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American Vintage Reissue's - Show 'em if ya got 'em.

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9mmMike

9mmMike

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Apr 25, 2008
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#1
American Vintage Reissue's - Show 'em if ya got 'em.

Since it is a PITA to search for AV or RI or 57 or 62 etc.....

Not necessarily a club but maybe we could post up some pics of some AV RI's? Fullertons welcome although they already have their own thread.

I really like these basses. For me, they are the next best thing to a Custom Shop and a good bang for the buck, used ones especially. It would be especially nifty to see some in the older colors as all they are currently offering is the "White Blonde" and "2-Tone Sunburst".

Mine main bass is the '57 P (2001) in Dakota Red that is in my avatar. Sooner or later I will post a real "hosted" pic in this thread.
I got mine for Christmas and it is just perfect (for me). I still enjoy my other basses at home but this is the one I take to the gig. Other than the staplocks, it is stock.

Please show us your AV RI's and list any mods or any opinions or whatever.

FYI -

Got this from our friends at Fender:

Not sure if it applies to all RI's or just the AV '57's though.

DISCONTINUED COLORS:

(806) Black, 1/2007,

(824) Inca Silver, 1/2002,

(854) Dakota Red, 1/2002,

(883) Ice Blue Metallic, 1/2002,

(809) Candy Apple Red, 1/2001

Odd that they did not list Fiesta Red as I thought that was an early option.
 
#2
How about a Lake Placid Blue VS '62 Precison. It came into the store I managed in early April 1983, and I bought it April 15, 1983. She's been my constant companion ever since...

Me playing her later that summer...
2828367887_31d25d351f.jpg


A posed full frontal shot of her...
2452469412_02fc5a254e.jpg


And a shot of her with her sisters...
2619658572_2250578f80.jpg


And this is what happens when you play the same bass for most of 26 years...
2450950708_9925360cac.jpg


PS. The correct terminology is "Vintage Series". Fender did at one time have a series they called "Reissue Series", around 1990. They were essentially the Standard Series instruments of the time with slight cosmetic changes to make them look old. They were made in Japan, had the same cheap crappy pots and electronics as the Standard Series, but had yellowed poly finish on the necks, and came in a few old-style colors. They were a rather poor attempt to create what the "Classic Series" is now. The problem is that while "reissue" is a common and useful term, it can cause confusion. If someone buys a "Reissue Series" instrument expecting a "Vintage Series", they'll be either sorely disappointed, or think we're daft for extolling the virtues of our reissues.

Also, Fender originally called the US ones simply "Vintage Series". There was at the same time a "Japanese Vintage Series" made in Japan, but not for import to the US. These are not the same as the short-lived "Reissue Series" either, but very good reproductions of the classic Fenders. FMIC changed the name to "American Vintage" at some point after I quit paying attention.

Also, the original Vintage Series colors were Black, Olympic White, Sunburst (2-tone for the '57 and 3-tone for the '62 instruments), Candy Apple Red, Feista Red, Lake Placid Blue, and the clear butterscoth finish that only came on the original Vintage Series isntrument, the '52 Telecaster guitar. The '52 Tele was introduced well before the rest of the Vintage Series, and they shipped them pretty quickly too. Then the introduced two Stratocasters, two Precisions, and a Jazz Bass to the series. The Precisons and Strats were available as '57s or '62, and the Jazz was a '62. They chose '62 because that was the year they changed from the slab board to the laminated fingerboard. It gave them the option of changing the reissues from slab to laminated if they found they had neck stability problems (the slabs are cheaper to make, BTW). Even though most real 1962 Jazz basses had the V/V/T controls they chose to keep the stack knob set up to help make a visual distinction between the VS and the regular instruments.

We recieved two '52 Teles, one before the rest of the VS was isntroduced. Our first order of VS instruments were for one each of the instruments. We ordered the two Strats in the 'burst, the '57 P in burst (I ordered that for myself becasue it looked like Duck Dunn's bass!!), the '62 Jazz in black, and the '62 P in Lake Placid Blue. About nine months later (or sixteen months- I don't recall if we ordered them at the January 1982 NAMM or the July '82 NAMM) Fender finally shipped a huge pile of back-orders to stores. We got 25 new Fenders in one day- and our total stock of guitars was probably around 100. I spent the whole morining just opening boxes, then opeing the case to make sure the instrument in the case was what the box and the packing list said (they screwed up occasionally). I'd pull the isntrument out, tune it up real quick, play for a second, and put it back in the case.

Then I opened up the LPB P bass, and thought the color was a bit too gaudy for me. But I played one note on the bass unamplified and she said "Hi, honey- I'm home!!!"

I had to buy her.

jte
 
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#13
My first American Vintage Reissue was a '62 P-Bass in sunburst. I also owned a '57 P in white (like the one Rayzak posted). Unfortunately, I no longer have them, and don't have pics of them. I do, however, still own my AV '75 Reissue Jazz which I got in 2000. Here she is:

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Glenpty1.jpg
 
#18
I too think the RI's are great. Here's my '88 MIA '62RI Precision complete with slab board and huge woody tone that's very true to the originals. To me it's a "new" vintage bass in every respect except price. I love it.
 
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