Differences between 62 & 65 AVRI? [Yes Im a Noob]

[justin78f]

Hey so this is my first post, figured it might as well ask a question.

I've loved Jazzmasters since I first saw one. I've played different version over the years but now I've decided I wanna buy one.

My issue is, I don't have quite enough for the AVRI 65 ($3,100 Canadian). This is a guitar i plan on keeping forever, so with that in mind I want it to be great quality. Im looking for vintage spec and classic Jazzmaster single coils, so both these guitars check those boxes There is a used AVRI 62 Jazzmaster near me for $1700. However, I cant seem to find a lot of information on the 62 vs the 65 so I thought it might be worth a question. Seeing as I'm a total Jazzmaster noob., is there that much of a difference in part/build quality, country of origin, shortcomings or issues with either model? Also any alternatives you could think of (I've considered Creston and Ron Kirn builds as well)?

If anyone in the know could answer some of these question I'd be extremely thankful.

[otis]

your best bet is to use the search function.
plenty of threads here about this.
Some like the '65 more, some others, like me, like the '62 more.
The thinner neck of the '62 being the main reason for me.

[Johnny Alien]

There are spec differences (electronics and neck profile) but quality wise you will be fine with either. Both are great. If you can deal with the limited color selection the MIM Classic Lacquer and Road Worn are (IMO) just as good as the 62 AVRI and come with great pickups.

[Pepe Silvia]

65 has a different neck profile, binding, witch hat knobs, and pickups that don't need to be changed. I never like the 62 AVRI JM pickups bur the 62 Jag pickups were fine.

[Embenny]

Hey so this is my first post, figured it might as well ask a question.

I've loved Jazzmasters since I first saw one. I've played different version over the years but now I've decided I wanna buy one.

My issue is, I don't have quite enough for the AVRI 65 ($3,100 Canadian). This is a guitar i plan on keeping forever, so with that in mind I want it to be great quality. Im looking for vintage spec and classic Jazzmaster single coils, so both these guitars check those boxes There is a used AVRI 62 Jazzmaster near me for $1700. However, I cant seem to find a lot of information on the 62 vs the 65 so I thought it might be worth a question. Seeing as I'm a total Jazzmaster noob., is there that much of a difference in part/build quality, country of origin, shortcomings or issues with either model? Also any alternatives you could think of (I've considered Creston and Ron Kirn builds as well)?

If anyone in the know could answer some of these question I'd be extremely thankful.

The $1700 one you're referring to ice the Ice Blue Metallic one on Kijiji with the matching headstock, right? I assume so since you mentioned CAD.

Personally, I go used over new every chance I get, since it's so much better value for money. But the chance to get a great condition IBM with matching headstock...I'd take that over a new AV65 for sure. Take the money you saved and buy whichever pickups you like (I'd go Novak) and you still come out miles ahead of a new AV65.

They're both USA-made, they both have nitro finishes. Different neck profile and the 62 is unbound vs the 65's bound neck. Many people prefer the AV65 stock JM pickups, but like I said, you could drop anything you like in there. I don't feel there's a difference in build quality between the two, just a difference in specs.

If you like the neck profile of the '62 and it's in as good shape as the photos suggest, I'd jump on that. A used AVRI in good condition in a rare finish is about as good a value for money as you will ever find in a USA-made JM.

[shoule79]

I prefer the pickups on the 62, but the 65 sounds fine. The finish is still nitro, but appears to be a lot thicker on the 62’s.

Like others have said, unbound neck on the 62’s and a slimmer profile. I ended up putting a fatter aftermarket neck on my AVRI 62, fwiw.

I’d never spend $3100 + tax on a new AVRI. I’d go with the used option, especially because a bridge upgrade will likely be in your future.

[minimumnishe]

I haven't had the opportunity to take a look at a 62, but the 65 is perfect in every way I wanted it to be. The only thing I ended up changing was an anodized guard. The neck is nice and chunky without being a burden. the pickups are crystal clean and shimmery and get a great break up when needed, and the stock bridge and vibrato unit are just magical. I ended up ordering a staytrem bridge and collet for it and ended up going back to stock on both aspects.

So basically, the 65 is perfect in my mind, but from what I've heard the 62 will need a small amount of work put into it to make it as great as the 65. Another option would be to piece together a body and neck from stratosphere and put whatever hardware you want in it.

If you're planning on keeping this guitar forever, I highly recommend saving for the 65.

[spacecadet]

They're different enough that I wouldn't automatically tell somebody they'd be happy with one if they're happy with the other.

The main difference in terms of playability is the neck. The 65's have a much chunkier neck. It's a very different feel. I thought I liked chunkier necks before I got my AV65, but I find myself playing my 62 a lot more often and I just feel like it's more comfortable for me. The neck on the 65 really fatigues my fingers after a little while. (And I have really big hands! I guess it's just the way I hold the neck, by pressing my thumb against the back of it.)

If you only plan on owning one guitar, then I'm sure you could get used to either one. But if you play other guitars, then I'd advise buying whichever most closely fits in with other guitars you own. For me I just find it really difficult to go back and forth between different neck thicknesses.

Otherwise the 65's have neck binding, different pickups, different shielding, and a thinner finish. They're also much less tinted (they don't look "aged", they're supposed to look like how 65's would have looked when new), and their white plastic parts are lighter too. This is just cosmetic, obviously.

That's about all I remember off the top of my head. I do have both a 62 and 65, if I didn't make that clear before.

[blackbox]

Just save up for a Danocaster and thank me later.

[redchapterjubilee]

Neck profile is different on the AV65 (it's bigger than AVRI) and I feel like the finish on mine is thinner than my AVRI's (not sure if that's really a thing though). I didn't like the pickups on either. If money and availability is an issue the Classic 60s is a near clone of the AVRI for half the cost (provided you like the color). I've heard others say the C60s and the Roadworn JM's have even thinner neck profiles than the AVRI but I don't feel a difference.

[Larsongs]

With a little patience, if you want traditional an AV65, will pop up for about the same as that '62... It did for me last year at Christmas time & it was brand new.

[bluenote23]

If the AVRI 62 has a matching headstock then it should be a Thinskin. It will have a serial number starting with LE. Thinskins have 9.5 inch radius neck profile instead of vintage 7.25 inch and medium frets. They also seem to sell for a premium these days and IBM is one of the hotter colours.

$1700 Cdn for a regular production AVRI 62 would be a little rich for my blood but sounds about right for a Thinskin.

I have one in Shell Pink and it sounds great. No complaints here but I have not played an AV65 so I cannot compare.

[spacecadet]

If the AVRI 62 has a matching headstock then it should be a Thinskin.

Not all of them are. There were various special runs and also the Yamano guitars. Though it might be possible to know by color if it's a TS or not. I'm not sure about IBM. But there are definitely CAR, LPB and maybe other colors that have matching headstocks and are not ThinSkins.

[sunburster]

I prefer the AV65 for Jags and the AVRI62 for Jazzmasters.

[Despot]

As others have said, the most immediate difference comes in the cosmetics - the D&B neck and witch hat knobs on a white guard, as opposed to strat knobs on parchment (or tort) with an unbound neck.

The neck will be slimmer on a '62 - more of an oval than a round C. The '65 has a much fuller C shape that I love. Also, the '65 neck is untinted (and looks new) whereas the '62 neck has an age/tint applied to it ... basically it looks a bit more amber, which sort of looks how old Jazzmasters look when they've aged... I'm basing this on the colour of the headstock of my own 1962 JM versus the AVRIs I've seen.

The pickups are different. I was never a fan of AVRI pickups - well, the neck was nice ... but the bridge pickup always sounds weak to me. Not a huge issue - stick in a set of Seymour Duncan Antiquity I pickups (which are based on the black bobbin pickups from the early '60s) and you'll be damn close to how a good vintage model sounds.

The '65 AV pickups though ... those are great. I mean ... really great. I've had original CBS era Jazzmasters that don't sound as good as the AV pickups - and I've had a really really good '66 B&B that sounded very close to the AV pickups (the '66 sounded better - but not by much). They're a very different sound to the earlier pickups - much brighter overall. This sort of happened with all of the pickup re-workings in the '60s and the changes were made iirc before CBS - there's a school of thought that says that the added treble was due to Leo losing his top end hearing as he aged but I don't know if that's true or if it was a change aimed to meet the Rickenbacker chime associated with a certain British group from Liverpool. Grey bobbin telecaster pickups are brighter too - as are Jaguar pickups. So they're an accurate reproduction of that sound ... but you've got to want that brighter sound I guess.

The paint is a lot thinner too - AVRIs always seemed to me to have quite thick finishes, even though it's nitro. The AVs will wear a lot easier than AVRIs - I had my gold one for about a year and I babied it ... nevertheless it had a few dings in the finish by the time I sold it that I cannot for the life of me remember causing.

Another consideration ... and ymmv as this is purely based on my own experience ... is weight. AVRIs vary in weight - I've had light ones and heavier ones. Every single AV I've held has been very light to featherweight. The lighter ones tend to come from the initial run of production (and I've always held that Fender used the best of wood in that first run to give the model a good reputation).

Both are great guitars - and you'll be well served by either. But you're best to consider what you get with each.