Which LH Jazzmaster?

[gila_crisis]

HI all,
I'm new to this forum, and always loved fender's offset guitars.

Now I'm really considering getting my very first Jazzmaster. My only "problem"? I am lefthanded.

I was first considering ordering the parts from Warmoth and then put together the guitar myself, but I get the feeling it would me cost as much as getting a new one (if now even a bit more, with shipping an customs...).

Then I went to the next options: the Limited Edition MIJ traditional 60s JM (toward which I think I'll go), and the Squier Classic Vibe 60s JM.

The Squier behing cheaper, it's a cool way to then customize the guitar to my likes, but I?ve ready quite a lot mixed review about the built quality these instruments.

What options would you suggest?

[timiscott]

I'd say always get the best guitar that you can pay for - you won't regret it.

[lamp]

I'd say always get the best guitar that you can pay for - you won't regret it.

This is great advice. As a fellow lefty, I’ve bought plenty of guitars over the years, and I have currently in my collection Squier, MIJ and US Fenders. Favourite has to be my Am Pro Jazz, But every Japanese guitar I have had been superb, but little things like left hand pots and knobs that make a difference. Having said that, my classic vibe Tele is just brilliant.

[Shadoweclipse13]

I can't say anything about the higher grades, but I picked up a Squier CV Jazzmaster a month or two back and it's great. The quality might be hit or miss, but for $400, it might be worth trying to find one that's good quality. Mine feels amazing, the neck especially. I'd say that it's at least worth it to try if you can find a local shop that has one to try.

[gila_crisis]

I'd say that it's at least worth it to try if you can find a local shop that has one to try.

Being lefty that's the problem, since I haven't found any local shops with the Squier CV JM LEFTHANDED in stock... I only found it from a Swiss online music store, which has also the MIJ ones.

[Shadoweclipse13]

I'd say that it's at least worth it to try if you can find a local shop that has one to try.

Being lefty that's the problem, since I haven't found any local shops with the Squier CV JM LEFTHANDED in stock... I only found it from a Swiss online music store, which has also the MIJ ones.

I totally understand. As a lefty myself, I'd never seen a lefty JM in person until July when my local shop had one. It felt great, and I grabbed it. Maybe see if you local shop can get one? If you don't like it, you wouldn't necessarily have to buy it. Or maybe Guitar Center? This is a good reason to go to them as they won't hurt if you don't buy it.

[gila_crisis]

In end I pulled the trigger on the MIJ LE tradiional 60s JM! Also because a friend has a MIJ JM too, and he told me these are superb built instruments.
Looking forward to play it!

[gila_crisis]

And MIJ it was! It just came in today.

First impresions (played unplugged, because I havn't yet got the time to plug it in):
- strings are way too thin for my taste (I suppose 009-042), but the factory setup and intonation are done very well (but I will change these to 013-060 and tune the whole down to B Standard)
- I love the neck profile! Super confortable!

So far super well impressed by this guitar!

[alexpigment]

And MIJ it was! It just came in today.

First impresions (played unplugged, because I havn't yet got the time to plug it in):
- strings are way too thin for my taste (I suppose 009-042), but the factory setup and intonation are done very well (but I will change these to 013-060 and tune the whole down to B Standard)
- I love the neck profile! Super confortable!

So far super well impressed by this guitar!

Congrats on the NGD! The picture is login-required on TGP, so we can't see it unfortunately. Also, 13-60 is a pretty huge leap in string gauge! I predict some serious nut filing in your future

[gila_crisis]

And MIJ it was! It just came in today.

First impresions (played unplugged, because I havn't yet got the time to plug it in):
- strings are way too thin for my taste (I suppose 009-042), but the factory setup and intonation are done very well (but I will change these to 013-060 and tune the whole down to B Standard)
- I love the neck profile! Super confortable!

So far super well impressed by this guitar!

Congrats on the NGD! The picture is login-required on TGP, so we can't see it unfortunately. Also, 13-60 is a pretty huge leap in string gauge! I predict some serious nut filing in your future

Try now, I set another photo link! Thank you, actually I putted on the new strings this morning (had setup a bit pickup height), and action and neck tension seams to be fine. Yes I only need to file a bite the nut.

[gila_crisis]

After few months having this guitar, I did some mods/upgrades to it:
- Mastery bridge and vibrato (wonderful improvement over tuning stability, sustain, and the Mastery vibrato is a wonder to play with, it's a lot more stable and reactive than the japanese unit, plus is built like a tank, I had the feeling it's almost double the weight of the original unit)
- Creamery Alt-88 mid range and 58 pickups (which turned the guitar into a sludgemaster, but without loosing its JM character)
- Gotoh SD91 vintage locking tuner (with thumbwheel and these C-A-R-D-6 fitting between the tuners and headstock, not that I disliked the original vintage tuners, but since ages I use locking tuners on all my guitars).
- I also swapped the tone control caps to SoZo NexGen Blue Molded Caps (maybe it's only me, but I found that caps rated for higher voltages, 400V in this case, have better detailed/consistent sound).

Super happy with the result! Now it's a fun and amazing guitar to play with!

Here's a picture after the first concert I played with it (I do live stream ambients every MOnday evening, as support/opening act for Nik Bärtsch's Ronin):

[Shadoweclipse13]

Black body and white guard? Cool picture, but hard to see specifics.

[gila_crisis]

Black body and white guard? Cool picture, but hard to see specifics.

Here you go

[Shadoweclipse13]

Beautiful! I love that matching headstock!! Fender necks look SO good with black headstock faces!

[gila_crisis]

I'm also a big fan of matching headstocks! It shall be a standard option on fender guitars!
This model was also available in Surf Green and Flamingo Pink, also both w/ matching headstocks.