So the other day I went to Chicago to see an Albert Hammond Jr. concert (for those of you who dislike the Strokes or Albert Hammond, I'd like to point out that his lead guitar player uses Jazzmasters
) and beforehand hit up the Chicago Music Exchange for the first time ever. WOW! What an amazing place! I counted 20 Jazzmasters... 4 were new, 16 were old. I spent about 2 hours comparing them, as I've been seriously seriously considering getting a JM but never had the chance to play anything but a CIJ model. I compared a really crusty old '62 to a 62RI, a 65 to the same 62RI, the 62RI to a custom shop 62RI they had in Sonic Blue with a tort guard (drooly), and then played a whole bunch of others unplugged. The verdict?Strangely... I think i almost like the new ones better. The pickups on the vintage guitars definitely seemed a lot more smooth and even; the AVRI pickups had extremely spikey treble response that seriously hurt my ears... until i rolled the tone knob back to about 5 and then it sounded fine. My Mustang has the same issue... so i treat the tone knob as if it had a treble boost as well as a cut and just let it chill out around 5 most of the time. The necks on the vintage JMs definitely felt different. I love the worn in feel, but they were a bit chunkier and felt less like a Strat than the new ones do. And damnit, I like strats! As I was A/B comparing new and old guitars, they both felt very nice... but as I was playing, I noticed that the AVRI stayed in my hands a lot longer. Whenever I'd get lost in what I was playing and suddenly remember that i was there to check out a guitar and not just jam, I'd look down and be surprised to see the brand new guitar in my hands.
So, that's a good thing! It'll save me some money, if I can get past the fact that i just don't like the color options on the AVRI's that much. I did compare the sunburst avri that i played most of the time with that custom shop Sonic Blue one... The Sonic Blue was nice, had the worn in neck feel (it was a Relic) and was definitely a beautiful color, but was it worth twice as much? Nope. So once again- Pretty sure i'd be happy with an AVRI if I can find a color I'd like.
Here's the thing. I've been waiting and waiting for the Thin Skins to show up at Dave's. I would really like to have a Sonic Blue JM, I think, and it sounds like that'd be a really nice one. Normally, it'd only be $100 more so I'd hold out and just get one of those. Thing is, I work at a guitar store, and I can get an AVRI from Fender for around $900, which makes a thin skin (GULP!) $700 more. For those of you who've played the Thin Skin Jags... does the nicer finish make THAT big of a difference? I have no intention of paying $700 more for a different color of guitar, but if the thin finish actualy makes the guitar resonate more and sound better, I'd consider it. If it does make a huge difference, I could always get a cheap AVRI and get some Antiquity II pickups at a discount and probably wind up with a comparatively good-sounding guitar. That custom shop one I played in Chicago certainly didn't sound any different, and I'm guessing the finish on that one is gonna be pretty similar to said Thin Skins.
What do I do?? I'm torn, someone make up my mind for me. Also, figure out what finish I like on the AVRI's
The sunburst needs the bright yellow that the old ones have at the center, aggh! I think i'd be happy with a sunburst if I got a gold pickguard on it so it looks like a 50s JM. White looks too classy, black is too dark (i mean, it's a surf guitar.), surf green with a white pick guard looks too much like an easter egg to me- maybe if there was a tort guard on it? I don't want a metallic finish, and I don't like red guitars. Sonic Blue sure is pretty though....
if you find a source for a gold guard that fits an AVRI/Vintage JM, you'd better share it! 