Fender revamps its American Vintage Series with an all-new batch of electric guitars that recreate the feel and vibe of their ’50s to mid ’60s era instruments.
Fender cleared the slate to give way for a new batch of guitars that carry new specs and features while maintaining vintage accuracy.
The American Vintage Series was introduced in the early ’80s just as the CBS era ended. It was well received because it brought back the quality and feel of the older guitars that made Fender famous. Seeing the importance of this series, Fender took the liberty to introduce a new batch of guitars.
Instead of merely replacing the previous models, Fender went for a complete re-imagination of the entire vintage-reissue concept. They tracked down actual vintage guitars designers to ensure accuracy and restored original tooling dies, they also voiced new pickups and reformulated the vintage colors used.
According to Fender: “All the new American Vintage Series guitars feature thick and slim necks with profiles and edges carefully re-sculpted to reflect even greater period-correct authenticity, with both maple and rosewood fingerboards, vintage-style frets and bone nuts; all-new vintage-style pickups wound to period-correct specs and sound to accurately reflect specific model years, and even specific periods within specific model years; retooled pickguards, parts and hardware designed to accurately reflect specific model years (and again, even specific periods within specific model years), and standard and custom-color finishes re-formulated for even greater period-correct authenticity.”
The new models come with 3 strats, the American Vintage ’56 (available in left-handed version), ’59 and ’65 Stratocaster models. There are 3 teles namely the American Vintage ’52, ’58 and ’64 (available in left-handed version) Telecaster. The American Vintage ’52 Telecaster got some special treatment with refined body, neck and pickups, it also features refined curves, tones, perimeters, neck radius and more based on an actual 1952 built Telecaster. To round up the new series, Fender also introduces the American Vintage ’65 Jazzmaster and American Vintage ’65 Jaguar.
Take a look and pick your favorite American Vintage Series guitar from the list below:
American Vintage ’52 Telecaster (and left-handed model)
- Ash body with slightly lighter Butterscotch Blonde finish and singe-ply black pickguard.
- Large maple neck with re-sculpted U-shaped profile and comfortably rolled edges.
- All-new pickups wound to period-correct specs and sound.
- “Barrel” switch tip and knurled chrome domed control knobs.
- Vintage-style bridge with three brass saddles.
American Vintage ’56 Stratocaster (and left-handed model)
- Lightweight alder body (ash on White Blonde finish model) with deep contours.
- Mid-’56 thick maple neck with soft “V” profile and comfortably rolled edges.
- All-new pickups wound to period-correct specs and sound.
- Single-ply white pickguard with eight holes.
- Vintage-accurate bridge saddles and tuner spacing.
American Vintage ’59 Stratocaster
- Early 1959 model in faded Three-color Sunburst
- Early 1959 model features slim-profile C-shaped maple neck and single-ply white pickguard with eight holes.
- Late 1959 model in faded Three-color Sunburst, Black and limited faded Sonic Blue,
- Late 1959 model features slim-profile D-shaped maple neck and dark rosewood slab fingerboard
- Late 1959 model features three-ply mint green pickguard with 10 holes and vintage-style edge bevels.
- Lightweight alder body.
- All-new pickups wound to period-correct specs and sound.
- Aged plastic knobs.
- Vintage-accurate bridge saddles and tuner spacing.
American Vintage ’65 Stratocaster
- Lightweight alder body in Three-color Sunburst, Olympic White and limited Dakota Red
- Left-handed model comes in Three-color Sunburst.
- Thick C-shaped maple neck with round-laminated dark rosewood fingerboard and larger pearl dot inlays.
- All-new pickups wound to period-correct specs and sound.
- Three-ply white pickguard with 11 holes.
- Aged plastic knobs.
- Vintage-accurate bridge saddles and tuner spacing.
American Vintage ’58 Telecaster
- Lightweight ash body with single-ply white pickguard.
- Early-1958 large maple neck with comfortable “D”-shaped profile.
- All-new pickups wound to period-correct specs and sound, with early-1958 staggered bridge pickup pole magnets.
- Solid steel “barrel” bridge saddles.
- “Top-hat” switch tip and flat-top knurled aluminum chrome control knobs.
American Vintage ’64 Telecaster (and left-handed model)
- Lightweight alder body (ash on White Blonde model) with three-ply white pickguard with eight holes.
- Slimmer, more rounded maple neck with “C”-shaped profile and round-laminated rosewood fingerboard with larger pearl dot inlays.
- All-new pickups wound to period-correct specs and sound, with staggered bridge pickup pole magnets.
- Threaded steel “barrel” bridge saddles.
- “Top-hat” switch tip and flat-top knurled chrome control knobs.
American Vintage ’65 Jazzmaster
- Bound round-laminated rosewood fingerboard with larger pearl dot inlays.
- White “witch hat” control knobs.
- Three-color Sunburst and limited Aztec Gold finishes.
- All-new pickups wound to period-correct specs and sound, with classic dual-circuit wiring and controls.
- Vintage-style floating tremolo with lock button.
American Vintage ’65 Jaguar
- Bound round-laminated fingerboard and larger pearl dot inlays.
- Three-color Sunburst and limited Candy Apple Red finishes.
- Classic Jaguar shorter scale.
- All-new pickups wound to period-correct specs and sound, with classic dual-circuit wiring and controls.
- Vintage-style floating tremolo with lock button.
For more information on the new American Vintage Series guitars, you can head over to Fender.
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