AO Series Discontinued

Discussion of newer designs, copies and reissue offset-waist instruments.
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guitarsammy
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Re: AO Series Discontinued

Post by guitarsammy » Fri Nov 05, 2021 1:42 pm

I'll admit the AO 'burst wasn't great. But the other colours were really nice and I'm surprised people are complaining (I thought OTM and IBM were two of the most lusted-after custom colours here on OSG?).

I have the OTM, and the non-matching headstock really works with the tort guard. Stick some better tort on it (in this case, with mine, it's a Lavaguard) and you're set:

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Mechanical Birds
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Re: AO Series Discontinued

Post by Mechanical Birds » Sat Nov 06, 2021 5:23 am

It’d be dope if they’d finally do a 66 Jaguar

Seriously want this worse than anything

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Re: AO Series Discontinued

Post by soundslikework » Sat Nov 06, 2021 5:44 am

I really like the look of the AO’s, I just found OTM and Ice Blue aren’t for me (EDIT and I’ve never been a sunburst fan. Jeez now I sound picky ha ha) Burgundy Mist, Charcoal Frost, Sherwood Green, even black and white… I was all set to order an AO at the start of the pandemic, but found out they’d discontinued Olympic White a few months before. I hope in the next series they do more than 3 colors. I’m sure that’s a question of scale of production, and therefore unlikely, but still.

For me the best part of the AO line was the specs. I’m not married to a 9.5” radius but it would be an adjustment to get used to 7.25”. Actually, having never played one, the posts talking about how thick the neck is supposed to be are really interesting; I definitely prefer a thinner neck so maybe it’s just as well I was never able to get ahold of one, ha ha ha.

The post about the 70’s ones has me thinking now though… I’d love to see a Jazzmaster done up like they used to do the Mustangs in the 70’s - walnut finish, black pickguard, maybe if they stayed with the AO “mashup” philosophy a maple neck with block inlays and binding… Oof that’d be an instant purchase for me.

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Re: AO Series Discontinued

Post by guitarsammy » Sun Nov 07, 2021 3:26 am

guitarsammy wrote:
Fri Nov 05, 2021 1:42 pm
I'll admit the AO 'burst wasn't great. But the other colours were really nice and I'm surprised people are complaining (I thought OTM and IBM were two of the most lusted-after custom colours here on OSG?).

I have the OTM, and the non-matching headstock really works with the tort guard. Stick some better tort on it (in this case, with mine, it's a Lavaguard) and you're set:
PS - his hasn't got binding, and it's probably LPB rather than OTM, but it's close enough. And if it's good enough for him:

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zip73
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Re: AO Series Discontinued

Post by zip73 » Sun Nov 07, 2021 11:55 am

Maggieo wrote:
Fri Nov 05, 2021 9:51 am
I wanna see some 70s JMs and Jags, but with excellent workmanship this time.
What, no quarter inch thick paint, boat anchor wood or oversized neck pockets?? And don’t forget the incredible color palette of the era such as sunburst, walnut and the ever popular antigua. The AV reissue line has always endeavored to recreate specs true to the originals (although, in the interest of righting past wrongs, they could bring the legendary 3-bolt neck concept over to the offsets).

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Re: AO Series Discontinued

Post by Maggieo » Sun Nov 07, 2021 2:34 pm

zip73 wrote:
Sun Nov 07, 2021 11:55 am
Maggieo wrote:
Fri Nov 05, 2021 9:51 am
I wanna see some 70s JMs and Jags, but with excellent workmanship this time.
What, no quarter inch thick paint, boat anchor wood or oversized neck pockets?? And don’t forget the incredible color palette of the era such as sunburst, walnut and the ever popular antigua. The AV reissue line has always endeavored to recreate specs true to the originals (although, in the interest of righting past wrongs, they could bring the legendary 3-bolt neck concept over to the offsets).
Offsets never had 3-bolt necks. Yeah, sunburst and walnut suck...

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Re: AO Series Discontinued

Post by Powdered Toast Man » Sun Nov 14, 2021 6:58 am

I've spoken to a shop that told me they just got two AO JM's and they are the last ones Fender will be sending them. The AO series is done.

Wonder if Fender will relaunch it as AO-II or if they'll just continue to expand the Vintera line and that's the end of USA made "reissue" lines.

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Re: AO Series Discontinued

Post by zenarcade » Sun Nov 14, 2021 8:05 am

Would be cool if they would be finally doing a Blocks and Binding Jm. I mean we had the 62s and since then only the 65s and OAs with binding...One can hope at least. :)

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Re: AO Series Discontinued

Post by philshield » Sun Nov 14, 2021 11:51 am

Powdered Toast Man wrote:
Sun Nov 14, 2021 6:58 am
I've spoken to a shop that told me they just got two AO JM's and they are the last ones Fender will be sending them. The AO series is done.

Wonder if Fender will relaunch it as AO-II or if they'll just continue to expand the Vintera line and that's the end of USA made "reissue" lines.

Damn I don't know what to do, the AO OTM ticks a lot of boxes but not sure whether to wait and see what they replace it with
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Re: AO Series Discontinued

Post by Mechanical Birds » Sun Nov 14, 2021 12:24 pm

FENDER FTLOG PLEASE I WILL BUY ONE OF EACH UPON RELEASE IF YOU’D DO A LEGIT 1966 REISSUE JAGUAR AND JAZZMASTER

LPB, black, Fiesta Red and sunburst for the Jaguar
Sea foam green, Sherwood Green, Dakota Red and burst for the Jazzmaster

I’d probably legit give every piece of gear I own for one of each of these and I have some pretty offensively expensive shit

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Re: AO Series Discontinued

Post by bessieboporbach » Sun Nov 14, 2021 12:30 pm

Powdered Toast Man wrote:
Sun Nov 14, 2021 6:58 am
I've spoken to a shop that told me they just got two AO JM's and they are the last ones Fender will be sending them. The AO series is done.

Wonder if Fender will relaunch it as AO-II or if they'll just continue to expand the Vintera line and that's the end of USA made "reissue" lines.
I know less than nothing, but I seriously, seriously doubt Fender would look at the state of the current market and determine that there is no money to be made on a $2500-3,000 USA production reissue model. I would eat my hat.

I have to assume that the AO series will be reincarnated in 2022 with a 20-30% price increase, the word "Vintage" in the name, and some small element that makes them the tiniest bit more "correct" (perhaps the fretboard radius).

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Re: AO Series Discontinued

Post by JSett » Sun Nov 14, 2021 12:31 pm

Mechanical Birds wrote:
Sun Nov 14, 2021 12:24 pm
FENDER FTLOG PLEASE I WILL BUY ONE OF EACH UPON RELEASE IF YOU’D DO A LEGIT 1966 REISSUE JAGUAR AND JAZZMASTER

LPB, black, Fiesta Red and sunburst for the Jaguar
Sea foam green, Sherwood Green, Dakota Red and burst for the Jazzmaster

I’d probably legit give every piece of gear I own for one of each of these and I have some pretty offensively expensive shit
I'd defintely buy a '66 reissue Jag, as long as the blocks are correct, they have matching headstocks, and OTM or BMM pleasethankyoubye!
Silly Rabbit, don't you know scooped mids are for kids?

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Re: AO Series Discontinued

Post by Wucan » Mon Nov 15, 2021 8:23 am

I see a local store selling a B-Stock AO Jaguar for 1.9K CAD, or around 1.5K USD. Worth checking it out?

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Re: AO Series Discontinued

Post by Mondaysoutar » Mon Nov 15, 2021 9:36 am

Wucan wrote:
Mon Nov 15, 2021 8:23 am
I see a local store selling a B-Stock AO Jaguar for 1.9K CAD, or around 1.5K USD. Worth checking it out?
I’d say so man, for what that’s worth. I’ve played an AO Jag a couple of times and they’re great guitars I think. The AO range generally, I’ve been pretty impressed with, I love my AO JM too. The price is only going to keep going upwards, discontinuing or not discontinuing.

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Re: AO Series Discontinued

Post by JSett » Mon Nov 15, 2021 10:14 am

Wucan wrote:
Mon Nov 15, 2021 8:23 am
I see a local store selling a B-Stock AO Jaguar for 1.9K CAD, or around 1.5K USD. Worth checking it out?
I can only speak for the AO Tele I just bought but it's fit and finish is spotless. A really nicely made instrument.
Silly Rabbit, don't you know scooped mids are for kids?

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