More Jazzmaster drivel (Reverend please check in)

Danhedonia

Danhedonia

Noted duckfat enthusiast
After coming this close (fingers 1/2" apart) to purchasing an American Professional Jazzmaster, I did some internet research and found out they have two issues that are possible deal breakers (really crappy stock pickups; weird spacing on the "Mustang bridge upgrade" saddles that put the 6th string almost on the edge of the FB).

I find myself once again frustrated by Fender.

So, I feel like I'm looking again. What I want from my JM:
- Under $2k
- Piano-like classic JM tone
- The slightly-larger nut / wider string spacing
- The overtones from the sympathetic string length

I'm now looking at other options, which may include my giving up on one of my above wishlist items.

Reverend, I am looking at Jetstreams, and while I know that they don't have much in common with a JM layout (except shape), I am wondering: do they have that piano-like tone? How mid-range-y are the p90's? Is there another Reverend that sounds more like a JM in your opinion?

Some obvious alternatives have deal breakers for me:
- American 60's classic has the old, shitty bridge, and is $2k. Screw that.
- The Troy van Leeuwen is (I think) Mexican, and for once I am feeling insistent on a US guitar, if it's a Fender (e.g., I would contemplate a MIK Reverend). It also has a 7.25" radius, and I prefer larger.

After 35 years of utterly directionless screwing around, I am wanting to cut back from 40+ guitars to a few great guitars. I'm looking for a new #1 or #1A.

Help a brother.
 
go Warmoth and you can have everything you want and nothing you don't. Even if you splurge on custom pickups and a Mastery bridge/vibrato, you'll come in under $2k. (unless you go exotic flamey wood)
 
Danhedonia said:
After coming this close (fingers 1/2" apart) to purchasing an American Professional Jazzmaster, I did some internet research and found out they have two issues that are possible deal breakers (really crappy stock pickups; weird spacing on the "Mustang bridge upgrade" saddles that put the 6th string almost on the edge of the FB).

I find myself once again frustrated by Fender.

So, I feel like I'm looking again. What I want from my JM:
- Under $2k
- Piano-like classic JM tone
- The slightly-larger nut / wider string spacing
- The overtones from the sympathetic string length

I'm now looking at other options, which may include my giving up on one of my above wishlist items.

Reverend, I am looking at Jetstreams, and while I know that they don't have much in common with a JM layout (except shape), I am wondering: do they have that piano-like tone? How mid-range-y are the p90's? Is there another Reverend that sounds more like a JM in your opinion?

Some obvious alternatives have deal breakers for me:
- American 60's classic has the old, shitty bridge, and is $2k. Screw that.
- The Troy van Leeuwen is (I think) Mexican, and for once I am feeling insistent on a US guitar, if it's a Fender (e.g., I would contemplate a MIK Reverend). It also has a 7.25" radius, and I prefer larger.

After 35 years of utterly directionless screwing around, I am wanting to cut back from 40+ guitars to a few great guitars. I'm looking for a new #1 or #1A.

Help a brother.
Click to expand...

This is a tough one for me. I've never played a JM so I really don't know what they are supposed to sound like. When I think of a Jetstream 390, I think it sounds like a strat on steroids. It's not as thin sounding and has more complex tone imo. The p90's are beautiful clean, they respond really well to pick attack. They grind a growl really well with some dirt.

@Kerouac would probably be able to answer this question a little better than I.
 
reverend1 said:
Artist status revoked.
Click to expand...

I love Reverends, but they aren't Jazzmasters. He wants a Jazzmaster and to get what he wants, he gonna have to mod a Fender, build a Warmoth, or go to a custom builder. IMO, there are 2 things that are crucial for the JM sound, the JM pickups and the bridge/vibrato. Without those 2 things, it isn't going to be the same. Now if you can get Ken to throw on the bridge/vibrato and the pickups into a JetStream, I'd take that over any JM Fender offers.
 
Chad said:
I love Reverends, but they aren't Jazzmasters. He wants a Jazzmaster and to get what he wants, he gonna have to mod a Fender, build a Warmoth, or go to a custom builder. IMO, there are 2 things that are crucial for the JM sound, the JM pickups and the bridge/vibrato. Without those 2 things, it isn't going to be the same. Now if you can get Ken to throw on the bridge/vibrato and the pickups into a JetStream, I'd take that over any JM Fender offers.
Click to expand...

I'm just fucking with you. Like I said I have no love for JM's and have avoided them like the plague. I have obviously heard others play them but not clean to really hear the character of the guitar. That's why I deferring to @Kerouac on this one.
 
reverend1 said:
I'm just fucking with you. Like I said I have no love for JM's and have avoided them like the plague. I have obviously heard others play them but not clean to really hear the character of the guitar. That's why I deferring to @Kerouac on this one.
Click to expand...

But seriously, get Ken to do that to a JetStream :grin:
 
Chad said:
But seriously, get Ken to do that to a JetStream :grin:
Click to expand...
Ken has a all original '63 Jazzmaster that he absolutely hates. I don't see that happening in the future.

IMG_0490.jpg
IMG_0489 2.jpg
 
Chad said:
With the original JM Bridge, I don't blame him. If he sent it over to Woody at Mastery and let him work on it, I bet he'd love it when he got it back.
Click to expand...
I don't think he want to mod it at all, and it's not something he would play. He'll flip it eventually, he got a great deal on it.
 
I am very, very appreciative -- this is the conversation I need to have.

I'd see the Jetstream as an "instead of" solution, rather than a "substitute Jazzmaster." As Chad noted, the bridge/vib and pups are the key (which makes Fender's "VMod" pickups on the new AmPro's an absolutely idiotic move, but I digress).

@reverend1 , the reason people put up with JM's is the sound; it's really hard to get that piano/bell like tone.

@Chad - will Warmoth do an assembly? I looked into it, and Jesus, no, I'm not a flamey top kinda guy. (Although I did look at the Dragon Burst ... heaven help me).

Another option would be to do the Fender Mod Shop, but I wonder if they'd do the same dumb thing with the bridge saddle spacing. I also have a funny feeling that they might take a very long time to get around to fulfilling a non-Custom-Shop order. OTOH, I could fly out to Corona and drop by Fender if that would help. One problem I face is that I am bad with a soldering iron, and so the obvious solution of modding the AmPro with Lollars and a new bridge is fraught with difficulty (because the one tech in this city that I trusted is no longer in business).

I shouldn't feel this way, but Suhr and Nash just turn me off.
 
Just to sort of pile on my own thread re: the sound of a JM, I've used other people's nice vintage ones over the years. And even though it has some serious issues, my Squier VM sounds pretty good through certain rigs. I tracked it once through an NT1-A and an Egnater with 6V6's, and some people I shared it with thought it was a keyboard set to 'church bell,' and/or piano.

I wish I knew how to describe it better - there just isn't any other sound quite like it.
 
Danhedonia said:
I am very, very appreciative -- this is the conversation I need to have.

I'd see the Jetstream as an "instead of" solution, rather than a "substitute Jazzmaster." As Chad noted, the bridge/vib and pups are the key (which makes Fender's "VMod" pickups on the new AmPro's an absolutely idiotic move, but I digress).

@reverend1 , the reason people put up with JM's is the sound; it's really hard to get that piano/bell like tone.

@Chad - will Warmoth do an assembly? I looked into it, and Jesus, no, I'm not a flamey top kinda guy. (Although I did look at the Dragon Burst ... heaven help me).

Another option would be to do the Fender Mod Shop, but I wonder if they'd do the same dumb thing with the bridge saddle spacing. I also have a funny feeling that they might take a very long time to get around to fulfilling a non-Custom-Shop order. OTOH, I could fly out to Corona and drop by Fender if that would help. One problem I face is that I am bad with a soldering iron, and so the obvious solution of modding the AmPro with Lollars and a new bridge is fraught with difficulty (because the one tech in this city that I trusted is no longer in business).

I shouldn't feel this way, but Suhr and Nash just turn me off.
Click to expand...
A friend just ordered a Dick Dale custom shop through Wildwood (highest volume custom shop dealer in the country) and they said a minimum of 9 month if not more.
 
Danhedonia said:
I am very, very appreciative -- this is the conversation I need to have.

I'd see the Jetstream as an "instead of" solution, rather than a "substitute Jazzmaster." As Chad noted, the bridge/vib and pups are the key (which makes Fender's "VMod" pickups on the new AmPro's an absolutely idiotic move, but I digress).

@reverend1 , the reason people put up with JM's is the sound; it's really hard to get that piano/bell like tone.

@Chad - will Warmoth do an assembly? I looked into it, and Jesus, no, I'm not a flamey top kinda guy. (Although I did look at the Dragon Burst ... heaven help me).

Another option would be to do the Fender Mod Shop, but I wonder if they'd do the same dumb thing with the bridge saddle spacing. I also have a funny feeling that they might take a very long time to get around to fulfilling a non-Custom-Shop order. OTOH, I could fly out to Corona and drop by Fender if that would help. One problem I face is that I am bad with a soldering iron, and so the obvious solution of modding the AmPro with Lollars and a new bridge is fraught with difficulty (because the one tech in this city that I trusted is no longer in business).

I shouldn't feel this way, but Suhr and Nash just turn me off.
Click to expand...

they do not assemble as far as I know. I assemble and set them up myself, then take it to a tech for a final setup. I've heard some people buy the parts and have their tech assemble the whole thing. If the soldering part is the only thing holding you back, there are places that sell pre-wired harnesses. You would have to attach the pickups.
 
Chad said:
go Warmoth and you can have everything you want and nothing you don't. Even if you splurge on custom pickups and a Mastery bridge/vibrato, you'll come in under $2k. (unless you go exotic flamey wood)
Click to expand...

That exactly where I find myself. For the price of the JMs that I like from Fender and then factoring in the mods that I would want or features that just aren't available from them (like SS frets) it's a no brainer to just build exactly what I want. Assembling a finished body/neck parts build is really pretty simple stuff that anyone with some basic hand tools, iron and a drill/bits can do.

Hence my pine body/roasted maple/SS fret/Mastery build I'm currently gathering parts for.
 
I have done a couple of warmoth builds in the past, it’s not too difficult. If I lived closer I would be happy to help you out with assembly.

What about a Japanese jazzmaster? My higher and Japanese Strat and tele guitars are exceptionally nice instruments.

431cf190f1b1c5430a3ce00515b821be.jpg
 
Fender Japan Traditional 60S JAZZMASTER 3 Tone Sunbursthttps://applink.reverb.com/item/10993765-fender-japan-traditional-60s-jazzmaster-3-tone-sunburst
 
smurfco said:
Fender Japan Traditional 60S JAZZMASTER 3 Tone Sunbursthttps://applink.reverb.com/item/10993765-fender-japan-traditional-60s-jazzmaster-3-tone-sunburst
Click to expand...
Put a Mastery bridge on here and Bob’s your uncle. I have ordered a couple of guitars from Japan including the telecaster in my post above and have never had a problem.
 
Nash JM-63 Find one locally and play it. If you're in MA any time soon, borrow mine and maybe buy it.

I owned a MIJ jazzmaster with upgraded pickups and maybe an upgraded bridge and that thing sounded amazing.

As I said in your other thread, the Leeuwen is made in Mexico and was very underwhelming.

Also, wildwood thinskin '65's.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top