Fender vs Squier: The J Mascis JazzMaster | Working Class Music
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- Опубликовано: 14 окт 2024
- Somehow things always come back to J Mascis and JazzMasters. Today we are comparing 2 of the most popular JazzMasters in his signature line. We'll try not to spoil anything because this video is full of surprises, so enjoy this episode of Working Class Music!
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The Squier Deluxe Jazzmaster is a re-finished version of the J Mascis signature (it's red). They're hard to find now as well, but when they're up for sale, they usually go for cheaper than the proper J Mascis. They come with a rosewood fretboard, so Fender probably just re-colored that intial run.
It's "Purple Sparkle". I have one...but it is definitely more oxblood (red) haha
Love my candy apple red deluxe
The deluxe got me into Jazzmasters. In 2017 they cost next to nothing as well since they didn't have the Mascis endorsement.
@@Great-Documentaries Fair enough I'm referring to the Fender J Mascis Jazzmaster, made in Japan, the one in the actual video.
Indeed, I picked mine up for £200 GBP. Few battle scars, but fantastic quality. I did change the pickguard (white pearl) and pickup covers (cream) though, made it look nice and cheesy like something from the 70's
Fun dumb facts. On the japan built pretty purple one, the pickups are Strat pickups under the covers. That’s why they sound so thin.
2:15
I think all new Fender Jazzmaster pickups have Strat height bobbins/magnets, essentially making them a Strat pickup. If you want real Jazzmaster pickups you need aftermarket.
@@alfsmith4936No, it’s just the older MIJ Jazzmasters.
@@epitaph3988 Cool. Good to know.
Bro all that equipment is so lovely! You be doomin
I've been saying for years that I want a Kevin Shields signature Jazzmaster. That would be so sick. They should make the red one he plays
i mean the only thing separating his from any other JM is a piece of tape on the whammy bar, i think he knows himself it would just be taking advantage of fans, who he’s tough enough on as it is 😭
Haha, J made him by that guitar. The gold guard and Sparkle idea may have come from there!
@@Artefracture he didn’t make it but he was there when he bought it he says this on the fender vid
Just run whatever guitar you have through sixteen fuzz pedals and five reverbs and it won’t meter what guitar it is…
There nothing special about the jazzmasters Kevin Shields plays except the weird tunings. Dude just has like 12 vintage jazzmasters, each one in a different tuning.
If reverb is correct i believe that they’re doing another run of the squier J Mascis and i’m so happy that i’ll be able to get my hands on one of these.
Fender recently released 2 new sets of cunife jazzmaster pickups, and a brand new J Mascis set. So it only makes sense 2 new JM jazzmasters are on the horizon. A ruby red metallic squier and a whole new color for a Fender JM Jazzmaster would be my guess.
Fellow sucker for matching headstocks checking in. It weighs into my decisions way more than it should...
Its a squier bro.
They sell cans of nitrocellulose lacquer and squier decals.
@@pahwraith huh? You alright? Stroke?
What I love about WCM is if I need a review for an offset, I know y'all will have one I can check out!
Your channel just now popped up in my feed, which is utterly insane because I'm all about your content. Count me as a new subscriber and keep up the great work. You guys rock!
We'll keep making these as long as amazing people like keep watching and supporting us!
Love the middle position of the fender! That's my jam. Anyway love the channel. Keep it up!
No one really acknowledges that Robert Smith played a modded jazzmaster and bass vi throughout the 80s. Probably the most prolific offset paired with effects player. Fender should give him a jazzmaster
I think it's more like nobody wants to talk about the Cure
how can you say this when kevin shields from my bloody valentine exists
Nelsen likes The Cure...
Everybody likes The Cure, some people just don't admit it!
The cure is one of the greatest bands of all time.
I have a rosewood Squier Mascis- one of my favorite guitars, I'll never part with it. I use it to record all the time. A Robin Guthrie signature Jazzmaster (or any of the other models he's used) would be awesome!
It’s cool that the J Mascis Squier JM is being launched again. Thomann, some Australian and a Finnish shop had it on their webshop for a delivery in late summer / early fall. Too bad that they didnt mention this
We hinted at it, in this video and said so in others. But we’ve gotten conflicting reports even from fender themselves so for us it’s a will they/won’t they situation there’s an official announcement.
Shhh, don't tell anyone until after i get my hands on one 😂😂
@@JasonTMays I think that the stores who have it on their site with a mention that it’s a 2023 model launched later this year with an opportunity leave your contact information for when, is big yes. I believe that the last 40th anniversy models (gold and vintage) will be sold at steep discounts during the summer so that there wont be aesthetically similar models around at that point. The 2023 version will have a bass wood body, maple neck and a laurel board. I hope that still keep the JM Tele as part of their lineup. It’s a great guitar even though the out of phase middle position is something I sill fixed back to normal at some point.
Do you by the way have episodes planned around SGs? The Gibson for Fender people. Would love an episode about Epiphone x Gibson Custom Shop 1961 Les Paul SG with Gibson electronics and burst bucker pickups!
the JM Japan purple sparkle came out in 2007 and sold for $899, they only made them a couple years, today if you can find one it's at least $2500. The JM China are avail everywhere for still pretty cheap used, like $375 to $400, both are very cool looking guitars, will play the JM China tomorrow for first time. Great video way to go !
I just found your channel and my god you have an amazing collection of amps!
We've recently started making more videos featuring them so do yourself a favor and check those out
You guys don't deserve T.
:P
Great video. I'm dangerously close to pulling the trigger on a dark night Ampro2 that arrived at a local shop. It's a gorgeous Jazzmaster. In the back of my mind though, I keep hearing, "Just buy a 40th anniversary Squier JM. They're better and way cheaper."
The 40th has great pickups and I love that satin finish model. Since it's year specific I can see prices for those going apeshit i the next little while.
Appreciate your video. I have the MIJ and it’s my number 1 by far. Something special about that Jazzmaster, which is true of all Mascis sigs.
Sweet guits! I think your channel is the only one I’ll watch guitar reviews from. It’s such a feel thing, but you all convey so well! Let’s see…weird artist signature??? I would say maybe some sig leather gloves for George from Deafheaven.
Surprised at how well the Squier held up, but you raise good points on how the Japan pickups arent great. Looking forward to seeing the new improved when you do that 😉
As for artist sigs Id like to see, Lindsey Jordan Jaguar (Snail Mail) or Belinda Butcher Mustang!
Thanks for the awesome review! I want the purple one! 😃🎸
When I was first looking for a jazzmaster I played a Squier Jay Mascis and the neck and sound was sooo great! I def think for the money it’s an incredible guitar but ya I’m with Tia on the looks of the Japanese version luring me at first as well.
that's a mighty fine A/B switch you got there! 😉 Great episode. I'm really surprised by the verdict. I'd have expected the glittery guitar to sound best 😆 Let's see... I'd like to see a Signature Dorit Chrysler Moog Etherwave.
The purple sparkle JMJM is an amazing guitar with crappy pickups. Instead of writing off the guitar, swap out the pickups and it transforms into an amazing guitar. You could trying any number of pickups including the new JMascis JM pickups or go the Curtis Novak route like I did. All the hardware is good and the bridge is fine if it's setup properly. I love the 7.25" radius and the proper placement of the vibrato. If you find one for a good deal its fantastic.
I absolutely agree! I've loved my JMJM (purple sparkle) ever since I got it around '08. It was a guitar I never thought I'd actually get to own.
But I hated those shrill thin pickups. Had some gfs p90 type jm pickups and it was better but not quite there.
Got some Curtis Novak JM-WR pickups in it and that's exactly what it needed. It's pretty much perfect now.
@@tubbirodriguez JM- V in the neck and JM-Fat in the Bridge.
@@Great-Documentaries Most of your Signature guitars come in 7.25" because they are usually based on the Artist's favorite vintage guitar. Neither the CIJ or the Squier version are using real JM pickups. The Squier has JM shaped p90 and the CIJ has Strat hiding in a JM bobbin. I have the stock bridge, it's setup great and it works just fine for me. The closer vibrato placement doesn't really do that much either positive or negative. If you set the bridge to the proper height you don't need more break angle. Most Jazzmasters and Jaguars sold by Fender and Squier utilize the traditional vibrato placement for whatever that is worth. I like the Squier version and I am glad they are continuing to make it. I received my CIJ model in trade and I probably would not spend $2K on any guitar at this point so I agree but most Signature Fender guitars appreciate in value. The Squier version is a great value and more attainable.
I'm so happy of the justification that the biggest problem the Purple Japan JMJM had was the pickups.
I hated for years I couldn't use what was my favorite guitar in my bands because it just didn't in sound wise.
After some trial and error I got some Curtis Novak JM-WR pickups in it and it's my number one non-specific sound guitar.
Matching head stocks … especially in a sparkle finish or when set on fire with the matching body …. are just something special. First time I saw one was a MIJ candy apple red JM used at Steven’s Music of Santa Cruz, Ca fame, back when black market was still SOMA in San Francisco, before the fools in Los Angeles had our vintage leftovers dropped on them when everyone figured out that a Fender MIJ JM was worth way more than the $400 I paid for it and such guitars would start to be seen priced over $1k.
I wish the Squier Jay Marcis JM had a matching headstock and came in the color flavor of the telecaster he released with fender. The pickup issue has changed also. Not sure, but he has his own set of JM pickups. I just picked up the last squire JM on the Guitar Center wall that’s been there for a looong time - it was the last one they will ever have according to the sales rep. The pickups sound great, but I’m assuming they are not the Jay Marcis JM pickup set, which seems weird and kinda wrong. Shouldn’t you get his sig JM picjups in his sig JM guitar?
I paid $510 after tax in the spring of 2024 for reference.
Btw, the best part of the guitar is the neck. I’ll probably sand the back with ultrafine grit, but I might not need to.
Nirvana and Incubus in the same video?! I knew there was a reason I follow this channel
Looking forward to you guys reviewing the new Cunife and Chrome cobalt Jazzmaster pickups 😉😉
We got the Cunife in the works! I’ll get the chrome pickups next!
either jason watched beef recently or incubus is really making a comeback
umm, pardon me?
@@JasonTMays oh! beef is a netflix show, there's a scene where steven yeun plays "drive" by incubus, and then i thought i heard you playing it in the video. sorry for any confusion/offense, im happy to delete the comment
Beef is a great show. Tia and Nelsen both recommend it.
@@susususususieyou’re good! I was making a bad incubus pun! I was definitely playing drive! Lol
I got the late 50s squire JM, got a set of j. Mascis pickups off reverb. The bridge pickup didnt work, put the hot bridge pu from the original in the neck and the j. Mascis p90 type less hot neck pu in the bridge. I've no nostalgia jazzmasters, looks nice sounds really good in the middle position. Thanks for the show guys.
You ever played the Ed O'Brien signature strat? It's the one signature that I wanna try for the ambient vibes.
Sounds cool. Maybe we'll check it out
I had one for about a year. Sold it. It's a cool guitar if you like baseball bat necks and already have another strat for strat tones. It sounds like an HSH not a SSS guitar. The sustainer is cool, but if you dont have absolutely perfectly level frets and a great setup, you will get buzzing all over the place when using the sustainer in my experience. Also, I personally love having the output jack on the bottom like a Tele, but thats personal preference. YMMV
Also, little known fact, you can fine tune the way the sustainer pickup works using controls for it behind the backplate. Try one sometime :D
Ooh since Tia mentioned dulcimer, a Margaret Killjoy signature dulcimer would be rad (and check out her band Feminazgul!)
Ruben Neilsen (Unknown Mortal Orchestra) custom Jag Stang
have you guys reviewed and demoed the new EMG JMaster pickups? it would be cool to hear your thoughts on those
Nope, but we got that in the works.
I’ve seen some mention of Ed O’Brien and the EOB strat in some of the comments.
We need a high end, Johnny Greenwood signature starcaster - something higher end than the Modern Player. Personally, I would really just like to see Fender leveraging the starcaster a lot more.
Awesome review. I own both!!. Picked up the purple 8 years ago as a collector. Huge J Mascis fan.
Would be cool to see yall's take on the Jim Root Jazzmasters! A little bit different from the typical fare on this channel (active humbuckers et al) but still would be pretty cool!
Oddly enough, one of my friends have one and I've been thinking of borrowing it to do a review.
@@JasonTMays yooo sounds like stars are aligning haha
I'd be pretty tempted to swap out quite a bit on the Japan JM, but that would probably kill the collector value. But at the very least, it needs some different pickups
Just keep the original stuff after switching it out, so that you can put it back to stock later if you decide to sell.
I'd grant Mino Taakaki from the math rock band Toe a signature Jazzmaster because that man has been rocking one for over a decade plus
Being in the room while we recorded this was so surreal. I literally couldn't believe how much i hated the sound of the purple one lol. I guess it makes sense if you want a really clean amp sound that you add a lot of drive pedals too but man. Not my thing. I'll keep my Thurston Moore.
you have a Thurston Moore signature🤩🤩🤩? Oh i am sooooo jealous, but happy for you! How yyou feel about that guiztar compared to a "normal" Jazzmaster?
@Fabsen S it has fewer useful features but it's green so it sounds objectively better than every guitar that isn't green
Love my J Mascis. This and the Adam Clayton Jazz bass are the best Fender bargains
I did buy the Japan version 6 months ago. I was shocked at how the bad the pick ups were. Lots of fuzz hides how anaemic they are. I am changing them out for pickups called "ALT 88s" from a UK company called the Creamery.
Good move
Tia’s hoodie is too good! 🤘
Where did you get it? Thanks
Wicked clothes! It was a couple years back and I don’t see this one on their website anymore ☹️
@@tia.bailey Awesome, thank you! They have a lot of cool stuff.
I think part of the problem might be the pickup positions as well. If you want more twang and volume in general you can try raising them up a bit.
I kind of prefer the Squier, to be honest. The middle position sound is lovely.
A Billinda Butcher red mustang would be a good signature. Especially with the red pickguard variation.
I second this!!!
Emily Hopkins Signature Harp
I had a Squier JMJM, it was a great guitar in itself, but left me hankering for a more jazzmastery experience, and I ended up with a MIJ jazzmaster, and the pickups were the first thing to go. I'm not a Dino fan, but am what is described as a Swervie.
Dinosaur jr has some great music i would suggest checking it out
Hi Tia, cool hoodie
I must say the purple one was first released in the early |990's, probably MIJ too. then re-released in the early 2000's
that Squier is incredible...
I came here for the Bud Light Review.
It's gay.
NO FREE SPONSORS
the streets want the bilinda butcher mustang.
I would do anything for fender to reissue the Fender j mascis or just make more sparkle finish in general
In my limited experience, the J Mascis Squier is pretty much the best $500-ish I've spent on a guitar. Thanks for the video.
I have always loved that Sparkle one (but I feel similarly about painted headstocks) but its pickups are damn anemic,but I don’t love the overcompressed P90 sound of the Squier either.
Best case? Sparkle, Mastery Bridge, antiquities, but that’s some $$$$$ (posted before you said you’d do just that, hahah)
winner now goes up against that j mascis tele. jk lol. … would love to see a frusciante beat up red jaguar happen. but i guess a frusciante uber reliced strat would make more sense. either way i’m snatching up a frusciante sig 🎸 .
nothing wrong with laurel boards color can be made to mactch and even get darker if so desired.
Expensive Fender aside, Squier J Mascis or Classic Vibe/Vintage Modified Jazzmaster?
Play them in person.
But the squier jmjm is one or my favorite guitars. The neck is so good and I usually only skinny necks!
Blindly: the SQJMJM.
Interesting comparison. I didn't know about that Japanese one. Neck radius and bridge radius not being the same is something I stepped on modding my Jazzmaster projects. Nightmare! I just bought a Squire J Mascis Jazzmaster neck for my Classic Vibe project. The CV neck kind of stinks. Great video as always.
Well... I also thought the Squier sounded better!
Both great guitars. Both totally different sounding. Fender is quite a bit clearer sounding.
So sad I never picked up the OG mascis. I remember them going on sale when they were discontinued. I think I remember $599 but could be misremembering 😢
An Adam Granduciel signature JM would be so sick
Bruhhh!!!!!! I love the war on drugs!
and yessss anything with an aluminum neck.
Very fond of the JM sound but engineering wise they often have issues. The J Mascis version solves these issues and has a great neck. The pickups are too P90 like for me so I swapped them for more 'vintage' versions of proper wide wound JM pickups and it is now so good. The Japanese pickups are indeed disappointing being more like Strat single coils.
Is it just me or is it weird that the bridges of the guitars are mounted in opposite directions?
I’m not a tele person but I’d buy an Emma Anderson tele or better yet, an Emma Anderson Jaguar
You guys are cool, the girl is very pretty, nice guitars
Richard D James MS-20
hi ... what's that tune that the gentlemen plays first? something from john frusciante?
Possibly. It's been awhile sorry 😅
@@WorkingClassMusic i figured you would know the tune. its the only one he played. 5:23
Damn I haven't heard Drive in a minute!
Have Fender ever released an Elvis Costello Jazzmaster?
Yep. Thats a super rare one! Emily from Get Offset has one.
Johnny Greenwood Telecaster
Hi. Why not a reissue of the purple J Mascis JM with better pickups and a 9,5 radius?
We've asked ourselves the same question
@@WorkingClassMusic Still no reissue in sight ☹
I had 2 of the purple JMJMs and they were both 2 of the worst JMs I have ever owned. The neck felt nice but they playability and tones were horrible. I ditched my first one without making any mods and I tried putting Antiquity 1s in that one but not even those pickups could save it. I took it to Mike Adams back when he was in LB and he said that he thinks a lot of the playability issues come from the angled AOM bridge. Anyways, I sold the first one to buy a Kurt Cobain Road Worn Jaguar and I sold the second one to but a MIM Classic 60s Lacquer JM in White and I still have both of those guitars. Its a real shame, I wanted to love the JMJM.
do the damn sonic youth axes already.
I'm heavily bias as a fan of Dino J, but am I crazy or does the Squire just sound leagues better?
12:10 yesssss - follow up, please
i need a Nels Cline Jazzmaster
Would love to see a Mike adams Jaguar signature!
Same!!!!!!!!
We would too
I am kinda building my own "Mike Adams" inspired Signature Jag using the Squier FSR Silver Sparkle Jaguar. I just need to swap out the pickups.
@@taylornuttthat sounds awesome!
@@taylornutt DO IT!!!! I know Emily over at EP customs would be happy help with the pickup options.
Those CIJ pickups are not very good in general. Fit and finish on the Japanese JMs from that decade are outstanding, but electronics replacement is key if one wants a "correct" spec JM.
Oh I hate the mismatched bridge/neck! Like, have you ever built a guitar before, Fender? I’m salty and don’t even own one! Pretty finishes only go so far. Definitely fix that thing up! Gonzo the Great signature Zildjan gong, imo.
Let's see the EOB, please?
The Radiohead fan in me would love that!
Whats the plural form of J Mascis? J Mascii?
Good question!
@@JasonTMays Inquiring minds want to know
another great episode, a few notes from this video.
• tia's sweater goes hard as fuck
• MIJ JM is stunning, think one of best looking paints jobs that didn't cook up specifically for the custom shop. (AGED CHAMPAGNE SPARKLE I'M LOOKING AT YOU)
• I think the choices of TOM bridges on these guitars is sorta poop without some aftermarket intervention. Even with the update I still think the T-O-M design is inferior on a jazzmaster.
• I'm starting to think I shouldn't sell my rosewood neck JMJM squier and just swap out the pickups... antiquities?
• Also that beer is piss but if drinking that piss upsets nazis and fascists'. I'll drink that piss.
Awesome demo/comparison. This video was pretty good but let me tell you want you did wrong... 😅 Boogie Nights (cannon ball pool scene reference)
Totally kidding.
I want to start off by saying that super subtle music playing firing the commentary, post demo, was tripping me out. I'm outside, it's a beautiful evening, birds chirping, sun-shining and it's almost giving me ice cream truck vibes. I had to pause several times, at least 8, to see if it was the video or a distant music being played an echoing and bouncing through the streets of my neighborhood. Totally tripped me out.
That Squier did sound better. Generally, just all around. While the Japanese JMJM is a killer look, it's so far from what a JMJM should be. Color only and if we only took guitars for looks, we'd be missing the point, given they are tools. Don't get me wrong, I'm superficial as hell, but if it isn't performing well, kinda doesn't matter what it looks like. Start modding the Japanese model to get it more functional, especially for JM's specs and or seems you might be killing it's value because of the collectability and rarity of it. 🤷🏼 Seems more like a huge loss and, dare I say, failure of Fenders part. However, is that generally objective or would we be looking at this through the lens of hindsight and not acknowledging that? I mean we do have the Squier JMJM that's improved upon the shortcomings of the Japanese model and that makes it easier to pick on the original no?
All that said, of you really wanted that Japanese version, it's not that far off from the TVL JM in Oxblood. While not a big fat sparkle, it's still metallic and in a color that, if it isn't sparkle, it's the next best thing, is amazing and offers that same wow-factor. Includes the matching headstock, has that super comfy 7.25 radius, same regular trem position, matched bridge radius, but adds the bound neck with block inlays as well. Just a classy-ass touch. The only thing the Japanese JMJM has going for it is the finish. The rest is a weak example of a JM that doesn't perform that well.
Just my thoughts.
In certain light, it does resemble Oxblood. It's one shade darker and then add the metallic sparkle. I agree that for an Artist guitar, the pickups should have been better out of the box. I disagree that its a weak example of JM (pickups excluded). Mine plays amazing.
@@taylornutt I meant a weak example of a JMJM. I left one of those out on accident. Haha. Sorry. A a JM it's fine. Totally. I haven't ever had a Japanese JM, I do have a Japanese Jag and Japanese Mustangs. The Jag is great. Stock pickups were pretty weak though. I swapped those. Sounded cool, but weak. The Mustang I had, was a '65 reissue. Great guitar butnthr pickups were weak. I liked them though. The KC Mustang, I still have. The Japanese neck pickup that's still stock in it is amazing. Super twangy and not weak like the other Japanese stuff I've had. I have friends that've had Japanese JM's and they haven't had the greatest things to say about the pickups.
I haven't heard one that sounds entirely correct though. Now, I would take a Japanese JMJM in a heartbeat, if I was shopping for a guitar now, even seeing it's shortcomings to a Squier version. The color is killer. I love a 7.25 radius too. I have to swap that bridge though. I would probably even like the pickups myself. I don't do incredibly high gain and when I crank my amp I love the drive achieved from shear volume and weaker pickups.
I would love to see a Courtney Barnett signature Jaguar
THIS!
I love J Mascis and Dinosaur Jr, but the Squier J Mascis is my least favorite Jazzmaster of all time. I absolutely hate the sound of those pickups. Everybody else seems to hate them too; even J Mascis doesn't use the stock pickups in the one he uses on stage. It doesn't sound like a Jazzmaster! It's even made me hate the look of anodized pickguards, because they remind me of this thing. I'll never understand why people like this specific model.
First!😊
I want a prosumer-grade, off-the-shelf version of whatever the fuck Author / Punisher is doing
What's that music around 2:30?
Good question. I can't be too specific because I'd like to avoid a copyright claim, but I can tell you it's from the Tekken 3 OST
my bloody valentine JM...yes please... the Robert smith JM could be fun too for collectors to, all modded wierd
A Robert Smith Signature would be cool