The Most Talked-About American Elite Feature

One of the most talked-about features of the Fender American Elite series is the neck, which has a 9.5”-14” compound-radius fingerboard and blends perfectly into a comfortable asymmetrical neck heel.

What really sets the neck apart, though, is its compound profile. When looking at the neck in cross section, that is, it begins with a modern “C” shape at the nut and gradually morphs into a modern “D” shape at the body joint. This is an entirely new design innovation for Fender.

Fender guitars and basses typically have a “C”-, “U”- or “V”-shaped neck profile (sometimes referred to as backshape). “C” is the most common of these, appearing on most contemporary models, such as those in the Deluxe and Standard series. The comfortable oval shape of the “C” profile isn’t as deep as that of the two others, and is good for most playing styles. The “U” profile is fatter (i.e., a “baseball bat” neck), and the “V” profile has narrower shoulders and a sharper spine.

Fender’s new compound-profile neck shaping gives players easier access the upper reaches of the fingerboard, with superior ergonomic comfort from top to bottom (a little Jimi Hendrix near the headstock and a little John 5 at the heel, if you will).

It’s all about preference. Many players develop a real and lifelong personal affinity for a particular neck profile. That’s where the compound-profile neck, with its graceful “C” to “D” metamorphosis, comes in. It offers yet another option for players to consider when searching for the perfect guitar.

Fender did a great deal of research and development in creating this feature. In an organization full of experienced builders and players, the design team experimented with a dozen different profile shapes before arriving at the one that would outfit Fender’s most high-performance line to date.

It also evokes the days when Leo Fender himself made guitars with a variety of different neck shapes, diving deeper into period-specific designations, such as a ’50s “V” shape, a ’61 “C” shape and others.

Of course, the best way to experience the remarkably comfortable feel and performance of Fender’s new compound-profile neck is to pick up an American Elite series instrument and try it out first-hand.

Click here to learn more about the American Elite Series.