ShortScale.org

Hi,

After considering both Jag-stang and Jaguar, I'm now homing in on a Jazzmaster as I believe it offers more versatility - and offers a more different sound to my Tele deluxe. But before I take a leap of faith I'd like to know a bit more about the neck on the particular JM I'm close to getting.

The spec/model of the JM I'm looking at is follows:
# -Vintage white CIJ model made at Fuji-gen in 1997/8
# -Seymour Vintage-for-JM pickups
# -Shielded scratchplate
# -Slightly shimmed neck
# -Graphtech AND Mustang saddles
# -Schaller-type Straplocks

I asked the seller about the neck and they replied as follows:
"The neck on this is what I would call "classic jazzmaster". Chunky like the US series, but not fat like a 50's Gibson. It's a little bigger than my CS336's 60's style, and certainly both bigger and FAR more comfortable than the Classic Player JMs"

The thing is, I've never played any of the JM's - nor a 50's Gibson nor a CS336. I do have a '96 Mexican Tele deluxe and I love the neck on this - it's far more comfortable/playable than my old '98 Epiphone Les Paul.

So... I'd appreciate if anyone could comment upon the differences between the neck on the JM above and the neck on my tele?

Thank you,


Mike

i've always found japanese jag or jazzmaster necks quite thin and flat feeling. certainly not like a 70s style tele.

mcvw wrote: # -Vintage white CIJ model made at Fuji-gen in 1997/8
# -Seymour Vintage-for-JM pickups
# -Shielded scratchplate
# -Slightly shimmed neck
# -Graphtech AND Mustang saddles
# -Schaller-type Straplocks

Fixed.

Sounds cool to me aprt from the Shitelers. Although some people here will be able able to give you good info on the neck it should go without saying that that there is a big difference with trying something first hand. Welcome to the board chap!

Also: doubla'-post

i cant describe it any better than "it just feels like a jazzmaster neck"

basic C shape neck 25.5" scale. not to fat, not to skinny.


the new mexican jazzmaster that they referenced there as "classic player" has Jumbo frets, not Vintage frets, the neck is more flat. like a D shape neck. not mega flat like a SG or anything. the fretboard has a 9.5 radius where the ones made in japan have a more rounded 7.25 fretboard. then they went and put a tunomatic on the mexican "classic player" one too.


so the classic player model has a "gibson-like" neck on it and a "gibson-like" bridge. where the ones from japan are 100% fender feeling.


hope this helps. i can get more detailed if you like.

ask whatever you need.

I played a US JM a few years ago and I could barely get my hands around the neck.

They had R9s in that shop that were easier for me to play--this just doesn't seem right.

Oops! I messed up in my previous post! I actually have a 2002 '72 Telecaster Custom (Fender HB at neck, single coil at bridge) - not a telecaster deluxe as stated!

I've not measured the neck on my tele, but I believe it has a c-shaped neck with 7.25" radius - which if the above postings are true, it's neck would be almost the same as the Jap' JM? Is that correct?

yes.


tele deluxe models had flat fretboards 9.5 (gibson style)
tele 72' custom models had rounder 7.25 fretboards (fender style)

the jazzmasters from japan are 7.25 (rounder)
the jazzmasters from mexico are 9.5 (flat gibson style)


the deal breaker for me is the vintage frets on the japan model. i like them much better than the jumbo ones you find on gibson guitars or the mexican jazzmaster

for me a guitar has got to have vintage size frets. the jagstang i learned to play guitar on when i was younger has vintage frets, a C neck, and a 7.25 radius fretboard. its what feels natural to me since thats what i grew up with playing. now i have all kinds of guitars all shapes and sizes, but something about that neck feels like "home" to me.

I just picked up one of the Mexican JM's and it still plays like a Fender with a nice clubby neck and big frets. The fretboard radius isn't too flat, although it definitely doesn't match the radius of the TOM Style bridge which sort of irritates me.

ycats wrote:it definitely doesn't match the radius of the TOM Style bridge which sort of irritates me.

really? it should. that adjust-o-matic bridge is specifically designed for that guitar. maybe the one you played just wasn't set up right.

other fender guitars with same exact adjustomatic bridge that mage says was specifically designed for this guitar:


jaguar



JA-90 telecaster



squier masterbuilt chambered telecaster


squier esprit


squier m80

ok, whatever....

mage wrote:really? it should. that adjust-o-matic bridge is specifically designed for that guitar. maybe the one you played just wasn't set up right.

there. happy?

my point was that it's not just a gibson tune-o-matic thrown on there. it matches the radius of the neck.