Which Jazzmaster for a fussy fecker?

Keefy

I have a 'significant' birthday coming up at the end of the year, and a persistent hankering for a Jazzmaster. Please note this is not a 'WTB' thread, December is a while away yet!

The range of current/recent JMs from Fender alone is extensive, but I hope to whittle down my choice with the following excessively picky requirements:

YES to -
Vintage look
Vintage-style pickups
Traditional JM-style tremolo
Mustang and Mastery bridges
Solid finishes such as Vintage White, Sonic Blue

NO to -
Humbuckers
Other pickups masquerading as JM pickups
Strat tremolo
Hardtail bridge
Bound neck
Block markers
Sunburst, Lake Placid Blue

Budget-wise I typically pay between £1000 and £2000 for an instrument, but this is flexible for the right one.

As far as I can tell, my Fender options include the Vinteras, American Originals, Japanese FSR, possibly American Pro, and used (or massively discounted) Custom Shop instruments. I'm also not averse to other brands within the above parameters.

Am I missing anything obvious?

stickyfiddle

American Original with Staytrem if needed.

Or if you're happy you can nail down a full spec sheet - how about a parts build from the likes of MJT or @SCRelics. ;

lasermonkey

Do you have any preference for neck radius? If you do, that will immediately rule out some of the choices.

Keefy

stickyfiddle said:

American Original with Staytrem if needed.

Or if you're happy you can nail down a full spec sheet - how about a parts build from the likes of MJT or @SCRelics. ;

I’d rather be able to try a finished guitar and know it floats my boat.

lasermonkey said:

Do you have any preference for neck radius? If you do, that will immediately rule out some of the choices.

I’m really not fussy on neck radius is long as it’s not HM-shreddy-widdly flat.

Jackobean

Bound neck on the AO rules that out. I believe the American Pro has faux JM pickups?
Vintera is probably your best bet. Used custom shop may be possible, but even then you might struggle within budget.

Keefy

Jackobean said:

Bound neck on the AO rules that out. I believe the American Pro has faux JM pickups?
Vintera is probably your best bet. Used custom shop may be possible, but even then you might struggle within budget.

Didn’t realise the AOs have bound necks. Think you’re right about the Vintera - seems to hit all the buttons from the off.

Hattigol

If you can wait, a used Custom Shop. They do occasionally come up - there was one on Ebay for £1,800 recently. 

If not, the Ultra range looks great.

Brilliant, versatile guitars. Mine is the one in my avatar...

ThePrettyDamned

If you have it set up by someone who knows what they're doing, you really won't need a mastery or mustang bridge, though they have their own aesthetic style. I use a normal, cheap JM bridge and it holds tuning perfectly, but the neck did need a shim (the same would be true for a mustang bridge or mastery I think).

You can't go much wrong though. I think the sound comes partly from the low break angle and sympathetic sounds from behind the bridge. Nice pickups etc are great, but I've played some cheaper ones and they were pretty great. 

Budget for a good setup! 

Keefy

My budget isn’t cast in stone, and one of my existing guitars may well go on the block to put extra money in the pot.

I once had a MIJ Jaguar with the traditional threaded saddles and that didn’t give me any playability problems - I just got the impression that Mustang and Mastery bridges made life easier in some way! They are on the YES list because I don’t object to them.

LPManic

Hattigol said:

If you can wait, a used Custom Shop. They do occasionally come up - there was one on Ebay for £1,800 recently. 

If not, the Ultra range looks great.

Brilliant, versatile guitars. Mine is the one in my avatar...

Can you tell us any more about the Ultra? I’m close to pulling the trigger on one. How far away does it get from the traditional type of JM feel and sound? That would be my only concern. Love the idea of the compound neck.

Hattigol

LPManic said:

Hattigol said:

If you can wait, a used Custom Shop. They do occasionally come up - there was one on Ebay for £1,800 recently. 

If not, the Ultra range looks great.

Brilliant, versatile guitars. Mine is the one in my avatar...

Can you tell us any more about the Ultra? I’m close to pulling the trigger on one. How far away does it get from the traditional type of JM feel and sound? That would be my only concern. Love the idea of the compound neck.

Sorry, my post was misleading. Mine is a CS. Not played an Ultra yet but the spec looks great...

Keefy

The Utra has Noiseless pickups. That’s a no from me.

LPManic

TKeefy said:

The Utra has Noiseless pickups. That’s a no from me.

Yeah the ultra looks like a jazzmaster that is trying to do everything except be a jazzmaster. 

tony99

Keefy said:

My budget isn’t cast in stone, and one of my existing guitars may well go on the block to put extra money in the pot.

I once had a MIJ Jaguar with the traditional threaded saddles and that didn’t give me any playability problems - I just got the impression that Mustang and Mastery bridges made life easier in some way! They are on the YES list because I don’t object to them.

check out the range of CS jazzers in coda at the minute, they're all gorgeous

they're expensive but maybe they'll give you an idea of what may be an ideal spec or aesthetic for ya

Keefy

tony99 said:

Keefy said:

My budget isn’t cast in stone, and one of my existing guitars may well go on the block to put extra money in the pot.

I once had a MIJ Jaguar with the traditional threaded saddles and that didn’t give me any playability problems - I just got the impression that Mustang and Mastery bridges made life easier in some way! They are on the YES list because I don’t object to them.

check out the range of CS jazzers in coda at the minute, they're all gorgeous

they're expensive but maybe they'll give you an idea of what may be an ideal spec or aesthetic for ya

Cheers, will do.

Freebird

Freebird

I've been looking too and this one caught my eye..

MIJ - 9" radius with med jumbo frets, Colour Indigo, £999?

https://images.static-thomann.de/pics/bdb/463114/14193777_800.jpg
https://www.thomann.de/gb/fender_hybrid_jazzmaster_mn_indigo.htm

chris78

Freebird said:

I've been looking too and this one caught my eye..

MIJ - 9" radius with med jumbo frets, Colour Indigo, £999?

https://images.static-thomann.de/pics/bdb/463114/14193777_800.jpg
https://www.thomann.de/gb/fender_hybrid_jazzmaster_mn_indigo.htm

Yes, but it has a maple board. They should not exist on a Jazzmaster.

ThePrettyDamned

Freebird said:

I've been looking too and this one caught my eye..

MIJ - 9" radius with med jumbo frets, Colour Indigo, £999?

https://images.static-thomann.de/pics/bdb/463114/14193777_800.jpg
https://www.thomann.de/gb/fender_hybrid_jazzmaster_mn_indigo.htm

That looks proper lovely. 

Freebird

chris78 said:

Freebird said:

I've been looking too and this one caught my eye..

MIJ - 9" radius with med jumbo frets, Colour Indigo, £999?

Yes, but it has a maple board. They should not exist on a Jazzmaster.

Leo left too soon, although Fender did have maple fretboards on their Jazzmaster guitars in  the mid-1970s  

Freebird

This black one has got a vintage radius and a rosewood fretboard if you can find one, I reckon it would look good with a tort or parchment pickguard, or even mint if you are adventurous.

https://www.andertons.co.uk/fender-mij-inoran-jazzmaster-rosewood-fingerboard-in-black

https://www.bigtone.in.th/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/FD-INR-JM-01.jpg