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AVRI JM price seems to range from $2,200-2800. I just came back to guitar this year after stopping around 2012, so I don't know if the prices on the AVRI JM's have been rising over the years or if it's just pandemic pricing. For you AVRI owners how fair/insane do you think the current prices are? What do you think a fair price is? I know worth is subjective and fair is whatever the market is willing to pay, but I'd still like to hear your opinions. Also wondering if you think price will ever come back down or if they will only climb from here.

I do have a Classic 60's JM that I really like, which I understand is very close to an AVRI and thought it would kick my GAS for one, but you know how that goes. Plus I'm wanting to try out a bunch of different JM models across the board, but those AVRI prices though.

AVRIs are great. AV65s are even better, in my opinion. Yes, the entire guitar market has risen tremendously during the pandemic.

Like you say, there are no real criteria for determining if they're currently "worth it." It depends how badly you want one, how much you like it, how much money you have, and what alternatives you're considering.

No, I don't think prices will ever meaningfully come down. We are witnessing record levels of inflation, and supply chains have been disrupted that will probably take years to re-equilibrate. The prices of new Fenders have been jacked up steadily and they can't keep them in stock. That lack of supply, steady demand, and inflation means that the alternative to new Fenders - used Fenders - have climbed along with them.

I don't think this rate of price increases will continue forever, and if the overall economy nosedives dramatically, maybe more people will want to sell and fewer will want to buy, but I think we are seeing the effects of lots of people getting into guitar as an activity they can do at home, so I do think we have had an influx of players who will keep demand relatively strong.

I think that they aren't making any more of them, and general economic indicators suggest that there's no giant crash in guitar prices coming, so if you really want one, just get it if you can justify the expense to yourself.

If you're looking for bang for your buck though, and want a vintage spec JM with a nitro finish, track down the MIM Classic Lacquer. Are people really asking up to $2800 USD for an AVRI? There's a Classic Lacquer local to me asking the equivalent of like $850. I could not pretend the AVRI is worth 3x as much in performance or features, but price:performance is only one way to look at the value of a guitar.

AVRI guitars are great, I still own a Telecaster from that series as well as a Jazzmaster. I also used to own a Jaguar and a Strat from that series as well. You could say I'm a big fan.

And no, they aren't worth $2200 and certainly not $2800.

Are they really selling for that much? Mostly I'm just not seeing AVRI's for sale all that often. I wouldn't pay $2200+ for one, but they are my favorite guitar of all the consumer level reissues Fender has run. I have three of them. AV65's compare favorably (just with a different neck profile and stock pickups) but those are also out of production. If I were amassing Jazzmasters now instead of 10 years ago I'd likely have an AO or one of the Am Pro II's.

If I can afford to get a guitar I like, in a color I like, and I'm going to love it and play it a ton, then it's worth it. If I want to get that same guitar in a color I'm okay with and it's just going to go into my guitar rotation and be played occasionally (for the exact same price) then it's not worth it.

It doesn't matter what hindsight might tell you. We'd all be rich if we could do that stuff. Don't let the expert bargain hunters depress you too much either; the internet is full of tales of people finding guitar x for hundreds or thousands less than their normal price. If you can get a great guitar into your hands for the going rate it will all be worth it.

At the time I was last hunting for one, they were going for between $900 and $1100 CAD. Two things prevented me from buying one then: 7.25" radius, and I couldn't find an ocean turquoise which is the only finish I was interested in. Certainly not worth double that or more (to me) given all the aftermarket options these days. Never did like plastic binding or matching headstocks, so the later series, in combo with a huge price increase, never appealed to me. AVRIs had a nice weight, finish and feel to them though.

Brand new American JM’s MAP Prices range from $1400 to $2100 for Production built USA Guitars. Excludes CS & FSR’s… I’m sure there is one of those that would be a great Guitar.

Prices are still negotiable & 15% - 20% discounts are doable…

That would be the route I’d be taking & I own xlnt AV65 JM & Jag…

Just buy an AO. They're better guitars than the AVRI and are the same thing as the AV series with the exception of the 9.5" radius neck.

Powdered Toast Man wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 13, 2021 10:28 am

Just buy an AO. They're better guitars than the AVRI and are the same thing as the AV series with the exception of the 9.5" radius neck.

Would you say that applies to all AVRI guitars? I was looking around for an AVRI 62 Tele (a fan of that double bound body) and was surprised to see how high the prices are ($2300-2700) for used one examples. The AO 60's has pretty much everything I would want and would be new. Of course this is a bit different for the JM AOs since they seem to have taken more liberties with cosmetics I think.

redchapterjubilee wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 13, 2021 5:11 am

Are they really selling for that much?

Aren't most guitars selling for inflated prices these days? I have an AVRI & it is a great guitar but I wouldn't pay $2000+ for it. But then again, I wouldn't pay that for any guitar except maybe a vintage one.

Sold listings between EBay and reverb say $1600 to $3000 depending on color and upgrades. I did pay $1600 for one in 2018 but it was fiesta red and I wanted one that color really bad and they only ran those for one year, in 1999. Someone paid $2900 for a ‘99 in fiesta over the summer. Oof.

Larry Mal wrote: ↑

Sun Sep 12, 2021 5:36 pm

AVRI guitars are great, I still own a Telecaster from that series as well as a Jazzmaster. I also used to own a Jaguar and a Strat from that series as well. You could say I'm a big fan.

And no, they aren't worth $2200 and certainly not $2800.

+1

You could build out a better guitar for that. Or, you could find much better quality for that elsewhere. For the most part, the AVRIs are good. But, the one I had was not anything to write home about. Kindof run of the mill in terms of American fender quality. Although it wasn’t bad, I do not regret seeing it go. The jm I had was heavy as lead. $2200 for one will not get you that price in terms of quality and definitely not $2800.

Dave's has a bunch of '62 surf green thinskin JMs brand new for $2200. They are basically AVRIs with matching headstocks. They are sold out of the fiesta and sonic blue ones though.

https://davesguitar.com/products/fender ... urf-green/

The thinskins are slightly different. 9.5 radius and taller frets, as well as the thinner finish. Right now Fender doesn't make a JM as close to vintage as either the AVRI 62 or AV65 outside of the Custom Shop and that's one of the factors driving prices.

kamillebidan wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 13, 2021 10:53 am

Powdered Toast Man wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 13, 2021 10:28 am

Just buy an AO. They're better guitars than the AVRI and are the same thing as the AV series with the exception of the 9.5" radius neck.

Would you say that applies to all AVRI guitars? I was looking around for an AVRI 62 Tele (a fan of that double bound body) and was surprised to see how high the prices are ($2300-2700) for used one examples. The AO 60's has pretty much everything I would want and would be new. Of course this is a bit different for the JM AOs since they seem to have taken more liberties with cosmetics I think.

Yes, the AVRI (pre-2012) are not as good as the AV (12-17) or AO (18-present). The entire American Vintage line was redone from the ground up and relaunched in 2012. The AO series is the same parts and pieces as the preceding AV series with just a few tweaks to the specs like the 9.5" neck radius and the fret wire (both of which are basically Custom Shop specs).

I have an AO60's Tele and it blows away my 2008 AVRI 52 Tele. Everything is just a step up. The AO60's Tele in particular is the best guitar I've ever laid hands on. It's all the parts from the AV64 except they added body binding (to make it a Tele Custom) and the 9.5" fretboard radius and taller fret wire.