What do people think of the new pink paisley Jazzmasters?

[B]

Can anyone who has played one these speak to the shape of the neck? How is it compared to other "new" jazzmasters (am original, AVRI)?

Same neck that's always been on a MIJ Jazzmaster. Slightly smaller feeling... Early 62 AVRI-ish if you are familiar with those. AO's are considerably more substantial and "pro level" in look/feel/overall quality but there is nothing to dislike about a MIJ neck. Unless you had much larger than normal hands

[86runner]

@Kramertron2000 No cheap hardware or electronics with the one I just got, pickups are great too. I asked Fender which ones they used and this was their response:

“Thanks for contacting us. They do not appear to be the exact same as our Pure Vintage 65 pickups we make here in the States, but it will be built to the same specs just over in Japan. I hope this helps!”

Just wanted to add some clarity to some things mentioned earlier. I just got mine in, gave it a setup, and have been giving it a whirl. I very much dig it. Fit, finish, feel, fretwork, quality/look of the rosewood fretboard, properly cut bone nut. Typical high quality Japanese workmanship that we're already used to (actually, probably a little bit better) and very happy with the purchase. And yes, pics online do not do justice to how badass these look in person.

But for those of you who don't have the luxury of seeing one firsthand before you buy one, or for those already familiar with owning a MIJ Fender before, yeah, they still cheap out on the hardware and electronics. And sorry kids, but it's the same old Strat-ish pickups they've always been. Bad sounding? Absolutely not. Built to USA specs/same sound? Not even close.





Still a great guitar and I'm glad I grabbed one!

I stand corrected! I didn't think the pickups were the typical strat'ish MIJ pickups because they sound more like my other Jazzmaster than my Strats. Maybe it's the 1M pots. Thanks for the info and pics. I hadn't taken the time to pull mine yet.

[B]

I didn't think the pickups were the typical strat'ish MIJ pickups because they sound more like my other Jazzmaster than my Strats. Maybe it's the 1M pots. Thanks for the info and pics. I hadn't taken the time to pull mine yet.

I believe most people refer to them as "Strat-ish" because of the coil design more so than the sound of them. They do definitely lean more toward a JM sound than a Stratocaster sound... More so than I remember MIJ pickups sounding. None of this pickup talk should discourage anybody from buying one if they are thinking about it because it's a great guitar without question. And even if they don't sound exactly like "traditional" Jazzmaster pickups they do sound great. Really like the sound of the neck position.

Naturally people are going to find differences between this and something like an American Original... It's half the price. The look of this thing though, hahaha... So freakin' great!

[86runner]

I didn't think the pickups were the typical strat'ish MIJ pickups because they sound more like my other Jazzmaster than my Strats. Maybe it's the 1M pots. Thanks for the info and pics. I hadn't taken the time to pull mine yet.

I believe most people refer to them as "Strat-ish" because of the coil design more so than the sound of them. They do definitely lean more toward a JM sound than a Stratocaster sound... More so than I remember MIJ pickups sounding. None of this pickup talk should discourage anybody from buying one if they are thinking about it because it's a great guitar without question. And even if they don't sound exactly like "traditional" Jazzmaster pickups they do sound great. Really like the sound of the neck position.

Naturally people are going to find differences between this and something like an American Original... It's half the price. The look of this thing though, hahaha... So freakin' great!

Ah, gotcha. Yeah, I've really enjoyed it as is. I may change up the wiring for grins (and to prevent treble loss on volume roll-off). I'd still like to A/B it directly with my other Jazzmaster to really try to gauge the difference. I'm a habitual tinkerer. Ugh. I've put a Mastery and a US vibrato on it, and have ordered a Staytrem arm and collet for it. Considered getting some Novaks with some combination to include a JM-Fat, but think I need to leave well enough alone. May still do it at some point!

[sunburster]

Those pickups look exactly the same as the ones in my 2016 MIJ JM. And as I said earlier, they did sound good to me.

[B]

OK, the more I play it the more I like the pickups. They don't sound Strat-ish at all, which I thought other Japanese pickups did. It's definitely a Jazzmaster sound. Maybe different magnet material but the same basic design?

I can say they sound much better to me than the lifeless pickups they put in the American Professional Jazzmasters. And they seem to play with pedals very well!

[popvulture]

I've always loved the pink paisley teles, but I'm curious about something with these... the tele guards were just clear, right? Or maybe just a little bit of that color frosting? Seems so much more intense on these JMs, not sure I'm into that one weird thing.

Maybe just Mandela effect... I'm looking up the teles now and looks like there's indeed usually a burst around the neck PU. A lot less extreme though...

[otis]

I've always loved the pink paisley teles, but I'm curious about something with these... the tele guards were just clear, right? Or maybe just a little bit of that color frosting? Seems so much more intense on these JMs, not sure I'm into that one weird thing.

Maybe just Mandela effect... I'm looking up the teles now and looks like there's indeed usually a burst around the neck PU. A lot less extreme though...

The reason for this is that the tele uses a clear guard that is smoked around the neck PU, where the cavity is hidden this way. The rest of the paisley motif you see in the pickguard area is the actual body under it.
Not so with the Jazzmaster, that has much bigger and broader pickup and switch and knobs cavities.
So the paisley motif is at the underside of the pickguard, not the guitar body. As a consequence, the sides of the guard have to be smoked to hide the mis-alignment of the motifs of the guard and body.
But apart from this obvious reason, you're right; there's a lot of the pink mist paint in the Jazzmaster.
Doesn't bother me though; I think it'll look better with a gold anodized guard anyway...

[Beltone]

Please forgive any newbie mistakes in the questions below--my post count will give me away anyway.

Been looking to buy my first Jazzmaster. Tried a lot in my price range, had a chance at a used TVL at a good price, but find myself gravitating to either the paisley or the blue flower MIJ because the deeper cut body fits me perfectly and the neck suits me very well.

My one reservation is the sound. I like most of the tones, but with the rhythm switch on and the tone rolled right down, I just can't get that cool, mellow, jazz tone I've heard on other JMs. What would members advise to help me get there? Flatwound strings? Switch the pickups (if, so, which ones? Vintage 65s?)? Has anyone tried similar mods yet or are they satisfied with the stock pickups?

Any feedback would be much appreciated. If I know there's an effective mod I could make in the future it would make it that much easier to pull the trigger on the purchase.

[Maggieo]

I played with one unplugged at a store yesterday, and it's one solid instrument. Nice and light, too.

[Ceylon]

My one reservation is the sound. I like most of the tones, but with the rhythm switch on and the tone rolled right down, I just can't get that cool, mellow, jazz tone I've heard on other JMs. What would members advise to help me get there? Flatwound strings? Switch the pickups (if, so, which ones? Vintage 65s?)? Has anyone tried similar mods yet or are they satisfied with the stock pickups?

Yeah, the Japanese JM pickups are their own kind of thing that are not as bad as people say but definitely do not quite nail the vintage Jazzmaster tone. Vintage '65s get a really good reputation and are not too expensive, but any more classic-style JM pickup will get you closer to what I assume it is you want. Pair them with a correct capacitator and some 1M potentiometers and your CIJ will sound as vintage as vintage.

[wooderson]

How's the wiring in these? I'm thinking of finding one used, I have a pair of Creamery JM WRHBs ordered that I'll need a home for so the pickups wouldn't matter but I don't know if I'd need to consider replacing pots/wiring/etc..

[Beltone]

[/quote]

Yeah, the Japanese JM pickups are their own kind of thing that are not as bad as people say but definitely do not quite nail the vintage Jazzmaster tone. Vintage '65s get a really good reputation and are not too expensive, but any more classic-style JM pickup will get you closer to what I assume it is you want. Pair them with a correct capacitator and some 1M potentiometers and your CIJ will sound as vintage as vintage.
[/quote]

Thanks for the feedback. Fortunately or unfortunately I discovered the cure for GAS the other day when I found it on clearance in the Japan. Seeing it for under 80000 yen (around 700 US/900 CAD) makes it too hard to pay full price locally. Sigh.

https://store.ishibashi.co.jp/ec/pro/di ... -591355890

[Musjagjazz]

Fender Japan has added 4 more colours to this line:

Sunburst, Arctic White, Black and Torino Red










Blue Flower and Pink Paisley were already issued but are also part of the Made in Japan Traditional 60's line






https://shop.fender.com/en/intl/electri ... 00350.html

[telemat]

Hi all,
I recently purchased a 2017 MIJ Pink Paisley Jazzmaster. Really a fine instrument, very well crafted. I took a look under the hood: CTS pots, shielded, well done. A little lube on the nut and the bridge, a little piece of latex to fix the trem arm - everything works perfect now!
As for me it is my first JM I have no experience what a JM should sound like. I read a lot about japanese pickups but to me they sound quite good - but I don't know how a JM should sound with vintage pickups or Fender 65 pickups... Is there anybody out there who can really judge those japanese pickups? And tell me if it is worth swapping them?
Thanks!
telemat