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NJD: Fender American Pro Jazzmaster in Mystic Seafoam


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Well, it's here, and I'm fairly certain it isn't going anywhere. I have not been able to find ANY dents, wear, etc on it aside from just a bit of random adhesive in places. It's a GREAT color. The new "mystic surf" color for the Am pro II honestly is very MEH, and the Sweetwater pictures make it look even more MEH.

I'll have to give some sound reviews once I get it home. I'm trying to decide which amp it would work best with. Recently I've been playing only my Mesa Boogie Maverick 2x12. It's certainly has the reverb needed for surf.

The trem arm screws in well, though I can't tell how far I'm supposed to thread it in. It doesn't seem to have any type of "bottom" like the usual two point trems.

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1 hour ago, tbonesullivan said:

The trem arm screws in well, though I can't tell how far I'm supposed to thread it in. It doesn't seem to have any type of "bottom" like the usual two point trems.

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Try Teflon plumbers tape on the threads. It will usually stop the bar before you overthread it.

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6 hours ago, G Man said:

Nice score! The Jazzmaster is still on my bucket list of guitars to own.  Some day.

I'll let you know how it is! Definitely a lot more simplified than many of the jazzmasters out there. The new Am Pro II is also a good deal, but I've also heard good things about the Mexican ones as well. It definitely plays differently than anything else I've ever played.

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Ok! I will say it definitely is a comfortable guitar to play. Nice substantial neck, and unbeatable body contours. It definitely does not sound like a strat, but doesn't cut like a P90. The neck pickup is really mellow, while the bridge has some good cutting power, definitely a bridge pickup I like a bit more than the usual strat. Also more meat to it than a Tele bridge pickup, but not quite that same level of bite.

The two pickups are RWRP, so the middle position is hum free, and is like a middle position tele but with more bass.

The tremolo is definitely "different" than what I am used to, in terms of feel. Definitely more like a bigsby than a two point. The "tremolo-lock" works, I guess, but it really only prevents up bends, not dives, so it's an interesting design concept. Definitely helpful if a string breaks though, or if you use a lot of bends. It does need to be set up right though, and I haven't messed with it yet.

My big issue now is choosing what kind of strap I want to go with it. I could just get a Fender branded strap in tweed or something, which would definitely complete the look. Or maybe something with racing stripes.

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I just ordered a cheap fender strap from amazon.  Also started checking out the offset guitars forum, full of people who are obsessed with these curiosities.

If anyone has a Jazzmaster/ Jaguar or wants to get one, this is a MUST read: https://www.premierguitar.com/articles/25516-diy-how-to-set-up-jazzmasters-jaguars

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5 hours ago, tbonesullivan said:

If anyone has a Jazzmaster/ Jaguar or wants to get one, this is a MUST read: https://www.premierguitar.com/articles/25516-diy-how-to-set-up-jazzmasters-jaguars

That was very informative.  I honestly expected to find in the first paragraph, "1. purchase a Mastery Bridge" but that had some excellent things to try first.  I've never been even offset curious, but Scott Holiday's occasional use (though I think I recall he has Lollar P-90s sneaked under the covers) has given me pause.

IMG_4436-WEB.jpg?t=1495050143&width=900

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1 hour ago, velorush said:

That was very informative.  I honestly expected to find in the first paragraph, "1. purchase a Mastery Bridge" but that had some excellent things to try first.  I've never been even offset curious, but Scott Holiday's occasional use (though I think I recall he has Lollar P-90s sneaked under the covers) has given me pause.

Just like with the original strat 6 screw bridge, if set up right, it can work great. But you need to know how to work it. The strings slipping out of the grooves and the strings making contact with the intonation screws are one of the hardest things to deal with. This is also why the American Professional series and the Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster both went to the vintage Mustang style bridge. Sure it's a set radius, but it really got rid of so many issues that people have with the original Jazzmaster bridge.

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I had a “65 AV Jazzmaster. It was wonderful but I sold it as the finish was incredibly thin and if I chose to gig it I knew it would be a relic in a year. I don’t find them quirky. They sound great and play great though mine came with a mastery as a spare bridge which worked well, and I put locking tuners on just cos I like them. Great instruments. 

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17 hours ago, tbonesullivan said:

Just like with the original strat 6 screw bridge, if set up right, it can work great. But you need to know how to work it. The strings slipping out of the grooves and the strings making contact with the intonation screws are one of the hardest things to deal with. This is also why the American Professional series and the Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster both went to the vintage Mustang style bridge. Sure it's a set radius, but it really got rid of so many issues that people have with the original Jazzmaster bridge.

Yep, and there are even compromises with the Mastery. Since adjustments are per three strings, you either like the height and intonation of the A and B strings once you’ve set everything else, or you don’t. 

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1 hour ago, Lockbody said:

Yep, and there are even compromises with the Mastery. Since adjustments are per three strings, you either like the height and intonation of the A and B strings once you’ve set everything else, or you don’t. 

True! And if you want to go for a wound G string, you're out of lock. A 3 saddle system like they use on a lot of telecasters could fix that.

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5 hours ago, kizanski said:

Wound G string? WTF?

Most strat pickups I have seen are STILL staggered for a wound G string. It was only recently that Gibson finally got the hint with their non-adjustable lightning bar wrap tails.

My orchestra / choir teacher in high school had a degree in Jazz guitar, and he was always about the wound G.

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On 10/24/2020 at 4:54 PM, tbonesullivan said:

My orchestra / choir teacher in high school had a degree in Jazz guitar, and he was always about the wound G.

Had a fraternity brother, longtime player of bluegrass, used to rail on us rockers for our plain G's.  EVERY time we tried to have any sort of jam he's pulling out his Les Paul Professional (remember those?  Probably not...) with the wound G.  Wound G this; wound G that.  Then he'd want to play everyone else's guitar (if I were playing that 13 lb. Professional, I'd want to swap out too).  We'd then have to listen to how it "didn't feel right with the plain G."  

Just fine for the guy for whom bending a string was an egregious error.  😱😄

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19 minutes ago, velorush said:

Had a fraternity brother, longtime player of bluegrass, used to rail on us rockers for our plain G's.  EVERY time we tried to have any sort of jam he's pulling out his Les Paul Professional (remember those?  Probably not...) with the wound G.  Wound G this; wound G that.  Then he'd want to play everyone else's guitar (if I were playing that 13 lb. Professional, I'd want to swap out too).  We'd then have to listen to how it "didn't feel right with the plain G."  

Just fine for the guy for whom bending a string was an egregious error.  😱😄

HAH. Well my Teacher was also a kick butt rock guitarist, but he just really liked the feel of the wound G. I take lessons from another rocker turned jazz guitarist, and he's got a plain G on some, however if you put a plain G on a Herb Ellis, I think Herb comes back from the dead to smack you, so that's what he uses on that.  Also .012s with a Plain G can get painful at times.

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