Fender American Vintage II

NCo

Gerz6558 said:

NCo said:

Geez, that's a used custom shop price...

I guess the colours are nice, especially the fiesta red, but could anyone shed some light into specs that would justify this? Doesn't seem too far off compared to current offering.

I'm not a strat player, but I tried a few Strats from the AV line (59, 65), AVRI (62) as well as AO (50's, 60's). All have some differences but all seem to be similarly built in terms of quality. Never understood why the AV are so overpriced in the 2nd hand market compared to the AVRI.

Hopefully these new guitars will send a few more used 62/60's into the market

In many eyes the previous American Vintage series nailed the look, sound and feel of a vintage guitar. So, when they were discontinued and succeeded by the American Original line they became even more desirable. Hence the massively inflated prices you see for them now.

Most custom shop offerings have 9.5 radius necks, and that is a big enough deal for some to go for one of the American Vintage models instead. Sellers know this and try to exploit it.

Thanks, that makes sense I guess.

Could you please shed some light as to why this price hike doesn't this apply to the AVRI 57/62?

The AVRI 62 I tried felt just as good as the AV 65. Different, yes, but at least on par, both had (if I'm not wrong) a 7.25" board, yet the AV65 are priced well over the AVRI, which seem to go for a very reasonable price.

Gerz6558

AVRI are also good, but they were not seen as nailing specifics. They all broadly had the same neck profiles and pickups, no matter which variations of that model you chose. The nitro finish is quite thick compared with the American Vintage.

The whole American Vintage ethos was to nail that particular model and year in terms of neck profiles and sound. That's why we have all of those pure vintage pickups to choose from now...59's, 65's etc. The flash coat nitro finishes on the American Vintage line is also really thin, and resulted in even more vintage vibe (sometimes the finish wore too rapidly, with many models arriving with finish issues to stores). 

Mike58

Look forward to these if this isn’t fake news ( I think there was a thread in Strat-Talk that faked AVRI news) 
I recently tried a lefty 60s Original Strat used in GG Glasgow but it was underwhelming.. lefty pots wired backwards = no taper, trem arm stripped , damage to lower bout and nothing special sounding grey bottom 65 pickups.
I can’t really see these new guitars being groundbreaking but a lefty Fiesta Red would be worth a look… would still have to beat my Highway One tho.

ElectricXII

€2600? It'll be a lot more by the time Kwasi Kwarteng has finished screwing sterling.

dindude

If they are charging £2k plus they better have sweated the details, good weight, not too thick finish, nice pickups etc. However, as Peach were recently selling new AO’s for £1950, I think it will be more of the same with slight spec changes. Never really rated the Pure Vintage pickups, fine but really nothing special, I prefer the ones they’re sticking in Vintera’ s in most cases. 

chris78

NCo said:

Gerz6558 said:

NCo said:

Geez, that's a used custom shop price...

I guess the colours are nice, especially the fiesta red, but could anyone shed some light into specs that would justify this? Doesn't seem too far off compared to current offering.

I'm not a strat player, but I tried a few Strats from the AV line (59, 65), AVRI (62) as well as AO (50's, 60's). All have some differences but all seem to be similarly built in terms of quality. Never understood why the AV are so overpriced in the 2nd hand market compared to the AVRI.

Hopefully these new guitars will send a few more used 62/60's into the market

In many eyes the previous American Vintage series nailed the look, sound and feel of a vintage guitar. So, when they were discontinued and succeeded by the American Original line they became even more desirable. Hence the massively inflated prices you see for them now.

Most custom shop offerings have 9.5 radius necks, and that is a big enough deal for some to go for one of the American Vintage models instead. Sellers know this and try to exploit it.

Thanks, that makes sense I guess.

Could you please shed some light as to why this price hike doesn't this apply to the AVRI 57/62?

The AVRI 62 I tried felt just as good as the AV 65. Different, yes, but at least on par, both had (if I'm not wrong) a 7.25" board, yet the AV65 are priced well over the AVRI, which seem to go for a very reasonable price.

Yeah - avri, nitro over poly, generic neck shapes and pickups, lots of incorrect features for model year.
av- vintage accurate, pure nitro, model year specific pickups. Mostly highly select woods

The avs were a huge leap forward over avri in my view, the aos are a downgrade 

richardhomer

ElectricXII said:

€2600? It'll be a lot more by the time Kwasi Kwarteng has finished screwing sterling.

May be there should be a Kwasi Kwarteng signature model? Expensive to buy, virtually worthless after a few days and financed by your grandchildren?

rze99

Whitecat said:

Great GIF... That's me, shopping anywhere for anything today.  

Confession: I just bought 3 used clothes items from an on-line charity shop. They are great. No issues. and I saved about 150 quid. Plus I'm being at least a bit green I'm not contributing to the fashion industry which is mostly BS and exploitation. 

Musicman20

richardhomer said:

ElectricXII said:

€2600? It'll be a lot more by the time Kwasi Kwarteng has finished screwing sterling.

May be there should be a Kwasi Kwarteng signature model? Expensive to buy, virtually worthless after a few days and financed by your grandchildren?

Comment of the day 

slowpilgrim

Glad to see the vintage specs back assuming they do 7.25 radius and vintage frets. Most of all, really happy to see the Tele Deluxe getting an American made, vintage correct model. Wanted a black/maple one for ages (arguably a vintage one probably is a similar price but they rarely come up)

tomajoha

I think the frets might be a tad taller?

Loobs

Also, shouldn't the '66 Jazzmaster have a slightly bigger CBS-style headstock or am I talking out of my arse as usual? 

Gerz6558

Loobs said:

Also, shouldn't the '66 Jazzmaster have a slightly bigger CBS-style headstock or am I talking out of my arse as usual? 

Head over to the offset forum for more on that, someone has got a right bee in their bonnet about it. I think its ruined their year.

Loobs

Yeah, those guys need to get out more. 

Offset

Vintage frets and a 7.25" radius?  I'm out.

Gerz6558

Offset said:

Vintage frets and a 7.25" radius?  I'm out.

I think its vintage/narrow tall frets. But yes, 7.25 radius neck.

Loobs

Urgh, narrow tall are kind of uncomfortable too. I have them on my thin skin '62 RI Jazzmaster. Never got on with them. They feel too sharp. Prefer whatever it is F are using on the Am. Pro II series. 

GavRichList

Narrow tall frets are the absolute worst. They feel like fence panels. I had them significantly taken down on the AO Tele custom I had (which was an otherwise wonderful guitar, but the frets were an absolute monstrosity) 

Loobs

Oh that's gone? 

Offset

Loobs said:

Urgh, narrow tall are kind of uncomfortable too. I have them on my thin skin '62 RI Jazzmaster. Never got on with them. They feel too sharp. Prefer whatever it is F are using on the Am. Pro II series. 

Exactly this.  And 7.25" is (for me) OK for chugging but not a lot else.