NGD: FCS Limited Edition 1958 Jazzmaster

[enkindler]

After searching for years for a Jazzmaster I connected with, and waiting for Fender to make a more affordable option I finally was offered a deal on a guitar that I loved and couldn't pass by.

It is a Fender Custom Shop Limited Edition 1958 Closet Classic Jazzmaster in Aged Placid Blue with the 2-Saddle RSD J-Bridge.

I really hope that fender starts selling this bridge because it is amazing. While I would have ordered a different configuration and in NOS, the aging on this guitar doesn't bother me like the more extensive relicing does.

It ticked all of the boxes for me, great bridge, C shaped neck with 9.5" radius, awesome sound and a non-typical color combo.

I haven't seen a NGD with the RSD bridge but the intonation is great according to my strobe tuner and it feels vary nice under the palm and nicer then any of the other options like staytrem or mastery.

I would post more but I am too antsy to go play for hours and hours.

[BoringPostcards]

That's a beautiful Jazzmaster! Congrats.
I really like the look of the RSD bridge. Let us know how you feel after a week or two using it.
LPB is the best blue, in my opinion.

[Larry Mal]

Great guitar, and I like the looks of that bridge and would like to hear more about it. I do have to question the '58 designation on a guitar made to modern specs, but who cares, you have to call everything something to make sense of the world I guess. To name it is to have power over it.

Enjoy your guitar!

[chipbutty24]

Nice guitar! Happy NGD.

[Shadoweclipse13]

Sweet

Count me in the group that would also like to hear more about the RSD bridge. I'm currently planning a custom build as my JM-type and I haven't decided on a bridge yet. I thought I was one of the only people around here who liked it...

[Larry Mal]

I like the looks of it, I think it looks like a very easy bridge to set up, and it probably sounds great. I'm a big fan of the Mastery bridge's three strings per saddle.

[Jan Deal]

I'd be interested in the RSD bridge if it becomes available separately.

Lovely looking guitar btw!

[enkindler]

Thanks everyone,

I will absolutely come back and provide some feedback after the honeymoon period is over but after a few hours I am very happy, but note that just like I don't like Strats I don't like Mastery bridges. Obviously this is just personal and I am at no Mark Knopfler but I would say that you can buy a Fender Re-Issue, Mastery or Staytrem bridge but you cannot buy a RSD bridge without buying a custom shop guitar right now. So I would be tempted to order one with a Custom Shop order.

But let me explain why the Mastery bridge (at least on 9.5" radius fretboards bothers me) When I am running scales I tend to drag my palm from behind the bridge when on the Low E string pushing my arm forward to the higher pitched strings and the parts with the red boxes tend to have a cheese grater effect. I also have a habit of sliding my palm over the bridge to have a longer decay on mutes. This is also probably why I have a hard time adapting to strats and you are fighting with the volume knob and the lack of the strings after the break makes me lose my reference anchor. This is fully the problem with my technique but that is why I dislike the Mastery.



I have a Jaguarillo with a ToM that has been my main guitar for a few years but it is a fender spaced 9.5" radius bridge and it rattles and shakes. I love that guitar and will probably put the above Mastery on it some day but it has to be plugged, drilled and the neck shimmed to change the bridge. I just put clear nail polish on the screw ends to keep it from being super rattly but it has killed my interest in ToM/AoM.

I have one of the American Professional Jaguars with the staytrem copy and a Bass VI with the staytrem wide and those are absolutely fine but the RSD bridge seems just a bit nicer with my habits at this time. I am hopeful that the brass will also oxidize but we will see. With the 58 having a gold pick guard it doesn't stick out like it may on a burst with tort, but it is fine on this guitar. I haven't seen a deeper relic with this bridge yet so I am not sure how they age it but that may make it a none issue.

I am insanely happy with the sound of this guitar and the only two adjustments I probably would have made on an order at this point would be to move the truss rod adjustment out of the heal and put on witch hats. I will probably buy some witch hat knobs because the prototype (which I think they were trying to match the aesthetics of) are quite tall and will catch more often. I may also look at modding the volume pot as I am use to having treble bleed or other methods to avoid a huge drop in tone but I won't make that change until I really now this guitar. A skunk stripe on a quarter sawn neck would probably be sacrilegious but I like the convenience.

I can see how this guitar wouldn't make those looking for an accurate reproduction happy but it is truly impressive to play and hear. I will be back after a few weeks for an update and hopefully will find some time to do some recording.

While this is not a true 58 replica let me list the differences from the main base 1962 Custom Shop model that I have noticed so far.

Default selectable for 59- custom shop base model in (braces)

Body: ash (alder)
Nut: bone (Micarta)
Pickup Covers: black
Pick-guard: aluminum
Knobs: aluminum
Neck: quarter sawn (flat)
Radius: 9.5" (7.5")
Frets: Tall narrow 6105 (vintage)
Pickups: hand wound vintage jazzmaster (non-hand wound vintage jazzmaster)
Bridge: RSD (vintage jazzmaster)
Custom Shop Limited neck plate, case and certificate of authenticity and "Limited Edition" wording in G&G case....in other words the mark of someone who buys a custom guitar off the rack like myself

If those things matter to you one could order one of these as a full custom build I guess. I think they call it 58 due to mostly the body wood, the pick guard and other aesthetic changes but it seems that the target was the NAMM prototypes and not the early delivery guitars.

Not being a traditionalist I have no opinion either way but I did want to share the information for those who do personally find these details critical.

[mcjt]

very nice CS 1958. Congrats!

[Larsongs]

Well done! Enjoy!

[Arthon]

Really cool guitar.

I really like those 58... Congrats. Nice to have a review of the RSD bridge.

I have a older series CS '58 Jazzmaster, but mine doesnt have the same specs. Mine have a alder body with a one piece maple neck. I am curious to hear the difference between the guitars, especially the pickups.

[enkindler]

Really cool guitar.

I really like those 58... Congrats. Nice to have a review of the RSD bridge.

I have a older series CS '58 Jazzmaster, but mine doesnt have the same specs. Mine have a alder body with a one piece maple neck. I am curious to hear the difference between the guitars, especially the pickups.

It just so happens that a friend wanted me to set up his 2010 NOS 1962 Jazzmaster up with a mastery bridge. If this is about the era of your guitar I may be able to do some testing.

I did a basic install and setup but it will take me a while to see if I think that anything is "better" or if it is just different. They are both good sounding guitars but the sustain may be better on the RSD. That said I didn't change strings so it could be the crustiness causing that, but I will try to update.



As a side note on my friends guitar, while this picture makes it look worse than it is, it seems odd that a custom shop worker wouldn't just cut away the black on black text from the water slide decal for the headstock.



Just a small thing but it seems a bit silly at this level of a product.

But I will make a point of trying to "hear" the pickups vs. letting my assumptions change what I think. I don't know enough about custom shop guitars to know how often the offerings in the jazzmaster pickups change and I can't find a 2010 design guide but I will try to be objective as possible.

[enkindler]

OK took some pictures and posted them below when restringing. Note that the linked images are very large so watch out if you are on a phone or slow link.

First an update as I spent a lot of time with both guitars on a Mark V and a 68 CDR. The handwound and the stock pickups are not that different in tone but the the 58 is a lot quieter but that may be due to better shielding. The pots on the 58 limited edition are solid as I expected so it would require knobs with a set screw. I would order a guitar with an Ash body if I was making my own as the lighter weight is very nice and you can actually feel the vibrations more.


Now on to the RSD bridge. It does sustain a bit better than the Mastery but there are a few issues that will probably both limit the ability of them to sell it as an aftermarket part and also limit the audience that will want it. I am still very very happy with it and am very happy my guitar has it.

1) There is no individual height adjustment so the bridge has to be cut or sized perfectly for your fretboard radius
2) There is limited front and back movement for intonation so it may be challenging to intonate if you are not the measuring type.
3) The posts are swaged in so there is no way to adjust it if your thimbles are not exactly drilled for it.
4) If you use lighter coated strings it may be easy to dislodge if you like a lower break angle.
5) There is no marking for which side is the front so make sure to make a mark before pulling it to avoid the need to pull it if you put it in backwards.

I do like how it feels under the palm and it sustains extremely well while also solving most of the issues with the vintage bridge. I would still probably order one with a guitar, making sure to tell them what string gauge you use, but if you like the swap string sizes a lot this is probably not the bridge for you.

If I have to replace this bridge I will probably go with a Staytrem or preferably, if Fender sells it as a part. the American professional jazzmaster/jaguar mustang bridge. The above considerations do not apply for me so I am not even considering changing out the RSD bridge at this time. If you have ever fitted an acoustic bridge or a arch-top bridge and have some files I think even re-filing this bridge isn't a huge deal but it would be painful without those tools, a good collection of measuring devices and a strobe tuner.

Bottom



Bottom Slots, note the adjustment range.



Front



Top

[tammyw]

Thanks for sharing. FCS really hit it out the park with that run of 58's.

[enkindler]

As an update I like the bridge and will just use that guitar as is, and I am very happy with it.

On a side note the loaner black Jazzmaster was traded for as my friend never plays it. I wanted a hotter pickup for some of my fuzz pedals so I am building up a Loller jazzmaster P90 pick guard for it and started a thread on the mods sub forum to track it.

Some may be sacrilegious to modify a custom shop guitar, but everything I am doing is reversible and so far it sounds awesome but it will need some tone stack changes to really shine.