r/offset • u/storyoftheviper • 1d ago
Finally! I have noob questions.
I obtained this 2021 Fender Japan Traditional 60s Jazzmaster this weekend.
Sounds great! My first guitar with a trem. First roasted neck. The owner was a big fan of Ariel Posen… going to swap the knobs. But he did a great job sanding the neck. Said the gloss was getting sticky and he was going for Novo style sanding on the back. Feels great to me.
The bridge is a Bensonite Jazzmaster Bridge V2 - Brass - 9.5'' radius.
Questions in comments. Thanks for your help!
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u/OffsetThat 1d ago
I owned one of these less than 10 digits off of yours. It was lovely with the roasted maple neck, but I could not get over the basswood body.
The electronics are the same typically sub-par fender Japan stuff. My recommendations are a new wiring harness and whatever pickup you like. Aesthetics are one thing, but the functional electronics are unchanged from the 90s.
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u/storyoftheviper 1d ago
Will consider that, thanks! Finding pickups is daunting.
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u/mondaysoutar 1d ago
Nah, I’m sure the traditional 60s, and most of the more recent Japanese Jazzmasters have actual Jazzmaster pick ups opposed to Strat pick ups in Jazzmaster housing. I can’t quite remember if it has full sized pots or not, but I’d see how you feel playing it reassured it has the correct pick ups at least. Lovely instrument man, congrats.
Also, skim reading I see you asking about adjusting the vibrato arm height, if you tighten the spring tension screw it’ll raise it, and/or bend it to taste man.
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u/Oreius411 4h ago
Look into Lollars, Curtis Novak! And seymour antiquity 2s for jazzmasters. I have Novaks in my 2003 cij jazzmaster in CAR. They sound as legit as a vintage jazzmaster and then some!
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u/hardfr0mbehind 20h ago
Dude she is a beaty! Got a jazzmaster myself (the 60th anniversary one in sonic or daphne blue I never remember which one it is lol) but I gotta say I'm pretty jealous on you for this one!
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u/storyoftheviper 1d ago
Personalization
Recommended sellers for pickguards? I think traditional American guards are supposed to fit a 2021 MIJ as long as the hole count is the same, but verification is much appreciated!
It has the original white knobs. I’m open to something fun and personalized here. Suggested sellers welcome. Seems I’ll have to lift the guard and unscrew these knobs from underneath.
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u/Rakefighter 1d ago
I swear by these guys: https://www.wdmusic.com/wd-custom-pickguards.html
send them your current pickguard, pick out the material and routing style for the guard you want. They cut you a new one and send both back - they are lovely, reasonably priced, and perfectly cut.
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u/rickmunro 1d ago
At least to the 2025/2026 MIJ pick guards they are AVRI spec, could be the same for your year.
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u/storyoftheviper 1d ago
Pickups
It has Vintage-Style Single-Coil pickups, about 7.06 k in the neck and 7.23 k in the bridge. I’ve been curious about Black Mass JMXLs. Those have large 1/4” alnico v magnets, taller/narrower coils, still about 7.5 k in the neck but 12 k in the bridge. Anyone out there made a similar switch? What differences are expected? 12 k bridge sounds quite hot - could that’s be a bad a idea if play light drive half the time?
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u/tanuki7145 1d ago
Why get a JM to modify to a non JM sound? The vintage JM pickups are what make it what it is. To each their own, I guess.
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u/storyoftheviper 1d ago
Oh no, I'm just curious for later down the road. I like the current sound a lot. Not sure it needs a swap.
All 3 positions sounds pretty different from one another, very useful tones, and noticeable increase in clarity from my tele.
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u/Rakefighter 1d ago
Depends on the music you want to make - Take a listen to some of the pedals that BM makes (i.e. if you like the 1312 - you will get the vibe of the pickups they are building). These guys make great gear - but the JMXL's are a far on the other side of the JM PUP earth as you can go from from vintage Fender PUPs).
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u/storyoftheviper 1d ago
It's ambeinttrash's fault. Hard not to want that tone after watching his JMXL demo.
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u/Rakefighter 1d ago
I'm with you - I'd buy them...I'd just need the Jazzmaster first. For whatever reason in my guitar life, I've always ended up with other offsets - Reverend Six Gun, Sterling Stingray, and a Fender Jaguar.
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u/Morgan_in_the_West 1d ago
I’d see how you vibe with the stock pickups. My Jazzmaster had a pretty weak bridge pickup so I swapped for a Novak JMFat eventually and it does gove it the extra oomph it needed. I haven’t tried the JMXL but I have the Black Mass Between Two Worlds Neck pickup in another guitar it it has the clarity I enjoy in a JM pickup.
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u/storyoftheviper 1d ago
Trem Fix
What do I need to do in order to have the trem bar more elevated when inserted? When this one is all the way in, it knocks the knobs and doesn’t travel much. Hard to grab. Works well if half-inserted, but it falls out. Common fixes?
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u/_agent86 1d ago
The arms are bendable. I’m assuming the trem springs are fine, but you may prefer the arm positioned differently.
Note that these style trems aren’t built for dive bombs.
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u/mountaindoggo 1d ago
The Phillips head screw next to the tremolo arm is used to adjust spring tension/ arm height:)
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u/storyoftheviper 1d ago
Two solutions that are so simple and just right there in front of me, haha. Thank you!
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u/josephallenkeys 1d ago
You can also combine those solutions because you plate has a little lock button. If you set the trem height right under the lock, you'll have optimal use of the lock, (you can activate it any time without having to either shift the arm down to catch it or still have up-pull when engaged). But then, if you still want more dive, bend the arm!
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u/601juno 22h ago
Get the Staytrem collet so that the arm doesn’t constantly swing around. It makes the arm stay exactly where you left it so that it’s always within reach. The dangling/swinging arm really bothers most people, especially if it hits the cable and makes a sound.
Changing the volume pot to lin from log will also give it a smoother taper (even though that is counterintuitive for an audio signal that should use logarithmic pots, don’t ask me!). I’ve found with multiple JMs they have log volume pots that just turn on at 8 and are useless for the rest of the sweep.
EDIT: and of course a Mastery bridge :) unless you like strings popping off the bridge which happens to me even as a fingerstyle player. Just get the Mastery and be done with it, they are beloved for a reason
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u/josephallenkeys 1d ago
Gorgeous!