Comments on: The test drive: Classic Player series Jazzmaster

By: Tyler

Tyler — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 03:15:26 +0000

The classic player jazzmaster is a great guitar. IMO, the modifications fender did improved the guitar despite what purist think. This guitar, like most offsets, needs a good setup. Some things to be aware of is that the TOM’s radius does not match the 9.5″ radius of the neck. Like most TOM’s it’s 12″. This doesn’t bother some, but I could tell. This was easily remedied with a set of hobby files and an understring radius gauge. Many try and jam a mustang bridge or modified mustang bridge into the timbals and compensate the size difference with tape but those bridges have a different e to e spacing and will push the strings past the pickup poles. Those who worry about string breakage should substitute the saddles on the TOM with graphtech saddles. However, I don’t have a problem in this area. I also shimmed the neck with a piece of credit card to get the action just right higher up on the fretboard. Now it plays like a dream and is really a great guitar.

By: santos

santos — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 21:21:07 +0000

Hi, I just ran across this old review. I’ve been primarily a strat player for 20+ years, and last fall I was trading in some equipment at a local shop and they had a sunburst classic player JM. I’ve always liked the body style, but never had the chance to play one. Well, I ended up buying it, and I feel like I’ve found my guitar soulmate. I love the neck – it’s nice & chunky, which I love. Can anyone tell me about shimming the neck? I tried to add a very small tinfoil (a few folds) shim a few weeks ago and I’m not sure if I like it or not. I think it might need to be something thicker like a guitar pick, as I read somewhere. I’ve been thinking of trying it because I need to tighten the truss rod a touch anyway. Is there a guide to shimming jazzmaster necks online somewhere?

By: BardiPants

BardiPants — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 14:38:40 +0000

I went to the guitar shop 2 days ago just to buy some strings and few other essentials. I usually take a peak at the guitars and sometimes try one out.

Every since I was a kid I always loved the look of mustangs/jaguars/JM’s but never got to play one. I saw this baby hanging on the wall and asked to play it. I couldn’t believe how much I loved it. I played it thru a fender Deville and loved every second of it. I also tried out a few MIM tele’s that were in the same price range, and altho I did like them, there was something magical about this JM. I hadnt at all planned on buying a new guitar (I certainly couldn’t afford it haha) but after mulling for an hour I decided I’d regret giving this up.

I had an old squire strat many years ago, but since had striclty been playing thru Gibson LP’s for years. I don’t know anything about offset guitars or all the technical details of these guitars, but I couldn’t be happier that I got this bad boy! I haven’t put it down since! I’d highly recomend it to anyone looking for something other than just another Start/Tele

By: lEE

lEE — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 10:08:07 +0000

its not necessary to change the bridge. Fender has finally FIXED the buzzing problems with the audjustomatic bridge and other tweeks.
I bought one and loved it so much that i went ozt and purchased both jaguar models as well. I had to swap out the bridges on my AVRIs for a mustang(jazzmaster) and a masterybridge(jaguar) making the already ridiculous price even higher. i think the “classic player” series will become highly prized models in the future.

By: Stevie

Stevie — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 22:33:07 +0000

Hey. I’ve heard reports from a number of people who’ve bought Classic Player’s that for some unexplained reason they had AVRI tailpieces… which explains the non-threaded trem arm. You should just be able to pop it out. It does take quite a bit of pressure to get it out of the collet but still try to be careful. As with most things your mileage may vary…

By: Ross

Ross — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 20:39:47 +0000

Just bought a sunburst classic player JM and am having some trouble with the tremolo arm. i understood that the new bridge accepts a screw in arm. it shipped with a pop in arm and like an idiot, i tried to put it in. it seems to fit but now it doesn’t seem to want to come out. i’m about to take it back to the store i purchased from and ask them what’s going on. i called fender and they didn’t have much comment on why it shipped with a snap in arm, but confirmed that it is supposed to be screw in.

Any suggestions??

thanks

By: van

van — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 14:47:33 +0000

iv got a few questions:

1. is it just MIMs that have screwhead tips on the PUs? is this to make the PUs hotter than AVRIs or CIJs?

2. are Duncan SJM-2 PUs hotter than the stock MIM PUs?

3. did you hear a hum when the volume of the guitar was full and the amp was at level 5 or 9?

im asking these cuz im planning to buy one.

tnx.

By: Stevie

Stevie — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 06:16:11 +0000

I really do like the Classic Players. They’re not exactly the same animal as an AVRI or a vintage JM but they are you know “inspired” by them. Basically what it comes down to for me is I’m happy that Fender is finally doing something new with Jag’s and JM’s. I think Fender’s motivation is to appeal to more traditional Tele and Strat players, fixing some of the common “shortcomings” that people associate (mostly due to ignorance) with Jag’s and JM’s. I think they definitely succeeded.

Classic Player’s are a great introduction to the awesomeness of JM’s and Jag’s… close enough to the real thing but still appealing to the masses…

By: Tim

Tim — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 05:51:39 +0000

Thanks for the help. I appreciate it. I did have a Jazzmaster way back when, but I got rid of it a long time ago, consequently my experience of Jazzmasters is pretty small. Having somebody such as yourself with a lot more experience of these guitars is very helpful. It’s interesting that you should be so pro the Classic players as most of the responses I’ve read so far have been fairly down on them. It seems that the traditional Jazzmaster fans see them as ironing out the idiosyncracies that make the guitar what it is for them. I must admit , much as I love surf music, I’m probably looking more for a Tom Verlaine sort of sound…whatever I don’t want a Jazzmaster that sounds like a strat..(I’ve got 2 of them already!). AVRI are really expensive here…new you would have to pay the equivalent of about $2600!..They don’t come up often secondhand as they are quite a rare beast, and even then they would set you back a fair penny..a CIJ can be had for around $900+ and the classic player would be around $1100. All a bit more than what they cost in the USA. Anyway, thanks again.

By: Stevie

Stevie — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 21:05:28 +0000

Hey. Yeah you may be able to get a CIJ cheaper in the UK. I’ve owned a few CIJ’s and I think the quality on the Classic Player is quite a bit better from the factory. Pretty much to have a decent playing and sounding CIJ you immediately have to upgrade the PUs, tailpiece, and bridge. That can get expensive right quick. The Duncan Antiquities and Novak’s are my favorite replacement PUs for JM’s. I’m also a big fan of the the stock AVRI’s.

I think if you were to come across a used AVRI, that’d be the first choice. Second would be Classic Player, third CIJ. I think you just get more for your initial investment in the Classic Player. The stock PUs are really great… they sound like P-90s and have a lot of presence and girth. Plus the hardware on Classic Player’s I’m fairly certain is AVRI (with the exception of the collet that has been adapted for a screw in trem arm).

Oh and stay away from a Buzz Stop. With the guitar properly setup the stock JM or Mustang bridge should have no trouble.

Whatever you end with you’ll be happy. Good luck…