2017 AMERICAN PROFESSIONAL JAZZMASTER/JAGUAR

Discussion of newer designs, copies and reissue offset-waist instruments.
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shoule79
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Re: 2017 AMERICAN PROFESSIONAL JAZZMASTER/JAGUAR

Post by shoule79 » Sat Jul 22, 2017 1:04 pm

Got a chance to play one of the olive green jags with a maple neck today (finally). That is one solid guitar! Played great, no buzz, wasn't too heavy and was loud acoustically.

Next time I'm at the shop (and there isn't a dozen kids doing their Metallica impressions) I'm gong to plug it in and put it through its paces.

Definitely a contender if I'm in the market for another jag. The JM switch placement is still off putting.

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daysleeperjeff
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Re: 2017 AMERICAN PROFESSIONAL JAZZMASTER/JAGUAR

Post by daysleeperjeff » Sat Jul 22, 2017 2:57 pm

shoule79 wrote:Got a chance to play one of the olive green jags with a maple neck today (finally). That is one solid guitar! Played great, no buzz, wasn't too heavy and was loud acoustically.

Next time I'm at the shop (and there isn't a dozen kids doing their Metallica impressions) I'm gong to plug it in and put it through its paces.

Definitely a contender if I'm in the market for another jag. The JM switch placement is still off putting.
Definitely plug that in and give it a listen! I got a chance to play the Mystic Seafoam JM in the store the other day...Loved it! I'm going to get one! Great action, excellent sound, beautiful color, neck felt awesome and I like the simplified switching as an option. I wouldn't have any issues in the location the switch is at in the upper horn. In fact, I always seem to hit the switch in it's normal lower horn location on my other JM.

I have a AVRI 62' JM that is the best Jazzmaster I've ever played so i'm not looking for another vintage accurate guitar, I want something different tonally. Yes the pickups have a bit more of a Strat/MIJ JM sound but I really liked them. I feel like I'd use this thing for a bunch of lead guitar lines on an album I'm working on. I use lots of modulation effects/Reverbs and I think these pickups would cut through nicely! I liked the neck a lot, the tall frets made those notes just ring forever.

If you want a classic example of a Jazzmaster obviously this isn't the guitar for you, but since I have one of those I kind of like the idea of having a mutant like this. I think with some adjustments and a StayTrem I would play the living heck out of this thing!

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Re: 2017 AMERICAN PROFESSIONAL JAZZMASTER/JAGUAR

Post by Shiells » Mon Jul 24, 2017 8:32 pm

About the AP JM pickups not being Jazzmaster-ly... I'm kinda embarrassed to like their sound. I mostly dislike Strats, and when I have liked Strats, they've been 50s to very early 60s Strats. I certainly don't go for things wired for heat. For me, the AP JM pickups, which are really hotter MIJ Strat pickups, are a singularity. However, I like classic JM pickups much better.

When Fender finally condescends to return to selling Mustangs that aren't neutered of their tremolo systems, and have just regular-ass Mustang pickups, the world will gladly pay like three grand for that student model. It's the ol' carrot-on-a-stick routine. Same thing going on Jags and JMs.


Kind of related, I think the new Jag pickups are maybe the only example of V-Mod making a guitar sound worse. I'm not saying I would kick one out of bed, but it's worse.

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Re: 2017 AMERICAN PROFESSIONAL JAZZMASTER/JAGUAR

Post by sunburster » Mon Jul 24, 2017 8:44 pm

I never get why people are embarrassed to like JM pickups that don't have a wide & flat coil wind. Who cares. If it sounds good, that's all that matters. I do like the sound of these JM pickups, they don't sound strat-y at all to me. They have quite a rich tone. In fact they sound better than the AV65 pickups to my ears, which always sound very thin and uninspiring to me. The mix of different alnico magnets in them contributes to making them quite distinct from the sound Japanese JM pickups (which are Alnico 5) as well.

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Re: 2017 AMERICAN PROFESSIONAL JAZZMASTER/JAGUAR

Post by windmill » Mon Jul 24, 2017 10:47 pm

These guitars are reviewed in the August edition of the British "The Guitar Magazine"

While generally positive they comment on the pickups sounding strat-like and the bridge string spacing putting the strings close to the edge of the neck.

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Re: 2017 AMERICAN PROFESSIONAL JAZZMASTER/JAGUAR

Post by LBx » Tue Jul 25, 2017 2:10 pm

shoule79 wrote:The JM switch placement is still off putting.
They could at least turn the thing to go left to right...

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Re: 2017 AMERICAN PROFESSIONAL JAZZMASTER/JAGUAR

Post by Larsongs » Tue Jul 25, 2017 2:35 pm

I thought after a while I'd get why Fender made all these changes. I guess it's so Players can have some other choices. Although it seems like they would've been more focused on getting the build portion of these Guitars right. All the little things, Strings to close to the Edge, improve the Pickups, more thought into position of 3 way Switch etc. etc.

Lars

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Re: 2017 AMERICAN PROFESSIONAL JAZZMASTER/JAGUAR

Post by windmill » Tue Jul 25, 2017 2:43 pm

The Guitar Magazine article also said

" we suspect these models are offsets for people who don't like offsets"

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Re: 2017 AMERICAN PROFESSIONAL JAZZMASTER/JAGUAR

Post by audiopablo » Tue Jul 25, 2017 7:46 pm

Kind of related, I think the new Jag pickups are maybe the only example of V-Mod making a guitar sound worse. I'm not saying I would kick one out of bed, but it's worse
I've kind of grown to really like mine. I did hear playback in a show we did (I play in an electronic group) and the way it sat in the mix clean wasn't great. I'd cue that to a very, very rough soundcheck, though. Put it through some dirt or fuzz and it really comes alive. And then you can't stop playing it because it's all rather new sounding. It's the perfect complement to a Johnny Marr Jag, IMHO. You get the low output clean and jangly, then the power in your AmPjag. To me, much more versatile than that MIM jag with the humbuckers. But that's probably more to do with my limitations and chosen genre.

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Re: 2017 AMERICAN PROFESSIONAL JAZZMASTER/JAGUAR

Post by LBx » Wed Jul 26, 2017 5:54 am

LBx wrote:
shoule79 wrote:The JM switch placement is still off putting.
They could at least turn the thing to go left to right...
For reference:

ImageImage

Much slicker/balanced looking all in line along the bottom without the rhythm section and just as usable, ya?


One full time amateur's opinion...

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Re: 2017 AMERICAN PROFESSIONAL JAZZMASTER/JAGUAR

Post by daysleeperjeff » Sat Sep 09, 2017 9:28 am

SOOOO...I finally pulled the trigger on the Mystic Seafoam Jazzmaster.

When they first released it I thought it was ugly...then I kept looking and it intrigued me...then I became obsessed and started to think it was the best looking thing I'd ever seen....then I tried one out at a shop near me...It was over. I had to have one. Loved everything about it...accept the light stock strings and bridge.

Got one brand new for $1350, no tax & free shipping. Definitely adding a Staytrem like I do with all my Jazzy's.

I'm in the middle of recording an album now and I've used my AVRI '62 Jazzmaster for all the guitar parts so far. I think the stock pickups on the Pro will give me some nice varying tones with the hotter strat-like voicing, especially for leads. I wanted this American Pro as a compliment to my Vintage accurate AVRI to add some different tones. Basically wanted a Jazzmaster that would do something a bit different, plus I think the neck feels awesome, LOVE that color and I really liked the stock pickups for what I'm looking for. We'll see how it records with my studio setup. I'll give some updates once I get it.

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Re: 2017 AMERICAN PROFESSIONAL JAZZMASTER/JAGUAR

Post by somebodyelseuk » Sat Sep 09, 2017 10:17 am

Thing that ruins it for me is the pickups. They're 'specially designed'... basically Strat pickups in JM covers, probably to appeal to Strat/Tele players.
I'm a Strat player. I bought my JM and Jag., because I wanted JM and Jag sounds, not a Strat sound in an offset shape.

If I was going to spend that amount on US models, I'd still go with a AVRI Jazzer and Marr Jaguar before these.

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Re: 2017 AMERICAN PROFESSIONAL JAZZMASTER/JAGUAR

Post by daysleeperjeff » Sat Sep 09, 2017 7:19 pm

somebodyelseuk wrote:Thing that ruins it for me is the pickups. They're 'specially designed'... basically Strat pickups in JM covers, probably to appeal to Strat/Tele players.
I'm a Strat player. I bought my JM and Jag., because I wanted JM and Jag sounds, not a Strat sound in an offset shape.

If I was going to spend that amount on US models, I'd still go with a AVRI Jazzer and Marr Jaguar before these.

But what if you want a Strat sound with a JM body? I love how strats sounds but I'm not a fan of their shape. This is exactly what I've been looking for.

I have an AVRI '62 so I wanted some diffent tones. This may not be for you but Fender is just expanding the Jazzmaster line. For years Strats and Tele's have had all kinds of different pickup configurations...why can't the Jazzmaster have options?

My favorite pickups are genuine Jazzmaster pickups...my favorite guitar sound ever. But I'm all for them expanding the line and experimenting. You'll always be able to get a period accurate Jazzmaster Reissue or original.

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Re: 2017 AMERICAN PROFESSIONAL JAZZMASTER/JAGUAR

Post by Baldy » Mon Sep 11, 2017 6:03 am

They probably sound and play great, but, it seems kinda odd that they're missing the classic controls, naked and cheap looking, I mean, the original system is what makes them different and unique, now they're like an offset stratojagster or stratomaster :?
What could possibly be next, maybe a strat angled output jack.. ;D
Besides, how many people bitched about hitting that tiny, almost sunken rhythm switch on the jag, so they taped it up, then fender places an even larger toggle in the same spot on the JM?? :fp:

I'll stick with the wonderfully complicated yet much cooler and unique classic system.

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Re: 2017 AMERICAN PROFESSIONAL JAZZMASTER/JAGUAR

Post by leokula » Mon Sep 11, 2017 9:44 am

"wonderfully complicated" :fp:
Jaguar > Jazzmaster :)

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