New Fender American Vintage Series - Waiting Room

[slick_tu]

Originally Posted by backup

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

Thanks, I updated the list; I knew I was forgetting things.

[sigmafloyd]

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

Changed to clay dots on RW 'boards

Fixed the 12th fret dots position

Foam mutes added to bridge covers

Veneer RW fingerboards on '63s

Aren't the neck shapes different too?

[slick_tu]

Originally Posted by sigmafloyd

Aren't the neck shapes different too?

I think the necks changed prior to the AVS's. My recent AVRI '62 has a thicker neck than my previous one.

[drTSTingray]

Goodness - what happened to this thread - suddenly bombed to page 5 after 50000 views?

How come?

Btw you gotta hand it to those Fender guys, this series has stoked up the most gas I've had in 35 yrs to buy a Fender - amazing what an LPB Jazz and sonic blue Precision almost period correct will do!

Having said that it seems perverse to me I could possibly get a better appointed bass (strings through) at a lower price by getting an American Standard.

[king_biscuit]

Originally Posted by drTSTingray

Goodness - what happened to this thread - suddenly bombed to page 5 after 50000 views?

How come?

Btw you gotta hand it to those Fender guys, this series has stoked up the most gas I've had in 35 yrs to buy a Fender - amazing what an LPB Jazz and sonic blue Precision almost period correct will do!

Having said that it seems perverse to me I could possibly get a better appointed bass (strings through) at a lower price by getting an American Standard.

String through is not better, and to me it's worse -- it makes it hard to string the bass without getting the string twisted against itself, and it makes the strings more likely to break at the bridge witness point (especially flats). The only thing arguably better about the AS basses are the graphite reinforced necks; However, a lot of manufacturers (like EBMM) are getting by just fine without them.

[D Bopp]

Hey guys, just picked up a 58 model. check out my thread here:

NBD: Fender USA Vintage 58 Precision

[sigmafloyd]

Originally Posted by D Bopp

Hey guys, just picked up a 58 model. check out my thread here:

NBD: Fender USA Vintage 58 Precision

Sweet!

[gwangi]

Nobody yet with a '63 Seminole Red Precision?

[petrus61]

Just noticed the gold ano pg's look 'finished'. Was this an original feature?

[backup]

Originally Posted by petrus61

Just noticed the gold ano pg's look 'finished'. Was this an original feature?

i think the owner just left the protecting foil on it.

[D Bopp]

Originally Posted by backup

i think the owner just left the protecting foil on it.

No, no foil. It has a film on top of the metal. Gives it a smoother feel, and looks less shiny.

[petrus61]

Originally Posted by D Bopp

No, no foil. It has a film on top of the metal. Gives it a smoother feel, and looks less shiny.

The reason I noticed was because it looked more shiny to me then the usual gold anodized guards.

[backup]

Originally Posted by D Bopp

No, no foil. It has a film on top of the metal. Gives it a smoother feel, and looks less shiny.

ok thanks i didn't know.
any chance you're going to upload some sound clips preferably DI and flatwound strings

[D Bopp]

Originally Posted by backup

ok thanks i didn't know.
any chance you're going to upload some sound clips preferably DI and flatwound strings

Ill see what I can do
Btw, I think the neck on this bass is heavier than the body. The whole thing weighs about 7.5 pounds. It's a feather.

[backup]

Originally Posted by D Bopp

Ill see what I can do
Btw, I think the neck on this bass is heavier than the body.

you know how much i envy you with my 12lbs squier vm jazz....

[warnergt]

Originally Posted by sigmafloyd

Quick update

I got a quote on a 63 P for $1,624.99 with a hard case

The Red color is actually Seminole Red, not Frost Red as previously reported. (I think someone guessed seminole awhile back)

Oddly, Frost Red and Seminole Red both have the same #77
on the Fender color chart.

[jbiscuti]

Very close to selling my Stingray (which I never play anymore) and ordering a AV 63 in Sonic Blue. I got an absolutely unbeatable price (almost at cost).

Very, very close.

[drTSTingray]

Originally Posted by jbiscuti

Very close to selling my Stingray (which I never play anymore) and ordering a AV 63 in Sonic Blue. I got an absolutely unbeatable price (almost at cost).

Very, very close.

I too love the '63 sonic blue AV P bass.

But think long and hard JBiscuti - I use my coral red Classic Ray in a 60s tribute band for the simple reason it produces a far better live sound than any Fender (actually sounds like the Fender recorded sound - which I can't get a Fender to do) - plus it's versatile - will do the late 70s funk n R and B thing better, along with 80s/90s pop etc.

[vates]

that's a good advice

[MingusBass]

I don't know, I used to dig the Music Man vibe but after years of owning Rays, Ray5s, Bongos, Sterlings, I fell away from that sound. My main bass is very Fender-esque and I will be getting a Seminole Red '63 P Bass soon.