Freaky Rob on the Fender American Professional Stratocaster HSS

Ever since his grandfather first put a guitar into his hands, Freaky Rob Gueringer has covered a lot of ground in his career as a guitarist, producer and session and touring musician. Not surprisingly, his craft also demands that he can cover any sonic ground a situation requires.

From the moment he opens the case in this demo video, Rob appreciates that the Fender American Professional Stratocaster HSS has the versatility he needs to do his job.

“This is a guitar that can be used in any application,” he says.

Why Reach for a Strat?

“I feel like you must have a certain respect not only for attention to detail, but for sound itself," says Rob. "I can pick up an instrument and know exactly when and how to use it. For example, the thing that would make me pick up a Strat in a room full of guitars would be its pickup configuration and the range of tones it offers. I feel with a Strat, there isn't an application I involve myself in where it wouldn't work.”

The Advantage of HSS

“The American Professional Stratocaster HSS offers two single-coils and a humbucker, which opens up an entirely different range of sounds than the three single-coil configuration of a typical Strat,” explains Rob. “With that Fender V-Mod III humbucker, you get so much more width and warmth. It's a bigger sound, so it makes this guitar even more versatile. I would use the humbucker more for rock and live performances where I need my sound to push a little harder. I'd switch to a single-coil for studio applications, because I like my sound a little cleaner and more controlled."

Finding the Sweet Spot

"The middle pickup is literally my middle ground,” says Rob. “You have a certain heaviness from the neck pickup, and the bridge can be kind of thin sometimes. The middle pickup position offers that perfect balance, and I use it for lush chords, pop, R&B and funky rhythm stuff. You get a bit of body back—my bottom notes become a little more present—and also this buttery glitz.”

Built for Professionals

“This is a professional’s guitar, and I really do like it,” says Rob of the American Professional Stratocaster HSS. “The Deep C neck is everything you'd want in a Strat, and the rolled fingerboard edges make moving up and down the neck seamless. The sculpted heel lets me get all the way to the last fret. Also, the guitar is very lightweight, and that's really good when you're on stage for an hour or two. Weight can be a pro guitarist's best friend."

Shop the new Fender American Professional series at Guitar Center.