Fender has rolled out a suite of fresh finish options and a couple of all-new models to its American Vintage II Series, introducing a transitional-era Stratocaster and presenting us with a Telecaster dressed in a prototype paint job.
Unveiled at NAMM 2025, now available to buy, the refresh presents the American Vintage II 1966 Jazzmaster in Sherwood Green Metallic, the 1960 Precision Bass in Olympic White, the 1957 Stratocaster in Black, plus the limited edition 1951 Telecaster in Prototype White.
Now, just as we were thinking that the Tele would be the ultimate transitional electric guitar in the series, along comes the 1965 Stratocaster, with Shoreline Gold, Candy Apple Red and Sonic Blue your solid-colour options.
With the vintage guitar market running hot, and prohibitively expensive to many, these American Vintage II models – all made in Fender’s US facility in Corona, California – offer that vibe, feel and sound without the hefty price tag, and without the road miles too.
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As Fender’s executive VP of product, Justin Norvell, said upon the American Vintage II series’ launch in 2022, these are “a near 1:1 comparison with their original predecessors”.
“Today they are built with precise, modern manufacturing processes that weren’t available in the past,” said Norvell. “These original guitars and basses have long been coveted by avid players and vintage enthusiasts around the world for their aesthetic and tone that inspired some of the greatest music and most-identifiable guitar and bass lines of all time.”
As the guitar that started it all, the 1951 Telecaster should be one of the most identifiable models of this range and yet this limited edition run offers it a finish that pre-dates its Butterscotch Blonde finish. You might do a double take, given that new Prototype White model is bone white.
The specs are early ‘50s all right, with a 7.25” radius fingerboard, the ash body, with the ’51 profile “U”-shaped maple neck offering plenty for the fretting hand to hold onto. It has the narrow dot spacing at the 12th fret, the three brass barrel saddles at the bridge, the black single-ply pickguard, Fender Deluxe tuners on the headstock.
But the vital element is the electric guitar pickups, with a pair of Pure Vintage ‘51 Telecaster single-coils doing that thing that the Tele is famous for.
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The mid ‘60s were a transitional time for society, pop-culture and for the Stratocaster, too. Given that every Strat fan has their own idea of the greatest era of the Strat, it’s more than welcome that we have a 1965 option to join the 1954, 1957, 1961 and 1973 models in the American Vintage II lineup.
This ’65 model has a solid alder body, a bolt-on maple neck with a period-correct C-shaped profile, and the round-laminated rosewood fingerboard with a 7.25” radius and 7mm dot inlays a little larger than its predecessors.
Also, those inlays have been updated to pearloid as opposed to clay. You can watch James Bay demo one in Candy Apple Red. Its “gray bottom” Pure Vintage 1965 Strat single-coils sound pretty sweet.
Other details of interest to the classic Fender enthusiast include the 11-hole three-ply eggshell pickguard, the transitional logo on the headstock, and of course the finish is nitro.
The limited edition 1951 Telecaster in Prototype White is priced £2,299/$2,449. The Strats are priced £2,199/$2,299. The 1966 Jazzmaster will set you back £2,449/$2,599 and it’ll be worth it alone for its painted headstock, block inlays and that finish. A work of art.
Finally, the P-Bass in Olympic White is priced £/$2,299. All of these prices include a hard-shell guitar case.
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You can read MusicRadar’s five-star review of the American Vintage Vintage II 1951 Telecaster and 1961 Stratocaster, and find out why the American Vintage II 1975 Telecaster Deluxe was a chance for one of the Big F’s sleeper hits to finally hit the mainstream.
You can find out more about the series over at Fender.
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