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The Jazzmaster, designed by Leo Fender in 1958, is a gorgeous guitar with a lot and history. But at some points along the way it was seen as the budget idea gone slightly awry, which made it available to starving artists who just needed something to play (Mascis and Costello both tell this story.) Its sleek, offset design and unique tone immediately set it apart from its contemporaries, capturing the hearts and minds of guitar enthusiasts everywhere.

The Jazzmaster’s sound has a sound that, once you know how to look for it, can be easy to pick out among some of your favorite record. With a clear and articulate tone that is truly mesmerizing. This is partly due to its unique “offset” design, which places the pickups and bridge closer to the center of the body, granting players easy access to higher frets and a comfortable playing experience, and its unique pickups that use a distinctive “pancake” wind. It is also the choice of the coolest players out there.

The Jazzmaster has undergone several changes and modifications over the years, but its core design has remained unchanged. This consistency in design has helped to create a cult-like following among guitar enthusiasts, many of whom appreciate the instrument’s unique tone and versatility.

The Jazzmaster’s allure has captivated many famous musicians, including Sonic Youth’s Thurston Moore, and The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach. Its versatility also makes a favorite among alternative musicians like Kurt Vile and Mac DeMarco.

Fender has offered the Jazzmaster various colors, including sunburst, blonde, and natural. However, in the mid-70s, new colors, such as Shoreline Gold, Daphne Blue, Inca Silver, Foam Green, Metallic Sherwood Green, and the rare Shell Pink from Dupont, became available. These new colors added to the guitar’s aesthetic appeal and helped to attract a new generation of players.

The pickups used in the Jazzmaster are typically single-coil, which gives the guitar its characteristic bright and twangy tone. The Jazzmaster’s floating tremolo and roller bridge also contribute to the guitar’s unique tone and playing experience. The floating tremolo allows for expressive and subtle pitch bends. At the same time, the roller bridge provides improved tuning stability and smooth vibrato action. I have always been a Strat player. Well, the Frankestein’s monster strat player that I am – my Strat Plus has a vintage Gibson humbucker in the bridge slot. but be that as it may…it belies my interest in experimenting with upgrades and tone.

For my own project – I picked up a sonic blue Jazzmaster Squier 1960s reboot and am swapping out most of the parts. I ordered a gold anodized pickguard to resemble the original, and the Fender vintage gold tuners to match, plus and a Switchcraft 3-way switch with the original amber tip. I am putting on 11-49 strings, and changing out the OEM bridge with a Fender pro version pictured below.

I’ll add an 1.0 shim, and putting in the Fender Pure Vintage ’65 Jazzmaster Pickup Set, (offsetting their brightness with the 500K pot on the volume knob) and shielding the inside with copper tape.

Oh, and I am replacing the laurel neck with a Pau Ferro, which I’ll condition with some F-One to give it a bit of juice and possibly a slightly darker hue. I am also putting on some more modern locking gold tuners to match the pickguard. Have to make sure they’re the right kind – inline vintage style. Adding a gold backplate from Musiclily that is taking its sweet time to get to California from China. They are hard to come by, those gold anodized pickguards. And the vintage tone and volume tone knob design. I considered using a Buzzstop but decided against it because I know that I would want to strum those freaky strings above the bridge.

I did replace the standard tailpiece with the Fender Classic Player Jazzmaster/Jaguar Tailpiece assembly that also has the tremlock lock button. As a finishing touch, I am adding the chrome bridge cover, which I think restores the elegance of this beautiful instrument.

Hopefully, by the end, it’s a little more like this:

You may be asking – why buy a Squier 60s vintage Jazzmaster if you’re going to swap out every single part but the body? Well, the answer that I will have a super luxe, custom Jazzmaster that will still be cheaper than buying it assembled. Also, this way I am able to install and test the different of each component so I can better understand the impact it has, whether in terms of playability, reliability, sound, or even just aesthetic.

The Jazzmaster’s versatility is one of its defining characteristics. It can produce many tonal possibilities, from the bright and twangy sounds of surf and rockabilly to the warm and round tones of jazz and blues, or spatially ambient by strumming the string below the bridge. This versatility has made the Jazzmaster a favorite among musicians in various genres, from indie and alternative rock to jazz and blues.

In addition to its versatility, the Jazzmaster is also known for its unique and distinct sound. The combination of its pickups, bridge, and tremolo system create a sound that is immediately recognizable and sets it apart from other guitars. The Jazzmaster’s sound has been described as “quirky” and “experimental,” contributing to its cult-like status among guitar enthusiasts and musicians. It is mechanically temperamental too; the reasoning behind its design doesn’t necessarily align with the customers who ultimately gravitated towards it, so this is why it is often ripped apart and put back together again to suit their needs.

Typical mods include swapping out the rolling bridge for one with deeper grooves for the strings or adding a shim under the neck to create a better break angle for the strings coming off the bridge, which is at its best when raised high. The bridge tends to sink back down, though. This makes the Jazzmaster a perfect project for those who like to tinker. Meanwhile, others are quite purist about its value as originally designed, but they may be the minority.

J Mascis, the enigmatic frontman of Dinosaur Jr, is known for his raw and unrestrained approach to the Jazzmaster. He has customized his instrument with many pickups, custom wiring, and a Mastery bridge, all of which contribute to the guitar’s distinctive, overdriven roar. His playing style, characterized by heavy distortion and intricate finger-picking, perfectly complements the Jazzmaster’s bright and articulate tone.

Thom Yorke, the enigmatic frontman of Radiohead, is also a known user of the Jazzmaster. He has customized his instrument with various pickups and custom wiring, allowing him to sculpt a vast array of atmospheric sounds. Yorke’s experimental approach to music is ideally suited to the Jazzmaster’s unique tone, which is the perfect tool to create ambiance and texture in his compositions.

Elvis Costello, the British singer-songwriter, is a master Jazzmaster. He has modified his instrument with various pickups and custom wiring, allowing him to access many tonal possibilities. His playing style is characterized by its intricate finger-picking and creative use of open tunings, which are well suited to the Jazzmaster’s unique, versatile tone.

Another notable musician who has used the Jazzmaster is Tom Verlaine from the band Television. Verlaine is known for his unique and experimental approach to guitar playing. The Jazzmaster’s unique sound and versatility have been a perfect match for his style. He often uses the floating tremolo and rollers bridge to create dissonant and unconventional sounds that complement his avant-garde approach to music. He is also known to have modified his Jazzmaster with custom pickups, which add to the guitar’s already distinctive tone, making it a perfect fit for his experimental style.

Kevin Shields, the guitarist of My Bloody Valentine, is also known to use the Jazzmaster. He is known for using alternative tunings, heavy distortion, and feedback. The Jazzmaster’s unique sound and versatility have been a perfect match for his style. He has modified his Jazzmaster with high-output EMG pickups, allowing him to create the blistering white wall of of experimental and unconventional sounds that are unique to his style of music.

Thurston Moore, the frontman of Sonic Youth, has been a long-time user of the Jazzmaster. He has modified his Jazzmaster with wide range Humbuckers, allowing him to create a range of experimental and unconventional sounds that are unique to his style of music. He is also known for using alternative tunings, which helps him to create a unique and distinctive sound that complements his experimental approach to music.

Robert Smith, the frontman of The Cure, is also known to use the Jazzmaster. He has modified his Jazzmaster with a 1960s Teisco Pickup added in the middle position, allowing him to create a wide range of atmospheric and melodic sounds that are unique to his style of music. He’s also known to use the floating tremolo and rollers bridge, along with alternative tunings to create a unique and recognizable sound that characterizes The Cure’s music.

These musicians demonstrate how the Jazzmaster can be used in a wide range of musical styles and how it can be customized to suit the player’s needs and preferences, allowing them to create truly unique and distinctive sounds that are well suited to their style of music.

The Jazzmaster is an actual work of art and a pleasure to play and listen to. Once you go down the rabbit hole you might not come back.