Japanese or Mexican Jazzmaster. What’s best?

[Ozone7]

Hey all. I’ve not had a Jazzmaster before but I have a Jaguar and a few other fenders.

Could you give me best advice for Japanese vs Mexican Jazzmasters? My Japanese strats and tele are amazing but they’re early 80s and I’m aware that the Japanese adjustments to the trem haven’t been best received.

I’m looking at used guitars. Thin necks ideally.

I can see it’s a sea of options and I don’t really know where to start - apart from wanting to avoid Squiers. Looking at at the £1k mark.

Any pointers very much appreciated.

[BoringPostcards]

Can't go wrong either way, if you just want a good jazzmaster to start with.

Fender Japan have a big variety of finishes.
Mexican models come in two or three colours per line. If a fancy old school custom colour or matching headstock is important to you, the Japanese models will be the way to go.

[bessieboporbach]

Both very good quality. Rule of thumb seems to be that the Japanese instruments have slightly more polished physical construction while the Mexican ones have more solid switches and electronics.

The Japanese guitars are generally more traditional in construction/wiring/features, because that's how Fender Japan got started (i.e., putting their imprimatur on excellent copies that were already being made there).

[tune_link]

Many of the Mexican offsets parts are swappable with American ones in case you want to change pickguard or bridge, etc. The Japanese ones would be more difficult with regard to that. I have an American, Japanese, and Mexican Jazzmaster. The Japanese one definitely has the best (re my fav) neck of the three and if you want a thinner neck that’s absolutely the way to go. They def need a wiring and pickup upgrade though. Several of the Mexican models, depending on which one you might choose have decent wiring and pickups already. As stated above the Japanese ones might have more interesting color options but they’re almost entirely all poly paint and if you want nitro the Mexican ones offer it on a few a models (60th anniversary or Classic 60s JM both come to mind if you look at slightly older models. I think all the current Vintera ones are poly). The Japanese ones also have Rosewood fretboards if that matters to you while the Mexican models used to offer that but most of the modern ones (again re: Vintera) are now Pau Ferro.

In general they’re both good. It primarily depends on the appointments you value most. My first JM was my Japanese one and I owned it for 15 years before I bought another Jazzmaster if that helps at all.

[Ozone7]

All three posts very useful. Thanks people.

Is there a line or vintage to avoid with the Japanese, due to the placement of the trem? They moved it closer to bridge for a while if I’m correct?

I’d like a white or black model I think. Headstock paint not important.

Saw an Inoran in white but it was Mexican which was confusing as I’d have thought they would all be Japanese.

Is the compatibility with parts to do with imperial vs metric, or is it purely that the dimensions are different?
And if so, why? Speaking as a multi-JV owner which are more US than US in spec (well...mostly if you ignore the odd trem thread etc).

Thanks again.

[jvin248]

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Because of the higher pricing on MIJs ... you'll find more partscasters and fakes out there. The MIJs had more product variations so they are harder to detect if factory or fake/partscaster. I avoid MIJs for that reason.

The MIMs are great guitars. Good value new or used.

.

[tune_link]

All three posts very useful. Thanks people.

Is there a line or vintage to avoid with the Japanese, due to the placement of the trem? They moved it closer to bridge for a while if I’m correct?

I’d like a white or black model I think. Headstock paint not important.

Saw an Inoran in white but it was Mexican which was confusing as I’d have thought they would all be Japanese.

Is the compatibility with parts to do with imperial vs metric, or is it purely that the dimensions are different?
And if so, why? Speaking as a multi-JV owner which are more US than US in spec (well...mostly if you ignore the odd trem thread etc).

Thanks again.

The Japanese models have always had correct trem placement. Some of the Mexican ones are the ones that have had the closer (incorrect) spacing. Typically you find those on the Classic Player model and Blacktop model. You’d know because they also almost always have a TOM/AOM style bridge instead of the usual Jazzmaster style bridge with the threaded saddles. I can’t recall which year they started making the Classic Player models but they’ve been replaced by the Vintera line which are more vintage correct. The Vintera Jazzmaster in particular comes in white with a matching headstock.

The Inoran Jazzmasters should all be Japanese. I’ve never seen a Mexican one. That wouldn’t make sense. I’m guessing maybe the person listing it made a mistake in the posting. They did come in black and white if I’m not mistaken.

The parts compatibility has to do with things unrelated to metric system. The Japanese models have the holes for the pickguard screws in slightly different spots, bridge post diameter is slightly different, and in more cases than with the Mexican ones the neck pocket size (if you ever wanted to swap necks) could present a problem for you.
For example I’ve swapped necks between American offsets and Mexican ones and Chinese and Indonesian Squiers with no trouble. The Japanese model JM I currently have either needs a lot of fretwork now or a new neck and that has not been a fun quest for me.

[ohm-men]

The Japanese Made Jazzmasters (MIJ and CIJ) all have vintage correct placement of the tremolo.
The MIM have the Player version that is more modren, this version has the tremolo placed a closer to the bridge.
The MIM Vintera series have both, the modified has the trem colser to the bridge as the Classic? is vintage correct.

Having played Japanese MIJ and CIJ and currently own a Vintera classic Jazzmaster I can attest they are both more then worth it.
I personally prefer the MIM Vintera as I find the pick ups better and the hardware is perhaps a bit nices then the MIJ as these came with less good switches and had mini pots. CIJ pots are full sized, but also the pick ups are different (more strat like) then the MIM which has stock pick ups that are very close to AV '65.
I also found the Japanese Jazzmasters I owned (1 MIJ and 1 CIJ) to be a bit heavier then the MIM Vintera.
Neck specs are about the same, vintage 7.25" radius fretboard and vintage "C" shape, 42mm nut, vintage size frets and Truss rod acces at the heel.

Also depending on where you buy, MIM is less expensive. I think 800,- (incl. gig bag) MIJ/CIJ is more these days (1000-ish?)
Some folk like the stock MIJ/CIJ Japanese Jazzmaster pick ups, where others prefer a more vintage correct pick up as found on the Vintera.

For upgrades, as mentioned, MIM is about fully interchangble with MIA, where pickguard wise, CIJ and MIJ are just slightly different, so MIA does not fit...

Spec and colour wise, CIJ will give you most options, thinline, B&B or dots, plenty of colours, matching and non matching headstock, etc...
MIM depends on the model. I think Oly White, Ice Blue Metallic with matching headstoch for the Vintare classic.

But in either way, you can't go wrong with either.

[Larsongs]

If you could find a mint used Lacquer 60’s JM that would be the best choice if you want as close to Orig spec & as close as you can get to a USA AV65 JM which are the Bar. IMO.

The Lacquer 60 is mostly USA Content assembled in Mexico... even USA AV65 Pickups... And hard Case... Needs nothing.. Just Play!

MIJ’s, while well built, well most likely need new Pickups.... The best choice IMO are USA Fender AV65’s... There are more expensive excellent Pickups as well....

[Ozone7]

Thanks for the thoughts folks.

A skinny neck is really key for me.
How are the American Original 60s?
I know they’re 9.5, but I don’t mind that.

Pickups the same as the AVRI 65, aren’t they?

[MattK]

A lot of the 90s - 00s CIJs have skinny necks, thinner than MIM is my impression.

[Ceylon]

I guess the easiest distinction you could make is that early Japanese ones will have super-nice fit and finish, nice necks and generally good wood - so really nicely built - but be lacking in hardware and electronics, with pickups that are nowhere close to the traditional Jazzmaster form factor once you look under the covers, with an effect on tone. In the newer Japanese stuff, i.e. the past 2-3 years or so, hardware, pickups and electronics all seem to be nicer than it used to be.

The Mexican stuff is like the opposite. Nice builds if not quite up to the Japanese standard, but nicer hardware, electronics and pickups. And for sure not bad builds in any way, just to be clear. But generally thicker necks I think.

I have a Japanese JM from 1994 that's been modified over the years, and a Mexican Jaguar from 2019 that's mostly stock. Both are great guitars, I couldn't say which one is "better" than the other. But if you want a slim neck and you can see yourself wanting to switch pickups down the line, I'd look into the MIJ/CIJ stuff. I guess what I'm trying to say is those have a lot of potential while the Mexican stuff is better right out the box.

[HNB]

Japanese necks are by far my favorite Fender necks. Great if you prefer thinner necks. My MIM neck I had was a normal C. Not bad either, but I like the thinner Japanese necks. Any hardware can be easily changed if you end up not liking it. I always pick guitars by their body and neck since I don't want to deal with swapping those. I tend to like using my own pickups anyways, so either MIM or MIJ would have that changed out for me. I don't mind the stock bridge and tremolo but those are also easy to change. I know people aren't a fan of mini pots, but they often work the same as full sized pots in all the ones I have used. You can change those out easily. CTS or Alpha (I forget which) even make full size pots with the import style shaft so you could keep the stock knobs and just change the pots.

If prices are the same, I would always go with a MIJ unless it was a model I couldn't get otherwise. They also have a much much larger variety of color options and such.

Another thing to mention... I have had two MIM necks in the past have truss rod issues where I couldn't get the neck to adjust correctly and both of them had the skunk stripe on the back poking out a bit in the finish from the neck. I had to replace them. I haven't ever had a Japanese neck issue like that. I could just be unlucky in that sense, but I don't always have good luck with MIM necks.

[tune_link]

Thanks for the thoughts folks.

A skinny neck is really key for me.
How are the American Original 60s?
I know they’re 9.5, but I don’t mind that.

Pickups the same as the AVRI 65, aren’t they?

You want to steer away from the American Original 60s Jazzmaster if you want a skinnier neck. Same for the AV65 ones (this is basically the model that was changed to the AO after it was discontinued). My favorite Jazzmaster I own is this one BUT the neck on it is huge. I don’t tend to have a preference one way or another for big vs small necks so it wasn’t a deal breaker for me. But if you want a skinny neck the AO Jazzmaster is like holding a baseball bat and probably not the one you’re after.

[tammyw]

The Inoran Jazzmasters should all be Japanese. I’ve never seen a Mexican one. That wouldn’t make sense. I’m guessing maybe the person listing it made a mistake in the posting. They did come in black and white if I’m not mistaken.

It's this one I'm pretty sure, they added a buzz-stop and marketed a Mexican Road Worn as an Inoran model https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMQT0oNmukc

I think there was a blue MiM Inoran model, also.

And of course there was also Fender Custom Shop Inoran models made in USA.

Sorry to get off on a tangent. I would choose a Japanese model practically every time, I've never had a real disappointment or lemon like I've had with some Mexican models.