Current Jazzmasters Comparison

Discussion of newer designs, copies and reissue offset-waist instruments.
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Ice Tre
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Current Jazzmasters Comparison

Post by Ice Tre » Thu Jul 20, 2017 10:10 pm

Has anyone here had the luxury of being to try all (or most of) the current model Jazzmasters on the market? I'm especially interested in the '65 AVRI, 60's Roadworn, 60's Lacquer, and Troy Van Leeuwen. I live in Denver and there's no store that carries these, so I can't try them out myself. All they seem to have are the Classic Player and the American Professional. I don't like big frets so those two are out for me.

I have a '62 AVRI and it's my favorite guitar. I also have a Lee Ranaldo. I use it for darker stuff, dropped tunings.

Or... any Jazzmaster fanatics out there who own them all?

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redchapterjubilee
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Re: Current Jazzmasters Comparison

Post by redchapterjubilee » Fri Jul 21, 2017 4:17 am

I'm 3/4 (I don't own the TVL JM but I have played one). I recommend the classic 60s to anyone wanting a great Jazzmaster. I also own a couple of AVRI's and the Classic 60s compares favorably to that model. I think in a blind test most folks would be unable to tell a difference between the two. The Roadworn is done tastefully and also compares favorably to vintage (the neck feels a lot like the 60s examples I'd played) but I prefer the finished necks of my other JM's. The neck profile on the AV65 is different than the others. It's larger, maybe a D vs the C of the AVRI/RW/C60s? It definitely feels different. The Troy...well, I wasn't impressed. I've played one at a guitar shop and a friend has one. It feels to me more like the Japanese fenders than the American ones the C60s and RW feel like. The finish on the neck in particular seemed really thick, like 70s Fender thick. At the price those trade at I cannot recommend one over the RW or Classic 60s.

I've played good Classic Players. There's good MIJ/CIJ out there too and the Squier VMJM is bang for buck an amazing guitar. But if I had a fire or a robbery and had to get another Jazzmaster I'd start with the Classic 60s.

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Re: Current Jazzmasters Comparison

Post by Larsongs » Fri Jul 21, 2017 10:25 am

AV65 if it's in your Budget. Or Classic 60's Lacquer which is the closest new one available to an AV65 for less than half the cost including the Hard Case.

Lars

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Re: Current Jazzmasters Comparison

Post by bubba899 » Fri Jul 21, 2017 11:24 am

I'm a big fan of the TVL. It's really well spec'd, plays great out the box (although I agree about the lacquer) and looks the bollocks. However, the price for these now is crazy. If you can get a good condition one second hand, go for it, but I deffo agree with Classic 60's for best balance of value and quality.

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Re: Current Jazzmasters Comparison

Post by indiandysummer » Fri Jul 21, 2017 4:54 pm

Based on the guitars you have, I would go 65 AV (used) if you can. The 60s lacquer will be close to your AVRI62. Which is fine and you love that guitar, but the 65 has a diff neck profile (fatter which I like) and binding, which is cool I guess. If you want something close to the 62, go lacquer!

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Re: Current Jazzmasters Comparison

Post by Mbell75 » Sat Jul 22, 2017 8:23 pm

Ive played the Squier J. Mascis, the Squier VM, the Fender CP, the Fender AM Pro and the Fender 60s lacquer all at the same GC last week. Went home, got on Craigslist and found a guy selling a used J. Mascis and traded him straight up for my 2016 Fender Duo Sonic HS. The Mascis was easily the best out of them all IMO and its half the price or less than any of the Fenders. Too bad you dont like jumbo frets, its a great JM.

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Re: Current Jazzmasters Comparison

Post by Larsongs » Sat Jul 22, 2017 10:11 pm

Mbell75 wrote:Ive played the Squier J. Mascis, the Squier VM, the Fender CP, the Fender AM Pro and the Fender 60s lacquer all at the same GC last week. Went home, got on Craigslist and found a guy selling a used J. Mascis and traded him straight up for my 2016 Fender Duo Sonic HS. The Mascis was easily the best out of them all IMO and its half the price or less than any of the Fenders. Too bad you dont like jumbo frets, its a great JM.
I have an AV65 JM & a Squier J Mascis. The Lacquer 60's is very close to the AV65 & a bargain for what you get with that Guitar.

The J Mascis has really good sounding Pickups IMO. When I heard them I was sold on that Guitar. However I went thru several. Everyone I tried was Set up horrible & were unplayable. But they sounded so good I got one anyway. I've spent a lot of time Setting it up & it is now a pretty decent Player.

Lars

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Ice Tre
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Re: Current Jazzmasters Comparison

Post by Ice Tre » Sun Jul 23, 2017 1:53 pm

Thanks to everybody for your replies and opinions, I appreciate it. Very useful info. Almost everybody seems high on the 60's Lacquer.

As for big frets, I frequently play melodies like Robert Smith-- sliding up and down on one string. Big frets are just painful when I do that.

I emailed Fender with a similar question. Brett Leasure wrote back with a lot of information that was interesting. Among the things he said was, the neck on the '62 is slightly thinner than the '65. He said the 60's Lacquer and Roadworn necks are considerably thinner that either the '62 or '65. Here's the neck specs:

60's Lacquer and Roadworn: 1st. - .740"/12th. - .820"
'62 AVRI: 1st. - .820"/12th - .900"
'65 AVRI: 1st. - .825"/12th. - .975"

He said the pickups on my '62 are hotter than the current '65 AVRI pickups-- 7.7k vs 6.8k. I really love the pickups on my '62, especially the neck pickup.

btw I was impressed by the email responses from Brett at Fender. I've written other guitar and amp companies with similar questions (Vox) and gotten no response at all.

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Re: Current Jazzmasters Comparison

Post by Logan » Thu Jul 27, 2017 2:00 pm

Only one I have been able to try is the AVRI '65. We have a classic player at the shop I work at, but I never checked it out because of the TOM and closer vibrato spacing. The rest we didn't have in, and if we did I wouldn't have tried them because I had such bad G.A.S. for a JM that I probably would have bought it. Guess what happened to that AVRI '65 :fp:

(I have it in layaway even though I still have to pay for my Firebird :unsure:)
I'm in Marching Band and play Guitar. That's about it, pretty boring, isn't it?

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Re: Current Jazzmasters Comparison

Post by Steadyriot. » Thu Jul 27, 2017 2:40 pm

I played the AVRI, TVL, AM Pro, Japan 60's and 60's classic lacquer at a few music stores a few weeks back.
I was underwhelmed by the AVRI everyone speaks so highly about. High action and not all that inspiring.
The TVL string spacing and bridge in general was weird but other than that fine guitar. I just don't like buying a guitar that needs a change to function from the get go.
American Pro was an okay guitar but not at this pricepoint. You could go custom handbuilt to order from some builders at that price and get someting far more impressive.
60's Japan was a great guitar except for the dreaded lowering bridge saddles.
In the end I bought a 60's classic lacquer that came with a Mustang bridge already installed. It's a solid guitar with great fit and finish, great pickups (even for someone likr me who plays in a heavy band) and it plays really good.

If I were you I'd look at getting a 60's classic lacquer if you want a reliable, affordable, traditional guitar with a great fit and finish.
"If someone duetted with a Bald Eagle, they could rule the Country charts from here to eternity." ~shadowplay

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Re: Current Jazzmasters Comparison

Post by bacongrease » Thu Jul 27, 2017 4:06 pm

Steadyriot. wrote:I played the AVRI, TVL, AM Pro, Japan 60's and 60's classic lacquer at a few music stores a few weeks back.
I was underwhelmed by the AVRI everyone speaks so highly about. High action and not all that inspiring.
The TVL string spacing and bridge in general was weird but other than that fine guitar. I just don't like buying a guitar that needs a change to function from the get go.
American Pro was an okay guitar but not at this pricepoint. You could go custom handbuilt to order from some builders at that price and get someting far more impressive.
60's Japan was a great guitar except for the dreaded lowering bridge saddles.
In the end I bought a 60's classic lacquer that came with a Mustang bridge already installed. It's a solid guitar with great fit and finish, great pickups (even for someone likr me who plays in a heavy band) and it plays really good.

If I were you I'd look at getting a 60's classic lacquer if you want a reliable, affordable, traditional guitar with a great fit and finish.
TVL weird how? Is it something that can be modified w/ new bridge or is it worse than that? that oxblood got me.

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Re: Current Jazzmasters Comparison

Post by bacongrease » Thu Jul 27, 2017 4:08 pm

I know they're not true JM pickups but I love the p-90's that come with JMJM.

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Re: Current Jazzmasters Comparison

Post by andy_tchp » Fri Jul 28, 2017 8:26 pm

^^ I'm more curious as to who the luthiers are offering custom handbuilt to order for $1500 (the price of an Am Pro Jazzmaster) mentioned a couple of replies up, as that seems like it's about $2000-$3000 less than the going rate for a bespoke guitar.
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David McComb, 1987.

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Re: Current Jazzmasters Comparison

Post by Steadyriot. » Sun Jul 30, 2017 9:03 am

andy_tchp wrote:^^ I'm more curious as to who the luthiers are offering custom handbuilt to order for $1500 (the price of an Am Pro Jazzmaster) mentioned a couple of replies up, as that seems like it's about $2000-$3000 less than the going rate for a bespoke guitar.
The Pro's run around 1800 here, builders like Ron Kirn will build you a great guitar for that kind of money. In the Netherlands a lot of builders also offer custom guitars in the sub 2000 Euro's bracket.
"If someone duetted with a Bald Eagle, they could rule the Country charts from here to eternity." ~shadowplay

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Re: Current Jazzmasters Comparison

Post by Larsongs » Mon Jul 31, 2017 6:30 am

Steadyriot. wrote:
andy_tchp wrote:^^ I'm more curious as to who the luthiers are offering custom handbuilt to order for $1500 (the price of an Am Pro Jazzmaster) mentioned a couple of replies up, as that seems like it's about $2000-$3000 less than the going rate for a bespoke guitar.
The Pro's run around 1800 here, builders like Ron Kirn will build you a great guitar for that kind of money. In the Netherlands a lot of builders also offer custom guitars in the sub 2000 Euro's bracket.
1800 - 2000 Euros is equal to aprox. $3000.00 US Dollars. Their are a lot of great Guitars in the US that can be had for that kind of money including Fender & Gibson Custom Shop.

Lars

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