best Jazzmaster under $1000 (new or used)?

[slowpogo]

People seem to like the Squier J Mascis a lot. I've also seen good things about the Squier 40th Anniversary models.

What else would you look for in this price range, new or used?

[marqueemoon]

used 60’s Lacquer or Road Worn.

Reverb/eBay prices are still creeping up, but these can be found under $1K in Craigslist, etc…

Other than the screw-in arm Vinteras are fine too.

[PapaB]

I don't know if you already know this, I recently learned it by asking my internet music store for a discount, when looking at a Martin Acoustic guitar .... But if you buy new, ask for a discount. Stores cannot advertise new instruments for less than set prices by the manufacturer, but they can certainly sell them for less. There's considerable markup on high end instruments, and they want to make the sale. A $3400 guitar went down to $2900 and change.
IRTYQ, I like the JMJM(~$400.00) .... It's being offered back new I think. I'm also a fan of the MIJ models .... Fender is a very creative company, but the Japanese excell at making very cool models, of the utmost quality.
Save a bit of cash for a hard case and a pro set-up. Have your luthier go over the nut, and the frets and neck relief, and set your intonation with the strings of your choice. It's all one job, don't let him nickel and dime you for each thing. Mine does it for $45 ....
Good look finding your next guitar. Much success in your endeavors.

[slowpogo]

Thanks for the responses! appreciate it

[Larsongs]

I agree if you can find a clean Lacquer 60’s grab it.. It is literally an AV65 JM assembled in Mexico.. They are excellent Guitars & as close as you can get to a USA Fender AV65 JM… Bonus! They came from the factory with a Fender Hard Case..

[Steadyriot.]

I agree if you can find a clean Lacquer 60’s grab it.. It is literally an AV65 JM assembled in Mexico.. They are excellent Guitars & as close as you can get to a USA Fender AV65 JM… Bonus! They came from the factory with a Fender Hard Case..

I had a 60’s lacquer Jaguar. While it wasn’t a bad guitar I wouldn’t say it’s “literally an AV65 assembled in Mexico”.
The finish was gummy, the trem had a weird short screw-in arm and the body contours were a lot shallower than AV.
It was a great guitar in it’s own right and if looking for a sub €1000 guitar I’d wholly recommend one but they’re not on the same level quality wise. Wouldn’t be fair to expect that either. It’ll get you close though.

[andare]

Isn't nitro gummy by definition? I have a nitro bass that was gummy on the neck but it shined up to a beautiful gloss from hand friction. It feels so great. Completely different from any poly finish. The body is still gummy bit I don't play the body of course.

And don't AVRIs have a poly undercoat? Maybe that keeps them slicker?

[Larsongs]

I agree if you can find a clean Lacquer 60’s grab it.. It is literally an AV65 JM assembled in Mexico.. They are excellent Guitars & as close as you can get to a USA Fender AV65 JM… Bonus! They came from the factory with a Fender Hard Case..

I had a 60’s lacquer Jaguar. While it wasn’t a bad guitar I wouldn’t say it’s “literally an AV65 assembled in Mexico”.
The finish was gummy, the trem had a weird short screw-in arm and the body contours were a lot shallower than AV.
It was a great guitar in it’s own right and if looking for a sub €1000 guitar I’d wholly recommend one but they’re not on the same level quality wise. Wouldn’t be fair to expect that either. It’ll get you close though.

I can’t speak for Lacquer 60’s Jags..

But, I can for Lacquer 60’s JM’s.. I played several when they first came out & wanted one but in a different Color.. They were the best of all the MIM & all the Offshore JM’s.. Which weren’t even close IMO…

I played several AV65 JM’s & it is a superior Guitar to the Lacquer 60’s.. I couldn’t get past the color so I ended up buying an Oly White AV65 JM which is an amazing Guitar.. It’s a keeper.. But, if you read the Specs for a Lacquer 60 JM you’ll find many of the exact same USA Parts including Fender USA AV65 Pickups.. Which make the Sound! If I find a clean Lacquer 60’s at a good Price I will buy it as a backup for my AV65 JM in case a String breaks when I’m Gigging. I’ve grown to like the Green..

I liked my AV65 JM so much I bought an AV65 Jag too… Which is also a killer Guitar... Funny, I never got around to trying a Lacquer 60’s Jag though..

[Embenny]

I also had a 60's lacquer Jag for a few weeks, accepted it as part of a bigger trade.

It was...OK. The bridge sucked, the original trem had been bad enough that the previous owner had already swapped it out for an AVRI unit, and it looked and felt like it was definitely a MIM Fender.

I wad shocked by how much worse it felt than the AV65s of its era. On paper, I believed it "should be" as good.

It definitely wasn't, and that's not from any bias against colour or anything, since I knew from the moment I accepted it that I neither wanted nor needed an extra Jaguar. I just judged it on its own merits next to my other guitars while I had it.

I agree about the gummy finish, by the way. Felt so much worse than any AVRI, AV65 or AO I've played.

[marqueemoon]

I agree that the 60’s Lacquer and Road Worn are not in the same league as AVRI/AO/AV65, but some of those have gotten very expensive.

Those are my picks for best *traditional* JM. Lots of other options out there though.

[MayTheFuzzBeWithYou]

For 1000 bucks or less (each) I assembled two absolutely stunning guitars - each with custom made (bound & double bound) offset bodies painted in Firemist Silver and Burgundy Mist with Matching Headstock by Rexter Guitars (who‘s now out of business) - both with Custom made pickups (Q and Rübezahl) and Staytrem bridges and AVRI/Mastery vibrato units - so if you are up to it: a partsmaster is the way to go!

Other than that Fender Japan or Vintera?!

[doctor_capleson]

I have the Vintera JM. I like it fine. I bought it as a backup to my CIJ JM, so it was important to me to have the specs be as close to vintage as possible so that the guitars are nearly identical. It's now my primary gigging instrument, and the CIJ is the backup / gets plenty of love and a nice comfy spot at home.

Pros: Only JM in the Fender lineup that is "vintage correct" re: fretboard radius, neck profile, vibrato unit spacing from bridge, vintage style tuners, JM-spec pickups with 1M ohm pots. Every other JM in the Fender lineup messes with one or more of these things.

Cons: not a fan of the screw-in vibrato arm; immediately replaced stock bridge with a Mustang bridge

I had a set of nice JM pups lying around that I planned to drop in, but honestly the factory pickups sound alright in the Vintera. There was a little fuss with setup and break-in (as always with JMs; I've never seen one come from the factory in a playable state)

My bandmate has one of the first run TVL JMs, and I would put the Vintera up against that one any day. The only differences I can see are: TVL had neck binding, TVL has exclusive colors, TVL has a more robust toggle instead of the dinky slider for the rhythm circuit, TVL comes with a Fender hard case.

If you can live without the binding, toggle, and colors and happen to already have a roadworthy JM case, then the Vintera is not a bad buy.

[Larsongs]

I also had a 60's lacquer Jag for a few weeks, accepted it as part of a bigger trade.

It was...OK. The bridge sucked, the original trem had been bad enough that the previous owner had already swapped it out for an AVRI unit, and it looked and felt like it was definitely a MIM Fender.

I wad shocked by how much worse it felt than the AV65s of its era. On paper, I believed it "should be" as good.

It definitely wasn't, and that's not from any bias against colour or anything, since I knew from the moment I accepted it that I neither wanted nor needed an extra Jaguar. I just judged it on its own merits next to my other guitars while I had it.

I agree about the gummy finish, by the way. Felt so much worse than any AVRI, AV65 or AO I've played.

Did you ever actually play a Lacquer 60’s Jazzmaster? Not the Jag.. I played about 10 & found them to better than any of the other non USA Jazzmasters.. Every offshore non USA were basically platforms from which you could build a decent Guitar.. In my experience it was really the only choice for a really non USA Jazzmaster that really didn’t need anything other than a new set of Strings & minor Intonation adjustment…

I own 2 AV65’s.. A Jag & a JM.. They are definitely better Guitars no doubt. In fact they’re as good as it gets! But, the Lacquer 60 Jazzmaster (not the Jaguar) is the only other choice if you want an Original Spec JM that doesn’t need to rebuilt…

I didn’t experience any gummy finish on any that I played.. If they wouldn’t have been green I would’ve bought one….

[postqualia_1]

I like my CIJ 62 reissue. They're quite expensive on reverb and such, but you might get lucky and find one for cheaper locally. I got mine for $980. I've owned a vintera 60s and a squier mascis in the past. These are both solid options as well.

[redchapterjubilee]

I bought my Classic Lacquer JM used from Dave's in 2016. I own three other AVRI's and an AV65 and if I had to downsize I'd lose one of the AVRI's before I'd part with the Classic Lacquer JM. Maybe I got lucky with mine but it plays amazing. Dunno if there were bridge issues because I swapped out for a cheap Mustang bridge right away. I'm even ok with the stock trem on it. None of my JM's have stock pickups so no worries there either.
There are certainly finish issues. There is a spot of two of highligher yellow on the back of the body near the neck pocket. And yah, nitro does get sticky when you sweat on it. All of my JM's have that problem. That's why I periodically polish the back of the necks and body to get my nasty off of them. I didn't notice the contours were different on it than my other JM's until someone on OSG pointed that out. With prices what they are these days were all my gear stolen or burnt in a fire or something I'd look for another Classic Lacquer JM for sure. I had a roadworn from 2016 as well but I didn't like the feel of the neck finish as much. Marqueemoon has that one now and I believe rather likes it.