Fender Telecaster Professional II VS Ultra: Which one?
Our pick: American Ultra Telecaster
The American Ultra Telecaster is a more modernized guitar, with Fender Noiseless single coil pickups. This is an excellent upgrade over the V-Mod pickups in the Pro II. A lot of the other differences are preferences, though the S-1 switching system in the Ultra gives you a little more tone flexibility. We think the upgrades in the Ultra are worth the additional cost.
Both the American Professional II and American Ultra Telecaster are high end electric guitars that cater to a similar style and price range. The Ultra is more expensive, but it provides a lot of value for what you pay, upgrading the pickups, tuners, body tonewood, and vintage-style bridge.
I'd go with the Ultra for the Noiseless pickups alone. I'm a big fan of those, mainly because I've gone without them in Telecasters before and lived to regret it.
I don't know if the American Professional II Tele has noise issues, but the Noiseless pickups are the real deal. Not only do they cut down on noise, but they also just sound really good.
They're an edgier and more modern, helpful if you're going to be using higher amounts of gain (distortion) on your Telecaster.
So we'd recommend spending a bit more about grabbing the American Ultra Telecaster.
Professional II VS Ultra Telecaster Comparison Table
Below we've built a simple comparison table that allows you to look at basic specs and prices side by side. You can compare more guitars by search for them below the table.
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Our disclosure↬
Tele | Name | Rate | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ultra | n/a | |
 | Pro 2 | n/a |
Compare More Guitars
You can search for more electric guitars here if you want some additional comparison options. We don't have everything in our database, but we have a lot and are adding to it regularly.
Detailed Spec Table
Body tonewood, neck shape, fret size, and radius are all different here. The bridge in the Pro II is the vintage three saddle design, while the Ultra has the modern six saddle Telecaster bridge. As we mentioned earlier, you can see the difference in the electronics here as well.
 | Pro II | Ultra |
|---|---|---|
Body material | Roasted Pine | Alder |
Gloss | Polyurethane | Polyurethane |
Neck material | Maple | Maple |
Neck shape | Deep C | Modern D |
Neck joint | Bolt-on | Bolt-on |
Radius | 9.5" | 10"-14" compound |
Number of Frets | 22, Narrow Tall | 22, Medium Jumbo |
Scale length | 25.5" | 25.5" |
Nut width | 1.685" | 1.685" |
Bridge/Tailpiece | 3-Saddle Top-load String-through body with Brass Bullet Saddles | 6-Saddle American Tele with Chromed Brass Saddles |
Tuners | Fender Standard Die-cast | Fender Deluxe Die-cast Sealed Locking |
Neck and bridge pickups | V-Mod II Tele Single-coil | Ultra Noiseless Vintage Tele Single-coil |
Controls | 1 x master volume, 1 x master tone (push/push series) | 1 x master volume (with S-1 switch), 1 x master tone |
Price Comparison
The price difference isn't massive, and it's likely that there are just a few things (the Noiseless pickups for sure) that are accounting for the difference in cost. While this table should be completely updated, it's important to always keep in mind that pricing and availability can change depending on where and when you look.
Price updated Wed, June 07th, 2023.
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Conclusion
The American series includes some of the nicest non-Custom Shop guitars that Fender makes. Though within that series, there are models with differing degrees of quality to be considered. But know that you aren't going to get a bad guitar or a bad deal if these are your two options.
I like the Noiseless pickups and locking tuners in the Fender American Ultra, so that would be my choice.
I'd also prefer the Alder tonewood, but that's a pretty subjective preference.
If you have questions about this comparison, let me know in the comments section below. I'll help out as much as possible.
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Written by Bobby Kittleberger on Electrics & Roundups
Written by Bobby Kittleberger on Electrics & Roundups
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