Fender Jazzmaster - Educate Me Please...

Wazmeister

Ok, I've (would you believe) never played a Jazzmaster, or Jaguar for that matter...

I'd like an alternative to my Masterbuilt Strat, and fancy one of these...

I have got a fair chunk of cash too, love the relics at Coda @DougCoda ;

What are your thoughts, recommends and yes, top tips ?    

Cheers,

Waz

stickyfiddle

They're great, but you need to understand that they aren't a Strat and embrace that fact. Most of us ignore the rhythm circuit and then it's just a simple 3-way toggle and vol + tone controls. 

Anything CS will be great. If looking at anything else then you might want to replace pickups, but st that level you're golden. 

Dont get black or CAR. Metallic 60's custom colours are the best

Gagaryn

I've got a CS Relic JM, used to have a Thin Skin AVRI. The CS is streets ahead of the AVRI, it's got a 9.5" radius fingerboard for starters which helps.

I've had to make some changes though, the standard bridges have issues - if you play hard strings can move, even with heavyish flatwounds like I use. I fitted a Staytrem which is a big improvement - I've not tried a Mastery so can't comment but Staytrem looks better! :-) I fitted a Staytrem arm too as the original flopped out of reach - the Staytrem arm has an improved collet which means it stays where you put it. 

I changed the pickups too, I'm pretty sure the CS had the same pickups as the AVRI although it did sound a bit better but I'm putting that down to better wood - the CS is noticeably lighter. Mojo make great JM pickups which is what I have now, they have more body than the AVRI pickups and are less icepicky fully open.

I've not tried the current USA JMs though, I know they have different pickups but can't comment on them. I'd go CS if you have the cash but be prepared to make some changes - if you are like me that is likely to be the case with any guitar.

stickyfiddle

Ooohhh....

Lebarque

I absolutely love the look, but Jazzers always feel unwieldy to me. The lower frets feel further away than on strats/Teles. The pickups are an acquired taste too. Great if you wanna play surf, but anything else..hmmm. I'm sure many will disagree. Shorter scale Jags feel more comfortable and natural to me (unless you have huge fingers). Maybe because I'm a strat man. The shorter scale gives them their own plinky sound, which again is cool, but not massively versatile IMO. When all's said and done, there's a reason why strats and teles are more popular. When I go back to playing a strat after playing offsets it just feels like the pinnacle of design and sound. If I could only have one Fender, it would be a strat. But Jazzmasters and Jaguars do look so frickin' cool that I'm tempted to get a Jag too, for something a bit different.

Ps. It says on Mojo pickups website that his favourite guitars are Jaguars, and I guess he knows a bit about tone!

Whitecat

If you go to Coda compare the JMs against the Novo Serus J, the BilT Relevator LS and the K-Lines they have there too. I prefer the boutique stuff, but YMMV obviously. 

Wazmeister

stickyfiddle said:

Ooohhh....

Don't think I haven't seen this mate !!

dindude

I've got a '65 AVRI Jaguar. I would never have previously considered it as one of the only 3 electrics I've got but I love it, it's become a cliche but it reallly does make you think and play differently. On an off day you pick up and think it's impossible - high action (due to the 7.25 radius on mine), thick strings, short on sustain compared to some guitars, weak pickups. You really have to make it work but when you do the are some real riches in there.

I embrace all the quirky switching too, theres a wealth of sounds to be had.

GavRichList

@Wazmeister are you going to the Leicester thing? 

Teyeplayer

+1 on the absolute necessity of the Staytrem mods.

Personally a good set of jm pickups are hard to beat as they have as much jangle as a Ricky or gretsch with just that wonderful something else, it's almost a natural chorus in the mid position-though you may need to upgrade from the fender pickups.

Unfortunately, I also find the positioning of the body-neck throws me and have realised I'm more tele or lester guy, it's a pity as they look great.

Would be very interested to try the various offsets by Bilt and the like that are currently fixing some of the nuances that put folks off. 

impmann

GavRichList said:

@Wazmeister are you going to the Leicester thing? 

I was going to ask that - I could bring my Partcaster Jazzmaster. Or Jag.

i wouldn't agree with some of the comments - the pickups are great and sound magnificent for all sorts. Death metal may be a challenge though... what you have to remember is it has a toppy sound with depth and low end - so the tone control really comes into play, much like a Tele.

Im not a fan of the original bridge - I have Mastery bridges on both my Jag and Jazzmaster. The Staytrem is great and gives a sound closer to the original. But I prefer the sound of the Mastery and it's solidity.

stickyfiddle

Lebarque said:

I absolutely love the look, but Jazzers always feel unwieldy to me. The lower frets feel further away than on strats/Teles. The pickups are an acquired taste too. Great if you wanna play surf, but anything else..hmmm. I'm sure many will disagree. Shorter scale Jags feel more comfortable and natural to me (unless you have huge fingers). Maybe because I'm a strat man. The shorter scale gives them their own plinky sound, which again is cool, but not massively versatile IMO. When all's said and done, there's a reason why strats and teles are more popular. When I go back to playing a strat after playing offsets it just feels like the pinnacle of design and sound. If I could only have one Fender, it would be a strat. But Jazzmasters and Jaguars do look so frickin' cool that I'm tempted to get a Jag too, for something a bit different.

Ps. It says on Mojo pickups website that his favourite guitars are Jaguars, and I guess he knows a bit about tone!

Disagreeing!! 

Theyre rubbish for the kind of classic rock you'd use a Les Paul for, but excellent for other kinds of heavy stuff, weird alt Sonic Youth, or punk-tinged Gaslight Anthem, and they're my favourite guitar for clean tones (or maybe joint first with an SG, but great either way.

Wazmeister

GavRichList said:

@Wazmeister are you going to the Leicester thing? 

I know not of this Leicester thing ?! Please enlighten me...

GavRichList

Wazmeister said:

GavRichList said:

@Wazmeister are you going to the Leicester thing? 

I know not of this Leicester thing ?! Please enlighten me...

The top of page one on here! Though that does somewhat answer the question

jellybelly

stickyfiddle said:

Lebarque said:

I absolutely love the look, but Jazzers always feel unwieldy to me. The lower frets feel further away than on strats/Teles. The pickups are an acquired taste too. Great if you wanna play surf, but anything else..hmmm. I'm sure many will disagree. Shorter scale Jags feel more comfortable and natural to me (unless you have huge fingers). Maybe because I'm a strat man. The shorter scale gives them their own plinky sound, which again is cool, but not massively versatile IMO. When all's said and done, there's a reason why strats and teles are more popular. When I go back to playing a strat after playing offsets it just feels like the pinnacle of design and sound. If I could only have one Fender, it would be a strat. But Jazzmasters and Jaguars do look so frickin' cool that I'm tempted to get a Jag too, for something a bit different.

Ps. It says on Mojo pickups website that his favourite guitars are Jaguars, and I guess he knows a bit about tone!

Disagreeing!! 

Theyre rubbish for the kind of classic rock you'd use a Les Paul for, but excellent for other kinds of heavy stuff, weird alt Sonic Youth, or punk-tinged Gaslight Anthem, and they're my favourite guitar for clean tones (or maybe joint first with an SG, but great either way.

Also disagreeing - with 250k pots my Jazzmaster is a wonderfully diverse sounding guitar. Neck (Antiquity A2) is halfway between a strat (clear) and a p90 (a little more grunt and mids) but smoother than either. Bridge is a Mojo overwound A3 and is a wonderfully aggressive pickup that can absolutely do the classic rock thing but has a percussive thing going on that's hard to describe. Both together is wonderfully balanced. If I went down to one guitar, it would be my Jazzmaster, no doubt 

A jaguar probably has more 'recognisable' fender tones but again a different vein. If it's any help, my AV65 Jag is the balls - an AV guitar would be a great investment to dip your toe in. I'd be very jealous if you paraded that dark blue jazzed around these parts though...

jellybelly

Also pickup props to Oil City - my A5 jag set are a several order's of magnitude better than the stock AV65s...

GavRichList

Mojo pickups definitely the way to go on a JM. Have had two sets and they're both exceptional- significantly nicer sounding than the set of SD Antiquity 1s I had, and leagues above stock. 

Having just spent the bank holiday in a rather wonderful studio though, my Jaguar just has has that undefinable X-Factor on record. The JM has also been heavily used, but the jag is the real wow when tracking. Of course, it's a pretty special Jaguar... 

Bucket

If you're going to Coda, please pull the trigger on that sparkle surfburst one so I can stop torturing myself by playing it, and wanting it, every time I go in there.

Jazzmasters sound incredible - the pickups are such a great-sounding design. Playability-wise, they're an acquired taste.

PVO_Dave

Don't fancy a self build @Wazmeister ?

With talented people like GSPBASSES and Lamf68 combined with Mojo and Oil City Pickups, you can have one to your own spec. 

All going well with UPS, I'll be posting up some pictures of something pretty special using the people above to give you some inspiration. 

Gagaryn

PVO_Dave said:

Don't fancy a self build @Wazmeister ?

With talented people like GSPBASSES and Lamf68 combined with Mojo and Oil City Pickups, you can have one to your own spec. 

All going well with UPS, I'll be posting up some pictures of something pretty special using the people above to give you some inspiration. 

If I was buying today, I'd be tempted by this route. :-)

stickyfiddle

Gagaryn said:

PVO_Dave said:

Don't fancy a self build @Wazmeister ?

With talented people like GSPBASSES and Lamf68 combined with Mojo and Oil City Pickups, you can have one to your own spec. 

All going well with UPS, I'll be posting up some pictures of something pretty special using the people above to give you some inspiration. 

If I was buying today, I'd be tempted by this route. :-)

I can vouch for this option (well, MJT/Musikraft, but the same concept). Though you need to be super confident in terms of what spec you want, which is very tricky for a first-time buyer, especially when you're talking offsets rather than a Tele!

But when it works it's awesome...