NGD Black MIJ Traditional 60s Jazzmaster w/ wide range cuNiFe pups

[DrPete]

Dear OSG,

I wanted to write up this NGD post in case anyone is thinking about getting a 2023 MIJ Traditional 60s Jazzmaster w/ wide range cuNiFe pups now or in the future. I have actually had the guitar for two weeks now and happy to share my thoughts about it.

To put it into context, I was looking for a few things which led me to this Jazzmaster in particular. I am a LP player 90% of the time, and wanted a guitar to play more post-punk, angular, alternative music. I wanted a guitar to play fancy shimmering chords. I wanted a songwriting guitar. I wanted a guitar with a trem. And a black guitar. So this ticked all those boxes. I had also watched the Johnny Marr TPS video the weekend before and that had got me into the Fender offset mindset!

I am in mainland Europe so there were only two available online when I went searching - one in Germany and one in Spain. I bought it directly from Pronorte in northern Spain and highly recommend them. The guitar arrived promptly from Pronorte and very well packaged. Out of the box this guitar was VERY IMPRESSIVE. I haven't asked Pronorte this, and possible I should, but I do wonder if they inspected the guitar or set it up or had it out on display before me buying it. The only reason I wonder is because the guitar was incredibly in tune out of the box. And not that this should be a sign of a good guitar or not, but for this guitar in particular it was the first indication of just how well built and reliable it is!

The next key feature for me is the bridge and the trem. Again the guitar stays fantastically in tune. I have since restrung the guitar with 10s (it comes with 9s) and it still stays in tune and can take all the trem action I throw at it. Neck shape flat but no issues (maybe would have been nicer a little darker). I oiled the rosewood board during string change but only because I had the strings off.

The feature I especially like (look away purists now) is the lack of traditional Fender wiring on this "traditional" JM. Perhaps being a Gibson guy, the three way switch just feels more like home. I have had a JM in the past (a Candy Apple Red CIJ/MIJ JM from the mid 2000s) which had the full setup, so I have a bit of experience with those sounds, but I just think for me and this guitar the three way is the best way. The volume and tone are responsive to find whatever sounds you want.

Talking about sound, the CuNiFe pups are shimmering. I play through a Vox AC10 so that might have some impact on the sonics, but it really is gorgeous to play. A touch of delay and a clean hotcake and it is beautiful. Dirt wise, it sounds best with my Zendrive pedal, but I only play at break up really. I have also experimented with a MXR Micro Fuzz and this has been the best surprise for me. It just sounds so badass. There is no hum, no JM weirdness. Just responsive pickups. Backing off the volume and tone is where I normally sit and the three sounds are great. I prefer the middle position currently, then neck, then bridge. But that is just my Gibson bedroom mindset.

The only change I have made is putting on Fender chrome knobs to go with the overall chrome aesthetic. I think it looks pretty bad ass. I have also ordered a Staytrem, but of course these take weeks. The stock bridge is equally good, but I do think this guitar will be my "other" guitar and stay a long long time. Matching headstock is badass. Red tort looks great but might alternate with a black one.

Ultimately, this is 100% a recommended purchase. Different people might have different views on the pickups and the three way wiring system, but simply for construction and reliability and just being a fantastically well made guitar this is truly a great surprise to me at a great price point. In the last few years I've bought a range of guitars from CS Fenders and Gibsons to Squire Jaguars and this guitar is the best guitar at its price point. Again its reliability is terms of tuning and intonation is very impressive.

Here are a few more photos. (Apologies for the photos. Very difficult to capture a black guitar, especially with my limited skills).

Happy to answer any questions.









(I may post this review elsewhere, so apologies for cross-posting)

[Jonesie]

That looks awesome, congrats!

[JamesSGBrown]

I liked the one I played so much that I put WRHBs in my AV65! Great guitars. Wish I’d grabbed one when I could’ve!

[MayTheFuzzBeWithYou]

I‘ve seen the sunburst from last year and thought… well that looks nice…when it was released in black I was seriously lusting for it - but I could only get one new guitar and as I’m more of a Jag player… I got the Ice Blue Metallic Late 60s Traditional Jaguar instead (also from Japan and I’m very happy with it!) if I would ever get another JM…this is one of the hot candidates!

Glad that you like it! Enjoy!

[Daitong II]

Very nice. congrats.

[sciuri]

Happy NGD! I daydreamed of getting one of these and going black-and-chrome'd out with a custom anodized black pickguard from Herad, black tips, and black witch hat knobs. But it looks lovely stock!

Mikki gakki still has a couple in stock, but I've never ordered from them before.

[IrishBread69]

This isn't a request for you specifically but does anybody have any links to playing demos of these?

[Iffymiffy]

Really nice Jazzblaster! I considered it for a loooong time but I already own 2 JMs more than I should. The old 1-in-1-out but somewhere along the line nothing made it out

Sorry for derail but this thread is igniting my Cunife curiosity.

I can get a set of the Cunifes (the exact version here) for around US$300, am wondering if any routing has to be done on say an American Original JM or MIJ Traditional 60s? Would be looking at getting a new pickguard to screw them into rather than mounting to the body.

I know there’s a Jazzmaster version of the Cunifes, but the humbucker version is cheaper and I can’t deny that it justs looks so cool - as all these pics will attest to.

[DrPete]

Thanks for all the messages. I also bought this as a songwriting guitar and I'm happy to say I've written 5 songs on it over the last week. Incredibly inspiring guitar.

[whatisdust]

Glad you are enjoying your new Jazzmaster! These are just the coolest! I really love mine and will probably end up putting a black pickguard on it at some point.

[MC5tooge]

I got one of the sunburst ones from last year and have nothing bad to say about it whatsoever. I haven't changed anything about it.
Only thing I would change about it is that the body should be routed for a rhythm circuit so you could reversibly mod it... Can think of a lot of things I'd do with such an option.

[nightgolf]

i must say I am insanely jealous of this guitar - it's basically everything i want in a JM (besides probably replacing the pickups). congrats man, looks killer

[Iffymiffy]

I got one of the sunburst ones from last year and have nothing bad to say about it whatsoever. I haven't changed anything about it.

Glad you are enjoying your new Jazzmaster! These are just the coolest! I really love mine and will probably end up putting a black pickguard on it at some point.

I recently tried one of these in person and found the pickups quite interesting. Like with a mid scooped amp around edge of breakup there was a bit of quack in all positions and nice clear articulate sound, and with a gained up RAT pedal it gave a good 90s alt rock distorted tone.

I understand that these pickups are very sensitive to adjustments, how would you describe the tones and sounds you are getting?

[DrPete]

I understand that these pickups are very sensitive to adjustments, how would you describe the tones and sounds you are getting?

I know we all hear with our eyes, but to me they are very mid range, quite full, but still with a certain JM sheen.

I play 80% of the time (60% of the time it works every time) in the middle position. To me this is the best place for clean sounds and break up. I find the bridge pick up the least appealing, but perhaps this is just my set up. The neck pickup sounds very Gibson to me.

I would say overall it feels like a Jazzmaster and if you push it it sounds like a Jazzmaster - but there is a roundedness to it and a fullness that I haven't noticed on other JMs I've played. It is also incredibly sturdy and well made. Especially with the Staytrem I've upgraded with.

I love Jazzmasters (I am a Gibson person and JMs are my only Fender guitars) and maybe because of the Gibson background I especially like the 3 way switch and volume and tone knob set up. I always play volume 7-9 and tone 5-8 depending on sounds and you can move between there and enjoy the responsiveness of the guitar.

The only complaint is that MIJ guitars look too clean and new to me so I'm enjoying getting that natural relicing. Mostly been playing the Ventures Christmas album, some Western Swing, and some British 80s post-punk on it. Just a lovely guitar to play.