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Post subject: A few questions from a newbie, if you don't mind
Posted: Sat Mar 12, 2011 7:17 am
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Mornin' gentlemen, and ladies too. This is my first post as I just signed on this morning. A little about myself and a leadup to my questions is in order.

My wife and daughters gave me a Fender Starcaster acoustic for Christmas to spark a long dead interest in resuming the guitar. In the early to mid 60's, I played in two rock bands and was lead guitar in the second one. I started out with Gibson Melody Maker II and soon replaced it with a 1964 Jaguar and a Super Reverb amp. A year or two after the band broke up, like a fool, I sold those two fine pre-CBS pieces of musical instrument history. In '68, I received an Epiphone acoustic which I still have but the desire left as life moved.

However, now I am retired (a little early) and have started to pickup this new Starcaster Christmas present to see if there is any hope in rejuvenating that spark . Believe me, it's like learning to walk again. I feel like I am just starting out as a newbie. The dots are having difficulty connecting. So naturally, I have been perusing various websites, looking for tips and information, picking up a few instructional books, and came across several things which really sparked my interest (along with a few visits to local guitar shops). Fender's re-issue series, specifically of the Jazzmaster and the Jaguar, and of all things, the Classic Player series of these same two instruments.

My questions are actually quests for opinions, information, comments, etc. from you folks who are intimate with these current offerings. So what do you people think of the Classic series? Are they viable considerations? Since there is a rather large difference in price, that poses a real concern for me. Also, what are your feelings about the Jaguar versus the Jazzmaster? I know this is completely subjective, but that's fine. I also know (from memory and recent research) what the actual differences are... I'm just open to hearing what others think who are into this world I left many years ago.

Thanks much for whatever you can offer.


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Post subject: Re: A few questions from a newbie, if you don't mind
Posted: Sat Mar 12, 2011 10:03 am
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I've never owned either but I always thought the Jazzmaster with its less-complex switching and gadgets was the better instrument. As well, I don't care for the Jaguar's short 24" scale. I think the Classic Player JM (with its improved playability) is one of the best ideas that FMIC has come up with in a very long time.

Welcome back to the guitar and welcome to the forum -- HTH

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: A few questions from a newbie, if you don't mind
Posted: Sat Mar 12, 2011 10:17 am
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I have a '65 Jaguar and I wouldn't part with it for the world.Although I don't own a Jazzmaster I have played them but I prefer the Jaguar because it appears to have more tonal variation although the Jazzmaster has a cleaner more full and robust tone.I have smallish hands so the short scale of the Jaguar is a plus to me.The best advise I can give you is to try out as many of each as you can because what I may see as plusses you may see as hinderances.

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Post subject: Re: A few questions from a newbie, if you don't mind
Posted: Sat Mar 12, 2011 11:10 am
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Retroverbial;

I also think the Jazzmaster has a warmer, more mellow sound to it than the Jaguar. More reminiscent of the early Ventures since they used that guitar. And then there is the side of me that having once owned a Jaguar, likes the idea of bringing back those fond memories with a current model. Really leaves me in a quandary. First I have to get over the hump of deciding if I want to get an electric, and then deciding between these two fine examples. Which is why I value input from folks on this site. Thanks for the welcome!


guitslinger;

My hands are not large and are complicated by a reduced spread from my younger days. So a faster (soft) action is a strong consideration as is a good fretboard feel. I see that the Classic Player series uses a 9.5 radius neck as opposed to the 7.5 neck on the re-issues. And they incorporate medium jumbo fret sizing. Any thoughts to these two mods?


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Post subject: Re: A few questions from a newbie, if you don't mind
Posted: Sat Mar 12, 2011 11:30 am
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I prefer the 7.25" radius and "vintage-sized" frets, having grown up with them (beginning in 1965). But many players, especially those younger and/or those transitioning from a Gibson-esque fretboard, like the flatter furniture and fatter frets. Best advice? Play several instruments with the differing accouterments and see which one you feel most comfortable with. Likely, that will help you make your choice.

HTH

Arjay

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"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY


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Post subject: Re: A few questions from a newbie, if you don't mind
Posted: Sat Mar 12, 2011 2:03 pm
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SouthernBoyVa,
We have similar stories, I sold my 62 Jazzmaster and still kick myself for doing so. Like you I recently retired and have been working on my guitar playing. Last year I bought the Players Jazzmaster in 3 Tone Sunburst. The feel and sound are pure Jazzmaster with the added benefits of a different bridge, tighter break angle across the bridge ( less rattle and the strings stay in place on the bridge ) and hotter pick-ups. Best of all it has the same feel as my 62 did.
Welcome to the forum, lots of nice people here.
John.E


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Post subject: Re: A few questions from a newbie, if you don't mind
Posted: Sat Mar 12, 2011 2:42 pm
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John.E wrote:
SouthernBoyVa,
We have similar stories, I sold my 62 Jazzmaster and still kick myself for doing so. Like you I recently retired and have been working on my guitar playing. Last year I bought the Players Jazzmaster in 3 Tone Sunburst. The feel and sound are pure Jazzmaster with the added benefits of a different bridge, tighter break angle across the bridge ( less rattle and the strings stay in place on the bridge ) and hotter pick-ups. Best of all it has the same feel as my 62 did.
Welcome to the forum, lots of nice people here.
John.E


Nice people here? Yep, it sure looks that way. I do appreciate those who have offered their thoughts and opinions.. yourself included. My '64 Jaguar was also Sunburst. How is the action on you CP Jazzmaster? Is it hard or more soft (as in comfortable on the fingers)? Also, which amp are you running your guitar through?

I have to say, I am really getting the itch to move back into an electric. Just for the record for you good people in the spring of '64, my Jaguar was $375 and the hardshell case added $75 for a total of $450. The Super Reverb amp I bought for it was $409.


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Post subject: Re: A few questions from a newbie, if you don't mind
Posted: Sat Mar 12, 2011 3:03 pm
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My '67 silverface Super Reverb (my first new Fender amp) listed for $429.50 -- I traded a '64 Fender blackface Concert Amp and $180 for it.

I wish I still had them both!

:mrgreen:

Arjay

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"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY


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Post subject: Re: A few questions from a newbie, if you don't mind
Posted: Sat Mar 12, 2011 6:50 pm
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SB,Va,
The action out of the box was decent and the intonation wasn't bad, I had a set-up done to slightly lower (soften) the feel of the strings on the neck and have all the 12th fret harmonics ring dead on.
The amp I'm using is a G-Dec 30 and for my back bed room picking it's more than enough. There are newer types of the G-Dec and a new line called Mustang that you may want to listen to. Better yet hit Guitar Center or the like on a late week-day morning (you'll have the place to yourself) and try out a few guitars and amps.

Enjoy,
John.E


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Post subject: Re: A few questions from a newbie, if you don't mind
Posted: Sat Mar 12, 2011 7:43 pm
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John.E wrote:
SB,Va,
The action out of the box was decent and the intonation wasn't bad, I had a set-up done to slightly lower (soften) the feel of the strings on the neck and have all the 12th fret harmonics ring dead on.
The amp I'm using is a G-Dec 30 and for my back bed room picking it's more than enough. There are newer types of the G-Dec and a new line called Mustang that you may want to listen to. Better yet hit Guitar Center or the like on a late week-day morning (you'll have the place to yourself) and try out a few guitars and amps.

Enjoy,
John.E


I swung by a Guitar Center this morning just to see what they might have. No Classic Player Jaguars or Jazzmasters at that particular store but what appeared to be pretty good prices on some basic amps. There's another Guitar Center about 20-25 miles from me so I may go by there next week to see what they have on the floor. And there is an independent guitar store about two miles from my house that has a re-issue Jaguar and a few Classic series Strats. I might go by there next week just to feel those for kicks and see what his prices would be (I bet he is competitive with Guitar Center since he has the re-issue Jaguar for the same price as they do on their website).


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Post subject: Re: A few questions from a newbie, if you don't mind
Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2011 7:33 am
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I'm a middle-aged newbie, too. Driving my family crazy practicing 2-3 hours a day. I found a used but virtually new MIM HSS Strat in Sienna red I fell in love with. I enjoy playing it but I feel like I need to set it up better, but don't know how to do it. Meanwhile, yesterday I went to a Sam Ash in my area and played in succession a Steinberger Spirit, a number of Squier strats, both full and 3/4 (for my son) and then what a Blacktop Jazzmaster and Blacktop Jag. I was horribly disappointed with the Steinberger because the action was terrible.

I didn't care much for the Jag, either the action or the sound which I couldn't get to sound the way I liked. It was OK, but between the silver body and the sound, I wasn't crazy about it.

OTOH, the Jazzmaster was so nice I had to talk my way out of buying it (I don't want my BH to go thermo). It simply did everything I can do my Strat as well or better and pulloffs at the 17th and 19th fret were easy as butter and strong, but are tough on the Strat. I could make it sound the way I wanted from jazz-smooth to Buddy Holly twang. Frankly, if I could swap the Strat for the Jazz one-for-one, as beautiful as the Strat is, I'd do in a NY minute. The kicker is the Blacktop series is very inexpensive. I also really like the retro look of the Jazzmaster/Jag body shape. I'm just a beginner and I could feel and hear the difference.

Of course, if I can learn how to go the luthier route, I may be able to set up the Strat the way I need to. Till then, I'll just dream about the Jazzmaster.


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Post subject: Re: A few questions from a newbie, if you don't mind
Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2011 8:27 am
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Yanktar wrote:
I'm a middle-aged newbie, too. Driving my family crazy practicing 2-3 hours a day. I found a used but virtually new MIM HSS Strat in Sienna red I fell in love with. I enjoy playing it but I feel like I need to set it up better, but don't know how to do it. Meanwhile, yesterday I went to a Sam Ash in my area and played in succession a Steinberger Spirit, a number of Squier strats, both full and 3/4 (for my son) and then what a Blacktop Jazzmaster and Blacktop Jag. I was horribly disappointed with the Steinberger because the action was terrible.

I didn't care much for the Jag, either the action or the sound which I couldn't get to sound the way I liked. It was OK, but between the silver body and the sound, I wasn't crazy about it.

OTOH, the Jazzmaster was so nice I had to talk my way out of buying it (I don't want my BH to go thermo). It simply did everything I can do my Strat as well or better and pulloffs at the 17th and 19th fret were easy as butter and strong, but are tough on the Strat. I could make it sound the way I wanted from jazz-smooth to Buddy Holly twang. Frankly, if I could swap the Strat for the Jazz one-for-one, as beautiful as the Strat is, I'd do in a NY minute. The kicker is the Blacktop series is very inexpensive. I also really like the retro look of the Jazzmaster/Jag body shape. I'm just a beginner and I could feel and hear the difference.

Of course, if I can learn how to go the luthier route, I may be able to set up the Strat the way I need to. Till then, I'll just dream about the Jazzmaster.


I really like the looks of the Sunburst Jaguar because I had bought one new in 1964. But I also really like the tone of the Jazzmaster because it is a little warmer and more mellow which might be more in line with my preferences at this point in my life. And this means I am really up in the air between these two fine instruments. Finding both at the same shop is NOT an easy task.

Thanks for your input and if you can add anything more, I would enjoy hearing it.


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Post subject: Re: A few questions from a newbie, if you don't mind
Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2011 5:51 pm
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Hi, I don't know if I can. I did download a Kindle book on setting up electric guitars and my Strat has already gotten noticeably better with the neck a little straighter, the string height a little more even and the pickups a bit more level. If I can get it to play like that jazzM, I'll be able to control my urge to buy one!

Still, the local Sam Ash stores seem to have a huge selection of new Fenders and Gibsons, as well as, of course, Squier, Ibanez, and others. They seemed to have every new Fender available (at least one) so there was a sunburst JM BT and a silver Jag BT.

I just don't know how much of what I felt was due to setup vs the nature of the guitars. The sound on the Jag wasn't bright or twangy, but almost muffled, if that makes sense. The JM seemed to have a wide variation between the smoothest settings of the neck PU and the harder edge of the bridge PU. Plus even to my thick, inexperienced fingers the fret board seemed, well, just really easy to play.

I hope this helps.


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Post subject: Re: A few questions from a newbie, if you don't mind
Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2011 7:53 pm
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Im a huge fan of the jazzmaster and jazzmasters are great for surf and anything like it, jags have no distinkt sound and you mostly can play them with most music.

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Post subject: Re: A few questions from a newbie, if you don't mind
Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2011 12:58 am
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I cut my teeth on Jazzmasters and Jags in the late sixties. Have a new 62 reissue Jaguar and a mid-2010 Classic Player Special Jag and they are both awesome instruments. I do find that because of the 9.5 radius and jumbo frets on the Classic that it lends itself to more genres than the reissue. That coupled with the tuno-o-matic (or adjust-o-matic) bridge and trem mounted closer to the bridge. Pickups are a little hotter on the Classic and the neck pocket has a slight back angle. All around it is a great instrument if you are trying to save $1,000.

I haven't played the Classic Jazzmaster, which is constructed with the same improvements, but I would think it plays just as well.

Bending strings is very easy on the Classic and no worries with the bridge. Here is a rather poor photo of the Classic Jaguar. But you gotta love Candy Apple :D
The action on the Classics is pretty good.

Image
Image

Art


P.S. Back in the day, it was a 66 Sunburst Jaguar and 66 BF Twin Reverb. Sold those for peanuts in late '71 when I enlisted. (It was better than getting drafted :shock: )
Been kicking myself in the butt ever since for selling that gear.


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