As said the circuitry is very similar, just two on/off switches for each pickup and a strangle switch. The Jaguar was a direct response from Fender to the growing popularity of Surf Music at the time, who's guitarist loved the Strat pickups and the Jazzmaster trem. The chief differences were the shorter scale for in theory easier faster playing on the high end of the neck, the addition of a string mute by the bridge you could flip on/off for staccato parts, and the shielded chrome pickup surrounds and control cavities to further dampen feedback for high volume applications as was popular.
Zen Jenga you're right, it's kinda weird I have a theory that they interchange the bodies of the two guitars and most people don't notice. I've seen jags with Jazzmaster bodies and vice versa. It basically comes down to the upper horn. On a Jaguar it's like a little bit "longer and slimmer" but I always thought the main differences between jags and jazzmasters were the headstocks. Jaguars have the 70's strat large headstock, which is my favorite. However, the Jazzmaster is really cool in that is has its own unique headstock. Like in between a large and small. It looks a little like a P-bass headstock but smaller
pdesmondflynn yeah it's really handy to have them set at different volumes from the brief experience I've had with one. It allows you to set one circuit to push the amp into overdrive and another to clean up. Another trick I found was to roll the tone off of one circuit and use the selector switch to create a rudimentary filter effect by switching back and forth between the two circuits.
Tanguy Blanchard you could do something in that vein but I was more thinking of hitting the switch rhythmically so that you alternate between the two circuits; one having the treble rolled off completely and the other being full on. It's like a killswitch but only for a single frequency band rather than the full signal. You could also use it as an actual killswitch by setting the controls differently.
No, but they've had youtube for over a decade now. These guitars aren't even complicated. It was confusing for all of 2 minutes when I got my first Jazzmaster.
One of those guitars I wish I hadn't sold. I owned a pre CBS era Jazzmaster (1964 - 65). I played in a rock and roll band all through High School. The Jazzmaster was capable of a wide variety of sounds.
Joe Pass actually played a Jaguar on a couple of numbers, but I, too, have been struck by the lack of presence among jazz guitarists. I use it with my cover band, and believe me, it will do jazz chops, comping and solos.
+vaclav hanuseky Check out videos from Lawrence Welk (50's & 60's). His guitar players used them for a while. Yes, Joe Pass used one for a time. Even James Burton used a Jazzmaster sometimes. Many country pickers used them and often they played standards. It took on a life of its own after it was introduced, not for jazz but for Surf Rock and Country & Rockabilly. The Jazzmaster is actually a great rock guitar. Their P-90 type designed pickups had balls and they sound hreat on a lot of 50's and 60's rock. The Jazzmaster was also a guitar of choice for many studio musicians in that era, as they were quite versatile. Check out Nat King Cole's "Ramblin' Rose." That is a Lazzmaster playing the lead licks.
Recently got to REALLY play a Jazzmaster for the first time on an album my band recorded and fell in love with it. Ran it thru a Bogner head and marshall cab and got some tones I really loved! Still use my old Peavey T-60 for everything else though
im a recent convert to jazzmasters back in the day i had friends that played them and i just didnt get it. Then just over 12 months ago i bougtht the jay mascis jazzmaster and before you know it i bought the pro 2 jazzmaster its my favourite guitar now i just love it
If you have never played a jazzmaster for Jazz give it a try, it is really, really good. I have expensive Hollowbody Archtop Jazz guitars to compare with my Jazzmaster so I am speaking from ownership. One thing, the Fender jazzmaster being a solid body is more compact and easier to hold than any archtop. Now add the special 'offset" shape of the Jazzmaster and it's a joy to play sitting down without a strap. The tone is the best part. It really sounds like an ultra hi-quality Archtop Jazzbox.
PeterDad60 it’s funny how fender’s best kept secret is that their guitar literally called the *Jazzmaster* is good for jazz. i could not agree more, by the way.
I owned a '65 Jazzmaster way back in 1970. The rhythm circuit is rarely demo'd, oddly, as this feature characterizes a tone that no other guitar has. Thanks for the great demo.
Hey, Fender: I forgot a few more comments about how great the 60th Anniversary Jazzmaster is. First, the tremolo is the best tremolo I have ever used. Your engineers did a superb job. It is smooth with just the right "spring" to it--much better than a Strat tremolo (and I have both the Eric Clapton and Eric Johnson Strats). I, personally, have a problem with lacquer necks. My hands stick to it. Solution? I had my guitar shop use 400 grain sandpaper (not recommended for amateurs) to expertly sand the first layer of gloss off the back of the neck. Problem solved. I continue to be amazed at how much I love playing that guitar. Thanks for the nice surprise in offering this to the public. Cheers, again!
Thanks for the tip. I'll ask my guitar shop about that. I had them take off the lacquer from the neck of the Eric Johnson Strat (using 400 grit) and it seems very smooth, but I bet the 1600 would be even better. Cheers.
Hey, Fender: I have been a Fender Custom Shop "addict" since I began playing electric guitars again nine months ago (Eric Clapton 30th Anniversary Strat and Koa Thinline Tele). My local guitar shop owner (Mark's Guitar Exchange in San Diego) showed me the 60th Anniversary Jazzmaster. I had never played one before, let alone heard one, so he let me play it and I walked out of the shop with it. This is really an amazing guitar and the quality is right up there with anything coming out of the Fender Custom Shop (no offense, Fender people). I cannot believe how much I like playing it. The neck is thinner and longer, so it is easier for me to play. And the tonal quality is right up there with my Eric Johnson Strat--and nothing sounds as good as that. If you get one, you will be amazed (and no, I do not work for Fender). Cheers.
JEEM, also known as, Jim Hawkins hey you have a little too much money on your hand would you be willing to buy me a tele nofink expensive just a mexi i would buy it myself but i am not old enuff to get a job
Richard Mills: As a matter-of-fact, I do have way too much money, but that is what happens when you work your ass off most of your life and are well-off before you retire. Here's the most valuable thing I learned in Sixth Grade (Economics class). Money equals options. No money. No options. Some money. Some options. Lots of money, lots of options. I chose to live a life with lots of options because I can now buy any guitar I want, and not think twice about it (I just bought the Fender Parallel Universe Tele and just ordered the Parallel Universe Jazz Strat. I also have another Fender Custom Shop Koa Stratocaster on order which I should get any day now. If you lived in San Diego and were a great player and the owners of Mark's Guitar Exchange would vouch for you, I would buy you a Mex Tele if you promised to become an even better player. Good luck to you, Richard, and keep on playing. Great things happen to great people. Cheers.
Hey, RemoveDot. I did try it and it is a great Jazzmaster, but I prefer this one. Slightly better tones, better neck for my hand, and hey, I don't mind spending good money on a great guitar. Thanks for the comments. Cheers.
I will attest to the usefulness of the locking tremolo. I was in a working band: 4 hours a night, 6 nights a week, 4 weeks a year, and even with a properly-set-up guitar when you're playing that much, you're going to break a string in the middle of a song sometimes. This ability to pull the guitar back into tune and lock it was a Godsend!
My buddy has a fender jazzmaster (60s RI) or whatever and its the best sounding guitar I've ever played hands down... Me: Fender MIA Tele, Gibson LP Standard.. We both have Fender Twin Amps.
I paid $175 for my 1959 jazz master and I bought an a pawnshop when I was in 10th grade in 1967. It had cigarette burns on the headstock behind the nut, the body was Sunburst, The paint on the body was chipped and worn almost as bad as Stevie Ray Vaughan’s Strat. So I spray painted it with a white spray bomb in 1969. That was my first quality guitar. It took me three months to save up $175 Cutting grass and working in a gas station for five dollars all day Saturday and five dollars all day Sunday, which included cutting the grass, washing the big windows in the station, cleaning the floor with spirits every night ,emptying the garbage, painting,and cleaning the washrooms.. that also got me my first car when I was 15 which I still have today in 2020,(a 58 MGA) I had my jazz master up until around 2016. I never really was crazy about it. I had it set up by three different gurus, I’ve tried different strings, I just could not get that guitar to sound anything close to my Gibsons over the years. So I sold it on eBay for 40 times what I paid for it .. it is now in Moscow Russia. The guy was in a surf band in Moscow and had to have the original. He said the replicas just don’t sound like the original. I explained that I spray-painted the body in 1969, when he got the guitar, he said it looks fabulous and he wasn’t going to change a thing. Other than the paint, I did not change even a single screw on that guitar. even the original case that looked like chewed bubblegum was completely original. Even got the original whammy bar in the original chrome push on bridge cover that they do not put on the replicasThat was my guitar playing in smoky bars, garage bands, trying to learn Jimi Hendrix licks.. but once I got my Gibson 330 TDC, that jazz master sat in the case, one stretch was almost 25 years without taking it out. I am just a better player with Gibsons then with that jazz master. I don’t know what it was, the sound, the string gauge, the set ups, the pick ups probably a combination of everything. It just didn’t fit me, I couldn’t get it to squeal. I hope the guy in Moscow that bought my jazz master likes it, because I didn’t
now I really appreciate the Jazzmaster for years I always saw it as a bit of a novelty well my mind is changed and its time to start hunting one down for myself! Thanks
I was stunned when i finally played a Squire Jazz Master. It was/is the guitar i was looking for all my life. I believe it is necessary to use 0.12’s or it will give you endless issues. I don’t bother comparing it to other fenders. It’s just different and better.
when I was 15 yo I watched a pic of a very young, 1979 Robert Smith playing Jazzmaster and it was love at first sight for this unique guitar model. Now I own three of them and I am still not sated, for the optimal number of Jazzmaster to own is ∞
holy smoke! The first iteration with black covers, gold guard and tele knobs!!! God bless Forrest White, Freddie Tavares and.. LEO FENDER!!! Angels of music heaven.
That's the best looking Jazzmaster they have ever done. I may actually buy one now that I know what all the switches do. I used to have and anxiety attack just looking at one in the store.
For months I went back and forth debating whether to purchase a Fender American Original '60s Jaguar, Jazzmaster, or Stratocaster. After seeing this video, however, my mind was made up in a matter of seconds. I have had this guitar for two months, and I honestly believe that this is the best Fender I have ever owned. I've had at least 10 Fender guitars over the years. For me, the 60th Anniversary '58 Jazzmaster is total perfection. Fender definitely hit a grand slam with this guitar. Although I have a Gibson Les Paul and a couple of fine Gretsch guitars, I have barely touched them since getting the Jazzmaster. For beauty, versatility, and just being fun to play, I think the '58 Anniversary Jazzmaster is the undisputed champion! I understand that Fender made only a limited number of these '58 Anniversary Jazzmasters, so if you are thinking about getting one, I recommend that you don't wait until they are all gone.
Yeah right? It's pretty much the hallmark of shoegaze music, and one of the reasons one would buy a jazzmaster, yet the people at Fender seem to be really out of touch when they consider the demographic they are selling their products to.
My guess is that it would probably be too much work involved. I'm by no means a shoegaze aficionado but i do know that one of the key elements to the sound is utilizing a range of effects. For large corps like Fender, Norm's, etc. doing a demo with a slew of effects might not be ideal for what they're trying to showcase/market...which is essentially just the basics of the guitar. Additionally with this vid in particular they're showing a vintage model so playing a nice simple surf or blues riff is perfectly appropriate. Don't think there was much shoegaze riffage to choose from back in '59. ;P
necrosauce just a fuzz in front of the blackface with a shitload of reverb and a V i iii progression played gnarly and nasty would either make a bunch of new people to buy the jazzmaster or scare the shit out of the old folks hahaha it would be awesome tho
I’m a huge Jazzmaster fan. Love the instrument. As far as basses, fretless. Do a demo of the Tony Franklin fretless. His is such a unique bass, I would love to see that.
The trem is a very intelligent design. You can also keep two different tunings and switch them using the lock button, without touching the tuning pegs. pretty cool.
Great vid, love your products! It's been 60+ years since you guys started creating the most covetted electric guitars and amps. You have the power to stop labeling the whammy bar as the tremolo bar. We all know it's vibrato. Let's start calling it that.
Nice! I have a squier jazzmaster VM. They are unique guitars with a distinctive tone. Surprisingly enjoyable to play if you and to break out of the tele strat vibe
Very informative, Thanks! I wish you would do a similar video on the Jaguar. At the moment, I'm wracking my brain trying to decide whether to buy a Jaguar or a Jazzmaster. Years ago I used to own two mid-60s Jaguars. One was in Lake Placid Blue with Matching Head, the other was a 3-Tone Sunburst. Back in 1993 those guitars were stolen, along with four Strats, one Tele, and, my favorite of all, a 1964 Dakota Red Mustang ( Neck Date: Aug 8, 1964) which means it was one of the very first Mustangs ever made. Those were just my Fenders. All in all, the thieves made off with about 33 of my best guitars, and 19 amplifiers. Jump forward 25 years to today, and I now only have three guitars: Two Gretsch models, a Custom Shop Penguin and a Profeesional Series Duo Jet. along with a Gibson Les Paul Standard HP. What's missing, however, is a Fender. Since I plan for this to be my last guitar purchase, I want to get it right. Although Strats are wicked, I have always had a soft spot for the cool offset design of Jaguars and Jazzmasters. I love both, but I can only get one. I'm leaning towards the new American Original '60s Jaguar in Surf Green. But, a Jazzmaster too seems so cool. Talk about a tough choice....
I fell in love with the Jazzmaster design in the middle '80s when I saw how indie bands like Dinosaur jr. began to use them. Made obsolete the Strat design.
I love those pickups, they sound really special, I have an Squier Telecaster with a Jazzmaster Maple neck and that pickup on the neck position. (I don't remember the specific model of that guitar)
I would love to see an in depth comparison of the Jaguar and the Jazzmaster. I know some of the things that make them different such as scale length & pickups, but it would be great for Fender to talk it up a little more so people can make the best choice. It would be awesome if you would actually open one up and show the wiring so we could learn more about it. Also, want to say thanks Fender! I have recently switched from mainly Stratocasters to mainly Jaguars for a few reasons, but I own three of each plus a Telecaster and a Precision Bass I bought in 1981 by saving up paper route money for a year! Fenders are not my only guitar, but have definitely been the main brand I've stuck with and used the most throughout my life. I am waiting for you to start making the blue Mustangs again. Also, my vintage Twin Reverb & Supersonic 22W combo are great amps, though a bit maintenance dependent. I'd like to see some vids on DIY troubleshooting & maintenance.
I have the Squirr VM versions of both guitars and have been nodding them, JM in Sonic Blue and Jag in Surf Green. I replaced the stock Duncan-Designed pups with Fender Pure Vintage 65s in both. I ordered licensed chunky necks necks for both, which I'm in the process of finishing in Tru Oil, then I'll paint the headstocks. The switching is similar in both. Both have a rhythm circuit with controls on the upper boot. The lead circuit controls differ, however. With the Jazzmaster, it's a 3-way toggle. With the Jaguar, there's an on/off switch for each pickup and another on/off switch that cuts the low end in the lead position. It's fairly simple. Both guitars have two single coil pickups in the standard versions. Jaguar pickups look similar, visually, to Strat pups, but they are different in size and sound. They have a metal shielding claw around them, and they are a bit higher output than Strat pups, iirc. The sound is a little jangly, chimey, and tangy. I feel like they have a natural reverby sound. Jazzmaster pups resemble P90s, but they aren't the same. They're constructed differently as far as magnets and wiring are concerned, and JM pups are wider and thinner in cross-section. Compared to Jag pups, I find JM pups to have more growl. They can also be chimney, too, but I find them darker than my Jag pups.
@@mrg1247 Very shallow answer. I own an American Original Jazzmaster and two Mexican Jaguars. They all give different sounds. Instruments are for making different kinds of sounds. They are like screwdrivers & wrenches--you need different kinds of tools to do different things.
I think that he neglected to mention the Synchronized Floating Tremolo. The bridge is a loose fit in the body holes, so when you twang the tremolo bar, the bridge moves back and forth (synchronized, you might say). Thus the strings aren't sliding and scraping over the bridge saddles. Of course when you set the guitar up you need to make sure that the bridge posts are centered in the holes at rest so they can go back and forth. It's a nice touch.
It would be pretty cool if you picked like a couple of famous or notable players of the model and talked about what they brought to the table with the instrument. I did a bit of my own research and realized that J Mascis plays one. The Gandalf of indie rock uses a Jazzmaster. I can't think of a better selling point. The last time I went to see Dinosaur Jr there were a pack of very hip pre-pube teen boys there, a grandad, a couple celebrities and very well endowed guy wearing a skin tight pink leotard.
The only thing Jaguar have more is a treble boost switch they are short scale and having two little single coil Strat syle pick ups, but are nice guitars you should try both if you want to buy one
Seems to be a minority opinion. I get the feeling Strats and Teles have shown up on more stages, generally speaking. (Except maybe Elvis Costello, has ANYONE ever picked a Jazz or Jaguar in popular music?)
Best and most simple comprehensive walk through for a guitar that has needed such a run down for a long time ... that was painless and really put everything where it needed to be. I’m wondering when the Jaguar and Mustang came around and what they had to do with the public’s reception of the the JM. There’s that unverified rumor that Jimi Hendrix was given a Jazzmaster, as was Clapton, but for differing reasons they both went back to the Stratocaster. ... any truth to that?
I just got this guitar a few weeks ago and I've purchased cream pickup covers and cream witch hat knobs and am considering trying to make it look like a transition '59 guitar 😁
Just to add further information to Adrian's reply... I learned to play electric guitar on a Fender Jazzmaster that was purchased new in 1962 but may actually have been a 1961 model...I just don't know for sure as back then these points were not as important as they have become today. In any case, that guitar had a gold pick-guard, off-white (cream) colored pickup covers, and off-white (cream) colored Stratocaster type knobs. I guess that is what you all are referring to as witch hats but I always called them top-hat knobs. But to the main point, in my humble opinion, that was the best looking of all the fender guitars on the market at that time. I loved that guitar...it sounded awesome and was nothing short of pure delight to play. I just wish I still had it but unfortunately it was stolen. So sad as I suspect the culprit had no idea what he stole. I'll have to check if Fender is making a reissue like the 1961/1962 I used to have.
DonHenryJr, strat knobs came after the '58 knurled tele knobs then the witch hat knobs came along which are just a bit taller and pointy and have a silver top
He's playing jazzy chords but I tell you what, I recently picked up one of them there J Mascis Jazzmasters and I never realized how great they sound for indie, alt-rock, punk, crunchy, fuzz type music. I had a USA strat for years, they're so prevalent that for a long time I thought that's what I had to have but now the Jazzmaster is my primary.
Thanks for the explanation. I always thought the rhythm switch was completely useless but this demonstration shows the subtlety of the circuit. Not completely useless.
I'm glad as i use them and promote them in international event (music china, Osaka Sound messe) , to see your very Senior Product Development Manager using a V-pick ;) . Welcome to him ! Haha ! (But i love to switch to the Fender Extra Heavy tortoise sometime )
That is one beautiful guitar! Fender is killing it lately!! Parallel Universe series, Rosewood Strat, Jimmy Page Dragon Tele and now this?! I just need to rob a bank or win the lottery to get all the new axes I want. What's crazy is I haven't been really interested in any new guitars in a very long time. Now all of the sudden Fender is making about 15 or so that I would LOVE to have. I'd like to have all twelve of the Parallel Universe series, those things are sick! And that Rosewood Stratocaster is unreal...drooling again, sorry. Cheers!🤘🎸
Thanks, nice informative review of the Jazz Master. You answered all the questions about this guitar without being an over showy douche bag. You played just enough so I could understand the essence of the instrument w/o the emotional need to show how good you can play. You do play clean and clear, and sometimes that's enough. Thanks again!
Can tell that he’s a blues/classic rock guy when he played those pentatonic licks over jazz chords, haha. Informative video, great guitar, but it still bugs me to hear tremolo and vibrato used wrong.
it's only wrong if you insist on a prescriptive point-of-view. But a descriptivist would say "fender calls it a trem; everyone calls it a trem. so it is called a trem."
I get what you mean, but wouldn't it be false even through a descriptivist's perspective? Say that your buddy wants you to use a tremolo pedal. They're looking for an effect that modulates volume. And when a guitar teacher tells you to work on your vibrato when playing blues, they're talking about your control over the string's pitch as it sustains. Tremolo picking is just picking very quickly, many cases on one note. Everywhere else, both descriptivists and perscriptivists would agree that tremolo relates to volume, and vibrato relates to pitch. Just not for guitar bridges.
Chromatic Swing that’s right. And a guitar bridge and an effects pedal are different. And a billion dollar company made a mistake in the 50s, but they have the money so they have the power to make mistakes that eventually changes what words people use. I’m not saying it makes sense. I’m just saying it is what it is, and you aren’t more right or wrong than Fender is. Besides, this is how I look at it: I compartmentalize the guitar and technique from effects. So trem, vibrato, flanger, phaser, those are all in their own box. They are all very similar: they modulate one parameter of your signal over time; trem is volume and vibe is pitch. Great. Now, in a completely different box, I have the guitar and techniques on guitar. I think it’s more utilitarian to distinguish using a trem arm from bending a note (or vibrato). They can sound very different and have should be used differently. Also, there is arguably, along with the pitch shifting, some noticeable volume change when using a trem arm.
Okay, I understand better now where you're coming from. People can figure out what you're saying most of the time anyways. And new guitarists will eventually figure out the difference. I'll still call the floating bridge a vibrato bridge, just for my personal preference, but thanks for broadening my perspective!
I use to have a 63 Fender Jazzmaster when I was a teenager in the 1960s. I loved that guitar, but I didn't like how the neck would go out of tune so easily. Hopefully, those remakes don't have that same problem.
Roll the rhythm volume off and stutter the rhythm switch for the "on/off" effect. Strum above the nut or below the bridge to "Cha-Ching!" and trem. Do pinky volume swells with delay.
Let us know in the comments what guitar or bass you want to see Al walk through next!
The Fender American Original 75 Jazz Bass
Jaguar obviously
Meteora
Jaguar bass is!
jaguar modern player
I have so much respect for Fender for making so many different but great sounding guitars to the point where I just want all of them.
I played a Squier Jazzmaster at a guitar store and to this day it still continues to my favorite guitar to play on clean
For reals, the classic vibe sounds amazing clean
Really enjoyed the video, I now understand the Jazzmaster much more. I would love to understand the Jaguar the same way.
Jaguar body shape is actually slightly different than the Jazzmaster's. Look closely.
As said the circuitry is very similar, just two on/off switches for each pickup and a strangle switch. The Jaguar was a direct response from Fender to the growing popularity of Surf Music at the time, who's guitarist loved the Strat pickups and the Jazzmaster trem. The chief differences were the shorter scale for in theory easier faster playing on the high end of the neck, the addition of a string mute by the bridge you could flip on/off for staccato parts, and the shielded chrome pickup surrounds and control cavities to further dampen feedback for high volume applications as was popular.
BeTheDeathOfMe strangle switch cuts bass, not treble.
Zen Jenga you're right, it's kinda weird I have a theory that they interchange the bodies of the two guitars and most people don't notice. I've seen jags with Jazzmaster bodies and vice versa. It basically comes down to the upper horn. On a Jaguar it's like a little bit "longer and slimmer" but I always thought the main differences between jags and jazzmasters were the headstocks. Jaguars have the 70's strat large headstock, which is my favorite. However, the Jazzmaster is really cool in that is has its own unique headstock. Like in between a large and small. It looks a little like a P-bass headstock but smaller
Circuits work the same dude except there is a filter added to the jag on the 3 rd switch on the bottom that’s engaged when in lead circut
That ability to switch from lead to rhythm is actually sick. I'd dig that.
pdesmondflynn yeah it's really handy to have them set at different volumes from the brief experience I've had with one.
It allows you to set one circuit to push the amp into overdrive and another to clean up.
Another trick I found was to roll the tone off of one circuit and use the selector switch to create a rudimentary filter effect by switching back and forth between the two circuits.
Tanguy Blanchard you could do something in that vein but I was more thinking of hitting the switch rhythmically so that you alternate between the two circuits; one having the treble rolled off completely and the other being full on.
It's like a killswitch but only for a single frequency band rather than the full signal.
You could also use it as an actual killswitch by setting the controls differently.
They decided to tell us how it works after all those decades?
they didn't have UA-cam back in 58'
No, but they've had youtube for over a decade now. These guitars aren't even complicated. It was confusing for all of 2 minutes when I got my first Jazzmaster.
Those who care would know this since forever, those who don't care, don't need to know it.
I have an opinion too.
They could tell you, but now they have to kill you ...
I've still got my dads Blonde, Ash body with gold guard 58 he bought new in the Spring of 1959.
WOW!
wow, never sell that shit
"It gets very jazzy"
*proceeds to play minor pentatonic*
Right?! That was sooo irritating lol
That's not minor pentatonic.
😂😂😂
@@crapadopalese No, it's supersonic tonic.
He actually played blues
One of those guitars I wish I hadn't sold. I owned a pre CBS era Jazzmaster (1964 - 65). I played in a rock and roll band all through High School. The Jazzmaster was capable of a wide variety of sounds.
So proud of that neckplate had to mention it twice
Caught that too.. Some other features we haven't mentioned (but really have mentioned.)
I don´t remember seeing any jazz musician using it, but I liked the tone at rhytm mode with tone knob all the way down.
Joe Pass actually played a Jaguar on a couple of numbers, but I, too, have been struck by the lack of presence among jazz guitarists. I use it with my cover band, and believe me, it will do jazz chops, comping and solos.
+vaclav hanuseky Check out videos from Lawrence Welk (50's & 60's). His
guitar players used them for a while. Yes, Joe Pass used one for a time. Even
James Burton used a Jazzmaster sometimes. Many country pickers used
them and often they played standards. It took on a life of its own after it was
introduced, not for jazz but for Surf Rock and Country & Rockabilly. The
Jazzmaster is actually a great rock guitar. Their P-90 type designed pickups
had balls and they sound hreat on a lot of 50's and 60's rock. The Jazzmaster
was also a guitar of choice for many studio musicians in that era, as they
were quite versatile. Check out Nat King Cole's "Ramblin' Rose." That is a
Lazzmaster playing the lead licks.
I Think Joe Pass Used One Fender Donated On His First LP. “ Sounds Of Synanon”
He Only Had A Beat Up Spanish Guitar At The Time . Dear Joe. R I P.
'believe Hank Garland used one on "Little Sister" for Elvis
On guy: Nels Cline. And he's as much a rock guitarist as a jazz one.
Recently got to REALLY play a Jazzmaster for the first time on an album my band recorded and fell in love with it. Ran it thru a Bogner head and marshall cab and got some tones I really loved! Still use my old Peavey T-60 for everything else though
im a recent convert to jazzmasters back in the day i had friends that played them and i just didnt get it. Then just over 12 months ago i bougtht the jay mascis jazzmaster and before you know it i bought the pro 2 jazzmaster its my favourite guitar now i just love it
Honestly, the Jazzmaster it's one of my favorite sounding guitars. So versatile and great playability.
If you have never played a jazzmaster for Jazz give it a try, it is really, really good. I have expensive Hollowbody Archtop Jazz guitars to compare with my Jazzmaster so I am speaking from ownership.
One thing, the Fender jazzmaster being a solid body is more compact and easier to hold than any archtop. Now add the special 'offset" shape of the Jazzmaster and it's a joy to play sitting down without a strap.
The tone is the best part. It really sounds like an ultra hi-quality Archtop Jazzbox.
PeterDad60 it’s funny how fender’s best kept secret is that their guitar literally called the *Jazzmaster* is good for jazz. i could not agree more, by the way.
Yet jazz players never embraced it?
How many jazz players use it ?
Joe Pass played a Jazzmaster.
I still have the album.
I owned a '65 Jazzmaster way back in 1970. The rhythm circuit is rarely demo'd, oddly, as this feature characterizes a tone that no other guitar has. Thanks for the great demo.
Hey, Fender: I forgot a few more comments about how great the 60th Anniversary Jazzmaster is. First, the tremolo is the best tremolo I have ever used. Your engineers did a superb job. It is smooth with just the right "spring" to it--much better than a Strat tremolo (and I have both the Eric Clapton and Eric Johnson Strats). I, personally, have a problem with lacquer necks. My hands stick to it. Solution? I had my guitar shop use 400 grain sandpaper (not recommended for amateurs) to expertly sand the first layer of gloss off the back of the neck. Problem solved. I continue to be amazed at how much I love playing that guitar. Thanks for the nice surprise in offering this to the public. Cheers, again!
Steel wool, the type used to remove lacquer from wood is better than any sandpaper for that job and it's very easy to do the job and get it right.
A friend of mine went from 220 to 1600 grit sand paper on his neck. It shines like a finish and is so smooth and comfortable.
Peter: Thanks for the tip. I'll ask my guitar shop about that. Cheers!
Thanks for the tip. I'll ask my guitar shop about that. I had them take off the lacquer from the neck of the Eric Johnson Strat (using 400 grit) and it seems very smooth, but I bet the 1600 would be even better. Cheers.
Hey, Fender: I have been a Fender Custom Shop "addict" since I began playing electric guitars again nine months ago (Eric Clapton 30th Anniversary Strat and Koa Thinline Tele). My local guitar shop owner (Mark's Guitar Exchange in San Diego) showed me the 60th Anniversary Jazzmaster. I had never played one before, let alone heard one, so he let me play it and I walked out of the shop with it. This is really an amazing guitar and the quality is right up there with anything coming out of the Fender Custom Shop (no offense, Fender people). I cannot believe how much I like playing it. The neck is thinner and longer, so it is easier for me to play. And the tonal quality is right up there with my Eric Johnson Strat--and nothing sounds as good as that. If you get one, you will be amazed (and no, I do not work for Fender). Cheers.
JEEM, also known as, Jim Hawkins hey you have a little too much money on your hand would you be willing to buy me a tele nofink expensive just a mexi i would buy it myself but i am not old enuff to get a job
Wait until you find it a Squire J Mascis Jazzmaster is at the same level, for a couple hundred dollars.
Richard Mills: As a matter-of-fact, I do have way too much money, but that is what happens when you work your ass off most of your life and are well-off before you retire. Here's the most valuable thing I learned in Sixth Grade (Economics class). Money equals options. No money. No options. Some money. Some options. Lots of money, lots of options. I chose to live a life with lots of options because I can now buy any guitar I want, and not think twice about it (I just bought the Fender Parallel Universe Tele and just ordered the Parallel Universe Jazz Strat. I also have another Fender Custom Shop Koa Stratocaster on order which I should get any day now. If you lived in San Diego and were a great player and the owners of Mark's Guitar Exchange would vouch for you, I would buy you a Mex Tele if you promised to become an even better player. Good luck to you, Richard, and keep on playing. Great things happen to great people. Cheers.
Hey, RemoveDot. I did try it and it is a great Jazzmaster, but I prefer this one. Slightly better tones, better neck for my hand, and hey, I don't mind spending good money on a great guitar. Thanks for the comments. Cheers.
JEEM, also known as, Jim Hawkins cool, the neck is a lot of people’s favorite part, but obviously everyone is different
I am just blown away by this Jazzmaster. Such a warm, inviting tone. Just sensational.
I LOVELESS this guitar!
DUT DUT DUTUTUTUT
WREEEEEEEEEEE WROOOOOOOOO
I absolutely love how well-organised this video is - thank you
I will attest to the usefulness of the locking tremolo. I was in a working band: 4 hours a night, 6 nights a week, 4 weeks a year, and even with a properly-set-up guitar when you're playing that much, you're going to break a string in the middle of a song sometimes. This ability to pull the guitar back into tune and lock it was a Godsend!
I've got a blacktop jazzmaster and i'm very happy with it. One of the most comfortably and beauty guitar ever.
This might be the best video explaining the Jazzmaster and how it works.
Thanks Fender for the information after all these years!!! Stuff i didn't know about the Jazzmaster until now. Once again, thanks!!
But does it djazz?
Best comment right there
Can jazz be putted: flat 12-50 ?
This joke is older than yr mum
Excuse me?
Djefinitely!
Wow, I don't think I every truly appreciated what a beautiful sound the Jazzmaster has. This thing looks stunning too.
My buddy has a fender jazzmaster (60s RI) or whatever and its the best sounding guitar I've ever played hands down...
Me: Fender MIA Tele, Gibson LP Standard..
We both have Fender Twin Amps.
I paid $175 for my 1959 jazz master and I bought an a pawnshop when I was in 10th grade in 1967. It had cigarette burns on the headstock behind the nut, the body was Sunburst, The paint on the body was chipped and worn almost as bad as Stevie Ray Vaughan’s Strat. So I spray painted it with a white spray bomb in 1969. That was my first quality guitar. It took me three months to save up $175 Cutting grass and working in a gas station for five dollars all day Saturday and five dollars all day Sunday, which included cutting the grass, washing the big windows in the station, cleaning the floor with spirits every night ,emptying the garbage, painting,and cleaning the washrooms.. that also got me my first car when I was 15 which I still have today in 2020,(a 58 MGA)
I had my jazz master up until around 2016. I never really was crazy about it. I had it set up by three different gurus, I’ve tried different strings, I just could not get that guitar to sound anything close to my Gibsons over the years. So I sold it on eBay for 40 times what I paid for it .. it is now in Moscow Russia. The guy was in a surf band in Moscow and had to have the original. He said the replicas just don’t sound like the original. I explained that I spray-painted the body in 1969, when he got the guitar, he said it looks fabulous and he wasn’t going to change a thing. Other than the paint, I did not change even a single screw on that guitar. even the original case that looked like chewed bubblegum was completely original. Even got the original whammy bar in the original chrome push on bridge cover that they do not put on the replicasThat was my guitar playing in smoky bars, garage bands, trying to learn Jimi Hendrix licks.. but once I got my Gibson 330 TDC, that jazz master sat in the case, one stretch was almost 25 years without taking it out. I am just a better player with Gibsons then with that jazz master. I don’t know what it was, the sound, the string gauge, the set ups, the pick ups probably a combination of everything. It just didn’t fit me, I couldn’t get it to squeal. I hope the guy in Moscow that bought my jazz master likes it, because I didn’t
now I really appreciate the Jazzmaster for years I always saw it as a bit of a novelty
well my mind is changed and its time to start hunting one down for myself!
Thanks
I was stunned when i finally played a Squire Jazz Master. It was/is the guitar i was looking for all my life. I believe it is necessary to use 0.12’s or it will give you endless issues. I don’t bother comparing it to other fenders. It’s just different and better.
I use flatwound 12s on mine--same with my Jag.
I have the 50th-anniversary Japanese one, it is amazing.
when I was 15 yo I watched a pic of a very young, 1979 Robert Smith playing Jazzmaster and it was love at first sight for this unique guitar model. Now I own three of them and I am still not sated, for the optimal number of Jazzmaster to own is ∞
holy smoke! The first iteration with black covers, gold guard and tele knobs!!! God bless Forrest White, Freddie Tavares and.. LEO FENDER!!! Angels of music heaven.
What a brilliant video. Fender just keep smashing it out the park with their product ranges and quality.
Wow, strumming chords on that sounds awesome. I always think of them as surf guitars with the licks and solos. Great tone.
Surf master
That's the best looking Jazzmaster they have ever done. I may actually buy one now that I know what all the switches do. I used to have and anxiety attack just looking at one in the store.
For months I went back and forth debating whether to purchase a Fender American Original '60s Jaguar, Jazzmaster, or Stratocaster. After seeing this video, however, my mind was made up in a matter of seconds. I have had this guitar for two months, and I honestly believe that this is the best Fender I have ever owned. I've had at least 10 Fender guitars over the years. For me, the 60th Anniversary '58 Jazzmaster is total perfection. Fender definitely hit a grand slam with this guitar. Although I have a Gibson Les Paul and a couple of fine Gretsch guitars, I have barely touched them since getting the Jazzmaster. For beauty, versatility, and just being fun to play, I think the '58 Anniversary Jazzmaster is the undisputed champion! I understand that Fender made only a limited number of these '58 Anniversary Jazzmasters, so if you are thinking about getting one, I recommend that you don't wait until they are all gone.
Do more Tele thinlines, they're the coolest. Also, this is badass. The gold guard/inlays is lovely
when will people testing jazzmasters finally acknowledge shoegaze?
aske___ We may have to let them know.
Yeah right? It's pretty much the hallmark of shoegaze music, and one of the reasons one would buy a jazzmaster, yet the people at Fender seem to be really out of touch when they consider the demographic they are selling their products to.
When Kevin Shields gets his signature Jazzmasters
My guess is that it would probably be too much work involved. I'm by no means a shoegaze aficionado but i do know that one of the key elements to the sound is utilizing a range of effects.
For large corps like Fender, Norm's, etc. doing a demo with a slew of effects might not be ideal for what they're trying to showcase/market...which is essentially just the basics of the guitar.
Additionally with this vid in particular they're showing a vintage model so playing a nice simple surf or blues riff is perfectly appropriate. Don't think there was much shoegaze riffage to choose from back in '59. ;P
necrosauce just a fuzz in front of the blackface with a shitload of reverb and a V i iii progression played gnarly and nasty would either make a bunch of new people to buy the jazzmaster or scare the shit out of the old folks hahaha it would be awesome tho
Four words for you Fender: LEFT. HANDED. AMERICAN. JAZZMASTER.
Very clear demonstration. Thanks. I have always been a Fender user...single coil.
I’m a huge Jazzmaster fan. Love the instrument. As far as basses, fretless. Do a demo of the Tony Franklin fretless. His is such a unique bass, I would love to see that.
I loved the jazzy sound in Rhythm mode with the tone wheel rolled off.
The trem is a very intelligent design. You can also keep two different tunings and switch them using the lock button, without touching the tuning pegs. pretty cool.
??? Never heard of this feature. I call BS
Yeh that sounds too good to be true
That sunburst and grain is GORGEOUS!!
Great vid, love your products! It's been 60+ years since you guys started creating the most covetted electric guitars and amps. You have the power to stop labeling the whammy bar as the tremolo bar. We all know it's vibrato. Let's start calling it that.
Best video ever on how the Jazzmaster works, thanks... now I want one! 😎
Super tempting! 🎸🔥
Nice! I have a squier jazzmaster VM. They are unique guitars with a distinctive tone. Surprisingly enjoyable to play if you and to break out of the tele strat vibe
Very informative, Thanks! I wish you would do a similar video on the Jaguar. At the moment, I'm wracking my brain trying to decide whether to buy a Jaguar or a Jazzmaster. Years ago I used to own two mid-60s Jaguars. One was in Lake Placid Blue with Matching Head, the other was a 3-Tone Sunburst. Back in 1993 those guitars were stolen, along with four Strats, one Tele, and, my favorite of all, a 1964 Dakota Red Mustang ( Neck Date: Aug 8, 1964) which means it was one of the very first Mustangs ever made. Those were just my Fenders. All in all, the thieves made off with about 33 of my best guitars, and 19 amplifiers. Jump forward 25 years to today, and I now only have three guitars: Two Gretsch models, a Custom Shop Penguin and a Profeesional Series Duo Jet. along with a Gibson Les Paul Standard HP. What's missing, however, is a Fender. Since I plan for this to be my last guitar purchase, I want to get it right. Although Strats are wicked, I have always had a soft spot for the cool offset design of Jaguars and Jazzmasters. I love both, but I can only get one. I'm leaning towards the new American Original '60s Jaguar in Surf Green. But, a Jazzmaster too seems so cool. Talk about a tough choice....
At last a tutorial for jazzmaster controls. Really thanks a lot
I fell in love with the Jazzmaster design in the middle '80s when I saw how indie bands like Dinosaur jr. began to use them. Made obsolete the Strat design.
I love those pickups, they sound really special, I have an Squier Telecaster with a Jazzmaster Maple neck and that pickup on the neck position. (I don't remember the specific model of that guitar)
Thanks Antonio! We are so glad to see you love our products.
You should do more videos for the precision bass. Most bass videos you guys make are for the jazz bass
Agree. P-Bass for life.
I wanna see a video of the original p-bass with the tele hardware.
same
Obviously created for playing 'precision' music.
I have the Squier version of this 58 model, I really really like that guitar, I might upgrade the stock pups.
I would love to see an in depth comparison of the Jaguar and the Jazzmaster. I know some of the things that make them different such as scale length & pickups, but it would be great for Fender to talk it up a little more so people can make the best choice. It would be awesome if you would actually open one up and show the wiring so we could learn more about it.
Also, want to say thanks Fender! I have recently switched from mainly Stratocasters to mainly Jaguars for a few reasons, but I own three of each plus a Telecaster and a Precision Bass I bought in 1981 by saving up paper route money for a year! Fenders are not my only guitar, but have definitely been the main brand I've stuck with and used the most throughout my life. I am waiting for you to start making the blue Mustangs again.
Also, my vintage Twin Reverb & Supersonic 22W combo are great amps, though a bit maintenance dependent. I'd like to see some vids on DIY troubleshooting & maintenance.
I have the Squirr VM versions of both guitars and have been nodding them, JM in Sonic Blue and Jag in Surf Green. I replaced the stock Duncan-Designed pups with Fender Pure Vintage 65s in both. I ordered licensed chunky necks necks for both, which I'm in the process of finishing in Tru Oil, then I'll paint the headstocks.
The switching is similar in both. Both have a rhythm circuit with controls on the upper boot. The lead circuit controls differ, however. With the Jazzmaster, it's a 3-way toggle. With the Jaguar, there's an on/off switch for each pickup and another on/off switch that cuts the low end in the lead position. It's fairly simple.
Both guitars have two single coil pickups in the standard versions. Jaguar pickups look similar, visually, to Strat pups, but they are different in size and sound. They have a metal shielding claw around them, and they are a bit higher output than Strat pups, iirc. The sound is a little jangly, chimey, and tangy. I feel like they have a natural reverby sound.
Jazzmaster pups resemble P90s, but they aren't the same. They're constructed differently as far as magnets and wiring are concerned, and JM pups are wider and thinner in cross-section. Compared to Jag pups, I find JM pups to have more growl. They can also be chimney, too, but I find them darker than my Jag pups.
@@mrg1247 Very shallow answer. I own an American Original Jazzmaster and two Mexican Jaguars. They all give different sounds. Instruments are for making different kinds of sounds. They are like screwdrivers & wrenches--you need different kinds of tools to do different things.
I think that he neglected to mention the Synchronized Floating Tremolo. The bridge is a loose fit in the body holes, so when you twang the tremolo bar, the bridge moves back and forth (synchronized, you might say). Thus the strings aren't sliding and scraping over the bridge saddles. Of course when you set the guitar up you need to make sure that the bridge posts are centered in the holes at rest so they can go back and forth. It's a nice touch.
What a beauty. Also-fantastic walkthrough and playing.
It would be pretty cool if you picked like a couple of famous or notable players of the model and talked about what they brought to the table with the instrument. I did a bit of my own research and realized that J Mascis plays one. The Gandalf of indie rock uses a Jazzmaster. I can't think of a better selling point. The last time I went to see Dinosaur Jr there were a pack of very hip pre-pube teen boys there, a grandad, a couple celebrities and very well endowed guy wearing a skin tight pink leotard.
Fabulous video, super informative. One of my favorite videos on UA-cam.
Well done! Thank you for the simple yet detailed explanation regarding the controls!
This is what launched all those early copies. Its perfect!!
Best Fender guitar
Stamatis Stabos better than a Jaguar? Seems like (to my very amateur self) that a jaguar does everything a jazz master does and more.
The only thing Jaguar have more is a treble boost switch they are short scale and having two little single coil Strat syle pick ups, but are nice guitars you should try both if you want to buy one
Debatable
The Lowmein I much prefer the Jazzmaster. The Jaguars short scale is a no go for me.
Seems to be a minority opinion. I get the feeling Strats and Teles have shown up on more stages, generally speaking. (Except maybe Elvis Costello, has ANYONE ever picked a Jazz or Jaguar in popular music?)
I picked up a jazz master maybe 6 months ago and just felt dumb trying to figure out the controls. I needed to see this before hand.
This guitar is dangerous, I’m a sucker for anniversary editions like this.
Update, yeah I bought it lol. It sounds great lol.
Best and most simple comprehensive walk through for a guitar that has needed such a run down for a long time ... that was painless and really put everything where it needed to be.
I’m wondering when the Jaguar and Mustang came around and what they had to do with the public’s reception of the the JM. There’s that unverified rumor that Jimi Hendrix was given a Jazzmaster, as was Clapton, but for differing reasons they both went back to the Stratocaster. ... any truth to that?
My original 1958 Jazzmaster had white pick up covers and white knobs.
my friend Gib Brown had white pick up covers and white knobs on his 58 too,
Don Stewart So does mine!
Abbassi is so cool. You can tell he really likes his job.
Nice! Great demo of the controls and sounds.
I just got this guitar a few weeks ago and I've purchased cream pickup covers and cream witch hat knobs and am considering trying to make it look like a transition '59 guitar 😁
Get at it, but '59s didn't have witch hats. They weren't available until '65 if I'm not mistaken.
Adrian Seifi you are correct sir. 😊 I guess Ive just seen several from the 1965 time period with the gold guard
Just to add further information to Adrian's reply... I learned to play electric guitar on a Fender Jazzmaster that was purchased new in 1962 but may actually have been a 1961 model...I just don't know for sure as back then these points were not as important as they have become today. In any case, that guitar had a gold pick-guard, off-white (cream) colored pickup covers, and off-white (cream) colored Stratocaster type knobs. I guess that is what you all are referring to as witch hats but I always called them top-hat knobs. But to the main point, in my humble opinion, that was the best looking of all the fender guitars on the market at that time. I loved that guitar...it sounded awesome and was nothing short of pure delight to play. I just wish I still had it but unfortunately it was stolen. So sad as I suspect the culprit had no idea what he stole. I'll have to check if Fender is making a reissue like the 1961/1962 I used to have.
DonHenryJr, strat knobs came after the '58 knurled tele knobs then the witch hat knobs came along which are just a bit taller and pointy and have a silver top
Tesla Pete, Thanks for the clarification between the witch-hat and strat type knobs. Previously, I had never differentiated between the two styles.
Very thorough and excellent demo video.
Great video, Allen. You're an impressive and engaging demonstrator, Sir. Cheers.
He's playing jazzy chords but I tell you what, I recently picked up one of them there J Mascis Jazzmasters and I never realized how great they sound for indie, alt-rock, punk, crunchy, fuzz type music. I had a USA strat for years, they're so prevalent that for a long time I thought that's what I had to have but now the Jazzmaster is my primary.
Thanks for the explanation. I always thought the rhythm switch was completely useless but this demonstration shows the subtlety of the circuit. Not completely useless.
That guitar sounds really nice!!!
I'm glad as i use them and promote them in international event (music china, Osaka Sound messe) , to see your very Senior Product Development Manager using a V-pick ;) . Welcome to him ! Haha ! (But i love to switch to the Fender Extra Heavy tortoise sometime )
This was super informative!
Lovely guitar. And now I know what all the switches do. Cool!
The one feature missing from the Road Worn '60s Jazzmaster is that floating tailpiece lock. Everything else about that model hits the mark.
I had no clue, but I sure do now! Thanks!
Nice demo,real classy, now I want one since I play jazz 🍻
Love to learn more about the Classic Series ‘72 Telecaster Deluxe 😁
Hi fender. Please make these in left-handed. Also a left handed squier Jazzmaster would be great. Thank you. Please
Jerry Pizzle and put a new nut in, cut the new nut, and a whole lot of setup work on bridge and trem.
Great demonstration. Sick guitar too.
Well this model looks a lot nicer than the usual Jazzmasters with strat knobs and white pickup covers.
That is one beautiful guitar! Fender is killing it lately!! Parallel Universe series, Rosewood Strat, Jimmy Page Dragon Tele and now this?! I just need to rob a bank or win the lottery to get all the new axes I want. What's crazy is I haven't been really interested in any new guitars in a very long time. Now all of the sudden Fender is making about 15 or so that I would LOVE to have. I'd like to have all twelve of the Parallel Universe series, those things are sick! And that Rosewood Stratocaster is unreal...drooling again, sorry. Cheers!🤘🎸
Thanks, nice informative review of the Jazz Master. You answered all the questions about this guitar without being an over showy douche bag. You played just enough so I could understand the essence of the instrument w/o the emotional need to show how good you can play. You do play clean and clear, and sometimes that's enough. Thanks again!
Oh yeah my 58 had the gold pick guard with the white pick up covers.
Let's see those other matching headstock Jazzmasters you are putting out!
This jazzmaster is beautiful, I don’t know if I should get this or wait patiently for a 60th anniversary jaguar to come out.
My favorite guitar
I'm so in love with that guitar
Don't be afraid of such a sweet axe! Great video.
Beautiful instrument, and awesome tone.
Nice demo, excellent tones
Excellent Video You Covered All My Questions . Thank You . I Would Like To Say I Came Up With a New Name For a Fender Guitar : Electro Caster .
Can tell that he’s a blues/classic rock guy when he played those pentatonic licks over jazz chords, haha. Informative video, great guitar, but it still bugs me to hear tremolo and vibrato used wrong.
it's only wrong if you insist on a prescriptive point-of-view. But a descriptivist would say "fender calls it a trem; everyone calls it a trem. so it is called a trem."
I get what you mean, but wouldn't it be false even through a descriptivist's perspective? Say that your buddy wants you to use a tremolo pedal. They're looking for an effect that modulates volume. And when a guitar teacher tells you to work on your vibrato when playing blues, they're talking about your control over the string's pitch as it sustains. Tremolo picking is just picking very quickly, many cases on one note. Everywhere else, both descriptivists and perscriptivists would agree that tremolo relates to volume, and vibrato relates to pitch. Just not for guitar bridges.
Chromatic Swing that’s right. And a guitar bridge and an effects pedal are different. And a billion dollar company made a mistake in the 50s, but they have the money so they have the power to make mistakes that eventually changes what words people use.
I’m not saying it makes sense. I’m just saying it is what it is, and you aren’t more right or wrong than Fender is.
Besides, this is how I look at it: I compartmentalize the guitar and technique from effects. So trem, vibrato, flanger, phaser, those are all in their own box. They are all very similar: they modulate one parameter of your signal over time; trem is volume and vibe is pitch. Great.
Now, in a completely different box, I have the guitar and techniques on guitar. I think it’s more utilitarian to distinguish using a trem arm from bending a note (or vibrato). They can sound very different and have should be used differently. Also, there is arguably, along with the pitch shifting, some noticeable volume change when using a trem arm.
Okay, I understand better now where you're coming from. People can figure out what you're saying most of the time anyways. And new guitarists will eventually figure out the difference. I'll still call the floating bridge a vibrato bridge, just for my personal preference, but thanks for broadening my perspective!
And thank you! It was a pleasure getting to dialogue with you!
I use to have a 63 Fender Jazzmaster when I was a teenager in the 1960s. I loved that guitar, but I didn't like how the neck would go out of tune so easily. Hopefully, those remakes don't have that same problem.
Roll the rhythm volume off and stutter the rhythm switch for the "on/off" effect. Strum above the nut or below the bridge to "Cha-Ching!" and trem. Do pinky volume swells with delay.
That guitar sounds great!