I've been lukewarm about them for a long time, but now I REALLY want one...
Even a *cough* clone would satisfy me.
I've been lukewarm about them for a long time, but now I REALLY want one...
Even a *cough* clone would satisfy me.
I can't even read notes. But I can teach someone how to make a guitar smoke.
~Ace Frehley
I've played a few of the new Classic Player JM's -- I really like the improved playability features that help keep the strings in their saddles. Still, it's a heavy guitar -- substantially more than a Strat. If one can get beyond that, they're pretty nice instruments. I wish they were available in the full palette of Duco custom colors though. One in Oly White or Ocean Turquoise Metallic would prolly follow me home......
"When injustice becomes law then rebellion becomes duty."
Heavy guitars, I have.Originally Posted by phantomman
I've played a few of the new Classic Player JM's -- I really like the improved playability features that help keep the strings in their saddles. Still, it's a heavy guitar -- substantially more than a Strat. If one can get beyond that, they're pretty nice instruments. I wish they were available in the full palette of Duco custom colors though. One in Oly White or Ocean Turquoise Metallic would prolly follow me home......
I've got the heaviest Strat I've ever picked up. And others also comment that it's the heaviest Strat they've ever held.
I also have a Gretsch Electromatic Pro Jet that can double as a boat anchor. They "say" it's chambered, but you'd never know it! It's heavier than any Les Paul I've ever owned, that's for sure.
As for a Jazzmaster, I'm partial to Vintage White.
I can't even read notes. But I can teach someone how to make a guitar smoke.
~Ace Frehley
Why not pick up a Black Top series Jazzmaster for about $450?
If, at first you don't succeed, don't try skydiving.
Two leaps per chasm is fatal!
What is this you speak of? Got a link?
I can't even read notes. But I can teach someone how to make a guitar smoke.
~Ace Frehley
Here ya go. just look under models and click on jazzmaster.
http://www.fender.com/products/blacktop
If, at first you don't succeed, don't try skydiving.
Two leaps per chasm is fatal!
I like the look and feel of the Classic Player JM - but the price is a couple shades higher than I'd like. I need to get over to the HoG and play one of the Blacktop JM's - just to see...the CPJM is easily a much better instrument than the original '90's MIJ one that I bought new in about '92...
And yes, I am jonesin' for a JM also!
"I'm gonna find myself a girl
that can show me what laughter means
And we'll fill in the missing colors
In each other's paint-by-number dreams..."
I've never been a Jazzmaster guy, but Nels Cline could make me want one.
Several guitars in different colors
Things to make them fuzzy
Things to make them louder
orange picks
Ahhh, very nice! I'll have to see if Guitar Center has any on hand...
I can't even read notes. But I can teach someone how to make a guitar smoke.
~Ace Frehley
Between a new infatuation with surf music, a love of Fender guitars (plus the desire to have something that is a bit different from the Strat and Tele that I already have), coupled with NELS...and seeing Fenderboy's CPJM (remember him?) I'm smitten with the Classic Player JM.
My local GC has a huge mountain of crap on the wall - and NO jazzmasters and only ONE Jaguar (an H/H! - heresy!!)...
Even the House of Guitars has only 2 blacktops, a couple of the cheapo (but neato) Squier JM Specials, and one Classic Player.
Oh, and a Thurston Moore and a Lee Ranaldo, as if I'd WANT to sound like freakin' Sonic Youth!!!
They're hard to come by, that's for sure...
"I'm gonna find myself a girl
that can show me what laughter means
And we'll fill in the missing colors
In each other's paint-by-number dreams..."
My local GC has the exact same inventory! No Jazzmasters and one H/H Jaguar.
I can't even read notes. But I can teach someone how to make a guitar smoke.
~Ace Frehley
Now I find that the House of Guitars does not have a Classic Player in, and they're all out of the Blacktops. Sheesh! I guess I'm just going to have to "shine it on" for awhile longer!
"I'm gonna find myself a girl
that can show me what laughter means
And we'll fill in the missing colors
In each other's paint-by-number dreams..."
I never got the connection between surf and JM's. The real surf guitar is either Stratocaster, or a Mosrite. Lots of Ventures stuff was played on a Tele too.
"No harmonic knowledge, no sense of time, a ghastly tone, unskilled vibrato, and so on. Chuck is one of the worst guitar players I know" -Gravity Jim
Hell, I play surf music with whatever axe I've got in my hand! Typically, though, I'll use my Strat most of the time. Then my Sheraton. But once in a while I'll have my Tele in hand when we suddenly start up "Pipeline" or "Walk Don't Run". We do a ROCKING version of Pipeline... you ever hear Stevie Ray Vaughan & Dick Dale do their version? We do something like that. Very overdriven!
I can't even read notes. But I can teach someone how to make a guitar smoke.
~Ace Frehley
I strummed the CP, Blacktop, and Squier Vintage Modified Jazzmaster last week.
The CP and Blacktop had better set-ups than most off the rack Jazzmasters I've played recently (with the exception of the J. Mascis sig) but were still buzzy.
Didn't plug any of them in, and to me the VM was the winner.
It had a very big neck and was set up perfectly. Only real issue for me was the concentric pots...they didn't feel very sturdy.
I've heard rumblings about swapping the Squier three-point bridge for a Bigsby setup...I could dig that mod.
I liked the feel of the VM Jaguar even more, but really wish it came with Jaguar pickups instead of humbuckers.
*** Edited to correct Classic Vibe/Vintage Modified Brain Fart ***
Last edited by BradKM; 03-31-2011 at 09:07 AM.
"Go Team Venture!"
i'm still completely in love with my mid 90's MIJ jazzmaster. she's been all ripped apart and put back together, but my redheaded gal is a real sweetheart. and anyone who wants to have a "rock out" contest should start eating their wheaties now, cause she'll give them a hell of a fight! here's a crappy pic of it.
"don't worry, i'm a professional!"
My local GC had a Black Top JM come in. I was less than impressed. The neck was crooked in the pocket and the set up was horrible.
It didn't sound bad, but not super good, either.
I can't even read notes. But I can teach someone how to make a guitar smoke.
~Ace Frehley
I dunno - I finally got to try the Blacktop, and was very sorely tempted...I still like the looks of the CPJM better but the playability and overall sound was very nice on the BTJM I tried...and I *(begrudgingly) LIKED the humbucker at the bridge.
Oh, and although I've got 2 Gretsches with Bigsbys - the JM tremolo setup is my all-time FAVE! The trem was so buttery on the Blacktop...and played through a blonde Super Champ XD - sounded amazing. I coulda had both of those for the price of the CPJM...
"I'm gonna find myself a girl
that can show me what laughter means
And we'll fill in the missing colors
In each other's paint-by-number dreams..."
I know what that's like. I gave in to the Jazzmaster craving a couple of years ago. You first have to decide if you really want a Jazzmaster, or whether you just want a guitar that looks like one. So many people buy some kind of JM and then start modding it to death, that I have to question what they were really looking for. The Jazzmaster in its original form is a great guitar and is a great complement to a Strat and a Tele. I call it the Holy Trinity of Fender.
I use my Jazzmaster for the unique qualities that it has and don't try to turn it into something else. It fills a lot of spaces that are not as well covered by the other Fenders. Great for surf, great for jazz, great for a lot of older classic rock rhythm playing that was often played on other types of guitars. For blues, you can approach B.B. King's Gibson tone with it. I almost never use mine with distortion, but sometimes I will use some distortion on it to get Santana's first album SG tone, which I've always loved. Anyway, that's what the Jazzmaster does for me. Your mileage may vary.
My recommendation is to shoot for the AVRI if you can.
If I were up in the AVRI range - I'd just buy a Rickenbacker. I sold one years ago to a fellow TFF'er and after a few years started missing it. But right now I'm planning a wedding and contemplating replacing my car with something more reliable; also getting back on my feet after a work layoff...I have about 8 bills to spend, and it's either a CP JM, a BT JM with the SCXD amp, or (for something completely different) a semi-hollow 335-style (there's a new Ibanez in my buddy's music store that's about 8 bills, and is a beautiful cherry sunburst with matching bursted pickguard and carved wooden knobs)...
"I'm gonna find myself a girl
that can show me what laughter means
And we'll fill in the missing colors
In each other's paint-by-number dreams..."
I ended up picking up the Classic Player Jazzmaster. It just seemed like a much nicer instrument - in fact, much nicer than my old Japanese reissue JM from the 90's.
This one is black with a tortoise pickguard. Plays like a dream, trems like nobody's business, and stays in tune very well!
I'll try to get a pic up in the next couple days...
"I'm gonna find myself a girl
that can show me what laughter means
And we'll fill in the missing colors
In each other's paint-by-number dreams..."
Nice!
Several guitars in different colors
Things to make them fuzzy
Things to make them louder
orange picks
You DAWG! Now you'll have to pick up a couple of surf tunes to play at the fair.
BTW, you should hear Tony play now. He's just plain got the feel for surf and zombie music. That and Scotty Moore and Brian Setzer. I know daddy Chucko is proud of what's he's wrought.
If, at first you don't succeed, don't try skydiving.
Two leaps per chasm is fatal!
I dunno Mikey - I don't think OSA will let me play the JM for surf. It's not 'Ventures-approved!!" LOL
"I'm gonna find myself a girl
that can show me what laughter means
And we'll fill in the missing colors
In each other's paint-by-number dreams..."
I think the music will determine that. The right noise comes out, it gets played.
If, at first you don't succeed, don't try skydiving.
Two leaps per chasm is fatal!
Squire has a new one in yellow blonde and sunburst It has some weird stacked volume and tone pots with about 8 clicks looks way cool and el cheepo to boot
It's pretty darn nice, that Squier one, although with no tremolo...OTOH they also make a Squier Jagmaster that has HH pickups from Duncan that (for $300) is a really nice axe!
"I'm gonna find myself a girl
that can show me what laughter means
And we'll fill in the missing colors
In each other's paint-by-number dreams..."
There are a few Crafted in Japan JM's on the bay most of the time. Those are probably the best value if you're looking for a fairly accurate repro, but you'll do well to find one under $750 that isn't beat.
Sure, I've got a little ADD, but then I
Jeff, I owned one of those, and a close friend of mine owned several, as well as having owned an original '66 JM. He opines (and I would tend to agree) that Fender got it right with the new Classic Player Jazzmasters. The pickups sound better, the trem works better, and the bridge saddles feel better on the heel of my hand. The action, fit, and finish of these guitars (and I got mine for about $700 with the included gig bag) is equal to or greater than the MIA reissue. In fact, I like mine better than the MIA reissue they had at the House of Guitars.
"I'm gonna find myself a girl
that can show me what laughter means
And we'll fill in the missing colors
In each other's paint-by-number dreams..."
Aren't Jazz masters a little bright especially on the high strings?
It's all relative - they ARE bright but not nearly as bright as, say, a Mustang...and a bridge Tele pickup, with the brass saddles, is probably the brightest thing I personally own...what mitigates the JM's brightness is that the pickups also produce a more full-bodied tone. They're perfect for a beefy yet cutting sound. They don't bark like a P90 but they back up their bite with more muscle than a traditional single coil...
"I'm gonna find myself a girl
that can show me what laughter means
And we'll fill in the missing colors
In each other's paint-by-number dreams..."
Bought myself a Jazzmaster Classic Player, it's a case of "where have you been all my life?" the quality is outstanding and the subtle mods like jumbo frets gibson style bridge and repositioned tail-piece make it a winner.
That's very cool! Is the pickguard tortoise shell or black?
Love that color scheme Ham.
I didn't realize they made those tweaks, as well as tilting the neck angle back. Pretty cool.
"Well, I used to be disgusted, now I try to be amused..."
Elvis Costello
It's a tortoise pickguard, that with a Sunburst are a match made in heaven, the tail piece is slightly closer to the bridge to give a sharper angle this cures the problem of the strings slipping off the bridge as was common fault on a regular Jazzmaster bridge, (also gives a slightly looser tension), Independent switching for the neck pickup on those top switches, if you break a string press the arm down and flip the tailpiece switch and your back in tune! Can't recommend this Classic Player model strong enough, string it with 11's and it'll take you somewhere new.
Congratulations, Hambone...I have the black CP JM myself and it is probably the best-playing guitar that I own...
"I'm gonna find myself a girl
that can show me what laughter means
And we'll fill in the missing colors
In each other's paint-by-number dreams..."
I agree, especially on Jazzmasters, Jaguars and Jazz Basses!
This only happens on the internet. I can honestly say that this doesn't happen on the standard Jazzmaster bridge, and I pick pretty hard and use .010 strings.
I hear you brother
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