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

Here's a generally useful tool for Fender dating:

http://www.fender.com/support/dating/

http://www.fender.com/support/diagrams/index.php

and scroll all the way to the bottom of the page (which will take a while) there's a really straightforward Jazzmaster switching diagram in pdf format. I would post it, but I'm not smart enough to know how to post .pdf format to Ilx.

As far as I can tell the Jag has one more fret (not important), a strangle switch (is this good? I like the sound of it), different PUs (any info about the characteristics of these would be interesting). How do the different circuit/pick-up combos compare?

Jim - you said yr old JM was way better than yr Jag. Any more thoughts?

Also, thoughts on the bridge. Are they really as dodgy as people say? I am happy to put in a buzz bar or a mustang bridge, but your thoughts welcome.

http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2363/1091/1600/may11guitar.jpg

What an odd wiring design.

I think the Jazzmaster/Jaguar body shape is really underused by Fender. I like the look without all of the extra switching. This Jaguar Baritone looks sharp and would be great as a two humbucker or P90 jazzmaster scale guitar. It would be like an SG with a Strat scale length.

ihttp://www.electric-guitar-review.com/images/Fender%20Jaguar%20Baritone%

http://www.fender.com/products/search.php?partno=0259505515

So incredibly good it hurts.

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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.

'tremoro' system!

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!!!!!!!

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.

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?

yikes. never been in the market for a usa-made fender but they have seemed to have a decent rep for a long time now, certainly not with qc issues like that

yeah wow those am vintage series were always prided on being super mint

I have a squire jagmaster. It was the vista series from the 90s. Wonderful neck. Great vibrations

I have a squire jagmaster. It was the vista series from the 90s. Wonderful neck. Great vibrations

https://guitarsforidiots.com/2019/10/02/under-appreciated-guitars-the-squier-vista-series-jagmaster-according-to-mckinley-kitts-of-flor/

I had a 62 reissue. Cool looking guitar but I ended up not liking it and sold it a few years later. That one did hold its value though. I guess I am pretty much a Strat guy for my surf tremolo guitar action.

Jazzmasters are funky instruments and definitely not something that is ready to go out of the box. The vintage style bridge and it's location can be a bit tricky. I'd definitely file it next to the Firebird banjo tuners, a Bigsby and any guitar with a Floyd for stuff you got to figure out how to deal with if you want to play one on a regular basis.

Fender seems to have sold a boodle of the Squire J Mascis models and people seem to like them.

couple of honeys hanging at my place
https://i.imgur.com/d2ZKdIj.jpg

That red matching headstock looks sharp.

Cheers. I was never a Candy Apple Red fan but that one is 35 years old and has darkened up nicely.

Roy Clark is the best...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rT2PTetKMU8

Someone posted photos of the new Squire 12-string Jazzmaster's insides to r/offset and everyone is going full Zapruder film on the parts and possibilities
https://www.reddit.com/r/offset/comments/144c2d9/for_anyone_wondering_these_are_the_inner_workings/

Upgrade the wiring and the pickups and you would have a hell of a cool guitar with one of them.

do i need one of these? no

do i want one of these? fuck yes

For those that have a rat, big muff, blues driver AND a tone bender... a little something for everyone!:

https://www.fender.com/en-US/effects-pedals/boost-gain/fender-shields-blender-limited-edition/0234552099.html

huh i have a fender blender but i almost never use it, it's such an extreme and distinct sound

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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?

Ultra deep dive on the Squire Jazzmaster XII

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

People need to stop making me want that.