Fender Jazzmaster

My jazzmaster was made Japan in 2001 equiped with two P-90 pups. Ireplaced the bridge pup wayh a SD JB. Beceause it fits my playing style better. Like all jazzmasters. A vintage tremelo system, classic tuners.I really like the switching options on this guitar.

I play jazz, rock, pop and a little funk. With the JB in the bridge, it works perfectly for me.
Another fun part of this guitar, is the noises you can make.

The factory setup could be better. And the bridge is really crappy.
But the feel on this guitar is very good. (I tested it in a store, and just fell in love, I was lucky to trade it in with a Ibanez RG620)

I just have no backup guitar, 'till yesterday (i bought a Schecter hollywood classic special millenium edition!!! A unique piece)
And gigged and rehearsed with it for over a year, and it never lets me down. I switched strap buttons for strap locks. But i always do that.
And it stays in tone very well

Never needed customer support so i can't tell.

I play for about eight years now, and this was my first decent guitar i have. I was getting sick of the floyd rose bridge on the Ibanez. Breaking a string during performance is a disaster with it, switching string is a pain in the ass, and if you want to try other tunings, you have to adjust the bridge every time again.
If my jazzmaster was stolen, i would try to find another one.

made in 1965. sunburst. clay dot inlays. this was actually built after the CBS aquisition, but it was early on and was still built to pre-cbs specs. no binding on fretboard. features seem pretty well described by others, but i love the versatility of the pick-up configurations. full range of tonal possibilities. the longer neck/scale gives it a great low end--almost baritone sounding (not really but kind of). the tremolo is great and works perfectly in locked mode.

this is now my main choice. i've always loved les pauls, went through a strat phase. then it was on to an affair with tele's. once i tried this one out i knew it be be my main guitar forever. the sheer variety of tones is amazing. a little bit noisy with just one pickup, but not a big deal. i can use it for anything--rock,surf,country--i guess not death metal, but we've all got our BC Rich Warlach's and Jackson Flying V's for that, right?. through any amp it's great--but through my hiwatt it is a religious experience.

the neck is perfectly broke in, like an old baseball glove. i had it refretted, and they did a nice job. the guy who did it is a JM freak. he set it up perfectly, shimmed up the neck a bit so the action is perfect (this might be a solution for anyone with action problems). my pickguard is cracke in several places, looks like it's falling apart but hasn't yet. someone (maybe Jimi) took a lighter to the pickgaurd as well, so there are some melts and burn marks. the finish is beat up--but that's what make's it cool. adds character.

bought it in 2000. it's been set up once. and i live in MN where the summers are humid and hot, and the winters are freezing and dry. never had a problem with it yet. this thing has seen some wear in the 40 years it's been on the planet--but it functions today probably as it did back then.

i spent $1700 on a '65 Fender that has better tone, more options than a strat, and is a fraction of the price. i'm glad Jazzmasters are a fringe guitar. let all the others get caught up with strats and teles and LP's. we can still get our vintage Jazzmasters (and Jaguars for that matter) at reasonable prices.

1967 CAR Fender Jazzmaster with matching headstock (and transition logo - neck stamp 13OCT66B).

Non-original body finish, pickguard, bridge, pickup cover, tone pot and trem arm.

Mine got stolen sadly from my flat 2 months ago (Highgate area, London), so the review is going to be in past tense.

This is the ideal guitar for me, so I'll give it a 10.

The guitar suited my style of playing very well. I like playing mostly alternative/indie music, but I also like jamming along to anything I hear or takes my fancy.

The amp I used it with was a 70s silverface Fender Musicmaster Bass amp (12 watt, 1x12, tube).

The pedal setup I used (which also got stolen alongside the guitar) was Colorsound Wah > Zvex Super Duper > Zvex Fuzz Factory > Holowon Tremolo > Boss DM > Boss RV2 + a monkey FX looper

and no, I had no insurance.

*bangs head on desk*

anyways, the sound of the guitar clean was heavenly. My favourite position on the Jazzmaster has to be with both pickups on. That's the one I used more often.

The neck pickup on it's own was full and round, but the bridge pickup would never sound good to my ears for some reason...it was a bit too weak...lacked body...and all in all sounded quite uninspiring, so I hardly ever used it.

By the way, with both pickups on, the buzz is eliminated as well, so that was another reason to keep the pickup switch in the middle position.

The guitar also handled effects very well, especialy my Zvex stuff.

When I got the guitar (about 1 1/2 years ago) it was very well setup (a surprise for a Jazzmaster!!).

sadly, it was set up for 9s.

Big mistake....I changed the strings to 10s, and was going to go onto 11s as well. That eliminates buzzing, which loads of people always complain about. The bridge never gave me any problems (I used to have a Jaguar too - no problems with that either - just use heavy strings), and the tremolo was a joy to use (I had the trem lock setup properly too - brilliant invention)

The headstock of this particular guitar had still it's original finish, but the body had been refinished to match the candy apple red on the headstock.

The matching of the colours in my opinion wasn't very good. It looked a 7 out of ten (the finish on the headstock looked 30 years old, while the finish on the body looked about 30 minutes young!).

In any case, that had nothing to do with the playability of the guitar, which was excellent. The bound neck with the blocks looked like a million dollars, although a very small (almost triangular) piece of the binding was missing somewhere round the 5th fret.

the finish on the back of the neck after all the decades of play had also worn off, and sliding up and down the neck was a joy.

A brilliant guitar - the best I've ever owned.

the only points off are for the refinish, and the binding bit missing.

This guitar would definetely withstand live playing, it felt solid, and with the added straplocks I put on, I had no qualms to use it live with no backup.

never dealt with them.

I have been playing for 12 years or so, I'm slowly rebuilding my gear collection after the burglary, so not much to list just now (80% of my gear was gone - no insurance, so it's a slow process)

Well, it DID get stolen, and I feel sick every day I think about it. I got a 64 Jazzmaster on the way, but I still want that old CAR 67 back. I sold a 64 Mustang and my old MIJ Jaguar to get it, you see.

*sigh*

great guitar

wish I had it back.

To get started, I have a review for my other 1962 Jazzmaster just a couple down from this one.
1962 Fender Jazzmaster serial #90977. This one is a later '62 that has a neck date of September of that year.
21 fret Brazilian rosewood laminate fretboard w/ 'clay' dot inlays
Olympic white refinish with matching headstock.
Other than the refinish it is 100% original.
Single line Kluson tuners.
Tortoise shell pickguard.
orig frets have absolute minimal wear.
original tan HS case w/ gold hardware.

This Jazzmaster stays in Bb Ab Db Gb Bb Eb tuning that is used by Sune Rose Wagner of the Raveonettes. He uses a 1961 Jazzmaster as his main guitar, so this can approximate his sound quite nicely. It is set up with fairly low action and I use 10-52 gauge GHS strings. Here is my pedalboard setup, which is connected w/ george L's vintage red cable and powered by a godlyke powerall:
->dunlop hendrix oct/fuzz -> mxr blue box -> turbo rat -> russian big muff -> mxr 10 band graphic eq -> EHX frequency analyzer -> mutron vol/wah -> Fender Musicmaster bass amp or Fender Champ (both silverface). I also occasionally use a Boss DS-1, but it is pretty noisy. This guitar sounds amazing in this tuning. The bridge pickup just growls like an old Gibson P-90, but with slightly less girth and more clarity. It is especially fun to hit the low Bb really hard and then watch it squirm. The dynamics this guitar can produce are surprising. See, because of the bridge/tailpiece design, Jazzmasters have a very distinct sound when played hard. It is because the length of string behind the bridge rings out and creates some weird harmonics and semi feedback like sounds. But at the same time, you can ease up on your right hand (if you're right handed that is) and avoid these sounds. Also, without distortion, these noises are nearly nonexistent. I also like to actually hit the string behind the bridge.
The neck pickup is very nice also. It is basically what you would expect from a nice Jazzmaster. It is really round and thick sounding when compared to a strat. It is smooth also. I love the fact that these pickups retain alot of clarity even when played hard with alot of distortion. Overall, this Jazzmaster sounds much more aggressive than my other '62. I am not sure why, maybe a combination of the setup and how the pickups have aged.

I got lucky upon receiving this one. The action was very nice, although slightly low for my taste and strung with 9's none the less!!! Whatever floats your boat, but 9's don't do it for me. I promptly strung it up with a new set of GHS Boomers in 10-52. I also checked the arc of the bridge saddles and then raised the bridge slightly. I did make a really important discovery in terms of Jazzmasters because of this guitar. IF YOU HAVE A JAZZMASTER AND THINK YOU BRIDGE IS RATTLING< READ BELOW!!!!
There are two metal ferruls in the body of Jazzmasters and Jaguars. The bridge fits into these hols and rests only on the sharpened points of two small screws. What happens is the bridge can sometimes slip forward and the posts of the bridge can actually touch the edges of the ferruls and buzz like a damn chainsaw (well not that bad, bud frustrating still). You can adjust your saddles until the cows come home, but if this is the reason behind it, it will never improve. My fix is very simple. I pull the bridge and put ONE or two wraps of electrical tape around each bridge post close to where the top of the ferrul is, close to the bridge itself. Now when the post touches it won't make any noise. Some may object and say that rubbery tape will kill tone, but the bridge is still resting in the bottoms of these ferruls, metal on metal, so tone, in my experiences, is unaffected. It is still important to keep your bridge adjusted properly, so no amount of strategically placed tape can cure a maladjusted one.
Now onto the finish. It is Olympic white and refinished. I do not know for sure, but I would say the finish is more than a few years old, though. It has begun to yellow and has some places that are more yellow than others. I had to clean it up some when I got it, but nothing major. It has a few small nicks and a couple scuffs from the wonderful original Fender case. The original case is in beautiful shape also. It looks like brand new compared to the case with my other '62. All 3 latches work and are still gold, the leather is still wrapped around the handle, and the leather ends are still soft even. The little leather tab on the flap that covers the inside storage area is even still there!!

This is as reliable/durable as they come. There are no problems at all. No cracks around the neck pocket. Nothing wrong at all. All of the adjusting screws still turn without trouble, as do every other screw in the bridge. All the pots are fine. The 3 way toggle was slightly corroded when I got it, but after a cleaning it functions well. One thing that I am very thankful for is that the pickguard has not shrunk a whole lot. The pickups can still be adjusted with no problems. I didn't even have to sand the holes like I did on my other 62. I have several other old Fenders, which I will list below. This, like the rest, is ultra dependable. I would not be afraid to gig without a backup.

No idea here, but short of a lifetime transferrable warranty, I imagine they would be of little help. But, I don't think I would ever need them to help me with this guitar anyway.

My collection of guiars is always changing, but I have a few that I will never part with. This is definitely one of them. Here is my current family:
1962 Fender Jazzmaster -dakota red
1962 Fender Jazzmaster -olympic white
1973 Fender Musicmaster Bass -olympic white
1969 Fender competition Mustang -Red
2003 Fender cij Jazzmaster
1995/96 Fender Jagstang
1997 Fender cij '57 strat
Fender cij blue flower Telecaster
90's gibson cl-20 standard plus acoustic

Silverface Fender Champ
Silverface Fender Musicmaster Bass...new jensen speaker & RCA tubes
early 90's Fender tweed Blues deluxe
50's or 60's Harmony H-400

It should be obvious that I am a very large Fender fan. I have owned many other brands, but I always end up deciding that a Fender suits me the best. Jazzmasters are the most perfect guitar I have ever come across. Perhaps this biases my opinions. Check one out for yourself. If you buy an old one, you won't have any trouble reselling it if you aren't happy with it. One last thing, if anyone reading this has a 1970's Jazzmaster that you are willing to sell or trade, let me know. Any condition is fine. Thanks for reading all this!!!

1995 MIJ. white with red tortois pick guard.

you're doing your JM a disservice if you're playing thru a solid state amp. And i recommend an eq pedal for a little extra gain and high-mid. Its tone is distintly unique, and if you really get to know and understand it, its hard to use any other guitar. A telecaster is a good alternate in the studio.

facory set up rating: 1. miserable. the "locking" trem didn't even lock.i had to mcguyver it. 6 months of experimentation with the action/ set up paid off. near perfect playability, what you would expect from a good fender. i've played many other Jm's its amazing the width of their different personalities. that's what makes this guitar so special. I've found the 60's ones to be a bit noisier, but were also had more zing.
amazingly road worthy for such a feature rich guitar. pots get dirty stragely easy.

the warrenty is only as good as where you buy it from.

been playing in chicago for 6 Years. i bought the JM cuz nirvana was my favorite band. thank goodness KC has exquisit taste in guitars. i would like to see some comparasions to jaguars in future reviews.

Olympic White Jazzmaster with Brown Shell pickguard MIJ, bought just 3 months ago, August 2003. I've not done any modifications to it, there's simply no need. Only thing thats a bit annoying is the bridge thing, but thats no news, innit?

I play a variety of styles, blues, jazz, classic rock, country, punk, hardrock, pop, deathpunk, whathaveyou. And this thing fits it all. I've no troubles with noise really, well, I find it a bit harder to create nice feedback with this one like i can with my Stratocaster, but its not that big a thing...
At home I use a Vox Cambridge Twin amp, and its got this beautiful classic sound, in the rehearsalroom I got it amped to two massive Marshall amps and cabinets, its a harder sound, still beautiful though. I mostly use a light distortion or nothing at all.

After I got home from the guitarshop, I tuned it and just started playing, got nothing I can think of thats wrong or that I'd like to change. I've not yet pulled any strings so I guess they use quality ones at Fender. I use a bit of different tunings, mostly the classic EADGBe but also a bit of drop-d and open G tunings and some others, it's no problem tuning it around and tuning it right back.. Once its tuned, its tuned.

As far as I can tell, this guitar can withstand just about anything, I can put it in its bag go out into temperatures below zero, go to bandpractice, take it out and its tuned and ready to go. I've not been that hard on it really, but I've seen the same guitars on concerts go through hell, being thrown several feet into the air, hitting the ground, being stamped and pounded on, and then played again as nothing had happened, crazy!

I got a year of free services with it, I haven't needed it yet. My other guitars usually needs a service every three months..

I've been playing for about 7 years, I got a standard mexican Stratocaster, and an Epiphone Casino in addition to the Jazzmaster. I know to you Americans 1000$ for a Japanese Jazzmaster probably is a bit much, but when an American JM costs about 3000$ you probably can understand how the prices are here in Norway. If we want to pay less for good guitars we mostly have to go to London to find quality guitars at affordable prices. Anyways, I can live with 1000 dollars for this guitar, it's certainly worth, even though it cost twice as much as my strat, and a bit more than my Casino. I like it a whole lot better than my strat, cos let's face it, Stratocaster are a boring guitar, with a Jazzmaster, at least I feel like I have something a bit unique, in addition to it sounding, and playing like a dream. I love the look of it, especially the white finish. If I lost it I would definetely replace it with one exactly alike.
In conclusion; It's the best bloody guitar I've ever tried, and also best looking, which counts for about fifty percent, doesn't it? I've tried American, Mexican and Japanese Strats, Telecasters and other types, and I can't think of anything that can justify the differences in prices.

1962 Fender Jazzmaster serial #80123. You know all the specs, so here are some details:
21 fret Brazilian rosewood slab fretboard w/ 'clay' dot inlays
dakota red w/ matching headstock (30 year old refin in nitro laquer)
reissue low E tuner
reissue vol/tone knobs
later '66 logo on headstock
Other than the low E tuner, finish, & knobs, it's all original.
Single line Kluson tuners
Tortoise shell pickguard
orig frets
original tan HS case w/ gold hardware

I am going to give this a 9 rating for features. The tremelo is very useful and despite what many say, can be used to great effect and even stays in tune well if adjusted properly. The preset rhythm controls can come in handy. I like to leave both controls wide open on it while playing. This way I can play on the bridge pickup then switch to the neck without reaching clear down to the 3 way toggle. The bridge is also very useful, although terrible if not maintained well. It is height adjustable as a whole and each saddle is also intonatable and height adjustable. In my opinion, there isn't much more you could do to it. But there prob are more features that you COULD add, so I will give it a 9.

I play in a few alternate tunings like CGDGCD and a couple more similar ones. I use 10-52 gauge strings. Here is my pedalboard setup, which is connected w/ george L's vintage red cable and powered by a godlyke powerall:
->dunlop hendrix oct/fuzz -> mxr blue box -> turbo rat -> russian big muff -> mxr 10 band graphic eq -> EHX frequency analyzer -> mutron vol/wah -> fender musicmaster bass amp or fender champ (both silverface)
To get started, I have a japanese Jazzmaster that I can compare this to. The neck pickup is my favorite. It has a real thick sound, like a humbucker BUT it maintains more string definition. It remains clear, while also staying thick. It is real even sounding without aemphasis anywhere in the frequency range. For being a single coil, it isn't exceptionally noisy either. I have heard jazzmasters as having a 'clunky' sound and I think that could probabaly apply. The treble pickup is fairly bright, but not overly. The tone knob, when rolled back, can make the bridge pickup sound almost like the neck, but slightly thinner with a little more bite. I play alot of drones and tend to let notes ring out for a while and it works perfect for this. When I do this with any of my humbucker equipped guitars, it just sounds like a steady chord, I can't hear each string ringing. Overall, the sound is very smooth, yet strong and defined. I think that is a pretty good definition. There really isn't anything that I don't like about the sound of this guitar. Overall, I feel that a 9 is again a good rating. I would give it a 10, but I haven't heard every guitar out there. For my purpose, though, I feel that this Jazzmaster is EXACTLY the sound that I have been searching for the last 8 years.

How well was the guitar set-up at the factory? (How was the action?)
.....HAHAHAHA
But anyway, the action was terrible when I got this. The bridge was so low, and the saddles so high, that the intonation screws on each saddle were touching the strings....UNPLAYABLE. The 2 larger bridge height screws are soldered in place so that it doesn't go into what someone else here called 'self lowering mode'. Since they were soldered, I shimmed each side with a washer and reset the height for each saddle. It now plays great and has what I would consider low/med action that is leaning toward the low side. I do get a slight amount of fret buzz, but it doesn't bother me very much. It mainly comes from my low E and I believe it is because it is tuned to C. It has no buzzes when tuned to standard pitch. The original frets are in excellent shape. A few of the lower ones have some slight dimples in them, but none that adversely affect playability. I don't think they will need replaced for at least 41 more years at this rate. The neck is perfectly straight and doesn't even have any wear on the back. The finish, as I said earlier, is dakota red with a matched headstock. It is in laquer and I would guess has been there since the late 60's or near there. It is quite shiny and has more of a 'closet classic' type wear pattern. By that I mean that it is noticably old, but it hasn't been abused. It has a few small nicks and some slight scratches, but overall is extremely clean. I don't really know how to rate this category as it is a 1962 model, but I will rate it on how I feel it is overall at the present time.

This guitar has help up VERY VERY well over it's 41 year life. There are no cracks around the neck joint, which alot of Fenders seem to get. The pickguard has no cracks, but it has shrunk slightly, but not as much as many that I have seen and heard of. Everything is intact. Most of the chrome, except for the screw heads, look almost like new. They show some age, but are still quite shiny. All the white plastic parts have yellowed and look extremely cool. The fretboard itself has very slight grooving between the first few frets on the treble side. Nothing major, just though I'd mention it. The 5 remaining Kluson single line tuners are still very smooth and nice. To have lasted this long in this shape, I have to say it is a damn well made guitar. The case is a little rough, not bad, but not perfect. It's done what it was intended to do. I never play anywhere that puts me on the spot, but if I did, I don't believe I would feel like I would need a back up. It feels slightly more solid than my japanese Jazzmaster. I believe that Fenders are one of, if not the, most durable guitar maker in the land (when speaking of 1950's & 60's models).

Never had the pleasure, but seeing how my Jazzmaster was made in 1962, I doubt they would be much help to me.

I have been playing for a little over 8 years now. I own alot of other gear and I feel very proud of what I have. Here's some of the main ones:
'69 fender comp mustang
fender cij Jazzmaster
1995/96 fender jagstang
1997 fender cij '57 strat
fender cij blue flower tele
90's gibson cl-20 standard plus acoustic
gibson les paul melody maker
prs santana se

1987 marshall artist 4203 amp
early 90's fender blues deluxe amp
60's harmony amp

One thing I would like to say to any of you guys who are planning on buying an old guitar sight unseen for the first time is NEVER ASSUME ANYTHING. Make a list of questions before you call and make sure you get a straight answer on each of them. If a part isn't original and you don't ask, they probably won't mention it. Good luck finding your own Jazzmaster!!!

Overall, I LOVE this guitar. It is everything that I have been looking for. It is very versatile, which fits my playing style well. My japanese Jazzmaster compares well to this one. I know alot of people talk s**t on the japanese ones, but it sounds good, too. It's a great alternative if you can't afford an old one. I would kind of like to put US pickups in the japanese one, but the stock ones still sound good to me. If my '62 was stolen, I'd probably cry uncontrollably for a long period of time. I don't think I would ever find another that is this nice. I even want to try to get another one now so that I'll have 2 old ones, probably a cbs era model (late '65 up). I would give it a 10, but again, I don't know everything. I think a 9 is one hell of a good rating.

1963 USA made beauty
21 frets
Alder body, maple neck with brazilian rosewood veneer fretboard
3 way toggle with seperate "rhythm" switch (heavy bass capacitor on neck pickup with seperate volume/ tone control)
2 hot soapbar style single coil pickups
nitrocellulose Olympic White finish
Bridge replaced with Mustang unit (this is ESSENTIAL)
great Fender floating style vibrato
original Kluson tuning machines
Long scale which is perfect fopr my 6'4" self

I play '60's influenced rock and roll, modern rock/ punk, blues, jazz and everywhere inbetween. This is quite possibly the greatest guitar I've ever played. Versatile tones and my fingers simply MELT into the fretboard. The pickups are notoriously noisy but I don't care. Chords are like slabs of beef coming out of my Pro Reverb. I also use a Deluxe Reverb and record with a Champ or Supro Super. This guitar is AMAZING!!!!

Factory setup N/A. A good setup is ESSENTIAL for a Jazzmaster to be in top form. Shrinking pickguards push the pickups down low which makes the guitar lose tone. I have boosted my pickups up with extra foam and squeezed them through the pickguard. What TONE!!!! The original Jazzmaster/ Jag bridges are their weakest point. AReplace with a Mustang bridge and the sustain and playability increase tenfold. Bends on this guitar make me feel like I'm in complete control. The extra scale length makes it feel more stable and easy to control intonation. A WICKED blues machine!

40 years and still cookin. Pre CBS Fenders are the greatest solid body guitars ever, period. Leo's presence must have pushed everyone in the direction of pure quality control. I am a whammy bar maniac and the guitar stays in tune very well. The finish is checked but hey, thats the vintage mojo workin. New plastic finishes will always seem cheap to me. The wood breathes on this guitar.

N/A

I have been playing 20+ years and have a collection of which I'm very proud. This is my fave though hands down. BUY THEM WHILE YOU CAN!!! These guitars are escalating in value daily!!!!!If it were stolen I would freak out, although I've played quite a few pre-CBS examples and they all kick ass.

I brought a Fender Jazzmaster about a month ago. No literature was given to me with it, even though it is new. It is a '62 re-issue MIJ, 3 colour sunburst, with a reddish pickguard. It is a very nice looking guitar. It has the really annoying floating bridge, which caused me some problems. I got a gig bag with it (not supplied by Fender).

It sounds beatiful. I play some funky stuff which requires a punchy, clean sound, and the JM has a large array of clean tones/sounds to choose from. It sounds pretty good with distortion, but not as full sounding as my other guitars. I've experienced no pick-up buzz at all, and would say to anyone that does- buy decent leads, not cheap rubbish, and switch off any electrical items that could interfere (fridges, tv etc.). This guitar is no good for solo's which need any sustain, but with it's short quick notes, it has a distinctive sound. I would prefere this guitar to have a little more sustain than it does, but I rate the tones and variety of sound this guitar gives.

When I got this JM, the set-up was AWFUL! The action was ridiculously high. If I bent the high e up, the b string would get caught over my finger! It was a discrace. I can't understand how Fender let it out of the factory like that. I had to adjust the neck pick-up aswell, because the low e boomed out, far louder than the other strings. And that bridge...that irritating bridge. The nuts wriggle loose from the saddles when you strum, the strings move over the saddles, it rattles and buzzes. I filed deeper grooves in the saddles, and lowered the height. I then set up the guitar properly, and sorted the intonation etc... I sprayed the bridge with a light laquer (hair laquer none the less! Only the best for my guitar), and left it to set. Hey presto. The guitar is now set up exactly how I like it. The action is not as low as my others, but it suits the guitar to be a little higher. There is now no buzzing, and everything stays where it should. Again, I can not believe Fender would sent a guitar out that needed so much attention. I know all Jags/JM's have the bridge problem. I bought a new Jag when I was younger but got rid or it after a few months 'cause it wouldn't settle, and I didn't have the experience to deal with it. For the money I spent I should receive a guitar that doesn't buzz, and have parts of the bridge fall out! Bad Fender! I feel better after that little moan, so on the good side- the finish is perfect, the fret board is very nice, and I love the solid feel of this guitar.

This guitar refuses to go out of tune, even with hard continuous playing. The deep varnish looks like it will last for years. Everything looks and feels like it will last. I would never gig without a backup, but I would feel confident with this guitar that nothing will go wrong.

The shop has guarranteed it for a year. I don't think that warranty has anything to do with Fender. I wanted to get a white pick guard for it, but was told by Fender that Japanese JM dimentions are slighty different to American issues, and that they don't make a white pick guard for Japanese models. I think that is a joke. I was told that a pick guard would cost #50 ($80).

I've been playing for 10 years, my other guitars are a Gibson SG standard, and an Epiphone Casino. I play them through a Fender Dulux Amp through various DOD and Boss FX. I love the feel of this guitar, I like the straight head. The shape is beautiful and unique, and the rich color is pleasing to the eye. If it were lost or stolen, I would get another Fender, but maybe not a JM. I went out to buy a Mustang, but was not impressed with the low out-put sound, and even higher action, would you believe! I played a Tele, but it was a black delux, and too ugly for my taste. I wish it had a white pickguard. My JM has settled to be a very nice guitar indeed.

My Jazzmaster was made in august 1966, it's sunburst, all original and basically mint condition. The bridge cover and the hang tag are lying safely in the original case! The neck has block inlays and a bound fretboard. It's just the way I want it! Feels very pre-CBS to me.

I play my Jazzmaster through a 130 watt music man HD-130 and it's quite noisy, which I don't mind. But in the middle position it barely hums at all! I mostly use the neck pickup nowadays and it's perfect! It's got plenty of bottom and the right amount of brightness, so I love it! And the tone control turned to zero gives you that perfect cliche jazz sound!
I've duct-taped over the rhythm/solo switch since it's completely useless, and kills the sound if you flick it by mistake while playing.
Sometimes I feel the pickups are a bit weak though...

It's all perfect!

I've used mine on quite a lot of gigs and it works perfectly. String brakes are rare and when they occur you can still finish the song since it barely retunes at all.
The only problem is that the bridge has started to unscrew. Making the action too low so I have to raise the bridge every week or so.
But I'm sure that can easily be fixed.

-

Great guitar! The bridge is the only not perfect thing about this guitar but you can't get it all...

I purchased my early 64 Jazzmaster that was well used at Ebay. It was sunburst and had the usually scratches. It is all original except for the bridge pick up. When I got it and play it sounded terrible. When I put in the correct pick up. Wow! it sounded great. It came with the original single line Klusons tuners. One of them the g string tuners is a little bent but it still works and I have not problems tuning it and keeping it in tune when I am gigging.

I play classic surf music and my Jassmaster give me the sound I want. After the replacement of the japanese pickup to the real one that has the correct grade of wire and has the wire wounded all the way to the edge (full) he guitar has full depth and sound great. People listed at my sound and are truly amazed with what I get. Of couse my 63 double showman playing stereo with my 73 super reverb does help out. I have not trouble getting the true real surf sounds. You must have a Jazzmaster to get the true surf sound.

The action is very good. My friend set up my guitar. He is Dick Dale's Amp man. He set the action low and fast and the guitar is the easiest guitar I have ever played. It has the original frets and they have some wear, naturally, but they will last me for many more years. They are to smaller stock frets not the big ones. So my fingers slide with ease over up and down the neck.

I have had no problems with this guitar. Except once in blue moon if I play too hard on the 1st string E it might slip out of the nut. But it does not happen very often. The strings D'Adarrios 13 play very well and I cannot find better ones. The strings do not go out of tune while playing. Only if the weather changes but any guitar does that.

I have not used customer support so I do not know.

I played surf music in the 64 65 era. I put my guitar down for 31 years. In 97 I started to collect my gear and pick it up as a hobby. I have a 1963 blonde moroon double showman with 2 D130 JBLs. That are original stock. I have a 1973 Super Reverb that I had change over to the blackface circuitry and I sounds like a 10. I play through a original 1964 reverb tank that splashes very clear and wet reverb . And I like to get some echo out of my Stero Music Man box from electro-harmonix. People come up to me as say they cannot believe the sound I have. I have had people hear my CDs and have the interest to play with my band. That makes me feel good. Obviously my Jazzmaster is the key for me. The most important thing to remember about the Jazzmaster is people like to fiddle around and change things. When you know what you are doing and you set up the guitar correctly and play throught the correct systems you will get the correct sound and reliablity. Like anythings else there are old fantastic used Mercedes and junk ones. I believe the Jazzmaster is the Mercedes of the guitar line. But then I look at the music I play.

I purchased my early 64 Jazzmaster that was well used at Ebay. It was sunburst and had the usually scratches. It is all original except for the bridge pick up. When I got it and play it sounded terrible. When I put in the correct pick up. Wow! it sounded great. It came with the original single line Klusons tuners. One of them the g string tuners is a little bent but it still works and I have not problems tuning it and keeping it in tune when I am gigging.

I play classic surf music and my Jassmaster give me the sound I want. After the replacement of the japanese pickup to the real one that has the correct grade of wire and has the wire wounded all the way to the edge (full) he guitar has full depth and sound great. People listed at my sound and are truly amazed with what I get. Of couse my 63 double showman playing stereo with my 73 super reverb does help out. I have not trouble getting the true real surf sounds. You must have a Jazzmaster to get the true surf sound.

The action is very good. My friend set up my guitar. He is Dick Dale's Amp man. He set the action low and fast and the guitar is the easiest guitar I have ever played. It has the original frets and they have some wear, naturally, but they will last me for many more years. They are to smaller stock frets not the big ones. So my fingers slide with ease over up and down the neck.

I have had no problems with this guitar. Except once in blue moon if I play too hard on the 1st string E it might slip out of the nut. But it does not happen very often. The strings D'Adarrios 13 play very well and I cannot find better ones. The strings do not go out of tune while playing. Only if the weather changes but any guitar does that.

I have not used customer support so I do not know.

I played surf music in the 64 65 era. I put my guitar down for 31 years. In 97 I started to collect my gear and pick it up as a hobby. I have a 1963 blonde moroon double showman with 2 D130 JBLs. That are original stock. I have a 1973 Super Reverb that I had change over to the blackface circuitry and I sounds like a 10. I play through a original 1964 reverb tank that splashes very clear and wet reverb . And I like to get some echo out of my Stero Music Man box from electro-harmonix. People come up to me as say they cannot believe the sound I have. I have had people hear my CDs and have the interest to play with my band. That makes me feel good. Obviously my Jazzmaster is the key for me. The most important thing to remember about the Jazzmaster is people like to fiddle around and change things. When you know what you are doing and you set up the guitar correctly and play throught the correct systems you will get the correct sound and reliablity. Like anythings else there are old fantastic used Mercedes and junk ones. I believe the Jazzmaster is the Mercedes of the guitar line. But then I look at the music I play.

It is a 1966 or 1967 (early CBS) sunburst with rectangular neck position markers. When I bought it in about 1980, it was in near mint condition with the original hardshell case. I am intersted in as much sustain as possible, so I have added a Buzzstop and Groove Tube Fat Finger, as well as a replacment Mustang bridge. I have also replaced the bridge pickup with a Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounder. I feel I could return the guitar to its original condition without much problem.

I play blues, but want to avoid the overly familiar SRV Stratocaster/Fender amp combination. I find that I can get a variety of distinctive sounds with this guitar in combination with a small solid state Crate amp. I know it sounds crazy, as I used a Fender Deluxe Reverb then a Super Reverb many years. I am regulary getting compliments on the tone and many cannot believe I am not using a tube amp. I occasionally use an Ibanez Tube Screamer for a little extra edge. I usually use the neck pickup for lead and the center position for rhythm.
I do have a noticable problem with hum, but this is blues after all.

This guitar plays like a charm. I have done most of the setup and tweaking myself. I prefer to use Fender Bullets with a .10 on the top and .52 on the bottom. I love the sound of the heavier strings, but must compromise on the top strings in order to do effective string bending. There is a little fret buzz and the guitar probably needs to be refretted.
Did I say this is blues?

I am not particualrly hard on guitars. Sometime the pots and switches are noisy. There have been no letdowns.

No dealings.

I started playig blues when I was 18. I am now 51. I have owned a lot of guitars over the years but now have a 1967 Epiphone Casino (my first guitar!), a 1976 Les Paul Deluxe and a 1959 Les Paul Jr. TV Model, as well as some acoustics. The Jazzmaster is my main guitar.

I would definately try to replace this guitar with another, if I could afford to.

66 Jazzmaster, sunburst, had a no name chrome humbucker between the stockers, took it out, and added a black pickguard. Very good shape when I got from the original owner in 82, and I use it, with my 3 other Jazzmasters, in a 3 piece classic rock group, "Red Line 7000". I really dig the large inlays, and bound neck.

I only use the bridge pickup, sounds deep, and dark, and light, and airy,all at the same time, thru a 50 watt Marshall and a 4X12 cabinet, with the preamp at 11, and the master volume at 2 1/2 to 3. The crunch is superb!Rarely use any effects at all. Super noisy tho, so a noise gate is a must. I love it, and will keep it forever!!!

Quality seems good. Had some trouble with the floating bridge going into "auto lowering mode", so I put some lock nuts on the height adjusting studs. No mo' troubles....

Have banged hard on it for years. Have replaced the volume pot, and the pickup selector switch. I normally have a spare (remember, I have 3 other Jazzmasters!), but it has generally been OK. Just don't break a string, it goes wildly out of tune.

none required

Was my first guitar, and taught myself to play at age 26 (in 1982) As I have a total of 4 Jazzmasters, I am a big JM fan. Also have a refinished gold 64, a pristine candy red 65, and a refinished white 72. But my 66 is my fav, best tone, and playability. They all sound, and play differently. The unique sound, and styling, plus Fender quality makes me a lifetime JM user.

'64 sunburst. Bought in a pawnshop a long time ago. This has been my project guitar over the years and I'd NEVER part with it. The neck is unique - it's sooo thin I'm amazed it's always stayed straight with totally consistent and fast action. Everyone who sees it says it's a real looker (I think my natural swamp ash Strat is a better looker, but I don't argue with friends!). Over the years, I've fixed all the the irksome things a factory can do to an instrument - 1) a real bridge (badass), 2) refretted and nutted (bigger frets), 3) Schaller tuners to stay in tune, 3) real pickups (dimarzio strat for neck and duncan hb for bridge - SCREAMS!, 4) good bridge saddles (graphtec), 5) some rewiring (I use the slide switch just to kill both pickups when not playing or for staccato effects), and 6) proper gauge strings - at least .10s on this. The result is what I call a "beastmaster" - this guitar ROCKS! The basic guitar came with a surplus of features and they all worked, even if they could be improved. Even the whammy is decent, I don't have tuning problems with it.

With the changes to bridge, saddles and pickups, this sounds a LOT different than granny's Jazzmaster! Everything from shimmering clean to incredible rich harmonics through the full range. Part of the trick seems to have been srewing the pups right down to the wood instead of floating on that funky old black foam. I never cared that much for the low-sustain, thinnish sounds of the original design but this guitar is so comfortable, flexible and basically well-made it was worth customizing. This guitar can really respond well to your mods. My rating is for "factory" sound, but trust me, you can turn these into 10's without much effort and you will amaze your audience!

When I got this thing at the pawnshop, it was already about 15 years old and the frets were shot. The neck has always been totally true though so refretting was all it needed. Action can be set over a wide range; I don't personally like the lowest possible action but this guitar doesn't buzz anywhere even if you set it that way.

Intonation etc was made more precise by swapping out the bridge. All the electronics and electromechanical components were typical for that vintage Fender - very industrial-grade and solid.

The body work is fantastic. This guitar is easily the most comfortable to play of all I've owned, including all manner of Gibsons and Fenders. The finish has held up incredibly well, it buffs up pretty much like new and this thing is pushing 40 - almost as old as me and looks a hell of a lot better!

This guitar is pretty tough. I used to worry about the thin neck but it is a really really hard maple (beautiful patterned maple you just don't see any more) and it's survived a few drops and collisions with others with no real ill effect. I could easily depend on it, but have a stock usa strat for backup primarily for it's ethereal clean sounds and the famous quacks.

Why even try with a '64?!

been playing 30+ years, have had all kinds of Gibsons and Fenders but settled on this JM and a fantastic Strat - I'd never part with either. Fender and Roland amps, celestion and jbl speakers, Digitech stomp, pretty simple but does the job. If this guitar was stolen there'd be a baffling world supply shortage of gin! It's absolutely not replaceable.

I have a Limited Edition Jazzmaster RI. (in Transparent Blond with gold hardware) . I had to look long and hard to find one in a store, which made me think that this maybe wasnt a very good guitar, but the opposite is true.

I havent found a guitar with a better, smoother clean sound that also has so many tonal options. I love the rythem channel, it sounds awesome thru my Fender Hot Rod Deville 4x10. I'm not so hot on the neck pick-up its alittle weak and tinny sounding. Im just starting to build my own custom Jazzmaster, and plan on putting a humbucker in the bridge position but will keep the stock JM neck Pu.

I do like the heavy radius on the jazzmasters necks, and the off set body looks and feels great. I dont normally like gold hardware very much but on this particular guitar it looks great!

I havent had any problems as of yet with mine. Regular string changes and setups and smooth sailing.

Never had to contact, Lucky me

My favorite guitar. The only one I could never part with. I plan on building / buying more with very slight variations to an almost perfect design.

1960 Fender Jazzmaster, Olympic White (refinished) - stock configuration w/ slab rosewood fretboard, clay dots, original hardware and tortoise shell pickguard, original neck pickup, seymour duncan hot jazz bridge pickup, separate rhythm circuit controls.

Tonal range from warm woody strummy to thick bright staccato snarl. As others have noted, the Jazzmaster has minimal sustain, which, together with the "wide wound" single coils, produces its unique tonal qualitites. I run mine through vintage Fender amps, depending on the gig/situation. It works well with both Tweed and Blackface type amps. Overall, the tone sounds a little more tight and focused than other Fender guitars.

Action on my Jazzmaster is pretty good, not super low (not good for Malmsteen leads). It has a very pronounced neck radius, which requires a higher action above the 12th fret to avoid choking out on bends. The neck is very straight. I run .11s on it and I like the feel; it feels like a vintage Fender should. As far as factory settings, fit, and finish, etc., mine is 42 years old and has been refinned several times - so, I havent't a clue.

Jazzmasters can be a little finicky, but nothing major. I play mine out all the time. It feels very solid and reliable 95 percent of the time and when it doesn't it's usually easy to get it back into shape.

n/a

I have been playing for around 20 years, semi-pro for the last 10. In addition to my Jazzmaster, I have a Telecaster, Stratocaster, SG Standard, Taylor acoustic and several vintage Fender amps of varying sizes and flavors. Overall, I'd say the Jazzmaster is a great second guitar to own. If I had only 1 guitar it would be Strat or a Tele, but if you're looking for a guitar that sounds and plays a little bit different (and looks really cool) the Jazzmaster is a great choice. If something happened to mine I'd take my time and find another good one.

I'VE JUST STUMBLED IN HERE OUT SURFIN' AND THOUGHT I'D PUT IN MY TWO CENTS WORTH.....I GOT TURNED ON WITH JAZZMASTERS IN LATE 1963 WHEN THE ASTRONAUTS RELEASED THE SURFIN' WITH ALBUM, AND I'VE HAD AT LEAST ONE LYING AROUND EVER SINCE. SO DUDES, I BEEN THERE AND DONE THAT AND THIS IS WHAT I THINK..... THE FENDER JAZZMASTER IS QUITE FRANKLY THE MOST MISUNDERTOOD GUITAR IN ROCK HISTORY. BUT THIS RAMBLING IS FOCUSED ON THE NEW '62 AMERICAN REISSUE. MINE IS OUT OF THE FIRST RUN AND IS QUITE FRANKLY THE BEST JAZZMASTER I'VE HAD YET. SO GOOD IN FACT THAT I SOLD ALL MY "VINTAGE" STUFF AND SETTLED ON THIS ONE. AS FAR AS JM'S GO, IT IS A 10. THE LOOK, FIT AND FINISH IS FLAWLESS AND ONCE I GOT THE NECK TORQUED UP AND THE NUT CUT DOWN, IT PLAYS LIKE BUTTER. ACTION AND NECK FEEL IS A 9.5. FLAT WOUNDS 12 THROUGH 52 ARE A MUST AND THE PICK UPS SOUND FAB. 8.0. THEY CAN BE QUITE NOISY AROUND CRAPPY DIMMERS BUT IN THE MIDDLE POS. THEY HUM BUCK AND DO QUITE WELL. THROW AWAY YOUR SILLY PEDALS. PUT A 490PF CAP ACROSS THE VOL POT, PLUG THAT PUPPY INTO A GOOD TANK AND A 2-15 PIGGY BACK AMP, AND STAND BACK YOU'LL BE STUNNED TO LEARN THAT "FUZZ" IS A FOUR LETTER WORD.

IT SUITES MY FANCY JUST FINE. I PLAY MOSTLY INSTRO ROCK AND 60'S R&B. THE JM WILL PULL OFF TONES MOST PEOPLE JUS DON'T BELIEVE.

I'VE HAD THIS ONE SINCE IT WAS FIRST RELEASED AND SO FAR, SO GOOD. IN GENERAL JAZZMASTERS REQUIRE A LITTLE TLC. THEY ARE A LOT LIKE A RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR HONEY, PAMPER AND STROKE HER, AND SHE'LL PURR..... THIS GUITAR HAS ONLY POOPED ON STAGE ONCE WHEN THE SWITCH BECAME LOOSE AND ROTATED THEN SHORTED OUT ON THE LEAD SETTING. LIKE I SAID TREAT IT GOOD AND YOU'LL BE REWARDED.

DEALING WITH THE GUYS IN CUSTOMER SERVICE AT FENDER STINKS. I HAD A NECK PROBLEM WITH A DIFFERENT GUITAR AND THEY BEAT AROUND THE BUSH FOR TWO MONTHS BEFORE THEY FINALLY REPLACED THE NECK. THE GUY I TALKED TO WANTED ME TO BELIEVE THAT I HAD NO CLUE WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT....NOW THAT'S HOW TO WIN FRIENDS AND INFLUENCE CUSTOMERS.

AS I'VE SAID.... THIS IS THE BEST ONE I'VE EVER OWNED....PERIOD. HOPE TO BUY A SECOND ONE REAL SOON. I ALSO HAVE A NEW AMERICAN RI JAG, AND IT'S COOL BUT IT'S NO JAZZMASTER

Japanese reissue candy apple red with matching headstock and SD pickups.

I play new-wave, brit pop and noise (my bloody valentine, ride, the cure, sonic youth...).
My favourite pick-up combination is the middle one (neck and bridge) because the bridge pu has more highs for me and the neck pu is ok.
I have a Mesa Studio Caliber and a lot of pedals, it sounds great with the Ibanez TS-9 and with my russian Big Muff (listen to Loveless of My Bloody Valentine).

I haven't problems with the bridge.

Now is my only guitar, I like it very much.
I would to buy another one but vintage with block inlays in the neck.

1985 american made 62' reissue. candy apple red. volume, tone, 5-way selector, 3-way, etc. nothing out of the ordinary for a jazzmaster...

i was led to the jazzmaster after hearing dinosaur jr, my bloody valentine, and sonic youth. All those groups made the most of the JM's percussive, yet superbly harmonic sounds. the JM cranks out tone from all angles. even when playing it unplugged it can light up the room. the more you beat it the more it responds. my playing style developed out of drumming so i really appreciate a guitar that loves a beating. this guitar is great under pressure...

i bought the guitar used on ebay, so i have no idea what fender originally did with it...when i got it it had 9's on it for strings (which are way small for this ax. i know fender equipped this guitar with a shite bridge before they sent it off into the world...

this guitar is a gamble in a live setting, when playing out i would have a spare just in case. this guitar will either give you tons of trouble(with tuning nightmares), or nore at all...it just depends how it "feels" at the time...and how well set up of course. the finish does fade and scratch up over time, but this guitar definately ages with character (i'm not worried about it being flawless either..)when i got it it had a huge ding by the jack, the previous owner looked like he dropped it hard...

the website is a glittery confusing commercial... but having never called them for anything i can't say...

i've played keyboards for 12 years, drums for 10, and guitar for 6 years. i own 2 drum kits & cymbals. 2 keyboards. 2 ukeleles, a sitar, tabla drums, generic acoustic, norma hollowbody electric and lots of other crap.
i play a 1985 US jazzmaster with 12 g strings through a fender deluxe amp (40 watts of tube fury), big muff PI (russian version), boss pitch-shifter delay, boss dynamic filter, crybaby wah, digitech spacestation (for synth, volume, fuzz, octaver, tuner and fade in synth). If my JM was stolen i would take out a loan to buy another one (bloody expensive things!).
As far as the debate between MIJ & US made, i've owned both. my first JM i bought new in 1998 for $695. it was a 1995 MIJ with the classic brownish sunburst. the US ones are of superior sound and quality, but i would still buy a Japanese one any day. the MIJ is still a fine example of what a JM is all about, even though it is a less conventrated dose of that glory...
as everyone knows, the bridges suck...have someone good fix set it up right. mine is getting set up right now and the guy i left it to says he knows a trick for fixing the JM bridge, but unfortunately he didn't tell me what it is, so i can't tell you...what's that you say? how could i leave my prescious guitar to someone and not even know what it is he's going to do to it? well, i've tried everything to keep the bridge from slipping, and i couldn't do it..he can do whatever he wants...
there is something wonderfulabout the JM. it's not for everyone. this guitar has a cult following though. the few of it's fans are devoted fans who wouldn't play anything else, despite the obvious faults. i would buy ten of these things if i could find or afford them...

The guy who gave it to me told me this was made the first year jazzmasters were re-issued; don't know when that is. This guitar is awesome. Sunburst with the reddish pickguard. I've replaced the bridge, because it kept collapsing on me and I played too hard for it to keep the strings in place; the neck, because I wanted something wider, more strat-like (and dimarzio tuners); and the pickups, because I wanted something with more bite, so I got Dimarzio Evolution neck and bridge humbuckers. Whatever's left of the original guitar - body, "tailpiece" and electronics - is just fine. Before, I give it an 8; after, I give it a 10.

Like I said, I got rid of the soapbars. I remember really digging the clean sound I got out of them, but for what I'm playing, I needed something different and couldn't afford another guitar, so I had to change the sound. Dimarzio humbuckers do the trick. First show I played after the transformation, I played it straight through a Marshall half stack, and the first thing anyone would mention after the show was the sound of the guitar. I play mostly country/rock - leaning more on the rock, and also some europop/electronic stuff on the side that requires that U2 clean sound sometimes, and industrial crunch other times. I love what I can do with this guitar. Versatile. Right now I'm using a Sovtek Mig 60 tube head, and Fender London 185 solid state head. Again, the guitar rocks.

Well, after replacing the hardware, the guitar is very comfortable, easy to handle, and durable. Only thing I regret is replacing the neck, although I like my dimarzio tuners. Oh well. New neck is good, but I've probably worn it out, 'cause it's starting to feel kinda' dull. Up until now, I got no complaints.

Back in the mid to late 90's I was playing in an emo band (don't ask) that was pretty intense, which made the guitar virtually unplayable. After the makeover, it became my main guitar. I mean, don't they look great? At least they're rare looking, you know? I recently got my first hollowbody guitar, in which I had Gibson PAF humbuckers installed, and right now it's a toss up between the two about which is the b/u and which is the main. For the country/rock stuff I prefer the hollow body 'cause it's big and I like that if I'm fronting; for the europop side gig I trade between the two, but for the heavy stuff the Jazzmaster is the one. Plus this one is definitely the more durable of the two. I don't have to worry about dropping it too much.

nope.

I've been playing for about 14 years and semi-pro for about 8, and my Jazzmaster is one of the highlights of this time. It was given to me, and the deal goes that if I want to get rid of it, I have to return to previous owner, so I'm pretty much stuck with it, and happy about that. I own a few guitars and the good thing about it is that each guitar has its own sound; I don't have two of the same thing, or that sound the same. The Jazzmaster -"Vivian" is her name - is the one that gets played the most, my most reliable one. Again, don't they look awesome? I used to hate them until this friend of mine came up to me and said "I have something for you..." I developed a small crush, but with time, money and hardware, I fell in love, and I'm happy to report that I still am.

This has already been described to death. I only wish they would make these with Mother O' Pearl inlays again. A bound neck would also make me happy.

Its a 1995 MIJ Olympic White, with black pickguard that I bought online somewhere (the pickguard that is)

I do want to say that the vintage tuners on these are by far the easiest to restring that I have come across. Simply cut the string a few inches extra past the peg, stick it in the hole and wind it up.

Depends on the amp yr using, and if yr smart enough to get SeymoreDuncan replacement pickups. I think it sounds incredible.
MIJ stock pickups are garbage compared to the SD's.

So many awesome guitars get sold because of bad amps. I almost sold my JM due to what I percieved as its thin sterile sound, when it was in fact the piece of junk solid state CRATE half stack. I didnt realise this until I finally played through a vintage Bassman. Hey, we're all beginners at some point and not everyone has proper guidance.

I believe 3 things are necessary to make these guitars sound good. I discovered this by trial and error over many years.

1. Change the pickups to SD's. They offer 3 different outputs. I have the middle ones and they are great.

2. Use 11 guage or higher strings.

3. Get a GOOD tube amp. Im playing stereo through a 68 Silverface Bassman with 2 12's and a 1980's Marshall MKII half stack. The tone is unreal, makes my hairs stand up on end. Someone mentioned that these guitars are not good fr the hard rock/metal sound... that is simply not true. Sure, its not going to sound like a Les Paul, but if you have a Jazzmaster, you most likely *dont* want that sound anyways. Overdrive is where these guitar shine, i do believe. A side note, Distortion Pedals are NO SUBSTITUTE fr a good amp. If you want a quality distortion sound, dont rely on some 9volt Pedal.

I have also noticed that my Jazzmaster will sound different on a daily basis. One day its perfect - exactly what I want, and other days its less that perfect. I think maybe its due to the fluctuating weather in my area, as well as the nature of old tube amps.

I tend to roll down the Treble on my amps when using the Bridge pickup, for as its a little bit too bright.

My experience is that these guitars take some getting used to. I had the usual fret buzz that everyone complains about - so I raised the bridge and no more buzz. It seems to me that low action is an impossible dream with MIJ Jazzmasters. I have learned to play with moderate to High action, and its not a problem... in fact its made me a better player.

I had problems with the bridge screws lowering by themselves - so I took some clear nail polish and glued it in place, no longer a problem. If I want to readjust it later, it easily comes undone.

I had some problems with tuning - so I asked a professional and learned how to properly string it up, and how to properly intonate it... no longer a problem.

Everyone complains about the bridge. Over the years, the strings have worn a nice little notch into the grooves that were already there. I play pretty hard, and dont have a problem with string slipping anymore. I did though. If I bought a new JM, Id file the groove a little bit more to hasten this effect. I actually have grown top love the bridge.

The finish is nice enough. mine is chipped and stuff, but thats my fault. I believe guitars are meant to be played and NOT collected. Shame on all you collector scum out there hording super nice equipment, driving prices up beyond a real players grasp.

Once again, I wish the folks at Fender would wise up and realise that Block inlays and a bound neck add to the beauty of these guitars. I've seen some real cheap guitars with these features, so it cant be a question of saving money... wait a minute, what am I saying... Corporate greed = Make it cheaper cheaper cheaper. As if Japan owned Fender gives a hoot about stuff like making guitars into werks of art.

Its been my main guitar fr over 7 years (Ive been playing fr 11 years now). I never had a backup when playing out. Never had a problem besides breaking strings.
I have put my JM through hell and its still kicking. Routine tightening is necessary.

Never dealt with them. Ron at R-n-R takes care of every guitar that leaves his store.

Be warned that it is extremly easy to fall completely in love with these guitars. If mine was lost or stolen, Id do whatever it took to get another one - though Id save fr one with pearl inlays.

I have only messed around with the new American models in stores, but see no real difference between the MIJ and MIA models. If yr like me and cant afford a vintage or a American model, the MIJ will do fine.
Dont let "Best" ruin "good enough". Not everyone can be a picky anal purist.

Recently I aquired a 70's Epiphone Scroll which became my #1 guitar.
I didnt touch the JM fr a long time. Only recently I went back to the Fender, and remembered why I love it. Great sound, looks and style - doubled with a vibe that pushes creativity. Seems like every band that has pushed the envelope has used one of these somewhere down the line.

The same old features that the re-issue has. Not my bass but some guy who keeps on coming into Kelowna Guitarworks and bragging about his awesome Fender Jazzmaster. Not a bad guitar but I wish he would just shut-up!! basic features. Good Sound.

As I said above good sound. I have played and heard better. This Jeremy guy keeps on phoning G&L begging them to put out a re-issue of their own of the Jazz Master. Give it a rest buddy. It's an alright guitar but that's it!

Action O.K., But those damn strings keep on coming off if you play the guitar to hard. Gezz. Every time I am in Kelowna GuitarWorks checking out amps or guitars, this guy keeps on coming in to get his guitar fixed by the local luther there. Then he goes on and on about how this is the greatest guitar. His is the one with the Canadian Flag on it. I'm sure those guys at G&L know him by name as he phones there every week to asks them why they can't put off a re-issue Jazzmaster. Jeremy!! Isn't your Jazzmaster good enough???

I guess it is durable. Reliable. Not with those strings doing a pop-o-wheeley EVerytime you play HARD>>>>>>>>>>>

The finish is good. I think he paid too much for it. Meaning your guitar Jeremy Buddy!! And this is a re-issue so it should last awhile.

Yuckkyuyyyyyy yuckkkyyyyy. No customer support. Fender sells you a guitar and then kick you in the butt and say, we never want to see you again. God old Fender. Good gear but customer service is first to none. The Fender dealer is good, but the Fender factory is like a pawnshop cica 1980's.

Jeremy. Stop telling everyone that you have a Jazzmaster but leaving out the re-issue part. It is a re-issue not an original. The original Jazzmaster was made much better. The re0issue is O.K. but the quality isn't the same. Fender can put all the hype they want to on this but it isn't going to change a thang...

My Jazzmaster is a bit of a Frankenstein - most hardware, body and neck are 68, pickups and controls are from a 65, and the pickguard is a reissue! When I bought it, some of the original Klusons were damaged so I replaced them with reissues as well (I kept the old ones for the vintage freak in me!). I also had the nut replaced (high E slot allowed string to slip out) and entire guitar setup. I have a buzz-stop for it, but took that off as it prevents all the cool behind-the-bridge stuff you can do with the traditional setup. Fantastic neck - all the finish has long worn-away and it has that great, almost slippery feel. Guitar has been refretted at some point with jumbo-ish (?not sure exactly) fret-wire, and the surf green color might be a refin - it's so pristine that it's hard not to think so. It's possible that the color is a result of fadin/yellowing of lacquer over a light blue finish - there are a few spots around the headstock where the color is clearly blue and sea-foam-y green. I love this guitar, but it's a little temperamental, which is why I give it an 8.

I love the sound of this guitar - way more throaty and raw than my G&L tele's, this guitar sometimes makes me stare at my amp in disbelief. I play mutated pop, improvised other, and generally rock. I use a Fender Hot Rod DeVille (2x12), a Silverface Bassman through a Marshall 4x10 cabinet, or a Sovtek Mig50 through a single 12" Peavey cab (with the nice tweed finish, so it's not all Peavey ugly). Effects wise, I use a Marshall Compressor->TurboRat->Ibanez Tube Screamer reissue->ZVex Fuzz Factory->Big Briar MoogerFooger Ring Modulatore->Boss Pitch Shift/Delay->Boss Loop Station. Clean sounds with a bit of compression are really rich, especially when selecting both pickups; very nice sustain, chimey, present, etc. With one ore more distortion pedals going, the guitar begins to sound like it's coming apart (which I love); very full, dare I say it? - dangerous sound. The guitar is quite noisy on either of the single pickup sounds, but much of the hum goes away when both are in use. Others have complained about the string path and how it doesn't give good sustain, but I love the tremelo setup on this guitar, and am willing to sacrifice Gibson-style sustain for what's gained there.

This guitar is inherently pretty rickety - I don't believe these were rock-solid when they rolled off the line in the 60's and the last 35 years haven't helped much. That, too, adds to the charm of this guitar for me. It's not a perfect setup, and it needs more regular adjusting than any of my other guitars, but I really expected nothing less. I mess with my guitars all the time, trying out different configurations, so this isn't a big deal for me.

This guitar does withstand live playing. The hardware, etc. is all good. I'm not going to throw it on the floor in a temper tantrum, but I'm not like that anyway. I always have several guitars with me at shows, so the backup point is moot. I do depend on it regularly.

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I've been playing for 17 years. I have two G&L tele's, a DeArmond 335 copy, crappy Aria Pro II strat copy, DeArmond 7 string, lots of toys and other junk. I would love to have more Jazzmasters - I've always loved the look of this guitar - so I'd definitely look for another if mine went away.

This is a USA-made 2001 reissue '62 Jazzmaster. It has a custom color finish with a rosewood fingerboard,one-piece maple neck,standard floating tremolo,two vintage pickups..includes brown tolex hardshell case.

I play rock,blues,jazz,and other styles..both rhythm and lead. I use vintage tube amps like a Fender blackface Twin and a Super Reverb.
The pickups on this Jazzmaster are WAY too noisy. The only setting that is even reasonable is playing both pickups(wired to hum cancel here). The bridge pickup has an annoying treble,but the neck pickup sounds much better..if only it didn't hum. Once you turn up your amp for some punch,or stage volume..you have noise problems from generally thin sounding pickups. Fender should upgrade these pickups.

Guitar had an average set-up..shims in the neck,and not a real tight fit in the socket either. The rosewood fingerboard is very nice,and the neck was very straight..no problems here,although I could not quite get used to bending strings on those thin frets.
The floating bridge is very average..doesn't offer stability for tuning and intonation,and the angle of the strings to the tailpiece is not sharp enough.
Custom paint was nice,neck is finished very smooth.

It has a durable finish,beautiful rosewood,nice shiny chrome hardware.
It doesn't stay in tune that well, and the tremolo bar doesn't help. I made sure to lube the string trees and the nut, but still wasn't happy with it. I would not play out with it considering tuning headaches and the noisy pickups.

Fender has been slow on orders and customer service requests every time I have dealt with them in the past.

This guitar looks very cool, and the offset body shape is easy to hold when you play. It has a lot of tradition attached to it from the surfer music days...but not enough reliability for me to keep it. I already sold it and I do not miss it. I'm going to continue to purchase Gibsons with humbucks. I might try a hardtail Strat and add Kinman silent pickups to it. Check out Kinman's site.
Fender needs to redesign the Jazzmaster tremolo system,bridge,and pickups before I would buy another one.