1964 jaguar or jazzmaster

[stogie001]

I sold several of my guitars and instead of doing something smart with the $$ I am going to get another guitar.
This is an emotional decision rather than an investment. I was born in 64. I have looked at the japanese import sites for a while planning on getting a jaguar. But with cash in hand I think I am going to make the plunge.

I have played jaguars and I like them. But when I started looking I found the Jazzmaster with soapbar pickups. I have never played a Jazzmaster and being in WV there are not vintage dealers around. I have a Les Paul standard with p90's and it sounds SOOOOO sweet through my maple Fender Hot Rod Deluxe.

Any input or advice appreciated.

Shawn

[Jonnda]

I'm no expert, but I'm pretty sure that while the Jazzmaster may look like it has soap bar p'ups, they are of a different breed then the p-90. Unless someone replaced the original pickups with p-90's, the "soap bar" pickups you see are of fender design and not much at all like it's distant gibson cousin.

They sound brighter and are thinner then a p-90, I'm guessing it is between a strat sound and a p90 sound.

But it will sound nothing like a les paul.

I'm a fan of the Jazzmaster myself, but only from afar. I've never even touched one or seen one in person.

but if this helps any here is a jazzmaster wearing my favorite outfit, and it's for sale:
http://cgi.ebay.com/1964-Fender-Jazz...QQcmdZViewItem

[PhatTele]

The stock Jazzmaster PUs are not like P90s at all (no where near as much midrange honk as you get out of a P90). Think of the Jazzmaster PUs as richer, warmer sounding Strat PUs...very smooth. With the right amp or pedals, they can do just about anything, but they really shine for Surf and Country music, which is what I use mine for.

[Jonnda]

Go to you tube and search for: Jokers Tabu

It's two Jazz, p-bass, and one lazy drummer.

[Fripperton]

My 1962 Jazzmaster has that classic JM tone and I've been able to A/ B it with guitars with P-90s.The Jazzmaster pickup sound is similar to P-90s but with less midrange growl. They sense the string with a wider focus and have less output than P-90s. It's more of a refined sound. Fender was going after a guitar that would attract Gibson players yet still retain that hi frequency fidelity Leo loved to hear in guitars. Country music was his favorite so he always had that steel guitar sound in the back of his head.

Jaguar pickups are essentially strat pickups with some extra sheilding. They contribute to the Classic Jaguar sound but a lot of it comes from the shorter 24" scale as opposed to the Strat, Tele, and JMs longer scale.

[blackonblack]

My 1962 Jazzmaster has that classic JM tone and I've been able to A/ B it with guitars with P-90s.The Jazzmaster pickup sound is similar to P-90s but with less midrange growl. They sense the string with a wider focus and have less output than P-90s. It's more of a refined sound. Fender was going after a guitar that would attract Gibson players yet still retain that hi frequency fidelity Leo loved to hear in guitars. Country music was his favorite so he always had that steel guitar sound in the back of his head.

Jaguar pickups are essentially strat pickups with some extra sheilding. They contribute to the Classic Jaguar sound but a lot of it comes from the shorter 24" scale as opposed to the Strat, Tele, and JMs longer scale.

So if I am reading you correctly, a P90 design (they are different designs I know) with a below 8 ohm with low pole piece settings (more resembling JM settings) would be a fair approximation of a JM (given same body, neck, etc)

Just curious as I am preparing a JM build for the winter. The project calls for a front route, so a P90 might be desired over a JM from a routing perspective.

[ziess]

Aren't the CIJ Jazz pups rubbish? I've never played them but I have heard that they're very poor approximations of the real deal. Certainly, the CIJ Jag pups are the guitars' weakest point.
Maybe something to consider if you're going down the Japanese route.

[Fripperton]

The CiJ JM pups are like strat pickups in JM covers and they don't sound like the US version.

A Jazzmaster with P-90's will sound close to the actual JM sound but won't nail it exactly. Using lower output pickups and backing them off would get you closer. For what it's worth I think it's would be a great sounding guitar and am planning to build one like that in the future. I love P-90s and with the JM trem system it would be great for all kinds of sonic mayhem.

[PhatTele]

blackonblack - I think you'd be missing the JM tone if you went that route. I love P90s and they would make a great guitar, but they sound different.

Warm, smooth, and clean = JM They also can get a nice clean precussive thump in the low end (like a Strat or Tele) if you're doing tic tac rhythm.

The Fralin Twangmaster (split coil HB with solid poles) is probably the closest thing I've heard to the JM PU.

[blackonblack]

Thanks PhatTele. Guess a call is in order to Warmoth then to see if they can do a JM pup route only as there is no pickguard in the plans for this project (rear route).

[lure555]

So if I am reading you correctly, a P90 design (they are different designs I know) with a below 8 ohm with low pole piece settings (more resembling JM settings) would be a fair approximation of a JM (given same body, neck, etc)

Just curious as I am preparing a JM build for the winter. The project calls for a front route, so a P90 might be desired over a JM from a routing perspective.

Here's the JM with P90s I built a couple months ago.

[blackonblack]

Here's the JM with P90s I built a couple months ago.

Yeah Lure, it was your thread that made me say "Ya know, my Strat shouldn;t be my surf guitar, I need a JM!"

My wife rolled her eyes.

[lure555]

Yeah Lure, it was your thread that made me say "Ya know, my Strat shouldn;t be my surf guitar, I need a JM!"

My wife rolled her eyes.

Okay... where do you want me to send your wife flowers along with my apology?
If it makes her feel any better, this guitar is a bit too surly to make good surf sounds. It's much happier with vintage AC/DC grit.

[blackonblack]

If it makes her feel any better, this guitar is a bit too surly to make good surf sounds. It's much happier with vintage AC/DC grit.

Good to know and confirms what I thought. If going the P90 direction, I am having Chris Novak wind it as close as possible to a JM.

[lure555]

Good to know and confirms what I thought. If going the P90 direction, I am having Chris Novak wind it as close as possible to a JM.

I should note that I have Duncan Hot P-90s in each slot. Even so, by nature P-90s are kinda rough and tumble pickups.

[dois_dois _e_meia]

Blackonblack, that is one gorgeous JM! Congrats!