Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster resuming production

Discussion of newer designs, copies and reissue offset-waist instruments.
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MKR
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Re: Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster resuming production

Post by MKR » Thu Feb 09, 2023 10:26 am

Embenny wrote:
Thu Feb 09, 2023 9:30 am

Yeah, from what I've gathered, the price inflation of Squiers and Fenders has been particularly brutal here in Canada, a bit more so than many other countries. The idea of walking out of a store having paid $1k for a Squier (after tax, gig bag, etc) is insane.

But part of that has been that, over the course of a decade or so, Fender has made a very deliberate move to position Squiers in the market that used to be served by MIM guitars, and MIMs to a position that used to be served by the entry to mid-level American stuff.

I agree that people don't seem to treat Squiers like a baseball card collection anymore, always trying to complete the set. That type of attitude was fairly common online 10 years ago, you'd encounter people who bought every colour of a Squier model they liked just because they could, or bought every new model of theirs that came out "just to try it." Don't see much of that anymore! I mean, I remember buying Squier CV models (which were legitimately much better guitars back in the original run) for $200-$250 CAD used. That's about $250-$315 CAD adjusted for inflation, but now they're all $450-$600 on Kijiji, so even if someone's pay rose 25% along with inflation, they'd still have nearly half the purchase power. Someone who would have been shopping mid-range MIMs ten years ago is shopping Squiers today.

I feel like 2005-2015 was the golden era for Fenders, quality was at an all-time high and prices were low. We can't live in the past, though, so all you can do is cross-shop the available options, and the JMJM still hits a sweet spot for a lot of players. I totally get it. Lots of people don't actually use the JM vibrato, so the TOM isn't a big deal (and is more familiar to most non-OSG types). Lots more people know and like P90s compared to JM pickups, so bright P90s work great for them. The necks have always been very good. That all adds up to an appealing package for many.
great points. the times have a-changed.

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Re: Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster resuming production

Post by MrShake » Fri Feb 10, 2023 6:56 am

MKR wrote:
Thu Feb 09, 2023 10:26 am

great points. the times have a-changed.
Seconded on @embenny's astute observations.

I got my Dream Guitar in '08. An AVRI Jazzmaster, brand new, all mine. It was a stretch at the $1400 market price at the time.

In 2015 (I believe), the VM Squier series had been out, and my wife wanted to get me the Jaguar to scratch that itch and complete the Jazzmaster/Jaguar/Mustang family. I'd always wanted an offset in Seafoam Green, but was willing to make a personal compromise to get a longtime wishlist guitar model that wasn't even in production when I fell for them. And for relative peanuts.

We waited until one came up for UNDER $200. We were passing on $220 Jaguars in Surf Green just because we'd set our parameters. One came up for $199, I got it, and it's the last time I purchased a guitar. It seems absurd now, a VM Jag for the price of a Strat Pack at Target.

So, not paying attention to the market much since then, the market repositioning of the Squier stuff makes sense, but is surprising to an older punker like me, remembering only the cheapo nadir.

Were the good examples of VM Squiers high quality guitars at a low price? Oh my god, yes. My Jag with an AV trem upgrade stays in tune with heavy usage, takes stage abuse, and has been a rock-solid guitar on par with even my '03 CIJ Mustang. Six years of main duty in a sweaty, downstroke-heavy garage punk band.

But I also agree with the idea of walking out of a shop paying four figures for a Squier is foreign to me. (No joke about Canada intended. ;) ) MIM and MIJ Fenders were aspirational, but attainable. Seems like Fender wants to keep that brand name in the upper strata now, like Gibson, just seems like a strange choice to me. I get that inflation means Fenders were expensive in the 1950s, too, but it just seems like they're limiting the market, with 40 years of Squier meaning "somehow lesser".

But my VM is one of the best guitars I've played, and it's a shame to hear about QC going down while prices go up.

The specs weren't for me at the time, but the Squier JMJM always seemed to have a "cut above" in the QC department. I wonder if (and hope) that a revival of these will see a higher level of QC, even just for this model, if Squiers are the new MIM.

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Re: Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster resuming production

Post by barrycreed » Sat Apr 01, 2023 9:58 am

Gah!! I just missed out on a mint one for €375. Probably better off, as I NEED to sell some gear... but €375 in the current market would have been a good deal used.

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Re: Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster resuming production

Post by forestgreen » Tue May 16, 2023 1:22 am

Guitar Shop in Melbourne have got their first batch here.

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Re: Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster resuming production

Post by pkh71 » Fri May 26, 2023 6:51 am

forestgreen wrote:
Tue May 16, 2023 1:22 am
Guitar Shop in Melbourne have got their first batch here.
Yep, available in many places now. Price in Australia is around $900AU, I just found a 2017 model with RW fretboard for $1000AU, anyone think it's worth the extra for the RW? Think I'll just get the 2023 new model (IL) for $900.

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Re: Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster resuming production

Post by andy_tchp » Sat May 27, 2023 3:09 am

Actual website (non-Faecesbook) link:

Found Sound, J Mascis Jazzmaster
"I don't know why we asked him to join the band 'cause the rest of us don't like country music all that much; we just like Graham Lee."
David McComb, 1987.

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