Any love for Fender road worn (Jazzmaster)?

Lebarque

Called into my local PMT to try a few Jazzmasters today. Despite its small frets, I really liked the 60s road worn Jazzmaster. The pickups sounded great and the worn finish felt like a comfy old friend. I much preferred it to the American Pro I also tried, whose pickups I really didn't rate at all.

I was thinking about building a partscaster  Jazzer, but this had got me thinking. Any love for road worns out there?

JDE

Great guitars. Have you ever played one of the Classic Lacquer series? 

Lebarque

JDE said:

Great guitars. Have you ever played one of the Classic Lacquer series? 

No. How do they compare?

JezWynd

Lebarque said:

JDE said:

Great guitars. Have you ever played one of the Classic Lacquer series? 

No. How do they compare?

Having had a Telecaster in both series, I'd say the Road Worn is superior. The Classic Lacquer model is lacquer over a poly coat, while the Road Worn (at least the one I had) was a very thin nitro on bare wood (may have had a sealer coat or something but very thin). Both were very nice guitars but the Road Worn was more immediately comfortable, like an old pair of slippers, whereas the Classic Laquer model needed a few months to break in the neck.

grungebob

I’d echo above. The road worns I’ve owned have all been great guitars. Very resonant and instantly playable. The laquer series smell nice and that’s all the positives I can give them.  

JDE

Lebarque said:

JDE said:

Great guitars. Have you ever played one of the Classic Lacquer series? 

No. How do they compare?

I have only played one. It looked really nice, but I couldn't keep the strings on the saddles, which is a problem I have with a most Jazz's that don't have an aftermarket bridge. They are on sale/reduced quite often though, which could take the sting out of getting a Mastery or something. I'm really not a Jazzmaster man, though. I only played the Lacquer one because it was green. 

bbill335

They really need more colour options for the MIM offsets. And mint guards instead of the stark white you see on £99 gear4music guitars.

guitars4you

JezWynd said:

Lebarque said:

JDE said:

Great guitars. Have you ever played one of the Classic Lacquer series? 

No. How do they compare?

Having had a Telecaster in both series, I'd say the Road Worn is superior. The Classic Lacquer model is lacquer over a poly coat, while the Road Worn (at least the one I had) was a very thin nitro on bare wood (may have had a sealer coat or something but very thin). Both were very nice guitars but the Road Worn was more immediately comfortable, like an old pair of slippers, whereas the Classic Laquer model needed a few months to break in the neck.

tend to echo the thoughts of a played in version - somehow more character - effectively same build quality etc but just prefer the vibe of the Roadworn - I was going to say good value for the money but you'd have to take the second hand option for that now - 

Octafish

JezWynd said:

Lebarque said:

JDE said:

Great guitars. Have you ever played one of the Classic Lacquer series? 

No. How do they compare?

Having had a Telecaster in both series, I'd say the Road Worn is superior. The Classic Lacquer model is lacquer over a poly coat, while the Road Worn (at least the one I had) was a very thin nitro on bare wood (may have had a sealer coat or something but very thin). Both were very nice guitars but the Road Worn was more immediately comfortable, like an old pair of slippers, whereas the Classic Laquer model needed a few months to break in the neck.

`As far as I'm aware the Roadworm is nitro over poly sealer. God know how all those mojos manage to get out

thermionic

JezWynd said:

Lebarque said:

JDE said:

Great guitars. Have you ever played one of the Classic Lacquer series? 

No. How do they compare?

Having had a Telecaster in both series, I'd say the Road Worn is superior. The Classic Lacquer model is lacquer over a poly coat, while the Road Worn (at least the one I had) was a very thin nitro on bare wood (may have had a sealer coat or something but very thin). Both were very nice guitars but the Road Worn was more immediately comfortable, like an old pair of slippers, whereas the Classic Laquer model needed a few months to break in the neck.

The Roadworns have a polyurethane finish on the neck though!

The newer ones are much more subtly done, the first Roadworn Strats and Teles had identical wear patterns.

paddyb

Played one for the first time yesterday and was impressed. It was really nice to play but it did go out of tune easily so I would factor in replacing the bridge to the cost