AMERICAN VINTAGE FIRST SERIES
One of Fender’s most significant challenges in the late ’90s was updating the Vintage Series, which had remained unchanged since its 1982 debut. The turning point came in 1998 with the launch of the American Vintage ’57 Stratocaster and American Vintage ’62 Stratocaster—commonly called “AVRI” by Fender enthusiasts (short for American Vintage Re-Issues).
Their development was made possible by the opening of Fender’s state-of-the-art production facility on Cessna Circle in Corona—regarded by company executives as the most advanced and expensive guitar factory ever built. The plant was designed to streamline production, reduce the need to move materials between buildings, minimize downtime, and boost capacity to meet expected demand growth.
Their development was made possible by the opening of Fender’s state-of-the-art production facility on Cessna Circle in Corona—regarded by company executives as the most advanced and expensive guitar factory ever built. The plant was designed to streamline production, reduce the need to move materials between buildings, minimize downtime, and boost capacity to meet expected demand growth.
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While the original reissues from the ’80s represented Fender’s best work at the time, the new machinery and in-depth research by master builder Michael Stevens—who meticulously studied vintage Fender models to develop the Custom Shop’s Time Machine Series—laid the foundation for the American Vintage Series.
Mike Lewis was known for revitalizing Fender’s evolving amp line and later for his role as Vice President of Product Development at Fender’s Custom Shop. He played a key role in overseeing the development and refinement of Fender’s high-end instruments, including the American Vintage series. He said: “You can only do what the facilities allow, and back in ’82 those models were the best we could do, and they were great guitars and very successful. But by ’98, with our new state-of-the-art factory, we could do anything we wanted.” |
American Vintage Series advert, Fender Frontline
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Mike also recalled that despite California’s strict environmental regulations, Fender finally could use nitrocellulose lacquer on more guitars thanks to the new factory’s advanced containment system—so effective that “the air coming out is actually cleaner than the air going in!”
The American Vintage Strats featured lacquer-based clear coats and color coats. The undercoat was polyester, but much thinner than the thick polyester finishes typical of the late CBS era.
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The headstock, which had strayed from vintage accuracy in the previous Vintage Series, was retooled to match the correct pre-CBS profile. This improvement owed much to the expertise of Master Builder Michael Stevens, who had closely examined original pre-CBS Stratocasters while developing the Custom Shop Time Machine Series.
The fingerboard edges were carefully rolled to give a smooth, worn-in feel. Additionally, while Fender employed the same neck shape for both the ’57 and ’62 Stratocaster reissues in 1982, the 1998 American Vintage series featured different neck profiles: a “V” shape for the American Vintage '57 Stratocaster and a “C” shape for the American Vintage '62 Stratocaster. |
With the launch of the American Vintage Series, Fender brought back the wider spacing between the 12th fret markers, just as Leo had done on his earliest Stratocasters. The original Vintage Series of 1982 had used narrowly spaced dots at the 12th fret—a slight but telling deviation from vintage spec that the new series finally corrected.
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To “get the same vintage-style tone that characterized the strats from the late ’50s and early ‘60s,” a set of 1963 Stratocaster pickups* was carefully analyzed in the development of the Original ’57/’62 Strat Pickups, which were fitted to both the American Vintage ’57 and American Vintage ’62 Stratocasters.
Fender chose the name “Original” because the pickups were built with the same materials as their pre-CBS counterparts, including beveled staggered AlNiCo 5 magnets, Formvar-coated magnet wire, fiber bobbins, and cloth-covered output wire. |
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In 2006, the American Vintage '70s Stratocaster was introduced, featuring key elements from the CBS era, including the 3-bolt neck plate with Micro Tilt, “F” tuners, the large headstock with the ’70s Fender logo, and the bullet truss rod. The body was available in ash with transparent finishes or alder, while the neck had a large “U” shape.
Note:
* In an interview with Tom Wheeler, Dan Smith stated that the Original ’57/’62 pickups were reverse-engineered from a set taken from a 1961 Stratocaster.
* In an interview with Tom Wheeler, Dan Smith stated that the Original ’57/’62 pickups were reverse-engineered from a set taken from a 1961 Stratocaster.
AMERICAN VINTAGE SECOND SERIES: THE PURE VINTAGE PROJECT
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In August 2012, Fender once again revisited its US Vintage line and launched the new American Vintage Series. Far from being a mere marketing campaign, the “Pure Vintage Project”—as Fender executives and luthiers called the reimagining of the American Vintage line—was a significant undertaking for Fender and became a journey for the entire company.
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To bring it to life, Mike Lewis and George Blanda set off across the United States, visiting trusted dealers and seasoned collectors in search of golden-age Fenders. In doing so, they retraced the steps of Dan Smith and John Page, who had made a similar pilgrimage some thirty years earlier, when the first 1982 Vintage models were born.
“This was a new level of inspection. We were working at a forensic-autopsy level. The necks came off, the pickguards came off, and we measured everything.”
Mike Lewis
They paid close attention to both the consistencies and the quirks of the originals. After all, not every Stratocaster that left the factory in the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s was identical. Specifications can vary in numerous ways, sometimes quite surprisingly. When they found specs that matched across the board, Mike and George reproduced them faithfully. When the details differed, they chose the version that appeared most often.
Fender R&D engineer George Blanda takes key measurements.
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Neck shape prototypes for each year model (photo credit: Fender)
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However, as Richard McDonald, at the time Senior Vice President of Global Marketing at Fender, explained, the Pure Vintage Project wasn’t just an investigation of guitars; it was an investigation of Fender itself. “It was an investigation of ourselves, our facilities, and our engineering. We actually recreated the work process from way back, and these guitars turned out to be authentically unbelievable. It has to be more than just being right with a caliper. It has to be right with the manufacturing sensibility. It’s not only about how the guitar looks in the final stages, but also ‘How did we get there?’”
The success of the Pure Vintage Stratocasters was enormous, as Richard McDonald stressed, “We rediscovered our past in a very significant way. It was an awakening.”
The success of the Pure Vintage Stratocasters was enormous, as Richard McDonald stressed, “We rediscovered our past in a very significant way. It was an awakening.”
What’s new
The main changes made to the series consisted principally of:
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59 Pure Vintage Pickup Poles and dots
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- The bridge was improved thanks to the introduction of the Pure Vintage Tremolo Assembly Bridge. Its saddles sported the vintage-correct “FENDER” and “PAT.PEND.” words, and their height was decreased to reduce rough feel, while the string slot on saddles was elongated and had an improved position to reduce string friction or breakage.
The new "Fender Pat. Pending" saddles
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On the contrary, older “FENDER FENDER” stamped saddles had a slot that was back toward the intonation screw. Thus, in some cases, the string rested on the forward edge of the slot before it rested on the intonation point of the saddle. Hence, in the old bridge, the string often had three contact points: the junction of the inertia block/bridge plate, the forward edge of the saddle, and the intonation point of the saddle.
On the new saddles, strings had only two contact points, like the originals, allowing the strings to go through without resting against the front edge of the slot. |
- The way the fingerboard edges were rolled over changed. “Some processes are not always the most efficient from a manufacturing standpoint,” said Mike Lewis. “But sometimes you have to duplicate the original process if you want to get it right. […] On most guitars, the neck curves from the back up to the edge of the fingerboard; The radius stops, and the fingerboard starts. But in these guitars, that contour of the neck comes up alongside and continues to the radius before joining the fingerboard. […] I think the necks and their rolled edges might be the most unique things about these Pure Vintage guitars.”
Final Details included:
- Eggshell knobs with slightly smaller numbers.
- Clay-Style and pearloid dots
- String nuts made of genuine bone.
- New Single Line Fender Deluxe Vintage Style tuning machines with the “FENDER” engraving on the back, very similar to that of the old Kluson Deluxe tuners.
New Models
For the new American Vintage Series, Fender retired the historic ’57 and ’62 reissues, along with the ’70s Strat, and instead selected models that had not previously been recreated in the factory. These were replaced by the American Vintage ’56, ’59, and ’65 Stratocasters.
Fender’s catalog explains the motivation behind this critical decision: “Today, Fender has boldly cleared the slate to make way for a fresh American Vintage series with new features, new specs, and the most meticulous level of vintage accuracy yet. Rather than just replacing the previous models with different ones, we’ve completely and comprehensively re-imagined the entire vintage-reissue concept—restoring original tooling dies, voicing new pickups, reformulating vintage colors, and more—based on actual vintage guitars we tracked down to make sure we had it right. We did the work, and it shows, because there’s pure tonal magic in each new American Vintage instrument.”
Fender’s catalog explains the motivation behind this critical decision: “Today, Fender has boldly cleared the slate to make way for a fresh American Vintage series with new features, new specs, and the most meticulous level of vintage accuracy yet. Rather than just replacing the previous models with different ones, we’ve completely and comprehensively re-imagined the entire vintage-reissue concept—restoring original tooling dies, voicing new pickups, reformulating vintage colors, and more—based on actual vintage guitars we tracked down to make sure we had it right. We did the work, and it shows, because there’s pure tonal magic in each new American Vintage instrument.”
The '56 Stratocaster, as one might expect, featured a large maple neck with a soft “V” profile, a single-ply white pickguard with eight screws, and a deep-contoured alder body—or ash with a white-blonde finish. It was equipped with Pure Vintage ’56 pickups, featuring AlNiCo 3 magnets with non-beveled staggered poles, formvar-coated magnet wire, cloth-covered leads, and a black fiberboard base marked by hand with “56.”
The American Vintage '56 Stratocaster advertised in a Fender brochure
The '59 Stratocaster was introduced in two versions, reflecting 1959 as a transitional year. Both had alder bodies and Slim “D” necks, but the first version sported a one-piece maple neck with a white eight-screw pickguard, while the second featured a slab rosewood fingerboard with a three-ply, ten-screw pickguard. Both versions boasted a trio of Pure Vintage ’59 pickups, featuring AlNiCo 5 magnets with non-beveled staggered pole pieces, formvar-coated magnet wire, cloth-covered leads, and a black vulcanized fiber hand-marked in white with “59.”
A quartet of ’59 Stratocaster
The '65 Stratocaster was distinguished by a thicker “C”-profile neck, a three-layer eleven-screw pickguard with pearl dot inlays, and transitional markings including the Transition Logo, patent numbers, and the “ORIGINAL Contour Body Pat. Pend.” decal. It featured three grey-bottom Pure Vintage ’65 pickups with AlNiCo 5 magnets, non-beveled staggered pole pieces, enamel-coated magnet wire, and cloth-covered leads. The bottom plates were unmarked.
The American Vintage '65 Stratocaster advertised in a Fender brochure
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The first 46 units from the first production of this instrument sported a commemorative Special Edition “1st 46” neck plate and were randomly distributed around the globe.
These neck plates commemorate Fender's founding in 1946 and the release of the most accurate and beautiful Fender reissue instruments ever from key historical years. The serial numbers of the series and the 46 instruments were not sequential, and among the first 46, there was a mix of colors. |
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“Historic Benchmark, American Originals” Campaign
To accompany the launch, Fender released a promotional video titled “The Journey.” In it, Justin Norvell—then Vice President of Product Development—offered an inside look at the inspiration, research, and craftsmanship that went into the new series. The film captured the emotional and creative process behind reviving these classic designs, underlining Fender’s commitment to honoring its own legacy while producing guitars for modern players.
The launch of the series was also accompanied by the evocative motto, “Historic Benchmark, American Originals.” This was more than a slogan. It was a mission statement. The 2012 American Vintage Series stood as a reminder that Fender’s history is not only worth preserving—it’s worth building upon, with the same pride, precision, and passion that created these icons in the first place.
The launch of the series was also accompanied by the evocative motto, “Historic Benchmark, American Originals.” This was more than a slogan. It was a mission statement. The 2012 American Vintage Series stood as a reminder that Fender’s history is not only worth preserving—it’s worth building upon, with the same pride, precision, and passion that created these icons in the first place.
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With “Historic Benchmark,” Fender declared its intention to re-establish itself as the definitive authority in vintage-style instruments. The company didn’t simply tweak existing models—it went back to the source, studying original guitars from its golden years. Every detail, from the contour of the neck to the shade of the plastics, was scrutinized and replicated. This approach positioned the new American Vintage instruments not as tributes, but as the benchmark for what an original Fender should look, feel, and sound like.
The second half of the motto spoke to Fender’s deep roots in American craftsmanship. Built in the U.S.A., these guitars drew direct inspiration from the instruments that shaped the sound of the 1950s and ’60s. They weren’t international reinterpretations or modern hybrids—they were created by the same company, in the same spirit, as the originals. By emphasizing “American Originals,” Fender reinforced its role as the originator, not an imitator, of the classic designs that defined popular music.
The second half of the motto spoke to Fender’s deep roots in American craftsmanship. Built in the U.S.A., these guitars drew direct inspiration from the instruments that shaped the sound of the 1950s and ’60s. They weren’t international reinterpretations or modern hybrids—they were created by the same company, in the same spirit, as the originals. By emphasizing “American Originals,” Fender reinforced its role as the originator, not an imitator, of the classic designs that defined popular music.
Fender also released a brochure featuring imagery of the newly launched American Vintage models, highlighting their period-correct details and vintage-inspired features. Oddly, the brochure misrepresented the ’59 Stratocaster, depicting it with a ’65 headstock bearing the Transition Logo and patent numbers, along with a body fitted with an eleven-screw pickguard.
Fender American Vintage brochure, 2012. The Stratocasters on the left accurately represent the new models, while the circular images at right misrepresent the ’59 Stratocaster, showing a Transition logo with patent numbers on the headstock and an eleven-screw pickguard. In fact, these are images of the new American Vintage ’65 Stratocaster
Antonio Calvosa
