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NGD: Fender USA Ultra Jazzmaster

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HattigolHattigol Frets: 8361
edited November 2020 in Guitar
I'm fully converted to Jazzmasters. Love them. Bought a Custom Shop one a couple of years ago from Peach (in my profile pic). Absolutely love it.

Had a hankering for another. Had a brief dalliance with a Sherwood Green American Original but I'd been dreaming of an Ultra in mocha burst. Saw one used and jumped on it.

So, how is it? Well, mixed really. Looks stunning, I have to say. It's a wonderful finish with a lovely subtle sparkle. It also plays gorgeously - the compound neck is a fabulous easy profile to play. I possibly prefer it to my Custom Shop neck.

But.....soundwise, it's not really doing it for me. It just doesn't cut through like my CS one does. A/B'ing the two, the CS pick-ups cut through much more brightly. 

I was also hoping the switching options (series/parallel, in/out of phase) would give some more radical tonal changes. They're good and do provide some tonal variation but they're fairly subtle in all honesty. More subtle than I anticipated anyway.

So, I really don't know what to do. Keep it and change the pickups? Seems like a rabbithole and reading up on it, that might involve further electric tweaks too. Costly and unattractive. 

I'm also wondering whether I'd be keener on the sound if I wasn't putting up against the Custom Shop version.

But my, it's pretty. Did I mention that? 

https://imgur.com/a/l26e8ns
"Anybody can play. The note is only 20%. The attitude of the motherf*cker who plays it is  80%" - Miles Davis
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Comments

  • Winny_PoohWinny_Pooh Frets: 8078
    Beauty, change the pickups, maybe even make a jazzblaster of it so they both cover different  ground. 
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  • LoobsLoobs Frets: 3897
    Swap out the pickups, it's not really a big deal. Maybe go for some overwound pickups or even, as the poster above said, wide ranges. 
    https://www.instagram.com/len_bluevan/
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  • TeyeplayerTeyeplayer Frets: 3432
    Looks great, change the pickups and then go from there. I think you’ll regret not giving it a fair shot otherwise.
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  • DPCDPC Frets: 57
    I own one and your conclusion is the same one I drew. Plays wonderfully, great build, but the pickups are mediocre. The noiseless are just too friendly; I actually want some single coil hum and bite.

    So, I changed the pickups to a set of House of Tone Jazzhouses and now it sounds more authentic. Best move I made, and I'm sure it will be for you too
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  • HattigolHattigol Frets: 8361
    edited November 2020
    Problem is I'm hopeless at describing what I'd want - so I'd have no idea what replacements to go for.

    I rarely use the bridge pick-up. If I did switch them out, would a P90 there be an option (with a JM pick-up at the neck)?
    "Anybody can play. The note is only 20%. The attitude of the motherf*cker who plays it is  80%" - Miles Davis
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  • LPManicLPManic Frets: 1223
    How does it feel to play? Compared to a CS JM and compared to a Les Paul? I’m thinking about an Ultra JM but as I said in the other JM thread I don’t know if it’s just a (fantastic) modern guitar posing as a JM. 
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  • GavRichListGavRichList Frets: 7420
    It’s reeeeaaaalllly easy to solve. Buy some Mojo pickups with the overwound bridge. They’re untouchable. 
    https://open.spotify.com/artist/350MeprlGRHZw73mPOJG2x?si=5stis2yVTPSxTKpEizaQ3g
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  • HattigolHattigol Frets: 8361
    edited November 2020
    LPManic said:
    How does it feel to play? Compared to a CS JM and compared to a Les Paul? I’m thinking about an Ultra JM but as I said in the other JM thread I don’t know if it’s just a (fantastic) modern guitar posing as a JM. 
    It plays beautifully. Lovely neck. Feels very well put together. 

    Nothing like a Les Paul. No surprise there...

    What I would say is that if you're a traditionalist, you won't like this at all. Jack socket on the base, tone control for the bridge, serial/parallel option, no rhythm circuit, in/out of phase options - a '59 Jazzmaster it is most definitely not.
    "Anybody can play. The note is only 20%. The attitude of the motherf*cker who plays it is  80%" - Miles Davis
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  • HattigolHattigol Frets: 8361
    edited November 2020
    It’s reeeeaaaalllly easy to solve. Buy some Mojo pickups with the overwound bridge. They’re untouchable. 
    Which ones? Mojo list 12 different JM pick-ups?

    Plus if you can describe what I want them to sound like, you're a better man than me!
    DPC said:
    I own one and your conclusion is the same one I drew. Plays wonderfully, great build, but the pickups are mediocre. The noiseless are just too friendly; I actually want some single coil hum and bite.

    So, I changed the pickups to a set of House of Tone Jazzhouses and now it sounds more authentic. Best move I made, and I'm sure it will be for you too
    @dpc Don't suppose you have any before/after recordings?
    "Anybody can play. The note is only 20%. The attitude of the motherf*cker who plays it is  80%" - Miles Davis
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  • Rich210Rich210 Frets: 577
    I was gonna say trying the series and parallel switches in different amps might get different excentuations but you've got a couple of options! 

    Looks like a beaut, I couldn't recommend Jaime's pickups at the creamery more highly. He does a dark side p90 style pup which could be really cool. do you know what the resistances on the custom are? You could get something tailored to compliment against the custom. 
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  • GavRichListGavRichList Frets: 7420
    https://www.mojopickups.co.uk/product/jazzmaster-58-64-overwound-bridge/

    This set. 
    https://open.spotify.com/artist/350MeprlGRHZw73mPOJG2x?si=5stis2yVTPSxTKpEizaQ3g
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  • HattigolHattigol Frets: 8361
    So Mojo, The Creamery and House of Tone so far. 

    #rabbithole
    "Anybody can play. The note is only 20%. The attitude of the motherf*cker who plays it is  80%" - Miles Davis
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  • oldhorsemurphyoldhorsemurphy Frets: 321
    Martin Stephenson fan eh? Me too!
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  • SeziertischSeziertisch Frets: 1436
    Hattigol said:
    So Mojo, The Creamery and House of Tone so far. 

    #rabbithole
    Or put a humbucker in there if you want to keep it noiseless.

    There are loads of great options - wide range, PAF, Firebird, Thunderbird, gold foil.


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  • SPECTRUM001SPECTRUM001 Frets: 1662
    oldhorsemurphy said:
    Martin Stephenson fan eh? Me too!
    One of the most charming troubadours I ever saw live.
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  • Gerz6558Gerz6558 Frets: 779
    There was a lot of curiosity when those noisless pickups were first seen, but seemed to quickly die down once people started to report back on them. I think your experience sounds the same as others I have read. The word lifeless was being used quite a bit.

    Another vote for mojo's here, the overwound bridge set. If you want a flawless representation of the Jazzmaster sound, they are up there and maybe the best.
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  • SeziertischSeziertisch Frets: 1436
    Detailed review of the Ultra here https://youtu.be/h3nlvINWcKA
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  • HattigolHattigol Frets: 8361
    Seziertisch said:
    Detailed review of the Ultra here https://youtu.be/h3nlvINWcKA
    Pick-ups sound wonderful in that!
    "Anybody can play. The note is only 20%. The attitude of the motherf*cker who plays it is  80%" - Miles Davis
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  • LoobsLoobs Frets: 3897
    I think in the end, whether you go to Lollar, Fralin, Novak, Mojo, they're all going to sound great. But I would say you should get some 'real' JM pickups for it. 
    https://www.instagram.com/len_bluevan/
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  • DPCDPC Frets: 57
    Hattigol said:
    It’s reeeeaaaalllly easy to solve. Buy some Mojo pickups with the overwound bridge. They’re untouchable. 
    Which ones? Mojo list 12 different JM pick-ups?

    Plus if you can describe what I want them to sound like, you're a better man than me!
    DPC said:
    I own one and your conclusion is the same one I drew. Plays wonderfully, great build, but the pickups are mediocre. The noiseless are just too friendly; I actually want some single coil hum and bite.

    So, I changed the pickups to a set of House of Tone Jazzhouses and now it sounds more authentic. Best move I made, and I'm sure it will be for you too
    @dpc Don't suppose you have any before/after recordings?
    I don't sadly. But you can't lose with all the suggestions made on here so far. The noiseless have to go!
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