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I had an MIJ Jazzmaster when I was in my late teens. Sadly, it's previous (ab)user had fitted humbuckers to it and disconnected the tone circuit. I kept it like that for a few years and ended up putting it back to standard specs, though the hum was pretty bad - could very well have been my soldering, though. I did quite like the tone, though, in an abrasive kind of way.
It was a nice enough guitar, but I didn't particularly bond with it. The neck always felt awkward to me. It was slim, but oddly wide towards the upper register, and the bridge drove me nuts, I had major problems keeping the strings seated. I should have kept it and put on a Mustang bridge, but I didn't know much about them at that point and I wanted to buy an early 90's Epiphone Riviera which was incredible, so I bit the bullet and sold it...
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10-01-2010 10:55 AM
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Just for your information: Fender has launched a new series of solid bodies called the "Blacktops". Their main appeal seems to be their cheap prices ($450 street, making them the cheapest MIM Fenders) and their Duncan-designed humbuckers.
There is a Blacktop Jazzmaster:
(I like the 'burst. This is the only Blacktop in a 'burst.) Notice there is one Jazzmaster (single-coil) pickup and one HB, which is a little odd. The neck has modern specs (9.5" rad, medium jumbo frets).
I still think the Jazz in Jazzmaster is as indicative as the "ham" in hamburger.
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The only thing I've liked about them when I've tried them is the body shape - very comfortable to hold. Otherwise, I've been disapointed - and I wanted to like them because of the distinctiveness factor (that is, it's not a Strat and it's not a Tele). Now if you somehow crossed a Jazzmaster with a Tele, it could be called a, "Jazzocaster." (I just threw that in to commemorate my 500th post!)
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I should confess that I totally undid the crazy switching on my jm.
Also did away with those silly linear pots.
MANY people complain about the bridge/tremolo but that is mostly related to people using too light strings (anything under 11s). The tremolo itself isnt very good BUT for jazz you dont use it much and it does have the ability to lock into place (so no one complain about tuning instabilities).
Some of the newer models have two humbuckers, or two p90s. They also have TOM bridges. The funny thing about the video I saw of Joe is he is playing a jaguar and it sounds wonderful (despite the bright pickup and shorter scale.. it is is because of...)
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I think we've established on other threads that you can play jazz on just about any solid body guitar. Just because the JAZZ is in the name doesn't make it any more or less qualified.
However, I played one in a GC and I really liked it.
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I agree.. but.. is it BECAUSE it has Jazz in the name that no one like it?
Originally Posted by nic
The pickups are noisier than a p90 but not by a great amount f(p90s are pretty noisy but still very popular with jazz guitarist) The bridge isnt ideal but isnt that much different from a trapeze if you think about it. Flyin brian's comments are valid but apply to most vintage fenders, including the hallowed Tele of Greene/bickert/stern etc.
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Thank you for all the detailed and honest responses. This is what I was wondering since jazz players never really latched onto it. Very true, just because it has "jazz" in the name.... (kind of like when they tack the word "music" onto "rap").
I'll still try one if I ever run across it in a store, but sounds like I'd be more satisfied sticking with the Tele and Strat.
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It's probably in response to Gibson's BFG Les Paul, which has a P-90 in the neck position and a bridge humbucker. I've read many comments in various guitar fora by people raving about the combination. Originally Posted by BigDaddyLoveHandles
Just for your information: Fender has launched a new series of solid bodies called the "Blacktops". Their main appeal seems to be their cheap prices ($450 street, making them the cheapest MIM Fenders) and their Duncan-designed humbuckers.
There is a Blacktop Jazzmaster:
(I like the 'burst. This is the only Blacktop in a 'burst.) Notice there is one Jazzmaster (single-coil) pickup and one HB, which is a little odd. The neck has modern specs (9.5" rad, medium jumbo frets).
I still think the Jazz in Jazzmaster is as indicative as the "ham" in hamburger.
I like that Blacktop Jazzmaster. The other one--with two humbuckers and a TOM/stop bar combo--just looks odd to me.
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There was a Vista Series Jagstand that was a JM with a strat bridge. I would have loved to have found one and cleaned it up.. but now I am in the anti-gas phase.. I woudnt need it.
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Personally, I love Jazzmasters and Jaguars, but not really for jazzy reasons.
I just absolutely love My Bloody Valentine.
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I have a Jazzmaster and an AF95. I find I can get just as good of a jazz tone out of my JM as I can out of my Ibanez. I run the same strings on both. I put in some Duncan Antiquity II pickups into the Jazzy. Their is the hum/buzz issue, but proper shielding can solve that (mine's a Japanese model and I believe the American ones are built with better shielding right off the bat). It is also the most comfortable guitar I've ever played. In my opinion it's certainly an option you should try out, just to see for yourself. The Jazzmaster is way more versatile than people give it credit for. It can be finicky sometimes, but I think it's totally worth it.
Or, you can search out an off brand "Telemaster" like these:
I think a few companies make them. I believe there's a neck pickup hidden under the pickguard.
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I've been curious about them. I've heard some great recorded clean tones from a Jazzmaster that I thought was a Rickenbacker, but warmer. Never played one though (that I can recall). Originally Posted by BigDaddyLoveHandles
Spot on! Originally Posted by BigDaddyLoveHandles
Leads me to think that maybe it would have a nice warm jazz tone with some 11's or 12's on it. Originally Posted by SamBooka
Question: Would the perfect Fender be a Telejagzter?
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The Jazz in the Jazzmaster name was marketing.
The Jazzmaster was Leo Fender's attempt to take some of the Jazz guitar market away from Gibson and everything, well almost everything, about the guitar was for that purpose.
The offset body shape was to make it more comfortable to play while seated, as all jazz guitarists play while seated.
The "wonky" switching was designed to allow a jazz guitarist to have a preset lead setting, with it's own volume and tone, and another setting for comping. The idea was the guitarist could flip a switch, take a lead with the louder more cutting tone, then flip the switch and go back to comping.
It was the first Fender guitar to have a rosewood fretboard, as all upscale jazz guitars have a rosewood fretboard.
No one is really sure why he thought that a jazz guitar needed a trem, but he thought it was an improvement over the Stratocaster trem.
The pickups were even designed to sound a little "fatter" than Stratocaster single coils.
The guitar was a failure, for it's intended purpose. Jazz guitarists didn't accept it and, judging from the overall tone on this thread, still don't.
The funny thing was surf guitarist took to it like a fish to water and Leo and crew had no idea why. However, it outsold the Stratocaster for a while during it's brief time in the sun. The Jaguar was designed of the Jazzmaster platform, to be a better instrument for the surf guitarists.
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That's a great summation. I think people are scared of the JM, or something. I've seen numerous people other than Pass play great jazz on them. I can certainly attest to the world of change you get from switching out those 9s or 10s to something thicker. Even 11s seem small. I run 12s and they feel like 11s. I suppose it's hard to give it a proper test run in the store when it's factory strung with thin strings.
There are thinskin models that have a 9.5 fretboard radius, rather than the normal 7.25. I personally dig the smaller, vintage style radius myself.
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Wow, such a wealth of information on such an obscure guitar! Thanks for sharing it!
Definitely curious to try one. I'd rather play one with .11 or .12 strings, but like has been said, one in a store is likely to be strung light.
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Joe pass played a Jazzmaster???
The black and white footage that I've seen shows Joe playing a Jaguar, NOT a Jazzmaster!! Any body else notice that?
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I recently played two jaguars and really loved the tone. With all the switches and knobs on it you can very accurately determine where you want to place the accents of the guitar on (tone rolled down/muffled, more mids, more top end etc.) so it offers a lot of different settings for a lot of different players. It sounded very beefy and fat too.
The only downsides I found are the bridge and the 23 3/4 scale, but who knows how much they actually contribute to the sound.
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The Jazzmaster is far and away the most comfortable playing sold body (sitting down at least).
When I first started playing jazz it was the guitar I used. As I developed my tastes started moving away from it.
When it first came out in 1959 (?) it was aimed at jazz players and was actually the top of the line model from Fender but it just didnt fly with the jazz crowd.
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Joe Pass playing a Fender Jaguar (very similar guitar) back in his early days-yep you could say it's OK for jazz.
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Mglaughlin used one on all the Miles recordings, silent way, jack johnson etc. . . or was it a jag.....
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Nice guitars, great for anything, only those pickups are kind of noisy (kind of like P-90s) unless you're in the middle position. No wonder surf guitar guys prefered that position, that's the signature tone of the Jazzmaster IMHO.
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I've played jazz on a Strat, Tele and Les Paul. You can definitely play jazz on the Jazzmaster and Jaguar. If Rufus Harley could play jazz on a bag pipe, jazz can be played on a Jazzmaster.
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I believe it never took off because it was before its time. The goal of the Jazzmaster was to cut into the Gibson-dominated jazz guitar market with a solid body alternative to huge jazz boxes. Thing is, jazz guitarists at the time wanted hollow-bodies, unless you were named Les Paul and had your own invention. Joe Pass only played his Jaguar because it was the only guitar that the rehab facility owned, and he couldn't bring in his own. Though he did use one beyond that, he preferred his hollow-bodies, based on his endorsement deals and what he played on records like Virtuoso.
Not that he didn't get good sounds out of it. I prefer solid or thinline guitars, myself, and almost got a Jazzmaster when I was looking at a second guitar. And hey, I ended up with a Blacktop Strat, which is marketed at the hard rock, punk, and metal crowds, but my teacher prefers it to my Tele for warmer, more traditional jazz sounds. You can play jazz on a pointy B.C. Rich if you want, you'll just be getting awfully funny looks when you do.
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Don't think that's true..."Silent Way" was a Gibson acoustic with a soundhole pickup, I believe. Originally Posted by whosgarethparry
I have also seen him pictured with an SG around the time he was making records with Miles...
Anybody have a definitive answer on this?
As for the Jazzmaster, they're cool for jazz. Long scale, kinda "plunky" (in a good way) tone...They're heavy to play standing, IMHO...fine for sitting.
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i too have a jazzmaster
and had a 63 Jag
both have soem of the most beautiful lines for electrics
i would never recommend a Jag-play one for a while and you may agree-the short scale, trem, and bridge, together with sound just arent that great-imho,unless you like surf-not meant a dis but rather an accurate descriptor-the humbucker ones may be better-the short scale is something to be wary of-because of lower tension, it affects sustain and otehr tonal aspects not always nicely, and fingering can be cramped up high -had a byrdland that i dumped because of this-thats how bad it can be
jazzmasters are that in name only i think
i like mine but-i have a few guitars to go to when i dont like it
jazzmasters are imho best described as anemic P-90s-the are thicker than any other fender pup in sound, dont really have that single coil sparkle, and have a unique tone-and thats what nice about them-
but to me its neither fish nor fowl-not rock, not pop, not jazz, kinda surf, twangy compared to a gibson but not compared to a fender-like anything they can be dialed in -neck and rolled off treble-theyre ok
they can be made nearly silent with some foil shielding around the pup and actually up and over the pole pieces inside the pup plastic case-which i have and its really good-makes a big difference-and can be made silent in the mid position which happens to sound quite good
simply, i think one needs to play a jmaster for a bit to see if its really your cup of tea-
ergonomically they are great, and can be heavy but not always
for what a good one costs-which is about 2k, imho, there are better guitars suited to jazz, including i think, a basic 335, and for a bit more, a 175
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