Fender American Original Series Successor?

[Bassist30]

What's it doing? Curious to know.

Not wearing down..... Still Looks new. Not that that is driving me crazy.But I am not the type to bang it around. But I though Nitro would wear faster.

 

[Rnr..........4]

Well back in the 60s it was a thinner finish I believe so not sure if they do it any different now and it takes longer to wear. That's why I bought a classic 60s jazz (MIM) in road worn already but it's a rush job and doesn't seem authentic to me. I have a worn Sandberg and think the poly finish (that they turned road worn) looks a lot better than nitro.

 

[Bassist30]

I think the American Original Precision has a thick C shape that is almost like a baseball bat.

The Am Pro I and II have the 63 profile C. Not sure if that is only slightly less thinner.

I have a somewhat lite P pro 1. I love the neck. Not sure if it is the same as the Pro 11 neck. I love the sound yet I put the standard P Fralins in it with a Emerson pre-wired controls. It is so sweet. Have had many compliments on the sound. The neck is so stable. Liteweight, Stable neck and the Fralins/Emerson combination make it a keeper.

 

[Bassist30]

Well back in the 60s it was a thinner finish I believe so not sure if they do it any different now and it takes longer to wear. That's why I bought a classic 60s jazz (MIM) in road worn already but it's a rush job and doesn't seem authentic to me. I have a worn Sandberg and think the poly finish (that they turned road worn) looks a lot better than nitro. Nitro tends to go matte or flake.

Just like my 89 Musicman 5. Jimmy Coppolo when he was in New York re-fretted it. It was so worn he hugged it. Literally. Did a great job on it. A musicman with a rosewood finger board. Alder body and the neck has some birdseye in it. That is a keeper too. Very worn looking. Flaking in about 4 years.

 

[DirkP]

There is a whole lot of bad info in here.

They did not leave the American Vintage Series unchanged for four decades.

First of all, you meant "for three decades," not four, in the range of years that you listed ("1982-2012").

And secondly, there WERE changes in that period, including to the names of the lines.

The first U.S. made reissue series was called the Vintage Series, or U.S. Vintage Series. Circa 1982–1997. It was NOT called the American Vintage Series.

Some specs changes were made (making them more vintage accurate, mostly), and it was renamed the American Vintage Series for 1998.

In late 2012, a major specs re-vamp swept through the line, but the American Vintage Series name remained. It was NOT called the "Pure Vintage Series."

Pure Vintage is the name of the new vintage reissue parts line that was introduced alongside the re-vamped AV Series (the parts that were used on the re-vamped AV Series, that continue to be used on the AO Series, and which are available separately). "Pure vintage" is also a phrase used in the advertising for the re-vamped AVs – but NOT the name of the line.

The American Original Series replaced the AV Series for 2018.

There was never any official distinction between "AVRI" and "AV." "Reissue" was never actually part of the name for ANY U.S. made reissue line. It was called the AV Series from 1998 through late 2012, even though there were two versions of it. And, again, the AV Series did not exist until 1998. It was called the Vintage Series or U.S. Vintage Series before that.

Thank you for correcting me. Here in Germany there were more names for the AV/AVRI series and the term Vintage Reiussue was used a lot, but maybe more for the MIJ Fender instruments. My main point was that during these 3 (!) decades, the models stayed the same ('62 P and J, '57 P), they never "re-launched" the series as they did in 2012.

I was a bit surprised that this series only lasted a few years.
The AOs - as good as they might be - kind of push the US made reissues closer to the mexican classic series. Obvious in no longer using special years in the model names. Same as in the classic series.

Not having the same specs as the originals - mainly regarding the necks - they became more loosely related to classic Fender instruments. This surprised me, 'cause what they did in 2012 was the exact opposite: getting closer in detail to the original instruments, most obvious in using clay dots for the first time in the US vintage series and the ultra-thin nitro finish.

 

[frublazej]

Sooo I was considering two basses in my area:

• American Vintage 74 (maple) Jazz Bass;
• American Original 70s (also maple) Jazz Bass;

And lads and ladies (and others) this was the same bass. I think they only changed:

• Radius;
• Pickups (74 had awfull pups tbh);
• Maybe polyurethane tint on neck (74 have that slightly darker tint, no "boiled chicken meat - white").
  
  

Considering that most of us romanticize past, I think we did it with old AV vs the new one AO.

Also, to consider: If AO have drop in quality, why for example AO 70's JB is so popular choice (even with touring musician ie. in Europe)?

 

[bassdude51]

Corrected : U.S. American Original Vintage Professional Player Performer Elite III Series (insert Deluxe wherever you want).
There was nothing better than the AVRI Series, except the Custom Shop.

"There was nothing better than the AVRI Series, except the Custom Shop."

I totally agree! The 2013-2017 AVRI series was as good as good can get with the exception of the Custom Shop stuff. BRING IT BACK!

 

[Grinderman]

I think the American Original Precision has a thick C shape that is almost like a baseball bat.

The Am Pro I and II have the 63 profile C. Not sure if that is only slightly less thinner.

On the AO '50s the neck is .82" @1st to 1.00" @12th. Thicknesses at the 1st fret of classic "baseball-bate" Fender P bass necks from the 1950s reside more in the range of 1.00" to .90".

The necks were thickest front to back at the beginning, 1951, and they were U shaped. Progressing through the decade general thicknesses gradually diminished to where it could be closer to .90" to .88" @1st fret circa '58-'59. Profiles evolved and varied along the same timeline from U to V to soft V to C. The evolution flowed toward less girthy C shape P necks in the early '60s.

Profiles of produced necks were less precisely consistent those days because more hand controlled work by individual people went into shaping the necks.

 

[Shorelinegold]

On the AO '50s the neck is .82" @1st to 1.00" @12th. Thicknesses at the 1st fret of classic "baseball-bate" Fender P bass necks from the 1950s reside more in the range of 1.00" to .90".

The necks were thickest front to back at the beginning, 1951, and they were U shaped. Progressing through the decade general thicknesses gradually diminished to where it could be closer to .90" to .88" @1st fret circa '58-'59. Profiles evolved and varied along the same timeline from U to V to soft V to C. The evolution flowed toward less girthy C shape P necks in the early '60s.

Profiles of produced necks were less precisely consistent those days because more hand controlled work by individual people went into shaping the necks.

Thank you for this!

 

[Grinderman]

Sooo I was considering two basses in my area:

• American Vintage 74 (maple) Jazz Bass;
• American Original 70s (also maple) Jazz Bass;

And lads and ladies (and others) this was the same bass. I think they only changed:

• Radius;
• Pickups (74 had awfull pups tbh);
• Maybe polyurethane tint on neck (74 have that slightly darker tint, no "boiled chicken meat - white").
  

Considering that most of us romanticize past, I think we did it with old AV vs the new one AO.

Also, to consider: If AO have drop in quality, why for example AO 70's JB is so popular choice (even with touring musician ie. in Europe)?

I own two AO necks for a J and P ('50s) FSO parts builds.

I don't see any drop or issues in quality on the necks I've seen and the hardware is all the same so I'm a bit skeptical about claims of drop in quality. Consistency in quality from Fender has never been world class anyway.

 

[Rnr..........4]

"There was nothing better than the AVRI Series, except the Custom Shop."

I totally agree! The 2013-2017 AVRI series was as good as good can get with the exception of the Custom Shop stuff. BRING IT BACK!

I kind of disagree. I think the Classic series (which became the Vintera line) was great too. Have a road worn classic 60s jazz. Could be a custom shop almost.

 

[Vanheusen77]

In my limited experience (I have a Pbass) the AO series is great. They really have to come up with shorter names for their different series though, it's so much work writing about Fenders in forums for example!

 

[DirkP]

I own two AO necks for a J and P ('50s) FSO parts builds.

I don't see any drop or issues in quality on the necks I've seen and the hardware is all the same so I'm a bit skeptical about claims of drop in quality. Consistency in quality from Fender has never been world class anyway.

Did someone claimed there was a drop in quality? l didn't. I think the quality is equal, what changed is that the production was kind of streamlined and Fender doesn't claim anymore that the models are accurate reproductions of specific year models. But who cares, if you like the instrument? Some players even prefer the more contemporary neck shapes.

Maybe the 70s Jazz Basses are very similar. They don't have nitro finishes anyway. The 3-bolt neck was already abandoned in the last AVS series (they changed from a '75 Bass to a '74). And they had to produce special necks anyway, because of the block inlays.

 

[Grinderman]

Did someone claimed there was a drop in quality? l didn't. I think the quality is equal, what changed is that the production was kind of streamlined and Fender doesn't claim anymore that the models are accurate reproductions of specific year models. But who cares, if you like the instrument? Some players even prefer the more contemporary neck shapes.

Maybe the 70s Jazz Basses are very similar. They don't have nitro finishes anyway. The 3-bolt neck was already abandoned in the last AVS series (they changed from a '75 Bass to a '74). And they had to produce special necks anyway, because of the block inlays.

I was responding to frublazej. In order to follow along you need to read frublazej's comment.

 

[BassVibes]

The only difference on as far as I know if the neck profile. Everything else is materially the same as previous AVs. I have the 60s AO and it is nitro finish with Pure Vintage PUs, well put together. I also had the 70s AO previously which was a fine instrument.

Sooo I was considering two basses in my area:

• American Vintage 74 (maple) Jazz Bass;
• American Original 70s (also maple) Jazz Bass;

And lads and ladies (and others) this was the same bass. I think they only changed:

• Radius;
• Pickups (74 had awfull pups tbh);
• Maybe polyurethane tint on neck (74 have that slightly darker tint, no "boiled chicken meat - white").
  

Considering that most of us romanticize past, I think we did it with old AV vs the new one AO.

Also, to consider: If AO have drop in quality, why for example AO 70's JB is so popular choice (even with touring musician ie. in Europe)?

I had the AO 70s Jazz and it had an amazing sound, much better than the desirable FSR sonic blue USA Jazz I had and compared it to. It had excellent build quality too. But I changed it for the 60s AM Jazz because I preferred the neck profile.

I find it strange why so many dislike the AO range. In the guitar world the AO seem a lot more celebrated. In time I think the AO will be seen in a better light with the bass community.

 

[andare]

I find it strange why so many dislike the AO range. In the guitar world the AO seem a lot more celebrated. In time I think the AO will be seen in a better light with the bass community.

Probably because the AOs have a flatter fretboard so guitarists can bend more easily whereas bass players don't bend as much and might actually prefer the rounder vintage radius. Fender changing the one spec that makes the neck feel vintage and having the gall to call it Original was a low blow. You wanna change something? Put the truss rod adjustment in the headstock so I don't have to jump through hoops when the weather starts acting up. leave the neck specs alone please.

 

[frublazej]

I even tested one by one 74 and 70s and neck is the same on the back, or this two particular basses have similar necks in the shape. Only radius was different (vintage to modern), but not so much tbh, maybe for me.

I also find strange why many dislike AO series, it's more like "for players vintage series". There is also some of the CS basses that have 9 and sometin' radius. It's more playable.

News from my local diler/rep - they confirmed one batch I was writing You about for AO for end april/may.

The other one (that for July) was cancelled/denied/whatever. Also Thomman tossed away AO form their site.

Maybe something is in the works, hope so.

 

[walkbassman45]

It interest me when I read these post. My first bass was a 1975 Fender Precision. At that time they really didn't have all these different lines of basses. We had a Precision or Jazz, that's it. Through the years I graduated to a Jazz bass. I currently have a AO 60's Jazz in Candy Apple Red which would have been a custom color back in the day. Remembering that Precision, I would say the AO series is great and I love mine. I wonder what the forum whould read like if there was just a Precision or Jazz to pick as it was.

 

[DirkP]

(...) I wonder what the forum whould read like if there was just a Precision or Jazz to pick as it was.

Then we wouldn't talk about 60s or 70s or 90s Fender basses. We would start a sub-forum for every month of production with all the pros and cons and how every Fender produced on a monday is an absolute no-go for every player who takes herself seriously.

 

[davidchampoux]

Any news on the new models??