Fender American Vintage II Series

[DrBnz]

I've had them all. Its a sickness.
- The 54P I still have - great tone - I love the chunky neck (it almost has neck dive) - I hate the bridge. Intonation is a joke with it - Lotsa static popping so I'll have to operate and insulate later this summer. I've thought about changing out the bridge. Then part of me says to sell it as is and get something without all the issues.
- The 60P nice bass. It did nothing for me. Plain Jane P bass to me. Neck was "ok". Tone was "ok" at best. Thats just an expensive P bass and an average one at that - I sold it.
- Now the Jazz bass with Roto 66 is close to what I would characterize as perfect (to me). With that thick neck, be careful to not get one too light or you'll have neck dive (9.3 lbs sits well). But that neck is fantastic to feel/play and the binding helps a lot in low light conditions - matching headstock is a nice touch.

 

[BassDaddy77]

I've had them all. Its a sickness.
- The 54P I still have - great tone - I love the chunky neck (it almost has neck dive) - I hate the bridge. Intonation is a joke with it - Lotsa static popping so I'll have to operate and insulate later this summer. I've thought about changing out the bridge. Then part of me says to sell it as is and get something without all the issues.
- The 60P nice bass. It did nothing for me. Plain Jane P bass to me. Neck was "ok". Tone was "ok" at best. Thats just an expensive P bass and an average one at that - I sold it.
- Now the Jazz bass with Roto 66 is close to what I would characterize as perfect (to me). With that thick neck, be careful to not get one too light or you'll have neck dive (9.3 lbs sits well). But that neck is fantastic to feel/play and the binding helps a lot in low light conditions - matching headstock is a nice touch.

Interesting. I have the '54 and like it quite a bit as well. Mine was plek'd and "pro setup" with LaBella DTFs at Sweetwater, and the intonation is spot on. (Rather remarkable for a 2 saddle bridge). Maybe I got lucky, or Sweetwater has some wizardry going on.

I was actually considering adding a '60 P as a stablemate, but your post has me wondering now. What I'm really after is the same neck shape and profile as the '54, but with a rosewood board (and the 60s headstock shape - non Tele). Could you elaborate a bit more on what you didn't like about the '60, and how the 2 necks compare? Also, do you know of any split coil Precision models that have a rosewood board with that glorious '54 neck shape?

 

[DrBnz]

Hopefully somebody who still owns theirs will weigh in. But I like the thicker necks as well. The 60P wasn't thick. Now don't get me wrong, it is a nice bass. But I didn't find anything that stood out as an outstanding or desirable feature. My neck even needed a shim in it to get the action low. Plus it had neck dive. And those nice clay side dots simply disappear in low light conditions. It wasn't a "go to" bass. Now (to me) a great P bass is a AVRI '58 P bass. It has the beefy neck, great sound and hits all the marks for me. One better would be a Limited Edition Roasted Ash P bass. Thick neck, light weight, looks great, sounds great.

 

[lm183902]

Hopefully somebody who still owns theirs will weigh in. But I like the thicker necks as well. The 60P wasn't thick. Now don't get me wrong, it is a nice bass. But I didn't find anything that stood out as an outstanding or desirable feature. My neck even needed a shim in it to get the action low. Plus it had neck dive. And those nice clay side dots simply disappear in low light conditions. It wasn't a "go to" bass. Now (to me) a great P bass is a AVRI '58 P bass. It has the beefy neck, great sound and hits all the marks for me. One better would be a Limited Edition Roasted Ash P bass. Thick neck, light weight, looks great, sounds great.

View attachment 7150690

I agree, the neck on the 1960 P is pretty thin. I never really think about neck profile, but coming from my AO '50s P, it's definitely very different.

 

[Pet Sounds]

Hopefully somebody who still owns theirs will weigh in. But I like the thicker necks as well. The 60P wasn't thick. Now don't get me wrong, it is a nice bass. But I didn't find anything that stood out as an outstanding or desirable feature. My neck even needed a shim in it to get the action low. Plus it had neck dive. And those nice clay side dots simply disappear in low light conditions. It wasn't a "go to" bass. Now (to me) a great P bass is a AVRI '58 P bass. It has the beefy neck, great sound and hits all the marks for me. One better would be a Limited Edition Roasted Ash P bass. Thick neck, light weight, looks great, sounds great.

View attachment 7150690

Those "disappearing dots" are my biggest beef with my '60s AO Precision, which otherwise is a great sounding bass with flats and foam in the ashtray.

 

[themarqueeyears]

I've had them all. Its a sickness.
- The 54P I still have - great tone - I love the chunky neck (it almost has neck dive) - I hate the bridge. Intonation is a joke with it - Lotsa static popping so I'll have to operate and insulate later this summer. I've thought about changing out the bridge. Then part of me says to sell it as is and get something without all the issues.
- The 60P nice bass. It did nothing for me. Plain Jane P bass to me. Neck was "ok". Tone was "ok" at best. Thats just an expensive P bass and an average one at that - I sold it.
- Now the Jazz bass with Roto 66 is close to what I would characterize as perfect (to me). With that thick neck, be careful to not get one too light or you'll have neck dive (9.3 lbs sits well). But that neck is fantastic to feel/play and the binding helps a lot in low light conditions - matching headstock is a nice touch.

I bought the 54P - it has a great tone - I can't stop playing it with my thump (Sting style )

But yeah the intonation isn't great high up (I guess way back hardly ever went up there) so perhaps a new bridge.
Or more fiddling with the current bridge and live with the funky intonation.

The action could be lower for me - so with the current bridge it's gonna need a shim.

I didn't get to try the 60's AV2 .... you weren't impressed?

Is the neck less chunky on the 60's AV2?

Thanks

 

[Bass4ThePublic]

I really liked my 60 P. I only let it go to get a real deal 1960 P. Very thin neck, yet wide. After owning and playing a ton of actual 60's P basses, it gets very close to the real deal.

 

[Mike Vee]

I had the Sunburst P. I didn't like the way it felt, especially compared to my American Original 60s P. I didn't like the neck shape or radius, and It had fret buzz that I couldn't mitigate (I am great at setups). The rosewood was just weird (cheap?), and looked unnaturally dyed. Tuners were VERY stiff. Also didn't like the super orange tint on the neck (some aren't as bad). Sent it back in a day. It reminded me of a Vinterra II. In fact, I had a Vintera II 50s P that felt WAY better.

I got a FCS 66 Precision a little while later and the difference was night and day. If you are after this bass I suggest sourcing an American Original for nearly half the price. They are better IMO.

 

[DrBnz]

I bought the 54P - it has a great tone - I can't stop playing it with my thump (Sting style )

But yeah the intonation isn't great high up (I guess way back hardly ever went up there) so perhaps a new bridge.
Or more fiddling with the current bridge and live with the funky intonation.

The action could be lower for me - so with the current bridge it's gonna need a shim.

I didn't get to try the 60's AV2 .... you weren't impressed?

Is the neck less chunky on the 60's AV2?

Thanks

I guess what I was trying to say is there's not a lot you can do to a P-bass to make it "perfect". It has to have a great neck (thats a personal preference thing), great electronics, a fair weight and no neck dive. Now others may have different criteria. But those are the highlights for me. The AVRI 60 P bass didn't check any of those marks for me. Plus you couldn't see the clay dots. So considering the price and that its an AVRI I expected a whole lot better. I can just see many other P-bass (probably for less money) that I would be a lot happier with. Some may love it - good on em. Ignore everything I just said - but for me it was a disappointment and I sold it off.

 

[jmpiwonka]

I guess what I was trying to say is there's not a lot you can do to a P-bass to make it "perfect". It has to have a great neck (thats a personal preference thing), great electronics, a fair weight and no neck dive. Now others may have different criteria. But those are the highlights for me. The AVRI 60 P bass didn't check any of those marks for me. Plus you couldn't see the clay dots. So considering the price and that its an AVRI I expected a whole lot better. I can just see many other P-bass (probably for less money) that I would be a lot happier with. Some may love it - good on em. Ignore everything I just said - but for me it was a disappointment and I sold it off.

That all comes down to variables you can evaluate if you play some basses in person before purchase.

 

[2saddleslab]

I bought the 54P - it has a great tone - I can't stop playing it with my thump (Sting style )

But yeah the intonation isn't great high up (I guess way back hardly ever went up there) so perhaps a new bridge.
Or more fiddling with the current bridge and live with the funky intonation.

The action could be lower for me - so with the current bridge it's gonna need a shim.

I didn't get to try the 60's AV2 .... you weren't impressed?

Is the neck less chunky on the 60's AV2?

Thanks

Just bought a new-to-me AVII 54. Intonation & action are perfect. I'm sure if you fiddle just a bit more you won't need to replace the bridge. Also, there are compensated fiber saddles available so a shim wouldn't be necessary either.

Thread 'Doubled My Fiber Intake'

Jul 19, 2025

After being pleasantly surprised at the tone of the new-to-me AVII 54 P bass complete with/ fiber saddles I took the plunge and bought some more to add to my 51/55.

I was sent 3 options: light color, dark [compensated], and leinen [as found on my 54]. You can even specify the type & age of the screws.

Not sure I hear a difference from the custom brass saddles my dad made almost 40 years ago. What I don't hear is any loss of high end or definition. They really sound & work well. Intonation is spot on too. I decided to go with the dark saddles because they...

• 2saddleslab
• Replies: 3
• Forum: Hardware, Setup & Repair [BG]

• 
• 

 

[themarqueeyears]

Just bought a new-to-me AVII 54. Intonation & action are perfect. I'm sure if you fiddle just a bit more you won't need to replace the bridge. Also, there are compensated fiber saddles available so a shim wouldn't be necessary either.

Thread 'Doubled My Fiber Intake'

Jul 19, 2025

After being pleasantly surprised at the tone of the new-to-me AVII 54 P bass complete with/ fiber saddles I took the plunge and bought some more to add to my 51/55.

I was sent 3 options: light color, dark [compensated], and leinen [as found on my 54]. You can even specify the type & age of the screws.

Not sure I hear a difference from the custom brass saddles my dad made almost 40 years ago. What I don't hear is any loss of high end or definition. They really sound & work well. Intonation is spot on too. I decided to go with the dark saddles because they...

• 2saddleslab
• Replies: 3
• Forum: Hardware, Setup & Repair [BG]

• 
• 

View attachment 7289731

May I ask where you bought those saddles?

The action with the stock saddles is too high for me and they are bottomed out currently on the E and G stings.

Do you know the measurements of your set up? Maybe I need lower than most.

 

[2saddleslab]

May I ask where you bought those saddles?

The action with the stock saddles is too high for me and they are bottomed out currently on the E and G stings.

Do you know the measurements of your set up? Maybe I need lower than most.

I conveniently provided the link with all the info you need to contact the seller of these very nice fiber saddles. You can email or call him to discuss your needs. You even have a choice of color & type of fiber saddle. The seller is a great resource.

In the link you see pics of compensated saddles [angled on the bottom to give more clearance, shown on the center saddle seen in the underside pic] and non compensated saddles [flat bottomed like those you already have on your AVII 54]. The flat bottom saddles work perfect on my '54 but I needed the compensated saddles on my '51, see below. The other options are to shim the neck or you can sand down the saddles you have under the E & G strings to allow more movement.

 

[themarqueeyears]

I conveniently provided the link with all the info you need to contact the seller of these very nice fiber saddles. You can email or call him to discuss your needs. You even have a choice of color & type of fiber saddle. The seller is a great resource.

In the link you see pics of compensated saddles [angled on the bottom to give more clearance, shown on the center saddle seen in the underside pic] and non compensated saddles [flat bottomed like those you already have on your AVII 54]. The flat bottom saddles work perfect on my '54 but I needed the compensated saddles on my '51, see below. The other options are to shim the neck or you can sand down the saddles you have under the E & G strings to allow more movement.
View attachment 7290529

Hi,

Sorry I didn't realise if I clicked on a photo it expanded your post - I can now see the link.

Thank you so much for that.

 

[LetItGrowTone]

The link is in another (good) thread. Here it is again for convenience:
[email protected]
Evan Webb
Webbteca Musical Industries
2653 Lakewood Drive
Columbus Ohio 43231
614-716-9750

 

[themarqueeyears]

The link is in another (good) thread. Here it is again for convenience:
[email protected]
Evan Webb
Webbteca Musical Industries
2653 Lakewood Drive
Columbus Ohio 43231
614-716-9750

I conveniently provided the link with all the info you need to contact the seller of these very nice fiber saddles. You can email or call him to discuss your needs. You even have a choice of color & type of fiber saddle. The seller is a great resource.

In the link you see pics of compensated saddles [angled on the bottom to give more clearance, shown on the center saddle seen in the underside pic] and non compensated saddles [flat bottomed like those you already have on your AVII 54]. The flat bottom saddles work perfect on my '54 but I needed the compensated saddles on my '51, see below. The other options are to shim the neck or you can sand down the saddles you have under the E & G strings to allow more movement.
View attachment 7290529

I've just ordered a pair of these - thank you.

I'll put the ones that came with the bass in a drawer in the unlikely even I decide to sell this bass.

I did consider brass saddles but I just though it was much nicer to keep it all in the vintage vibe and stick with the Phenolic bakelite ones.

Q. Are the Fender ones that came with the bass the exact same material?

I'll finally be able to get the E and G a bit lower , I like the sound of DR Low Riders on this bass but they're a bit higher tension and my hands do struggle a bit with the Fender recommended action of 2.8mm for the E and 2.4mm for the G.

Another question (if that's OK)

Q. I find the G string a bit hot and looking at the pick up it's a bit higher on the G side - is the solution as simple as just taking it down a touch by lowering the pup on the G string side with a screw driver?

Thanks

 

[LetItGrowTone]

Q. I find the G string a bit hot and looking at the pick up it's a bit higher on the G side - is the solution as simple as just taking it down a touch by lowering the pup on the G string side with a screw driver?

Thanks

Probably.
If you want to, keep notes of how many turns in which direction you change it each time, and what changes in tone you think you hear each time.

 

[2saddleslab]

I've just ordered a pair of these - thank you.

I'll put the ones that came with the bass in a drawer in the unlikely even I decide to sell this bass.

I did consider brass saddles but I just though it was much nicer to keep it all in the vintage vibe and stick with the Phenolic bakelite ones.

Q. Are the Fender ones that came with the bass the exact same material?

I'll finally be able to get the E and G a bit lower , I like the sound of DR Low Riders on this bass but they're a bit higher tension and my hands do struggle a bit with the Fender recommended action of 2.8mm for the E and 2.4mm for the G.

Another question (if that's OK)

Q. I find the G string a bit hot and looking at the pick up it's a bit higher on the G side - is the solution as simple as just taking it down a touch by lowering the pup on the G string side with a screw driver?

Thanks

I think you'll be real happy with those and will make dialing in the action much easier.

If you look at the pic below the left & center saddles are the same phenolic material, just different color. The right saddle is linen phenolic, which has linen impregnating the resin, that is used on the AVII 54. There is not much difference, other than appearance. Any example below will work just fine.

Typically pickups w/ flat poles make the E & G strings a bit louder [which has always been my preference]. But to answer your question, yes, just lower the G side. It doesn't take much adjustment to make a difference.

 

[themarqueeyears]

I think you'll be real happy with those and will make dialing in the action much easier.

If you look at the pic below the left & center saddles are the same phenolic material, just different color. The right saddle is linen phenolic, which has linen impregnating the resin, that is used on the AVII 54. There is not much difference, other than appearance. Any example below will work just fine.
View attachment 7297136

Typically pickups w/ flat poles make the E & G strings a bit louder [which has always been my preference]. But to answer your question, yes, just lower the G side. It doesn't take much adjustment to make a difference.

Great - thank you for sharing your knowledge - much appreciated.

 

[MrRobert]

Quick question for anybody who owns the AVII Jazz bass: are the edges of the binding on the neck 'rolled' or would you say they're sharp? I haven't been able to get my hands on one of these to see for myself.