AO Series Discontinued

[Powdered Toast Man]

Stock on the AO's is definitely dwindling. You can't buy an AO JM anywhere in Canada right now. No stock anywhere. The only one on Reverb willing to ship here is a used one in Japan.

[Zeus]

To be taken with a grain of salt potentially, but some supposedly firm information posted on Strat-Talk about the AO replacement line, Fender American Classic:

https://www.strat-talk.com/threads/fend ... nt.584516/

This is real folks- received some information today.

The new vintage inspired line will be …

the American Classic Line.

It will include…

Strats

a 57 Strat (wooooo!) with new pure vintage 57 pickups HANDWOUND. A two tone burst, a daphne blue and a Sherwood green.

A 61 - with new pure vintage HANDWOUND pickups. A three tone burst, surf green and Dakota red.

And 79 Antigua! (Don’t know about the pickups on this one)



Teles

52 tele- natural, HANDWOUNDs

62 tele - three tone burst, vintage blonde, lake placid blue, HANDWOUNDS

67 tele - (?????) info on this wasn’t shared with me!

And a 58 and 66 (BIG HEADSTOCK) jazzmaster with some wild (sparkle) colors.

I’ve said too much. But you gotta believe me when I say… I know.

should also mention- looks like it will be 7.25” radius, vintage frets and a flash coat nitro finish (even when not appropriate for the year)

First thing that struck me when I saw this- Fender is so good at justifying the price hikes. Handwound pickups are genius. And I forgot to mention, the new price is $2499-$2649

[Unicorn Warrior]

Ouch. That price hurts. That’s what I paid for my 66’ Jag in 2016. It is what it is though.

Also, it looks like they may be catering to us offset weirdos finally if the appointments are anywhere near accurate. Looks like I’m going to have to figure out how to come up with the funds for one. No Jaguar?

[Mechanical Birds]

DO IT
DO IT FUCKERS
DO AN ACTUAL 66 REISSUE
FUCKING DO IT

[sunburster]

Finally getting a b&b '66 reissue! Hope they don't screw up the blocks. I'm sure there's a Jag but probably the guy didn't care enough to mention it.

[JSett]

Ouch. That price hurts. That’s what I paid for my 66’ Jag in 2016. It is what it is though.

Also, it looks like they may be catering to us offset weirdos finally if the appointments are anywhere near accurate. Looks like I’m going to have to figure out how to come up with the funds for one. No Jaguar?

That's what I paid for my actual '65 just this month!

I mean, what with the current climate, shipping costs, materials, inflation etc...those prices are no surprise really.

Still, I'm excited to see what they come up with.

[gutter rock]

Hmmmm. Hoping for the best but expecting the worst. Not sure how sparkly finished Jazzmasters would make sense in this line. Also if no Jaguars then that’s a goof. Lastly, I get it, but the anal-ness about the blocks on necks is the least of my concerns. I will take any block neck over no block necks. It’s weird, we are more spoiled for offset offerings than anytime in history and Fender still can’t please us! I’m surprised they haven’t given up on us! Don’t get me wrong, I have plenty of bitching to go around about Fender (still mostly color options and lack of matching headstocks) but a slight variance in blocks on a neck is the least of my concerns. We went DECADES with NO blocks of any kind on offsets.

[GreenKnee]

I hope the anniversary Jags aren't the only offerings from Fender this year... Even one of those models wasn't a Jag

[Zeus]

I wondered whether by 'sparkle' finishes, the poster meant metallics? But who knows.

[Mondaysoutar]

Can’t see there being a jag man, at least right away. Think more colours in the anniversary model and maybe an AmPro2 version first.

[wooderson]

There will be an equivalent Jaguar to the Jazzmaster as always - the unnamed insider on "strat talk" probably barely remembers that Jaguars exist.

[Mondaysoutar]

There will be an equivalent Jaguar to the Jazzmaster as always - the unnamed insider on "strat talk" probably barely remembers that Jaguars exist.

Hope so. I like jaguars, but can’t see it man. Especially right away anyway, as I say.

[sugarandopium]

I mean, what with the current climate, shipping costs, materials, inflation etc...those prices are no surprise really.

Still, I'm excited to see what they come up with.

Exactly, look at where we are and what a used AVRI costs… I’m sure part of their plan of going back to a “year” reissue is somewhat to cash in on the used market of the AV62 and 65s that’s gone thru the roof.

If it’s true that they will have one or more year based JM, 7.25, vintage frets, and ‘flash coats’ then it’s kinda worth it IMO given what the market is and what inflation is. Kinda what I was expecting for pricing tbh….

I’d like to see them go back to a black bobbin style pickup but im not getting my hopes up with how well the PV65s have done for them.

Hoping for black or cfm. I don’t care for the pastels, I know you guys all love them, but they’re not for me!

[sugarandopium]

Oh wow I didn’t even read the whole post….
58 and 66 would be very nice.

I’m already wanting the 58 pickups in the 66 and different color options tho. Some things never change!

66 reissue sounds great to me!

[sugarandopium]

Another thought..

If it is a 66…. Are they going to deck it out with blocks or claim “early 66” and go with the AO/av65 bound dot necks they’ve been going with…..

Some of the “ 66 “ CS variants took that route with bound dot necks.

Idk…..
I’m sure we’ll find plenty to complain about
And then we’ll probably get a squire with a laurel board and a tenth of the build quality, but with all the right specs in 2023