New member searching for his first Jazzmaster!!!

[metsam]

Hello every one!

So, I am looking to get a Jazzmaster, but I am quite lost, and cannot find everything I want in just one model!!

What I want:

- Olympic white colour with redish pickup (optimally replace the PG by one that is more red, if I find one)
- Bridge: 6-Saddle Vintage-Style Adjustable with “Floating” Tremolo Tailpiece (possibly will be replacing with an upgrade - mastery, staytrem, zeus electrum etc)
- Maple neck
- rosewood fingerboard (definitely not pau ferro)
- truss rod nut on the headstock side (not the heel side)
- Headstock finish same as the neck's finish (not same finish as the guitar body, like the Vinteras for example)
- Rhythm circuit

Not particularly picky about the pups, probably will replace them with Novaks.

Any ideas for a model that has all the above requirements that costs around 1 - 1,5 grands?

Also, please keep in mind that I am located in Europe, so preferably would like to find something inside the European Union, to avoid paying customs taxes.

Thank you for your time reading this, wish you all a nice day!!

[jvin248]

.

You'll want to buy parts, assemble it, and have 'your guy' do the final setup tweaks.

Stratosphere may be a good option, get a loaded body, find your neck.

Go all maple neck if you want more tuning stability for temperature and humidity swings. ... plus save a rain forest.

.

[Embenny]

Sounds like a used white Squier VM Jazzmaster is the only guitar that would have those specs off the rack. The truss rod access at the nut is just something Fender has done on a JM with a vibrato outside of the Squiers and the American Ultra.

A few semantic tips: it's the bridge that floats, not the tremolo. Also, Mastery bridges don't float. It's the pickguard on a white JM that is tortoiseshell, not the pickups.

I agree with the above poster that assembling from parts might be your ticket, unless you buy a used Squier VM from 2017 or earlier. I disagree about rosewood, there's no impact on tuning stability whatsoever, though I support using sustainable woods. There's a difference between "currently plentiful" and "sustainable," though.

[metsam]

Thank you both for the answer! I was also considering this option but was thinking to go the fender path and not the squier, in order to have a better quality guitar.

@mbene085

A few semantic tips: it's the bridge that floats, not the tremolo. Also, Mastery bridges don't float. It's the pickguard on a white JM that is tortoiseshell, not the pickups.

Yeah I know that the bridge floats but this is the way that fender describes the vintage tremolo bridge system in its site, so I used their wording.
Also, I am aware that the mastery bridge is a stable one, would that be a problem? Everybody seems to give praise for it!
Of course I meant the pickguard is redish tortoiseshell, not the pickups!!

So, TBH, I was thinking to get the Mascis JMJM, but I was told that the TOM bridge would be difficult to replace with an upgrade due to the drilling and filling required, so I was totally put off.

unless you buy a used Squier VM from 2017 or earlier

Why 2017 or earlier? The Classic Vibe '60s Jazzmaster seems to be a good choice, or am I missing something?

Thank you again for taking the time and effort to help me!

[timtam]

Why 2017 or earlier? The Classic Vibe '60s Jazzmaster seems to be a good choice, or am I missing something?

You said you wanted a rosewood fretboard. The switch from rosewood to pau ferro came circa 2017 in response to CITES rosewood restrictions. Although legal again now, we haven't seen a full switch back to rosewood. Squier CV has an Indian laurel board, which may look like rosewood somewhat more often than pau ferro does.

[metsam]

Why 2017 or earlier? The Classic Vibe '60s Jazzmaster seems to be a good choice, or am I missing something?

You said you wanted a rosewood fretboard. The switch from rosewood to pau ferro came circa 2017 in response to CITES rosewood restrictions. Although legal again now, we haven't seen a full switch back to rosewood. Squier CV has an Indian laurel board, which may look like rosewood somewhat more often than pau ferro does.

You are right!! I didn't notice the laurel fingerboard! Thanks!!

So I 'll look for a NOS Squier VM 2017 or older!!

Cheers!

[marqueemoon]

A partsmaster with an American Pro neck and a Vintera loaded body would get you there.

[MayTheFuzzBeWithYou]

Besides the rhythm circuit this one might already get you pretty close to what you want out of the box!

https://www.chicagomusicexchange.com/li ... ve/5079944

Being a CME limited version - getting it might be the more complicated part! But from the Player series the CME IBM JM was available at Thomann too - so they might be able to source it somehow.

Another - even higher priced option would be this:
https://www.musicstore.com/de_AT/EUR/Fe ... gIJi_D_BwE - well, this one got the ALL ROSEWOOD neck...

Other than that I‘d like to add my word to those of my colleagues: get either a VM or CV Squier or an American Pro neck - Zoundhouse in Dresden sells them for 525€ - and whatever body you like...

[metsam]

Besides the rhythm circuit this one might already get you pretty close to what you want out of the box!

https://www.chicagomusicexchange.com/li ... ve/5079944

Being a CME limited version - getting it might be the more complicated part! But from the Player series the CME IBM JM was available at Thomann too - so they might be able to source it somehow.

Another - even higher priced option would be this:
https://www.musicstore.com/de_AT/EUR/Fe ... gIJi_D_BwE - well, this one got the ALL ROSEWOOD neck...

Other than that I‘d like to add my word to those of my colleagues: get either a VM or CV Squier or an American Pro neck - Zoundhouse in Dresden sells them for 525€ - and whatever body you like...

Thanks a lot for the info!!