New Fender American Vintage Series - Waiting Room - Page 48

jasper383 · #**941** 02-12-2013, 08:19 AM

I think that these new AVRI basses will have to be consistently better in lots of ways from the old AVRIs for Fender to be able to justify a $600 price hike.

Now, if they are better in lots of ways, fantastic. I don't think Fender is evil at all, and for all I know this might be a new era in Fender greatness. People may be begging to buy one at the new price. They will just have to be better to justify (to me) the new higher prices.

petrus61 · #**942** 02-12-2013, 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by king_biscuit

What?

btw, he is not out shopping for wood, all of his stuff is outsourced from major manufacturers to his specs.

That's my point.

Mastermold · #**943** 02-12-2013, 09:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sigmafloyd

Let's be honest, anything over a Classic Vibe P Bass is pretty much lipstick. If you're going for passive P, there isn't a single gig in the world that would require anything more than a Squier CV P bass.

That being said, there is a huge market for lipstick on a Fender. People are obviously paying into the 4-5k range for boutique Fender clones.

I have to assume that everyone who thinks these are overpriced and that Fender is evil must agree that Sadowsky, Lakland, and Allevo Coppola are the devil incarnate. At least Fender designed these instruments in the first place.

You have a point. But these are still production line instruments, same assembly process as their American Standard stuff. What could really justify another $800 to the price? Nitro finishes?

king_biscuit · #**944** 02-12-2013, 10:13 AM

Fender, like most companies, prices (or tries to price) its products at what the market will pay. There are virtually no differences between these and the line being replaced that would justify any prices increase per se. I suspect Fender needed to raise the prices and so they "revamped" the line to help justify that to customers.

sigmafloyd · #**945** 02-12-2013, 10:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mastermold

You have a point. But these are still production line instruments, same assembly process as their American Standard stuff. What could really justify another $800 to the price? Nitro finishes?

Not sure. What could justify another $1k on top of that for a lakland?

sigmafloyd · #**946** 02-12-2013, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by king_biscuit

Fender, like most companies, prices (or tries to price) its products at what the market will pay. There are virtually no differences between these and the line being replaced that would justify any prices increase per se. I suspect Fender needed to raise the prices and so they "revamped" the line to help justify that to customers.

I agree with the market dictating the price. With fender knock-offs selling in the 3-4k range, i personally can't blame them for charging 2k for the real thing.

CLMSHQ · #**947** 02-12-2013, 10:54 AM

Any word KoBASS after having it for a few plus days on your experience..soundclips???

C'Mon Fellow New Englander!

kobass · #**948** 02-12-2013, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CLMSHQ

Any word KoBASS after having it for a few plus days on your experience..soundclips???

C'Mon Fellow New Englander!

Tough crowd here!

While I haven't spent as much time on it as I'd have preferred (no power/heat Friday night through Saturday), I can definitely say that I am absolutely in love with this bass! It's not going anywhere-ever (famous last words of the typical TBer). The quality, playability and tone are just what I had hoped they would be!
I have removed the bridge and pickup covers. I am debating whether or not to remove the tug bar. I play fingerstyle and am not much of a slapper, so it's not about accessibility. We shall see.

Unfortunately, I don't have the ability to provide sound clips yet. I will get some better pics up sometime this week.

petrus61 · #**949** 02-12-2013, 12:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by king_biscuit

Fender, like most companies, prices (or tries to price) its products at what the market will pay. There are virtually no differences between these and the line being replaced that would justify any prices increase per se. I suspect Fender needed to raise the prices and so they "revamped" the line to help justify that to customers.

Well they are certainly saving money on the neck tint, lol. I'm most curious about the 'revamped' pickups. Do the new ones all have beveled edges? I see they dropped the raised poles on the 50's models. I think the 62's were great pickups and wonder how these stack up.

king_biscuit · #**950** 02-12-2013, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by petrus61

Well they are certainly saving money on the neck tint, lol. I'm most curious about the 'revamped' pickups. Do the new ones all have beveled edges? I see they dropped the raised poles on the 50's models. I think the 62's were great pickups and wonder how these stack up.

The "old" pickups are pretty special, especially the "original" P bass pickup. At any rate, the old style pickups/electronics had cloth wiring, vulcanized fiber bobbins, and copper backing plates. No matter how they rewind the new pickups, there is no way it is going to cost any more to make them than the old ones.

Lowbrow · #**951** 02-12-2013, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sigmafloyd

Let's be honest, anything over a Classic Vibe P Bass is pretty much lipstick. If you're going for passive P, there isn't a single gig in the world that would require anything more than a Squier CV P bass.

Totally agree with this statement. For variety/price sake, I think that 3 tiers, American, MIM and Squier, offered in 2 nut widths (contemporary and vintage), 2 fretboard choices and a horde of colors would more than cover it for P basses.

CLMSHQ · #**952** 02-12-2013, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kobass

Tough crowd here!

While I haven't spent as much time on it as I'd have preferred (no power/heat Friday night through Saturday), I can definitely say that I am absolutely in love with this bass! It's not going anywhere-ever (famous last words of the typical TBer). The quality, playability and tone are just what I had hoped they would be!
I have removed the bridge and pickup covers. I am debating whether or not to remove the tug bar. I play fingerstyle and am not much of a slapper, so it's not about accessibility. We shall see.

Unfortunately, I don't have the ability to provide sound clips yet. I will get some better pics up sometime this week.

Excellent!
The music I am playing now..lot of Mowtown and Classic stuff doesn't require slapping either, so Flats went back on my P-Bass and the pick-up cover on my Jazz...Tug Bar went back on too, as I couldn't play slap with that on...Look fwd to hearing your new P!!!

king_biscuit · #**953** 02-12-2013, 02:14 PM

I agree that Fender has too many different versions of all of their instruments -- how many different Strats are there? This just confuses people and makes it a nightmare for stores to stock the line.

slick_tu · #**954** 02-12-2013, 02:22 PM

From reading this thread, this list is what I found are the changes/updates to the new ones that may (or may not) justify the higher prices. Feel free to correct it. I wouldn't count color changes because they don't add to the price.

Series name change from American Vintage Reissue (AVRI) to American Vintage Series (AVS)

Model name changes: Ps '57 to '58, '62 to '63; Js '62 to '64, '75 to '74

'64 Jazz has V V T controls instead of the '62's stacked knobs

PUPs rewound

Necks - no longer tinted

Painted headstock on LPB '64 Jazz Bass

Precision Bass chrome PUP cover flatter, more squared bends

PUP and bridge covers mounted

Precisions (and Jazzes?) come with a set of flatwound strings plus the mounted rounds

Case colors changed

Changed to clay dots on RW 'boards

Fixed the 12th fret dots position

Foam mutes added to bridge covers

Veneer RW fingerboards on '63s

backup · #**955** 02-12-2013, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slick_tu

From reading this thread, this list is what I found are the changes/updates to the new ones that may (or may not) justify the higher prices. Feel free to correct it. I wouldn't count color changes because they don't add to the price.

Series name change from American Vintage Reissue (AVRI) to American Vintage Series (AVS)

Model name changes: Ps '57 to '58, '62 to '63; Js '62 to '64, '75 to '74

'64 Jazz has V V T controls instead of the '62's stacked knobs

PUPs rewound

Necks - no longer tinted

Painted headstock on LPB '64 Jazz Bass

Precision Bass chrome PUP cover flatter, more squared bends

PUP and bridge covers mounted

Precisions (and Jazzes?) come with a set of flatwound strings plus the mounted rounds

Case colors changed

+clay dots, fixed 12th dot, mounted foam mute, '63 has veneer board.

drTSTingray · #**956** 02-12-2013, 02:33 PM

I'm not a Fender officianado but these new AV series have nitrocellulose finish? SOunds very nice, and certainly something I'd be willing to pay for (even though I would be sceptical whether it would make other than a cosmetic difference) however I believe the process is more costly to make environmentally acceptable so maybe that's a valid cost increase - or did the old AVRIs already have this.

king_biscuit · #**957** 02-12-2013, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drTSTingray

I'm not a Fender officianado but these new AV series have nitrocellulose finish? SOunds very nice, and certainly something I'd be willing to pay for (even though I would be sceptical whether it would make other than a cosmetic difference) however I believe the process is more costly to make environmentally acceptable so maybe that's a valid cost increase - or did the old AVRIs already have this.

They have had nitrocellulose lacquer finishes since 1982.

king_biscuit · #**958** 02-12-2013, 02:48 PM

I'm not seeing anything that would cause these to cost more to make. In fact, the the old stack knob Jazz setup is quite a bit more expense than the VVT setup on the new ones. Actually, the old tilt neck on the 75 Jazz (like the design or not) would cost more to produce/implement than the four bolt setup on the 74.

drTSTingray · #**959** 02-12-2013, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by king_biscuit

They have had nitrocellulose lacquer finishes since 1982.

Really - all of the AVRIs? I'm amazed there aren't more around with worn finishes then - all the ones I see for sale are pristine.

king_biscuit · #**960** 02-12-2013, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drTSTingray

Really - all of the AVRIs? I'm amazed there aren't more around with worn finishes then - all the ones I see for sale are pristine.

The 75 Jazz didn't have it -- which would be period correct. If they look pristine, it's because they are not getting played that much, or are getting very well taken care of. btw, there are plenty around with worn finishes.