Jazzmaster GAS

[Ian Price]

This has just hit me. Totally wasn't expecting it. Perhaps it has something to do with the Jazzmaster/Jaguar special in guitarist magazine.

Anyone got one? I think I may well get one soonish!

[badgermark]

I've always fancied one, the new Mexican ones seem to fix all the 'issues' of the classics. Better angle behind the bridge, more reliable bridge itself and a flatter fretboard radius (9.5" i think).

Yes, me want.

[indysmith]

Haven't got a Jazzmaster, but I certainly have GAS for one. That black&tortoiseshell classic player in Guitarist... PHWOAR

[Ted 'N' Leo]

Haven't got a Jazzmaster, but I certainly have GAS for one. That black&tortoiseshell classic player in Guitarist... PHWOAR

I REALLY need to get a subscription!

I can't say i've never been intrigued by a Jazzmaster, but all those rollers and that would confuse the hell out of me!

[indysmith]

all those rollers and that would confuse the hell out of me!

That was always my impression, but I'm sure it's one of those things where yu buy the guitar, read the manual and it all makes perfect sense. You then wander how you ever lived without them!
Either that or they're pointless and you never touch them :lol:

[Ted 'N' Leo]

Either that or they're pointless and you never touch them :lol:

Which I think was the general consensus when they came out!

I will try one at one point, what with my extreme Fender GAS atm, and this forum is not helping in the slightest.

[badgermark]

There is only 2 rollers and a toggle switch, along with the classic 3-way. Not as confusing as a Jaguar or Mustang by any means! I'm not sure about the flat single coils though, never really heard one in the flesh as it were.

[Philly Q]

They look very cool, but I've never been keen on Jazzmasters (or Mustangs or Jaguars for that matter).  The bridge/tailpiece design seems to take away a lot of sustain and make them sound thin and plinky.  But maybe the tune-o-matic improves things a bit.

The one thing I really like from a guitar is sustain, plinky/chimey/twangy guitars just aren't my thing.  Which is why I've never GASed for a Rickenbacker or Gretsch hollowbody either, although they're lovely guitars to look at.

Mind you, if a Mustang is good enough for Shakira... 

[gwEm]

i absolutely love those offset body fender guitars. wether its a kurt cobain thing i don't know.. but i think they look really cool and futuristic. i have a cyclone, and i'm putting together a jazzmaster at the moment

[Underground_Player]

I've just finished reading the Guitarist article. They didn't seem overly keen on the models they tried did they! And the general jist of the tone seemed to be "Like a Strat/Tele but duller".

At this point I should say that I absolutely love Jazzmasters. To me they sound equally as good as a Strat or Tele at doing what they do. The generalised description of the tone of them in Guitarist seemed pretty unfair to me; if they'd put some .11s or .12s on them and pulled out some Ventures licks maybe they'd start to understand what they're all about! Not chiming...not clanging (well, maybe a bit of clanging)........but....... PLUNKING!

Type 'Fender Jazzmaster' into Youtube, there's some pretty good clips.

[38thBeatle]

I love the look of them now though I used to hate them when I was a lad. They do have a unique tone .I have only ever played a Jaguar- an early 1960's one and a 1970's one. I wasn't so keen on the feel but the sound was good but it wasn't a guitar that made me want to get one.

[Philly Q]

I stumbled on this earlier:

http://www.northcoastmusic.com/buzzstop/

It's a device for improving the sustain of a Jag/Jazzmaster by increasing the angle of the strings behind the bridge.  I always used to wonder if it would be possible to do something similar with a Kahler trem.

[Plexi Ken]

Yep, the Classic Player Jazzmaster in black is giving me serious GAS.
I've never owned one and always wanted one... maybe now is the time.

I stumbled on this earlier:

http://www.northcoastmusic.com/buzzstop/

It's a device for improving the sustain of a Jag/Jazzmaster by increasing the angle of the strings behind the bridge.

That's one of the 'fixed' features of the Classic Player;
- New Pickups with Fatter Tone and More Output,
- Adjusto-Matic™ Bridge,
- Medium Jumbo Frets,
- New Neck Pocket Cut Provides Better Pitch,
- 9.5” Radius,
- Trem Plate Moved Closer to Bridge to Increase Break Angle and Sustain,
- Screw-In Tremolo Arm,
- White Plastic Knobs and Switches

[Philly Q]

Fair play then, they've obviously put a lot of thought into it.  :)

[Underground_Player]

The only problem I've come across with the Classic Player so far are the pickups... it sounds more like a Strat than a Jazzmaster, and apparently that's down to the pickups on the C.P. model being pretty much Strat pickups... like it says in the Guitarist review. Thing is, the Japanese Fender Jazzmasters have similar Strat type pickups, so to get a Jazzmaster which sounds like a Jazzmaster you either have to get the Am. Vintage one, or replace the pickups in the CP or the Japanese guitar.

Obviously if you don't like the sound of a traditional Jazzmaster, this wouldn't be an issue at all!