My new Jazzmaster

[sloop_john_b]

I traded a 350 that I wasn't getting on with for this really cool Jazzmaster:





It's a CIJ '66 Reissue. I believe it was made last year.

This is the best-playing Jazzmaster i've owned yet. No weird buzzing problems or dead notes on the fretboard. The previous owner was a self-described "hard" player and had to make sure that the strings wouldn't be slipping out of the saddles all the time. I don't know what the heck he did, but it works great! No need for the Mustang bridge.

It's also got Fender AVRI Jazzmaster pickups - my favorite Jazzmaster pickups (Never tried Curtis Novaks, though).

The pickguard is a repro and the knobs are not original. He included the original tortoise pickguard, which i'm going to put on as soon as I can get it shielded.

The color is a cool creamy off-white. Maybe even a little darker than Olympic White.

It'll be at MARF this weekend.

[phlemmy]

I like the color combo.

[kenposurf]

Cool John..nice color and I like the block position markers...I'd go for the stock type knobs though...

[wj350]

John, gorgeous. I love the block inlays on the CIJ '66. I had a CIJ '62 in LPB for some time--I put a set of A/V 62 pickups in her, and she sounded great. I sold her only because I came across an A/VRI in Surf Green (my secret lust color ;D

[sloop_john_b]

Thanks Sean - I think it'll look even better with the tortoise guard. We'll see!

George, the knobs will be changed - I just wanna find out, definitively, which ones are correct for a '66.

Bill, I was eyeing a few different ones including an AVRI in Surf Green and a CIJ in Daphne Blue!

It's interesting about these - AVRI's often have BIN's at $1000 (and sell), and i've seen CIJ/MIJ models hover around the $800-$900 mark for a while. The line is getting increasingly blurred.

Personally, I think the CIJ/MIJ models are great after a pickup swap. IMO, the stock Japanese pickups are a joke.

[octagon]

As Arch Hall Jr would say: "Wow de Wow Wow!"

[alanz]

Nice one, dude. I like everything about that guitar's looks, especially the headstock.

[skeeterbuck]

John, check all the electronics in the MIJ/CIJ Fenders. The ones I've had all the pots and switches were ******. Worth swapping out if she's a "keeper".
The only one that I kept the pickups in was my Jerry Donahue Hellecaster Strat. It came stock with Duncan's

[sloop_john_b]

I'll have to ask the previous owner about that - this guitar is set up REALLY well, and I would assume that he swapped out the electronics, since he did the pickups anyway. He definitely knew what he was doing with this guitar.

[jingle_jangle]

VERY nice, especially the painted headstock, very unusual on an Oly White guitar.

A simple few minutes with some nut files, deepening the threads in the saddles where the lowest three strings rest, ends the popping out problem permanently. These are quite easy to set up, as well. Proper string gauge and type do a lot for playability (I favor chrome flatwounds, .011-.046). I've got two Jags and one '59 reissue (Fender Japan) Jazzmaster and all I can say is nothing sounds quite like them. I do prefer the Jags for their short scales.

[karl_teten]

KOWABUNGA DUDE!

I like Thomastik-Infeld solid nickel flatwound 12's on Jazzmasters.

You need big gun strings on a big gun board.

[sloop_john_b]

I definitely wouldn't put anything less than 11's on here - in fact, that's the case for all my guitars.

Flats sound intriguing. Next string change, i'm gonna try 'em.

[lennon211]

Awesome Jazzmaster. I love the body styles and playability of these and Jags. I keep mine strung with 10-guage D'Addario chromes. The flats really bring out some of the old-school surf and instrumental tones. Good pickup and congratulations.

[alexrocks]

wowzers. that is nice.

[longhouse]

Grat looking Jazzmaster! Love the painted peghead.