It's a good guitar, but not quite what I was expecting tone-wise after those Pure Vintage 65 Jazzmaster pickups. The sounds are completely different... but I think that is what Fender was going for! reverb.com/item/31057356-video-2019-fender-american-ultra-jazzmaster-mocha-burst?_aid=growsumo&gs_partner=Trogly 0:15 - American Ultra Series 1:37 - Finishes + Price 2:19 - Special Features 4:02 - First Impressions 5:57 - Inside Look / Specs 13:22 - Tone Talk 17:27 - Tone Demo 18:49 - Pure Vintage 65 VS Noiseless 20:22 - Final Thoughts 22:51 - Condition 24:33 - Case / Candy
A lot of people change the pots in these from 1M to 500K or 250K. The lead circuit tends to use 1M pots which is nuts for single coils, especially the short and wide designs like these.
If you're looking for a cheaper option you can just mod a Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster with '65 style jazzmaster pickups and locking tuners. In total it cost me about $650 and it sounds and plays amazing.
The J Mascis Squire is a great guitar. It actually has good sounding pickups but they are closer to P90s than traditional Jazzmaster pickups. I replaced mine. I love the tune-o-matic style bridge that comes stock on it, the neck feels excellent, and I think it's one of the coolest looking guitars in the Fender or Squire line. For cheap Jazzmaster thrills it's hard to beat.
I love mine. I traded my more expensive Gibson Les Paul for it, making it the third Jazzmaster I own. This is the most comfortable guitar I've ever had in 25 years of playing. Personally the noiseless pickups were a big plus for me as a studio musician...I don't have to spend extra time editing out the noise typical Jazzmaster pickups make. I wasn't that impressed with the vintage 65 pickups. I prefer the noiseless or the V-mods. The finish is stunning and I love the binding and the way the neck feels flawlessly comfortable. It's an extremely versatile guitar, too. I'll admit I was sceptical about the whole Ultra Series, but after playing this is a shop, I was hooked. I could do without the extra switches and I'd prefer the input jack to be in the usual spot, but other than that I'll never part with this guitar.
I'm not really sure who these guitars are for. I imagine that the vast majority of folks that are going to drop major money for a Jazzmaster want a vintage spec.
@@lueysixty-six7300 I think that's more true for those buying the mid-level ones like the Mexican or the Specials or something, which is why those ones often have humbuckers and other non-standard stuff. But the fact that no one liked them back in the day made them more scarce. People were modifying or selling them to pawn shops for next to nothing. The people paying $2k for them these days are doing so to get the vintage specs.
I think people who have the money, want something different, flashy and whacky. The finish and the many tonal options are really for them I think. And collectors. This really is something different.
Agreed. It's like they're trying to appeal to the modern crowd, but I would look for Jim Roots Jazzmaster and it's 500 bucks cheaper, and like others mentioned the vintage crowd will go for, well vintage.
@@lueysixty-six7300 yeah, I've never seen them as anything but 'pawn shop' guitars, like they were back then. People bought them because they were so cheap & they couldn't afford anything else.
That mocha burst is about the best finish I've ever seen. Finally something that competes with the classic honey burst, and not just another sunburst finish.
"the jazzmaster body shape is actually brand new to the high-end lineup of Fender" I mean, yeah, nowadays, but it has always been known in its original line of production as the more expensive higher end alternative to the Strat or Tele
Actually, the basic outline closely resembles the original Jazzmaster body created by Leo Fender. What is new here is the contours around the neck / body joint. If you go back and look he demonstrates how it is sloped down to allow easier access when playing the higher frets. If you ever have the opportunity to put an ultra side-by-side with another Jazzmaster you will soon see the difference.
Laughing all the way to the bank. I'm no financial genius, but Fender has got their marketing absolutely SPOT ON. So, congrats to them for that. Clearly Yale educations work.
Just noticed this lol. I like to play with a wireless input. ESPECIALLY on guitars that have a input on the face of the body. This way I don't have to worry about snagging a cord and smacking into shit. Strats, jags, sgs, jazz masters, and a few other guitars make this not a issue. So lame that this version of the jazz master isn't done this way : (
An outstanding axe. I love it. The redesigned bridge is excellent. The regular, S-1 and out of phase sounds are gorgeous. The routed out heel is spectacular for reaching the upper frets. Locking tuners are fine. It plays great. My tech was very impressed with the new bridge design.
It's new/old. It's more or less the old Mustang bridge. The OG bridge gets a lot of complaints for not keeping the strings in line and being uncomfortable to have your palm on. I used to have a Mustang, looks the same.
@14:42 you misspoke and said that the switch puts the pickups in parallel, but in reality that switch puts the pickup in series mode. Parallel is how almost all fender guitars are wired by default. Humbuckers are essentially two pickups wired in series. And that series option is most useful in a higher gain situation, it's sort of unfair to judge it's clean tone next to how perfect the parallel configuration sounds. Also, I wonder if you can get series and out of phase with that guitar, that would be a cool sound, similar to Brian May. I have a Jaguar that is wired to have the series option and it sounds superb with the strangle switch engaged, both clean and in a high gain context. I can tell you're not used to playing Fender guitars by how you review them, but that's okay, you're honesty and simplicity is nice.
I gotta say I liked the new pickups because they sounded so modern, to me it felt like they weren't trying to get the vintage tone and the modern tone just sounds good. Especially with some extra gain on it, it really crunches just right! It sounds good, it's just a more modern sound than I think most people are looking for in a jazzmaster.
I've played one of those myself, along with the Ultra Telecaster, mostly like them both very much, but the noiseless pickups do sound dull. Don't have any issues with the layout personally, its just the pickups just lack that chime, that definitive Fender earworming chime.
It's the dullness of the pickups that rules it out for me. I have Lollars in my (Japanese) Jazzmaster and it's my go to guitar for surf/jangle type sounds. Love it to bits.
I usually find your assessments to be spot on... in this case, I have to disagree with you. Yeah, it can be difficult to dial in a Jazzmaster, but as the owner of 1) a vintage JM; 2) an American Special with JM stacked humbuckers; 3) an MIM Standard Jazzmaster and now; 4) an Ultra, I can tell you this: all Jazzmasters can be difficult to dial in. Telecasters are WAY easier to find your sound. But, you don't buy a Jazzmaster to get a Tele or Strat sound. As the owner of several Jazzmasters, I didn't find it all that difficult to dial this one in (even on a Champion 20 practice amp I keep by my desk). Like anything else, the more you use something the less confusing it is. Anyway, other than carrying on about the paint job, I think you made an honest attempt at a "fair" review, but I have no idea what you played through, what those settings were or what dials you worked on the guitar in the various positions when looking for whatever tone you were looking for. I do also agree that as this is version 1.0 of the JM Noiseless, perhaps a more vintage tone will be achieved in later versions. Who knows? This could also go the way of the American Special Jazzmaster with the fixed bridge, stacked humbuckers and no rhythm circuit...
@@shawnadams1693 I have a couple Telecasters. Sold/Traded the Stratocasters. I love most well made guitars regardless of brand/model, but when it comes to ownership, I have always landed on Fender and within the Fender brand, it seems to be Telecasters and Jazzmasters that give me what I am looking for.
Trogly, I love your reviews! All That eye candy!! Yours is the most viewed channel by me Keep up the great work!! . Dear Fender, 2000$ and no roller string tee? Also, a cap on each tone pot? That means when both pups are on you get double the amount of rolloff. Not a problem when only one pot is on ten, with the no-load pot. But if you like your tones on each pup preset to your desired setting, then switch to both pups on..........mud city....rofl
This is a great review- like all your reviews, I really enjoy. Very helpful- I bought a 63 JM in 1989- and it was my go to for a long time- always wanted to ad a second but this sounds very different than what I'm looking for. Love your shows.
Following up- Fender has never really followed up with a nice run of American Standard JM- they've done reissues and players (mexican) but I'm still waiting for an updated production JM. I'm not a fan of the elite series in general- the noiseless pickups are just lacking.
I still say it's a crime that Fender keeps putting out this guitar without changing the bridge... without a Mastery, this guitar is half of what it should be... just my opinion, but come on Fender, enough is enough
The Classic Player Jazzmaster has a Tune-o-matic type bridge. I got one when they came out in 2008, it's one of my main guitars now. I assume they still make them.
due to the physics of that guitar that bridge has caused string buzz, and most of the jazz master guys I know have swapped out for another bridge... i just think Fender could do with a little upgrade of their own...
Easy fix. Place a small double strip of felt under the strings, just touching up to the back of the bridge. No more buzz, and I play with 9 to 42 sets. Of course some players will still pop strings out of the grooves(not ever been a problem for me) but that an easy fix too. You just file the grooves deeper, or you can use a Mustang bridge which my brother has on his 1985 Jazzmaster MIJ. We both play lead or rhythm on these guitars. My favorites are the '65 Vintage Reissues, The 60th Anniversary 1958 Reissue, and the Blonde 1959 Thinskin Reissue I acquired from Dave's Guitars.
@@fuzzface8252 Considering the number of people who complain about them, Fender would be smart to outright ditch the traditional JM bridge. Piece of garbage, really.
That's not what it does. All it does is set it so that the trem cannot float, as in it can only go downwards. It was supposed to be so that if you broke a string you wouldn't go out of tune.
@@caiusmadison2996 Nope. The reissue American vibratos with the lock are the exact same design as vintage. You are just not remembering correctly or you had shit set up weird. What Reginald said is correct.
Reginald is right, that button never had a "locking" function for the trem. All it did was set the plate underneath to a tighter position for more stability on string breaks but the trem still functioned. In true offset fashion even this needed to be set up properly to be useable.
I just recently started watching your channel and I really appreciate how much I learn every time I watch and how honest you are. You kinda trashed this guitar, but kinda didn’t and then you offer it for sale. I’d buy from you in a heartbeat.
Noiseless pickups always seem like a good idea but in my experience they only sound good with high gain, other than in that setting they do sound lifeless and meh
That guitar is so pretty i wouldnt know whether to play it or hang it up on a wall like fine art .giutars are becoming more of an art than just intruments.cant get enough of your channel .
It is weird that they keep doing that, there's been a steady flow of bizarre "improvements" from both Fender and Gibson since the 70s. A cynical person might even consider the Jazzmaster itself one of the first mis-steps, lol!
@@davetbassbos The jazzmaster is very good at a few things and that's it. The original vintage ones and other made like them do this sound to a T. But hell, were totally ignoring marketing...
the 80s and early 90s were the years for guitar innovation and its been smaller/mid-sized builders carrying that torch... the big 2 slow everything down so they can make more money later on calling the simplest things an "innovation"
heftosprod what on earth are you talking about? Lol, just look around man. This is the golden age of gear, guitars are more innovative than they’ve ever been
@@tylerl8934 smaller builders yes, but the big 2 have been stagnant for many years now. i would like evidence of some way either brand has been truly innovative in a way that other smaller companies haven't already implemented specific innovations, or used superior techniques than what the big 2 are doing now. compound, series/phase switching, sculpted joints, ergonomics, automatic tuning, integrated effects, etc. have either been superceded or improved on by builders such as ibanez, g&l, manson, etc. and many smaller brands. fender only very recently allowed tone knobs to work on strat bridge pups.
if they had made the JM in texas tea, i would've been totally sold. The ultraburst is of course cool, but I dont care much for the mochaburst--- at least not from any of the pictures or videos i've seen. Maybe if i saw it in person i'd feel differently.
Bryce T I haven’t seen this color in person yet, but I have seen Texas Tea in person. I’ve got to say that it looks even better in person. I mean a lot better, and I already thought it was one of Fender’s best new colors in a long time before I saw it in person.
The neck on that thing is absolutely beautiful. That's about it though. If it had the pv 65's in it, I bet it would be worth playing around with all those neat controls.
From Leo: As a long term Jazzmaster owner, I like the new color. The Jazzmaster body is really comfortable to play. The neck joint improvement looks good. I welcome the hum free pickups, but I would have to hear it in person. I am glad they finally got the output jack off the pick guard. Even though I always use a cord with a 90 degree end, it just should not be there. (maybe someone could talk to gibson on the SG & 335) The cheesy chinese universal fit jack mounting plate is unforgivable on a $2000 guitar. A barrel jack would have been perfect. The separate tone controls are nice. I disagree with the upper control rework, the original configuration was great for years. Thanks for your work. The Jazz Master has always been a niche guitar, you did a pretty good job on the review
Well, I'm a strat guy, so I've never played this guitar. But i have played the new ultra strats, and i have to say I like my American professional strat better. The colors are cool, but i like my pro strat tone. I had a '67 fender strat given to me when i was 10 (1975, so to everybody else, it was just an old guitar). Those vintage modified pups are the closest thing I've found to that tone. I'll skip on the Ultra series.
I have heard demos of the Pro Strats, but I just cant find a finish I like. Plus, the maple just looks so anemic without a tint...unfortunately despite the ultras looking better, I just cant stand the noiseless pickups
@@bipbipletucha You should look at some of the Guitar Center Exclusive special editions! Most have Rosewood necks (Not maple with rosewood fingerboards, Rosewood neck), They have Daphne Blue, Ocean Turquoise, and Champagne.
@@bipbipletucha when i got my pro strat, i wanted it to have an old school buddy holly look, so the 3-tone burst was perfect for me. The maple neck is great. I still have the '67 i got when i was 10 yrs old. It was my only electric guitar until i got the pro strat in 2017. And it's red, and I've only ever had to replace the frets twice, and one of the pots. It's still my favorite guitar..
Glad I'm not the only one that felt this way. I drove down to my local guitar store that had one to try it out, eager to fall in love with it. Was pretty underwhelmed. Not a bad guitar at all, but certainly not worth the price or the hype from every GC employee that saw me playing it. And yes, it's DEFINITELY a lot more sparkly in person, really bummed me out.
Just throwing my two cents in here. I have one of these but in the Cobra Blue and I have noticed one thing with Fenders newer lines of guitars. There always seems to be one kind(Color, Model...etc) that stands out from the rest. I have no idea why this is(Lower production run? Later models?)but these usually stand out from the bunch. Like you, I tried the Mocha Burst and found it lackluster in every sense of the word. I could not wait to put it back on the rack. This worried me because I had ordered the Cobra based on one I got to play at a Fender event. It sounded AMAZING and was a dream to play. It wound up being owned by one of the Fender employees so I could not buy it and I was worried his was some kind of one off custom build and the one I ordered would be more like the Mocha. Nope. The Cobra Blue with the maple fretboard is a whole different animal. Brighter sounding pickups and a much nicer feel overall. The Noiseless pickups may still not chime as much as that Jazz/Tele, but they sounded WAY better than the ones in the Mocha. This has happened to me with the American Originals also. Went to buy a Olympic White Strat and wound up having to chose between it and a Candy Apple Red one...because they both sounded SO different.
Thanks, Austin, for another great vid! I know they are time consuming to make! Never been a Jassmaster fan, though 1 or 2 have worked for what I wanted out of them. That one definitely would cause me to change much of the electronics which I guess would be $300-$400 with me doing the work. It seems Fender failed on that one...
Recently purchased one of these....overall, I like it. I did swap out the bridge (not sure why Fender put a fixed 9.5" radius bridge on a guitar with a compound 10 to 14" fingerboard!) with a Halon bridge...much better now. Easy drop-in replacement. The pickups....I'll get back to you on those....but there tends to be a trade-off when you go with any noiseless pickups....the vintage tone may not be there, but the 60-cycle hum is gone, which is a welcomed upgrade for me personally. Overall, pretty satisfied....but the stock bridge is a no-go....
The sort of instrument that gives a ton of choices but still just has one best tone...you may never find or do but never find it again...Like the Rascal bass but not as many bad choices...
I expect those pickups and the serial switch option to be much more fitting for downtunings in an modern highgain setting, where you need the recognizable mid focus, than in the classic vintage tone environment. That is also what Fender promote it for in their video ad about the American Ultra series. Would have been nice to hear it also with such a high gain sound.
I gotta tell ya, if I had just seen this review and not played one in store, I would've never bothered. But I played one and dude, it's so good. The compound radius alone makes it worth it. I don't about most people but I really enjoyed the noiseless pickups. They articulate well and I don't have to bother with noise suppressors or any of the common tricks you do to reduce noise. It's an excellent Jazzmaster model and I implore you all to play one. Is it overpriced? Hell yeah lol. I wouldn't pay $2,249 or whatever it's going for. But you can find some used for about $1699 which is a better price point.
The video's conclusion was literally that the pickups were lifeless and dull. It's like saying "Does anyone else think x band is great???" on x band's music video for their most famous song.
@@mikesemie5028 most unmodded jazzmasters do not have P90s. Jazzmaster pickups are closer to wider single coils. The difference here is the way they made the pickups "noiseless" changed the sound significantly.
Its like your wife, even if you dont like her because yesterday she argue about leaving the toilet seat on, you cant get rid her because of that, it needs way more than that for you to divorce her.
I love my Ultra Jazzmaster. Some are not loving the sound compared to a real vintage or vintage RI. It depends on the situation I already have a 1959 RI FSR Jazzmaster. Thin skin with the gold anodized guard. The one guitar I'll never part with. That one has the real Jazzmaster sound. I love Jazzmasters but I had no use for another one that sounded exactly the same and that's why I sprung for this one. Plus It has bell & whistles. One other thing, this is the best review I've seen on this guitar. It even helped me to fix a slight glitch with my Ultra Jazz, Thanks for your effort.
Loved it, sounds great. Love all the sparkles, great neck action. Tone controls are awesome and easy to understand. The pick-ups sounded fantastic. For an inexpensive electric guitar, this is a winner.
It sounds great. I have the J Mascis Squire Jazzmaster. After i set it up it plays and sounds awesome especially for thee price but would prefer noiseless pickups. Great demo. Thanks.
I love the paint on this! The "new" heel contour is not new, my 2000 Squier Stagemaster is exactly like that. They had to have picked this up from Fender at some point. Love the channel, thanks for all your work.
That's a particular beautiful instrument. Particular. The JM shape is ultimate. I recently bo't a new SQUIER J Mascis jazzmaster. The ONLY guitar I've ever unboxed to find that I didn't have to do ANYTHING to it to make in run good. Oy oy I love it. And I love the one you've reviewed here. Even if it is a Fender but I wouldn't buy it because it's not Squier or some other cheaper origin. Thank you for your forensic reviews of guitars! You give them every opportunity to strut their stuff!
I really love your show but it repeatedly triggers me when you refer to the capacitors on the tone pots as "treble bleeds" (here at 7:51) as they do quite the opposite: The are the reason why the sound gets darker when you roll off the tone poti. Keep on rocking!
They do bleed the treble - they provide a path to ground for the higher frequencies. But then again, the terminology used in the electric guitar world is kinda screwed up anyway. In fact, it's the change in resistance that causes the roll off, not the capacitors. The combination of the pot and the cap creates a RC filter. C is constant, R is variable.
Fender's Noiseless "single-coil" pickups are more or less humbuckers with the windings on top of each other instead of side by side, hence the generally lifeless sound, or at least nowhere near the chime, "bell-like" and clarity of an actual single coil. Same thing with P90's I imagine. It's understandable that you didn't like them after trying real P90s. Despite what Fender would have you believe, just don't expect those noiseless pickups to sound like their original counterparts, since they are fundamentally different.
@@LinhNguyen-im4uu you might like to watch this video: ruclips.net/video/1HLkchdXzh4/видео.html It's a great explanation as to why p90s and jazzmaster pickups are by no means the same thing But you're right about the stacked design. There are noiseless p90s that are called p100s but they do not sound like real p90 pickups at all
I love the finish, but maybe it's because of my affinity for 80's Glam Metal. Those sparkles really make it flashy, like something a proper rockstar would play.
This video is well made. Props to Trogly for having a handle on the craft of making consumer report videos. Very difficult to do well and still be interesting. So much of what we think of as tone comes from the players hands and I just don’t think he has found his tone as a player at this point in his walk with the instrument. So, no shade at all, I think it’s wise to take tone notes from him with a grain of salt. Again, great vid. Some of the most detailed guitar reviews on the net.
From what I've read, the Jazzmaster was supposed to be Fender's best electric when they put it out. On the old issues, you almost never saw a white scratchplate, that's a quick way to tell if you have a new or an old issue. I can't say that I like the metal-flake finish. I dig those tones though. For some reason, this one doesn't have as much sustain on it.
I once had a Jazzmaster and liked it though not a fan of the excessive controls. Nice sound and very comfortable to play while seated. I like the gold on this one but I don't like the addition of the brown sunburst at all.
I have waited for years for Fender to release a Bluesmaster. It can be exactly like the Jazzmaster without the Jazz :) Seriously, I think it is much more of a blues- than a jazz guitar.
The jack location is definitely for a reason. I’m glad it’s where it is for guitar stands and such. Having it not flush is also better for angled cables
I’m with ya on this thing sounding lifeless with a clean signal. But even though I don’t wanna like Jazzmasters, on the dirt channel it sound pretty damn good. Thanks for reviewing the guitar.
Mocha burst👍 I own 25...just gotta wonder the size of your collection, or do you sell them after reviewing. LOTS of guitars! I fully agree with your downside assessment. Overkill on the controls. Awesome rundown! Thanks.
I love the color! I do agree with you about the complicated electricals. Lots of un needed options for me anyway. I'd like to see the Texas tea color...
Tone pots don't have treble bleeds! Those are just normal tone pot/cap circuits. The treble bleed circuit, if any, is on the volume pot. The thing that's typically most interesting about the tone circuits on a JM or Jag, vs Strat or Tele circuits, is the pot values. Capacitors allow highs to pass, and they block lows. On the tone circuits, they filter highs to ground, where they're lost (we don't hear them). On the treble bleed, the cap filters highs AROUND the volume pot, so they're NOT lost when rolling down the volume. Essentially opposite applications.
I couldn’t agree more with your opinion on the ultra jazzmaster. I tried to like mine but the pickups just did not sound pleasant. They didn’t sound like good single coils or humbuckers. Also, getting rid of string rattle was a hassle. So, I got rid of mine too.
Great review! I was tempted to buy one of these and I'm glad you did the comparison to the other pick-ups because there's nothing worse than flat sounding pick-ups. (I thought it sounded good in the review though - lots of dirty raspy acoustic-ish tone) I have to disagree about the finish though, and I've seen it in person: I would characterize it as a standard Fender sparkle. Perhaps the gold color draws it out more, but the flake in the finish is the standard Fender tiny flake. Personally, I'm not a fan of the color scheme - it's like a sepia version of the Gibson Silver Burst which I also dislike. I bought the Texas Tea Strat which has a very subdued sparkle, and I wished it was more visible like this one. I really wish the Ultra models would lose the pick guard. Fender doesn't offer enough guitars with a wood top - all that plastic at that price point gets a little hard to stomach creeping into Gibosn prices. And if they were really going after Gibson market share - they would make them set net as well.
Man I've been loving your videos, would you ever consider making a video on one of the Fender Cyclones or even the Cyclone II models? I've been kind of obsessing over them lately but don't really have the money to buy one. I'd love to see a video getting into them.
I agree, there's a bit too many switches..it's probably best to use the pedals you want with this guitar when playing alt-rock or rockabilly. Great pickups and great tone. You can pick up a squire and use pedals to do the same thing. I'm not a guitar collector so this beauty would be outside of what I would buy anyways.
For $2k, the output jack better freaking fit perfectly. How come the Ensenada factory can ship a perfect Vintera guitar, but Corona can’t?? When I say perfect, I mean out of the box perfect setup and a flawless fit and finish.
Sounds like they overwound those pickups to sound darker. I ordered some stock noiseless. I can analyze the pickup frequency response and compare to single coils. Gonna try to recreate these but keep the same frequency response of the single coils
Man I would kill for a jazzmaster, literally even a squier would make me happy 😂, the only reason I can’t get one is because I’m 14 lmao. Also as a metalhead I don’t think I could justify why I want one to my mom lol, jazzmasters are so awesome, but I’ll probably never play one, anyways, keep up the awesome videos Trogly!
The reason to play a Jazzmaster is and has always been the sound of its unique pickups. That clear but not spikey treble and especially the both-pickup sound is what it’s all about. This new version of the JM fails on all sonic counts. Thumbs down as a JM. As a different guitar, however, it might have some appeal, but body shape notwithstanding, it should not be called a Jazzmaster.
It seems if you play in classical position it would actually be between that moving closer to the strap button, but hardly anyone does that in electrics. It just seems poorly thought, doesn't really look like you'd be able to hold the cable with the strap in an intuitive way either.
I havent played an Ultra but i highly doubt it. One of JM's unique selling points is that its the most comfortable guitar to play sitting down, dont think they would fuck that up
It's a good guitar, but not quite what I was expecting tone-wise after those Pure Vintage 65 Jazzmaster pickups. The sounds are completely different... but I think that is what Fender was going for!
reverb.com/item/31057356-video-2019-fender-american-ultra-jazzmaster-mocha-burst?_aid=growsumo&gs_partner=Trogly
0:15 - American Ultra Series
1:37 - Finishes + Price
2:19 - Special Features
4:02 - First Impressions
5:57 - Inside Look / Specs
13:22 - Tone Talk
17:27 - Tone Demo
18:49 - Pure Vintage 65 VS Noiseless
20:22 - Final Thoughts
22:51 - Condition
24:33 - Case / Candy
A lot of people change the pots in these from 1M to 500K or 250K. The lead circuit tends to use 1M pots which is nuts for single coils, especially the short and wide designs like these.
Do all these Fender vids mean Trogly is gonna jump from the sinking goodship Gibson? Lol. ;). Cheers man.
You should check out the Jim Root sig jazzmasters. Alot less confusing setup and is a classy guitar for metal, he has good taste
you should look into the Thurston Moore and Lee Ranaldo signature guitars by fender
Or check out the troy van leeuwen double neck jazzmaster
Red finish- ‘Looks pretty cool!’
‘This finish looks terrible’
‘Oh’
Same here XD I liked the Red something Burst (don't know the name) the most
@@nobuna2114 yep...id have the red one
Literally me bro 😂😂
Yeah, don't know why he didn't like the red sparkle. I thought it looked pretty cool. To each his own I guess.
I think the grain is just bad
"the neck has a really jazzy tone" *plays funk*
Absolute chad
If you're looking for a cheaper option you can just mod a Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster with '65 style jazzmaster pickups and locking tuners. In total it cost me about $650 and it sounds and plays amazing.
The J Mascis Squire is a great guitar. It actually has good sounding pickups but they are closer to P90s than traditional Jazzmaster pickups. I replaced mine. I love the tune-o-matic style bridge that comes stock on it, the neck feels excellent, and I think it's one of the coolest looking guitars in the Fender or Squire line. For cheap Jazzmaster thrills it's hard to beat.
Ya I’ve played one before j mascis is great and it’s the best squire you can prob get
Jay Nixon are there drop in replacements with the locking tuners
Baby Yoda What’s a better deal? A cheap Jazzmaster or a G&L Doheny?
@@babyyoda3467 If you want P90's buy an Epiphone. Jazzmasters have Jazzmaster pickups for a reason.
I love mine. I traded my more expensive Gibson Les Paul for it, making it the third Jazzmaster I own. This is the most comfortable guitar I've ever had in 25 years of playing. Personally the noiseless pickups were a big plus for me as a studio musician...I don't have to spend extra time editing out the noise typical Jazzmaster pickups make. I wasn't that impressed with the vintage 65 pickups. I prefer the noiseless or the V-mods. The finish is stunning and I love the binding and the way the neck feels flawlessly comfortable. It's an extremely versatile guitar, too. I'll admit I was sceptical about the whole Ultra Series, but after playing this is a shop, I was hooked. I could do without the extra switches and I'd prefer the input jack to be in the usual spot, but other than that I'll never part with this guitar.
I'm not really sure who these guitars are for. I imagine that the vast majority of folks that are going to drop major money for a Jazzmaster want a vintage spec.
My thoughts exactly .
@@lueysixty-six7300 I think that's more true for those buying the mid-level ones like the Mexican or the Specials or something, which is why those ones often have humbuckers and other non-standard stuff.
But the fact that no one liked them back in the day made them more scarce. People were modifying or selling them to pawn shops for next to nothing. The people paying $2k for them these days are doing so to get the vintage specs.
I think people who have the money, want something different, flashy and whacky. The finish and the many tonal options are really for them I think. And collectors. This really is something different.
Agreed. It's like they're trying to appeal to the modern crowd, but I would look for Jim Roots Jazzmaster and it's 500 bucks cheaper, and like others mentioned the vintage crowd will go for, well vintage.
@@lueysixty-six7300 yeah, I've never seen them as anything but 'pawn shop' guitars, like they were back then. People bought them because they were so cheap & they couldn't afford anything else.
That mocha burst is about the best finish I've ever seen. Finally something that competes with the classic honey burst, and not just another sunburst finish.
"the jazzmaster body shape is actually brand new to the high-end lineup of Fender" I mean, yeah, nowadays, but it has always been known in its original line of production as the more expensive higher end alternative to the Strat or Tele
Actually, the basic outline closely resembles the original Jazzmaster body created by Leo Fender. What is new here is the contours around the neck / body joint. If you go back and look he demonstrates how it is sloped down to allow easier access when playing the higher frets. If you ever have the opportunity to put an ultra side-by-side with another Jazzmaster you will soon see the difference.
the input jack plate isn't even contoured ?? what? what is wrong with fender ?
Especially on a $2k guitar.
Output😊
Laughing all the way to the bank.
I'm no financial genius, but Fender has got their marketing absolutely SPOT ON.
So, congrats to them for that. Clearly Yale educations work.
Just noticed this lol. I like to play with a wireless input. ESPECIALLY on guitars that have a input on the face of the body. This way I don't have to worry about snagging a cord and smacking into shit. Strats, jags, sgs, jazz masters, and a few other guitars make this not a issue. So lame that this version of the jazz master isn't done this way : (
@@moosey62 Precisely. The question should be "what's wrong with the people who buy this thing?!" Jazzmaster Ultra is a waste of money.
An outstanding axe. I love it. The redesigned bridge is excellent. The regular, S-1 and out of phase sounds are gorgeous. The routed out heel is spectacular for reaching the upper frets. Locking tuners are fine. It plays great. My tech was very impressed with the new bridge design.
It's new/old. It's more or less the old Mustang bridge. The OG bridge gets a lot of complaints for not keeping the strings in line and being uncomfortable to have your palm on. I used to have a Mustang, looks the same.
@14:42 you misspoke and said that the switch puts the pickups in parallel, but in reality that switch puts the pickup in series mode. Parallel is how almost all fender guitars are wired by default. Humbuckers are essentially two pickups wired in series. And that series option is most useful in a higher gain situation, it's sort of unfair to judge it's clean tone next to how perfect the parallel configuration sounds. Also, I wonder if you can get series and out of phase with that guitar, that would be a cool sound, similar to Brian May. I have a Jaguar that is wired to have the series option and it sounds superb with the strangle switch engaged, both clean and in a high gain context. I can tell you're not used to playing Fender guitars by how you review them, but that's okay, you're honesty and simplicity is nice.
I gotta say I liked the new pickups because they sounded so modern, to me it felt like they weren't trying to get the vintage tone and the modern tone just sounds good. Especially with some extra gain on it, it really crunches just right! It sounds good, it's just a more modern sound than I think most people are looking for in a jazzmaster.
This
@@bipbipletucha Yeah they are essentially humbuckers. Cater more towards high gain.
I've played one of those myself, along with the Ultra Telecaster, mostly like them both very much, but the noiseless pickups do sound dull. Don't have any issues with the layout personally, its just the pickups just lack that chime, that definitive Fender earworming chime.
Exactly. They just dont sound like real single coils. Just use a noise gate people.
It's the dullness of the pickups that rules it out for me. I have Lollars in my (Japanese) Jazzmaster and it's my go to guitar for surf/jangle type sounds. Love it to bits.
I have a sunburst ultra and it's my favorite guitar. I obviously don't agree with this assessment but "to each his own" as they say.
I usually find your assessments to be spot on... in this case, I have to disagree with you. Yeah, it can be difficult to dial in a Jazzmaster, but as the owner of 1) a vintage JM; 2) an American Special with JM stacked humbuckers; 3) an MIM Standard Jazzmaster and now; 4) an Ultra, I can tell you this: all Jazzmasters can be difficult to dial in. Telecasters are WAY easier to find your sound. But, you don't buy a Jazzmaster to get a Tele or Strat sound. As the owner of several Jazzmasters, I didn't find it all that difficult to dial this one in (even on a Champion 20 practice amp I keep by my desk). Like anything else, the more you use something the less confusing it is.
Anyway, other than carrying on about the paint job, I think you made an honest attempt at a "fair" review, but I have no idea what you played through, what those settings were or what dials you worked on the guitar in the various positions when looking for whatever tone you were looking for. I do also agree that as this is version 1.0 of the JM Noiseless, perhaps a more vintage tone will be achieved in later versions. Who knows? This could also go the way of the American Special Jazzmaster with the fixed bridge, stacked humbuckers and no rhythm circuit...
Steve Campbell Sounds like you have a great collection! Do you have strats, teles, etc too, or just JMs?
@@shawnadams1693 I have a couple Telecasters. Sold/Traded the Stratocasters. I love most well made guitars regardless of brand/model, but when it comes to ownership, I have always landed on Fender and within the Fender brand, it seems to be Telecasters and Jazzmasters that give me what I am looking for.
Your playing is super improving every moment. Plus, the Jazzmaster sounds great.
Trogly, I love your reviews! All That eye candy!!
Yours is the most viewed channel by me
Keep up the great work!!
.
Dear Fender,
2000$ and no roller string tee?
Also, a cap on each tone pot? That means when both pups are on you get double the amount of rolloff. Not a problem when only one pot is on ten, with the no-load pot. But if you like your tones on each pup preset to your desired setting, then switch to both pups on..........mud city....rofl
Never clicked so fast.
I love it, I think it's beautiful
This is a great review- like all your reviews, I really enjoy. Very helpful- I bought a 63 JM in 1989- and it was my go to for a long time- always wanted to ad a second but this sounds very different than what I'm looking for. Love your shows.
Following up- Fender has never really followed up with a nice run of American Standard JM- they've done reissues and players (mexican) but I'm still waiting for an updated production JM. I'm not a fan of the elite series in general- the noiseless pickups are just lacking.
Sounds like 12 totally different guitars. I wasn't expecting much, but I really like it.
Get some of the Sonic Youth Jazzmasters & do a review of those Austin man. They are some sweet guitars mate. Great finish on them too. Thanks lad.
This ^^
TRIPLESEVENSIX THIS
@@xiutxui1689 I almost read your name as Bill Cosby there & was just about to run away!! ;)
What do you guys think of Kurt Cobain's Jag, and Jim Roots Jazz?
Also the Troy van Leeuwen signature jazzmaster
I still say it's a crime that Fender keeps putting out this guitar without changing the bridge... without a Mastery, this guitar is half of what it should be... just my opinion, but come on Fender, enough is enough
The Classic Player Jazzmaster has a Tune-o-matic type bridge. I got one when they came out in 2008, it's one of my main guitars now. I assume they still make them.
Fender isn't going to put an aftermarket bridge that isn't necessary at all on one of their guitars.
due to the physics of that guitar that bridge has caused string buzz, and most of the jazz master guys I know have swapped out for another bridge... i just think Fender could do with a little upgrade of their own...
Easy fix. Place a small double strip of felt under the strings, just touching up to the back of the bridge. No more buzz, and I play with 9 to 42 sets. Of course some players will still pop strings out of the grooves(not ever been a problem for me) but that an easy fix too. You just file the grooves deeper, or you can use a Mustang bridge which my brother has on his 1985 Jazzmaster MIJ. We both play lead or rhythm on these guitars. My favorites are the '65 Vintage Reissues, The 60th Anniversary 1958 Reissue, and the Blonde 1959 Thinskin Reissue I acquired from Dave's Guitars.
@@fuzzface8252 Considering the number of people who complain about them, Fender would be smart to outright ditch the traditional JM bridge. Piece of garbage, really.
Wow, they really messed with the controls! I really enjoy the darker tones of the rhythm circuit on a regular Jazzmaster.
Tone is subjective, I like the sound of it a lot
Same here. Not traditional Jazzmaster for sure, but like Trogly said something new
I'm sure your bank manager will be as subjective.
Banks need customers with too much money.
Your reviews are so awesome!! You give us ins and outs of the whole guitar. GOOD JOB SIR🙌🏽
The tremolo has a lock on it so it can be locked in a non-moving way.
That's not what it does. All it does is set it so that the trem cannot float, as in it can only go downwards. It was supposed to be so that if you broke a string you wouldn't go out of tune.
Reginald Höfnerspoon
You lock it by engaging the lock tab and then just tightening the screw to make it nice and tight against the lock.
@@caiusmadison2996 Nope. The reissue American vibratos with the lock are the exact same design as vintage. You are just not remembering correctly or you had shit set up weird. What Reginald said is correct.
Reginald is right, that button never had a "locking" function for the trem. All it did was set the plate underneath to a tighter position for more stability on string breaks but the trem still functioned. In true offset fashion even this needed to be set up properly to be useable.
After the ultra came out I hesitated, as i’d been saving for an Original. Bought the AO Jazzmaster and have no regrets.
Got me a Will Ray hellecasters Jazzacaster with a B bender and love it
That is the patent pending "Wading Pool Rout".
I just recently started watching your channel and I really appreciate how much I learn every time I watch and how honest you are. You kinda trashed this guitar, but kinda didn’t and then you offer it for sale. I’d buy from you in a heartbeat.
Noiseless pickups always seem like a good idea but in my experience they only sound good with high gain, other than in that setting they do sound lifeless and meh
That guitar is so pretty i wouldnt know whether to play it or hang it up on a wall like fine art .giutars are becoming more of an art than just intruments.cant get enough of your channel .
Nobody reinvents the wheel quite like the two big American Guitar comanies.
It is weird that they keep doing that, there's been a steady flow of bizarre "improvements" from both Fender and Gibson since the 70s. A cynical person might even consider the Jazzmaster itself one of the first mis-steps, lol!
@@davetbassbos The jazzmaster is very good at a few things and that's it. The original vintage ones and other made like them do this sound to a T. But hell, were totally ignoring marketing...
the 80s and early 90s were the years for guitar innovation and its been smaller/mid-sized builders carrying that torch... the big 2 slow everything down so they can make more money later on calling the simplest things an "innovation"
heftosprod what on earth are you talking about? Lol, just look around man. This is the golden age of gear, guitars are more innovative than they’ve ever been
@@tylerl8934 smaller builders yes, but the big 2 have been stagnant for many years now. i would like evidence of some way either brand has been truly innovative in a way that other smaller companies haven't already implemented specific innovations, or used superior techniques than what the big 2 are doing now. compound, series/phase switching, sculpted joints, ergonomics, automatic tuning, integrated effects, etc. have either been superceded or improved on by builders such as ibanez, g&l, manson, etc. and many smaller brands. fender only very recently allowed tone knobs to work on strat bridge pups.
I do love that finish.
if they had made the JM in texas tea, i would've been totally sold. The ultraburst is of course cool, but I dont care much for the mochaburst--- at least not from any of the pictures or videos i've seen. Maybe if i saw it in person i'd feel differently.
Texas tea with the anodized gold guard would look great on this guitar.
Bryce T
I haven’t seen this color in person yet, but I have seen Texas Tea in person. I’ve got to say that it looks even better in person. I mean a lot better, and I already thought it was one of Fender’s best new colors in a long time before I saw it in person.
charles bolton it looks so great in person. I don’t even play bass, and yet I want the new Ultra bass. 🤔😁
The neck on that thing is absolutely beautiful. That's about it though. If it had the pv 65's in it, I bet it would be worth playing around with all those neat controls.
From Leo: As a long term Jazzmaster owner, I like the new color. The Jazzmaster body is really comfortable to play. The neck joint improvement looks good. I welcome the hum free pickups, but I would have to hear it in person.
I am glad they finally got the output jack off the pick guard. Even though I always use a cord with a 90 degree end, it just should not be there. (maybe someone could talk to gibson on the SG & 335) The cheesy chinese universal fit jack mounting plate is unforgivable on a $2000 guitar. A barrel jack would have been perfect. The separate tone controls are nice. I disagree with the upper control rework, the original configuration was great for years. Thanks for your work. The Jazz Master has always been a niche guitar, you did a pretty good job on the review
From Leo?
From Leo Fender?
Well, I'm a strat guy, so I've never played this guitar. But i have played the new ultra strats, and i have to say I like my American professional strat better. The colors are cool, but i like my pro strat tone. I had a '67 fender strat given to me when i was 10 (1975, so to everybody else, it was just an old guitar). Those vintage modified pups are the closest thing I've found to that tone. I'll skip on the Ultra series.
I have heard demos of the Pro Strats, but I just cant find a finish I like. Plus, the maple just looks so anemic without a tint...unfortunately despite the ultras looking better, I just cant stand the noiseless pickups
@@bipbipletucha You should look at some of the Guitar Center Exclusive special editions! Most have Rosewood necks (Not maple with rosewood fingerboards, Rosewood neck), They have Daphne Blue, Ocean Turquoise, and Champagne.
@@bipbipletucha when i got my pro strat, i wanted it to have an old school buddy holly look, so the 3-tone burst was perfect for me. The maple neck is great. I still have the '67 i got when i was 10 yrs old. It was my only electric guitar until i got the pro strat in 2017. And it's red, and I've only ever had to replace the frets twice, and one of the pots. It's still my favorite guitar..
Glad I'm not the only one that felt this way. I drove down to my local guitar store that had one to try it out, eager to fall in love with it. Was pretty underwhelmed. Not a bad guitar at all, but certainly not worth the price or the hype from every GC employee that saw me playing it. And yes, it's DEFINITELY a lot more sparkly in person, really bummed me out.
Spec-wise I dig it. It looks kinda stupid though. The Jazzmaster is one of the coolest looking guitars out there but the Tele knobs make it look weak.
the original Jazzmaster had tele knobs too.
I have become a huge Jazzmaster fan. They are very ergonomic with the offset body and 25.5" length.
I played one of these at a shop about a year ago now and it was an absolute dog. I now have a Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster and couldn’t be happier.
Just throwing my two cents in here. I have one of these but in the Cobra Blue and I have noticed one thing with Fenders newer lines of guitars. There always seems to be one kind(Color, Model...etc) that stands out from the rest. I have no idea why this is(Lower production run? Later models?)but these usually stand out from the bunch.
Like you, I tried the Mocha Burst and found it lackluster in every sense of the word. I could not wait to put it back on the rack. This worried me because I had ordered the Cobra based on one I got to play at a Fender event. It sounded AMAZING and was a dream to play.
It wound up being owned by one of the Fender employees so I could not buy it and I was worried his was some kind of one off custom build and the one I ordered would be more like the Mocha.
Nope. The Cobra Blue with the maple fretboard is a whole different animal. Brighter sounding pickups and a much nicer feel overall. The Noiseless pickups may still not chime as much as that Jazz/Tele, but they sounded WAY better than the ones in the Mocha. This has happened to me with the American Originals also. Went to buy a Olympic White Strat and wound up having to chose between it and a Candy Apple Red one...because they both sounded SO different.
I have never really been into JazzMasters, due to the tremolo design,...but that is one gorgeous guitar.
One you know how to set them up properly, they are probably the best vibrato you'll ever find on a guitar
Thanks, Austin, for another great vid! I know they are time consuming to make!
Never been a Jassmaster fan, though 1 or 2 have worked for what I wanted out of them. That one definitely would cause me to change much of the electronics which I guess would be $300-$400 with me doing the work. It seems Fender failed on that one...
Recently purchased one of these....overall, I like it. I did swap out the bridge (not sure why Fender put a fixed 9.5" radius bridge on a guitar with a compound 10 to 14" fingerboard!) with a Halon bridge...much better now. Easy drop-in replacement. The pickups....I'll get back to you on those....but there tends to be a trade-off when you go with any noiseless pickups....the vintage tone may not be there, but the 60-cycle hum is gone, which is a welcomed upgrade for me personally. Overall, pretty satisfied....but the stock bridge is a no-go....
Full of tones but not necessarily ones I like. Great review.
The sort of instrument that gives a ton of choices but still just has one best tone...you may never find or do but never find it again...Like the Rascal bass but not as many bad choices...
I expect those pickups and the serial switch option to be much more fitting for downtunings in an modern highgain setting, where you need the recognizable mid focus, than in the classic vintage tone environment. That is also what Fender promote it for in their video ad about the American Ultra series. Would have been nice to hear it also with such a high gain sound.
I checked one out last week and it played and sounded amazing, definitely considering one
I gotta tell ya, if I had just seen this review and not played one in store, I would've never bothered. But I played one and dude, it's so good. The compound radius alone makes it worth it. I don't about most people but I really enjoyed the noiseless pickups. They articulate well and I don't have to bother with noise suppressors or any of the common tricks you do to reduce noise. It's an excellent Jazzmaster model and I implore you all to play one.
Is it overpriced? Hell yeah lol. I wouldn't pay $2,249 or whatever it's going for. But you can find some used for about $1699 which is a better price point.
I feel like some of your arguments about the electronics are jazzmaster complaints not just ultra complaints. Still a great vid
Do the pick ups sound totally lifeless to anyone else?
The video's conclusion was literally that the pickups were lifeless and dull. It's like saying "Does anyone else think x band is great???" on x band's music video for their most famous song.
Luke M. Yeah someone named Luke would definitely say that
I think it’s because jazzmasters have p90s which typically have a ton of hum? Maybe idk much about how pickups work.
@@mikesemie5028 most unmodded jazzmasters do not have P90s. Jazzmaster pickups are closer to wider single coils. The difference here is the way they made the pickups "noiseless" changed the sound significantly.
If you dont like it...
Can i have it?
Make him a fair offer. I don't think free would be an option my friend.
Its like your wife, even if you dont like her because yesterday she argue about leaving the toilet seat on, you cant get rid her because of that, it needs way more than that for you to divorce her.
I found the sparkly aspect of the mochaburst on my ultra stray surprisingly prominent as well, but i was pleasantly surprised and loved it!.
I love my Ultra Jazzmaster. Some are not loving the sound compared to a real vintage or vintage RI. It depends on the situation I already have a 1959 RI FSR Jazzmaster. Thin skin with the gold anodized guard. The one guitar I'll never part with. That one has the real Jazzmaster sound. I love Jazzmasters but I had no use for another one that sounded exactly the same and that's why I sprung for this one. Plus It has bell & whistles. One other thing, this is the best review I've seen on this guitar. It even helped me to fix a slight glitch with my Ultra Jazz, Thanks for your effort.
Loved it, sounds great. Love all the sparkles, great neck action. Tone controls are awesome and easy to understand. The pick-ups sounded fantastic. For an inexpensive electric guitar, this is a winner.
Inexpensive?
It sounds great. I have the J Mascis Squire Jazzmaster. After i set it up it plays and sounds awesome especially for thee price but would prefer noiseless pickups. Great demo. Thanks.
Another thorough review. Great stuff.
Nice review, going through different pickup settings.
U should try a Jag!
Awesome
I love the paint on this! The "new" heel contour is not new, my 2000 Squier Stagemaster is exactly like that. They had to have picked this up from Fender at some point. Love the channel, thanks for all your work.
Ahh the mighty Stagemaster! I had the exact same model but gave it to a pal. I thought it was great, but it just wasn't the guitar for me.
That's a particular beautiful instrument. Particular. The JM shape is ultimate. I recently bo't a new SQUIER J Mascis jazzmaster. The ONLY guitar I've ever unboxed to find that I didn't have to do ANYTHING to it to make in run good. Oy oy I love it. And I love the one you've reviewed here. Even if it is a Fender but I wouldn't buy it because it's not Squier or some other cheaper origin. Thank you for your forensic reviews of guitars! You give them every opportunity to strut their stuff!
Have to use L shaped plug on your instrument cable and go through your strap that will fix the position of the jack to some degree
That thing would be amazing with a pair of Lindy Fralins or Lollars!
That neck is the sweetest thing. Kinda dig it a lot.
In series plus out of phase equals Brian May tones.
A jazzmaster tremolo too!
This is a Queen Machine!
I really love your show but it repeatedly triggers me when you refer to the capacitors on the tone pots as "treble bleeds" (here at 7:51) as they do quite the opposite: The are the reason why the sound gets darker when you roll off the tone poti.
Keep on rocking!
They do bleed the treble - they provide a path to ground for the higher frequencies. But then again, the terminology used in the electric guitar world is kinda screwed up anyway. In fact, it's the change in resistance that causes the roll off, not the capacitors. The combination of the pot and the cap creates a RC filter. C is constant, R is variable.
Great video! Thank you.
Fender's Noiseless "single-coil" pickups are more or less humbuckers with the windings on top of each other instead of side by side, hence the generally lifeless sound, or at least nowhere near the chime, "bell-like" and clarity of an actual single coil. Same thing with P90's I imagine. It's understandable that you didn't like them after trying real P90s.
Despite what Fender would have you believe, just don't expect those noiseless pickups to sound like their original counterparts, since they are fundamentally different.
Jazzmaster pickups are not p90s though
@@nilswegner2881 My bad, they sure look like P90's to me. I'd bet the noiseless version utilizes the same philosophy though.
@@LinhNguyen-im4uu you might like to watch this video: ruclips.net/video/1HLkchdXzh4/видео.html
It's a great explanation as to why p90s and jazzmaster pickups are by no means the same thing
But you're right about the stacked design. There are noiseless p90s that are called p100s but they do not sound like real p90 pickups at all
I love the finish, but maybe it's because of my affinity for 80's Glam Metal. Those sparkles really make it flashy, like something a proper rockstar would play.
This video is well made. Props to Trogly for having a handle on the craft of making consumer report videos. Very difficult to do well and still be interesting.
So much of what we think of as tone comes from the players hands and I just don’t think he has found his tone as a player at this point in his walk with the instrument. So, no shade at all, I think it’s wise to take tone notes from him with a grain of salt.
Again, great vid. Some of the most detailed guitar reviews on the net.
From what I've read, the Jazzmaster was supposed to be Fender's best electric when they put it out. On the old issues, you almost never saw a white scratchplate, that's a quick way to tell if you have a new or an old issue. I can't say that I like the metal-flake finish. I dig those tones though. For some reason, this one doesn't have as much sustain on it.
Wow. You opened the guitar up! This is the first teardown of a Jazzmaster I've ever seen. Good stuff!
I once had a Jazzmaster and liked it though not a fan of the excessive controls. Nice sound and very comfortable to play while seated. I like the gold on this one but I don't like the addition of the brown sunburst at all.
I have waited for years for Fender to release a Bluesmaster. It can be exactly like the Jazzmaster without the Jazz :)
Seriously, I think it is much more of a blues- than a jazz guitar.
I like how he plays the guitar to demo it. Bunch of demo guys never just strum e chord so we can hear it.
And he plays clean and dirty, not through three OD pedals, distortion, a phaser, and a delay so we can hear the actual tone of the guitar.
The jack location is definitely for a reason. I’m glad it’s where it is for guitar stands and such. Having it not flush is also better for angled cables
I actually like the sounds that you achieved,but it does seem over complicated. Man your playing is definitely improving in leaps and bounds!!!
I’m with ya on this thing sounding lifeless with a clean signal. But even though I don’t wanna like Jazzmasters, on the dirt channel it sound pretty damn good. Thanks for reviewing the guitar.
What???!!! I have two of those JM's and they are amazing. Depends what you expected of it I guess. But, for me...the new Ultra Jazzmaster is brilliant
Mocha burst👍 I own 25...just gotta wonder the size of your collection, or do you sell them after reviewing. LOTS of guitars! I fully agree with your downside assessment. Overkill on the controls. Awesome rundown! Thanks.
I love the color! I do agree with you about the complicated electricals. Lots of un needed options for me anyway. I'd like to see the Texas tea color...
Tone pots don't have treble bleeds! Those are just normal tone pot/cap circuits. The treble bleed circuit, if any, is on the volume pot.
The thing that's typically most interesting about the tone circuits on a JM or Jag, vs Strat or Tele circuits, is the pot values.
Capacitors allow highs to pass, and they block lows. On the tone circuits, they filter highs to ground, where they're lost (we don't hear them). On the treble bleed, the cap filters highs AROUND the volume pot, so they're NOT lost when rolling down the volume. Essentially opposite applications.
Weird...your "I didn't like it" review convinced me to search for other reviews and to, most likely, still buy one. :-)
I couldn’t agree more with your opinion on the ultra jazzmaster. I tried to like mine but the pickups just did not sound pleasant. They didn’t sound like good single coils or humbuckers. Also, getting rid of string rattle was a hassle. So, I got rid of mine too.
Great review! I was tempted to buy one of these and I'm glad you did the comparison to the other pick-ups because there's nothing worse than flat sounding pick-ups. (I thought it sounded good in the review though - lots of dirty raspy acoustic-ish tone)
I have to disagree about the finish though, and I've seen it in person: I would characterize it as a standard Fender sparkle. Perhaps the gold color draws it out more, but the flake in the finish is the standard Fender tiny flake. Personally, I'm not a fan of the color scheme - it's like a sepia version of the Gibson Silver Burst which I also dislike. I bought the Texas Tea Strat which has a very subdued sparkle, and I wished it was more visible like this one.
I really wish the Ultra models would lose the pick guard. Fender doesn't offer enough guitars with a wood top - all that plastic at that price point gets a little hard to stomach creeping into Gibosn prices. And if they were really going after Gibson market share - they would make them set net as well.
I loved the cherry sunburst finish. Yeah it's kind of a Gibsun thing. Just like a Fender white or sonic blue is offensive on a Less Pall.
Man I've been loving your videos, would you ever consider making a video on one of the Fender Cyclones or even the Cyclone II models? I've been kind of obsessing over them lately but don't really have the money to buy one. I'd love to see a video getting into them.
I agree, there's a bit too many switches..it's probably best to use the pedals you want with this guitar when playing alt-rock or rockabilly. Great pickups and great tone. You can pick up a squire and use pedals to do the same thing. I'm not a guitar collector so this beauty would be outside of what I would buy anyways.
That is a truly striking guitar though. It would definitely catch my eye hanging on a store wall.
I have a question, what do u think of the Epiphone black back.....it's a solid mahogany body,.I'm looking for that 70s tone and feel
For $2k, the output jack better freaking fit perfectly. How come the Ensenada factory can ship a perfect Vintera guitar, but Corona can’t??
When I say perfect, I mean out of the box perfect setup and a flawless fit and finish.
Cuz Americans are lazy
My vintera jag came almost perfect. Needed to be intonated but other than that, great shape.
My Ultra Jazzmaster arrived perfectly setup. I was actually amazed at how well.
Sounds like they overwound those pickups to sound darker. I ordered some stock noiseless. I can analyze the pickup frequency response and compare to single coils. Gonna try to recreate these but keep the same frequency response of the single coils
The volume and tone knobs are awesome
Man I would kill for a jazzmaster, literally even a squier would make me happy 😂, the only reason I can’t get one is because I’m 14 lmao. Also as a metalhead I don’t think I could justify why I want one to my mom lol, jazzmasters are so awesome, but I’ll probably never play one, anyways, keep up the awesome videos Trogly!
The reason to play a Jazzmaster is and has always been the sound of its unique pickups. That clear but not spikey treble and especially the both-pickup sound is what it’s all about. This new version of the JM fails on all sonic counts. Thumbs down as a JM. As a different guitar, however, it might have some appeal, but body shape notwithstanding, it should not be called a Jazzmaster.
That jack placement looks like it's difficult to play on your lap
It seems if you play in classical position it would actually be between that moving closer to the strap button, but hardly anyone does that in electrics. It just seems poorly thought, doesn't really look like you'd be able to hold the cable with the strap in an intuitive way either.
I havent played an Ultra but i highly doubt it. One of JM's unique selling points is that its the most comfortable guitar to play sitting down, dont think they would fuck that up