2017 AMERICAN PROFESSIONAL JAZZMASTER/JAGUAR

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

Post by Baldy » Mon Sep 11, 2017 11:26 am

leokula wrote:"wonderfully complicated"
I know :D :D

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Re: 2017 AMERICAN PROFESSIONAL JAZZMASTER/JAGUAR

Post by LBx » Tue Sep 12, 2017 4:14 pm

Baldy wrote:What could possibly be next, maybe a strat angled output jack.
Ugh... :fp:

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Re: 2017 AMERICAN PROFESSIONAL JAZZMASTER/JAGUAR

Post by daysleeperjeff » Wed Sep 13, 2017 6:08 am

LBx wrote:
Baldy wrote:What could possibly be next, maybe a strat angled output jack.
Ugh...
So what? Don't buy it then.

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Re: 2017 AMERICAN PROFESSIONAL JAZZMASTER/JAGUAR

Post by BuddyHollywood » Thu Sep 14, 2017 10:41 am

I finally had a chance to play an American Professional Jazzmaster last night. I loved it! If I had the money I would have bought it on the spot. The neck feels great. The strings are pretty close to the edge especially the low E but it is a non-issue. It played great. I think it's just another thing people were trying to find wrong with them. The bridge works great with this guitar too. It sounds good acoustically and the strings stayed in the slots. If I had one of these guitars I don't see any reason to swap the bridge. I didn't plug it in but it sounded lively acoustically which I'm of the belief translates to the plugged in sound. If the pickups are a hybrid Jazzmaster / Stratocaster design I'm sure I would love them too. The guitar felt very familiar to me immediately. The particular guitar I played had the action just a little bit higher than I like it but I noticed these come with the micro-tilt feature on the neck. If I ever get one of these I know that I would be able to adjust the action and the playability perfectly for me. I also like the simplified controls.

The American Professional Jazzmaster is what I would want to ask the Fender Custom Shop to build for me if it didn't exist.

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Re: 2017 AMERICAN PROFESSIONAL JAZZMASTER/JAGUAR

Post by daysleeperjeff » Thu Sep 14, 2017 5:49 pm

BuddyHollywood wrote:I finally had a chance to play an American Professional Jazzmaster last night. I loved it! If I had the money I would have bought it on the spot. The neck feels great. The strings are pretty close to the edge especially the low E but it is a non-issue. It played great. I think it's just another thing people were trying to find wrong with them. The bridge works great with this guitar too. It sounds good acoustically and the strings stayed in the slots. If I had one of these guitars I don't see any reason to swap the bridge. I didn't plug it in but it sounded lively acoustically which I'm of the belief translates to the plugged in sound. If the pickups are a hybrid Jazzmaster / Stratocaster design I'm sure I would love them too. The guitar felt very familiar to me immediately. The particular guitar I played had the action just a little bit higher than I like it but I noticed these come with the micro-tilt feature on the neck. If I ever get one of these I know that I would be able to adjust the action and the playability perfectly for me. I also like the simplified controls.

The American Professional Jazzmaster is what I would want to ask the Fender Custom Shop to build for me if it didn't exist.
Your assessment is pretty much exactly my experience. Like a true offset fanboy, I criticized the heck out of it when they were announced. I was so intrigued by the Mystic Seafoam model that I kept looking at it and eventually became obsessed after watching numerous YouTube videos. Several Jazzmaster critics kept criticizing but every review I read of people who actually owned them, loved them.

When I found one at a store I plugged it in and new immediately Knew I was going to buy one. I've had it for like 5 days now and I am in love with this thing. Here's a quick review of the features from an actual owner:

The Neck:

Most comfortable neck I've ever played personally. Love the extra fret and Deep C shape. Great soft satin feel to the back of the neck, slides really nice. The tall frets are the best, each note just rings so clear, has a nice springy bounce when playing. I feel like I'm a better guitar player with this neck.

The Bridge:

I have Staytrems on all my AVRI Jazzmaster and Squier Bass VI. The day I bought this I went to the Staytrem online store and put one in the cart but decided to wait until I tried the stock bridge. I'm so glad I waited! Yes, the E's are a bit closer to the edge but not much more than my AVRI with a Staytrem. The bridge on this thing is SOLID! No buzz whatsoever, low action out of the box, and very easy to adjust. Tremolo system is beautiful too! Very springy. First time I took it out of the case it was very close to being in perfect tune! Sounds excellent unplugged.

No Rhythm Circuit:

I very rarely use the Rhythm circuit so the lack of it here is a non issue for me. If I need to do some deep Shoegaze swells, I'll use my AVRI, but most the time for those I'll still just use the lead circuit.

Pickups:

To me these pickups do sound like a Jazzmaster/strat hybrid...a little more spank, but they definitely don't sound like straight up strat pickups. Very unique sound. I love them! I didn't buy this to sound like a classic Jazzmaster, I have a '62 AVRI for that. I bought this for different tones and texture when layering in my recordings.

Switch location:

If there is a flaw with this guitar I would have to say this comes the closest. Actually in its normal place on the lower horn of my AVRI I have the tendency to hit it from time to time, so really it's the same problem here. It not hard at all for me to avoid it but it is there and I probably will hit once in a while. Not a big issue but worth mentioning. For the normal way I play it won't be a problem.

Treble bleed circuit:

Just awesome! Sounds wonderful.

Mystic seafoam:

My favorite Fender color now. Just amazing in person.

Hard shell case:

Great form fitting interior, love it! The dark gray looks awesome with this guitar. The out side is a tad bit cheap plastic looking if I had to be nitpicky, but is great and will definitely keep this thing very safe.

Overall:

9.5/10 - For a new line claiming to be a modern Jazzmaster I feel like they nailed it. I will always want a classic sounding Jazzmaster and now I will always want a modern sounding one. I'm sure they'll get along beautifully together in my studio.

...but, I probably won't be playing my AVRI for a while...

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Re: 2017 AMERICAN PROFESSIONAL JAZZMASTER/JAGUAR

Post by BuddyHollywood » Fri Sep 15, 2017 7:36 am

Great review! The Mystic Seafoam with a maple fretboard is the model I played as well. I keep thinking about it now!

If I have any issue at all with this guitar's design it is the switch placement. Aesthetically I feel it should either be placed higher like on the Squier Vintage Modified Jazzmaster or on the lower bout like on my Blacktop Jazzmaster HS. However when I was playing it I didn't even notice it as being in the way.

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Re: 2017 AMERICAN PROFESSIONAL JAZZMASTER/JAGUAR

Post by Embenny » Sun Sep 17, 2017 9:41 am

Has anyone seen/found a source for pickguards for these yet? I'm looking for a black guard for my AmSpec JM, which seems to have the same switch/pickup routing (other than the bridge). I haven't found anyone other than stratosphere, which is just guards pulled from parted-out guitars (and they only have loaded ones ATM).

If anyone knows someone who currently has a template for these (or a spare black guard) it would be appreciated.
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Re: 2017 AMERICAN PROFESSIONAL JAZZMASTER/JAGUAR

Post by northernlights » Fri Mar 30, 2018 1:46 pm

hey guys, today i've bought my second offset baby, american pro fsr silverburst jazzmaster. (first one was american original) i'm thrilled! it's an amazing guitar and i actually really like the bridge, there is no buzz whatsoever i put on nyxl 11-49 and my action is approximately 1.5 mm on 12th fret. flawless guitar. i've tried other am pro before but this one is really different. However, first day of the guitar, pisses me off whenever i see the arm, i've succeeded to break the arm when it's inside of it. Luckly, i'd mastery vibrato, i put on it immediately. i need to buy a new collet :(

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Re: 2017 AMERICAN PROFESSIONAL JAZZMASTER/JAGUAR

Post by daysleeperjeff » Sat Mar 31, 2018 2:03 pm

northernlights wrote:
Fri Mar 30, 2018 1:46 pm
hey guys, today i've bought my second offset baby, american pro fsr silverburst jazzmaster. (first one was american original) i'm thrilled! it's an amazing guitar and i actually really like the bridge, there is no buzz whatsoever i put on nyxl 11-49 and my action is approximately 1.5 mm on 12th fret. flawless guitar. i've tried other am pro before but this one is really different. However, first day of the guitar, pisses me off whenever i see the arm, i've succeeded to break the arm when it's inside of it. Luckly, i'd mastery vibrato, i put on it immediately. i need to buy a new collet :(
Congrats! I believe we have the same set of Jazzmasters now, AO & AM PRO! My bridge and setup was great on my AM PRO as well, I had absolutely no buzz. I was planning on swapping it with a StayTrem but I really have no reason why I should.

Not sure what you mean by break the Trem Arm. The AM PRO Tremolo arms are threaded so they screw in, unlike other Jazzmasters which just pop in and out. Honestly I think I like the trem system better on my AM PRO than my American Original. Both are great, but the PRO seems to be a little more springy.

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Re: 2017 AMERICAN PROFESSIONAL JAZZMASTER/JAGUAR

Post by MayTheFuzzBeWithYou » Sun Apr 01, 2018 8:41 am

Ohh man!
Yeah, I love this colour combination!
You just pushed my custom-build-project one step further. thank you!
I would make it a matching headstock sonic grey, rosewood neck with bindings and probably block inlays - but also with a double bound body... and an anodized black aluminum pickguard and brushed stainless steel plates. and maybe lipstick pickups... I don't know yet.
Snorre wrote:
Sat Jul 08, 2017 8:16 am
I swapped out the mint green pickguard put a black one on my AmPro Jag. As I'm going through another decal fun phase on some of my guitars, I put on one of Baron Von Lind's James Bond tribute series of 50's pinup style Bond girls (From Russia With Love) decals. Baron Von Lind Wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baron_von_Lind. Since I'm into surf/spy instrumental music, this worked for me:

Image

Image

For me, I liken pinups on guitars to how WWII US pilots had pinups on the side of their airplanes like so:

Image

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Re: 2017 AMERICAN PROFESSIONAL JAZZMASTER/JAGUAR

Post by Surfysonic » Sun Apr 01, 2018 10:22 am

MayTheFuzzBeWithYou wrote:
Sun Apr 01, 2018 8:41 am
Ohh man!
Yeah, I love this colour combination!
You just pushed my custom-build-project one step further. thank you!
I would make it a matching headstock sonic grey, rosewood neck with bindings and probably block inlays - but also with a double bound body... and an anodized black aluminum pickguard and brushed stainless steel plates. and maybe lipstick pickups... I don't know yet.
Snorre wrote:
Sat Jul 08, 2017 8:16 am
I swapped out the mint green pickguard put a black one on my AmPro Jag. As I'm going through another decal fun phase on some of my guitars, I put on one of Baron Von Lind's James Bond tribute series of 50's pinup style Bond girls (From Russia With Love) decals. Baron Von Lind Wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baron_von_Lind. Since I'm into surf/spy instrumental music, this worked for me:

Image

Image

For me, I liken pinups on guitars to how WWII US pilots had pinups on the side of their airplanes like so:

Image
Cool, man! Yeah, a matching headstock will look amazing! Good luck! :w00t:
The doofus formerly known as Snorre...

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Re: 2017 AMERICAN PROFESSIONAL JAZZMASTER/JAGUAR

Post by MayTheFuzzBeWithYou » Sun Apr 01, 2018 12:25 pm

Thank you, Snorre!
I do hope so! :)
Will take some time 'till I get started - and I'll surely keep you posted when I do! :)

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Re: 2017 AMERICAN PROFESSIONAL JAZZMASTER/JAGUAR

Post by northernlights » Sun Apr 01, 2018 1:43 pm

daysleeperjeff wrote:
Sat Mar 31, 2018 2:03 pm
northernlights wrote:
Fri Mar 30, 2018 1:46 pm
hey guys, today i've bought my second offset baby, american pro fsr silverburst jazzmaster. (first one was american original) i'm thrilled! it's an amazing guitar and i actually really like the bridge, there is no buzz whatsoever i put on nyxl 11-49 and my action is approximately 1.5 mm on 12th fret. flawless guitar. i've tried other am pro before but this one is really different. However, first day of the guitar, pisses me off whenever i see the arm, i've succeeded to break the arm when it's inside of it. Luckly, i'd mastery vibrato, i put on it immediately. i need to buy a new collet :(
Congrats! I believe we have the same set of Jazzmasters now, AO & AM PRO! My bridge and setup was great on my AM PRO as well, I had absolutely no buzz. I was planning on swapping it with a StayTrem but I really have no reason why I should.

Not sure what you mean by break the Trem Arm. The AM PRO Tremolo arms are threaded so they screw in, unlike other Jazzmasters which just pop in and out. Honestly I think I like the trem system better on my AM PRO than my American Original. Both are great, but the PRO seems to be a little more springy.
yes! jm brotherhood. ocean turquoise and silverburst <3 yeah i hate that threaded thing, i mean when i turned it it was stuck on it and i couldnt turn neither way then suddenly it broke off i'm still really sorry for it, i really like fender vibratos and i didnt want to change for mastery kit. anyway... maybe i'll change the bridge for mastery but this bridge works perfect im confused lol

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Re: 2017 AMERICAN PROFESSIONAL JAZZMASTER/JAGUAR

Post by Futuron » Thu Apr 05, 2018 6:08 pm

Image

For those to whom the Mod Shop is available, (I don't know when this happened, but it's there now and says "new"... I didn't notice it before,) Sherwood Green is now available as a finish. (Jaguars are still not available, but AP Jazzmasters are still there.)

I know many here dislike the setup of this certain guitar and still many would build/finish their own, but for those of you (only Americans of course) who would like to purchase a legitimate Fender factory built AP Jazzmaster with the V-mod OR AV65 pickups in your choice of profile, pickguard and fretboard in the coolest colour ever... :D

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Re: 2017 AMERICAN PROFESSIONAL JAZZMASTER/JAGUAR

Post by Mechanical Birds » Thu Apr 05, 2018 7:44 pm

It also allowed use of an AV65 neck but who knows now. Sucks you can choose to have a standard JM electronics setup.

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