NGD - Jazzmaster content

impmann · October 2023

So my Thomann super-cheap Squier 40th Anniversary JM turned up today. I have to say... its rather lovely:

Observations: the strings are pooh. Too thin, meaning it struggles to keep in tune - so I'll be replacing the strings tonight. The sweep on the volume and tone pots (main ones) are a bit pants - the tone control especially is a bit all-or-honk and the action of the pots is a bit... cheap. As is the feel of the knobs too. I may well junk them in favour of some CTS unit.
However, aside from a high action as delivered, and the starting of sharp fret ends the factory set up was OK. The neck profile is really nice and there was none of the scratchy fret issues I had on the Squier Jaguar I picked up a while back.
It sounds good! I'm surprised by how reasonable the pickups are - truly, it sounds like a Jazzmaster. The bridge pickup is a little overwound, but actually it didn't sound awful when I plugged it in briefly at lunchtime.
The trem seems to be behaving (shite strings aside) and I'm going to give rocking bridges another try. Normally, a Mastery is the first thing I do but this feels OK... aside from the tippy/poor intonation thing... hmmm, we will see.
The satin finish Desert Sand body has gained a lot of "nice finish" comments. I'm still not convinced by the anodised gold plate... I've got a spare black (three ply) plate at home and I may mock it up to see what that looks like. Its a bit three-shades-of-beige currently (neck, body and plate)...

In all though, for less than £300 delivered, this is a bargain. Is it better than an AVRI or a CS? Hmmm, not really. However, I've played a few Jap and Mexican ones that weren't as resonant and good to play straight out the box/as delivered. Will this be the JM I keep? Who knows... so far so good.

guitars4you · October 2023

I like the vibe of the desert sand finish - Not sure I'm a fan of the anodised scratch plates (on any guitar) but certainly distinctive

Agree with your thought process that you can change the parts and turn a 1.1 Focus into an XR3i with a few changes as required

lovestrat74 · October 2023

That looks great! Is the bridge satin/aged? What's the weight like?

Funkfingers · October 2023

Jazzmaster/Jaguar lead circuit pots should be 1Meg. Their taper can't help but be "sudden". Changing the values detracts from the sound - especially on the Jaguar.

According to the Mike Adams YouTube review, the Squier has an angled neck pocket floor. Hence, no faffing about with shims.

guitars4you · October 2023

Funkfingers said:

Jazzmaster/Jaguar lead circuit pots should be 1Meg. Their taper can't help but be "sudden". Changing the values detracts from the sound - especially on the Jaguar.

According to the Mike Adams YouTube review, the Squier has an angled neck pocket floor. Hence, no faffing about with shims.

I suppose it depends on taste - I changed a 1meg a few weeks ago to a 250K and it is more 'soft and rounded' - I suppose more mellow and certainly more control within the 1-10 range of the pot - It won't suit all taste I agree but it worked better for me

I did like wise on a 1971 Tele the other week and it has certainly improved the tone imo - no spiky shrill like clang

Yorkie · October 2023

That's crazy cool.

ewal · October 2023

I like the three shades of beige look. Not often a maple fretboard appeals to me, but like that.

DrBob · October 2023

Wish I’d gone for one of these

ElectricXII · October 2023

That's a lovely guitar. I had the FSR 50s one with the gold guard and black pickup covers for a while, but I didn't play it much and sold it. Maybe I shouldn't have, but I had 11s on it and it felt too stiff. The trem was fine and stayed in tune and the pickups were perfectly OK.

distressed · October 2023

Funkfingers said:

Jazzmaster/Jaguar lead circuit pots should be 1Meg. Their taper can't help but be "sudden".

Not really, Alpha mini 1 Meg pots on my 40th Anniversary JM Squier had really smooth taper, no problem with swells. I swapped them for 1 Meg CTS regular pots just in case, and it's the same.

@impmann - lovely guitar. And that anodized scratchplate really does the job, I have zero problems with noise.

impmann · October 2023

Thanks for the comments, all.

Regarding the pots - I’ve had a fair number of Jazzmasters, and I Meg pots do have a slightly more abrupt sweep than 500k, in my experience. But they still have a sweep - yes you could do swells with the factory volume pot but it’s not great, and as I say the feel isn’t nice.

I’ve tried 250k and 500k in JMs - I actually like 500s, and that is likely what I’ll fit. Does it still sound like a JM? Yes of course it does just a slightly (and I mean slightly) less harsh one when everything is flat out.
I ride the volume and tone controls on all my guitars, so it’s likely I’ll swap them long term.

I spent an hour or so on the fretwork last night - it was nice and level (for a cheaper guitar) but the frets were dull and a bit scratched. Some time with micro mesh pads has yielded a much nicer playing feel - well worth the effort. In conjunction with a restring in a more suitable gauge (why do they fit 9s to these?) and it’s now playing wonderfully.

The metal guard is still making my teeth itch a bit *but* I will say this is the quietest, in terms of hum, I’ve ever encountered. Truly brilliant for studio work… a couple of high end ones I’ve had were less good in that regard.

the final thing is the Trem arm - it clinks and clonks in use. I’m torn on this - normally I’d just wang a Staytrem in there but with the aged finish on the hardware, it may look odd. I’m going to try bending the end with a hammer and see if that solves it.

Genuinely though, this is a superb Jazzmaster *at any price* - the fact it cost less than £300 makes it an incredible deal.

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