supposedly rigorous inspection. This is worth addressing immediately—a proper setup transforms playability. Madagascar rosewood fingerboards are hard and responsive, and with a decent setup, this guitar competes with instruments at twice the price.
At $1000, you’re getting genuine value. The rolled edges, chambered body, and pickup quality justify the investment. This is Legendary-tier because Fender got the fundamentals right and didn’t overcharge for quality.
