Tell Me about the Fender Jazzmaster (MOD: Also Jaguar, etc.)

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Eclipse Music in beautiful, scenic...West St. Paul.

― John Justen (johnjusten), Thursday, 18 May 2006 19:49 (twenty years ago)

Let's try this again...

ihttp://www.fendereurope.com/news/images/Jag_Baritone_Special.jpg

― Earl Nash (earlnash), Thursday, 18 May 2006 21:00 (twenty years ago)

gorgeous is the word

http://www.fender.com/products/prod_images/basses/0259505515_md.jpg

― dan (dan), Thursday, 18 May 2006 23:25 (twenty years ago)

We sold the first two we got in (1 red, 1 black) the day they showed up. The neck on that bass is FANTASTIC, and the aged block inlays look super-cool in person. Feels sort of like the Geddy Lee neck, without the rest of the bass having all the Geddyleeidness.

― John Justen (johnjusten), Friday, 19 May 2006 00:36 (twenty years ago)

are there other colors? the red headstock is kinda yucky

― guess papers (eman), Friday, 19 May 2006 01:49 (twenty years ago)

My main bass these days is actually a Geddy Lee Jazz. It sounds good and the thin neck is choice. The only vintage thing they should have left off was having to take the neck off to adjust the truss rod. The inlays on the Ged are painted. I swapped out the white pickguard on mine and put a black pearloid one.

― Earl Nash (earlnash), Friday, 19 May 2006 04:20 (twenty years ago)

i will check it out next time i'm home, JJ!

― gbx (skowly), Friday, 19 May 2006 23:08 (twenty years ago)

http://www.fenderjapan.co.jp/fender/fnd_etc/jab_90eq_3ts.jpg

― guess papers (eman), Friday, 19 May 2006 23:19 (twenty years ago)

RE: Geddy Lee Bass.

Actually, we have one of those coming as well. They're fantastic. The Geddyleeidness I referred to is the Mod Shop style of that bass (badass bridge, etc.). My only actual critique of the bass is the black neck binding, which is legit, but still bugs me for some reason.

― John Justen (johnjusten), Saturday, 20 May 2006 07:01 (twenty years ago)

I really like that Jag bass in the sunburst, it looks real fab. The red one didn't really get me, but the sunburst is the shiznick. I'm going to have to check out one of those.

― Earl Nash (earlnash), Sunday, 21 May 2006 01:12 (twenty years ago)

Personally I just want a Mustang like nuts, based mostly on coveting an old bandmate's. But I suspect I'm way too cheap about guitars for anything that nice to be the thing that replaces my broken-down Squier.

― nabisco (nabisco), Tuesday, 23 May 2006 04:54 (twenty years ago)

i've played a mustang, a musicmaster and a bronco - the mustang was def the nicest of the three. but jazzm tops them all imo. it feels so classy to play. i don't know why, but the jag felt like a guitar for making noise. beautiful noise, of course.

― electric sound of jim (and why not) (electricsound), Tuesday, 23 May 2006 05:01 (twenty years ago)

three weeks pass...

Hey Guys I work at a used music store and last week my boss brought in his 1962 jazzmaster (real deal) he got about 30 years ago for 250.00 and of course as a surf player i fell in love with it. my buddy happed to have a 62 re-issue so we did the pepsi challenge, The real one won round one…but I just set up the MIJ and
Were doing round 2 tomorrow. So ill get back to you.

The switch on top…at least on the MIJ I am playing in the down position is normal operation with volume and tone knobs and in the up position is only the neck pickup and the “wheels” are volume and tone for the neck pickup and the other controls are disabled. But the neck pickup rules and the bridge is too quiet but I think I can wedge something under it to raise it a little to match volume of neck pickup.

But I need a trem arm for the MIJ can anyone help? If you don’t use yours can I buy it from you. To me that’s the hero of the guitar is the trem system. I play in a surf band so it is necessary for me.
Thanks Scot

― Scot Haut, Tuesday, 13 June 2006 17:24 (nineteen years ago)

Psst. Secret information follows:

'65 Mustang MIJ reissue arriving for Fender summer production. Will be announced officially at Summer Namm.

― John, Justen, REMIXING, MANG, WHAT??? (johnjusten), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 23:55 (nineteen years ago)

Is that the "Competition" model? Or was that later?

― Steve Shasta (Steve Shasta), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 00:35 (nineteen years ago)

No racing stripes...I think that was later. Apparently pretty painstakingly accurate though. I'll post more details tomorrow when I'm back at work.

― John, Justen, REMIXING, MANG, WHAT??? (johnjusten), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 02:00 (nineteen years ago)

Street price should be $700, btw.

― John Justen, UMSOGTH PERMAPRESS CTHULU. (johnjusten), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 19:39 (nineteen years ago)

Damn, I really wish Fender would reissue the competition Mustang WITH matching headstock this time! I missed out a few years back when they reissued it. I just don't know why they have to be limited edition.

― xgurggleglgllg (xgurggleglgllg), Tuesday, 20 June 2006 23:25 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah, I think it was in '68 or '69, that the Mustang came with the stripes. But I don't know which year they introduced the contour on the back of the body. '65 seems like it would be the slab body version of the Mustang, which would be pretty cool. I guess we'll find out tomorrow : )

― xgurggleglgllg (xgurggleglgllg), Tuesday, 20 June 2006 23:54 (nineteen years ago)

man racing stripes are the way to play faster. and speed holes. maybe shape them like f's. (for "fast")

― dang why you even got to say such a thing, wes? your humor is not okay (meanin, Wednesday, 21 June 2006 02:04 (nineteen years ago)

if you have a few hours to play with, you can go here to look at pretty pictures, and then here to contemplate actually pulling the trigger, after going here to convert yen to $.

now for more pretty pictures

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j314/backsliding/33294_b.gif

$702 to my door

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j314/backsliding/49464_b-1.gif

$827 to my door

― dan (dan), Friday, 23 June 2006 17:13 (nineteen years ago)

Wow, they look great, the white one especially. They look so much nicer w/the matching headstock colour too!

― Pashmina (Pashmina), Friday, 23 June 2006 18:52 (nineteen years ago)

I am about to pull the trigger - I just need to figure out whether I want a Jag or a JM. There are some decent deals around right now - I have seen JMs for around £400. Jags seem to be more. I guess I need to try some - so a trip to Anderton's or Pete's Guitars is imminent.

Kate - have you modded your JM in any way, or is it absolutely stock. Any mods to the bridge? I ask because you're the only person I know who has a JM, and I've heard how good it sounded in action.

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Friday, 23 June 2006 19:47 (nineteen years ago)

**and then here to contemplate actually pulling the trigger**

'tremoro' system!

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Friday, 23 June 2006 19:54 (nineteen years ago)

The white one is really sharp. I also like the block inlay, those look great and Fender does not use them as much as they should.

― Earl Nash (earlnash), Friday, 23 June 2006 21:11 (nineteen years ago)

i agree, the white one looks extra nice!

― AaronK (AaronK), Friday, 23 June 2006 22:26 (nineteen years ago)

(Earlier mention)
Anyone that puts a mustang bridge abd a buzzstop on a Jazzmaster is an IDIOT!!!!
How's that mustang bridge going to line up the string, huh?
Anyway..just get a little file and groove out the saddles for each string and put a dab of your clear finger nail opolish on the screws to lockem'.

Also the buzzstop kills the tone and feel. There is a reason for the extended string length and height after the bridge.
If I have to listen to anyone else ruin a Jazzmaster with these stupid mods I will puke!!!!!!!

― JimK, Friday, 23 June 2006 22:50 (nineteen years ago)

Are all of these guitars limited edition??

― xgurggleglgllg (xgurggleglgllg), Saturday, 24 June 2006 00:22 (nineteen years ago)

my MIJ jag (bought in japan) has the block inlay but also matching headstock. not placid blue, the one that's a bit deeper. the bridge is much much different than my vintage jag but it's still a pretty nice guitar.

― Steve Shasta (Steve Shasta), Sunday, 25 June 2006 20:24 (nineteen years ago)

i mean they're both floating trem bridges but the vintage one is more woozy, a little more prone to going out of tune after a beating and truly floats. the MIJ one is stiff... doesn't really float as much as the vintage one.

― Steve Shasta (Steve Shasta), Sunday, 25 June 2006 20:29 (nineteen years ago)

Being contrary, I really like the red one.

No mods to mine, Dr. C, however it is broken, and I can't get it into the jazz circuit - maybe an unintentional mod!

It keeps good tune, however, I did have to customise (OK, wrap in tape and jam in so it doesn't lock) the tremolo arm to get the proper floaty wooziness.

― How does a ferret get invisible, then? (kate), Monday, 26 June 2006 09:00 (nineteen years ago)

one month passes...

so the jm i just bought sounds great great great *except* i can't do bends on the b and high e-string or the tone gets totally muted somewhere down near the bridge

detail: i didn't put in a mustang bridge, just a buzz-stop.

i know these are rattly guitars, but is this normal? should i try to have my guitar guy set it up again in some different way?

― Mark Danjer (Danjer), Tuesday, 22 August 2006 19:27 (nineteen years ago)

Um...neck shim thing I can't remember. Gzeus to thread, stat.

― John Justen, All Dude Dual Groom Swordfight Revue (johnjusten), Tuesday, 22 August 2006 21:25 (nineteen years ago)

get better at guitar, you jerkoff.

― gbx (skowly), Wednesday, 23 August 2006 01:48 (nineteen years ago)

also could be a fret problem.

― AaronK (AaronK), Wednesday, 23 August 2006 01:55 (nineteen years ago)

Here's the poop on buying a Jazzmaster and caring for/setting up a JM.
AV is the only viable option. Stock pickups are accurate, the hardware is better than Japanese and the woods are good.
Step one after you get it: remove the neck. You'll need to do this anyway(more later).
There will be shims in the neck pocket.
BURN THEM. They were responsible for all notes above the 14th fret being weak and llacking whatever sustain thy would have had being SUDENLY different(less).
This will likely lower the action to the point that the bridge will be flush with the pickguard. That's very bad.
Put a thin ~3/16"-1/4" solid maple or alder wooden shim that's as close to filling the neck pocket as possible. drill holes in it as needed.
The bridge will fall right out.
use the tools that come with it to lower the bridge adjustments crews out of the bottom of the unit as far as possible. Wrap them in plumbers tape. return them. There will be more resistance. This keeps it from lowering on its own.
Do the same to the height adjustment screws on the saddles. Same reason.
The strings are too light stock.
Put the neck back on.
Change them to 11s at the minimum. This will require you to file the nut and to alter the neck relief when finished. The neck has to come off for this normally(see?) but now you've raised the neck higher in the pocket and you can do that without taking it off(hooraaaay!)
The bridge needs a setup next. This is pretty basic, just set the middle two strings to their near highest(more clearance from hitting the back of the bridge) and adjust the whole bridge with the two outside screws until they're approximately the height you want.
Use the other 4 saddles to adjust the rest of the strings. intonate with the method shown on Fender's site.

The trem is...interesting.
set the trem-lock to locked. Tighten the adjustment screw until it suddenly stops doing anything(but still moves without more effort) re tune. Now turn the screw the OTHER way until the guitar goes a tiny bit flat. Then simply tighten slowly until it goes back in-tune.

you're done!
If you still have problems, it's either THAT guitar or....you.

GZ out.

― The GZeus (The GZeus), Wednesday, 23 August 2006 22:50 (nineteen years ago)

THX. I knew I had to solicit my resident Jazzmaster expert.

― John Justen, All Dude Dual Groom Swordfight Revue (johnjusten), Thursday, 24 August 2006 00:00 (nineteen years ago)

Print that shit out.
save it.
You'll need it.

― The GZeus (The GZeus), Thursday, 24 August 2006 03:09 (nineteen years ago)

Genius - Dollar = me.

― The GZeus (The GZeus), Thursday, 24 August 2006 04:57 (nineteen years ago)

very helpful but mostly terrifying. i am all thumbs ('cept when shreddin', obvo), and "take the neck off" reads approximately like "now bite down on a rag and begin sawing into your leg."

some questions:

1. what is AV?
2. if i was bad at shop class, won't i fuck this up?

― Mark Danjer (Danjer), Friday, 25 August 2006 00:38 (nineteen years ago)

yeah what is AV?

― electric sound of jim [and why not] (electricsound), Friday, 25 August 2006 00:39 (nineteen years ago)

American Vintage.

Shop class...
Hmmm.
I could send the wood for like a buck, but I can't guaratee It'll be fitted.

it'll have hole that line up, but John will need to have the neck off a strat with the neck off so I could get the shape approximated.

Anything else is just... difficult.
John, tell him how to take a neck off.

― The GZeus (The GZeus), Friday, 25 August 2006 03:34 (nineteen years ago)

I'll get to this soon, I swear. Work and weddings (good lord, no, not mine) will probably delay me until Sunday.

― John Justen, All Dude Dual Groom Swordfight Revue (johnjusten), Saturday, 26 August 2006 17:41 (nineteen years ago)

one month passes...

Or quite a bit longer...

Taking a neck off is easy if you can just get past the inherent scaryness of it.

1. Prop the instrument face down on some sort of inclined surface, so that it's supported only at the base of the body and at about the 3rd fret. Think towel on a table, with a stack of books under the neck.

2. Capo the neck at the 1st fret, if the strings are still on it (yes, it is ok to leave the neck under tension. Don't worry so much.)

3. Grip the instrument with your thumb on the neckplate and your fingers on the front of the neck. What you want to be able to do is counteract the tension of the strings as you remove the neck bolts. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT, because if you don't, the string tension will pull the last screw out of the hole and strip/crack it. Which is bad.

4. Now, while maintaining your death grip, remove the screws in a cross-pattern (upper right, lower left, lower right, upper left). When you have removed all screws, slowly release your hold on the neckplate, and let the strings pull the neck from the body in sort of a clmshell motion. Ta-dah! Now you are a skilled luthier. Tell all your friends.

To reattach neck, operate in reverse.

― John Justen,a ninja slapboxing fajitas out of J. Casablancas dental dam. (johnju, Wednesday, 27 September 2006 16:33 (nineteen years ago)

i didn't know there was so much Jag stuff in here!

― teh_kit (g-kit), Thursday, 28 September 2006 12:34 (nineteen years ago)

I have a Jazzmaster now!! Went over to Peter Cook's in Hanwell on Saturday and came away with a 2004 CIJ 62 reissue in Candy Apple Red. Anyone in London looking for a Jazzy - it's worth getting over there, they have 3 left I think, a white one for about £450, another shop-soiled Candy Apple Red with a chip on the back for £389 and a really unusual limited edition one in Burgundy Mist for £439. I really wanted to make myself like the Burgundy colour, because it's pretty rare to find one, but sadly it's just too pink for me.

First thoughts :

1) Amazing build quality
2) Really nice neck - great finish, really fast. Action nice and low.
3) ALL the pick-up positions sound good and the rhythm circuit wasn't as dark as I was expecting. Will definitely be able to get masses of good sounds out of this.
4) Why the feck do they ship these with 09 gauges on? I reckon I'll have to go up to 11s right away. Mind you, even with 09's I didn't get the strings to pop out of the saddles on bends, apart from the low E which jumped when I yanked it hard.

Incidentally, Peter Cook's is a pretty strange place - it's in a residential street off the Uxbridge Road, and is sort of in a couple of houses knocked together. Really shabby from the outside, but nice inside and v.friendly and helpful staff. Good prices too.

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Monday, 9 October 2006 09:09 (nineteen years ago)

four months pass...

I think I'm just gonna bump this...

― Windy G Moisture, Saturday, 3 March 2007 02:50 (nineteen years ago)

Good timing as I just got my '65 Jazzmaster back from the shop (refretted, general restoration, etc.) and I'm in love love love with it again.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/163/411771439_86d800acc6.jpg

― Elvis Telecom, Monday, 5 March 2007 21:17 (nineteen years ago)

I'm undecided about whether to buy a Jaguar or a Jazzmaster now...

Can anyone tell me if these samples are pretty accurate on the site here?

I'd always imagined the Jazzmaster to be more trebly in all respects that the Jaguar, but these seem to suggest that on the higher strings there is more roundness in the Jaguars tone (The Jazzmasters lower strings seem lovely and full sounding though, definitely here the Beach Boys in the there)

Thanks!

― Chewshabadoo, Tuesday, 6 March 2007 18:07 (nineteen years ago)

Skipping 147 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

Run a pedalboard with the Albini Dude Incredible, Shields Blender and Sunn O))) Life Pedal to cover all your non-time based bases.

― papal hotwife (milo z), Tuesday, 13 June 2023 23:00 (two years ago)

toss in the hizumitas pedal that earthquaker did w/the lady from boris!

― call all destroyer, Wednesday, 14 June 2023 00:37 (two years ago)

I have a Rowland S Howard signature pedal - MXR D+ + Blue Box but I've never been able to tell if it's not functioning correctly or if the Blue Box is just that unusable for me. D+ side sounds great though.

― papal hotwife (milo z), Wednesday, 14 June 2023 01:14 (two years ago)

I'm bringing my Acid Fuzz Sonic Boom 3-in-1 to this signature pedal festival.

― Elvis Telecom, Wednesday, 14 June 2023 02:28 (two years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjY2QJ1QnsU

― Elvis Telecom, Wednesday, 14 June 2023 03:25 (two years ago)

(the catch is that you have to figure out Shields' tuning in order to do all that)

― Elvis Telecom, Wednesday, 14 June 2023 03:26 (two years ago)

trying to figure out why this is $2-300 more than a stock Blender and it's basically the sag/clipping voltage feature (not really present on any mbv material afaik?)...

seems like i would rather take my regular blender and bring it to my soldering/mod guy and pay him $50 to mod it?

― citation needed (Steve Shasta), Wednesday, 14 June 2023 03:41 (two years ago)

two weeks pass...

Ultra deep dive on the Squire Jazzmaster XII

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYvll3Jwn2M

― Elvis Telecom, Monday, 3 July 2023 11:10 (two years ago)

People need to stop making me want that.

― assert (matttkkkk), Tuesday, 4 July 2023 06:08 (two years ago)

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