Fender Jazzmaster MIM thoughts?

PeckhamGuitars

Hi guys,

I was wondering what peoples thoughts on Jazzmasters from 2008-2009 are? What they're worth and how they play....the one I'm looking it is serial number MZ8XXXX04 

Any thoughts would be much appreciated!

Funkfingers

The pickups, controls and some vibrato bridge/tailpiece parts leave something to be desired. Upgrades for all of these might take your total expenditure to more than simply buying a new model from higher up the range.

Johnnyseven

Aren't the pickups on these more P90 rather than JM and the vibrato closer to the bridge than a trad JM? I had a black one years ago, I thought it was fine but I didn't have it long.

stickyfiddle

Johnnyseven said:

Aren't the pickups on these more P90 rather than JM and the vibrato closer to the bridge than a trad JM? I had a black one years ago, I thought it was fine but I didn't have it long.

Yep. Not "proper" Jazzmasters, but many people don't care and they're decent guitars judged by their own merits.

Funkfingers

PeckhamGuitars said:

I was wondering what people's thoughts

stickyfiddle said:
Not "proper" Jazzmasters but many people don't care

The only opinion that matters is your own. Try the guitar. If you can, try several examples. If one of them does what you require at your idea of a fair price, buy it.

impmann

I bought one new - a Classic Player with the screw in arm trem and god-awful tune-o-matic bridge.

I fitted a Staytrem arm to stop the squeaking and creaking OE fit arm and a cheap Wilkinson roller bridge to solve the hideous rattle problems from the bridge (the casting was terrible - the tolerances were measured in furlongs). Once these two sub £60 mods were done, it was a killer guitar.

Sadly I sold mine - I was convinced by forum twaddle (not this one) that an AVRI would be better. It wasn’t. That was a terrible guitar. Genuinely.

The hotter pickups of the CP are a bit different to regular JM pickups but they have a very pleasant sound. If you want ‘authentic’ they are easily swapped but tbh, I liked them - and they are a lot more versatile than some JM pickups (no names).

When I put my partcaster JM together, I was actually looking for another CP at a sensible price - sadly, thanks to recent price hikes of new ones, folks are often asking more for an older CP than they cost new. I’m sure others will pay it but it didn’t sit well with me! And tbh, I’ve spent a lot more on my partcaster!

So yes, I rate them highly. But play before you buy - as some have their own built in gravitational pull! ;-)