Custom shop Jazzmaster

Discussion of newer designs, copies and reissue offset-waist instruments.
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smjenkins
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Re: Custom shop Jazzmaster

Post by smjenkins » Wed Apr 07, 2021 7:03 am

andy_tchp wrote:
Tue Apr 06, 2021 8:05 pm
Whoa.

There's an aesthetic combination that, if you described it, would have me nodding politely and trying to change the subject.

But damn - it looks fucking killer!
Thanks! Yeah, that guitar is a very interesting color. It's listed as NOS LBP, but it's a lighter shade than other LPB guitars I've seen (both new and vintage). With the gold guard, clay dots and gold in the headstock logo, it comes together aesthetically surprisingly well.

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Arthon
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Re: Custom shop Jazzmaster

Post by Arthon » Thu Apr 08, 2021 8:52 am

pocaloc wrote:
Tue Apr 06, 2021 2:02 pm
What do people think of custom shop vs. American Original, etc, with a good setup and upgraded pickups etc.? It seems that a lot of people are happy with custom shop stuff.
All I can say is that I am very happy with my CS Jazzmaster and my CS Tele. My CS Tele have special features (RSD bridge and hand-oiled neck finish). My CS Jazzmaster is more or less a 58 reissue. Everybody that plays with it likes it. No ARVI, AV or AO I have played have the same build quality. It's near but it's not quite it.

I had a CS Stratocaster that was a good guitar, but not on pair with the Jazzmaster and the Tele. Trade it for a Les Paul Deluxe. So, it's not just simple as CS vs AVRI/AM/AO.

I can also say that I never had regret buying top of the line instruments. They were always a good "investment" for me. The guitars that I got some regrets buying them were always middle of the line guitars. I lost more money with buying and selling middle of the line guitars then buying Custom Shops guitars.

PS : I know AVRI/AO/AV are not middle of the line instruments...
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tammyw
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Re: Custom shop Jazzmaster

Post by tammyw » Fri Apr 09, 2021 3:47 am

I've seen a lot of different stuff come out of the Fender Custom Shop, and it's made me a bit wary of buying one sight unseen. There can be a fair bit of variability depending on who worked on it, for example with the fretwork, where some it is really great and others maybe just average. But also I've seen some really questionable and wonky work done, supposedly in the spirit of relics or vintage mojo or some BS. It's really turned me off because sometimes it just looks like shoddy or defective work, that they are trying to pass off with some BS excuse while secretly harboring contempt for their customers. Or maybe they're just really high or drunk sometimes, and think they are so infallible since making to the custom shop team that anything they do will be good enough to push out the door without any other quality checks or standards.

On the one hand, Fender Custom Shop has objectively made some of the best guitars I have - undeniably a cut above any well-setup production guitar.

On the other hand, I've definitely seen them put out some lemons and been burned by some lousy guitars. I think the American production line guitars have greater consistency and predictability, although I might be judging custom shop guitars more critically.
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Unicorn Warrior
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Re: Custom shop Jazzmaster

Post by Unicorn Warrior » Fri Apr 09, 2021 4:12 am

^to your point, CS guitars should be judged more critically.

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pocaloc
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Re: Custom shop Jazzmaster

Post by pocaloc » Fri Apr 09, 2021 9:13 am

I asked the Chicago Music Exchange to pull the '66 Lake Placid Blue "Chicago Special" out of the warehouse and to put it up against the same guitar in firemist silver that they had. Anyway, someone bought it that afternoon. I ended up buying a 60th anniversary 58 re-issue two days ago. I've been interested in those since they came out and I figure if it isn't what I hope it will be, I can always put an order in for a custom shop. Pretty excited to try the 58 which is a recreation of the prototype Jazzmaster, which I'm sure you guys have seen. As far as sunburst goes I like it much better with the anodized guard. I think the black pickup covers 2 tone sunburst and gold guard look awesome, although my dream guitar is a Lake Placid Blue or Charcoal frost metallic with matching headstock. I'm easy though, I like a lot of things. :)

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Meriphew
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Re: Custom shop Jazzmaster

Post by Meriphew » Sat Apr 10, 2021 5:39 am

I've owned quite a few of Fender Custom Shop Guitars. Right now I have four FCS Teles. They're all great. I wouldn't hesitate to buy a FCS Jag or Jazzmaster that had the right specs. It would def have to have the RSD bridge on it though.

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tune_link
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Re: Custom shop Jazzmaster

Post by tune_link » Mon Apr 12, 2021 6:30 am

Following this thread because I too have been thinking about pulling the trigger on a Custom Shop JM. A person had one listed on a regional CL (it was on Reverb too) a few weeks ago that was basically my dream guitar. I don't know how long it was up but it's gone and I nearly pulled the trigger so many times and then talked myself out of it. Def wanna try that Custom Shop bridge for myself as well.

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Re: Custom shop Jazzmaster

Post by mekhem » Fri Apr 16, 2021 2:52 pm

I have a FCS 62 Jazzmaster in faded LPB and lightly relic'd from... 2012? (I just checked and its a 2014 L series relic...) maybe I cant remember the model year. But I love it to death... I mean it will probably carry it to my grave as it were.

I have had a newer FCS 58 version and it was really good... but not as good as the 62. <I probably should have kept that one honestly...> and i have gone through a number of other models, Thinskins in particular, OTM, CFM, and Gold and Firemist silver AV65, and they just dont compare for me. The ThisSkins were real good, but not as good as thee FCS and TBH - the AV 65's i had were also good and If I didn't have the LBP FCS... The Firemist Silver and CFM thinskin would still be around.

Sooo - while all guitars are different I think the baseline/average is higher for thee FCS stuff primarily around fit/finish/setup and honestly quality and cut of woods. The necks of my FCS Jazzmasteers are/were quarter sawm and rock stable with really good fretwork.

Anyway - They are worth a look if you want to pay for the FCS premium, but the ThinkSkins and the AV series Jazzmasters are pretty close.

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