HISTORICALLY, FENDER LIKES to change or refresh its ranges every four or five years, and here, the new American Professional Classic range replaces the American Performer models we first saw in 2019.

Two new lower-end, similarly priced Stratocasters cater for both vintage and more modern tastes and blur the line between Fender’s USA and Mexican manufacturing. Which one has your name on it?

Top-class additions to your rig to keep you sounding your best

If the Fender Stratocaster is such a perfect design, why – wonders Dave Burrluck – is there a whole industry of aftermarket parts and pickups to improve it?

Not quite into Custom Shop territory, these beautiful builds possess just as much charm

Moving into four figures, there’s a considerable, very diverse choice of serious electrics