Getting a Jazzmaster

[meblumen]

I know this is slightly off the recording topic but I know there are many other guitarists on the board so I figured I'd enlist your opinions. For awhile I've been wanting a new guitar (yeah I should put the money into a new mic or better converters but my rig needs some attention too) for a while and finally after playing a friends for a couple weeks I decided on getting a new American made Jazzmaster. So the question is where would you guys recommend buying it at. I usually don't like to order guitars online, especially through a company like musiciansfriend but if any of you have had good experiences with them or another company I'd love to hear about it. Your probably asking why don't I goto a local store? Well I split my time between Bloomington, IN. and Chicago, IL and so far I haven't found a jazzmaster in bloomington and don't really know where to go in Chicago so if you know any good stores in either of those towns let me know.

[I'm Painting Again]

my band mate uses a Jazzmater reissue and got it locally though..YOu should be fine ordering one of the net..sweet as hell guitar btw..just get it set up locally when you get it..

[beezleborf]

In Chicago, go to Chicago Music Exchange...wild assortment of new and old.

Be advised that any bends up high and the strings like to hop out of the saddle which is bad bad bad. Might need a super customized set-up by a crafty guitar repairman.

[Rodgre]

There are volumes of info about how to set up a Jazzmaster.

I play three of them (but not at the same time) and I've worked out a lot of the kinks to get them set up so I have no problems.

A) I use Mustang bridges in them.

B) other than my '62, whose pickups are very sweet sounding, I use Seymour Duncan Hot Jazzmaster pickups in them.

C) on my Jaguar, I use a device called a Buzz Stop on the bridge, which keeps the strings from popping out of the saddles as well.

D) and this is probably just me, but I actually have Strat necks (a 62' reissue on the '62, and two fat old 70's necks) on mine. Probably nothing special about that but I prefer it. I've put mine together from parts, except for the '62 which was original except some fool put an ESP neck on it.

Roger

[meblumen]

I appreciate all the suggestions. Roger, you mentioned owning a 62' Jazzmaster, is that an original or the reissue and since you own three of them any recommendations as to where I should buy mine from? Also beezleborf, I've been to the Chicago Music Exchange and was considering going there again but on there website all they had were pricey vintage Jazzmasters and while I'd love to own an early 60's mint condition jazzmaster, I can't afford the 4+ grand there asking for them. Do they have anything cheaper in the store that they chose not to list on the website or would I be wasting my time treking down there?

[Randall]

Go for it, you can always return it if they send you a lemon great for Jangley rythym voicing

[Rodgre]

I appreciate all the suggestions. Roger, you mentioned owning a 62' Jazzmaster, is that an original or the reissue and since you own three of them any recommendations as to where I should buy mine from? Also beezleborf, I've been to the Chicago Music Exchange and was considering going there again but on there website all they had were pricey vintage Jazzmasters and while I'd love to own an early 60's mint condition jazzmaster, I can't afford the 4+ grand there asking for them. Do they have anything cheaper in the store that they chose not to list on the website or would I be wasting my time treking down there?

My '62 is a vintage one. All three of mine are sort of bastard guitars, if you will. Two of them started as bodies I bought here, and pickups I bought there, and necks I bought over there.... The '62 (I'm guessing on that date too, just going by the serial number on the neckplate and the style of case that it came in) was bought all in one piece, except that some fool in the 80's put a flat-fingerboard ESP neck on it. That wasn't going to do.

I don't know who has the best price on them, but I can check my local store that I deal with all the time and see if there's one in their chain.

Where are you located?

Roger

[meblumen]

I appreciate all the suggestions. Roger, you mentioned owning a 62' Jazzmaster, is that an original or the reissue and since you own three of them any recommendations as to where I should buy mine from? Also beezleborf, I've been to the Chicago Music Exchange and was considering going there again but on there website all they had were pricey vintage Jazzmasters and while I'd love to own an early 60's mint condition jazzmaster, I can't afford the 4+ grand there asking for them. Do they have anything cheaper in the store that they chose not to list on the website or would I be wasting my time treking down there?

My '62 is a vintage one. All three of mine are sort of bastard guitars, if you will. Two of them started as bodies I bought here, and pickups I bought there, and necks I bought over there.... The '62 (I'm guessing on that date too, just going by the serial number on the neckplate and the style of case that it came in) was bought all in one piece, except that some fool in the 80's put a flat-fingerboard ESP neck on it. That wasn't going to do.

I don't know who has the best price on them, but I can check my local store that I deal with all the time and see if there's one in their chain.

Where are you located?

Roger

I mainly live in Bloomington, IN. but my parents and a lot of my friends live in Chicago and once in awhile I get to do some music stuff up there too so I kinda split my time between Chicago and Bloomington. As for price, especially when it comes to getting a guitar I would rather spend a few bucks more and know its going to be in good condition, somewhat well setup but I'm not as concerned with that as long as its been well maintained and free of any discernable flaws. But if the store you deal with is willing to ship guitars, you trust and recommend them and they got what I need then I would have no problem buying one from them, I'd really appreciate it if you got the oppertunity if you could look into it for me. Thanks again, and to everyone else for there input. I can always count on tapeoppers for help.

[EasyGo]

Elderly Instruments up in Michigan is a well known reputable Fender dealer.

They have a couple Jazzmasters listed on their site, one of which is one of the American ones, $1330.

http://www.elderly.com/fmic/cats/FGEZ.html

I'm also a Hoosier turned Chicagoan, and it's either Guitar Center (yuck) or Sam Ash (yuck) for new ones or the aforementioned Chicago Music Exchange (vintage guitars for tourists).

Try Midwest Buy N Sell on 6000-ish W. Irving Park Road. These guys seem kinda like criminals, but they have the best selection besides CME.

Also, since you're down low in the Hoosier State, try The Music Shoppe in fresh-smelling Terre Haute. I haven't been there in years, but the site looks like they still have fuckloads of stuff.

http://www.abcs.com/themusicshoppe/

[Electricide]

there are several other guitar shops in chicago.

Try
MAKEN MUSIC
250 N ARTESIAN AVE, CHICAGO, IL 60612
Phone: (312) 455-1970

[mr scratchy esq]

How about a vintage refin? I have a 63 Jazzmaster that I bought 7 years ago for around $800. It is a very good Olympic white refin and looks original. The guitar was originally white and the old finish is still under the refin. Refinished Jazzmasters usually go for around $900-$1200 now. Check out gbase.com. I've played the newer reissues and they are nice but the necks aren't as good IMO. Even with a vintage refin the value of your purchase will continue to rise. Just recently I almost bought a 63 Jaguar for $450 it was a very poor black refin w/ no case but all original otherwise. If I had bought it I could have had a pre-CBS Jag in any finish I wanted for well under a grand (Sherwood Green...). I think you'll be happy with a Jazzmaster. I haven't felt the need to buy another guitar.

Bill

[mr scratchy esq]

Just checked out some refin prices on gbase.com and the 2 I saw were $1500 & $1895 (asking prices...). So I guess they've gone up in value a little more than I thought. Still worth looking into...

[cornsound]

have you considered one of the cheaper Japanese re-issue versions from a few years back? I've seen those go for $400-500...

I picked up a JM a few years ago, it has a Tom Anderson strat-ish replacement neck and the extra tone manipulation BS controls were ripped out, but the pu's and body are all stock (late '60s/early '70s I think). $500 out the door.

was Antigua an original finish option?

[stooge]

I've got a 1990 Japanese Jazzmaster that was brought back by a serviceman from Japan...best Fender I own. Couple of things, though.

First and foremost, you *must* invest in a Buzz-stop. I know Stewart McDonald has them and I think Allparts carries them now as well...about $20. It attaches to the tremolo, doesn't alter anything on the guitar at all. It's pretty much a rolling metal tube that the strings go under between the tailpiece and the bridge, and it provides downforce on the strings so that they don't pop off the saddles when you bend strings. It also gives the benefit of added sustain.

I'm using the stock pickups at the moment, but I'm going to upgrade to the hot Duncans ASAP. I've heard nothing but good things about them.

Finally, the stock Jazzmaster comes with a 1 Meg volume pot, and I found mine to be entirely too tinny. One quick and easy mod I picked up from the Gerald Weber book (hidden in there almost as an afterthought) was to replace the volume pot with a 500K. It darkens the sound a little bit...kind of a cross between a stock Jazzmaster and a Les Paul Jr. with a P90. I've been told that you can go as far down as a 250K pot and it will darken the sound even further, but I'm personally happy with the 500K.

By the way, if you can find a Japanese reissue, they're great bang for the buck...got mine for $425.

Stooge.

[takeout]

I think Lindy Fralin makes a JM replacement pickup too; should be at least as good as the SD ones...