Jazzmaster

TheMarlin

barnstorm said:

The rhythm circuit is the one thing I really like about them. Lots of people hate it, though (which is presumably why Fender has been churning out JMs without it).

I absolutely love the rhythm circuit. 

Bellycaster

Here is a helpful vid "Demystifying the Jazzmaster" explaining what all the switches do.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cok5u132PJs

I've not payed much attention to JM's but most of the ones I see don't have all this regalia on, it's a bit weird if this is the "accepted" version. The JM seems to have been tinkered with more than Strats and Teles?

kt66

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlbunmCbTBA   nuff said

Henrytwang

kt66 said:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlbunmCbTBA   nuff said

I agree. A great example of what can be achieved with a good Jazzmaster and a great player. One of my all time favourite albums.

Neil

I love that Television album and it made me seek out a Jazzmaster but those heavy long bodies put me off to be honest.

stickyfiddle

meltedbuzzbox said:

gringopig said:

The Jazzmaster has an extremely comfortable shape and a range of tones only matched and exceeded by the Jaguar.

Ignore all the folklore and received wisdom about the offsets. The Jazzmaster has a full and powerful tone with a range of frequencies available with use of the 1 Meg pots that a Stratocaster just cannot get. A strat sounds muffled in comparison but the Jazzmaster can sound full and deep and has switching that allows for an instant change from fullness to aggressive and the back pickup is usable, unlike the Start's tin can rolling down the road bridge pickup sound. 

It also shares the best tremelo system ever invented with the Jaguar. Unfortunately, the offsets have been lazily labelled as 'indie' guitars whatever that means and often burdened by being drowned in some terrible reverb or a swathe of effects.

It's just wrong. The Jazzmaster and Jaguar can play any sort of music: rock, blues, country and so on. If you recorded a JM playing bluesy 'licks' on the neck pickup with the volume on 8, listeners would applaud the amazing 'strat' neck pickup sound but try getting the full powerful yet biting bridge pickup sound out of a Strat. Even a Telecaster bridge pickup sounds thin in comparison.

Watch this travesty of cliche: cavernous reverb. Playing behind the bridge (arrrgh stop it you cock) and a description of the JM being a 'sound effect' guitar. What a clown.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oEJgaKJk94

so a few things

Jazzmaster > Jaguar
A Jaguar cant do the big piano like thing a jazzmaster.  

A player can play any sort of music. The whole guitars for genres thing is total bollocks

As good as a Jazzmaster bridge pickup can sound it doesn't get as growly as a good broadcaster style bridge pickup. It doesn't make a decent tele bridge sound thin at all

I agree with most of this (both posts).

A good JM sounds different and "wider" than a Strat or Tele. It can't quack and it can't quite do the grindy Tele bridge position thing, but it's also super-comfortable and the trem is the best ever made imo. JMs and Jags get lumped in together when the different pickups and scale lengths actually make them very different animals. But then I guess they get played by similar people as it's anyone looking for something different than the standard "classic rock guitars", i.e. LP, Strat, Tele.

For me, Jazzmasters are about Radiohead, Feeder, Gaslight Anthem and The National far more than Tom Verlaine & co. They absolutely rock - even the guy from LostProphets used them loads (not *that* guy - let's not go there..) and sounded great. 

jellybelly

Neil said:

I love that Television album and it made me seek out a Jazzmaster but those heavy long bodies put me off to be honest.

If you've a BMI of 25 or above, a big body can cover up... a big body...

wesker123

Agree with most of these comments. Great guitars and range of sounds.

darthed1981

https://shop.fender.com/en-GB/electric-guitars/jazzmaster/american-professional-jazzmaster/0113092785.html?rl=en_US

Look at this colour - so sexy <drools>

I'm "pro jazzmaster"

TTBZ

I love the look, hate the feel of the massive body (despite the shape and contours being really comfy) and dislike trems in general. Jaguars are a bit smaller body wise aren't they? I've been tempted by a HH Blacktop hardtail Jag for a while - don't like the switching and dual circuits. Would rather just chuck a pair of humsize P90s in there with the 3 way toggle.

stickyfiddle

TTBZ said:

I love the look, hate the feel of the massive body (despite the shape and contours being really comfy) and dislike trems in general. Jaguars are a bit smaller body wise aren't they? I've been tempted by a HH Blacktop hardtail Jag for a while - don't like the switching and dual circuits. Would rather just chuck a pair of humsize P90s in there with the 3 way toggle.

Nope - same basic size & shape, though not interchangeable due to bridge position). But they do feel more compact as they're ~1.5" shorter because of the 24" scale. 

adam1990

MarkSPlattAgain said:

I see these everywhere but Ive never played one.

What is it they do that no other guitar can do?

It's best to go and try one as they seam to be a bit like Marmite, you will either love or hate them. 

For me I love them! they seam to have a deeper sound to them compared to a Strat or Tele, but this would probably depend on which pick ups the Jazzmaster would have. 

As for what they can do that other guitars don't I guess its the trem system is very unique to the Jazzmaster. 

IaMsPlatt

Bellycaster said:

Here is a helpful vid "Demystifying the Jazzmaster" explaining what all the switches do.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cok5u132PJs

I've not payed much attention to JM's but most of the ones I see don't have all this regalia on, it's a bit weird if this is the "accepted" version. The JM seems to have been tinkered with more than Strats and Teles?

That was a helpful explanation. Thanks. Maybe Im just going to have to try a few out sometime.

Does the rhythm circuit have different caps or something on the controls to get the darker sound or is it more complicated than that?

stickyfiddle

It's mostly the lower value tone pot (50k instead of 1M in the normal circuit), and iirc also a lower value capacitor. 

Babones

They have great clarity through chords, even with dirt/fuzz. I like the vibrato system. My Tele doesn't have one, so a JM fits that bill, especially as it's not a Strat, which I dislike.
The rhythm circuit, through fuzz and wah, is awesome. Plus growing up in the 80s/90s I saw all those bands playing them, Swervedriver, MBV, Dinosaur Jr, Sonic Youth, TAD...etc.

TheMarlin

I love mine, only annoyance is the slight click I feel when the tremolo bar is in use. 
Its a feel thing, not a sound thing. I’m probably to used to a nice Bigsby. 

Its a minor detail. It’s a stunning guitar, a real favourite. 

Bellycaster

MarkSPlattAgain said:

Bellycaster said:

Here is a helpful vid "Demystifying the Jazzmaster" explaining what all the switches do.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cok5u132PJs

I've not payed much attention to JM's but most of the ones I see don't have all this regalia on, it's a bit weird if this is the "accepted" version. The JM seems to have been tinkered with more than Strats and Teles?

That was a helpful explanation. Thanks. Maybe Im just going to have to try a few out sometime.

Does the rhythm circuit have different caps or something on the controls to get the darker sound or is it more complicated than that?

Not sure about that @MarkSPlattAgain sorry.

Anacharsis

I am a big fan of the Jazzmaster (and the Jaguar). I like the fullness of sound, and my Squier VM plays great. I use the individually adjustable Warmoth replacement bridge, and it's great.

Funkfingers

MarkSPlattAgain said:
What is it they do that no other guitar can do?

That Sixties spy/detective movie guitar tone, similar to the opening motif on Watching The Detectives by Elvis Costello. Bridge pickup, pick hard on the wound strings, dip the vibrato arm now and again. 

Anacharsis said:

I use the individually adjustable Warmoth replacement bridge.

Do you have a link to that. I might be interested if/when the supplies of Staytrem parts dry up for good.

Vinylfan

Hi
I've been thinking about getting something like a Jazzmaster to go with the Strat that I already have.  Like the looks of the JM version and the Jazzmaster Deluxe from Squier.  They're a bit harder to get hold off, so have been looking at what else is in the Squier range.
What's the difference between the various versions from Squier  - for example, there is the Vintage Modified; Deluxe and Class Vibe 60's.  Are there others worth looking at in the £200-£250 range? Would be looking at a used one.
Cheers