2017 Custom Shop Journeyman offsets

Discussion of newer designs, copies and reissue offset-waist instruments.
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Re: 2017 Custom Shop Journeyman offsets

Post by F tuner » Mon Feb 13, 2017 2:10 am

I was trying to get an understanding of this in another thread. I am keen to pickup a Jaguar, and it looked like the vintage market was about 4K for a Jaguar. But it looks like these custom shop jaguars are also 4K. I don't understand.

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Re: 2017 Custom Shop Journeyman offsets

Post by Embenny » Mon Feb 13, 2017 5:46 am

F tuner wrote:I was trying to get an understanding of this in another thread. I am keen to pickup a Jaguar, and it looked like the vintage market was about 4K for a Jaguar. But it looks like these custom shop jaguars are also 4K. I don't understand.
That was exactly my point in my earlier post. Even if you wanted modern frets and a specific colour, you could buy a refin, have it professionally repainted and refretted, and still come in cheaper.

Arthon made some counterpoints, though the only one that really makes sense to me is the difficulty in obtaining vintage guitars in certain countries. As for hit/miss/consistency, pre-CBS Fenders are fantastic in consistency in my experience, and by buying in person you avoid most issues. And as far as the lifetime warranty issue...a pre-CBS Fender has made it 50+ years so far, and if/when it did ever need any repair work, it'll have appreciated far beyond the extra value you have to put into it.

I'm glad there are people whom these guitars make happy, but it still doesn't make sense to me.
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Re: 2017 Custom Shop Journeyman offsets

Post by Jaguar018 » Mon Feb 13, 2017 8:25 am

F tuner wrote:I was trying to get an understanding of this in another thread. I am keen to pickup a Jaguar, and it looked like the vintage market was about 4K for a Jaguar. But it looks like these custom shop jaguars are also 4K. I don't understand.
The things that I wanted from a vintage Jag could not be had.

Now if you like CAR or Sunburst Jaguars with vintage specs, you might be kind of a moron if you don't get a vintage one (unless you don't like the idea of other people touching your guitars).

Me? I like: blocks and binding and Sherwood green. When did Sherwood green stop being an option for vintage Fenders? Well, 1963 or so depending on your research. When did blocks and binding start? Later 1966. So the guitar I wanted never properly existed.
mbene085 wrote:That was exactly my point in my earlier post. Even if you wanted modern frets and a specific colour, you could buy a refin, have it professionally repainted and refretted, and still come in cheaper.

I did buy some vintage Jaguars in various stages of poor finish, and I never fell in love with any of them. I've had two professionally refinished this way. They were a bit cheaper to be sure but I liked my CS Jag more. It felt better. Did it sound better? Well, that was tough. Sometimes it did, sometimes the vintage ones sounded better. 'Overall' I liked the sound of my CS Jag, but if I could have Frankensteined the pickups I might have...

I'm not saying you're wrong at all (and even if I was I don't think I'd change your mind :D ), but what I am saying is that we all approach guitars a little differently. From a purely financial place, if you buy a vintage Jaguar and get it refinished you will be lucky to get all of your money back (guitar + refinish + an usually the cost of shipping there and back) if you sell it. It's not exactly a good investment. A CS Jag? You will lose a bunch of money on a new one of these too because barely anyone ever wants one in the real world outside OSG, and the people that do will always lowball the offer.

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Re: 2017 Custom Shop Journeyman offsets

Post by ryverb » Mon Feb 13, 2017 10:16 am

I think these are cool but outrageously over-priced. Also those bridges :fp:

You could buy two amazing Danocaster Offset's for the price of one of these.

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Re: 2017 Custom Shop Journeyman offsets

Post by skkipi » Mon Mar 06, 2017 6:50 am

Any news on these? Particularly on that black Jazzmaster.

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Re: 2017 Custom Shop Journeyman offsets

Post by Johnny Burrito » Mon Mar 06, 2017 9:24 am

That Shoreline Jaguar is just :?

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Re: 2017 Custom Shop Journeyman offsets

Post by N0_Camping4U » Mon Mar 06, 2017 11:00 am

Fender is so dumb. They look great, but they're way way over priced. It should be half that. I like most of these, the Shell Pink Bass VI is to die for, but come on. I could assemble one from the many sources and spec it out + give it a matching headstock (which is what it SHOULD have) for considerably cheaper.

This is why MJT, Danocaster, etc. have to be dipping into some of Fender's profits. They charge way too much. Sucks, too. I'd like that Shoreline gold Jaguar, but I would rather wait for the thin skin shoreline gold to pop up. Or just talk to Dano.
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Re: 2017 Custom Shop Journeyman offsets

Post by saxjag » Mon Mar 06, 2017 4:40 pm

I think the roasted artisan JM is gorgeous, & the 2-Saddle RSD J-Bridge intriguing -- would love to hear it.

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Re: 2017 Custom Shop Journeyman offsets

Post by tammyw » Thu Mar 23, 2017 4:41 am

Really wanted to like that shoreline jag, but it's just too relic. :fp:

I take back what I said about the artisan jazzmaster, the gold guard works. It's pretty hot if you're into that woody look.
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Re: 2017 Custom Shop Journeyman offsets

Post by Despot » Mon Mar 27, 2017 6:19 am

mbene085 wrote: Sure, there's the whole "new vs old" debate, but if you're spending $4400 for a new guitar that is intentionally made to look old (and is trying to sound/feel old), why would you spend more money than an actual vintage jag?
Not strictly speaking an offset post, but more a few observations about the price differential between vintage and custom shop.

Offsets are in an interesting space in terms of price - there's very little difference between a standard/sunburst Jaguar and the price of a CS version in whatever colour you're having yourself. Jazzmasters there's a bit of a difference, maybe 20% difference in price (in favour of vintage). At those prices I'd rather hang around for a really good vintage example (i.e. great feeling neck, great sounding pickups being the two essentials - all else is cherry on top for me).

I've owned something like 7/8 vintage ES model Gibsons - all the main double cut models. Right now I have a really fantastic '62 ES345 that is possibly one of the nicest guitars I've ever played, a '68 ES335 and a modern Custom Shop ES355. Surprisingly, there's less gap between how the ES345 and modern ES355 'feel' than between either and the other vintage guitar ('68 ES335).

The difference is the price - that ES345 came at a good price, but it was still expensive - double the new/retail price of the ES355 (which also came at a discount ... so in real terms it's maybe 1/3 the price). But even at full whack the ES355 makes more economic sense than the vintage equivalent.

I can justify going custom shop (with either Fender or Gibson) where it's impossible to find a really good vintage example at a similar price. But with offsets the math just doesn't stack up for me - the vintage Jaguar will probably hold it's value over time, whereas the Custom Shop Jaguar will lose value (well, in terms of price - it'll hold it's value as a useful instrument for sure).

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Re: 2017 Custom Shop Journeyman offsets

Post by 46346 » Wed Mar 29, 2017 11:28 pm

amv wrote:Can anyone explain why 90% of Fender's Custom Shop Jags and Jazzmasters are missing the matching headstock? They always go out of their way to assign them a very specific vintage year, go to the trouble of aging them to try to fool you into thinking they're actually from that year, then leave off one of the most obvious and striking features of that year.

I get minor tweaks like the fretboard radius, since it's an invisible change meant to address playability needs, but time and time again, it's the "'62 this" and "'63 that", without the matching headstock that would have been a given for a custom color at the time.

Word!! i might actually be intrigued if they did the custom color/matching headstock, a real hallmark of the era. otherwise, it looks like a cost-cutting reissue. i happily shelled out for the AV65 Jazzmaster when they offered Firemist Silver with matching hs... why does the CS overlook this classic Fender trademark at twice the prce?
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Re: 2017 Custom Shop Journeyman offsets

Post by Fenderman » Fri Mar 31, 2017 8:26 am

I totally agree with the custom shop gear being so expensive. I have several custom shop guitars that I've picked up used for less than half price of a new. I've had many jags over the years and currently own a marr jaguar. It's really good quality but just good compared to the fit and finish of either of the custom shops I have. Just the fitment alone is killer and not to mention the consistent body contours.

I'd never fork out the cash on a real vintage jag/jazzmaster unless I could keep it for a month or so to properly inspect and setup. Most I've seen and played were good but crazy high action, poor neck fit and horrible frets. You pop the neck off and find out the truss rod nut maxed out or seized. I'd be pretty pissed. Yeah you can fix any guitar but original is the key to any vintage guitar. The more repairs and non original parts added, let alone a refinish hurts the value big time. To me I wouldn't care but people think because it's vintage it's worth gold. A mint one yes but it's hard to find a mint 40-50 years old guitar.

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Re: 2017 Custom Shop Journeyman offsets

Post by HNB » Fri Mar 31, 2017 8:38 am

The blackwood is pretty sexy. :)
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Re: 2017 Custom Shop Journeyman offsets

Post by mekhem » Sat Apr 01, 2017 4:46 am

tammyw wrote:Really wanted to like that shoreline jag, but it's just too relic.

I take back what I said about the artisan jazzmaster, the gold guard works. It's pretty hot if you're into that woody look.
The 'Journeyman' relic is pretty light touch from what I have seen.

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Re: 2017 Custom Shop Journeyman offsets

Post by funkymonks13 » Sat Apr 01, 2017 9:27 am

N0_Camping4U wrote:Fender is so dumb. They look great, but they're way way over priced. It should be half that. I like most of these, the Shell Pink Bass VI is to die for, but come on. I could assemble one from the many sources and spec it out + give it a matching headstock (which is what it SHOULD have) for considerably cheaper.

This is why MJT, Danocaster, etc. have to be dipping into some of Fender's profits. They charge way too much. Sucks, too. I'd like that Shoreline gold Jaguar, but I would rather wait for the thin skin shoreline gold to pop up. Or just talk to Dano.
I wonder if these sell. How many people are paying 4k for a Bass VI?

I really want one, but id pay low 2000s at the most. Used ones rarely come up for sale. It would be cool if they did an American vintage bass VI line for around 2k.

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