A question for Jazzmaster Experts..

smogfalls

I’m looking to add a jazzmaster to my stable of guitars, but am unsure about which route to take. Is there a general consensus on what represents the best current iteration of the jazzmaster on the market? Second hand custom shop?.. brand new American?.. are the Mexican ones just as good, perhaps with an aftermarket pickup upgrade or the like? Is the mastery hardware essential or overhyped?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks, Alex 

chrisj1602

There’s loads of options at the moment, more than ever. How much do you want to spend? Do you prefer vintage spec or modern?

smogfalls

£1500 maximum really, more on the vintage spec side, (not too keen on a 7.25” radius, but not a deal breaker)

chrisj1602

I’ve got a Vintera and I love it but if I had your budget I’d get an American Original. 9.5 radius, nice pickups. I’d swap the bridge for a Staytrem but otherwise it should be great.

smogfalls

That’s great, thanks for the info. Both the vintera and the American original 60’s look lovely. Will do some research and see where that leads me. If I can find an American original used for a bargain I’ll jump on it. 

Funkfingers

My money (actually, three medium value guitars) went on a Fender AV65, Staytrem bridge and Duncan Antiquity pickups.

impmann

Tbh, the Troy Van Leuwen (sp?) is pretty wonderful, if you can live with the oversized switch for the rhythm circuit

ThePrettyDamned

Whatever you choose, get it set up by someone who understands them - they're slightly different in some ways to a strat/tele as they need a bit of neck angle and a high bridge/saddles to get the break angle required. Once done, you'll have a trem that stays in tune better than most on the market and is easy to sound really good with (opposed to a Floyd which is super sensitive and easy to sound bad with!). 

meltedbuzzbox

ThePrettyDamned said:

Whatever you choose, get it set up by someone who understands them - they're slightly different in some ways to a strat/tele as they need a bit of neck angle and a high bridge/saddles to get the break angle required. Once done, you'll have a trem that stays in tune better than most on the market and is easy to sound really good with (opposed to a Floyd which is super sensitive and easy to sound bad with!). 

Thats not true for all of them

Modern ones have angled neck pockets

stickyfiddle

I'd go American Original, personally. I don't like the more modern circuitry and I love binding + dots and taller frets.

That said I'd want to try the new AM Pro for its updated trem and series/parallel circuit - particularly if I hadn't had a JM before to get any preconception. 

@ThePrettyDamned is spot on re setup. They're not actually difficult or finnicky once you get the geometry right, but that needs a chunky shim in the neck pocket. Combine with a Staytrem bridge and you have one of the best trem systems ever made imo. 

thermionic

Worth considering a Classic 60s Lacquer if you can find one. Some kind of AVRI pickups but they are a 7.25” radius.

stickyfiddle

Of course the other option is to build one from parts - then you can have exactly the spec you want. The only proviso is you really need to know what you want, or you risk getting something you don't actually like. 

I spent less than 1k on my MJT build and got exactly what I wanted with literally zero compromise. But I was very sure of what I wanted. 

duotone

Am not an expert by any means, but I would go for; https://www.peachguitars.com/guitars/electric-guitars/fender-american-original-60s-jazzmaster-rosewood-board-ocean-turquoise.htm

smogfalls

Great advice guys, thanks to all of you. Everything you’ve pointed out regarding setups etc is duly noted.
I’ve built a couple of parts guitars before using MJT bodies and necks, but this time around I definitely just want to get something ready to go from the box.

@stickyfiddle funny you mentioned the new Am pro series as I was just watching a video on those. They look great! but I’m still leaning towards the American original.

Any thoughts on American original vs American Pro II? I notice they are similarly priced and wonder if there’s a benefit one way or the other. 

stickyfiddle

smogfalls said:

Great advice guys, thanks to all of you. Everything you’ve pointed out regarding setups etc is duly noted.
I’ve built a couple of parts guitars before using MJT bodies and necks, but this time around I definitely just want to get something ready to go from the box.

@stickyfiddle funny you mentioned the new Am pro series as I was just watching a video on those. They look great! but I’m still leaning towards the American original.

Any thoughts on American original vs American Pro II? I notice they are similarly priced and wonder if there’s a benefit one way or the other. 

AO = vintagey looking, nitro/lacquer finish, vintage trem, bound neck, original wiring with rhythm circuit, heel-adjust truss rod

APro2 = more modern, urethane finish, series/parallel switch, fancy modern trem that dives lower, can be had with maple fretboard headstock-adjust truss rod

For me the AO is 99% of the spec I went for myself when I built my MJT. 

mcsdan

I have both an American Original 60s and American Pro Jazzmasters. stickfiddle has summed up the differences well above.

On my search for a JM about 2 years ago I was going to go for the Pro but the shop (peaches) didn't have any in at the time.  So I tried the mexican 60s which was a tad below the price of the Pro and really didn't like it. Sounded thin and tinny, the pau ferro board was really light coloured and the neck shape wasn't to my liking.  The shop suggested I try the orginal which was a shade above what I was looking to pay ( being my first jazzer I was really unsure about spending any serious money on one unless I liked them). The american original was fantastic! Great colour (ocean turqiouse), neck felt great and with a proper rosewood board and binding and more importantly it sounded brilliant - way better than the mexican. So I dediced to snap it up and not looked back. I do now have a Pro too (the same as the one I was originally looking for!).

I string both of mine with 11s and not had a single tuning or string slipping issue.  The neck scale is Fender but for some reason they feel right with 11s even though I normally play 10s on fenders. Could account for the lack of tuning issues normally reported. Both are still stock and not felt the need to change anything.  I set the AO up and needed the bridge raising slightly to allow for the 11s so may have increased the break angle over the bridge = no slippage.

Only issue I had with both is that the volume and tone knobs seemed to be put on wrong. Full up they showed as 6. A bit worrying initially since if 6 is that bright/loud I'll have a problem!! Easy fix to take off, turn switches upto 10 then put knobs back on in the right place.

I've found that rolling the volume back slightly to 8-9 has a massive effect on the brightness clean but also gives that extra room when overdriven to cut through.

Fantasic guitars - get one, you won't be disappointed.

mcsdan

stickyfiddle said:

For me the AO is 99% of the spec I went for myself when I built my MJT. 

@stickyfiddle is that the Gold JM? If so, it looks great. I was considering putting together a gold JM too and found yours on a search - looks perfect!

stickyfiddle

mcsdan said:

stickyfiddle said:

For me the AO is 99% of the spec I went for myself when I built my MJT. 

@stickyfiddle is that the Gold JM? If so, it looks great. I was considering putting together a gold JM too and found yours on a search - looks perfect!

Mine's inca silver - inspired by a Danocaster. A JM will never quite be my absolute #1 but it's a damn good guitar and probably the coolest thing I own.

mcsdan

stickyfiddle said:

mcsdan said:

stickyfiddle said:

For me the AO is 99% of the spec I went for myself when I built my MJT. 

@stickyfiddle is that the Gold JM? If so, it looks great. I was considering putting together a gold JM too and found yours on a search - looks perfect!

Mine's inca silver - inspired by a Danocaster. A JM will never quite be my absolute #1 but it's a damn good guitar and probably the coolest thing I own.

Looks great! Must be thinking of someone else with a gold JM!!  I have a goldtop les paul and gold strat so next one will be either a gold JM or tele.

What neck did you go for?

LPManic

What a wonderful thread. The Jazzmaster attracts a different type of person. I had a CIJ a few years ago with a wonderful neck. Did loads of upgrades and it was a great guitar. Matching headstock Candy Apple Red. Miss it everyday! 

This thread is really making me think of looking for a new JM again!

mcsdan

Gold JM it is! I've just found a used AVRI gold anodised JM pickguard. That settles it!