Greetings from Hungary! I couldn't agree more with your message man, right on about the gear not being as important as your spirit when playing. Rock on!
Wow! Thank you so much!!! I've always wanted to visit Hungary. I remember being a kid and watching old Queen videos of their tour, and the George Ezra song "Budapest" is one of my favs. Hope you're well!!!
New sub! Coming from a guitarist that really wants to get into the offset world, there are tons of options and it can be overwhelming….I’m still trying to decide. Great way to summarize the issues of many reviewers. Buy what feels right for you, play what makes you want to play more. Have an awesome week!
So I listed to your rant. First time on your channel. Then listened to the clean (mostly) riffs at the end and I'm like "I gotta plug in my Jazzmaster." I reach for my Squire JM not even thinking it was sort of a propos and then realized...kinda made me laugh. I also have a couple $2000 guitars, but I do really like my Squire JM. And see no need to "upgrade." Btw love the War on Drugs. Good stuff dude.
Thank you so much for listening and watching!!! This comment means a lot to me - I really appreciate it. There’s nothing like playing the guitar you truly love and gel with. I’m having my Mexican Strat sent out west because I can’t stop thinking about it. I guess that’s a sign! Hope you’re well!
Just found your channel and this video really resonates with me because my first guitar in junior high was a Korean Squire Strat and my best friend who had a Mexican Fender Strat would constantly tell me how much he hated Squire's and that they all sucked. Those comments always made me feel like folks should spend more time playing and enjoying the instrument that they own rather than worrying about what name is on someone elses headstock. I've since owned many guitars from Les Paul reissues that I've hated and sold to Squire's such as the J Mascis Jazzmaster which I have adored and kept. Play what inspires you and feels good to you and don't get caught up in the minutiae of what everyone on RUclips is playing or let cost or public perception dictate which guitars you might consider. And finally, don't ever let someone tell you that an Epiphone Les Paul isn't a "real" Les Paul because it absolutely is.
@@garrettslert1923 YES!!!! I love this so much!! You’re spot on - people get bogged down with the wrong sources of energy and often forget what matters most! Thank you for watching and listening! I’d love to hear you rock out on your J Mascis!
Agree with the elitism thing. Recently got a Taylor T5S and a VOX AC30S1. Initially, I was worried about both of them. I'd heard that the VOX AC30S1 didn't even compare to the "real" thing, that the speaker was mediocre and the top-boost only design was gonna make it sound bad. Similarly, I heard that the Taylor T5S did nothing well, a versatile but unsatisfactory instrument built with poor components. Then, I tried them, and I immediately stopped caring. The Vox sounds amazing, simple controls but incredibly good once you learn how to work with it. Similarly, the Taylor doesn't do everything better than everything else, but I've never heard a better clean tone and I doubt I ever will (not to mention the playability is to die for). At the end of the day, we just have to try things, because there are a LOT of people who have values very different from yours.
Good video. It's odd but I see elitism a lot with people who buy cheaper guitars and bag on the people and guitars that maybe higher in price. And you are right it's based on fragile ego.
These types of suggestive opinions go both ways. It’s the Hey You wasting money on that, then when you have money, it’s the this is better than that cheaper thing. Both the wrong and both are right.😅 same thing goes in audio file world or automotive world. People think something is better just because they think it is. If you let someone they will sell you speaker wire that’s $150+ a linear foot. 😅
I see way more folks talking up cheap gear & making fun of people that have high end gear. I have both & are of the opinion you usually get what you pay for. If you’re taking shots at people with nice gear or saying your “x” is just as good you’re either coping or letting jealousy get the best of you. I’m sorry but I’ve played lots of Squier Jazzmasters; none of them were even close to my main JM which is an American Original. That’s not to say they’re bad guitars but you get what you pay for. Yes there are deals out there but they are the exception not the rule. Edit: I would never say anything rude to someone playing inexpensive gear. My issue is when they start being rude because they’re biased against high end gear.
@@TheArmedHermit I agree with you 100%, I think a lot of why people say things like that and do things like that is because of insecurities. But that's not our problem.
There's so many people who hate on PRS. I worked in a music store for six years and have been playing for over twenty years. I have played many many guitars. A custom 24 ten top that I played about ten years ago is definitely in my top five of best playing and sounding guitars I ever heard
Hey, you can’t play Metallica on a Jazzmaster… jokes… great video and great playing. I totally agree with what you’re saying. I do remember hearing some hate about the Ultra Jazzmaster. The crazy thing is when guitar manufacturers make the same guitars over and over again people complain that they don’t innovate but when they do people complain that it’s not like the original 🥴. Some people would consider your double humbucker Strat not a real Strat because it doesn’t have 3 single coils. At the end of the day the manufacturer determines what the product is not some random people. A Mexican Strat is an authentic Fender because it’s made in a Fender Factory. That Ultra Jazzmaster is beautiful. Enjoy it.
This is such a great comment!!! Thank you so much for watching, listening and for your kind words. I can’t agree with you any more! I think the pendulum has shifted once again, and we’re finally seeing the healthiest way of playing and living.
Imho Fender itself is an anti-elitism concept. A solid body, bolt on, stamped parts, experimental pickups, etc. Built by more the pall mall red/ miller beer chicago machinist than the euro apertif woodstain nitrocellulose luthier type. Leos stuff is built for the player who siphoned some gas from his neighbors lawn mover to get to that 11pm saturday night dive bar gig. Gibbos are for saturday afternoon upstate ny countryclub wedding singers that strum 2 chords the whole set ( just kidding, serious jazz tools of the trade). Fenders were designed to assist in jacking up your 72 Buick skylark if needed...
LOL! I don't know if you intended to make me laugh, but you did. TY for this comment. A whole new perspective on things! Gibbos haha. Hope you're doing well.
I’m a Jazzmaster guy, been playing them for 30 years now, and you my friend have one of the best looking black JM’s I’ve ever seen. The matching headstock & gold guard are 🤌. This is also the best sounding demo of the noiseless pickups I’ve heard so far. They usually sound thin & extremely bright but yours are great. Just bright enough to be chimey but fat enough to sound good distorted. Edit: that Spark is impressive. I’ve been looking for something small to take on vacations/travel but that still sounds good. Definitely going to check these out.
Inspiring words. I cope with elitism using my skateboard and the crazy hills in Tallahassee. The negative words and intentions of people stick with me, and hillbombing always makes it better. NO MATTER HOW HARD I FALL. It is super easy for me to get back up and keep riding. Im trying to use fear to cope with the negativity that sticks with me.
YES!! I love this SO MUCH!! Love that you’ve found your passion that keeps your head on your shoulders. It’s so important. Really appreciate the comment!!! Thank you again!
This is a great video. I recently tried a gold foil p-bass and to my surprise after previously seeing multiple bad reviews of it, it was the best bass I’ve ever played, and one of the best looking imo. A great lesson in trying everything before saying anything about it.
I think there's a good line between elitism and constructive criticism. Some people just like to poo poo on things. I like that you mentioned Mike Adams. He gives off a passion for offsets that I really appreciate. And when he does have a critique, it's like critiquing a student that you want to get better.
Man, these days I am on a bunch of forums and Discords about gear. The latest pedals, vintage amps and nicest PRS guitars. It's all a discussion about diminishing returns and how much more you can pay for smaller and smaller differences. It's definitely a hobby and interest to optimize to your own taste and learn the preferences and tastes of others. When I was young, my guitarist friend that I looked up to just had one guitar: a Gibson SG. OK, not a cheap guitar, but kinda mid water guitar these days. But he just played on that and did everything on it. So that's what I did when I bought my first strat. Just played it and it was all about the music. I had no idea about radius, scale length or fret size. Now I've bought and sold some gear the last 5 or so years and back to just play "what I have" and focus on the music more than the gear. I still think tonewood makes a difference, but just not for me. Love the look and sound of Jazzmasters but the offset feels alien to me when sitting down and trying them, pushing the neck very far away from me. Maybe I should try a reverse body one haha.
@@AlmostGrewMyHair dude your comment is amazing. You summed up exactly what I’m internally feeling about guitar hobbies these days. I’ve spent so much time and energy researching, where it could’ve been spent on playing music. That’s what it’s all about. It’s like researching the best hiking trails from your hotel in a city, and never stepping foot outside. Thanks again for watching - I truly appreciate it!!!
We should just be glad that people are interested in guitars. I can't get mad at someone who is a gear snob. I just think it's great that they're interested in music.
Elitism is all perspective. In 1985, I bought a 1985 Fender Contemporary Squier Strat, Japanese made, for $300. At the time it was a cheap guitar. In fact, it was being discontinued cause they really weren’t wanted. Today a stock one goes for $700 on eBay because Japanese made is “superior”. Uh, really? What changed? Only the perception. It’s still a cheaper model, but I love mine and still own it. Not because it’s “collectible”, but because I enjoy playing it, it feels great in my hands, and I remember how hard I worked that summer while in college to save the money to buy it.
Not true at all. They weren't discontinued, they were hugely popular but the labor got too expensive and manufacturing was moved to China and Indonesia. This is a baffling thing to say when a Squier Strat is *still* $300 today.
@@manysnakes Squires, yes. But not my model. The "contemporary" Squire that I bought in 1985 was discontinued, but other models replaced it, and labor moved from Japan to China, etc..
I wish I still had my Mexican Strat, I learned to play on, from the 90’s. My favorite guitar I own is my Squier Jag, and I usually play on a 6120! That jazzy sounds great!!!
Thanks for watching!!! Ah yes, the one that got away. Have you searched for something similar on Reverb? And I wanna try a Squier Jag! I haven’t played a Jag before so it would be my first time. Appreciate the kind words!
@@coffeefoxx my old strat , I beat up, took apart and have now idea what happened to the parts. I only had one guitar for years and it was my gretsch 6120, but over the last couple of years I ventured into assembling a jazzmaster and a tele. After that I got hooked on the Fender type guitars. I bought a CV 70’s squier jag earlier this year, out of the box it was pretty good. I did change pickups, tremolo and locking tuners and my nephew set it up and it’s an absolute dream. I can’t put the Jag down, and even for being a big guy the short scale is very comfortable. I have a feeling you will dig a jag!
I buy, collect, and sell vintage guitars. Not all vintage guitars are great. I have a 1985 E series, made in Japan Squier Strat that was bought new, and it is every bit as good as my 1960 slab board Strat. A good guitar is a good guitar no matter where it's built, or what it costs. If you like it, that is all that matters.
Haha! Nope! I am definitely not a Gracie! Or a black belt yet. I just turned Blue Belt last month and promptly got meniscus surgery lol. Back on the mats next month. Thank you for watching!!
I think tuning stability is a big plus when buying guitars, and the deluxe / ultra series edges a lot of guitars out when it comes to that. Locking tuners make for an easier string change too.
@@TheCactusRoomMusic absolutely! I just played a few guitars at a local shop (AM Pro, Vintera, JM) and they all went out of tune so fast. I love my Ultra for this and many other reasons. Ty for watching!
@@KT-fn6me yes!!! My doctor actually told me he’s really wary when he sees only positive reviews on his own page! We need to get back to the basics - gut and intuition! Thank you for listening and watching!
Here’s my take… I think, unfortunately, being critical/paying money are the variables that are “easiest” to control, whereas making a guitar sound good/playing well, are much more difficult. So, most people who chose to be keyboard warriors find it much easier to recite information they’ve read on the internet than actually practice/write/play music that sounds compelling. It’s sad.
i have not! i'm not 100% sure that i won't, though - i've heard incredible things about a mastery, but have just been loving this as is. have you played on a mastery before? what are your thoughts? how will/should it affect the ultra's playability? thanks for watching!!!!
America Ultras are good, but those noiseless pickups kinda sound bad for what you're paying for. They're like filtered single pickups that's the problem
@@coffeefoxx For me, and this is only subjective, the best option would be to buy Fender Custom Shop Hand Wound pickups used from Reverb. And a more easy buy would be Fralin Jazzmaster pickups (you can also buy the option with hum canceling if that's what you desire). Again only subjective, but those hand wound pickups from Fender, are reallyy good
I like the concept of the video. I have a 1963 Fender Esquire (living out its life as a Tele) and is the best guitar I have ever laid my mitts on. I also have a 1972 sunburst Strat that looks like it was drug behind a truck. Also a great guitar (most of the 70s guitars from both Fender and Gibson were logs )and it gets a lot of playing time. What I want to say is that sometimes the hype is just plain bull. I shot a video in Nashville with Tim McGraw and we shot it at the home of the CEO of Gibson Guitars. He took us (the crew) down to the Gibson Garage where I got to play a ton of old guitars (even though I was wearing a Fender shirt)....the worst one in my opinion....? Complete log? The '59 burst.....Recently a pretty well known session guy in Nashville told me if you want to get your hands on another great vintage guitar, look for an early 80s Squire. The first batches were made in Japan and they shocked the company because they were arguable better than anything Fender was doing in California at the time. So got onto reverb and found a 1983 Fender Squire Strat and it turned out to be a fantastic guitar for just 1000 bucks. YMMV. P.S. I am assuming you playing into some sort of Line 6 thing or something for these recordings, but you should try a real tube amp if you want to make strides in your sound....Say a Deluxe Reverb....
Thank you SO MUCH for this! I never knew about 80's Squires being so incredible! I now want to try one. It's crazy how people's negative opinions can travel so quickly. As a kid, people dismissed Squires constantly. I wonder if any of them played one, or simply just jumped on the bandwagon. I'm actually playing through my Spark Mini Interface, directly into Logic on my MacBook. I have an Orange Rockerverb 50 Combo back east, but unfortunately, our condo / neighbors would probably kill me if I brought this here lol. So, for now, I have to sacrifice that incredible warm full tube sound for something a bit more community tolerable. I grew up on tube amps, so I def miss them. Do you have any condo friendly suggestions?
Elitism surrounding instruments is very real, and I certainly think that "only US Fenders are good" or "only Custom Shop or Boutique is good" are very reductive attitudes. However, discussing the pros and cons of Fender and Gibson (as the two big traditional guitar brands) is very necessary. Fender pricing has suffered tremendously in the recent years, and their treatment of workers in the recent years (especially after covid) hasn't been great. There are good guitars in the Ultra and Original lines, yours sounds great! But these guitars need to be contextualised against Fender Japan and Mexico and Squier, and also Non-Fender companies like Palir, MJT, G&L, Copacetic Customs, maybe Shelton and Danocaster if you wanna spend the big bucks. I chose a Japanese Van Zandt JMV for my Jazzmaster and it was a great choice for me based on the range of Fenders available to me in my part of the world and my comparatively stronger access to the Japanese boutique market. I think that unfortunately, Fender is not necessarily the best steward of their legacy which is why I strongly disagree with the choices they made for the new Mexican Player Offsets. People should be more aware of their options and I think other brands might be expressing the Fender and Fender offset spirit better than Fender themselves.
I have a friend who works at Fender and I was able to order it direct! It was either that or find someone to refinish it here and I didn’t wanna go through that whole process lol
1. It's the internet, and nothing will ever escape criticism. Don't forget - the loudest voices are usually vocal minorities. Most normal people just don't care enough to engage in discourse. 2. If we're talking anti-elitism, I was kind of expecting to see a video championing something like a cheap Squier or maybe even a Japanese or Korean made jazz-master style guitar lol, not a friggin $2k guitar. Otherwise, yeah sure good points. It's true that there are lots of negative voices in the world, but it's also our choice as to whether we tune into them. Too much internet is bad for anyone!
Expensive versions are usually better, despite what many claim. That said, my no 1 is a cheap squier. I can play the exact same lines on my expensive and cheap guitars. Folks should probably focus more on practicing/playing than shopping imo.
The lead guitar in my old band played a Squire Strat and a Fender Strat. He sweared that his Squire played better than his $2000 Strat. He ran circles around most guitar players with that guitar. I play Epiphone still today simply because they were there for me when I was young and couldn't afford a Gibson. I can afford any Gibson today at My older age but refuse to dish out a substantial amount of money for a product that I can get stock or can upgrade to make equal for 5000-700$? My Gibson Inspired Epiphones play and sound just as good as their counterparts. We recorded with Epiphones, Squires and Fenders for our album and it sounds great.
LOVE this!!!!! Thank you for watching and listening. It’s truly about finding what you love and actually playing. It’s so easy to get bogged down in paralysis of analysis. Waste of time!
Thank you!!!! I think everything in life is so divided. Good or bad. There’s so little room for nuance in lots of peoples minds. I think everyone should be empowered to love what they love. Regardless of what it costs. Appreciate you watching!
@@AlexTapisevic thank you for watching and for this comment. I assure you, you do not suck at playing. You are right where you need to be, and don’t ever let that stop you from enjoying the process. Rock on dude!
I don't see it, calling on Fender's shit isn't putting you as a musician or as a person down. That guy Mike you mentioned as a reference when it comes to Jazzmaster stuff covered the ultra on his channel and addressed the issue with the bridge, how it's insane that they used a bridge more rounded than the fretboard AT THE NUT when it's a compound radius and it gets flatter as you go down, so you can't really set it up correctly (you can play it, mind you, it just won't play as nicely as it should). If you can work around it or don't mind, good for you, enjoy your guitar. It's just a damn shame Fender has the gall to sell a top of the line production item like this with such disregard for detail. Then, some people will go on about how that's not a real Jazzmaster 'cause it doesn't have a rhythm circuit, but that's not elitism either, those are purists. Squiers have rhythm circuits and are appreciated in the community, even (if not specially) modded variants like the J. Mascis with a TOM instead of a floating bridge, which then some people replace for a rolling bridge with a matching radius, but that's a whole other thing. Those are way cheaper, but have "the sauce" or whatever, tick the boxes, pass the vibe check, makes their hearts sing, whatever. The American Performer doesn't have rhythm circuit nor a Jazzmaster trem&bridge, they put a 6-screw Strat bridge on it, as if it was a Paranormal series or something. That's meant to piss the fans off, like it or now, and again it's not about the money.
Well said! Thank you so much for taking the time to watch, and write this comment. I agree with you on your points! There's a major difference between quality control issues, build design preferences, purists and elitists, hands down. I think the major difference is always whether those preferences & purists look down upon those who don't find major issues with those stated above. In all the videos I've watched of Mike @Puisheen, he's not once made me feel as though he's an elitist. He's someone who states what he sees, feels and hears through his expertise. I love what you said in your comment, "if you can work around it, or don't mind, good for you, enjoy your guitar" - I believe that's the essence of what's often times missing in any community, and you laid it out perfectly. Thanks again for your really well thought out comment - I hope others see it!
I completely agree with you. I spend alot of time on guitar forums where people have opinions of whats good and whats not good. From my experiences trying many different guitars. Just try shit out. Dont listen to what people say about feel or sound on an instrument. Its all subjective. I could say the neck is too big and chunky or the pickups are too dark. However you might not experience that at all. Try what you want to try and play what you like to play.
Thank you so much for watching and sharing your feelings! We definitely align here. I've always had a problem with hearing anyone put down things other people love; regardless of how much it costs. I'm actually in the process of making a video talking about how all of that differs from purists. Really appreciate you!!!
This video made think of Collings Guitars lol. They are great guitars, but they aren't "necessary" they're a luxury. My Ford gets me to work, yes a Rolls-Royce will get me there too. The only people that will notice that you are playing a Collings are other musicians in the audience. Here's my take on the picky-ness of guitar buying. Structural and Functional Quality of build can favor each other, and I think is important for me. Quality is subjective, but sometimes if there is a large consensus it could mean something. Much like vehicles, quality can depend on the year of manufacture. Some years can be better than others. I have played quite a few Mexican made Strats that were really well made. Wood quality and build quality just as good as American, but with less expensive electronics. Remember the Gibsons from 2015? With great care and multiple trips to the guitar doctor the neck twist in mine couldn't be fixed, and I owned it less than a year, and it was new. There are both great as well as bad guitars being manufactured in Indonesia right now with tonewood names that make my head spin lol. But the great ones feel great , play great , and sound great. It's always best to go into a guitar store, and put your hands on a guitar. Be mindful that the quality of the guitar store itself can make a guitar great or not. Proper care is important and proper setups. I've been to Guitar Centers that have great guitars, and also Guitar Centers where most of the guitars sound awful, due to poor care and bad setups. I once picked up over ten guitars in a row from one of those stores and they all had dead frets in different spots and couldn't be tuned properly. Much of the world isn't black and white. Try to stay away from universalisms. There could be three of the exact same Fender Strat, and each one might feel, and sound a little different. Often I'll play a guitar in a shop and absolutely love it, but I'll wait a month and come back, and it doesn't sound that great to me. When I shop for a guitar, I have a song that I play where I know the tones in the song that I want to hear. For people that play live, it's a entire different animal, because you need a guitar that cuts through the mix. If you're playing live and the house has a big system, and a good sound man, any guitar is probably fine. On the flip side, there's a reason music recording studios have lots of guitars, because when the engineer is building the mix, they have to find frequencies that work well together, and that can mean different drum wood and manufacturers, and the same goes for guitars. Ps. An EQ pedal can't fix everything, but it can help. Over time most of us learn the types of guitars, tonewoods, and pickups that we prefer, but with poor build quality, alot of that could be nullified.
@@mattroach5382 Matt, thank you so much for your incredible comment. I love this and agree with you wholeheartedly! I really appreciate you watching my video, and it looks like our minds and values truly line up. Hope all is well!
Ha I have a 80s Squier Strat that I love and just bought a classic vibe jazzmaster that plays great. I had never played a jazzmaster and picked one up and just loved how it played and didn’t know enough to worry about it. Play what you like don’t worry about it not that many people even care anyway.
I disagree with the review part, i think its like the same analogy you used with the restraunt. if *all* the reviews say that a guitar is flawed or bad, then steer clear, but if only a few are bad, then take it with a grain of salt. locking yourself into "reputable sources" puts you in that echo chamber of only taking in one review. That review might complain about quality control, but then that might just be a rouge one that slipped through and doesn't affect the whole line. multiple sources will always be more unbias than one or two imo. that being said the rest of the video is cracking, keep it up man
@@hiroprotagonitis oh you’d be surprised! It’s not about the cost, it’s more about people putting things down because it’s not to their spec likings (vintage, better bridge, etc).
@@coffeefoxx i get that then, a tool is a tool, and art is art. these things are allowed to change and still exist, especially with all the alternatives around at different price points these days still, squier vm/cv > though lool
It’s never a waste if you can afford it and it makes you happy. I agree that you won’t be a better guitarist just because you have a $2,000 guitar but there’s no point in judging someone for having expensive tastes.
Absolutely. Expensive does not equal good/great. Everything is subjective. I’ve played incredibly amazing guitars, and they were cheap. I’ve played super expensive ones, and I didn’t like a thing about them. My issue isn’t concerning cost, it’s more about people putting others down for their personal feelings. Appreciate you watching!
I’ve been playing longer than some of you have been alive. If I want to spend $3k on a guitar that’s my business. I’ve played the gigs, paid the dues & frankly thinking you have any right to tell someone how to spend their own money is pretty arrogant. People can play whatever makes them happy. This gatekeeping attitude is childish.
Saying you don't like elitism, while defending the highest end guitar that fender makes, is crazy. Do you not see the cognitive dissonance there? Maybe instead of airing out your persecution complex online you should have a little bit of the self confidence you urge your audience to have, instead of allowing your insecurities to occupy so much of your headspace.
Hi Michael, I see where you’re coming from, and think we may be interpreting things from different angles. In addressing elitism, I’m not referring solely to price, but rather to peoples’ judgments of others’ choices and mindsets in selecting and playing guitar. Hence my speaking so fondly of my buddy Paul’s Squier, and my Mexican Strat. I find elitism to be a very nuanced, multifaceted topic, where acknowledging only the price of an instrument (expensive or otherwise) leaves a lot of room for heated discourse, so I wanted to get at some of the underlying mindsets here that I don’t see discussed as often. I appreciate feedback which gives me food for thought that I can keep in mind for future videos. I’m new at RUclips and sharing my perspectives, and want to keep interpretations like yours in mind as I explore these often complex themes. Best, Joe
Jazzmaster people are genuinely the most elitist ones out there. You're video is so backwards, you're literally using an fender brand expensive guitar. Who are you kidding???
You're have elitism too thinking your jazzmaster is the best guitar out there. In fact, In fact, jazzmasters has the fewest players. Kurt Cobain - mustang, Radiohead - telecasters, strats, metallica - jackson, esp, les pauls, ac/dc - gibson sg, ledzep - les pauls, jpetrucci- music man, ibanez. Besides, you will sound and look ridiculous playing a metallica song in a jazzmaster. Actually, i would advise you beginners not to buy a jazzmaster as your first guitar otherwise you will be like coffee fox here - deluded.
Sounds good from what I heard from your demonstration, Perfectly paired with alternative rock I think.
thank you SO MUCH for this comment! means the world to me!!
Greetings from Hungary! I couldn't agree more with your message man, right on about the gear not being as important as your spirit when playing. Rock on!
Wow! Thank you so much!!! I've always wanted to visit Hungary. I remember being a kid and watching old Queen videos of their tour, and the George Ezra song "Budapest" is one of my favs. Hope you're well!!!
@@coffeefoxx Cool! Definitely can give you lots of tips if you ever visit... been giving family and friends tours for past 15 years or so haha.
New sub!
Coming from a guitarist that really wants to get into the offset world, there are tons of options and it can be overwhelming….I’m still trying to decide.
Great way to summarize the issues of many reviewers. Buy what feels right for you, play what makes you want to play more.
Have an awesome week!
Thank you SO MUCH!! What a beautiful comment. I really appreciate the kind words. I hope you find the guitar you’re looking for!
Clicked for the guitar; stayed for the rant. Well said. Great playing too!
Thank you so much!! Haha I really appreciate the kind words
a wonderful guitar well played, great content. Subbed for more
Thank you so much for watching and listening!!!! Means a lot to me. Great content yourself!!!!
hell yeah
Thank you so much!!!
So I listed to your rant. First time on your channel. Then listened to the clean (mostly) riffs at the end and I'm like "I gotta plug in my Jazzmaster." I reach for my Squire JM not even thinking it was sort of a propos and then realized...kinda made me laugh. I also have a couple $2000 guitars, but I do really like my Squire JM. And see no need to "upgrade." Btw love the War on Drugs. Good stuff dude.
Thank you so much for listening and watching!!! This comment means a lot to me - I really appreciate it. There’s nothing like playing the guitar you truly love and gel with. I’m having my Mexican Strat sent out west because I can’t stop thinking about it. I guess that’s a sign! Hope you’re well!
Just found your channel and this video really resonates with me because my first guitar in junior high was a Korean Squire Strat and my best friend who had a Mexican Fender Strat would constantly tell me how much he hated Squire's and that they all sucked. Those comments always made me feel like folks should spend more time playing and enjoying the instrument that they own rather than worrying about what name is on someone elses headstock. I've since owned many guitars from Les Paul reissues that I've hated and sold to Squire's such as the J Mascis Jazzmaster which I have adored and kept. Play what inspires you and feels good to you and don't get caught up in the minutiae of what everyone on RUclips is playing or let cost or public perception dictate which guitars you might consider. And finally, don't ever let someone tell you that an Epiphone Les Paul isn't a "real" Les Paul because it absolutely is.
@@garrettslert1923 YES!!!! I love this so much!! You’re spot on - people get bogged down with the wrong sources of energy and often forget what matters most! Thank you for watching and listening! I’d love to hear you rock out on your J Mascis!
Agree with the elitism thing. Recently got a Taylor T5S and a VOX AC30S1. Initially, I was worried about both of them. I'd heard that the VOX AC30S1 didn't even compare to the "real" thing, that the speaker was mediocre and the top-boost only design was gonna make it sound bad. Similarly, I heard that the Taylor T5S did nothing well, a versatile but unsatisfactory instrument built with poor components. Then, I tried them, and I immediately stopped caring. The Vox sounds amazing, simple controls but incredibly good once you learn how to work with it. Similarly, the Taylor doesn't do everything better than everything else, but I've never heard a better clean tone and I doubt I ever will (not to mention the playability is to die for). At the end of the day, we just have to try things, because there are a LOT of people who have values very different from yours.
YES!!! LOVE this! You have to hear and feel it for yourself. Hope you're doing well! TY for watching!
I still like the Pure Vintage Jazzmaster pups- they're bright as the sun, amazing sparkly highs... in exchange for a little noise
Maybe I should give them a try! Should be pretty easy swapping into the Ultra, right? Thank you for watching!
Flickerstick? holy nostalgia
OMG! We’re officially bonded for life! Love that band so much!!!
Good video. It's odd but I see elitism a lot with people who buy cheaper guitars and bag on the people and guitars that maybe higher in price. And you are right it's based on fragile ego.
These types of suggestive opinions go both ways. It’s the Hey You wasting money on that, then when you have money, it’s the this is better than that cheaper thing. Both the wrong and both are right.😅 same thing goes in audio file world or automotive world. People think something is better just because they think it is. If you let someone they will sell you speaker wire that’s $150+ a linear foot. 😅
@@cconnon1912 nope
I see way more folks talking up cheap gear & making fun of people that have high end gear. I have both & are of the opinion you usually get what you pay for. If you’re taking shots at people with nice gear or saying your “x” is just as good you’re either coping or letting jealousy get the best of you. I’m sorry but I’ve played lots of Squier Jazzmasters; none of them were even close to my main JM which is an American Original. That’s not to say they’re bad guitars but you get what you pay for. Yes there are deals out there but they are the exception not the rule.
Edit: I would never say anything rude to someone playing inexpensive gear. My issue is when they start being rude because they’re biased against high end gear.
@@TheArmedHermit I agree with you 100%, I think a lot of why people say things like that and do things like that is because of insecurities. But that's not our problem.
There's so many people who hate on PRS. I worked in a music store for six years and have been playing for over twenty years. I have played many many guitars. A custom 24 ten top that I played about ten years ago is definitely in my top five of best playing and sounding guitars I ever heard
great clean video man! KEEP GOING!
Thank you! Means a lot coming from you.
My mains are two Troy Van Leeuwen JMs. MIM. I love them. Great straight in, lovely with pedals. Good video
Love it! I never played either, but have heard nothing but great things. Appreciate you watching!!!
I adore the rhythm sounds of a Jazzmaster. Those pickups are hard to beat. Clean and articulate, but warm too.
Hey, you can’t play Metallica on a Jazzmaster… jokes… great video and great playing. I totally agree with what you’re saying. I do remember hearing some hate about the Ultra Jazzmaster. The crazy thing is when guitar manufacturers make the same guitars over and over again people complain that they don’t innovate but when they do people complain that it’s not like the original 🥴. Some people would consider your double humbucker Strat not a real Strat because it doesn’t have 3 single coils. At the end of the day the manufacturer determines what the product is not some random people. A Mexican Strat is an authentic Fender because it’s made in a Fender Factory. That Ultra Jazzmaster is beautiful. Enjoy it.
This is such a great comment!!! Thank you so much for watching, listening and for your kind words. I can’t agree with you any more! I think the pendulum has shifted once again, and we’re finally seeing the healthiest way of playing and living.
Imho Fender itself is an anti-elitism concept. A solid body, bolt on, stamped parts, experimental pickups, etc. Built by more the pall mall red/ miller beer chicago machinist than the euro apertif woodstain nitrocellulose luthier type. Leos stuff is built for the player who siphoned some gas from his neighbors lawn mover to get to that 11pm saturday night dive bar gig.
Gibbos are for saturday afternoon upstate ny countryclub wedding singers that strum 2 chords the whole set ( just kidding, serious jazz tools of the trade).
Fenders were designed to assist in jacking up your 72 Buick skylark if needed...
LOL! I don't know if you intended to make me laugh, but you did. TY for this comment. A whole new perspective on things! Gibbos haha. Hope you're doing well.
I’m a Jazzmaster guy, been playing them for 30 years now, and you my friend have one of the best looking black JM’s I’ve ever seen. The matching headstock & gold guard are 🤌.
This is also the best sounding demo of the noiseless pickups I’ve heard so far. They usually sound thin & extremely bright but yours are great. Just bright enough to be chimey but fat enough to sound good distorted.
Edit: that Spark is impressive. I’ve been looking for something small to take on vacations/travel but that still sounds good. Definitely going to check these out.
Thank you so much!!! This means a lot to me. Really appreciate your kind words!!!
Inspiring words. I cope with elitism using my skateboard and the crazy hills in Tallahassee. The negative words and intentions of people stick with me, and hillbombing always makes it better. NO MATTER HOW HARD I FALL. It is super easy for me to get back up and keep riding. Im trying to use fear to cope with the negativity that sticks with me.
YES!! I love this SO MUCH!! Love that you’ve found your passion that keeps your head on your shoulders. It’s so important. Really appreciate the comment!!! Thank you again!
This is a great video. I recently tried a gold foil p-bass and to my surprise after previously seeing multiple bad reviews of it, it was the best bass I’ve ever played, and one of the best looking imo. A great lesson in trying everything before saying anything about it.
YES! I've been burned so many times. That's where social media lacks - it's truly impossible to virtually try something out like a guitar
I think there's a good line between elitism and constructive criticism. Some people just like to poo poo on things.
I like that you mentioned Mike Adams. He gives off a passion for offsets that I really appreciate. And when he does have a critique, it's like critiquing a student that you want to get better.
1,000 percent! Thank you for watching!!! Appreciate the feedback.
beautifully said.. and played!
Thank you so much!!! I really appreciate your kind words, and you watching & listening. Hope you’re doing well!
Man, these days I am on a bunch of forums and Discords about gear. The latest pedals, vintage amps and nicest PRS guitars.
It's all a discussion about diminishing returns and how much more you can pay for smaller and smaller differences. It's definitely a hobby and interest to optimize to your own taste and learn the preferences and tastes of others.
When I was young, my guitarist friend that I looked up to just had one guitar: a Gibson SG. OK, not a cheap guitar, but kinda mid water guitar these days. But he just played on that and did everything on it. So that's what I did when I bought my first strat. Just played it and it was all about the music. I had no idea about radius, scale length or fret size.
Now I've bought and sold some gear the last 5 or so years and back to just play "what I have" and focus on the music more than the gear.
I still think tonewood makes a difference, but just not for me.
Love the look and sound of Jazzmasters but the offset feels alien to me when sitting down and trying them, pushing the neck very far away from me. Maybe I should try a reverse body one haha.
@@AlmostGrewMyHair dude your comment is amazing. You summed up exactly what I’m internally feeling about guitar hobbies these days. I’ve spent so much time and energy researching, where it could’ve been spent on playing music. That’s what it’s all about. It’s like researching the best hiking trails from your hotel in a city, and never stepping foot outside.
Thanks again for watching - I truly appreciate it!!!
such a great video! love this
Thank you so much, man!!! Really appreciate you watching!
We should just be glad that people are interested in guitars. I can't get mad at someone who is a gear snob. I just think it's great that they're interested in music.
@@alanduncan1980 well said! Thats what it’s all about at the end of the day. Thank you for this!
This is so refreshing 🙌
Thank you so much!!! I really appreciate your kind words.
Elitism is all perspective. In 1985, I bought a 1985 Fender Contemporary Squier Strat, Japanese made, for $300. At the time it was a cheap guitar. In fact, it was being discontinued cause they really weren’t wanted. Today a stock one goes for $700 on eBay because Japanese made is “superior”. Uh, really? What changed? Only the perception. It’s still a cheaper model, but I love mine and still own it. Not because it’s “collectible”, but because I enjoy playing it, it feels great in my hands, and I remember how hard I worked that summer while in college to save the money to buy it.
LOVE LOVE LOVE this
My mates 90s japanese strat is awesome. Feels amazing in the hand.
@@lukenovotny5638 i have got to try a made in japan! thank you for watching!
Not true at all. They weren't discontinued, they were hugely popular but the labor got too expensive and manufacturing was moved to China and Indonesia. This is a baffling thing to say when a Squier Strat is *still* $300 today.
@@manysnakes Squires, yes. But not my model. The "contemporary" Squire that I bought in 1985 was discontinued, but other models replaced it, and labor moved from Japan to China, etc..
Love your positive speech. Your excellent guitar playing is proof that you don't need to play a red special to make killer queen sound great.
@@penitentmanmedia4726 thank you so much!!! I really appreciate you watching, and your kind words. Brian May is my all time favorite ❤️
I agree with you completely! And Squier rocks :)
❣️🎸 love it!! Thank you for watching!!!
.... You... only have 74 subscribers? How? This is a very well made video. You made your 75th in me
Thank you so much for your kind words!! I truly appreciate you watching and commenting. I’m stoked for this community together!!
@@coffeefoxx 102nd over here!
@@ProDoc18omg thank you SO MUCH!!!!
the best guitar is the one you have homie, shred on
Absolutely!! Thank you for watching.
I wish I still had my Mexican Strat, I learned to play on, from the 90’s.
My favorite guitar I own is my Squier Jag, and I usually play on a 6120!
That jazzy sounds great!!!
Thanks for watching!!! Ah yes, the one that got away. Have you searched for something similar on Reverb? And I wanna try a Squier Jag! I haven’t played a Jag before so it would be my first time. Appreciate the kind words!
@@coffeefoxx my old strat , I beat up, took apart and have now idea what happened to the parts.
I only had one guitar for years and it was my gretsch 6120, but over the last couple of years I ventured into assembling a jazzmaster and a tele.
After that I got hooked on the Fender type guitars.
I bought a CV 70’s squier jag earlier this year, out of the box it was pretty good.
I did change pickups, tremolo and locking tuners and my nephew set it up and it’s an absolute dream.
I can’t put the Jag down, and even for being a big guy the short scale is very comfortable.
I have a feeling you will dig a jag!
I buy, collect, and sell vintage guitars. Not all vintage guitars are great. I have a 1985 E series, made in Japan Squier Strat that was bought new, and it is every bit as good as my 1960 slab board Strat. A good guitar is a good guitar no matter where it's built, or what it costs. If you like it, that is all that matters.
Thank you so much for watching and for this! I love it so much, man. Hope all is well with you!
i thought you were one of the gracies (bjj) you looked like one, and suddenly you mentioned black belt in jiujitsu. what a coincidence 😅
are you..? 🤨
Haha! Nope! I am definitely not a Gracie! Or a black belt yet. I just turned Blue Belt last month and promptly got meniscus surgery lol. Back on the mats next month. Thank you for watching!!
I think tuning stability is a big plus when buying guitars, and the deluxe / ultra series edges a lot of guitars out when it comes to that. Locking tuners make for an easier string change too.
@@TheCactusRoomMusic absolutely! I just played a few guitars at a local shop (AM Pro, Vintera, JM) and they all went out of tune so fast. I love my Ultra for this and many other reasons. Ty for watching!
Amen to we are “in a world of too many online reviews”
@@KT-fn6me yes!!! My doctor actually told me he’s really wary when he sees only positive reviews on his own page! We need to get back to the basics - gut and intuition! Thank you for listening and watching!
Here’s my take… I think, unfortunately, being critical/paying money are the variables that are “easiest” to control, whereas making a guitar sound good/playing well, are much more difficult. So, most people who chose to be keyboard warriors find it much easier to recite information they’ve read on the internet than actually practice/write/play music that sounds compelling. It’s sad.
GREAT take! Thank you so much for your insights - You're 1,000% correct and spot on. Appreciate you watching!!
@@coffeefoxx also, after I commented that I listened to your playing, and dude you. really got that thing sounding great!
@ thank you!!! Your stuff is rad!! Well done!!!!
Top 5 important videos in RUclips... Thank you brother.
Thank you so much! I really appreciate your kind words!!
Did you replace the ultra bridge with the mastery? The only hold up I have in buying this guitar is the bridge.
i have not! i'm not 100% sure that i won't, though - i've heard incredible things about a mastery, but have just been loving this as is. have you played on a mastery before? what are your thoughts? how will/should it affect the ultra's playability?
thanks for watching!!!!
America Ultras are good, but those noiseless pickups kinda sound bad for what you're paying for. They're like filtered single pickups that's the problem
Appreciate you watching and listening! What pickups would you recommend? I might swap someday!
@@coffeefoxx For me, and this is only subjective, the best option would be to buy Fender Custom Shop Hand Wound pickups used from Reverb. And a more easy buy would be Fralin Jazzmaster pickups (you can also buy the option with hum canceling if that's what you desire). Again only subjective, but those hand wound pickups from Fender, are reallyy good
I like the concept of the video. I have a 1963 Fender Esquire (living out its life as a Tele) and is the best guitar I have ever laid my mitts on. I also have a 1972 sunburst Strat that looks like it was drug behind a truck. Also a great guitar (most of the 70s guitars from both Fender and Gibson were logs )and it gets a lot of playing time. What I want to say is that sometimes the hype is just plain bull. I shot a video in Nashville with Tim McGraw and we shot it at the home of the CEO of Gibson Guitars. He took us (the crew) down to the Gibson Garage where I got to play a ton of old guitars (even though I was wearing a Fender shirt)....the worst one in my opinion....? Complete log? The '59 burst.....Recently a pretty well known session guy in Nashville told me if you want to get your hands on another great vintage guitar, look for an early 80s Squire. The first batches were made in Japan and they shocked the company because they were arguable better than anything Fender was doing in California at the time. So got onto reverb and found a 1983 Fender Squire Strat and it turned out to be a fantastic guitar for just 1000 bucks. YMMV. P.S. I am assuming you playing into some sort of Line 6 thing or something for these recordings, but you should try a real tube amp if you want to make strides in your sound....Say a Deluxe Reverb....
Thank you SO MUCH for this! I never knew about 80's Squires being so incredible! I now want to try one. It's crazy how people's negative opinions can travel so quickly. As a kid, people dismissed Squires constantly. I wonder if any of them played one, or simply just jumped on the bandwagon.
I'm actually playing through my Spark Mini Interface, directly into Logic on my MacBook. I have an Orange Rockerverb 50 Combo back east, but unfortunately, our condo / neighbors would probably kill me if I brought this here lol. So, for now, I have to sacrifice that incredible warm full tube sound for something a bit more community tolerable. I grew up on tube amps, so I def miss them. Do you have any condo friendly suggestions?
Never seen that finish on an ultra before, are they still available?
Hey there! Thanks for watching! I have a friend who works at Fender so I was able to ask for a custom color scheme. Appreciate you!!
@@coffeefoxx It is badass and exactly what I would ask for :)
Elitism surrounding instruments is very real, and I certainly think that "only US Fenders are good" or "only Custom Shop or Boutique is good" are very reductive attitudes. However, discussing the pros and cons of Fender and Gibson (as the two big traditional guitar brands) is very necessary. Fender pricing has suffered tremendously in the recent years, and their treatment of workers in the recent years (especially after covid) hasn't been great. There are good guitars in the Ultra and Original lines, yours sounds great! But these guitars need to be contextualised against Fender Japan and Mexico and Squier, and also Non-Fender companies like Palir, MJT, G&L, Copacetic Customs, maybe Shelton and Danocaster if you wanna spend the big bucks. I chose a Japanese Van Zandt JMV for my Jazzmaster and it was a great choice for me based on the range of Fenders available to me in my part of the world and my comparatively stronger access to the Japanese boutique market. I think that unfortunately, Fender is not necessarily the best steward of their legacy which is why I strongly disagree with the choices they made for the new Mexican Player Offsets. People should be more aware of their options and I think other brands might be expressing the Fender and Fender offset spirit better than Fender themselves.
Love this dude!!! Thank you so much! Appreciate you watching and listening!
Nice playing, where did you get it with the matching headstock?
I have a friend who works at Fender and I was able to order it direct! It was either that or find someone to refinish it here and I didn’t wanna go through that whole process lol
Nice! I would love an all black JM ultra! Jealous
I don't know if I'm crazy, but the clean tone sounds exactly like American Football in my opinion
@lincolnfish4021 that’s a compliment in my book! I love that band, and their clean tones are outta this world. Thank you for watching and listening!
1. It's the internet, and nothing will ever escape criticism. Don't forget - the loudest voices are usually vocal minorities. Most normal people just don't care enough to engage in discourse.
2. If we're talking anti-elitism, I was kind of expecting to see a video championing something like a cheap Squier or maybe even a Japanese or Korean made jazz-master style guitar lol, not a friggin $2k guitar.
Otherwise, yeah sure good points. It's true that there are lots of negative voices in the world, but it's also our choice as to whether we tune into them. Too much internet is bad for anyone!
You’re right. Thank you for watching
Expensive versions are usually better, despite what many claim. That said, my no 1 is a cheap squier. I can play the exact same lines on my expensive and cheap guitars. Folks should probably focus more on practicing/playing than shopping imo.
1,000% thank you for watching!!!
Would love to hear some Johnny Marr and J Mascis on your Jazzmaster..
Any songs in particular? I’ll learn em! Thank you for watching!
@@coffeefoxx “This Charming Man” by The Smiths (Marr’s olde band), “Out There” by Dinousaur Jr. (J Mascis’ band).. Both popular songs by them..
Or do something nobody has done before Johnny was the guitar player for Electronic!! Anything from them would be cool. PS blink-182 sound great!!
You got it!! Thank you so much for watching!
@@rickg8015 I'd like to see him struggle through the intro of "Girl Afraid".
We can express our emotions with any guitar. A good setup helps a lot, though😅
1,000% Thank you for watching!!
The lead guitar in my old band played a Squire Strat and a Fender Strat. He sweared that his Squire played better than his $2000 Strat. He ran circles around most guitar players with that guitar. I play Epiphone still today simply because they were there for me when I was young and couldn't afford a Gibson. I can afford any Gibson today at My older age but refuse to dish out a substantial amount of money for a product that I can get stock or can upgrade to make equal for 5000-700$? My Gibson Inspired Epiphones play and sound just as good as their counterparts. We recorded with Epiphones, Squires and Fenders for our album and it sounds great.
LOVE this!!!!! Thank you for watching and listening. It’s truly about finding what you love and actually playing. It’s so easy to get bogged down in paralysis of analysis. Waste of time!
Giving a negative review about peoples negative reviews..lol..good looking jazzmaster!
Thank you!!!! I think everything in life is so divided. Good or bad. There’s so little room for nuance in lots of peoples minds. I think everyone should be empowered to love what they love. Regardless of what it costs. Appreciate you watching!
I play my squier strat more than my usa strat. the neck just feels better to me. Both great guitars tho
all that truly matters is that you love playing something, right!? love it!
SEXY GUITAR!
🥹♥️🥳
I agree with anything you say, I myself have a shitty electric guitar, that's not even branded cause I do it myself... but I ALSO suck at playing. 👍
@@AlexTapisevic thank you for watching and for this comment. I assure you, you do not suck at playing. You are right where you need to be, and don’t ever let that stop you from enjoying the process. Rock on dude!
I never got hung up on brand name guitars. Guess there’s just different types of people. Also have never given a single phugck about no ones opinion.
Love it! Keep playing and keep enjoying the process. Thank you for watching!
I don't see it, calling on Fender's shit isn't putting you as a musician or as a person down. That guy Mike you mentioned as a reference when it comes to Jazzmaster stuff covered the ultra on his channel and addressed the issue with the bridge, how it's insane that they used a bridge more rounded than the fretboard AT THE NUT when it's a compound radius and it gets flatter as you go down, so you can't really set it up correctly (you can play it, mind you, it just won't play as nicely as it should). If you can work around it or don't mind, good for you, enjoy your guitar. It's just a damn shame Fender has the gall to sell a top of the line production item like this with such disregard for detail.
Then, some people will go on about how that's not a real Jazzmaster 'cause it doesn't have a rhythm circuit, but that's not elitism either, those are purists. Squiers have rhythm circuits and are appreciated in the community, even (if not specially) modded variants like the J. Mascis with a TOM instead of a floating bridge, which then some people replace for a rolling bridge with a matching radius, but that's a whole other thing. Those are way cheaper, but have "the sauce" or whatever, tick the boxes, pass the vibe check, makes their hearts sing, whatever. The American Performer doesn't have rhythm circuit nor a Jazzmaster trem&bridge, they put a 6-screw Strat bridge on it, as if it was a Paranormal series or something. That's meant to piss the fans off, like it or now, and again it's not about the money.
Well said! Thank you so much for taking the time to watch, and write this comment. I agree with you on your points!
There's a major difference between quality control issues, build design preferences, purists and elitists, hands down.
I think the major difference is always whether those preferences & purists look down upon those who don't find major issues with those stated above.
In all the videos I've watched of Mike @Puisheen, he's not once made me feel as though he's an elitist. He's someone who states what he sees, feels and hears through his expertise.
I love what you said in your comment, "if you can work around it, or don't mind, good for you, enjoy your guitar"
- I believe that's the essence of what's often times missing in any community, and you laid it out perfectly.
Thanks again for your really well thought out comment - I hope others see it!
I completely agree with you. I spend alot of time on guitar forums where people have opinions of whats good and whats not good. From my experiences trying many different guitars. Just try shit out. Dont listen to what people say about feel or sound on an instrument. Its all subjective. I could say the neck is too big and chunky or the pickups are too dark. However you might not experience that at all.
Try what you want to try and play what you like to play.
Thank you so much for watching and sharing your feelings! We definitely align here. I've always had a problem with hearing anyone put down things other people love; regardless of how much it costs. I'm actually in the process of making a video talking about how all of that differs from purists. Really appreciate you!!!
This video made think of Collings Guitars lol. They are great guitars, but they aren't "necessary" they're a luxury. My Ford gets me to work, yes a Rolls-Royce will get me there too. The only people that will notice that you are playing a Collings are other musicians in the audience. Here's my take on the picky-ness of guitar buying.
Structural and Functional Quality of build can favor each other, and I think is important for me. Quality is subjective, but sometimes if there is a large consensus it could mean something.
Much like vehicles, quality can depend on the year of manufacture. Some years can be better than others. I have played quite a few Mexican made Strats that were really well made. Wood quality and build quality just as good as American, but with less expensive electronics. Remember the Gibsons from 2015? With great care and multiple trips to the guitar doctor the neck twist in mine couldn't be fixed, and I owned it less than a year, and it was new.
There are both great as well as bad guitars being manufactured in Indonesia right now with tonewood names that make my head spin lol. But the great ones feel great , play great , and sound great. It's always best to go into a guitar store, and put your hands on a guitar.
Be mindful that the quality of the guitar store itself can make a guitar great or not. Proper care is important and proper setups. I've been to Guitar Centers that have great guitars, and also Guitar Centers where most of the guitars sound awful, due to poor care and bad setups. I once picked up over ten guitars in a row from one of those stores and they all had dead frets in different spots and couldn't be tuned properly.
Much of the world isn't black and white. Try to stay away from universalisms. There could be three of the exact same Fender Strat, and each one might feel, and sound a little different. Often I'll play a guitar in a shop and absolutely love it, but I'll wait a month and come back, and it doesn't sound that great to me.
When I shop for a guitar, I have a song that I play where I know the tones in the song that I want to hear. For people that play live, it's a entire different animal, because you need a guitar that cuts through the mix. If you're playing live and the house has a big system, and a good sound man, any guitar is probably fine.
On the flip side, there's a reason music recording studios have lots of guitars, because when the engineer is building the mix, they have to find frequencies that work well together, and that can mean different drum wood and manufacturers, and the same goes for guitars.
Ps. An EQ pedal can't fix everything, but it can help. Over time most of us learn the types of guitars, tonewoods, and pickups that we prefer, but with poor build quality, alot of that could be nullified.
@@mattroach5382 Matt, thank you so much for your incredible comment. I love this and agree with you wholeheartedly! I really appreciate you watching my video, and it looks like our minds and values truly line up. Hope all is well!
I play squiers. They are awesome.
They sure are! Hell yeah! Keep playing ❤
100%
Thanks for watching!!!
@@coffeefoxx for sure bro! looking to get something with p90s but never meshed with fender. Might check out reverend. Sick JM btw
Thank you so much, Diego! Keep me posted on what you end up getting.
Ha I have a 80s Squier Strat that I love and just bought a classic vibe jazzmaster that plays great. I had never played a jazzmaster and picked one up and just loved how it played and didn’t know enough to worry about it. Play what you like don’t worry about it not that many people even care anyway.
1,000% !!! The best guitar in the world, is the one you want to play. Love it!!! TY for watching!
I disagree with the review part, i think its like the same analogy you used with the restraunt. if *all* the reviews say that a guitar is flawed or bad, then steer clear, but if only a few are bad, then take it with a grain of salt. locking yourself into "reputable sources" puts you in that echo chamber of only taking in one review. That review might complain about quality control, but then that might just be a rouge one that slipped through and doesn't affect the whole line. multiple sources will always be more unbias than one or two imo. that being said the rest of the video is cracking, keep it up man
Well said! Really appreciate it. Thank you for this, and for watching. You’re totally right!
Who tf is elitist about a $2k USD guitar, lawyers?
@@hiroprotagonitis oh you’d be surprised! It’s not about the cost, it’s more about people putting things down because it’s not to their spec likings (vintage, better bridge, etc).
@@coffeefoxx i get that then, a tool is a tool, and art is art. these things are allowed to change and still exist, especially with all the alternatives around at different price points these days
still, squier vm/cv > though lool
Don’t waste your money on expensive stuff. It doesn’t make you play any better, or learn any faster.
It’s never a waste if you can afford it and it makes you happy. I agree that you won’t be a better guitarist just because you have a $2,000 guitar but there’s no point in judging someone for having expensive tastes.
Absolutely. Expensive does not equal good/great. Everything is subjective. I’ve played incredibly amazing guitars, and they were cheap. I’ve played super expensive ones, and I didn’t like a thing about them. My issue isn’t concerning cost, it’s more about people putting others down for their personal feelings. Appreciate you watching!
@@coffeefoxx completly agreed
I’ve been playing longer than some of you have been alive. If I want to spend $3k on a guitar that’s my business. I’ve played the gigs, paid the dues & frankly thinking you have any right to tell someone how to spend their own money is pretty arrogant. People can play whatever makes them happy. This gatekeeping attitude is childish.
Saying you don't like elitism, while defending the highest end guitar that fender makes, is crazy. Do you not see the cognitive dissonance there? Maybe instead of airing out your persecution complex online you should have a little bit of the self confidence you urge your audience to have, instead of allowing your insecurities to occupy so much of your headspace.
Hi Michael,
I see where you’re coming from, and think we may be interpreting things from different angles.
In addressing elitism, I’m not referring solely to price, but rather to peoples’ judgments of others’ choices and mindsets in selecting and playing guitar. Hence my speaking so fondly of my buddy Paul’s Squier, and my Mexican Strat. I find elitism to be a very nuanced, multifaceted topic, where acknowledging only the price of an instrument (expensive or otherwise) leaves a lot of room for heated discourse, so I wanted to get at some of the underlying mindsets here that I don’t see discussed as often.
I appreciate feedback which gives me food for thought that I can keep in mind for future videos. I’m new at RUclips and sharing my perspectives, and want to keep interpretations like yours in mind as I explore these often complex themes.
Best,
Joe
Jazzmaster people are genuinely the most elitist ones out there. You're video is so backwards, you're literally using an fender brand expensive guitar. Who are you kidding???
I watched this thing and was equally confused
You're have elitism too thinking your jazzmaster is the best guitar out there. In fact, In fact, jazzmasters has the fewest players. Kurt Cobain - mustang, Radiohead - telecasters, strats, metallica - jackson, esp, les pauls, ac/dc - gibson sg, ledzep - les pauls, jpetrucci- music man, ibanez. Besides, you will sound and look ridiculous playing a metallica song in a jazzmaster. Actually, i would advise you beginners not to buy a jazzmaster as your first guitar otherwise you will be like coffee fox here - deluded.
Bad take