Brutally Honest Review of the Fender American Vintage II series 1961 Reissue: Is it worth the money?
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- Опубликовано: 29 сен 2024
- My band is Blues in Babylon
/ someday-baby-live-at-s...
I got the guitar and have played it for a while. Man....disappointed.
![Three New Strats For Mick?! [1961, 1970, Fender Custom Shop & AVRI Compared]](/img/1.gif)
It's clear that mans hates this guitar
Yes my thoughts 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂so funny
@@anthonyroach7974 I bought this guitar and I don’t care what he says it’s a fantastic instrument in a sweet color.
This guy is just honest
@@rolandodacion7093 still bought it and I think it’s sick
Yeah, somebody didnt like his guitar.
Maybe I missed it -- how much does this guitar cost?
$399.95 I think it was
twenty-two hundred dollars
2200
Hahahaha…….😂
$2.99
Thanks for sharing your experience. I’ve found that many vintage spec American Fenders fall very short of the mark. I’m at the point where I’m doing a Warmoth build, because my first Warmoth is the only guitar I’ve ever had that has zero issues. Let us know if you return it and replace it with something better!
I was just at a guitar shop and a guy had a Roasted Warmoth neck put on a tele. He said he has been using warmoth products for 20 years and loves them. He's a working touring guitarist.
I have the 61 strat up for sale/trade. We will see what happens....!!!
The best fender USA reissues were the previous American vintage series , these new and improved vintage ii' s fall way short
Warmouth is my go to for necks n bodies. I have 3 Warmouths now. You can build a Fender vintage spec clone for around a thousand.
I know it's painful to drop 2k on a new guitar... BUT if you calculate what a Strat cost in 1962 ($310 msrp) with inflation... that comes to 3,165.87 in today's money. So in a weird way it's actually not priced so poorly. I think we've gotten really used to low price pressure from mass produced imported guitars. 90s and 2000s were a golden age of cheap guitars. Other thing to consider, is American labor costs. We want high skilled local people who can afford their mortgages, and health insurance. It's going to cost something.
It was 2200 plus tax. I didn't mine paying the money for an American build, I was just disappointed in the quality of the build.
All of my guitars except one are American Made.
I feel ya. I’ve been disappointed in build quality of ALL guitars after the pandemic times. I can’t believe what makes it past QC these days. Had a similar experience with the new J Mascus custom telecaster. Just terrible fit and finish.
Fine review. With regards to the price, I used an Inflation Calculator: $250 in 1961 is > $2500 in 2023 money. So essentially, they've become cheaper.
Cheaper in many regards for sure.
but in 1961 you bought a custom shop quality guitar for your money,now you buy mass produced guitars for essentially the same prices....much more attention to quality in the old days!
@@joellemaster998 that's a little too easy said. Fender's guitars were designed to be mass produced items, contrary to, say, Gibsons. The craftsmanship in those times may have been high but also inconsistent; one instrument varied greatly from another. The actual custom shop, with master builders and all that, didn't start until the late '80s. CNC isn't very romantic but it does give a baseline quality.
True but it costs a whole lot less to manufacture a guitar these days
@@dreamlifter2701 Why is that then? Did wood and parts become a lot cheaper? Labor? We're not talking about guitars made in the Far East here.
I have this exact guitar, had the same fret buzz out of the box. Even after personal adjustment. I did take it to a local guitar tech and they made it 100% perfect (for an additional cost), but do agree, it should have been better out of the box. Overall, for me - this is my best guitar, can’t complain about anything now. Not justifying the cost or lacklustre setup, but I am 100% happy with it now. Will have this guitar for the rest of my life (and it avoided me potentially paying substantially more for a “vintage” strat)
Good to hear that you enjoy it. I was hoping that mine would be around for a while too, but ended up trading it.
What was the problem with it? Were the pickups too high?
@@VALLAERION I believe the nut needed filing as the angle of the strings were causing the strings to buzz on various frets. Other adjustments didn’t really solve this, so I guess the nut was the issue from factory.
Not defending it, but at this point, there are two realities that are just a part of buying a guitar from one of the big companies:
1. They're probably going to need some amount of set up
2. They cost what they cost.
Every new guitar will need a set up. Terrible review
doesn't matter what the cost of the instrument is. even if they did a perfect set up before shipping, things can still change over time, due to climate and other people playing it at the store. frets can sprout off the board, sideways, etc. it can happen to a 10k guitar made by a pro luthier. expensive guitars are worth it imo, but they're also made of wood (usually) that changes due to all kinds of factors. also, you need to consider labor costs, which people never do and it baffles me. yes, some charge way less. depends on location, reputation, brand, etc. it sounds like you're voicing some very personal complaints/opinions as though they were facts. you just like other kinds of guitars, frets, setup, etc. some people want vintage tall frets.
Yes, those are certainly my opinions, and I do think it's fair to expect a nice guitar for the price tag of $2200.
I don't understand why folks have to defend Fender. Their necks are almost never completed. I have so many guitars without fret sprout, same climate. It isn't just fret sprout, it is sharp as hell fret ends. Shipping doesn't effect the instrument much between California to NY. I can receive a guitar from California in perfect tune with a great setup. People just like making excuses for brands they are in love with. I just returned 3 2023 Aerodynes for incomplete necks. They wanted to send me more guitars. No thank you. If Fender wants to sell me a guitar, they will have to send it to a luthier to then ship it to me as a completed instrument.
Agree 100% this review is moronic.
@@thomastucker5686 Im shocked you had any issues with fender japan and quality. I own 3 Japanese fender guitars, traditional 60's jazzmaster, vintage modified 50s tele, and a JB-62 jazz bass and all have incredibly well made necks. Feel much better than the American standard neck I have.
@@leo._.vincentit broke me to send 3 instruments back to Sweetwater. They looked amazing. I thought about sending them to a luthier but that would add $900 to the purchase price. One neck had to be refinished on the back because there was dirt buried under the finish. The fretwork was what I expect for a $100 child's guitar, or worse. I had studio work planned for all 3 instruments. One was a bass. I am still pissed. 3 different models sent out of Japan not worthy of owning at the cost of doing so. I own 3 Mexican fenders, all with awful fretwork. I purchased the Japan guitars to replace the Mexican guitars. When the fret work was the same, I decided it is just what fender does. So I did some research and it turns out, you can't expect great fret work out of US models nor custom shop guitars. If folks get a good fender, it likely came from a shop that completes the guitar at their cost. fret ends that are capable of cutting into our skin are not well made instruments. The guitars I replaced all the fenders with were completed at the factory. I wish I had skipped fender on the first go. I am a drummer, I didn't know. After 6 fenders, 3 2021 75th Mexican and 3 2023 fender Japan, with horrible fretwork. fender just doesn't care, they are just a brand now.
Don't buy guitars online and get less disapointed.
Have you been to your local guitar store lately?
@@voyxu143 Yes. I went to the Gibson main quarter of Switzerland and had the luck to choose my Les Paul Standard out of a dozen.
Dude… Find me a fiesta red 1961 all original fender Strat for $17,000 and I’ll write a check today.
I don't take checks.
I have the same guitar left-handed. Totally worth it to me. Every complaint you have I've not experienced. Sounds fantastic (sounds better than my American Pro II even with the new pickups I put in it), plays fantastic, and looks fantastic. I bought it sight unseen over the internet because that is how we left handed players always get guitars. Guitar Center sucks. I haven't been inside my local store in over 20yrs. When you have close to $100k in custom shop Gibson's alone and only have 1 left handed Squire, you won't see me again.
Left Handed guitars can be hard to find.
@@markkeeler584 Back when Guitar Center and Sam Ash just moved into town we still had some pretty amazing locally owned music stores. At one of them I bought a left handed Music Man Stingray bass in a trans-teal. right off the wall Thing had a beautiful birdseye maple neck. I wish I had kept it. MM doesn't even do those birdseye necks anymore. Last time I saw them was a limited edition birdseye roasted for right handed players only. Even that has been a few years ago now. I think that bass was the last in store purchase I have ever made. That was literally 20 years ago this year. All of those locally owned stores are gone now. There were 3 good ones we had.
Get a Classic Vibe for $400 get it plek'd and put some good pickups and electronics in it and it would be better than your guitar.
@@joeking433I'm tired of these comments. No it wouldn't be. This guitar can be plek'd and set up better than a classic vibe. If you prefer a classic vibe at that point then it's simply a matter of preference. And there isn't anything wrong with that! Stop acting like guitar companies are trying to rip you off when YOU have the power of choice. Go buy a classic vibe and be happy 🤷🏻♂️
Gibson is just as bad lately. Sent back a $3,000 standard AND a $5,000 Custom LP!! QC absolutely sucked!! Found an LA shop that imports guitars from overseas, then does a phenomenal setup here in SoCal. Best LP copy I’ve ever played!! Cost me $500! Then got a Strat copy! $560!! Plays AMAZING!! Look elsewhere people!! We live in a special time as far as gear!
About the tension, I think it's the springs. I dropped a set of Raw Vintage springs (all 5) into my AO60s strat and it solved a million issues it had from buzzing (like the beginning of your video) to tension issues. Brought in chime and jangle that I like. Went from an unplayable guitar to a great one.
I put some Raw Vintage saddles on a strat I have.
I also have a couple sets of their pickups.
They have some great products.
This model (AVII) has a bridge that is set up floating out of the box. If you're having trouble with that, try decking the bridge by installing five heavy duty springs such as from Callaham.
@@danielstoddart I don't have an AVII strat. I do have an AO60s. The issue is that the springs that Fender currently manufactures are too stiff and made so you need 3 instead of 5. The Raw Vintage springs (must use all 5) are low tension and flexible. This makes playing much easier and more chimey sound.
@@GoodmanRecordingsTokyo Yes, it's often overlooked when setting up a Strat, but springs do matter. The tension of the springs affects how hard or loose the bridge plate is decked and the feel of the vibrato. Players should also experiment with how many springs they are using. I don't use the Strat vibrato arm, so my preference is to just deck it with 5 good broken-in springs.
@@danielstoddart I have never used the vibrato on any guitar that had one. I always block the bridge. I did buy a $200 Squier Bullet hardtail for my grandson. If Fender made a high quality hardtail, I would buy it, but they don't.
Don't agree with what you are saying for the most part but absolutely enjoyed this vid.
Well, for starters, Fender's original Classic 60's series (now re-named Vintera 2), BOTH have a ONE PIECE ALDER BODY. Not so with the American Vintage 2 1961 model. The pickups on the Classic & Vintera just plainly blow the ones on the 61 away....PERIOD!
The ONLY difference between a 61 & a 62 model are the clay dots on the 61, and pearloid ones on 62's and everything after! Fender added insult to injury by calling those pickups 1961. They should have used the're 57/62's.
I am a big fan of the 57/62 pickups.
'I am not complaining about the quality of the frets, the frets are fine.
They are just not good to have on a guitar.'
I would kindly ask your permission to steal this phrase for future personal use 😉
haha..... future personal use granted in an unlimited capacity.
Nice, someone gave you that $2,200 guitar?!?!
Adjusted for inflation that's roughly equivalent to $210.50 in 1961. I can and do in fact build a lot of guitar for $2,200 and even if I were to hypothetically spend $4,400 for a newly manufactured guitar--from Fender for example--it wouldn't surprise me at all if I had to do my own setup work to bring it up to level to meet my expectations. (shrug)
Fender really did a nose dive in the QC department in recent years. I suspect the layoffs and the increased sales during the pandemic played a role. Unacceptable on a $2k+ guitar.
Not sure what's going on over there. Def not worth $2k+.
I bought one of their GC-exclusive Player Strats last year and it had this nasty problem of buzzing when playing the open G and D notes. I had to go in for several setups, add a second string tree, and swap out the nut in order to get it under control. It was even more frustrating later on when I got a SQUIER contemporary strat, and the setup only required one truss rod adjustment to make it play perfect!!!
@@tomaslopez2940 I am going to basically play every model on the wall at the store and just find ONE that plays well regardless of model. They are all basically the same guitar anyway.
Couldn’t agree more. Mine has rattling on the bass strings, and couldn’t get a decently low action off of it
22 hundred is a helluva lot of money for a guitar.
Welcome to the state of the modern American economy. I’m sorry to say, but Fender has to charge this much for an American made guitar.
I could go on a long rant about how the American economy has made American products uncompetitive in the global market, but I think it’s rather self evident.
At the end of the day, if you want an American made guitar, this IS the price you will have to pay.
I couldn't hear the guitar over that shirt :) but anything with 7 1/4 radius is going to be a buzz machine unless the frets and the setup are immaculate. I've noticed that the price of a guitar doesn't necessarily equate to the quality of the guitar.
But he had buzzes without bending the strings. 7 1/4" necks only have problems wend bending.
Are you still alive? Or missing 😅
Just kidding!
😂
Can anybody guess the drinking game??
Just bought a 1989 American Standard Strat in Gun Metal Blue and it’s awesome. All for about $1500. I think it’s worth even more. I have an ultra and the standard is way easier to play and sounds better to me.
New Subscriber!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Killer Channel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks....!!!
This is exactly why I got into guitar lutherie work as a side hustle. I got tired of realizing that just about EVERY guitar being sold new isn't properly set up to be as good as it can be. I currently believe that used guitars are the best way to go. Especially stuff that is 10+ years old. This is because after 10 years any changes the wood will make has already done what it is going to do. Once the instrument is set up, it will stay set up. Defective hardware has already shown its shortcomings and can easily be identified for replacement. This is especially true for guitars with very thin necks. A lot of the new ones may warp or twist because the wood isn't fully cured. If the guitar is 10+ years old and the neck is straight and true, it will stay straight and true. This is why I recommend used Ibanez guitars only if they are vintage, wouldn't take a chance on a new one. It's always a gamble with a new guitar.
Great info and advice. I was going to make a vid on "Old" guitars vs Vintage and if I do I will def present some of these ideas and give you credit.
"LIFE IS A GAMBLE" and Fender will become victims of thier own success. Learn to to DIY your Guitars even if it takes years to get it perfect.
Somebody thinks $2200 is a lot of cash.
@@jackblack2321 $2200 is a lot for me. Thank goodness a great guitar doesn't have to cost anything close to that much.
@@jackblack2321 For a slab of wood with strings it is
Ill stick with my G&L S500 which I did swap the pickups for some Vintera 50s mod pickups. I love em!
John Suhr has the perfect quote "I won't be in business if Fender had good quality control." By a used Anderson or Suhr, 2200 -2400
Yeah, I am looking at the SUHR guitars, but once again, never actually seen one in person or in any store around here.
Yeah, Suhr makes a much better guitar than Fender!
I love how you keep saying this guitar is not worth the money and then you proceed to play beautiful awesome blues likes it's hysterical
Haha.....yeah, I had no complaints about the sound of the guitar.
I got a Squire Stratocaster MIJ 1992 /93 model it is fantastic has the vintage feel and sounds and only cost under 400 dollars
Avri II ‘63 tele. Nut slot on the B string was cut too low. Absolutely choked playing open. Unbelievable. You know what the fix is for that? A new nut. A $2100 guitar needed a new nut
Hopefully Fender paid for it.
one suggestion: u can speak slower so u can waste more time
Good suggestion. Will try that next time for sure. Thanks!!!
You are 100% correct. Fender seems to want a pat on the back for knowing how to make their own products, which are nowhere near as good as the stuff they built in the totally hand-built era. The one I tried at GC was junk, as all string bending past the 12th fret choked. BIG time. Most of these have high E too close to the edge of the fingerboard too. QC?? Also they are NOT vintage correct as they claim. Where's the aluminum shielding plate? It's just foil glued to the back of the guard. Why not use larger frets then, since it's not 100% original anyway? The quality of the wood isn't as good either. There's a reason that Frusciante and those pros who can afford it use the real McCoy. And I have a freak Squier that would burn even many Custom Shop pieces to death. These should be $1000 tops. Fender should do well to remember that they damn near went out of business in the eighties - so get rid of the corporate sugar daddies and start pricing these things right.
100% agree.
You have big hand and long fingers, this 7.25 radius totally not suitable for you. 😂
Probably true....!!!
Then again, didn't the Strats Jimi played have a 7.25" radius? And he had enormous hands.
this guitar costs $500, the rest is logo
Accurate
Take a course in economics and manufacturing costs.
You could build a much better guitar for half the money. MJT, Bloom Doom Just toname a few.
OK... Time for a reality check. A dollar today buys what a dime did in 1961. If you were to buy a new Fiesta Red Stratocaster in that year it would cost $290 for the guitar,plus $29 for the custom color, plus $60 for the case. Total $379, the equivalent of $3,790.00, which is pretty close to TWICE today's cost AND you'd wait a couple of months for them to build it. Anything but sunburst had to be custom-ordered if you weren't living close to the factory. They didn't play any better then than they do now, but players didn't know any better then, either. Tension? Yup. That 25" scale is pretty stiff unless you're using .009's or lighter. Want it a little slinkier, play a Gibson.
I just think that the OP is not aware how badly the American dollar has been gutted over the last 60 years and $2200 is pretty much chump-change now. TBH there are a lot of guitars available for much less, and they're better than the Danelectro, Kay, and Harmony instruments they put out of business, but no American player would ever want to live in the places those guitars come from.
Thus endeth the rant.
Pretty good rant Dave. Informative as well.
Overall rant rating: 8 out of 10.
@theinnerreachhour9067 Heard a lot about Tom Anderson guitars. Will def check them out.
It’s also lacquer covered by a poly coat….not like the 2015 vintage reissues which used flash coat lacquer which ages nice
A used Silver Sky bought thru GC is a better investment. Mine plays like butter, sounds awesome and no issues! Came in mint condition used for $1700!!!
Thinking about a PRS or Suhr next.
$2200 isn’t as much as it used to be, and it certainly isn’t some magical number where perfection is a reasonable expectation. Perfect is the enemy of good and there’s no such thing as a perfect guitar, so to the extent you expect perfection you’re robbing yourself of joy.
Boring topic.
If it's so boring why bother to elucidate?
@@voyxu143 An abundance of downtime at work, and an abundance of insufferable people online. Why do we breathe?
@@evanherb5900 Sounds like you need to find a more rewarding line of work, and stay off the internet.
@@voyxu143 Nah, I'm pretty content, but thanks for the thought. Making content that's nothing more than bitching about imaginary problems is the most inane form of creation, maybe look into that and don't get so defensive when someone calls you out on it. ;)
@@evanherb5900 When someone gives you good advice like I did, it's not being defensive.
You imagining that I have imaginary problems, though, that is certainly a creation you need to defend, and you are doing so poorly.
Send that mofo back. Problem solved. Next time buy in person.
Please do report back on Silver Sky, I’m curious to hear your opinion.
Yo también compré una vintage 2 realmente una pesadilla
And then he bought that shirt and the rest is history.
Oh, c'mon, Ry Cooder wears Hawaiians.
Buy a cheep china guitar put a good neck with emg pickups with a fender roller nut with locking stagerd machine heads. With a floyd rose. Cos me 700 all up and better than a so called fender stratocaster worth 5000
Prices for guitars are out of control to start with and if they don't play any better, were getting ripped off..And the whole "hand wound" thing is nothing but marketing voodoo..The pickups are mass produced and not very differentb from production runs previously..
Yeah and I think I made a mistake in the "Hand wound" statement because when I looked back at the specs when I listed the guitar for sale it just said "1961 pickups" so in this guitar they may not even be hand wound.
@@voyxu143 yup..and "hand wound" could mean anything..nobody is hand winding thousands of pickups..its done by software on a winder..It's all marketing bs.
look like a good guitar, but yes, the price is too big. I just make a bolt-on telecaster with hi-end parts for half of price and a litle bit time...
it doesn't matter how many options there are out there for 2,500$. The fact is that people who are willing to spend that amount for that guitar do so for many personal reasons. It's not about what you can get for the same amount. It's about getting what you desire for an amount you can rationalize, and hopefully afford. Apparently this seems to work out fine for companies like Fender, Gibson, PRS, Martin, etc... They simply adjust prices based on market demand & sales on their products in order to maximize profits like any other company
Well said.
MONEY.
@@williamcampbell163 money
I just got mine, and my brother bought one, I picked one over the other simply out of a slight slight feel, in fact really no difference. It’s like going to a store and buying two of the same candy bars and asking which one tastes better.
Bottom line, at least for our purchases Fender completely knocked this into the outer limits of space. Wow, I am completely in infatuated with my 61!!
This whole fret issue (not being the med jumbo and how it hurts one’s fingers when playing) I don’t understand or feel or see or get the issue! They feel perfect.
I don’t wanna call bs on this commentator but he must of had a one off or …..I dunno. He traded it for a Les Paul? So when it comes to QC he went from a Cadillac to a Ford Pinto.
@@gregriddle3042 Glad you and your brother got some good guitars.
The les paul is a higher quality build than a fender. It always has been. People have their preferences, but most can agree that a bolt on neck is a lower quality instrument, which is why I talk about a bolt on neck in the vid.
Last week, my son bought American vintage Jazzmaster...
I paid substantially twice of money of this red start due to currency btw US and Japan..!
But, I can't say that Jazzmaster has good quality worthy of the price.
The center of strings is shifted to right, so I can't use vibrato on 1st string...
Next time, I'll buy Japanese guitar that always have good quality..
Many people in the USA buy Japanese guitars because they believe that the quality is better in Japan.
I had a similar experience. I ordered this same guitar through my local shop and was very excited about it. The guitar came in, the excellent luthier at my shop tweaked it, as he does every guitar that comes in. After a few hours of play, things were just off. It's hard to explain. I didn't like the sound, (subjective), I didn't like the feel (subjective), but something was just wrong with the guitar, (agreed upon by the shop staff). I took it back and they accepted the return. While they were doing the paperwork I picked up a Mexican Road Worn they had on consignment and I thought, "This guitar is better in every way than the one I just returned". I wound up putting a Fender CS Strat on layaway. Yes, $2000 more, but remember, the early hype was saying that the American Vintage II was "near" Custom Shop quality. Not in my experience.
I ended up putting my '61 reissue up for sale and wound up trading it for a Les Paul.
I was thinking I might just throw my ideas about "quality" out the window and simply look for a strat that plays well and sounds great regardless of the make or model.
I will probably end up with a Custom Shop strat one day. It's just a matter of when.
@@voyxu143 Try to find a deal on a used Strat. Even in the same year and model, there will be differences in sound and playability. You just have to find a good one.
@@benallmark9671 will do. Thanks.
I've had better luck with the Mexican stuff too; I have a Road Worn Jazz Bass with a stable, highly figured neck that puts most of their CS stuff to shame.
CS Strats are worth about $800. Get an MIM and have it set up well or Plek'd and you have the same thing.
Should have bought a Squire 60s Classic Vibe.
I think I got that one out of thousand with the highest quality. I think I really got lucky because mine really plays nicely and I love the tone.
It thought the one I had sounded good, it just played bad,.
Did you get it online?
Those suck. Get a pro 2. Or a MIM and a fret job and alnico 2 PUs.
The nicest strat I ever played was the Clapton artist, but yea, sadly that guitar is not a strat (in the 62’ vintage strat sense). I can’t afford a real 61’ or a CS, so I settled on a Mexican road worn, from CME with pure vintage pups, all vintage specs except for the narrow tall frets which I believe are to offset the 7.25 radius somewhat. It was 1000 less than yours, and you get the relic look. If you like that…anyway that is my last strat my search is over.
This hilarious! Totally enjoyable 😂😂
Thank you for your review. I agree with all you said and my experience reflects the exact same problems. These issues shouldn't occur on any instrument at this level or price point. I left Fender and Gibson years ago because of such poor QC and the substandard products they were turning out. I loved my strats, but realized it was time to walk away. I went to PRS and could not be more pleased and have never looked back. My Silver Sky is one of my favorite guitars and an easy-choice strat replacement. It's what a strat could have been. My Core's are simply unmatched. Each PRS has been perfectly playable out of the box despite rarely having extremely minor problems that were easily corrected.
This should not be the case today. It's sad that these two American icons cannot get something right despite once doing it so well and are comfortable charging more than ever.
I am going to check out the Silver Sky for sure. There aren't too many around in the stores that are not the SE(?) version.
I have heard them online and they sound great.
@@voyxu143 I think even the SE stuff will surprise you. I have core versions. I would like to hear your thoughts on one when you do get ahold of one. Thanks for this review!
lol my PRS "core" are only $10k each and they are unmatched! Haha OK
I'm still a fender guy and I got the 3 tone burst. But, I've owned 2 prs guitars and their qc is on freakin point. Those guitars came out of the box ready to go so prs is definitely a great product!!
@@josephvega3763 I would love to see Fender and Gibson make a quality come back. Everyone would win!
i could set that up so you never want to put it down. learn to do your own work. i work on all my fender guitars including custom shop guitars and gibsons all need love at times as well. dont be afraid to pull the neck off and see how it looks. check out daves world of fun... he teaches well with some great humer
I will not a 1961😮Buy reissue for the sum of 2,200 what's really going on we're being ripped off by fender Mr Leo fender would be turning around in his grave🎉!!!!? He made these affordable at one time guitars for us guitar players that were affordable at one point...
They were never affordable, they were $240 originally, thsts $2600 in today’s money.
They were bolted together then by part time staff who were not luthiers, so all of the nonsense about vintage is rubbish. Bolt on guitars , simple.
I've sent guitars back to fender. Anything I spend more than a grand on and it doesn't play like it should I send back. 61 Neck, and Tall Frets is a DIFFERENT playing guitar. You should know that you like it before you buy it. Try it in the store for 30 minutes. someone complains you been playing to long tell them you're deciding to buy it or not, piss off! lol
agreed but Fender marketing for the guitar included the guitar only being available from their website. You couldn't play a new one in any store around here.
Picked up a 90's japanese '60's' style Fender strat. £600 guitar and it plays and feels 100% better than my American Pro.
I have the allparts by fender and omg so unbelievable well made and especially the most important thing the tone and wow you ain't lying I won't sell my or trade it for anything that cost more than my guitar nope
I think you just found out you don’t like tall frets and 25.5” scale length. 60’s style strats with rosewood fingerboards usually play pretty slinky in my experience. But for sure, you could of just got a lemon.
Also, it’s a good idea to invest in a few simple tools too and learn how to do your own setups.
Lastly, when you account for inflation these guitars are selling for like literally the same price they were going for in 1961.
Have many strats. Yes the vintage frest threw me for sure. The guitar was set up and adjusted as per the measurements in the video.
Nice playing, by the way. Liked your classical inspired playing position. Sorry that the guitar didn’t work for you. Mine turned out to be a perfect one for me. Though I bought it from a brick and mortar store, fully aware what those “vintage tall” frets are.
Your comment maybe it's just this one may be accurate, I own the same guitar in Olympic White with the Mint pickguard, I wanted to buy it just because I loved the look of it, I could not find one in any store, they were gone as soon as they came in, I took a chance and bought one online, a demo, was supposed to have a blemish on the finish, I have had the guitar for over a year and it is my go to guitar at this point, I have other Stratocasters, an American Standard 2008, great guitar, also a Nash S-57 which was my go to before, Now these guitars are in the stores and I have played them off the wall, all the white ones play and sound nice like the one I have, however, the red ones I have played are not as good for some reason, they just don't feel right in my hands, by the way I have a 50's reissue Tele, another great guitar, the Vintage II Tele's I have played and also very good in my opinion, maybe you should try the White one or the Sunburst one
It's been a while, and back then, the red ones were impossible to find. I almost drove to see a white one that was for sale used, but ended up getting the red on online.
ill be sure to grab and play one in a store to see for myself. This review convinced me not to take a chance with buying online.
Yeah, and check the neck fit in the pocket, people were complaining about that on the very early issue of the guitar. I have to say if I had played this guitar before purchase I probably would have passed on it.
Happy Guitar Hunting....!!!
I think the lack of local shops where you can demo out higher end guitars (like this) does a real disservice to the overall quality control. Inferior products wont last on an inventory long in a guitar shop... dealers will hold off placing future orders or send back. However, over the internet - its hard to judge (high res pictures and all) if the guitar is truly setup well and plays properly without major fret buzz, poorly cut nut, improper neck relief tension, etc... I am of the opinion that when you get over 1200 - the guitar should not require any work beyond minor adjustments (certainly not fret leveling or nut replacement/shaping) It is a risk to buy on the internet. Ive been wanting to buy a higher end (possibly fender custom shop) guitar for longevity sake and to play of course - however, there is no way I could drop 4-5K site unseen. Harder and harder to get your hands these guitars to evaluate in person... good luck
Well said. Thanks.
This guy's opinion is valid... when I first saw this I thought he was crazy, then I went to the Guitar Center in my town and played two of them... THEY PLAYED WORSE THAN TERRIBLE; both had the thing where the high e-string is so close to the edge of fretboard that it keeps slipping off when you play aggressively. And also, the weird "tension" thing he's talking about was totally noticeable... I don't know what it was caused by... maybe cuz they comes strung with 10's, plus the issue people are mentioning with the stock trem springs being too weird/stiff... but it was horrible. Played one of the new Mexican player II strats a couple weeks later and it blew these AVRI's out of the water: $799 vs $2,200. So glad I saw this guy's review as I was just about to pull the trigger on buying one of these sight unseen of Reverb. I would have been so pissed to dump that much lettuce to end up with such a dud. Thanks Voyxu for the warning!
Glad to hear the info helped.
Not for anything. I loved and dreaded in retrospect, my experience buying new guitars.
More negative than positive for the very reason discussed here. When it came to Strats more often, no matter what the price range was. New guitars required an average of 2 visits to get a decent setup, and I am not super fussy. In ALL instances, I wanted to simply have no fret buzz and feel as if I was climbing a mountain to play.
Having said that, I had a positive experience with an American Professional Strat from Sweetwater.
But lastly, this plek thing has me worried. If you buy a 2000.00 dollar guitar, to be assured before it's shipped that the set up and frets will he good? Another 200 dollars.
Can I get a "C'mon man?"
To travel to and fro to get a tech to get it right was such a kill joy. But I agree with this gentleman here. There is no perfect solution, but at least Sweetwater, there is an inspection done, and you are assigned a rep to talk to. If you need a tech, well, that falls on you unless you're gonna go through the hassle of a return.
And yes. I get the weather thing and all that stuff. But when you get a hornet's nest out of the box despite trust rod adjustments and such, it just sucks man.
Gibson Pleks all their guitars BEFORE coming out of the factory. PRS people have said in numerous vids that the guitars play fantastic right out of the box. The wildcard of internet guitar buying has magnified the problem because in the store, in your hands you can tell if a guitar plays well before you walk out with it.
I have one of these and have not experienced ANY of the issues you mention here. Mine plays and sounds like a dream. Very happy with my purchase. Maybe yours is a lemon. Oh, one more thing. I got mine for $1760. Signed uo for a GC credit card and got a 20% discount w free shipping. Im stoked.
In any production there are going to be gemstones. Glad you got one. I was hoping mine would be the one, but alas, no such luck. Cheers.
A $400 Classic Vibe with a Plek job would be better than your $1760 guitar. You just fell for the marketing.
You onow what. I have the 73 and have been playing the 61 since I got it. NO its absolutely not a $2200 guitar. I didnt pay that much for both the 73 and 61 combined. If you paid full price, thats just stupid. But I will add the 73 is terrific. It was great out of the box. The 61 is supposed to have the same frets in the specs but they are teeny tiny frets, and the C shaped profile, is so much thinner than the 73, it throws the whole feel off, and it feel flatter and wider than my Gibsons. The 7.25 feels flatter and the nut width feels like 1.69 seriously, the frets are tiny and the profile makes it feel as wide and flat as a Gibson!
Other than that, I have no issue with the guitar. I just do NOT like the neck at all. I like my thin C 72 thinline fine, the 61 neck just sucks. I could have it refretted and rolled but, fuck it I might just trade it for another 73 or a tele. Maybe the 63 tele. The frets on this guitar is NOT the same vintage tall as the other guitars that are supposed to have the same frets.
I ended up trading mine. It's still a pretty hot guitar, marketwise.
I think this review makes sense. If I'm remembering correctly, this model has the OG 7.25 radius on it. I do wonder if that makes a difference. Those 7.25 guitars some people just can't get into. Combine the tall thin frets with 7.25.. and maybe It's more of a rhythm setup. Perhaps this is one of the reasons fender dropped that from their normal line.
Yeah, it's vintage specs all the way. Very hard to get around on.
Personally, I wouldn't use this even for a backup guitar.
No Bueno! Send it back. Sounds like a horrendous setup. Maybe it would play better after a good work over.
Yeah it might, but damn, 2200??? Too much,.
Should have bought a used Eric Johnson Strat.. BEST Production Guitar you can get for the money from Fender!
I've got one, and I agree it's def higher quality than the '61 reissue.
Thanks for holding Fender's feet to the fire. About the tension issue you mention. How could the tension be any different than what is standard for the scale length? Are the strings heavier than you are used to?
Exactly. For a standard scale, string gauge, and tuning the tension will be identical or nearly so. That's freshman year physics.
Not necessarily if you start bending or using vibrato.
The tension of the springs of tremolo will let you feel less or more comfortable.
It's possibly down to the set up. When you're bending you're stretching the springs as you bend so you have to work it harder. Would be worth setting the trem flat to the body instead of floating and fit a couple of extra springs.
He has the action set pretty darn high 1/8th at the 17th, that will make a guitar really hard to play, more tension. A floating trem adds to that.
Hoo man , so sorry for your bad experience, I hope you can solve this, I know it’s not your responsibility fix a 2200 $ but I don’t see another solution. If I was you, I will bring the guitar to refreting and the luthier should inspect every millimeter of the guitar, and why not, convert the radius to 9.5 and stainless steel freet, with a excellent luthier, it could be even better than a custom shop, or maybe just sell it ,
Thank you for the info, cause this is my dream guitar and I’ll take your advice, I’m gonna play it for at least 1:30 hours, every song
Take care, keep rocking
Yeah, I dreamed about the guitar for months before I bought it.
Def play one before purchase.
I ended up trading mine away.
Thank you for being one of the few REAL reviewers of this guitar and keeping it honest. No one would spend 2200 and dog their own purchase unless it was called for, most people will naturally do everything possible to convince themself they didnt make a bad investment. Bottom line, if they're so great like most reviews say.... why are so many used ones on reverb for 30-40% off?
Tells you everything you need to know about most reviews.
I’m not sure what you searched to find “so many for 30-40% off” because I just looked. Not counting left handed models, there are literally five used ones being sold. The cheapest one has damage and is being sold for only 25% less. The rest are about 10% off full retail. So…
I had to adjust mine several times,like every guitar I've ever bought even 3k Les Pauls, and it's perfect. It required me to adjust truss rod and action multiple times and to cut the nut a little bit, but it plays amazing with my low e at 4/64ths. All guitars need adjustment dude. Is the money you pay for the guitar or the setup? Just get it setup
It was set up and adjusted. I gave the measurements in the video. Did you watch it???
I'm sorry to say that my 1961 Vintage II has the exact same issues as yours. I've had it professionally set up twice with adjustments, fret leveling, etc. and it just simply has spots on the neck where it buzzes annoyingly at a reasonably set action. This is not being ultra picky. The action is probably "medium" compared to my other electrics and simply sounds like a sitar in a couple spots and buzzes horribly when fretting on the A string on the 3-5th frets. The neck is perfectly straight but just is not enjoyable to play knowing there are spots to avoid.
Question- is it dangerous to replace the neck with a strat Road Worn neck, or will that somehow not fit right and be a waste of several hundred bucks? I really do like the way the pick-ups sound and love the looks of the guitar and want to salvage it...
I am so disappointed that this was able to leave the factory with the neck having very clear issues. one of the dangers of trusting the product of a huge guitar company sight unseen.
Yeah Shane, I was heartbroken so I can only imagine how you felt. I had not really thought about replacing the neck on this one. If you have a guitar tech, get their opinion on what would work. I also wrote Fender Customer Service an email to see if a current neck would fit on a 2002 model strat, and they gave me an answer in about 3 days.
I am almost 100% sure that when and if you do get a new neck that you will have to have the guitar set up so once again, check with the tech that you will be using to set it up. IF you are setting it up yourself, check with Fender to see if the neck will fit and go from there. Good luck.
Have you compared it to other Strats? Honestly, most Strats set up with a medium action will have some amount of fret buzz. To completely eliminate it, the action has to be quite high. It's worth it for the increase in tone, though.
If the neck is “perfectly straight,” that’s not helping. You need a bit of relief in the neck. 0.010” to 0.012” measured at the 8th fret is Fender spec and what I use on all of mine.
It's all about chasing that perfect neck. A guitar with low action that every note rings out perfectly is hard to find!
Get a $50 Amazon neck and learn to level the frets. I have one that I leveled and it is the best neck of any of the hundred or so guitars I've played in my lifetime.
The real question is: what's it cost to make ? Must be a nice profit margin. I'll take a 70's Japan built guitar any day. Name the brand, there are some great ones out there for 5-8 hundred.
The 80's japanese reissues were stellar too.
You can buy a MIM used for 3-500.
so you liked it?
lmao
Well, the price you pay for a standard Les Paul is more than $2,200, yet those won’t even stay in tune right out the store. You spend all that money it shouldn’t have an issue staying in tune. Nevertheless, I love a Les Paul that will stay in tune they are a trademark sound. I’m also a huge fan of thar fiesta red mint green pick guard Stratocaster.
@@incognitivedistortion8800 all my les pauls stay in tune.
Thanks for your input on this guitar. I was almost going to buy one of these - some other reviewers on the internet had favorable reviews but I held off to play one first which I have yet to do. I recently picked up a Japanese Fender Tele custom and it was $1300 - it played like a dream right out of the box - no adjustments no fret buzz nothing and one of the most comfortable guitars to play that I own. Thanks again for the frank honest review.
Yeah, after going back over some of the vids I watched before buying, I am now thinking many of the guys doing the "reviews" or presenting the guitar probably got paid by Fender.
There are some real quality Japanese builds these days....!!!
I played one and it was fantastic
@@ryangunwitch-black Some people love them.
@@voyxu143 It's no secret that the majority of reviews are sponsored, at least if we're talking about large channels. There are some reviews highlighting serious QC issues with Vintage II guitars out there, e.g. Puisheen's review of Vintage II Jazzmaster, or even Trogly's review of Vintage II 1975 Telecaster. Overall, quite disappointing quality for one Fender's most expensive American lines (outside of the Custom Shop).
@@boshi9 I saw the music shop guys showing the guitar and figured it was in their best interest to hype it up, but there were some small channels doing reviews that I later thought, "man, they must have gotten paid."
Wish you could review every guitar
I'm so glad that I found my best Strat in the 90's. And got a L P studio from the 90's. Both are great now but have reputations of being "best of" at something. The L P is from" Good Wood" era. My deluxe plus was "As close to custom shop". Still fantastic to this day.
I've got some good ones too, the '61 reissue just ain't it. haha.
Me too. All the Fenders and Gibsons I bought were from the 90s up to I think 2002. Never a single problem and designed the way I like. If I were to buy another I would buy a used 90s one
How much does your LP weigh? ;)
Maybe he just got a bad one. I have this exact same guitar and have had zero issues with it. However, I'd like to point out that no one should EVER pay full price for a guitar. Although this guitar does list for $2199.99, as he says, I got mine for $1700.00, BRAND NEW!!! The American Professional II lists at $1699.99. I got mine for..... wait for it... $1100.00, BRAND NEW!!! Don't be afraid to NEGOTIATE!!! These are production line guitars. If one seller wont give you a good price, go to another. Why did I buy both? I collect as well as play em'.
A couple people on here have gotten good ones. I'm sure they are out there. When I was first looking at the guitar you couldn't even order it. It was sold out, so paying 1700 was literally impossible at that time.
If you really play Strat’s (or Tele’s) everyone with an ounce of knowledge knows that a setup is NOT universal. They vary depending on your preferences for things like string gauge, playing style, tonal qualities and feel. In addition, bolt-on necks actually allow you to experiment with neck replacements so you can switch radius size, fret size and fretboard types. (Try to replace a an LP style headstock break in 10 minutes…LOL). Oh yeah…..there’s plenty of YT Video’s to show people how to setup their Strats.
"If you really play strat's"??? Who me?
"ounce of knowledge"??? Me?
@mazsenior, you’re an idiot! With the relief listed(high), there shouldn’t be any fret buzz. Those frets are up and down to rattle like that!
Lol man, for this money the guitar should have a basic setup to specs done AT LAST!!!!
I am building a nitro body with Jimi reverse neck and it will have a USA pick guard and it will not be a disappointed for about 1200 bucks lol.. I agree should be perfect from Fender. My mod shop for 2 grand was perfect.
Sounds like a cool build. Send me a link if you make a vid of it when you are done.
Never buy a guitar without trying it first. Some guitars are made on a Friday. Never. I only buy guitars that speak to me at a very high level.
funny I got most my guitars online and they ended up great. Cept for one that I sent back lol.
point no point . . . all guitars come with no setup, BECAUSE EVERYONE'S SETUP IS DIFFERENT! tell us what guitar passes this one for $2200? which one? vintage spec, and that's important as many are used to the feel and playability .. which guitars? if there's a bunch mention a few, I know the guitar world inside out and this is one of the only VS Strat I want lately, PERIOD
The guitar was set up. Measurements were given in the video.
As stated, you can build one yourself better than this.
Purchased a Clapton reissue a few years ago. Same disappointment. Took two years to sell it at 50% loss. Bought an American elite telecaster online just hoping to have some thing playable. Sent it back within 24 hours.
My 2012 standard Strat that I paid $800 new for was a good guitar. Wish I had never sold it.
I’m really glad the vintage two has been sold out for over a year. I’m glad I didn’t buy one because I couldn’t.
Picked up a used sg standard recently, and it’s its joy jot play.
Our local fender dealer lost their right to sell guitars last year. Small shop. He is very disappointed. Had nothing good to say about the direction fender is going.. I believe him now.
The Fiesta red was sold out and on back order when I first tried to get it months ago.
Fender is probably making more money by NOT sending them out to dealers. Not sure if it will stay that way or not.
lol. take the guitar to a pro for a setup. Late stage capitalism mean we pay more for less every new day! Fender chucks those out the back door as fast as they can. Its normal to have to set up any guitar these days. The tension is a string thing, that same string will have the same tension on any guitar of th same scale length at the same pitch.
It was set up and adjusted. Measurements given the video.
I’m sorry to hear about your experience. I bought this exact model when they launched and I have nothing but good things to say about mine.
I was hoping to love the guitar. I know a lot of people do love the guitars. Glad you got a good one.....!!!
2200 dollars...nah.
Your right. Pricing illusions. 🧙♂️ 🎩 Know that in 1962 Fender sold out to CBS... A 3 letter agency. So as if "pre-CBS" is ?. It's just an average 🎸 guitar nowadays. One can obtain a Great guitar for $1,000 new, w/warranty. Thanks for an honest look at "pre-CBS".
@@timothyvaher2421 Yeah, you can buy a lot of guitar these days for $1-2000.
@Timothy Vaher I would even say you can buy a great guitar around 500 dollar :)
.........there is NO factory set-up that can't be improved on !?! ......from a professional standpoint, tall vintage is the best overall fret fender has ever used, regardless of playing style !!!
If the tall fret were the best overall fret it would be on more guitars.
My main suspicion with the buzzing is neck relief, which can easily change with variations in climate. As for the "stiffness", that's probably a combination of the frets and fretboard radius. Vintage-spec'd guitars are honestly just "harder" to play, it's a fact of life. I won't blame Fender for getting things right, especially when the frets should be even smaller to be "accurate". It's all VERY subjective and all about personal preference. Maybe the specs just aren't for you.
It was adjusted for neck relief.
The fretboard radius I already have on another couple guitars and it doesn't bother me.
As far as Fender "getting it right", yeah maybe on paper, but the guitar left much to be desired.
@@voyxu143 Did you return it, then? I feel like that would solve a lot of problems for you...
@@matthewskipper2732 No, I ended up trading it for a real nice Les Paul.
I can't tell you how many Fender Custom Shop dogs I've played in the last few years. Those guitars should be perfect and quite a few that I've tried at various stores are terrible. Something is really off over at Fender.
No excuses can be made for a Custom Shop. It should be near perfect.
I didn't catch how much it cost could you say it again?
It's become a drinking game at this point. haha.
I own an American Pro 1 since 2019. Was never satisfied. I changed the original V-Mod-PUs for Fender 57/61. Still doesn‘t sound like a real Fender.
Those pickups are pretty good. There are some great winders out there. Mark Foley MF guitars are my favorite. Onamac Windery is high quality. Sliders, etc...
I enjoyed this review. Thanks for doing it! Have you tried a comparably priced G&L? You might like it better.
Thanks for watching...!
I bought one Fender CS guitar back in 2012 i ordered it through Dave's in Wi, Dave was great, took a year to get the guitar, it was a 1966 model in vintage white /maple neck Beautiful in looks, but just as your saying here was it worth it. Nope!! it was $3200 i promised myself i'll never buy a guitar like that again , i now build my guitars & I'm good at it, not some hack, I'm good, i could build that 61 going all out with the best, with proper dowel rod placement, body router marks, vintage correct Nitrocellulose finish etc. etc. Brazilian rosewood board all the stuff people want for lets say $900 in today pricing. just finished building a 67 model year, just beautiful guitar.
Yep, I have put together partscasters that played better than the AMVRI II that I have in the video.
was considering this guitar but i played in store n didnt love it either you mention you have other guitars that are easier to play n that but what guitar would u recommend
My favorites are The American Deluxe from the early 2000's off the shelf. Many of my other guitars are custom made out of Fender Parts. The Eric Clapton signature is a good guitar, the Eric Johnson signature is a very good guitar. Some of the older Vintage reissues are really good. There are so many good guitars out there. It is important to actually play the guitar, or buy from somewhere you can return it easily if purchased online.