[libtech]

Holy damn, someone sniped the one from 12th fret already too! I called right as they opened.

I’m surprised this thread gained so much traction. I’m out of the thin skin game because I’m looking for 7.25 radius. I went down a rabbit hole yesterday in regards to nut width. I have a 64 reissue from the custom shop that I’m super happy with, it’s got 9.5 and so I’m trying to find something that is more vintage correct to see what I think about the different. Hell if I could find a nice refin from 59-66 for under 15k I’d do that instead, but that’s never going to happen.

Talk to teleboli, seems like he was thinking of letting his '66 go:

SOLD - 1966 Fender Strat

Available is my 1966 strat. I thought this one would be a lifer but a particularly large purchase requires letting a couple higher end things go. The best all round example of a '60s strat I've played. All original. Re-fret with 6105 fret wire by Russ L. Plays flawlessly. 5 way switch...

www.guitarscanada.com

 

[David's gas station]

One just popped up at the 12th Fret

just bought this one

 

[Josephdlp]

Talk to teleboli, seems like he was thinking of letting his '66 go:

SOLD - 1966 Fender Strat

Available is my 1966 strat. I thought this one would be a lifer but a particularly large purchase requires letting a couple higher end things go. The best all round example of a '60s strat I've played. All original. Re-fret with 6105 fret wire by Russ L. Plays flawlessly. 5 way switch...

www.guitarscanada.com

If not Ill be letting either my thin skin go or my 54ri go once I decide which one I love more but I'll be looking for more around 2500

What color is the thin skin?

 

[libtech]

its a sonic blue one

 

[Varc]

just bought this one

Well I’m glad my thread is helping everyone but me lol

 

[cifac88]

Well I’m glad my thread is helping everyone but me lol

Yeah, I was enjoying this thread, and definitely learning a few things, but also thinking that there would be more sharks in the water after the same thing once it ran its course...

 

[Larrivee]

Well I’m glad my thread is helping everyone but me lol

Definitely my favourite read - I have it on my iPhone alarm to check hourly.

 

[Powdered Toast Man]

In case anyone wasn't aware, Fender changed the model years between the AVRI and AV lines
'99-'12 AVRI: 52 Tele, 57 Strat, 62 Tele Custom, 62 Strat, 62 Jazzmaster, 62 Jaguar, 69 Tele Thinline
'12-'17 AV: 52 Tele, 56 Strat, 58 Tele, 59 Strat, 64 Tele, 65 Strat, 65 Jazzmaster, 65 Jaguar, 72 Tele Custom

The only one that's created confusion is the 52 Tele. The AV and AVRI 52 Tele are not the same guitar. Fender would have done well to change the model year like they did the others (say, "53 Tele") but they didn't. They look similar at first glance but the AV's are more blonde and less "pumpkin" orange. The neck on the AV52 is way thicker and is a lot closer to a Nocaster U.

 

[Powdered Toast Man]

The funny part was people criticized the AVRI series because the finishes were too thick and with the poly undercoat they didn't wear almost at all. So Fender made the finish on the AV really fragile just like the old ones and people were complaining because their finishes were falling off.

And as I said before, the American Original (AO) are pretty much the AV guitars with a few tweaks. They basically wanted to slim down and focus the lineup more which is why they moved away from the year specific model. 9.5" radius, bit taller frets (but smaller than 6105), and a bit hardier finish. I bought three AO's and they're amazing guitars. Same neck profiles, same hardware, same pickups, even the same bodies (the parts manifest even still specifies the AV body and parts). Just saying don't overlook them.

 

[Varc]

The funny part was people criticized the AVRI series because the finishes were too thick and with the poly undercoat they didn't wear almost at all. So Fender made the finish on the AV really fragile just like the old ones and people were complaining because their finishes were falling off.

And as I said before, the American Original (AO) are pretty much the AV guitars with a few tweaks. They basically wanted to slim down and focus the lineup more which is why they moved away from the year specific model. 9.5" radius, bit taller frets (but smaller than 6105), and a bit hardier finish. I bought three AO's and they're amazing guitars. Same neck profiles, same hardware, same pickups, even the same bodies (the parts manifest even still specifies the AV body and parts). Just saying don't overlook them.

Thanks for all the info, man! Some really good and interesting things here.

Just to clarify; any 59 strat then will be an AV rather than an AVRI?

 

[Powdered Toast Man]

Thanks for all the info, man! Some really good and interesting things here.

Just to clarify; any 59 strat then will be an AV rather than an AVRI?

No problem! I'm a bit of a Fender freak lol

The 59 is an AV series model and was only sold from 2012 to 2017. The only exception being the Wildwood (and possibly Daves?) "thin skins" that they still offer. Not sure whether the specs are identical though.

 

[Varc]

No problem! I'm a bit of a Fender freak lol

The 59 is an AV series model and was only sold from 2012 to 2017. The only exception being the Wildwood (and possibly Daves?) "thin skins" that they still offer. Not sure whether the specs are identical though.

I just took a quick look at the two 59 thin skins Wildwood has up. They have the 9.5 radius, 6105 frets, and different pickups, 54 custom shops in the thin skins. Other than that I don’t know the 59 AV’s specs well enough for a side by side comparison.

 

[Powdered Toast Man]

I just took a quick look at the two 59 thin skins Wildwood has up. They have the 9.5 radius, 6105 frets, and different pickups, 54 custom shops in the thin skins. Other than that I don’t know the 59 AV’s specs well enough for a side by side comparison.

The AV59 has a 7.25" radius and vintage frets.

The thin skins made a lot more sense when you didn't want a vintage radius and preferred larger frets.

I've got a 2008 Thin Skin 52 Tele and the finish on my AO guitars is way thinner (where I've gotten a chip). There doesn't seem to be a whole lot of difference between a current Thin Skin and the AO line.

 

[Westhaver]

Looks like Dave's Guitar is now offering a LTD 62 Strat which seems very similar to the Wildwood '59 Thin Skin. My Thin Skin is actually from Dave's but back several years when they were still Thin Skin '59 Strats from both vendors.

I believe the AO line now has a poly base coat with nitro on top, like the old AVRI's. The Dave's LTD 62's still indicate that there is no poly base coat, just a nitro finish. I suspect the Wildwood Thin Skin's would be the same.

 

[Powdered Toast Man]

Looks like Dave's Guitar is now offering a LTD 62 Strat which seems very similar to the Wildwood '59 Thin Skin. My Thin Skin is actually from Dave's but back several years when they were still Thin Skin '59 Strats from both vendors.

I believe the AO line now has a poly base coat with nitro on top, like the old AVRI's. The Dave's LTD 62's still indicate that there is no poly base coat, just a nitro finish. I suspect the Wildwood Thin Skin's would be the same.

They are using a poly filler coat on the AO's but the finish is very different than the AVRI's. For starters, it's way thinner. And Fender appears to have reformulated their nitro because it's harder than the AVRI stuff. My 08 Thin Skin has a thicker finish than my new AO's. They also used to be notorious for a "tacky" feel (leading many to lightly scuff the backs of their necks). The AO's don't suffer from this at all. From most accounts it looks like they changed the primer coat on the AO's to help the nitro adhere better than the AV guitars did.

 

[Westhaver]

They are using a poly filler coat on the AO's but the finish is very different than the AVRI's. For starters, it's way thinner. And Fender appears to have reformulated their nitro because it's harder than the AVRI stuff. My 08 Thin Skin has a thicker finish than my new AO's. They also used to be notorious for a "tacky" feel (leading many to lightly scuff the backs of their necks). The AO's don't suffer from this at all. From most accounts it looks like they changed the primer coat on the AO's to help the nitro adhere better than the AV guitars did.

It sounds like all positive changes, interesting to hear that the finish is thinner than on your Thin Skin! Does the finish on the neck of the AO's feel similar to your Thin Skin?

 

[Powdered Toast Man]

It sounds like all positive changes, interesting to hear that the finish is thinner than on your Thin Skin! Does the finish on the neck of the AO's feel similar to your Thin Skin?

Nope, not at all. The thin skin had a tacky feel that got worse as it heated up while you played it. I used an abrasive scouring pad (Scotch Brite) to take the gloss off the finish and that seemed to help.

On my AO guitars I haven't had to do anything to them. The finish feels hard, solid, smooth. Doesn't get tacky at all.

The finish on the AO guitars really is paper thin. If you hold them at the right angle in the light you can actually see the grain lines where the finish has sunken in just a bit. I've also been able to compare a few spots where they've chipped due to impacts. It's hard to illustrate in photos, but the finish is probably 2x thicker on the AVRI thin skin (butterscotch) vs the AO (surf green).

 

[libtech]

No problem! I'm a bit of a Fender freak lol

The 59 is an AV series model and was only sold from 2012 to 2017. The only exception being the Wildwood (and possibly Daves?) "thin skins" that they still offer. Not sure whether the specs are identical though.

Basically the same guitar and finish as the previous 13+ AVRI's. (just 9.5 radius and different pickups) clay dots, early logo, etc

The AO line is similar as well just with the additional poly undercoat later logo and white dots.

I actually prefer the pure vintage pickups that are in the AO line over the custom shop ones included with the TS, mine is the daves version and I swapped out the fat 50s with the pure vintage and its much better.

 

[Powdered Toast Man]

Basically the same guitar and finish as the previous 13+ AVRI's. (just 9.5 radius and different pickups) clay dots, early logo, etc

The AO line is similar as well just with the additional poly undercoat later logo and white dots.

I actually prefer the pure vintage pickups that are in the AO line over the custom shop ones included with the TS, mine is the daves version and I swapped out the fat 50s with the pure vintage and its much better.

I've got an AO60's Tele and Strat - they're the first guitars I think I've owned where I have not had any urge to touch anything on them in terms of mods.

I've also got an AO60's Jaguar and I did swap out the pickups. All the other AO's carried over the pickups from their AV models - except the Jag. For some reason Fender reverted back to the pre-2012 AVRI 62 Jag pickups. They were ok, but I swapped them for a paid of the PV65 Jag pickups and I like them a lot better.

IMO, the AV series pickups (known as Pure Vintage) are the best pickups Fender has ever made.

 

[Varc]

I've got an AO60's Tele and Strat - they're the first guitars I think I've owned where I have not had any urge to touch anything on them in terms of mods.

I've also got an AO60's Jaguar and I did swap out the pickups. All the other AO's carried over the pickups from their AV models - except the Jag. For some reason Fender reverted back to the pre-2012 AVRI 62 Jag pickups. They were ok, but I swapped them for a paid of the PV65 Jag pickups and I like them a lot better.

IMO, the AV series pickups (known as Pure Vintage) are the best pickups Fender has ever made.

Totally agree with you on the pickups. I’ve tried most of the custom shop ones that they sell individually (Texas Specials, Fat 50&60, 69s, and probablya couple I’m forgetting) the pure vintage 59s blew them all out of the water. The only set from Fender I’ve found that I like more is the hand wound 64 pickups that came in my custom shop, but I don’t think Fender sells those individually.

If you’re ever venturing outside Fender for pickups, I highly recommend anything Mark Foley does. He does all the pickups for Matt Schofield if you’re into the blues thing. They’re expensive but worth every penny.