I have the 4oth anniversary Squier Jazzmaster, gold edition. I listened to your samples from the three guitars. I'm pretty confident that the Squier holds up really well in this comparison. I spent $350 for it. Fender ran out of the other model and substituted this one for the one they ran out of. For the money, the Squier Jazzmaster gold edition pulls well above its weight and cost. Great value and it sounds very, very good. Nice to know I didn't waste my money after listening to your comparison. Good. job!
@@AudiomoMusic I am hearing little sonic differences..is it a phone recording?...that would pick up less differences than a mic'd amp...but i like the sound of room recordings. Good playing as well! I am waiting for a used classic vibe...i tried one in the store and I was impressed. I have a japanese strat and tele...but I am positively shocked at the quality of the squiers.
This is a really interesting one! I was surprisingly enjoying the slightly darker tone of the squier for the initial clean stuff more than I thought I would. When things got louder and with the Optimist involved however I think the clarity of the others really shone through - that beautiful crisp overdriven sound that makes the JM so special really showed, especially for the AM Vintage 65 (but the Japanese one was not too far behind). The squier wasn't 'bad' by any means, but to my ear and preferences the 65 was absolutely killer (and is a high bar to reach to be fair - especially with those Fralins!!) and the Japanese one was consistent and really good too! Happy Jazzmaster day though thats for sure - always good to see them on the channel! Thinking about getting my one plek'd soon now, though its already playing soooo well so should be fun!
Your take makes sense to me, because to me the squier doesn't really sound like a Jazzmaster in a traditional sense and has a lot more of a modern tone to it. I guess really knowing your own tastes has led me to kind of predict how you will react to these sorts of things 🤣 Just get it plek'd im going to bother you until you do and I demand a thank you when you realize just how big of a difference it makes!
@@AudiomoMusic haha yeah absolutely ! It surprised me a little at first but yeah the 65 is a beaut of a guitar and those fralins are great! Haha yeah I will email them about booking in soon and let you know how i get on/feel about it! Definitely excited for it but may be a few weeks haha !
@@AudiomoMusic haha and yeah I’ll definitely thank you for it!!(and will explain to my other half I ‘have to do’ this now 😂😂 it’s for science at this point! 😂)
Great video. I definitely prefer the Squier. If I was to get a jazzmaster I would use it mainly for shoegaze and I think the Squier fits the role better sonically IMO.
Yeah it definitely has a bit more of the modern vibe honestly to it than the other two which are much more based off of a vintage sound. It's a cool sound for sure, and I was impressed with the electronics on the guitar
The Squire sounded best to me followed by the AV! I liked the fullness of the Squire and i dig the scooped tone of the AV, i didnt like the MIJ as much as the other 2 but all 3 do sound very good to me.
Smooth is the perfect word for it, I think that's really what the jazzmaster is best used for... a very smooth and rich clean tone. It really shines with the AV more so there than the others I completely agree.
This was one of the few times where switching from guitar to guitar wasn't really difficult during filming since the necks were very similar in thickness, I had fun doing it glad you enjoyed it!
Hey Jim, you da man! I’m right at the moment looking for a jazzmaster, and was looking at everything from a squier to an American. Timely video and, as always, thank you brother 🙏🏼
@@AudiomoMusic I’m in Sydney Australia and I really think a MIJ is perfect for what I need. Must say I’ve played them all and no disrespect but the American ones do not justify the premium of AUD$ 2k considering where my playing abilities are currently at and that is the main driver of my purchasers. When I play Madison Square Gardens I will buy a Custom Shop!
Haha i dont mind especially given the current prices for american vintage, you can actually get a custom ship for that money if you are patient indeed! I love the MIJ stuff, you won’t be disappointed
Thanks Jason, this was definitely a fun one, it's not often I have three like this from such different price ranges so I knew I had to make something like this
Enjoyed this review! 👍I just bought an American Pro ii and am enjoying it a lot. It doesn't quite sound like a classic Jazzmaster, so I'm thinking of getting a squier that i could mess with.... maybe eventually put some Lollar black bobbin pickups or something 🤔.
Great comparison. Really enjoyed it. I totally agree that some guitars can become money pits, and need to be careful not to chase a spec that is available new for not much more. I did learn that after all Jazzmaster really isn't my sound though :P
It's fun to mod things but in this case I really would just leave it be, it can get expensive and then you might not even be happy with the results because things vary so much from rig to rig. I will always love Jazzmasters but the Jaguar is way more my kind of sound.
Man they all actually sound pretty good to my ears in general, but I think overall the AV 65 is my favorite with the Japanese one being a close second. The Squier is no slouch but you do get what you pay for. I tried one of these white and gold 40th anniversary model at GC earlier this year. I wanted it badly at the time but when I played it I just couldn't connect with it. It just seemed so-so. Maybe it wasn't a good one or would've benefitted from a good setup. Loved the comparison though!
Is there a difference in tone? Yes. Will the average person distinguish you’re using *just* a squier in a gig? No. Great video, planning to get that squier anniv jazzmaster in lake placid blue
At a gig most certainly not, I wanted to make sure people would understand this guitar is certainly good enough to go out and play live with and have no problems once the bridge issue is fixed. LPB is my favorite and if I didn't have a Jaguar coming in that color I would have probably gone for that!
Great comparison and yes the Japanese Fenders are amazing value. I actually have a FGN Strat style guitar that's made in Japan and I love it. The fenders sounded just a tiny bit better than the Squier. That Squier bridge is just appalling in a $950-$1000au guitar. For that asking price you should not have to worry about these issues. The tunomatic style on the J Mascis was brilliant. I had a Vintage modified Jaguar years ago the bridge was dreadful. Did everything that people recommend to it at it was still a dog. I have a Kurt Cobain Jag with the tunomatic bridge and it's a fantastic guitar.
The Mascis its outstanding and I will stand by the fact that it is the best production squier you can buy to this day. it really is a brilliant and unique instrument in the fact that it doesn't come with either the traditional jazzmaster pickups OR jazzmaster bridge... it just works.
The 40th Anniversary Squiers look nice, except I'm not a huge fan of the gloss neck, no skunk-stripe, and indian laurel fretboard. My quest for a block-inlay Fender continues.
One day Fender will make a proper reissue of that kind of Jazzmaster, a shame they completely botched the 60th anniversary jazzmasters by making them in the Mexican factory and basically entirely wrong 🤣
Valid, but I'm way more perplexed by Fenders decision to keep using a bridge where the legs will gradually lower as you play since this has been an issue for years and they fix it on some models, ignore it on others.
I was looking at the Squire 40th and CV's. They claim to have addressed the neck shim problem with the 40th models so that is a plus. I found something better for just a bit over the cost of the Squire 40th. The Guild Surfliner Deluxe is a great alternative and I'm sure it's built better.
I wouldn't be surprised if they were built in the same place honestly, but the squier's in general are super hit and miss out of the box which I would say is a big difference in initial impressions and quality. Good on you for going against the grain, those are pretty cool guitars man
Squier is shockingly good in terms of the sound. I kind of prefer it sound to AV, but MIJ is a winner in this case. As you mentioned, keeping it stock is the best thing you could do. I rolled the fret ends as well as binding on mine and it's definitely taken it to the next level.
It's kinda crazy how many people skip the hole setting the guitar up just the way you like step of getting a guitar and will quickly offload it without ever trying to do so or bringing it to someone who can. I'm really happy you like yours man, love to hear it!
Would have loved to see the J Mascis Squire Jazzmaster at $500 in this shoootout. It's fantastic, but I love it mostly because of the pickups since they are basically P90s and the tone is just that little bit thicker.
Thanks John I'm biased but I totally agree, I really think it's because it's the one that sounds the most like a traditional jazzmaster is supposed to, really it's own thing
gold one sounds the best to me in all examples. What model is that one? (Not surprised to hear what pick-ups, I had Linde Fraylin P-90's in my LP and they sounded amazing)
Is your price comparison on the two Squiers a fair comparison? I don’t know, just asking the Q. That seems like a big difference between the classic vibe and 40th a overlay. Did you compare a discounted CV price with a RRP for the 40th? And is a discount on the 40th possible? In Australia a 25% discount of RRP is pretty standard
The Mascis is my favorite of all the squiers, really unique tones from it compared to a normal jazzmaster due to it using completely different style of pickups. Also that's funny you say that! If you had bought a Jaguar I could have understood but I've always kind of put the Jazzmaster in second place for what I love about Offset guitars but they are indeed great!
I can't agree more, it may seem subtle to some and I tried to refrain from giving too much of my opinion on how they actually rank but the 65 is simply on a different level.
@@AudiomoMusic I wonder how much specifically has to do with the pickups vs premium wood/construction/components, etc? I assume, the Squier’s pickups are the same hotter JM pickups in the Classic Vibe and I am unsure of what comes in the Japanese JM. Any thoughts?
I am coming here after buying a J Mascius Jazzmaster and then buying an American Pro II. I will say this. The Squier made my love Jazzmasters (I am a Les Paul guy) in doing so it made me wonder about the American version. I have both and will never get rid of either. I have recorded with the Squier and already gigged the Pro II. Both are both worth the money
My favorite Jazzmaster that isn't a MIJ or American is in fact - the J Mascis. I really feel that is by far the best out of anything Squier or Fender Mexico make and it's extremely beneficial that it's as affordable as it is. It's a great guitar and absolutely works well.
Great review thank you sir! Can you tell me if the 40th anniversary has the same pickups as the latest Squire 60's classic vibes Jazzmaster? It sounds like it. Thanks.
@@AudiomoMusic I wonder if it has different pots or if....and I'm no tonewood dude but the metal pick guard makes some tonal difference. It sounds a little less trebley.
Its funny on how i prefered the squier tones over the other ones on this video, i had some japanese fenders and they were great quality guitars but i never get in love with their sound. (But they all sounded good) just dont get the click, you know. The a.v sounds really cool too. Nice video.
That's really cool man, everyone has their own preferences for sure. It's funny because the Squier sounds the least like a Jazzmaster but has a really cool tone to it that's definitely unique. I find videos like this are extremely helpful for myself to just sit in pro tools while I'm editing and mess with the tracks and see how they work with other instruments as well. Eventually if it doesn't bore everyone to death I think Id like to do this same kind of demo but then have a second part where all three are sitting with a full band... that to me is the true tell tale sign of which is "best" for that application.
im a recent onvert to jazzmasters i have the jm and the pro 2. And the pro 2 is better to play and sounds better for sure it just has this beautiful chime , But the jm is super fun and awsome value i really love it i go to it first all the time.I get the pro 2 out when ive done really well or its like a reward or something. I just put jay mascis in my jm jm and i think it sounds better especially through the big muff
I am going to be honest with you here. I have to say that I liked the raw sound of the squire. It just had a more authentic Jazz Master sound to my ear. I will probably get laughed at 😂 but if you stuck a blind fold on me I would struggle to tell the difference in the value of those guitars. Now the play and feel might be a different matter. But I haven't played them so I can't judge and comment on that.
The gold one is three times as much money though 🤣🤣🤣. I think the Japanese one is really similar as far as how it plays, but the bigger difference between the Gold and the MIJ are the pickups 100%. Fender dont make a pickup in the same world as the fralins that are in the gold one.
The 60s Vintera is seriously underrated. I own both MIM and an AVR and the Vintera surprised me how well it’s made and sounds that said I wouldn’t defend the vintera modified at all but mim Fenders aren’t generally duds man. I get that you’re a reseller for Fender Japan but c’mon lol
You’re lucky to have gotten a good one, ive tried countless vinteras and none of them are remotely as good as Fender Japan. Fret work is mediocre at beat, synthetic bone nut, pau ferro instead of actual rosewood… when the mexican factory were allowed to use rosewood and the prices were lower they made some great guitars, the bajas, the lacquer jag and jazzmasters, but the recent stuff has way too many compromises for me and they rarely get the finishing touches that the Japanese guitars get. Part of the reason why I do sell Fender Japan is because I know what im getting every time, with MIM its a roll of the dice.
Fair enough I’m not gonna claim to deal with as many Fender mim or mij as you but I noticed that the jazzmasters that are being sold mostly In the used market from the vintera line are the modified ones. Of course I love the rosewood on my AVR but the pau ferro isn’t bad once you condition it. Mij and mim share a lot of the same compromises at time whether it’s pickups or hardware on these jazzmasters or even American mass production lines still things like feel and such could be very subjective
@@bruno_schumann when you're going for a vintage reissue stylr instrument, the extremely light hue of pau ferro looks wrong. on modern guitars i don't mind pau ferro at all, but for guitars that go out of their way to try and look like vintage guitars but have pau ferro are not things i have any interest in... it's a sore thumb visually. pau ferro sounds fine, and feels fine, it's not deficient in any way just don't care for it on these kinds of models.
Beautiful rosewood on Japan model. US certainly sounds nicest. I own the Squier, it’s okay for the cost. I had expected a bit more from the dark circuit. I wouldn’t buy it again.
100% agree on the subjective nature of any test like this, that's why I wanted to get right to playing and make sure the majority of the video just presented the sounds of the guitars themselves so people could come to their own conclusions
Great comparison video! Have you played 2021 fender japan traditional 60s jm? What's your take on that model? Some seller on reverb state that it's feature USA electronic & pickguard.
Yes in 2021 they come stock with V-mod pickups and CTS pots. I had one of those in stock about 5 months ago. For me it is still pretty cool but I prefer the original traditionals for the 7.25 radius and I'd just assume throw in my own pickups over anything Fender makes from the factory imho
I'm with you on this one, I just didn't care for the really modern sound - it didn't remind me much of a jazzmaster at all tonally compared to the other two. Luckily, that's an easy fix indeed
I'm not a huge fan of those guitars, I like the way the neck feels but the hardware and electronics are not up to par at all with higher end models and once you start actually spending money to replace those parts you end up spending what it would have cost to buy a Japanese one that won't need fretwork, a level, or anything replaced for the same cost that will also retain it's value.
To me, the one that sounds the most LIKE a jazzmaster originally was designed is the 65. The Squier doesn't sound bad but it doesn't really sound like a Jazzmaster traditionally does, and the MIJ is somewhere in between the two of them but retains a bit more of the build quality and incredible fret work.
Taste and sound or anything is purely subjective to each person. To my ears, I thought the Squier sounded the best and the Japanese model not so good. As a jazzmaster enthusiast that I am, I only prefer jazzmasters with Hardtail Bridges.
I agree, its all totally subjective in terms of tone, which is why I wanted to make sure people would hear a lot of examples instead of just a few to really get a feel for what appealed to them. A jazzmaster or jag without the vibrato to me is something i would never consider, its such a gigantic part of the feel and sound, its cool to see some people prefer it the other way, its rare to see but i respect your preference 👍🏽
Totally agree, which is why i do a lot of course reviews and stress the importance of actually understanding how music works to begin with. I feel like modern tabs and video lessons just teach people how to copy, not how to actual compose and understand why things work and methods to recreate them in their own songs.
For me the difference in build quality and feel of the MIJ is light years better than the squiers. They are just flat out better built instruments and they should be given the price differences. The squier can do the job on a budget but it's hard to explain via video format just how much better the MIJ feels to play.
I think those Squier 40th anniversary JMs offer pretty good value for money, though I find the pickups boring and without character. But I get your sentiment. MIM Fender necks are a huge step up in quality vs Squier necks (yes, even the JMJM neck, which still feels inferior to MIM necks, imo). Then the MIA and CIJ necks feel and play even better. Another issue with Squiers is that the tolerance on weights must be massive. I’ve owned a few Squier JMs. One weighed like 11 pounds. Another same model closer to 8.
I have the 4oth anniversary Squier Jazzmaster, gold edition. I listened to your samples from the three guitars. I'm pretty confident that the Squier holds up really well in this comparison. I spent $350 for it. Fender ran out of the other model and substituted this one for the one they ran out of. For the money, the Squier Jazzmaster gold edition pulls well above its weight and cost. Great value and it sounds very, very good. Nice to know I didn't waste my money after listening to your comparison. Good. job!
This is one of my favourite Jazzmaster comparison vids! Great job!
Thanks man! They are all pretty cool in their own right!
@@AudiomoMusic I am hearing little sonic differences..is it a phone recording?...that would pick up less differences than a mic'd amp...but i like the sound of room recordings. Good playing as well! I am waiting for a used classic vibe...i tried one in the store and I was impressed. I have a japanese strat and tele...but I am positively shocked at the quality of the squiers.
This is a sm57 micd slightly off center of the mesa boogie into a focusrite 18i8
@@AudiomoMusic wow, i'm stunned very natural sounding
you do enough recording and this stuff becomes second nature haha
This is a really interesting one! I was surprisingly enjoying the slightly darker tone of the squier for the initial clean stuff more than I thought I would. When things got louder and with the Optimist involved however I think the clarity of the others really shone through - that beautiful crisp overdriven sound that makes the JM so special really showed, especially for the AM Vintage 65 (but the Japanese one was not too far behind). The squier wasn't 'bad' by any means, but to my ear and preferences the 65 was absolutely killer (and is a high bar to reach to be fair - especially with those Fralins!!) and the Japanese one was consistent and really good too!
Happy Jazzmaster day though thats for sure - always good to see them on the channel! Thinking about getting my one plek'd soon now, though its already playing soooo well so should be fun!
Your take makes sense to me, because to me the squier doesn't really sound like a Jazzmaster in a traditional sense and has a lot more of a modern tone to it. I guess really knowing your own tastes has led me to kind of predict how you will react to these sorts of things 🤣
Just get it plek'd im going to bother you until you do and I demand a thank you when you realize just how big of a difference it makes!
@@AudiomoMusic haha yeah absolutely ! It surprised me a little at first but yeah the 65 is a beaut of a guitar and those fralins are great!
Haha yeah I will email them about booking in soon and let you know how i get on/feel about it! Definitely excited for it but may be a few weeks haha !
@@AudiomoMusic haha and yeah I’ll definitely thank you for it!!(and will explain to my other half I ‘have to do’ this now 😂😂 it’s for science at this point! 😂)
Great video. I definitely prefer the Squier. If I was to get a jazzmaster I would use it mainly for shoegaze and I think the Squier fits the role better sonically IMO.
Yeah it definitely has a bit more of the modern vibe honestly to it than the other two which are much more based off of a vintage sound. It's a cool sound for sure, and I was impressed with the electronics on the guitar
The Squire sounded best to me followed by the AV! I liked the fullness of the Squire and i dig the scooped tone of the AV, i didnt like the MIJ as much as the other 2 but all 3 do sound very good to me.
I thought the Squire and MIJ sounded very similar, and good, but my preference is for the AV. It just sounds very clear and smooth.
Smooth is the perfect word for it, I think that's really what the jazzmaster is best used for... a very smooth and rich clean tone. It really shines with the AV more so there than the others I completely agree.
Super fun video Jim. Great breakdown.
This was one of the few times where switching from guitar to guitar wasn't really difficult during filming since the necks were very similar in thickness, I had fun doing it glad you enjoyed it!
Hey Jim, you da man! I’m right at the moment looking for a jazzmaster, and was looking at everything from a squier to an American. Timely video and, as always, thank you brother 🙏🏼
Glad the timing worked out! Have you narrowed it down at all?
@@AudiomoMusic I’m in Sydney Australia and I really think a MIJ is perfect for what I need. Must say I’ve played them all and no disrespect but the American ones do not justify the premium of AUD$ 2k considering where my playing abilities are currently at and that is the main driver of my purchasers. When I play Madison Square Gardens I will buy a Custom Shop!
Haha i dont mind especially given the current prices for american vintage, you can actually get a custom ship for that money if you are patient indeed!
I love the MIJ stuff, you won’t be disappointed
Really good vid man! Good quality, vibe, everything 🤙🏼
Also I think I want a Jazzmaster now…
Thanks I appreciate that you enjoyed it! Everyone needs a jazzmaster, they are really fun and unique instruments!
Thanks, Jim, great comparison video. Great to see your subs rising every day. Keep up the good work. 👍
Thanks Jason, this was definitely a fun one, it's not often I have three like this from such different price ranges so I knew I had to make something like this
Enjoyed this review! 👍I just bought an American Pro ii and am enjoying it a lot. It doesn't quite sound like a classic Jazzmaster, so I'm thinking of getting a squier that i could mess with.... maybe eventually put some Lollar black bobbin pickups or something 🤔.
Don't discount the Fralins! I've never played a set of lollars that have come close to the sheer definition of the fralins
@@AudiomoMusic cool... appreciate the tip. I will definitely look into those. Good to have options.
Great comparison. Really enjoyed it. I totally agree that some guitars can become money pits, and need to be careful not to chase a spec that is available new for not much more. I did learn that after all Jazzmaster really isn't my sound though :P
It's fun to mod things but in this case I really would just leave it be, it can get expensive and then you might not even be happy with the results because things vary so much from rig to rig.
I will always love Jazzmasters but the Jaguar is way more my kind of sound.
Thanks for the honesty at the end 👍 looking for my first Jazzmaster.
No problem! Which ones are you narrowed down to?
Man they all actually sound pretty good to my ears in general, but I think overall the AV 65 is my favorite with the Japanese one being a close second. The Squier is no slouch but you do get what you pay for. I tried one of these white and gold 40th anniversary model at GC earlier this year. I wanted it badly at the time but when I played it I just couldn't connect with it. It just seemed so-so. Maybe it wasn't a good one or would've benefitted from a good setup. Loved the comparison though!
Is there a difference in tone? Yes. Will the average person distinguish you’re using *just* a squier in a gig? No. Great video, planning to get that squier anniv jazzmaster in lake placid blue
At a gig most certainly not, I wanted to make sure people would understand this guitar is certainly good enough to go out and play live with and have no problems once the bridge issue is fixed. LPB is my favorite and if I didn't have a Jaguar coming in that color I would have probably gone for that!
@@AudiomoMusic looking forward to seeing and hearing that beautiful jaguar!
Squier sounded best pushed imo. But is it worth $600? I have a hard time accepting that price.
Nope, just buy a classic vibe for half
Great comparison and yes the Japanese Fenders are amazing value. I actually have a FGN Strat style guitar that's made in Japan and I love it. The fenders sounded just a tiny bit better than the Squier. That Squier bridge is just appalling in a $950-$1000au guitar. For that asking price you should not have to worry about these issues. The tunomatic style on the J Mascis was brilliant. I had a Vintage modified Jaguar years ago the bridge was dreadful. Did everything that people recommend to it at it was still a dog. I have a Kurt Cobain Jag with the tunomatic bridge and it's a fantastic guitar.
The Mascis its outstanding and I will stand by the fact that it is the best production squier you can buy to this day. it really is a brilliant and unique instrument in the fact that it doesn't come with either the traditional jazzmaster pickups OR jazzmaster bridge... it just works.
The 40th Anniversary Squiers look nice, except I'm not a huge fan of the gloss neck, no skunk-stripe, and indian laurel fretboard. My quest for a block-inlay Fender continues.
One day Fender will make a proper reissue of that kind of Jazzmaster, a shame they completely botched the 60th anniversary jazzmasters by making them in the Mexican factory and basically entirely wrong 🤣
What’s the pickups height that you’ve set on the Squier? I have the same guitar and I couldn’t find the sweet spot.
What's keeping me away from the Squire is Fender's dumb decision to leave off the vibrato lock. How much do they save? $0.79 per guitar??
Valid, but I'm way more perplexed by Fenders decision to keep using a bridge where the legs will gradually lower as you play since this has been an issue for years and they fix it on some models, ignore it on others.
I was looking at the Squire 40th and CV's. They claim to have addressed the neck shim problem with the 40th models so that is a plus. I found something better for just a bit over the cost of the Squire 40th. The Guild Surfliner Deluxe is a great alternative and I'm sure it's built better.
I wouldn't be surprised if they were built in the same place honestly, but the squier's in general are super hit and miss out of the box which I would say is a big difference in initial impressions and quality. Good on you for going against the grain, those are pretty cool guitars man
Squier is shockingly good in terms of the sound. I kind of prefer it sound to AV, but MIJ is a winner in this case. As you mentioned, keeping it stock is the best thing you could do. I rolled the fret ends as well as binding on mine and it's definitely taken it to the next level.
It's kinda crazy how many people skip the hole setting the guitar up just the way you like step of getting a guitar and will quickly offload it without ever trying to do so or bringing it to someone who can. I'm really happy you like yours man, love to hear it!
Would have loved to see the J Mascis Squire Jazzmaster at $500 in this shoootout. It's fantastic, but I love it mostly because of the pickups since they are basically P90s and the tone is just that little bit thicker.
I have to say your American Vintage 65 really stood out sound wise! 🙂
Thanks John I'm biased but I totally agree, I really think it's because it's the one that sounds the most like a traditional jazzmaster is supposed to, really it's own thing
Thanks For Sharing 🎸 🎶
gold one sounds the best to me in all examples. What model is that one? (Not surprised to hear what pick-ups, I had Linde Fraylin P-90's in my LP and they sounded amazing)
That one is a 2013 Fender American Vintage 65 reissue and I agree, totally in a class of its own in this comparison
Is your price comparison on the two Squiers a fair comparison? I don’t know, just asking the Q. That seems like a big difference between the classic vibe and 40th a overlay. Did you compare a discounted CV price with a RRP for the 40th? And is a discount on the 40th possible? In Australia a 25% discount of RRP is pretty standard
I just picked up the J Mascis squier and I am absolutely loving it. I think your channel made me GAS for a jazzmaster.
The Mascis is my favorite of all the squiers, really unique tones from it compared to a normal jazzmaster due to it using completely different style of pickups.
Also that's funny you say that! If you had bought a Jaguar I could have understood but I've always kind of put the Jazzmaster in second place for what I love about Offset guitars but they are indeed great!
@@AudiomoMusic would the 40th anniversary sound like the j mascis to you? It sounds sort of like a less bright jazzmaster?
That AV 65. In my view, more of everything you want in a JM - warmth, clarity, cut, note definition.
I can't agree more, it may seem subtle to some and I tried to refrain from giving too much of my opinion on how they actually rank but the 65 is simply on a different level.
@@AudiomoMusic I wonder how much specifically has to do with the pickups vs premium wood/construction/components, etc? I assume, the Squier’s pickups are the same hotter JM pickups in the Classic Vibe and I am unsure of what comes in the Japanese JM. Any thoughts?
I have the fralins with + 5% in the bridge too in my green Jazzmaster ;-)
That's what I love to hear!!! Lindy is the BEST!!!
I am coming here after buying a J Mascius Jazzmaster and then buying an American Pro II. I will say this. The Squier made my love Jazzmasters (I am a Les Paul guy) in doing so it made me wonder about the American version. I have both and will never get rid of either. I have recorded with the Squier and already gigged the Pro II. Both are both worth the money
My favorite Jazzmaster that isn't a MIJ or American is in fact - the J Mascis. I really feel that is by far the best out of anything Squier or Fender Mexico make and it's extremely beneficial that it's as affordable as it is. It's a great guitar and absolutely works well.
Great review thank you sir! Can you tell me if the 40th anniversary has the same pickups as the latest Squire 60's classic vibes Jazzmaster? It sounds like it. Thanks.
Yep, same pickups indeed
@@AudiomoMusic I wonder if it has different pots or if....and I'm no tonewood dude but the metal pick guard makes some tonal difference. It sounds a little less trebley.
Its funny on how i prefered the squier tones over the other ones on this video, i had some japanese fenders and they were great quality guitars but i never get in love with their sound. (But they all sounded good) just dont get the click, you know.
The a.v sounds really cool too.
Nice video.
That's really cool man, everyone has their own preferences for sure. It's funny because the Squier sounds the least like a Jazzmaster but has a really cool tone to it that's definitely unique.
I find videos like this are extremely helpful for myself to just sit in pro tools while I'm editing and mess with the tracks and see how they work with other instruments as well. Eventually if it doesn't bore everyone to death I think Id like to do this same kind of demo but then have a second part where all three are sitting with a full band... that to me is the true tell tale sign of which is "best" for that application.
im a recent onvert to jazzmasters i have the jm and the pro 2. And the pro 2 is better to play and sounds better for sure it just has this beautiful chime , But the jm is super fun and awsome value i really love it i go to it first all the time.I get the pro 2 out when ive done really well or its like a reward or something. I just put jay mascis in my jm jm and i think it sounds better especially through the big muff
I am going to be honest with you here. I have to say that I liked the raw sound of the squire. It just had a more authentic Jazz Master sound to my ear.
I will probably get laughed at 😂 but if you stuck a blind fold on me I would struggle to tell the difference in the value of those guitars.
Now the play and feel might be a different matter. But I haven't played them so I can't judge and comment on that.
Nobody laughing, you like what you like. I thought the squier did a pretty good job!
Kind of interested in the jazzmaster for sale, trying to learn more now...
the gold one ruins the comparison for me...how could you not get one like the gold one...I bet it even feels better to play too.
The gold one is three times as much money though 🤣🤣🤣. I think the Japanese one is really similar as far as how it plays, but the bigger difference between the Gold and the MIJ are the pickups 100%. Fender dont make a pickup in the same world as the fralins that are in the gold one.
@@AudiomoMusic understood.
The 60s Vintera is seriously underrated. I own both MIM and an AVR and the Vintera surprised me how well it’s made and sounds that said I wouldn’t defend the vintera modified at all but mim Fenders aren’t generally duds man. I get that you’re a reseller for Fender Japan but c’mon lol
You’re lucky to have gotten a good one, ive tried countless vinteras and none of them are remotely as good as Fender Japan. Fret work is mediocre at beat, synthetic bone nut, pau ferro instead of actual rosewood… when the mexican factory were allowed to use rosewood and the prices were lower they made some great guitars, the bajas, the lacquer jag and jazzmasters, but the recent stuff has way too many compromises for me and they rarely get the finishing touches that the Japanese guitars get. Part of the reason why I do sell Fender Japan is because I know what im getting every time, with MIM its a roll of the dice.
Fair enough I’m not gonna claim to deal with as many Fender mim or mij as you but I noticed that the jazzmasters that are being sold mostly In the used market from the vintera line are the modified ones. Of course I love the rosewood on my AVR but the pau ferro isn’t bad once you condition it. Mij and mim share a lot of the same compromises at time whether it’s pickups or hardware on these jazzmasters or even American mass production lines still things like feel and such could be very subjective
All that to say I’m definitely in the market for a MIJ Jazzmaster! Appreciate your work
@@AudiomoMusic what's the problem with Pau Ferro? Honestly, I don't understand.
@@bruno_schumann when you're going for a vintage reissue stylr instrument, the extremely light hue of pau ferro looks wrong. on modern guitars i don't mind pau ferro at all, but for guitars that go out of their way to try and look like vintage guitars but have pau ferro are not things i have any interest in... it's a sore thumb visually.
pau ferro sounds fine, and feels fine, it's not deficient in any way just don't care for it on these kinds of models.
Beautiful rosewood on Japan model. US certainly sounds nicest. I own the Squier, it’s okay for the cost. I had expected a bit more from the dark circuit. I wouldn’t buy it again.
Squier and japanese sounds so similar! (The squier’s a little fuller… ) but the 65 sounds best
I agree the 65 sounds by far the best but it was kind of expected from me, it's the only one that has actual jazzmaster pickups in it
The squire sounded like it had more chime to it. I'm a sucker for the bell-like chime. Taste is subjective.
100% agree on the subjective nature of any test like this, that's why I wanted to get right to playing and make sure the majority of the video just presented the sounds of the guitars themselves so people could come to their own conclusions
I think I preferred the Squier tonally too.
@@guitareveryone to me it's less bright and chimy. Maybe a little warm. Possibly close to a j maskis.
Are you from San Diego
I lived in San Diego for over a decade but I'm not from there, it will always be my second home
@@AudiomoMusic SD native, I just recently started watching your channel, great work, I thought I felt the SD vibe
Great comparison video! Have you played 2021 fender japan traditional 60s jm? What's your take on that model? Some seller on reverb state that it's feature USA electronic & pickguard.
Yes in 2021 they come stock with V-mod pickups and CTS pots. I had one of those in stock about 5 months ago. For me it is still pretty cool but I prefer the original traditionals for the 7.25 radius and I'd just assume throw in my own pickups over anything Fender makes from the factory imho
MIJ & AV sounded best. I’d definitely pickup a Squier 40th anniversary used but swap those pickups.
I'm with you on this one, I just didn't care for the really modern sound - it didn't remind me much of a jazzmaster at all tonally compared to the other two. Luckily, that's an easy fix indeed
You can find a 40th Squier for $300-400 which they can’t be beat at that kinda money.
I'm not a huge fan of those guitars, I like the way the neck feels but the hardware and electronics are not up to par at all with higher end models and once you start actually spending money to replace those parts you end up spending what it would have cost to buy a Japanese one that won't need fretwork, a level, or anything replaced for the same cost that will also retain it's value.
I prefer the Japanese pickups. I know they're not the JM sound, but I prefer them, like a fuller but still chimey strat tone.
In my tone deaf opinion the 65 slammed it. Then the Japanese built and then ye olde squier. Good job well thought out comparison.
To me, the one that sounds the most LIKE a jazzmaster originally was designed is the 65. The Squier doesn't sound bad but it doesn't really sound like a Jazzmaster traditionally does, and the MIJ is somewhere in between the two of them but retains a bit more of the build quality and incredible fret work.
In this demo the Japan version sounds the best to me 🤓
The Squier CLEARLY sounded the best.
No contest.
Taste and sound or anything is purely subjective to each person. To my ears, I thought the Squier sounded the best and the Japanese model not so good. As a jazzmaster enthusiast that I am, I only prefer jazzmasters with Hardtail Bridges.
I agree, its all totally subjective in terms of tone, which is why I wanted to make sure people would hear a lot of examples instead of just a few to really get a feel for what appealed to them.
A jazzmaster or jag without the vibrato to me is something i would never consider, its such a gigantic part of the feel and sound, its cool to see some people prefer it the other way, its rare to see but i respect your preference 👍🏽
Cool san diego hat
Was my home for a large part of my life, miss it dearly at times
I'm a total noob with guitar, but as with piano, I think your biggest investment needs to be in your practicing and learning, not in your instrument.
Totally agree, which is why i do a lot of course reviews and stress the importance of actually understanding how music works to begin with. I feel like modern tabs and video lessons just teach people how to copy, not how to actual compose and understand why things work and methods to recreate them in their own songs.
@@AudiomoMusic Fully agree ... I'd even say you're maybe not fully feeling the music until you start composing.
So happy that I'm done with all the Squier BS. Overpriced guitars praised by the mob for some reason. I'd take a cheap HB or a MIJ Fender anyday.
For me the difference in build quality and feel of the MIJ is light years better than the squiers. They are just flat out better built instruments and they should be given the price differences. The squier can do the job on a budget but it's hard to explain via video format just how much better the MIJ feels to play.
I think those Squier 40th anniversary JMs offer pretty good value for money, though I find the pickups boring and without character.
But I get your sentiment. MIM Fender necks are a huge step up in quality vs Squier necks (yes, even the JMJM neck, which still feels inferior to MIM necks, imo). Then the MIA and CIJ necks feel and play even better.
Another issue with Squiers is that the tolerance on weights must be massive. I’ve owned a few Squier JMs. One weighed like 11 pounds. Another same model closer to 8.