Best value Jazzmaster

[monsterdonkey]

I’ve never played an AVRI but I have a Squire Jag, a CPJM and a 2014 MIJ Jazzmaster. The Squire doesn’t speak to me but it isn’t fair because it’s a Jaguar, not a JM. The Classic Player held my attention for a few years but I always wanted the vintage trem placement. Anyway, recently I put a new pick guard on the CP, and set it up with the same strings and bridge as my MIJ. Noodling on the couch I thought I had it dialed in finally, a new life for my old buddy! Then last night at practice I played them both for a while and the MIJ was just somehow ineffably better and more fun to play. It really feels like my guitar. So, long story short, I’m a believer in the MIJ Jazzmasters and even with upgraded pickups, bridge and trem it still came in slightly cheaper new than a used AVRI.

[timiscott]

I have a Squier Mascis, a 93 MIJ and an AV65 but I also have a MIM CP Jaguar that is beautifully made and fantastic to play - at least as good as the CIJ, if not better finished. Therefore, if I was looking now, I'd start with a Vintera.

[Steadyriot.]

You'll get the most value out of the best guitar.
Buy American. They hold their value better over the years, the parts are made to a higher spec. and the attention to detail is often higher (as the price demands it).
You can go cheaper with MIM guitars, the classic 60's are great and there's nothing 'wrong' with a classic player but they're not on the same level as US Fender guitars. On MIJ/CIJ I can't speak because I've never owned one but seeing that everyone always complains about pickguards, pickups and finishes I'd pass on them.
Squier's can be fun but they'll wear out on you. Costs have to be cut somewhere and it's not just labor where they do it. Frets are softer, trems wear out or are not stable etc.

I'd go for something AV(RI) if you like vintage style Jazzmasters. I've tried the AO and they were OK too but didn't speak to me (could have been that particular guitar). If you are more into 'modern' guitars I'd try the new ultra which seem Fender's answer to a lot of the things people don't like about vintage Jazzmasters without losing it's core principles.

Good luck and don't settle! Get something you really want and like.

[Larsongs]

You'll get the most value out of the best guitar.
Buy American. They hold their value better over the years, the parts are made to a higher spec. and the attention to detail is often higher (as the price demands it).
You can go cheaper with MIM guitars, the classic 60's are great and there's nothing 'wrong' with a classic player but they're not on the same level as US Fender guitars. On MIJ/CIJ I can't speak because I've never owned one but seeing that everyone always complains about pickguards, pickups and finishes I'd pass on them.
Squier's can be fun but they'll wear out on you. Costs have to be cut somewhere and it's not just labor where they do it. Frets are softer, trems wear out or are not stable etc.

I'd go for something AV(RI) if you like vintage style Jazzmasters. I've tried the AO and they were OK too but didn't speak to me (could have been that particular guitar). If you are more into 'modern' guitars I'd try the new ultra which seem Fender's answer to a lot of the things people don't like about vintage Jazzmasters without losing it's core principles.

Good luck and don't settle! Get something you really want and like.

I agree. Buy once, Buy right. If you can, avoid buying a cheapie & later loosing money selling it to buy a better one. Only to lose money again selling it to buy an even better one. Unfortunately, for some of us it's the only way....

[Danley]

As an owner of an old MIJ (who has also owned/sold a few other MIJs and briefly owned a CP,) but not played any of the recent Hybrid series or whatever:

Even apart from the hardware/electronics, the bones of the MIJ feel like a different guitar than a US model. As mentioned, the finish, contouring, aspects of the construction on the MIJ don’t seem necessarily *bad* but I sometimes feel they didn’t have a ‘real’ Jazzmaster/Jaguar in the room while they were figuring out how to copy them. The first time I picked up an AV after getting my MIJ, I was disappointed in my MIJ. The AVRI was more comfortable, the body less blocky in shaping, the finish less ‘cold’ in appearance and feel, the neck construction/feel was much more attractive - and that’s all before counting things like the dull, flimsy hardware and pickups that everyone changes.

Again - I haven’t played the hybrid/traditional series so maybe they’ve totally revamped them using new blueprints; but IMO they would need to do that, before I bought another MIJ. Googling them off-hand, they’re *still* not cheap or easy to get. On the other hand, I’ve seen Mexican Classic Lacquers go as cheap as $500 but usually around $600 - $700 and those *do* accurately copy the feel and look of a US guitar, apart from little niggles like no button on the trem. They’re much closer in terms of parts/pickguard interchangeability to the AVs than the MIJ. They’re much better made than the CP, which I still thought was better made than an MIJ to begin with.

TLDR - my MIJ sounds/plays great, but it doesn’t accurately copy the real thing when you have them side by side. MIM does that better - and even for a person who might prefer the MIJ for some reason: if you talk about value (the center of this discussion,) price is still a point against either the ‘desirable’ early MIJ or the alleged ‘improved’ newer ones, which everyone has a reason to sell as some rare, exotic artifact.

[601210]

I don't disagree that a 60s Lacquer is probably the best value at the moment. However it's worth pointing out that it was pretty much the same price as the Vintera is now brand new, which is the same price as modern MIJs, and the reason why they're cheap now is that there's been a lot of time for there to have been enough made that people are selling theirs off already. The "exotic artifact" angle is a fairly US-centric point of view, too, since I know people in Europe and Asia who have a much easier time getting hold of MIJ guitars than MIM, used or new.

I'm ignoring the part where apparently a Jazzmaster with metric round-overs isn't a real Jazzmaster. To me that's along the lines of "A G-400 isn't a real SG, because it has the wrong headstock and the model name doesn't say SG". Pedantry at best, elitism at worse.

At any rate I'd certainly take a Vintera, Classic Lacquer, or modern MIJ brand new and be quite happy with the value I've received. I'd be more than happy to take whichever of those at a great used price depending on availability.

The only hill I'll fight on is the blanket statement that any modern MIM offset is better than a modern MIJ. I've played loads of lower and mid-range modern MIMs that were frankly awful, from the overall feel to small details like the finish or tolerances or fret seating, and that's with me desperately wanting to bring one home. Of course there aren't really any MIJ models in similar price ranges to compare, but that goes back to my initial point.

[Larsongs]

After playing real Vintage, most of the new ones & owning a few different JM's, my recommendations are;

Any Price...... Mint Vintage American 60's
New or Recent Amy Price.... AV65 or Custom Shop
Moderate priced.............Lacquer 60's MIM
Budget priced..................JMJM

I have the JMJM & AV65. I would gladly have the Lacquer 60's as my 3rd JM.... IMO each are the best in their category..

[redchapterjubilee]

^ ^ ^ what Larsongs said, but I would trade out Custom Shop for AVRI ‘62.

[jvin248]

.

^^ the 60s models of most Fender/Gibson/etc often have skinny necks. There was an epidemic of Baby Boomers in their teens with tiny hands apparently....

Squier JMJM or MIM models.

You're likely to upgrade something, right? Then don't chase after the AVRI/CS models.

.

[timiscott]

Here's a thing... Do you actually want a vintage (almost) correct JM? Does it matter? Does it even exist? Unless you're hoping to create (almost) accurate vintage sounds, I would say that it's immaterial and the main things are pick ups, playability and reliability.

An MIJ/CIJ or Squier JMJM with PV65 pups might cover all the Jazzmastery ground you need. I haven't tried a VIntera but the standard of MIM stuff is really excellent and more than good enough from what I've encountered - like CIJs but with a better finish and, usually, better pick ups. The only real issue you might have with a non-USA guitar is that the trem won't be anywhere near as sensitive or stable, but that can be sorted out by installing a US trem with a proper set up. The rest, I think, is about having a marginally warmer/less biting tone.

To summarise - In terms of playability, anything from JMJM upwards should be great and I wouldn't bother chasing 'vintage' ideals for the sake of it. Lots like it - good for them, but don't let anyone tell you anything beyond what your own hands, ears and eyes tell you. Better to spend time, energy and money chasing better musicality than 'tone' or a mythical, pseudo-vintage experience.

[Larsongs]

Here's a thing... Do you actually want a vintage (almost) correct JM? Does it matter? Does it even exist? Unless you're hoping to create (almost) accurate vintage sounds, I would say that it's immaterial and the main things are pick ups, playability and reliability.

An MIJ/CIJ or Squier JMJM with PV65 pups might cover all the Jazzmastery ground you need. I haven't tried a VIntera but the standard of MIM stuff is really excellent and more than good enough from what I've encountered - like CIJs but with a better finish and, usually, better pick ups. The only real issue you might have with a non-USA guitar is that the trem won't be anywhere near as sensitive or stable, but that can be sorted out by installing a US trem with a proper set up. The rest, I think, is about having a marginally warmer/less biting tone.

To summarise - In terms of playability, anything from JMJM upwards should be great and I wouldn't bother chasing 'vintage' ideals for the sake of it. Lots like it - good for them, but don't let anyone tell you anything beyond what your own hands, ears and eyes tell you. Better to spend time, energy and money chasing better musicality than 'tone' or a mythical, pseudo-vintage experience.

Having played my friends Original Vintage 60's JM, & owning a few different JM's, my friends Original Vintage JM has better sounding Pickups than any of the new JM's. Including my AV65 JM which does sound great.

My JMJM is a good Guitar & the Pickups are pretty good. Slightly Darker & not as articulate sounding. I have thought about upgrading them but IMO opinion it doesn't make sense to spend half as much as I paid for the Guitar to do it. They sound good enough for what that Guitar is. My JMJM required a lot of Set up time but I guess that's to be expected on the Asian & Indonesian Guitars.. But, I do like it.. Plus, it's a really good looking Guitar...

The Lacquer 60 is a great Guitar as well. Build quality, AV65 Pickups, Sound playability & a Hard Case. Some say it's mostly USA Content assembled in Mexico. Although, I don't know that to be fact other than the USA AV65 Pickups. Regardless of a thinner Neck. I'm 6' tall & have large hands. The neck is definitely not a deal breaker.. At $600-$700 for a nice Used one.. That's really a no Brainer IMO.

[Arthon]

^ ^ ^ what Larsongs said, but I would trade out Custom Shop for AVRI ‘62.

No... Custom shop are better guitar. I have a AVRI '62 and a CS Jazzmaster. The CS is a better guitar. Everyone who have some connaissance in guitars that have compared the 2 guitars says the CS is better. Luthier included.

Let's say you win a contest and you could choose one Jazzmaster, of any model available, you would choose a AVRI '62 or AV '65 before a Custom Shop '62 or '65??

But, is it worth 2k$ more... that's subjective. For some people yes, for some other, not.

[redchapterjubilee]

I'm not arguing that an AVRI is better than Custom Shop. But for my own personal use I'm not sure that paying twice as much or more for Custom Shop versus an AVRI would yield twice the results. Was I willing to spend more than $700 more to go from, say, 85% of the way there with a CIJ or MIJ to perhaps 95% or so with an AVRI? Sure! That was a good gamble and led me to buy two more AVRI's and an AV65. But would I at this point pay $1200+ more to go from 95% to 99%? Nah. so if we are talking "value" I'm bidding up to AVRI/AV65 level and standing pat. Of course, anyone else's results will likely vary.

[Larsongs]

If it were in my means, all my Guitars would be Custom Shop.. Not just Fenders..

That said, I have played a mint original USA Fender Vintage 60's Jazzmaster. I know what they sound like. I doubt a Custom Shop will sound as good. I would like to play one for comparison.. Are the Pickups that much better than the AV65's? Maybe?

If I were to go to that extent I would try to buy my friends real Vintage JM...

But, I think we are drifting quite far from the OP's best value thoughts...

[Hugo281]

all current production jazzmasters av65, vintage II66, original .. sound good but far from the sound of old jazz. their under-wound pickups have hollow mids with little tonal depth but plenty of treble. only the AVRI 62 is a little closer to an old model. but the sound remains slightly more compressed and less twangui. I currently have an AVRI62 a vintage II 66 and a 1961 model 🤩