[gmku]

What does that mean?

[gmku]

Oh. Myself, being like only 10-15 years younger than these guys, this stuff is nostalgic for all kinds of conditions and life circumstances. Most nostalgic for a time in college when I was lusting after a 16-year-old cashier I worked with in my part-time job. I was a dog even back then.

[hirsute_biped]

Originally Posted by scott v

isn't the "Blacktop series" the lowest price Fender (non Squier) jazzmaster?

those have that humbucker in the bridge, no rhythm circuit, and the same trem plate position (slightly forward towards the neck)

maybe your right, didn't see that one

[scott v]

Originally Posted by E. Noisefield

But isn't Squier kind of a... i dunno... cheapo brand? I just thought Squier was the label Fender stuck on all of its hundred dollar beginner guitars.

Anyway i can't imagine he'll be pleased to hear people are getting a better tone for $400 than he did after saving up for six months out of his paycheck.

This is just a generalized and stereotypical statement, an experienced guitar player can find Squiers that sound decent and actually Fenders that sound like utter shit. Like there are a number of more recent Fender Teles and Strats that are pretty awful... they are made in Mexico and can be lesser quality than some of the newer Squiers. Squier has really upgraded on their quality as of late and made really great models starting especially with the "Vista Series" which were affordable and decent sounding guitars. So to me they are coming closer to what Epiphone is doing in relation to Gibson, as some Epiphones are really nice. you definitely have to do your homework i wouldn't just by any Squier at this point (alot of Squier models look bad and have some undesirable features), same as I wouldn't just buy any Fender...

J Mascis specifically wanted from Fender/Squier to have a model that was affordable for almost anyone, that is why it is designed as such.
so its def. not a CIJ or vintage Jazzmaster but its close and upgradable. Tone is subjective, these squier jazzmasters are warmer sounding and have abit more sustain and though the neck is nice it takes abit more effort to dig in and play (thats just my immediate opinion right now and i like that the guitar fights back abit) this is compared to my friends 90's reissue CIJ Jazzmaster that i played for awhile. So i wouldn't say I'm getting a better tone, I can improve the tone by changing the pickups (more so the neck pickup IMO). I do like the bridge more than on standard jazzmasters, string popping and sliding off of the individual saddles is a major issue thats why SY went with the same Les Paul type bridge (as on the J Mascis Squier Jazzmaster) but now you can go for the ultimate, a Mastery Bridge which is $175 itself!

I have no interest in paying $1200 for a guitar that i'd have to worry about getting ripped off or even a hairline scratch...etc. etc. I want a guitar i can really play and do my thing on... so i never have and never will buy such an expensive guitar, unless i was a "professional" musician and made it my "career", which is unlikely. I'd rather put that money into an amp (which in IMO is more important tone wise) but i'd also never buy a $100 guitar unless i was just learning. The most I paid for a guitar is $650, for my '72 reissue Fender Telecaster Custom and its my primary and favorite guitar.

[Jeremy]

Originally Posted by E. Noisefield

I'm confused. Aren't Squiers just shitty baby Fenders?

Some Squiers are actually better than some Fenders, it all depends on the year and plant they were made in.

The Squier Jagmaster, Venus, and Super Sonic are all great guitars, definitely not "shitty baby Fenders".

~Jeremy~

[Severian]

Originally Posted by scott v

This is just a generalized and stereotypical statement, an experienced guitar player can find Squiers that sound decent and actually Fenders that sound like utter shit. Like there are a number of more recent Fender Teles and Strats that are pretty awful... they are made in Mexico and can be lesser quality than some of the newer Squiers. Squier has really upgraded on their quality as of late and made really great models starting especially with the "Vista Series" which were affordable and decent sounding guitars. So to me they are coming closer to what Epiphone is doing in relation to Gibson, as some Epiphones are really nice. you definitely have to do your homework i wouldn't just by any Squier at this point (alot of Squier models look bad and have some undesirable features), same as I wouldn't just buy any Fender...

J Mascis specifically wanted from Fender/Squier to have a model that was affordable for almost anyone, that is why it is designed as such.
so its def. not a CIJ or vintage Jazzmaster but its close and upgradable. Tone is subjective, these squier jazzmasters are warmer sounding and have abit more sustain and though the neck is nice it takes abit more effort to dig in and play (thats just my immediate opinion right now and i like that the guitar fights back abit) this is compared to my friends 90's reissue CIJ Jazzmaster that i played for awhile. So i wouldn't say I'm getting a better tone, I can improve the tone by changing the pickups (more so the neck pickup IMO). I do like the bridge more than on standard jazzmasters, string popping and sliding off of the individual saddles is a major issue thats why SY went with the same Les Paul type bridge (as on the J Mascis Squier Jazzmaster) but now you can go for the ultimate, a Mastery Bridge which is $175 itself!

I have no interest in paying $1200 for a guitar that i'd have to worry about getting ripped off or even a hairline scratch...etc. etc. I want a guitar i can really play and do my thing on... so i never have and never will buy such an expensive guitar, unless i was a "professional" musician and made it my "career", which is unlikely. I'd rather put that money into an amp (which in IMO is more important tone wise) but i'd also never buy a $100 guitar unless i was just learning. The most I paid for a guitar is $650, for my '72 reissue Fender Telecaster Custom and its my primary and favorite guitar.

Quite right.

I have a '62 American Vintage, and it's always been my go-to and guitar of choice. I know it well and I'm a fan of the model.
A friend of mine bought the Mascis model for something like $599 (not sure), I believe through the Fender website. When he got it, I checked it out. It does an excellent job of replicating the sound of the original, which is monumentally more expensive.
Yes, it's a Squier, but as scottv said, there are some pretty poor Fender models out there. The mexican strat, for instance. It's not a piece of junk, but it does not play like a true strat, and yet it has the Fender logo on it.
Mascis's Squier comes closer to achieving the sound of its namesake than the mexican strat does.
Personally, although my vintage was about four times as expensive, I'm glad I have it. But if I didn't, and didn't have the $2k+ to get one, I would feel no shame in owning and playing the Mascis model.

That said, import strats aren't all bad. I spent years playing mainly a mexican strat and it was fine. The differences in these things are for purists and real musicians only. If you just want to play some basement shows and jam with your friends, buy a cheap model. Wait until you're older to buy a vintage or classic guitar, and make it an investment. A lot of great music has been made on cheap guitars. So the mascis model is really perfect for people who don't have several thousand to spare.

[DeadDiscoDildo]

Hey so I just got one of these, and it's pretty amazing. Quick question though, the bridge is different than those old jazzys, but has anyone had string popping issues?

my low E string pops out when i do triplets/heavy playing and I didnt know if it was common with these.

Should I file the groove on the saddle a little bit somehow to make it deeper so the string sits in it better? Or would that mess it up if I dont know what im doing?

Besides that it plays pretty amazingly!

[DeadDiscoDildo]

so...what happened to all the people on here who had this guitar? haha

[scott v]

I still have it, its my primary guitar for the two bands and solo stuff i do. My 1972 tele custom reissue is in storage for now.

I don't have the issue you seem to be having, i do play heavy at times too. I have more issues with string breakage high E and once the B, but thats been solved by going to a higher gauge for me. i've been thinking more and more about changing the pickguard to a "tortoise" colored one. i never did change the pickups i think they are quite fine for what i do and my tone. it is abit bright sounding through my vintage Traynor YBA-1 amp, i have to roll the tone knob back to about 6, first time i've ever done that to any of my guitars however nearly all of my previous guitars had humbuckers.

[Severian]

Originally Posted by scott v

I still have it, its my primary guitar for the two bands and solo stuff i do. My 1972 tele custom reissue is in storage for now.

I don't have the issue you seem to be having, i do play heavy at times too. I have more issues with string breakage high E and once the B, but thats been solved by going to a higher gauge for me. i've been thinking more and more about changing the pickguard to a "tortoise" colored one. i never did change the pickups i think they are quite fine for what i do and my tone. it is abit bright sounding through my vintage Traynor YBA-1 amp, i have to roll the tone knob back to about 6, first time i've ever done that to any of my guitars however nearly all of my previous guitars had humbuckers.

So you're satisfied? Do you feel that it is a worthy substitute for the classic models now that you've had it for a while?