wow! american special Jazzmaster with bigsby.

[timspong]

I was exploring guitars with bigsbys as I am tempted to put a bigsby on my tele. so I went to Guitar center yesterday to check them out. I played probably 7 or 8 guitars and didn't really like any of them. The sales guy suggested I try the jazzmaster which is apparently a limited run that fender are doing and I was blown away.

This thing is amazing! they ditched that jazz circuitry and added a bigsby. I haven't gassed for another guitar in years but this thing got my gas juices flowing again. Very usable tones in all 3 positions and it suits my playing style to a T.

anyone else tried one?

 

[JReazor]

YES! I really dig mine.

http://www.tdpri.com/threads/ngd.673561/

 

[MilwMark]

I personally don't get the attraction of a Jazzmaster without the jazz circuitry and with a trem, but not the jazzmaster trem (one of the best running, as long as you have a body sizeable enough to get the string length you need behind the bridge).

Love a good bigsby, particularly on an archtop, but also on a Tele.

 

[BorderRadio]

Very nice guitar and all, but...

I too don't get replacing what is one of the best feeling trems around for one of the most troublesome (Mustang Dynamic Vibrato* notwithstanding). Chopping the Rhythm circuit, ok, installing a TOM, your life, but the Trem, man, the Trem...part of a JMs soul, along with the pickups....

 

[ac15]

Very nice guitar and all, but...

I too don't get replacing what is one of the best feeling trems around for one of the most troublesome (Mustang Dynamic Vibrato* notwithstanding). Chopping the Rhythm circuit, ok, installing a TOM, your life, but the Trem, man, the Trem...part of a JMs soul, along with the pickups....

Yeah, I like Bigsby's a lot, but they are inferior (by a long shot) to the regular Jazzmaster Trem. Likewise, the rhythm circuit is great and I use it all the time.

To me this is just a Jazzmaster that's inferior to a "regular" one, but to each their own.

 

[timspong]

Interesting. I never played a jazzmaster before so this is all new Territory for me.

I do a lot of double stops where two notes are played and only one is bent. On a strat this causes the unbent note to detune as the bridge rises with the extra tension of the bent note.

Anyhow that's why I was looking for a bigsby. Does the regular JM trem act more like a bigsby or a strat in this respect as it would be a deal killer for me?

 

[BorderRadio]

Yeah, I like Bigsby's a lot, but they are inferior (by a long shot) to the regular Jazzmaster Trem. Likewise, the rhythm circuit is great and I use it all the time.

To me this is just a Jazzmaster that's inferior to a "regular" one, but to each their own.

Bigsby's are great too, as long as it's those B3/B6/B16 types. I can get along with a B5 but it's a different animal, has a stiff response. I like the rhythm circuit too, wouldn't take a JM without out, but yeah, YMMV.

Interesting. I never played a jazzmaster before so this is all new Territory for me.

I do a lot of double stops where two notes are played and only one is bent. On a strat this causes the unbent note to detune as the bridge rises with the extra tension of the bent note.

Anyhow that's why I was looking for a bigsby. Does the regular JM trem act more like a bigsby or a strat in this respect as it would be a deal killer for me?

I think any trem will detune when you bend doubles like that. It's a function of spring tension it seems, which is adjustable on a Strat or Jag/JM, but not so much on a Bigsby. You'll want a stiff spring, and most guys actually like the squishy ones like those from Reverend.

A Bigsby with no tension bar is one of the most sensitive vibratos around, as is the offset Floating Tremolo. I would group those together in feel and sensitivity. Not the same as a Strat, but floating the Strat trem will get you close. A Bigsby B5 is stiff feeling, but unique I guess, not as sensitive. Bigsby's work best with heavier strings, especially in the tuning stability department. The B5, and the offset trem, both need a specific geometry to work their best, IMO.

If you're happy with the guitar man, go for it. It's unique for sure, but also check out a Classic 60s Lacquer JM, or better yet a TVL Jazzmaster with the USA trem. It might just change your mind about it. I dont know the price on these, but since this is American, it's probably in the same price range.

 

[brookdalebill]

Great!
I love Bigsbys, like Jazzmasters, and loathe the dern "yazz", yes "yazz" switch.
The big F is thinkin'!

 

[ac15]

Great!
I love Bigsbys, like Jazzmasters, and loathe the dern "yazz", yes "yazz" switch.
The big F is thinkin'!

Just another reminder of our different tastes.

To the op, maybe it's perfect for you, especially since you haven't played a "regular" jazz, so you're not comparing it with anything.

It's all good.

 

[chris m.]

JM trem doesn't go flat when you bend double stops....not like a Strat, that's for sure. I just played my CP JM and its rock solid when you bend double stops.

 

[brookdalebill]

Just another reminder of our different tastes.

To the op, maybe it's perfect for you, especially since you haven't played a "regular" jazz, so you're not comparing it with anything.

It's all good.

Actually, my first Fender was a 63-64 sunburst Jazzmaster.
I got it second hand in 1970, when I was 13.
It had a nice neck, but I never really bonded with it.
I traded it for a 64 ES330.
I never liked the "soft" feeling tremelo, either.
I prefer the "stiffer" more "immediate" action of a Bigsby.
I also like simple, easily accessible
switching.
I prefer the switch "up top" too.
I am going to check this guitar out!

 

[ac15]

I like the Bigsby on my Gretsch, and I know from your posts here that you like Gretsches too.

Just like the JM trem a bit better.

I don't find it to feel soft, just super smooth with no "slop" in its movement.

Too bad you don't still have that 63 sunburst Jazzmaster. Those 60's bursts are the quintessential look for those guitars, just like cherry is quintessential for 335's.

 

[Widerange Hum]

I love both the JM trem and the Bigsby. Everything else about my JM is such a pain in the butt, I end up playing the Bigsby guitars more. Pending a radical rewiring on my JM to simplify things.

 

[BorderRadio]

JM trem doesn't go flat when you bend double stops....not like a Strat, that's for sure. I just played my CP JM and its rock solid when you bend double stops.

Hmm, keeping one note in pitch while bending the other isn't working so great on mine. I have to do the ol' bend them together by ear to stay in tune.

 

[ac15]

I love both the JM trem and the Bigsby. Everything else about my JM is such a pain in the butt, I end up playing the Bigsby guitars more. Pending a radical rewiring on my JM to simplify things.

What is the pain in the butt part? Genuinely curious.

Admittedly, when I bought my Jazzmaster I made a couple of quick mods, based partly on what I found playing it, and what I had heard about Jazzmaster "deficiencies."

Those changes were a Staytrem trem bar and Staytrem bridge.

Since then (a few years ago), it's been a guitar I plug in and play, never goes out of tune even with liberal whammy use, and is as low maintenance as any of my other guitars.

 

[John C]

Very nice guitar and all, but...

I too don't get replacing what is one of the best feeling trems around for one of the most troublesome (Mustang Dynamic Vibrato* notwithstanding). Chopping the Rhythm circuit, ok, installing a TOM, your life, but the Trem, man, the Trem...part of a JMs soul, along with the pickups....

If you remember them the American Special Jazzmasters from a couple of years ago had the TOM bridge with a stop-tail (and had the simplified circuitry as well); I suspect Fender used the Bigsby to keep costs down and use the same CNC programming as the regular version. No routing or installation of the more complex Jazzmaster/Jaguar trem, just slap the Bigsby on instead of the stop-tail.

 

[FendrGuitPlayr]

Interesting guitar but string changes with a Bigsby take patience.

 

[BorderRadio]

If you remember them the American Special Jazzmasters from a couple of years ago had the TOM bridge with a stop-tail (and had the simplified circuitry as well); I suspect Fender used the Bigsby to keep costs down and use the same CNC programming as the regular version. No routing or installation of the more complex Jazzmaster/Jaguar trem, just slap the Bigsby on instead of the stop-tail.

Yeah, I recall those models. After checking price and specs, I'm even more confused about Fender's target here. I semi-agree, the Bigsby probably cuts costs, but when they can use the MIM/import trem which may cost as much as a import licensed Bigsby, the savings has to be in the routing, and I'm not sure that's a significant difference. Leftover bodies from that run?

So for 1400 one gets an American neck, body, and pickups, Ok, cool, that has worked for Fender, but then they give us the licensed B50...One can't use any of the cool after-market stuff from Callaham or get replacement parts for it.

Were it me, I'd get an Ensenada made body, neck, with the same American pickups and hardware (including vintage-style USA trem) at that price, which is thankfully covered by the TVL. The MIM Classic 60s Lacquer also a great alternative, but it has the MIM/import trem, which some claim is of lesser quality but I'm only seeing the lack of a half-useful trem lock.

Again, I'm just speaking 2-cents as a guy who prefers vintage-style JMs, including the rhythm circuit and quirky bridge. I get it, some guys think these features are the problems, not the benefits.

 

[John C]

Evidently when the American Standards are replaced by the "American Pro" series there will be a Jazzmaster and a Jaguar in the new series - with appropriate pickups and tremolo. There are a couple of photos floating around - these may be using the bridge the Johnny Marr Jaguar is using.

 

[chris m.]

MIM Classic Player has the trem lock.

If you have movement on double stops, tighten up the spring to stop it.