My first Jazzmaster - help required.

Discussion of newer designs, copies and reissue offset-waist instruments.
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NIghthawk
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My first Jazzmaster - help required.

Post by NIghthawk » Wed Dec 02, 2020 11:46 pm

Hi all,
Been playing for years and have a stack of guitars etc, but I'm relatively new to offsets. I bought a Pawnshop Bass VI last year and was converted instantly (once I'd upgraded the bridge etc..). Now I'm looking to buy a Jazzmaster - I considered a Jaguar, but can't find one to try. I'm in Canberra Australa. It may be the nation's capital but it's a small town with only 2 guitar shops.

I think I want a MIJ Hybrid 60s - it has the US pickups, locking tuners and better bridge - but I also tried a G&L Doheny recently and was amazed at how good it was. But it doesn't have the beauty of the Jazzmaster..

Recommendations anyone?

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Re: My first Jazzmaster - help required.

Post by Unicorn Warrior » Wed Dec 02, 2020 11:56 pm

Ultimately, sounds like getting the Doheny won’t satisfy your lust for the JM.

Only option is to get the JM. If you hate how it plays, you can flip it and re-buy the Doheny.

Japanese Fenders are typically really good btw.

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Re: My first Jazzmaster - help required.

Post by adamrobertt » Thu Dec 03, 2020 7:37 am

Yeah, the Doheney has the body shape of a Jazzmaster but otherwise it doesn't have much in common with one. The pickups look cosmetically similar but they aren't really, and it has a strat-style bridge. IMO the two best things about the JM are the unique pickups and the vibrato system.

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Re: My first Jazzmaster - help required.

Post by Veitchy » Thu Dec 03, 2020 2:23 pm

Honestly, if you have a line on that JM and can afford it, I'd say go for it. New offsets are often thin on the ground down here, and with Covid shops have been getting stock in dribs and drabs as well. Situation being what it is, I reckon it could be worth picking it up - if nothing else if you don't like in in a couple of months you shouldn't have too much hassle selling it on, especially in a metro area.

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Re: My first Jazzmaster - help required.

Post by sepiareverb » Thu Dec 03, 2020 3:54 pm

I'm in the finishing tweaks to set-up of a JM build here, and I cannot believe what an amazing guitar the Jazzmaster is. I've played a CIJ 66 Jaguar for many years, and that is an exceptionally nice Fender guitar once it gets set up properly. Which wasn't easy, but made an enormous difference. But this Jazzmaster blew me away as being nearly equal to the Jaguar the first time I put strings on it.

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Re: My first Jazzmaster - help required.

Post by timtam » Thu Dec 03, 2020 6:57 pm

I feel your pain re Canberra. There are ~6 guitar shops within 1km of my house, and twice that many within say 5km. But still offsets are still a bit thin on the ground. No big box stores like in the US (maybe a few in the outer suburbs half way to the sticks). On the plus side, we seem to be getting more of the current MIJ stuff down here than perhaps the US does. Some with different pickups (Vmods). Also looks like some have quite chunky necks, which may not be most peoples' preference. Some bridges actually look like the saddle-height-adjustable Warmoth modified Mustang bridge (not the smooth-small-barrel Fender variant) but I have not seen that confirmed. Some cool colours, some with matching headstocks.
Made in Japan Traditional 60s Jazzmaster
Newer "2020 collection" Made in Japan Traditional '60s Jazzmaster
Fender Made in Japan Hybrid '60s Jazzmaster
"I just knew I wanted to make a sound that was the complete opposite of a Les Paul, and that’s pretty much a Jaguar." Rowland S. Howard.

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Re: My first Jazzmaster - help required.

Post by NIghthawk » Mon Dec 07, 2020 11:34 pm

Thanks guys,
Like the man said, I may not be any the wiser, but at least I'm better informed.

Will be doing a recon of the local guitar shops this week and look to come to a decision for a NGD soon!

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Re: My first Jazzmaster - help required.

Post by Larsongs » Tue Dec 08, 2020 7:57 am

Sounds like you really want an AV65 JM.... It has the Sound & it has the Looks..

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Re: My first Jazzmaster - help required.

Post by andy_tchp » Tue Dec 08, 2020 5:36 pm

NIghthawk wrote:
Wed Dec 02, 2020 11:46 pm
I'm in Canberra
My sympathies.

Sounds like not much has changed (I grew up there). When I wanted a JM I had to drive up to Sydney and was able to play quite a few from the new custom colour run Fender Japan released in ~2003/2004. But that was at Venue Music near Town Hall; they've since shut down :(

Better Music got a couple of Jazzmasters in a few years after that but I'm not sure how well they sold. Looking at their website now, all custom order required and all at Fender Australia's very high list/RRP.

Much easier to find both new and second hand in BNE/MEL/SYD, I can keep an eye out at Tym's etc if that's of any use? 'Found Sound' and 'Music Swop Shop' in Melbourne are usually decent options too.
"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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Re: My first Jazzmaster - help required.

Post by timtam » Wed Dec 09, 2020 3:15 am

"I just knew I wanted to make a sound that was the complete opposite of a Les Paul, and that’s pretty much a Jaguar." Rowland S. Howard.

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Re: My first Jazzmaster - help required.

Post by NIghthawk » Sun Dec 13, 2020 5:39 pm

andy_tchp wrote:
Tue Dec 08, 2020 5:36 pm
NIghthawk wrote:
Wed Dec 02, 2020 11:46 pm
I'm in Canberra
My sympathies.

Sounds like not much has changed (I grew up there). When I wanted a JM I had to drive up to Sydney and was able to play quite a few from the new custom colour run Fender Japan released in ~2003/2004. But that was at Venue Music near Town Hall; they've since shut down :(

Better Music got a couple of Jazzmasters in a few years after that but I'm not sure how well they sold. Looking at their website now, all custom order required and all at Fender Australia's very high list/RRP.

Much easier to find both new and second hand in BNE/MEL/SYD, I can keep an eye out at Tym's etc if that's of any use? 'Found Sound' and 'Music Swop Shop' in Melbourne are usually decent options too.
Thanks, Yes Canberra's guitar supply is very poor, One of the best guitar shops has closed since I've been here (Pro Music? Music Pro) and I bought my last Les Paul from Venue Music just before they closed. I've been keeping an eye on every online dealer around the country and keeping tabs on Gumtree and Ebay.

Better Music had a Mexican Jaguar last week that I A/B-ed with an Indonesian G&L Doheny. I was shocked by the result. The G&L played beautifully, sounded great and had excellent fit and finish while the MIM Jag had a switch tip that fell off, couldn't keep in tune for 2 minutes at a time, and generally looked like the 'el cheapo' version. Sadly the G&L isn't what I want. And I refuse to pay over $1000 for an Indonesian guitar.

Somewhere out there is that Japanese JM I'm looking for..

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Re: My first Jazzmaster - help required.

Post by NIghthawk » Sun Dec 13, 2020 5:41 pm


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Re: My first Jazzmaster - help required.

Post by andy_tchp » Sun Dec 13, 2020 7:35 pm

NIghthawk wrote:
Sun Dec 13, 2020 5:39 pm
Thanks, Yes Canberra's guitar supply is very poor, One of the best guitar shops has closed since I've been here (Pro Music? Music Pro)
Pro Audio out in Dickson? That's a shame, they'd been around forever.

ISTR the ownership of Pro Audio and Better Music was the same people, just slightly different product lines.
"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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Re: My first Jazzmaster - help required.

Post by whitewatersky » Sun Jun 20, 2021 9:06 pm

anyone bought from Guitar Emporium Port Melb ?

this looks nice:

https://guitaremporium.com.au/products/ ... -blue-1967#

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Re: My first Jazzmaster - help required.

Post by timtam » Sun Jun 20, 2021 9:58 pm

whitewatersky wrote:
Sun Jun 20, 2021 9:06 pm
anyone bought from Guitar Emporium Port Melb ?

this looks nice:

https://guitaremporium.com.au/products/ ... -blue-1967#
Saw that when it first appeared a month or two back. Obviously not moving quickly despite looking very nice. Would be interested to know what an all(?)-original custom-colour Lake Placid Blue, matching-headstock, bound 1966 jag like that (looks like pretty good condition) would be worth in the US, UK, or EU markets. At current exchange rates AUD$12,000 ~= US$9,000 / GBP6,500, / EU 7,600. You'd want to check the internals too if considering forking out that sort of cash.
"I just knew I wanted to make a sound that was the complete opposite of a Les Paul, and that’s pretty much a Jaguar." Rowland S. Howard.

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