Jazzmaster vs. Jaguar for Jazz?

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figgypudding18
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Jazzmaster vs. Jaguar for Jazz?

Post by figgypudding18 » Sat Oct 16, 2021 8:21 am

Here's a fun one...people who have played both (I have only played the Jazzmaster)....which would you prefer for Jazz playing? Yes, I know there are "better" jazz guitars out there...yes I know you can play Jazz on anything...just a random question is all!

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Re: Jazzmaster vs. Jaguar for Jazz?

Post by bessieboporbach » Sat Oct 16, 2021 8:53 am

figgypudding18 wrote:
Sat Oct 16, 2021 8:21 am
Here's a fun one...people who have played both (I have only played the Jazzmaster)....which would you prefer for Jazz playing? Yes, I know there are "better" jazz guitars out there...yes I know you can play Jazz on anything...just a random question is all!
You can get a pretty similar jazz tone on both with the rhythm circuit. Ultimately the difference is the scale length. There isn't much of a tradition of jazz playing on short-scale guitars, for various reasons. The Byrdland, for example, is (despite its archtop construction and its coincidental name) seldom used for jazz.

That being said, between Joe Pass's loaner Jag and Marc Ribot, there are probably more serious jazz guitarists who have played Jags than JMs? Since the Jag was the top-of-the-line Fender for quite a while in the '60s, that might have held some appeal for professionals in California.

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Re: Jazzmaster vs. Jaguar for Jazz?

Post by Braunzo » Sat Oct 16, 2021 9:01 am

bessieboporbach wrote:
Sat Oct 16, 2021 8:53 am
figgypudding18 wrote:
Sat Oct 16, 2021 8:21 am
Here's a fun one...people who have played both (I have only played the Jazzmaster)....which would you prefer for Jazz playing? Yes, I know there are "better" jazz guitars out there...yes I know you can play Jazz on anything...just a random question is all!
You can get a pretty similar jazz tone on both with the rhythm circuit. Ultimately the difference is the scale length. There isn't much of a tradition of jazz playing on short-scale guitars, for various reasons. The Byrdland, for example, is (despite its archtop construction and its coincidental name) seldom used for jazz.

That being said, between Joe Pass's loaner Jag and Marc Ribot, there are probably more serious jazz guitarists who have played Jags than JMs? Since the Jag was the top-of-the-line Fender for quite a while in the '60s, that might have held some appeal for professionals in California.
Bill Frisell was running around with a Jag for a minute there, as well! And Adam Levy.

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Re: Jazzmaster vs. Jaguar for Jazz?

Post by Larry Mal » Sat Oct 16, 2021 9:15 am

I've heard people dial in very convincing jazz box sounds on a Telecaster. I'm honestly not sure if the Jazzmaster nor the Jaguar is really all that strong for this.
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Re: Jazzmaster vs. Jaguar for Jazz?

Post by Surfysonic » Sat Oct 16, 2021 9:18 am

I'm not a jazz player but I appreciate it and those who can play it. From these vids, Jazz can be played well on both.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiRxXage6Wg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7F2mK4wCRw

As for the OP's question - I'd go with the Jazzmaster personally as it usually is a lighter guitar...if I could play Jazz...which I can't. :-[
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Re: Jazzmaster vs. Jaguar for Jazz?

Post by Ceylon » Sat Oct 16, 2021 12:35 pm

On the neck pickup and with some flatwounds, you can get a gorgeous jazz tone out of a Jazzmaster. Leo knew very well what it was he was designing. I'm thinking a Jaguar would get you pretty close to the same sound but I haven't tried personally. In theory the short-scale percussiveness might really add something there.
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Re: Jazzmaster vs. Jaguar for Jazz?

Post by Stephen_42 » Sat Oct 16, 2021 1:14 pm

Surfysonic wrote:
Sat Oct 16, 2021 9:18 am
I'm not a jazz player but I appreciate it and those who can play it. From these vids, Jazz can be played well on both.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiRxXage6Wg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7F2mK4wCRw

As for the OP's question - I'd go with the Jazzmaster personally as it usually is a lighter guitar...if I could play Jazz...which I can't. :-[
Jazzmasters are usually lighter? That doesn't make sense to me. Other than the slightly smaller neck / slightly thinner upper horn on the Jaguar, and slightly bigger pickup routs on the Jazzmaster, they're physically the same size/shape and made of the same stuff... Surely any weight difference should be negligible?

(Obviously with the caveat that woods can vary a lot in density, so it's entirely possible that you've personally happened to have light Jazzmasters / heavy Jaguars.)

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Re: Jazzmaster vs. Jaguar for Jazz?

Post by PixMix » Sat Oct 16, 2021 1:55 pm

Stephen_42 wrote:
Sat Oct 16, 2021 1:14 pm
Surfysonic wrote:
Sat Oct 16, 2021 9:18 am
I'm not a jazz player but I appreciate it and those who can play it. From these vids, Jazz can be played well on both.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiRxXage6Wg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7F2mK4wCRw

As for the OP's question - I'd go with the Jazzmaster personally as it usually is a lighter guitar...if I could play Jazz...which I can't. :-[
Jazzmasters are usually lighter? That doesn't make sense to me. Other than the slightly smaller neck / slightly thinner upper horn on the Jaguar, and slightly bigger pickup routs on the Jazzmaster, they're physically the same size/shape and made of the same stuff... Surely any weight difference should be negligible?

(Obviously with the caveat that woods can vary a lot in density, so it's entirely possible that you've personally happened to have light Jazzmasters / heavy Jaguars.)
It's the metal plates (V+T+input, pickup switching, and rhythm circuit) and the claws on the Jag pickups that makes it heavier than JM, all else being equal, which it never is. That said, I have two Jags both relatively light.

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Re: Jazzmaster vs. Jaguar for Jazz?

Post by alexpigment » Sat Oct 16, 2021 2:43 pm

Definitely agree that Jags are usually heavier. It's not uncommon to find an 8lb Jazzmaster, but I've rarely ever seen an 8lb Jag. They are often nearing 9lb or more. As mentioned above, it's all in the metal plates and extra switches.

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Re: Jazzmaster vs. Jaguar for Jazz?

Post by Surfysonic » Sat Oct 16, 2021 3:29 pm

YMMV, but in my experience, Jags have usually been the heavier beastie.

Interestingly (to me at least, heh), my '63 Jag (Alder?), Squier Classic Vibe '70s Jag (Poplar), and Squier Vintage Modified Jag (Basswood) are actually not that bad. I was surprised that my Johnny Marr Sig Jag (Alder) is decisively heavier.

My Fender Japan Traditional '60s Jazzmaster (Basswood), Squier J Mascis Signature Jazzmaster (Basswood) are lighter in comparison to my Jags. As is one of my two Squier Classic Vibe '60s Jazzmasters (Poplar).

However, my American Original '60s Jazzmaster (Alder), Vintera '60s Jazzmaster (Alder), and the other Classic Vibe '60s Jazzmaster (Poplar) are all on the hefty side, comparitive to the Johnny Marr Jag.

The heaviest offset I've ever owned by far had to be an aftermarket or homemade Mustang ash body that I bought off of Reverb. While lovely, it was too hefty for me and I had to move it on...I may have sold it to someone on here (it's been a while). Hope they aren't cursing my name due to the weight. :whistle:

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Re: Jazzmaster vs. Jaguar for Jazz?

Post by Sweetfinger » Sat Oct 16, 2021 5:40 pm

Clearly, the answer is one of those Acoustasonic hollow Jazzmasters with a Dearmond Rhythm Chief added, strung with flats....
or a Jaguar.

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Re: Jazzmaster vs. Jaguar for Jazz?

Post by BlueMelody » Sat Oct 16, 2021 6:29 pm

Yeah, my thinskin Jazzmaster is 7.8 pounds and my Marr Jag is a shade under 9 pounds.

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Re: Jazzmaster vs. Jaguar for Jazz?

Post by andy_tchp » Sat Oct 16, 2021 6:29 pm

Stephen_42 wrote:
Sat Oct 16, 2021 1:14 pm
Surfysonic wrote:
Sat Oct 16, 2021 9:18 am
I'm not a jazz player but I appreciate it and those who can play it. From these vids, Jazz can be played well on both.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiRxXage6Wg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7F2mK4wCRw

As for the OP's question - I'd go with the Jazzmaster personally as it usually is a lighter guitar...if I could play Jazz...which I can't. :-[
Jazzmasters are usually lighter? That doesn't make sense to me. Other than the slightly smaller neck / slightly thinner upper horn on the Jaguar, and slightly bigger pickup routs on the Jazzmaster, they're physically the same size/shape and made of the same stuff... Surely any weight difference should be negligible?

(Obviously with the caveat that woods can vary a lot in density, so it's entirely possible that you've personally happened to have light Jazzmasters / heavy Jaguars.)
It’s not limited to the pickup routes; There’s a huge amount more routed out of a Jazzmaster body than a Jaguar.
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Re: Jazzmaster vs. Jaguar for Jazz?

Post by HarlowTheFish » Sat Oct 16, 2021 7:37 pm

Personally Jag, if only because the shorter scale length does some nice bloomy stuff to the attack that works for me in jazz -- same as the Mustang, actually.

I prefer the JM pickups personally, but they're not miles different from a Jag when you've got the tone rolled down pretty far on both, and IMO the playability and tone of the shorter scales does more for a really cool jazz sound than the (admittedly cool, smoky, and jazzy) tones of a JM neck pickup.

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Re: Jazzmaster vs. Jaguar for Jazz?

Post by mcbrandt » Mon Oct 18, 2021 12:22 pm

Like stated already, I'd argue for the Jazzmaster, as that is what it was actually designed for, and in my opinion can do at the very least as good as a Tele in terms of solidbodys. Typically I'm playing some sort of bastardized jazz which probably only amounts to 7th chords, and I've never actually played a Jaguar, so I might not be the best judge. There are plenty of videos on youtube now of people playing jazz on JMs, even some of people espousing it's virtues as a jazz guitar.

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