Why Fender Retired the American Vintage Series for the American Original
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On January 16, 2018, Fender officially introduced the American Original Series. This series replaced the American Vintage line, combining authentic vintage looks with improved modern performance.
The launch was announced through Fender’s press release and featured in various music publications, emphasizing the line’s debut at Winter NAMM 2018. Even though many purists were disappointed, retiring the American Vintage Series wasn’t a step backward—it was Fender’s way of refining decades of design to craft instruments that felt both timeless and fresh. |
Allen Abbassi, Fender’s Director of Electric Guitars since 2007, with an American Original ’60s Stratocaster at the NAMM Show
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The Fender American Original Series was mainly developed under the leadership of Joey Brasler, Fender’s Senior Vice President of Product Development at the time, and Justin Norvell, Fender’s Senior Vice President.
In an interview with Music Connection, Brasler explained why Fender retired the American Vintage Series in favor of the American Original.
The process started about two years before the launch of the American Original Series, allowing Fender time to discuss ideas, refine designs, build prototypes, and coordinate production and marketing. It began with a careful review of the previous line’s achievements and where there was potential for growth. While the American Vintage models had successfully replicated specific historic instruments, Fender aimed to improve the concept to serve better players seeking both authenticity and playability.
In an interview with Music Connection, Brasler explained why Fender retired the American Vintage Series in favor of the American Original.
The process started about two years before the launch of the American Original Series, allowing Fender time to discuss ideas, refine designs, build prototypes, and coordinate production and marketing. It began with a careful review of the previous line’s achievements and where there was potential for growth. While the American Vintage models had successfully replicated specific historic instruments, Fender aimed to improve the concept to serve better players seeking both authenticity and playability.
Fender analyzed which features resonated most with guitarists—neck shapes, pickups, finishes, and aesthetics that had the strongest appeal. At the same time, the team focused on enhancing overall value by making the instruments more playable without compromising their vintage character.
The target audience for American Original was clear: players who knew every screw, specification, and dimension of the classic ’50s and ’60s guitars. Fender was deliberate about what to preserve and what to update. Changes—like adopting a flatter fretboard—occurred only after extensive discussion, both internally and with musicians who owned vintage instruments, played American Vintage models, or worked closely with Custom Shop guitars.
To introduce the series, Fender chose four artists to serve as ambassadors in the official launch film “Introducing the American Original Series.” The featured musicians were Isaac Brock, Kurt Vile, Raphael Saadiq, and J.D. McPherson.
Each artist discussed what being “original” meant to them, linking their own creative identity with Fender’s legacy. The campaign highlighted the idea that the American Original Series was not just about reissuing old designs, but about providing instruments that continued to inspire new generations of musicians.
The target audience for American Original was clear: players who knew every screw, specification, and dimension of the classic ’50s and ’60s guitars. Fender was deliberate about what to preserve and what to update. Changes—like adopting a flatter fretboard—occurred only after extensive discussion, both internally and with musicians who owned vintage instruments, played American Vintage models, or worked closely with Custom Shop guitars.
To introduce the series, Fender chose four artists to serve as ambassadors in the official launch film “Introducing the American Original Series.” The featured musicians were Isaac Brock, Kurt Vile, Raphael Saadiq, and J.D. McPherson.
Each artist discussed what being “original” meant to them, linking their own creative identity with Fender’s legacy. The campaign highlighted the idea that the American Original Series was not just about reissuing old designs, but about providing instruments that continued to inspire new generations of musicians.
Tyler Bryant demonstrated the American Original ’50s Stratocaster during Fender’s official launch of the American Original Series in 2018
American Original vs American Vintage
With the American Original series replacing the American Vintage series, comparisons between them were inevitable. Both aimed to capture the look and spirit of classic Fender instruments, but they pursued this goal differently.
One of the most notable differences was how closely each line stuck to the original designs. Introduced in 1982, the Vintage Series, which became American Vintage in 1998, focused on accurately recreating specific iconic guitars and basses from Fender’s historic catalog.
The American Original series, on the other hand, took a different approach. Rather than offering exact reproductions, it blended standout features from across a given decade, combining the most sought-after elements into a single instrument.
In short, while the American Vintage Series recreated individual classics for modern players, the American Original line took the highlights of an entire decade, as Fender stated on their website: “These best-of-the-decade versions of our most iconic instruments have been updated with modern fingerboard profiles, vintage tall frets, and other details to make them even more playable for the modern musician.”
This approach allowed Fender to combine favored neck profiles, pickups, finishes, and other details from across a decade, resulting in instruments that balanced vintage character with modern playability, tone, and aesthetics.
One of the most notable differences was how closely each line stuck to the original designs. Introduced in 1982, the Vintage Series, which became American Vintage in 1998, focused on accurately recreating specific iconic guitars and basses from Fender’s historic catalog.
The American Original series, on the other hand, took a different approach. Rather than offering exact reproductions, it blended standout features from across a given decade, combining the most sought-after elements into a single instrument.
In short, while the American Vintage Series recreated individual classics for modern players, the American Original line took the highlights of an entire decade, as Fender stated on their website: “These best-of-the-decade versions of our most iconic instruments have been updated with modern fingerboard profiles, vintage tall frets, and other details to make them even more playable for the modern musician.”
This approach allowed Fender to combine favored neck profiles, pickups, finishes, and other details from across a decade, resulting in instruments that balanced vintage character with modern playability, tone, and aesthetics.
One of the more debated choices in the American Original series was Fender’s move from the vintage 7.25” radius to a modern 9.5”. While it strayed from strict historical accuracy, the shift wasn’t without reason. The slightly flatter radius made bends smoother, reduced fretting out, and offered a playing experience better suited to modern standards. Vintage purists might have preferred the traditional curve, but for many players, the improved comfort and versatility made it a worthwhile tradeoff.
Side by side: a 7.25" fingerboard radius (left) vs. a 9.25" radius (right)
One of the subtle yet significant updates in the American Original series was the choice of frets. Fender opted for narrow-tall frets, which provided a more responsive feel under the fingers, making techniques like bends, hammer-ons, and pull-offs easier and smoother with less effort. They also reduced friction between the fingers and fretboard, enhancing overall playability.
However, narrow-tall frets slightly increased the risk of accidentally pushing notes out of tune due to the greater string-to-fretboard clearance.
Compared to vintage-style frets—shorter and offering that solid, traditional “plunk” of a ’50s or ’60s Strat—the narrow-tall design struck a careful balance between authenticity and modern playability.
However, narrow-tall frets slightly increased the risk of accidentally pushing notes out of tune due to the greater string-to-fretboard clearance.
Compared to vintage-style frets—shorter and offering that solid, traditional “plunk” of a ’50s or ’60s Strat—the narrow-tall design struck a careful balance between authenticity and modern playability.
A range of fret types, spotlighting the difference between vintage-style and vintage tall
To offer a more player-friendly guitar, Fender decided to retain the Modern Strat wiring, already adopted in the previous American Vintage Series.
scan code sticker
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Most of the American Original Stratocasters featured a scan code sticker on the neck heel. Like the other stickers used by Fender, it served as an internal tracking tool during the manufacturing process. While it resembled a QR code, it was not intended for public scanning. These stickers were applied during production to assist with inventory management, quality control, and assembly tracking. |
Models
The American Original '50s Stratocaster featured an alder body—except for the White Blonde version, which stayed true to tradition with ash—and a Soft “V” maple neck. The American Original '60s Stratocaster, on the other hand, had an alder body paired with a Thick “C” maple neck topped with a round-lam rosewood fretboard. Both models shared a modern 9.5” fingerboard radius and vintage-tall frets, which made them much more playable than their predecessors. Still, Fender pleased vintage enthusiasts with a period-style nitrocellulose finish.
The ‘50s model was loaded with Pure Vintage ‘59 single-coils, while the ‘60s carried Pure Vintage ‘65s. Both sets used AlNiCo 5 magnets with staggered pole pieces. The difference was in the insulation of the coils: Formvar-coated wire for the ’59s, Plain Enamel for the ’65s, which gave each its own tonal fingerprint.
Even the small details drew clear lines between the two eras. The ‘50s model had wide-spaced fretboard markers at the 12th fret, while the ‘60s featured narrower spacing. Headstock decals were era-specific, too: the Spaghetti logo without patent numbers for the ‘50s, and the Transition logo with patent numbers for the ‘60s.
Rounding things out, Fender placed the serial number on the neck plate, prefixed with a “V” just like the American Vintage Series. It was a subtle but fitting reminder that the American Original line was carrying forward the torch.
The ‘50s model was loaded with Pure Vintage ‘59 single-coils, while the ‘60s carried Pure Vintage ‘65s. Both sets used AlNiCo 5 magnets with staggered pole pieces. The difference was in the insulation of the coils: Formvar-coated wire for the ’59s, Plain Enamel for the ’65s, which gave each its own tonal fingerprint.
Even the small details drew clear lines between the two eras. The ‘50s model had wide-spaced fretboard markers at the 12th fret, while the ‘60s featured narrower spacing. Headstock decals were era-specific, too: the Spaghetti logo without patent numbers for the ‘50s, and the Transition logo with patent numbers for the ‘60s.
Rounding things out, Fender placed the serial number on the neck plate, prefixed with a “V” just like the American Vintage Series. It was a subtle but fitting reminder that the American Original line was carrying forward the torch.
American Original '50s Stratocaster
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American Original '60s Stratocaster
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