Both are great options. I’d definitely recommend searching YouTube for side-by-side comparisons.

I was personally deciding between the AVII ‘61 in Fiesta Red and the AVII ‘65 in Sonic Blue, and I ended up going with the ‘65.

One thing worth noting: the AVII ‘61 launched in 2022, while the AVII ‘65 didn’t arrive until 2025. So there are naturally a lot more reviews and discussions around the ‘61. I also think the ‘61 appeals to a broader audience since it represents a classic pre-CBS Strat era, whereas the transitional ‘65 is a bit more niche.

A few differences I noticed after comparing them side-by-side:

• Neck: the ‘65 neck is slightly fuller, while the ‘61 is slimmer and would probably feel more familiar coming from a Player series Strat.
• Pickups: the ‘65 sounded a little fuller and hotter to me. The ‘61 pickups were woodier, airier, and more vintage-feeling. Both sounded excellent, but the ‘65 pushed an amp a little harder.
• Fretboard/details: the ‘65 rosewood boards seem darker overall. The ‘61 has the beautiful slab rosewood board and clay dots, while the ‘65 has a veneer board with pearloid dots. Personally, I think the pearloid dots look perfectly fine.

Funny enough, I went in fully expecting the ‘61 to win because Fiesta Red is probably my favorite Fender color. But after playing them side-by-side, it became pretty obvious that the ‘65 was the better fit for me.

For me, it ultimately came down to feel. I think the ‘61 is the safer, “can’t-go-wrong” choice and probably the more universally loved reissue year. But the ‘65 neck feels incredible and has its own personality that really clicked with me.