Fender Jazzmaster

[stevedenver]

ive had a 64 jag-
i think its one of the most cool looking guitar there is
but its also imho, unique and one that needs to be tried before purchase
the short scale and tight radius is easy on the hands
these came in a variety of widths-i had a b which was the 'normal width' and still probably 1 11/16 ill bet

-the rhythm lead circuits are not terribly helpful imho-the bridge is also terrible as is the trem-thats why one really has to try them to see if they are your cup of tea
and i actually used flats on mine-very short decay due to scale and strings

like a byrdland-
anothershort scale guitar that i had and let go

short scale is not my favorite-and i dont have large hands-but i hear something in it that doesnt send me
and the jag pups always sounded anemic
but for cleans they are great

i prefer the jmaster-also neither fish nor fowl-=fatter sounding pups and nicer neck -but still has that fender thinness-which is what it is

as for the body shape, they are the most comfortable guitar and simply sensuous in shape

[bossanova1962]

I must admit, until I tried one in a guitar shop, I never thought much about the offset design such as a Jazzmaster. I've always thought, with a Stratocaster and a Telecaster, why bother with a Jazzmaster or Jaguar for that matter.

Now that I've got one, I've noticed that the pickups are actually quite cool, particularly in neck pickup mode. It really is capable of producing some very jazzy sounds, cool and mellow, but very articulate with clear separation.

If you're in the business of looking for your first jazz guitar you certainly have a lot of choice - it doesn't need to be an arch top, although, to be fair, I still think that they deliver dynamics in spades .....

[Greentone]

The asymmetric waist Fender guitars are quite comfortable.

[neatomic]

as a jazzmaster lover, i was trying to avoid this post..not to be a curmudgeon naysayer..but that ^ guitar is just barely a jazzmaster...body shape and pups, maybe... but all the nuances that are distinctly classic jazzmaster are left off...the extra neck pup circuit, the correct tremolo and bridge...

a bigsby and tuneamatic is not very jazzmaster!!

original leo fender jazzmaster is great design..recent frisell and n cline threads here will attest


i do like op's guitar tho..(i like bigsbys)...just not a true classic jazzmaster!!

having said that

enjoy...(but do try a classic jazzmaster somewhere down the line!)



cheers

[Mark M.]

[Danny W.]

Joe's playing a Jaguar.

Danny W.

[Philco]

This is a 1959 Fender Custom Shop Closet Classic. My archtops are getting lonely. The Volume knob is missing because it gets in my way. I'm going to move it down and replace the tone pot with it and block the hole.
I admit I was disappointed in the original Custom Shop setup but if any of you played this instrument now, you would fall in love. The balance of the body and the neck......OMG the neck/fretboard......speechless! Sounds great through my Polytone and Princeton. Strung with Swings and now fitted with a Masterly Bridge.

[bossanova1962]

I will have to try a classic, original jazz master sometime, but, I don't know if I have space for many more guitars!

[Marty Grass]

The original Jazzmasters are a lot of fun to play. I had one and loved the second circuit. It has a lot of tones.

I more recently moved on to the G&L Comanche. This is a different guitar in several ways but has a large spectrum of tones also in a similar general design.

I do miss my old Jazzmaster. If I had kept it and focused more on playing all these years, I'd be a far better guitarist.

[ESCC]

I was playing a Fiesta Red Jazzmaster in 1966-68, wonderful guitar. Was traded for a Les Paul.

[Papawooly]

I have the MIM Surf-Green Laquer Jazzmaster, but it was only playable after the Mastery bridge was added.
Very cool guitar, super easy to play etc,, and the strings no longer fall off of the bridge... an added bonus!!

[jazzbow]

Leo did design the off set for sitting comfortably.
The ultimate pit guitar?

[mr. beaumont]

I own a jazzmaster...well, a parts master I guess. It's a cool guitar, I should play it more...as others have said, the pickups are great, and it's VERY comfortable to play seated.

[neatomic]

joe pass used a jazzmaster too...his synanon era gear..fender must have supplied rehab with some gear



cheers

[neatomic]

fave mickey baker cover...vintage!



cheers

[Al_F]

Very cool with the Bigsby!!

[rhoadsscholar]

I am a fan of the jazzmaster with the bigsby like the op displayed. played one in a store. That it was a nice variation.

[backbreakerjr]

I play one the last batch of American Vintage 65's that they made in 2017. I got it to go with my 2017 64' Custom Deluxe Reverb Hand-wired. They are what I am learning Jazz comping with. They sound great together.

[Greentone]

A Jazzmaster, a Fender Princeton Reverb or Deluxe Reverb amp, some good, medium gauge flatwound strings, and you have the sound of SOCAL '58-'64. The hot guitar players like Roy Lanham abounded then.

That sound is still very valid today, as Jeff's clip shows. By the way, I like how Jeff's dog is consistently behind the beat. He really lays back--way back.

[mr. beaumont]

His name is Benson, after all. Lots of blues in that dog.

[lammie200]

as a jazzmaster lover, i was trying to avoid this post..not to be a curmudgeon naysayer..but that ^ guitar is just barely a jazzmaster...body shape and pups, maybe... but all the nuances that are distinctly classic jazzmaster are left off...the extra neck pup circuit, the correct tremolo and bridge...

a bigsby and tuneamatic is not very jazzmaster!!

original leo fender jazzmaster is great design...

I would be interested to get your take on the one that I am currently assembling when I am finished. Light 3.6 lbs. roasted swamp ash body, roasted maple neck with ebony 7.25" radius fretboard, JM Kinman PU's, rhythm circuit, Les Paul wiring with 2 concentric pots for lead circuit wiring, gold anodized pick guard, Staytrem bridge and Mastery tremolo. It will be my only tremolo guitar and the Mastery trem is much nicer than anything else that I have seen.

[ugarte]

Unfortunately I (and others) have discovered that Mastery's are not the last word, although they are definitely priced that way. I experienced a frustrating case of zithertone on the B and E that I could not cure. Not everyone gets this, but I do know others that have experienced it with JM/Jags as well as the Tele version. I wish it had worked for me, I can't stand the standard JM bridge either.

[lammie200]

Unfortunately I (and others) have discovered that Mastery's are not the last word, although they are definitely priced that way. I experienced a frustrating case of zithertone on the B and E that I could not cure. Not everyone gets this, but I do know others that have experienced it with JM/Jags as well as the Tele version. I wish it had worked for me, I can't stand the standard JM bridge either.

You might be misunderstanding. I have the Mastery tremolo, not the bridge. The bridge is way overpriced and looks funky to me. I have a Staytrem bridge. It is like a Mustang bridge only with better string spacing IMHO.

[backbreakerjr]

Anyone have any experience with the staytrem tremolo upgrade? I ordered the bridge and had them throw in the trem upgrade as well. I don't have the experience that others have with the bar being floppy but figured that I would be ready if this becomes an issue in the future.

Also, can anyone point me to setting up a Jazzmaster by one's self? A video or something to that sort? I'm really interested in making this things the best it can be and getting to know it to the best of my ability as well.

Thanks!

[Rob MacKillop]

fave mickey baker cover...vintage!



cheers

What on earth does MB have between and below his pickups? Is it a bit of early "prepared guitar"? Designed to get an odd tremolo-type sound?