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Comments
contactemea@fender.com
The trem is a key contributer of its look, sound and feel. Replacing it for a strat trem and still calling it a jazzmaster is comical, especially when it's the only flavour of the jazzmaster in this range.
I go back to what I said before, if Fender tampered with the fundamentals of the strat format for this range there would be widespread moans and groans.
Having said all of this, it's good that there are enough alternatives outside of this range these days where I can try and convince myself I never saw it
What I don't understand however is the pricing. It's ridiculous. A jump from around £450/£500 for the player series then nearly £1k for the performer is a huge mistake.
Fender, mainly through squier, do a good job of covering multiple options at different price increments in the sub £500 category. What's the professional series, an extra £150?
The performers should be £700-£800, especially if they're replacing the specials.
Total fail.
As long as they don't mess up the Classic Series. They might be the best guitars Fender make outside of the Custom Shop, with the possible exception of the American Original Series.
The Lacquer Series is basically the Classic Series with a nitro finish, and a very limited selection of colours.
With Fender having so many different series, you would think that they could manage a useful variation like a 32" medium scale P bass, but do they? No
There's a couple of historical reissues I think they should go for too. The slab body P basses from the late 60s would be very popular as a re-issue, then there's things like the 72 Thinline tele deluxe with the big headstock, or a MIM 70s hardtail strat.
Quick google online shows £949 as the cheapest for Strats/Teles.
£925 on Denmark Street though (Strats/Teles in Wunjo). So who knows, maybe next year they'll be £8xx. That Penny finish is quite sparkly in person.
http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/57632/
It's not a Jazzmaster anymore.
If they have taken inspiration from the professional range they will have done their best to make sure it doesn't sound anything like a Jazzmaster either.
The "new" trem makes it look just like my jagmaster!
Yeah, I'm no purist, but the one thing you that makes a JM a JM or a Jag a Jag is the trem and the associated string length behind the bridge (is that two things? Anyway...). The behind the bridge strings give that characteristic offset 'whine' when the amp is just breaking up - you can spot it a mile off on a record. I guess it's extra overtones?
I have changed the bridge on every offset I've owned, so that's always an essential upgrade. I think pickups are a matter of personal taste and I can live with thinner coil 'Strat-like' alternatives. There's a fair bit of variation in vintage JM pickups anyway. I have a MIJ Jazzmaster that's about 15 years old and it had the strat-type pickups in from new - sounded great. I got the chance of a set of Lollar JM pickups for a bargain price and they're in there now. Nice upgrade, but not essential.