NGD - Fender Am Pro II Jazzmaster

[LeftyJ]

This popped up used (lightly - it's a 2023 model and it's barely been played) and I couldn't resist! I've wanted a nice Fender offset for years and ever since these came out in Miami Blue I've been drooling at them. 

 

Unlike the previous American Professional Jazzmaster, which only had a 3-way toggle and master volume and tone, on this one they reinstated the rhythm circuit which I love. Unlike on vintage Jazzmasters, on this one it doesn't switch to just the neck pickup but to both pickups in series, regardless of the position of the 3-way switch. 

 

In other regards this is a more modern guitar too: modern deep C neck profile with slightly rolled edges (not too impressed, the shape is comfortable but the edges... Could have done a better job), a flatter 9.5" radius as opposed to the classic 7.25", a sculpted heel, more modern V-Mod II pickups, interesting new Narrow-Tall frets (undecided on those for now, not sure I like them), a coil tap on the bridge pickup to reduce the number of winds to a more vintage output and tone, it comes stock with a Mustang bridge instead of vintage style threaded saddles, and it has a slightly different tremolo system with a wider vibrato range: it can do proper Strat style divebombs now. The back of the neck has a satin finish, but the maple fingerboard and the headstock face have a gloss finish which looks beautiful. 

 

I have played a Jazzmaster only once before this one, and it was an old Japanese 1962 reissue. This one feels nothing like it, and sounds very different too: brighter, somewhat more Strat-like, but VERY nice with a wide range of useful sounds. Will take some getting used to, as it's very different from my usual Strat and MM Silhouette Special, but so far I'm impressed!

 

Pic is not mine, but 100% identical. 

[ahpook]

Jazzmasters are lovely guitars and that's a beaut.

[madshadows]

That's gorgeous, congratulations  

 

John 😎 

[LeftyJ]

Thanks, I'm still pinching myself! This has been on my GAS list for a long time. I'm still exploring all the tonal possibilities, and getting to grips with the quirks of these guitars, but so far I like it a lot. 

[LeftyJ]

Yesterday evening I decided to put it up against my American G&L ASAT Special, which has G&L's Jumbo MFD singlecoils. They're constructed somewhat similarly to Jazzmaster pickups, in that they have a coil that's shallow but wider than a standard Strat or Tele style pickup. And much to my chagrin, I actually like the G&L better . It can do nearly everything the Jazzmaster can except running both pickups in series, but with still plenty of reserves left on the volume knob. The ceramic pickups in the G&L are hotter, but roll off the volume (with treble bleed, so it retains clarity) and you're right in Jazzmaster territory. Turns out I also prefer the ergonomics of the more compact Tele shape, and I like the slightly beefier neck shape of the G&L better too. It's not thicker or wider, it's just more rounded.

 

Of course I've only been playing the Jazzmaster for two evenings now and I'm sure I haven't found the sweet spot yet in string gauge, adjustment and pickup height so I'm definitely not dismissing it just yet. But it didn't exactly blow me away, and sonically I'm surprised to find it brings me nothing I didn't already have. If anything, it made me appreciate the G&L even more. 

 

 

 

Edit: OK, so after a little digging I found the Fender V-Mod II pickups are not at all built like old school Jazzmaster pickups. The coil design is much more akin to that of a Strat: much narrower and taller than traditional JM singlecoils, which are not nearly half as thick and cover almost the entire width of the housing. So it's not that strange that they sound more Stratlike, and not like a true Jazzmaster should.

 

These are the V-Mod I's that were in the previous generation American Professional, but they're not much different from the II's:

 

These are ye olde Jazzmaster pickups:

 

By comparison, these are the G&L MFD pickups:

Edited February 6 by LeftyJ

[LeftyJ]

OK, turned out to be a minor issue which these are known to develop: the little plate that holds the rollers for volume and tone of the rhythm circuit may come undone from the pickguard, which causes it to lose its grounding because it no longer touches the shielding tape on the back of the pickguard. This results in some hum and intermittent signal drops from the bridge pickup. By fastening two screws in the pickguard (which are accessible from the front, without having to remove the guard) this was quickly resolved. It's a whole different guitar now, both pickups are now equally loud and it sounds great in every position. I'm really happy with it now! 

 

Here it is inbetween its two American cousins, the G&L ASAT Special and the EBMM Silhouette Special 

 

Edited Monday at 15:21 by LeftyJ