AV 64 vs CS

[GlasgowCraig]

I’M lucky to have a CS 59 Les Paul, CS 56 Strat and CS 60 Jazz bass. I have never tried a CS Tele because I love my 64 American Vintage and therefore prioritised these others, but the CS guitars are so good that I keep thinking I would find a CS Tele to beat it and that I should try some and do a trade. Just stupid cos money burns a hole in my pocket, or is there a good chance I would find a CS to beat it? I love its pickups, even love the way it loses a bit of paint every time I look at it, but it does feel a bit strange with the 7.25 radius and I keep imagining the CS Teles must be better, just because my CS trio are so good. Advice, please, even though the GAS worm is obviously in my head?!

 

[41144]

Possibly, probably, I wonder, Mmm, perhaps... a 9.5" rad fretboard could improve/offer a new/different take on the superb AV64?

ie Love my AV64, but an AV64 with a 9.5" rad neck would tempt me to try

 

[rze99]

I know where you are coming from.

Might be worth trying one to satisfy your curiosity.

I had Gibson CS guitars first. I can't make Gibson styles, I have no woodworking skills, but I can make Fender styles so I suppose I valued the CS more for Gibsons. And the Gibson CS guitars are better than standards in my experience.

< right there is my avatar and it is my AV 64 which is a beautiful guitar sounds and plays great. No complaints. I bought it used it was a Fender product demonstrator, so the shop told me. About a year later, I bought my CS '63 in Ice Blue, also used. it just came up at a good price. It's an amazing looking guitar. My first Fender CS.

The CS ' 63 is better to play. This is mainly down to 2 or 3 small but noticeable (to me) things, putting a side the cosmetic relicing stuff completely.

1. the neck; profile is 9.5 frets and are bigger and really perfectly finished. The action is a touch lower. Nitro feels nicer more silky. Just a bit easier to play, so it gets played more. The AV 64 is in it's case and has been for a year or so, in part because I want to keep it nice at the moment as it has no chips and the CS 63 is a light relic so who cares if it takes a hit?

2. the notes on the '63 are just more consistent in projection and sustain all the way up the fretboard. Everywhere, it is just more even and the notes kind of bounce off the fretboard more.

3. When I pick it up, I feel immediately at home with it. Whatever makes that up I can't pinpoint. Relicing? feels more worn? it's only a light relic.

I actually had the frets on the '64 worked on - slight compound radius to make them as good as the '63. There was an improvement for lead playing.

The guitars sound pretty much identical plugged in, but the '63 is.. just more inspiring to play, so it gets played more and so is always out nearby ready to grab to record with, along with a few others right next to my amps and DAW. It's the guitar I use as my 60s style Tele benchmark for the ones I make.

Small margins and they might not be worth it at the currently very high prices.


My CS '63

 

[donrichfan]

I’M lucky to have a CS 59 Les Paul, CS 56 Strat and CS 60 Jazz bass. I have never tried a CS Tele because I love my 64 American Vintage and therefore prioritised these others, but the CS guitars are so good that I keep thinking I would find a CS Tele to beat it and that I should try some and do a trade. Just stupid cos money burns a hole in my pocket, or is there a good chance I would find a CS to beat it? I love its pickups, even love the way it loses a bit of paint every time I look at it, but it does feel a bit strange with the 7.25 radius and I keep imagining the CS Teles must be better, just because my CS trio are so good. Advice, please, even though the GAS worm is obviously in my head?!

They’re both great, but different. My AV 64 has the thin neck and great pickups. My CS has a great-feeling compound radius and superb 51 nocasters.
The custom shop tele is a great guitar and I love playing it. Go ahead and take the plunge, you won’t regret it. You already have cs guitars, so you know how good they are.

 

[GlasgowCraig]

I know where you are coming from.

Might be worth trying one to satisfy your curiosity.

I had Gibson CS guitars first. I can't make Gibson styles, I have no woodworking skills, but I can make Fender styles so I suppose I valued the CS more for Gibsons. And the Gibson CS guitars are better than standards in my experience.

< right there is my avatar and it is my AV 64 which is a beautiful guitar sounds and plays great. No complaints. I bought it used it was a Fender product demonstrator, so the shop told me. About a year later, I bought my CS '63 in Ice Blue, also used. it just came up at a good price. It's an amazing looking guitar. My first Fender CS.

The CS ' 63 is better to play. This is mainly down to 2 or 3 small but noticeable (to me) things, putting a side the cosmetic relicing stuff completely.

1. the neck; profile is 9.5 frets and are bigger and really perfectly finished. The action is a touch lower. Nitro feels nicer more silky. Just a bit easier to play, so it gets played more. The AV 64 is in it's case and has been for a year or so, in part because I want to keep it nice at the moment as it has no chips and the CS 63 is a light relic so who cares if it takes a hit?

2. the notes on the '63 are just more consistent in projection and sustain all the way up the fretboard. Everywhere, it is just more even and the notes kind of bounce off the fretboard more.

3. When I pick it up, I feel immediately at home with it. Whatever makes that up I can't pinpoint. Relicing? feels more worn? it's only a light relic.

I actually had the frets on the '64 worked on - slight compound radius to make them as good as the '63. There was an improvement for lead playing.

The guitars sound pretty much identical plugged in, but the '63 is.. just more inspiring to play, so it gets played more and so is always out nearby ready to grab to record with, along with a few others right next to my amps and DAW. It's the guitar I use as my 60s style Tele benchmark for the ones I make.

Small margins and they might not be worth it at the currently very high prices.


My CS '63

Very nice! This has increased the thoughts . . .

 

[donrichfan]

Very nice! This has increased the thoughts . . .

Sorry to be the instigator. Here’s one more.

 

[Mekhem]

As mentioned - Maybe? I have been a huge fan of the 2012+ AV series and that 64 Tele is a great model but a CS may have a feature or two that might hit better so it really depends.

I currently have a CS tele custom and previously had an AV64 and the CS to me is just a little better - for whatever reason it just feels and sounds a little more broken in which suits me. But to be fair... its a "little" better not 2k better so I am lucky I was able to get a pretty good deal on my CS.

Two places where the CS really excels - pickups and the really wide variation of possible pickup installations to suit and the fit and finish is just that much better on a CS model (not that they don't have their duds...just fewer of them)

 

[KCJonez]

I love the 2012+ AV series
Get the CS but don’t lost the 64

 

[Minivan Megafun]

Possibly, probably, I wonder, Mmm, perhaps... a 9.5" rad fretboard could improve/offer a new/different take on the superb AV64?

ie Love my AV64, but an AV64 with a 9.5" rad neck would tempt me to try

You mean the AO60's?

 

[VillainSean]

Well, as we all know "better" is completely subjective. That said, I do like the variety of FCS teles I have/owned/played/traded over the years. You may be able to find one with the same pickups, or you can find one the pickups and have them installed.

And BTW I dig that you mentioned "even love the way it loses a bit of paint every time I look at it", I have a couple that do this as well.

 

[burntfrijoles]

I have never tried a CS Tele because I love my 64 American Vintage

Keep your AV64. I currently have the CS NOS 63 in my sig photo and I sold my AV64 years ago. It was a hard decision at the time and, being perfectly honest, I could have kept the 64 and been just as happy. The differences were negligible.

 

[proxy]

I know where you are coming from.

Might be worth trying one to satisfy your curiosity.

I had Gibson CS guitars first. I can't make Gibson styles, I have no woodworking skills, but I can make Fender styles so I suppose I valued the CS more for Gibsons. And the Gibson CS guitars are better than standards in my experience.

< right there is my avatar and it is my AV 64 which is a beautiful guitar sounds and plays great. No complaints. I bought it used it was a Fender product demonstrator, so the shop told me. About a year later, I bought my CS '63 in Ice Blue, also used. it just came up at a good price. It's an amazing looking guitar. My first Fender CS.

The CS ' 63 is better to play. This is mainly down to 2 or 3 small but noticeable (to me) things, putting a side the cosmetic relicing stuff completely.

1. the neck; profile is 9.5 frets and are bigger and really perfectly finished. The action is a touch lower. Nitro feels nicer more silky. Just a bit easier to play, so it gets played more. The AV 64 is in it's case and has been for a year or so, in part because I want to keep it nice at the moment as it has no chips and the CS 63 is a light relic so who cares if it takes a hit?

2. the notes on the '63 are just more consistent in projection and sustain all the way up the fretboard. Everywhere, it is just more even and the notes kind of bounce off the fretboard more.

3. When I pick it up, I feel immediately at home with it. Whatever makes that up I can't pinpoint. Relicing? feels more worn? it's only a light relic.

I actually had the frets on the '64 worked on - slight compound radius to make them as good as the '63. There was an improvement for lead playing.

The guitars sound pretty much identical plugged in, but the '63 is.. just more inspiring to play, so it gets played more and so is always out nearby ready to grab to record with, along with a few others right next to my amps and DAW. It's the guitar I use as my 60s style Tele benchmark for the ones I make.

Small margins and they might not be worth it at the currently very high prices.


My CS '63

Very thoughtful post and this is basically the response I started forming in my head.

 

[Fenderdad1950]

Three is a bad luck number to have, add another just to be safe

 

[NickFisher]

I’M lucky to have a CS 59 Les Paul, CS 56 Strat and CS 60 Jazz bass. I have never tried a CS Tele because I love my 64 American Vintage and therefore prioritised these others, but the CS guitars are so good that I keep thinking I would find a CS Tele to beat it and that I should try some and do a trade. Just stupid cos money burns a hole in my pocket, or is there a good chance I would find a CS to beat it? I love its pickups, even love the way it loses a bit of paint every time I look at it, but it does feel a bit strange with the 7.25 radius and I keep imagining the CS Teles must be better, just because my CS trio are so good. Advice, please, even though the GAS worm is obviously in my head?!

You have a great collection! So far I have only PBass, I hope someday I will also collect several guitars that I dream about.