CME 60s Lacquer JM Olympic White with Matching Headstock

[pscates]

It would be neat if they put out a matching 60's Classic Jaguar in this look as well!

It's been a couple of years at least, with Surf Green and Sunburst on the Jazzmaster, and Fiesta Red and Candy Apple Red on the Jaguar. I'd like to see them change it up, just to stir the pot a bit. Frankly, I wouldn't mind them ditching the "road worn" variants, and simply offering each model in 2-3 colors (colors they're not offering now). But it would be nice to see the Olympic White/tortoiseshell on both the Jazzmaster and Jaguar. A traditional, "safe" option most anyone would be happy to own.

The Sunburst and Candy Apple Red are done to death, and are already present in about every other model Fender offers. If these are "60's classic" models, then use some cool 60's-era colors. The type of person who's going to spend $999 on such a guitar is a specific type of player, and is doing so for a reason (otherwise they'd buy one of the more modern, tweaked variants of the offsets...HH, American Professional, the Marr or Van Leeuwen models, etc.). They're not looking for exotic wood grains, flat black, "honey burst", olive, Sonic Grey, etc. And they're certainly not interested in modern electronics/pickup/wiring schemes, flatter neck radius, etc. They'd be the type, buying a 60's-flavored guitar, to want/expect some blatant 60's-era paintjobs.

They sell (or have sold) Squier guitars in Burgundy Mist, Aztec Gold, Sherwood Green, etc. Seems they could bring some of that to the one line where it actually makes some sense (and might reignite some interest)? And then, in addition to that, maybe every 12 months, change it up again? That would actually spur some interest and sales...many people will put their current Olympic White or Sonic Blue (assuming those were some colors they implemented) model on eBay to buy the new Shell Pink 60's Jazzmaster or Lake Placid Blue Jaguar, or whatever the new offerings were.

That would have to generate more movement/buzz than 2-3 years of the same colors. I have to believe, at this point, that anyone wanting one of the 60's Classic offsets has acquired one. But maybe they could be persuaded to "upgrade" - or a new customer tempted - with a nice refresh. Look at the interest/talk generated on Chicago Music Exchange's Instagram by the appearance of this Olympic White model. The fact is, there's a bit more grace/wiggle room in the color offerings of 60's-era offsets than there are for the modern, American-made guitars. You're appealing to a completely different type of buyer/player, who's more retro/traditional-minded, and likes those old-school, classic finishes on instruments one would expect them on. Fender would NEVER offer Shell Pink on an American Professional Strat or Tele, but there are people who'd fall over themselves to get a 60's Classic Jazzmaster in that color.

[bacca51]

When I was first looking into buying a good fender jazzmaster all I wanted was the Classic 60s, but I couldn't stand the surf green. Maybe it was the stark white pick guard and the orange neck, but the guitar just aesthetically looked terrible and I went with a classic player in black. Had they offered this exact color scheme or literally any other normal one I would've jumped on one immediately.

[pscates]

Yeah, I hear that a lot. If/when they ever updated the colors on the Classic 60's offsets, I do wish they'd tone down that neck tinting just a skootch. You're right...it's the most pumpkin-tinted finish they have. I love a nice amber tint to imply a bit of age (even if it's not fully "legit"), but something about that tint they're using on the Classic 60's offsets is a bit over-the-top in a lot of pics and video I've seen (plus the 4-5 models I've seen in real life). Just dial it back a notch or two, and it would look really sharp.

A "phase II" of the 60's Classic offsets would benefit nicely, IMO, from:

1) Tone the orange-y neck tinting down a bit

2) Go with parchment or mint green plastics, where applicable (vs. the ultra stark white, which makes no sense, visually/thematically...if the pickup covers, knobs, switch tips and neck are all aged/tinted to impart a certain look/vibe, then how/why is the pickguard still so perfectly white? Shouldn't it have aged/yellowed/greened a bit as well?) Doesn't have to be nutty or some over-the-top "relic" at all. Just subtle and not pure snow white.

3) Go ahead and save everyone the time, hassle and cost and just stick a damn Mustang bridge on there.

If anyone wants to upgrade beyond THAT (Mastery, Staytrem), fine. But, out of the case, the thing should be a little easier to deal with/set up/maintain. The Mustang bridge is the Staytrem of its time...single groove, pre-set/fingerboard-matching 7.25" radius. What more do you need? It takes all the fiddling and hassle out of the equation, immediately (if some masochistic purist type wants the threaded saddles - and has some sort of Loctite fetish - then those bridges are easily found and they downgrade back to that). But I think anyone dropping $999 on one of these models would be completely fine with that, since it was something people have been doing on these models for decades, even back in the day. So it's not some body-altering, weird-looking, irreversible 21st-century solution. It's simply "we went ahead and kinda addressed/fixed this for you because you were probably going to anyway. You're welcome!"

[bacca51]

What they should really come with is a better break angle or shim. I really like the regular jazzmaster bridge, it just needs the right break angle and the right string gauge to match.

[arkivel]

I just went into CME to play it. Rad guitar. Definitely the best JM for the money IMO. Hate the neck profile though... And the tort sucks. Otherwise great guitar.

whats the neck profile like?

[kracdown]

I just went into CME to play it. Rad guitar. Definitely the best JM for the money IMO. Hate the neck profile though... And the tort sucks. Otherwise great guitar.

whats the neck profile like?

Thin and flat. I like em big and round - or at least medium and round.

[gusgorman]

Agree with the rest of you - wish this was available earlier. I didn't like the surf green and don't really like the idea of road worns either, so I ended up buying a second hand CIJ and then modding it.

[AtomicPumpkin]

Here it is on their site:

https://www.chicagomusicexchange.com/pr ... -exclusive

[BoringPostcards]

I wish these had a 9.5 radius. Can't play 7.25 anymore. Only option right now for 9.5 radius with otherwise vintage specs is the Thin Skin AV65.

[gusgorman]

Here it is on their site:

https://www.chicagomusicexchange.com/pr ... -exclusive

ah - its a CME exclusive.
I was hoping it was going to be available in that colour everywhere.... not that I really need one at the moment.
I'm really hoping they bring out the 60's Jaguar in new colours as well, otherwise I might have to splash out on an AV65

[Mechanical Birds]

I'd give anything for a LPB version of this

Or a LPB version of the Jaguar?!?!?!?

If any CME people are reading this - plz, make a boy's life for him.

[Larsongs]

Here it is on their site:

https://www.chicagomusicexchange.com/pr ... -exclusive

ah - its a CME exclusive.
I was hoping it was going to be available in that colour everywhere.... not that I really need one at the moment.
I'm really hoping they bring out the 60's Jaguar in new colours as well, otherwise I might have to splash out on an AV65

It just goes to show that Fender saying how that can't do this or that because it's too costly or because it messes up the Assembly line or all their other excuses why they can't do whatever are BS.

It brings me back to the Thread about the Mod Shop excuses........

Fender had some cool colors in the 60's...most were GM Car colors... If they could do it then they can do it now.

I'd gladly wait 6-8 weeks, (same as a custom ordered Car) for a Mod Shop Guitar of my color & spec. choices at a less than Custom Shop Price. Fender could easily put out an Order Guide just like Auto Manufacurers. I don't need some fancy name builder to brag about. Just a good Assembly line Guitar.

[pscates]

Here it is on their site:

https://www.chicagomusicexchange.com/pr ... -exclusive

That Nestle Quik-colored fingerboard just looks so bad. So is that the typical Pau Ferro look? Unfortunate, because it kinda takes away from the overall look/vibe, IMO.

I just read the statement at Fender’s site about CITES, etc. I didn’t know any of this. I just thought “why are they using such bland, washed-out fingerboard wood?!?”

Mind you, it’s no deal-killer - if that’s what they have to use, that’s what they have to use - but I love how dark rosewood looks on these guitars. I wonder if there’s something you can do - some sort of polish or oil that could be applied? - to darken it up a bit?

[Pogue Mahone]

You could probably use a little lemon oil to condition the fretboard and it would darken up, unfortunately there’s no easy answer for that orange neck tint...

[Larsongs]

You could probably use a little lemon oil to condition the fretboard and it would darken up, unfortunately there’s no easy answer for that orange neck tint...

Or Bore Oil...