Fender American Original Series Electric Guitars and Basses
Classic Design Made New
Originality rejects the norm in search of something better. It’s part of the Fender heritage, and it lives on in the American Original Series. These “best-of-the-decade” versions of our most iconic instruments are updated to be even more playable for the modern musician.
Period-Accurate Pickups
American Original instruments offer specially voiced pickups crafted for the authentic sound and performance of specific model years. We used original-era construction techniques and materials to recreate vintage-style Fender tone.
Era-Specific Neck Profiles
Every curve and line of the necks are accurate to the historic originals. Sculpted for a vintage-style playing feel, we even used period-accurate techniques to carve and attach the fingerboards. They’re comfortable and ideal for any playing style.
Nitrocellulose Lacquer Finish
American Original instruments feature one of the great original-era Fender electric guitar finishes— a lacquer finish. Lets the wood “breathe” naturally with resonant tone and ages in a distinctively appealing way.
American Original Telecaster®
Check out the ‘50s Telecaster demo featuring Jaleel Bunton of Tv on the Radio
AMERICAN ORIGINAL ‘50s TELECASTER®
The ultimate blue-collar guitar, the Telecaster launched a musical revolution when we released it. Quickly adopted by working guitarists who were enamored with its trend-setting sound, feel and unique style, the Telecaster laid the foundation for modern country, blues and even heavy metal. The American Original ‘50s Telecaster has all of the authentic Fender touches that made the Telecaster a star of the studio and stage, adding modern feel and pickup switching to this classic guitar.
- Ash body with lacquer finish
- Two Pure Vintage ‘52 single-coil Telecaster pickups
- Thick "U”-shaped neck profile; 9.5”-radius fingerboard
AMERICAN ORIGINAL ‘60s TELECASTER®
One of the most versatile guitars ever created, the Telecaster is easily at home in any genre, thanks to its flexible sound, alluring style and smooth playing feel. In 1960, we offered rosewood as the standard fingerboard wood and launched the Telecaster Custom, an elegant model with a double-bound body and 3-ply pickguard. The American Original ‘60s Telecaster combines period-accurate sound and style from this electrifying decade with modern feel and pickup switching.
- Alder body with lacquer finish
- Two Pure Vintage ‘64 single-coil Telecaster pickups
- “Mid-60s C”-shaped neck profile; 9.5”-radius fingerboard
AMERICAN ORIGINAL ‘60s TELECASTER® THINLINE
Beloved by country and rock players alike for its semi-hollow warmth, rounder twang and elegant appearance, the Tele Thinline is a classic in its own right. The American Original 60s Telecaster Thinline recreates this sophisticated six-string with enhanced playability, including Tim Shaw-designed 60s Telecaster Thinline pickups, 21 Vintage Tall frets and a 9.5” radius for comfort.
- Lightweight semi-hollow ash body for comfort, warmth and resonance
- Period-correct “Medium C”-shaped neck profile
- Nitrocellulose lacquer finish
- Tim Shaw-designed 60s thinline pickups
AMERICAN ORIGINAL '70s TELECASTER® CUSTOM
The American Original ‘70s Telecaster Custom features the first authentic CuNiFe magnet-powered Wide Range pickup in over 40 years, complemented by a calibrated Tim-Shaw-designed ‘70s Telecaster single-coil bridge pickup. Other features include individual volume and tone controls for each pickup, 3-way toggle switch, original-era body radii, vintage-style hardware and a lacquer finish.
- Nitrocellulose lacquer finish
- Authentic CuNiFe wide-range humbucking pickup
- Vintage-accurate body radii
- “Modern C” neck profile with 9.5”-radius fingerboard and vintage-tall frets
American Original Stratocaster®
Check out the ‘50s Stratocaster demo featuring Tyler Bryant of the Tyler Bryant & the Shakedown
AMERICAN ORIGINAL ‘50s STRATOCASTER®
When we released the Stratocaster in 1954, its iconic style, articulate sound and plethora of innovations redefined electric guitar and opened up a brave new world of musical possibilities. The American Original ‘50s Stratocaster maintains Fender’s legendary original-era style and ground-breaking tone, while adding modern feel and pickup switching.
- Ash body with lacquer finish
- Three Pure Vintage ‘59 single-coil Stratocaster pickups
- Thick "Soft V”-shaped neck profile; 9.5”-radius fingerboard
AMERICAN ORIGINAL ‘60s STRATOCASTER®
A period of change, both for Fender and for pop culture as a whole, the 1960s saw the Strat evolve slightly as it grew up. The white pickguard was updated to mint green, and the fingerboard was switched from the original maple to rosewood, adding a smoother note to the Strat’s clear, articulate voice. The American Original ‘60s Stratocaster keeps these refinements intact while adding modern feel and pickup switching to the iconic instrument that helped birth guitar rock as we know it.
- Alder body with lacquer finish
- Three Pure Vintage ‘65 single-coil Stratocaster pickups
- Thick "‘60s C”-shaped neck profile; 9.5”-radius fingerboard
American Original Jazzmaster® & Jaguar®
Check out the ‘60s Jaguar demo featuring Jose Rios of the Free Nationals
AMERICAN ORIGINAL ‘60s JAZZMASTER®
Originally designed to appeal to jazz guitarists with elegant appointments and sophisticated controls, the Jazzmaster found its way into the hands of musical rebels. From surf to punk and indie rock, its flexible sound heralded the call for change and shaped the voice of rebellion. The American Original ‘60s Jazzmaster faithfully recreates the voice and style of this classic guitar, supplementing them with smooth, modern playability.
- Alder body with lacquer finish
- Two Pure Vintage ‘65 single-coil Jazzmaster pickups
- “’60s C”-shaped neck profile; 9.5”-radius round-lam rosewood fingerboard
AMERICAN ORIGINAL ‘60s JAGUAR®
Never resting in our mission to make life better for musicians, we created the short-scale Jaguar guitar in 1962. Originally released as our feature-rich, top-of-the-line electric guitar, it inspired the heroes of the musical underground and hit its stride with surf, punk and alternative guitarists. The American Original ‘60s Jaguar brings that supple sound and slinky playability to life again, slightly tweaked for a modern feel.
- Alder body with lacquer finish
- Two Pure Vintage ‘65 single-coil Jaguar pickups
- Lead/rhythm circuit; bass-cut “strangle” switch
American Original Bass
Check out the ‘60s Jazz Bass demo featuring Annie Clements below
AMERICAN ORIGINAL ‘50s PRECISION BASS®
Few companies can honestly claim to have changed the world like we did when we created the Precision Bass in 1951. By making playing bass easily accessible, it helped musicians find their creative voice and create new forms of music. The American Original ‘50s Precision Bass updates the playability of this groundbreaking instrument while retaining the original sound and style that changed the world.
- Alder body with lacquer finish
- Single Pure Vintage ‘58 split-coil P Bass pickup
- Thick “C”-shaped neck profile; 9.5”-radius fingerboard
AMERICAN ORIGINAL ‘60s PRECISION BASS®
By the 1960s, the Precision Bass was the workhorse electric bass; from the clubs of Detroit to the beaches of Southern California, its tone laid the foundation for modern music. The American Original ‘60s Precision Bass has all of the features with which the P Bass conquered the world of music—elegantly simple, its sound, style and comfort are joined by modern playability.
- Alder body with lacquer finish
- Single Pure Vintage ‘63 split-coil P Bass pickup
- Thick “1963 C”-shaped neck profile; 9.5”-radius fingerboard
AMERICAN ORIGINAL ‘60s JAZZ BASS®
Released in 1960, the upscale Jazz Bass quickly found favor among working bassists thanks to its premium appointments and versatile sound. The narrower neck seemed tailor-made for fast, dexterous playing, while the pair of single-coil pickups added a bold new dimension to Fender bass tone. The American Original ‘60s Jazz Bass has all the tone and style of its earliest incarnation, with modern playability.
- Alder body with lacquer finish
- Two Pure Vintage ‘64 single-coil Jazz Bass pickups
- Slim “’60s C”-shaped neck profile; 9.5”-radius round-lam rosewood fingerboard
AMERICAN ORIGINAL ‘70s JAZZ BASS®
Over the course of the ‘70s, the Jazz Bass entered its “teenage years,” changing its visual style and inspiring new playing techniques—such as slapping—which led directly to new, creative forms of expression. Its smooth feel and growly midrange, tempered with a bit of treble bite, made it a hero in recording sessions around the globe. The American Original ‘70s Jazz Bass updates the smooth playing feel with a modern-radius fingerboard, while retaining the classic Fender tone and style that made the Jazz Bass the tool of choice for creative bassists.
- Ash body with lacquer finish
- Two Pure Vintage ‘75 single-coil Jazz Bass pickups
- Thick “’70s U”-shaped neck profile; 9.5”-radius fingerboard