A worthy successor to the American Vintage 65 Jazzmaster?
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- čas přidán 31. 07. 2024
- There has been a big focus on Jazzmasters in the studio for the last few weeks and today I check out the Fender American Vintage ii to see how it is for myself.
Fender American Vintage ii Jazzmaster -
Sweetwater- sweetwater.sjv.io/MmEK63
GEAR USED -
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0:00 Intro and format for the day
1:22 On the bench
3:37 Sound demonstrations
7:09 Does they feel similar at all?
8:45 What I like about this guitar
10:05 Some QC issues?
11:09 Final verdict - Hudba
Such a stunning guitar. My favorite color. Great review. Love the protein.
The protein with humbuckers is really crazy, it's like a totally different monster haha. Thanks Marcus!
That's beautiful.
Beautiful guitar, I love the look of the fretboard thanks Jim for your honest opinion!
My pleasure, it really is a gorgeous instrument
Great video! I preordered mine as part of the initial release of the model. I’ve had it for over a year and love it. My particular guitar was flawless from the start.
Did you get one of the ones with the smaller headstocks? Happy you love yours and thanks!
Yes, the smaller headstock. Yeah, the larger headstock is more “correct” and I’d have preferred it. But my original/first run version is outstanding and plays amazingly. I love it!
Absolute stunner of a guitar! But yeah the rhythm circuit wheel thing is soooo weird and definitely didn’t happen on the one I played so not sure if that’s qc on that one or the shop I went too to try one sorted it. But I loved the way it looked, felt, played and sounded. That said as good as it was I wasn’t such a fan of the price 😂 but everything has gone up and definitely enjoyed the one I played immensely as a guitar and that finish (and tbf the Dakota red looked nice too just not as nice for my preferences as lake placid blue).
Sounded great in your hands and through your rig too mate- excellent demo as per - thank you! 😊
Its hard to get mad when everything in life seems to get more expensive by the day bit the guitar should be damn near perfect for what they are charging imo. It does sound really good though!
Oh that board, thats amazing. My TVL has a board with those red strips in it too.
The TVLs are such cool guitars man. Awesome you got some of that red too, must look amazing especially if you have the oxblood finish
Good demo Jim!
Thanks Earl I appreciate it!
aye Jim hope everything’s been chilling. haven’t been able to stop by during a live stream but we’re still catching the show when possible 👍🏽 that blue Jazzmaster makes me want to pick up the 12 string squire variant
No worries it's all good! I can't do a 12 string regardless of who makes it haha - i'd need my own tech to handle that i'm never dealing with one of those haha
@@AudiomoMusic 😂
The issues you explained are the ones I see om my bench everyday. Sometimes the fretwork is way off and it needs a level from the start So it is not a monday model or such. For €2500 I want perfection in all aspects. IMHO you don't want to spend a few hundreds of dollars to make it perfect but there are people which have a lot of money to spend so it's a personal thing. It sounds good, good video. Thanks.
For 2500 I can buy two Japanese made instruments that will not require a penny put into them that will play flawlessly and have zero issues right out of the box after a basic setup. I guess that's why 90% of my guitars were made in Japan. It's disappointing that at this price they little details are missing even with the highest tier production model of Fender USA for the Jazzmaster.
@@AudiomoMusic yes that's true. A friend of mine bought a Kaminari guitar MIJ. This craftmanship is the best I've seen in 15 years. Perfection. We pay €1800 for a MIJ Fender Jazzmaster model. I never saw them in person. I believe you that they are outstanding.
Beautiful, but according to Mike the offset expert, the QC on fender products these days isn’t what it should be. I’d have to play one in person rather than order one, know what I’m sayin’ ?
I'd agree. My personal experience with modern American vs American from even just 2016 is that the newer stuff has definitely slacked. Paint finish issues, like bubbling and actually moving. It was a weird issue. AmProII JM paint developed a wrinkle in front of my eyes. Made me feel like I was kid on acid again watching that happen. 😅
To be fair, the one he demo’d and tore apart was a used instrument that a friend of his sent him after owning it for a bit so big grain of salt with that specific review for me.
Ive said the same thing about QC since the previous AV line ended, although i think some of it is blown out of proportion. The problem is the pricing and the “gamble” so to speak which I dont love knowing I can buy a new japanese guitar for half and have zero problems. Definitely would recommend trying one in person first regardless of what guitar brand / model it is, sometimes you can be surprised at what you like in person.
That's been my experience as well. I've tried 3 so far at my local shops and 2 of the 3 had some fret/nut issues. One shop had an American Original as well and while I like the neck profile of the AVII better, overall I think the AO was a better guitar.
Anecdotal for sure but I bought a AVII 60 P bass like a month and a half ago and that shit is ACE
@@shitstain001 His time found the same issues as Jim here. Another guy in the threads found issues on multiple. I've heard of others and their issues too.
I'm sure there's a good one but the fact remains that at $2500, there shouldn't be any issues, especially the stuff that's coming out. A fluke here and there, sure, but as an American that is supposed to get all sorts of hands on attention and be amongst the best of the best Fender has to offer before you reach custom shop, nah, shouldn't be that many with issues.
Your P-Bass could be different. The Squier CV line is known for being good. Attention to detail, nice specs and incredible sound. I bought the FSR CAR CV Mustang that was exclusive to Guitar Center a few years back. I returned 2 or 3 of them. I've bought several CV line guitars before then and since then. None were as bad as that FSR run from GC. Nothing that wasn't fixable, but hot damn, sharpest frets I've ever seen. Maybe some of the lines just come out and have issues, but not all. So while your P-Bass might be great the JM's suffered something. I don't know.
I'll add too that guitar manufacturing isn't a huge, huge industry. A couple hundred thousand are made, world-wide and that covers all brands. Guitar players are a pretty niche group. Not too many made. So any issues that are found on several guitars, that's kinda a pretty big dent in the amount of guitars overall, made for that model. How many AVRI II JM's do you think are made? I mean any given story might get a couple. There aren't that many stores. Maybe there are a couple thousand of them made, globally. That's really a pretty small number. If demand is up and they're selling out and not getting returned then of course more can and will be made but in general, there aren't as many floating around as we think.
Btw sick beach boys shirt! I have the same one.
Thanks man!
Hi Jim thats a beautifil JM! Love the color, binding, block inlays and streakiness through the fretboard so striking and what's not to love about Lake Placid Blue??
Sounded great in your hands and through your rig. What would need to be done to the frets to fix them?
Great demo! The guitar is beautiful and sounds terrific. It is, however, too rich for my blood haha. That's nearly LP Classic pricing here.
More than LP classics! Those have been on sale for months now for 2k and under haha
@@AudiomoMusic Higher in Canada 😄
Yes ! Mr Sandman !
thank god somebody appreciated that, it came right outta nowhere when i was filming
@@AudiomoMusic I did too!
@@AudiomoMusic It was awesome 👏
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on it compared to the AV65. I've got one myself, a sunburst one from 2016 that I bought new in 2017 and someone's offered me an AVII66 as a trade for another guitar I've got so this was good to hear.
Don't ever get rid of that AV65, those are legitimately the best Fender USA reissue Jazzmasters I've seen and that's with a pretty decent sample size.
Thisnis what Mike round on his too, these QC issues that shouldnt be present on any guitar, let alone a $2500 american one. Ive been tinding leas QC issues on Squier CV and soecial run equivalents than Fender guitars these days. My Vintera jag jad a lot of QC issues. I moved that on. AmProII had a lot or QC issues. Vintera Mustang is great but I need sell it to get the one you have. My swuoers have been more fonsistent, most not perfect, rewts level but edges that are playable and wont cut tour fingers but could benefit from a once over woth the Stew Mac fret edge file. I'll deal with that.
I'm rambling, whats new though huh. 😅
This is an amazing guitar, from looks and sound. Not sure I picked up a bond with it though. Not like your Mustang and recent Lollar equipped JV JM. Thr playing was greta though. The very beginning the LoFi use of the trem, JM's are ao good for that. Almost sounde oike eome Toy Dolls at thr very end. Super versatile range if playing and an enjoyable demo. Great vid Jim!
I just wish that guy didn't review his friends used guitar because that was neither his nor new when he made that video. It kinda puts a lot of the cosmetic stuff into question when really breaking the thing down with the magnifying glass. Either way though, I've had the same kinda issues as you mentioned. I don't mind putting some work into guitars nor do I expect cosmetic perfection but stuff like fretwork for this kinda money has gotta be dead on imo.
In general, I find Fender Japan to be the only extension of the company that doesn't suffer from any of these issues and comes with quality hardware, pickups, playability, and qc out of the box that none of the others can match - and for less money.
Ⓜr. Sandman💙 The loose might not be the factory's fault. I've had them come loose before, easily fixed with the hex key that comes with the guitar. "Get off the internet" haha
Sir I found some of your guitars for sale! Why are you getting selling off the jazzblaster? Just ended up not being your cup of tea?
No need to sir me! The Jazzblaster is awesome. My problem is that a few days ago I only had $10 in the bank.
@@AudiomoMusic
I have the same guitar but from the first batch with a "wrong" pre-CBS headstock. I did not find any deal-breaking quality issues, just some minor tool marks on the fretboard, and nothing else. I love this guitar but I am going to replace the bridge for Staytrem, as there's some buzzing and I also want to try a different set of Jazzmaster pickups, as I feel that this guitar can sound better than it does now.
Thanks for the review.
Yeah a set of lollar's would really bring one of these to live. I love the 63 set I have in my JV jazzmaster. Happy you enjoy yours and I kinda like the older headstock a bit more even if it isn't "correct"
@@AudiomoMusic I just installed the 63 Lollars on this guitar. They sound amazing! I think this has become the best-sounding guitar that I own. The most surprising thing for me is how distinct the 3 positions are. With the stock AM vintage 66s it was different (like yeah, I am switching pickups), but now it's like I am switching from this crazy bridge sound to that crazy both- sound, the latter, by the way, being is a night and day difference for me. I never liked how the middle position sounded on this guitar. I know many people love the AM vintage 65/66 pickups a lot, but it's just not my kind of tone, I don't know why.
Since that underwent Sweetwater's 55 point inspection this rhythm circuit issue should have been caught by Sweetwater. And, we all know it should never have left Fender like that. It's a beautiful guitar though. At this price point, I expect better quality. It saddens me to see all these quality control issues across all of their instruments. So, were you able to get the volume dial issue fixed?
Yeah Sweetwater have been awesome about everything, working on a resolution now and I agree it's sad sweetwater should have to even do a thing and Fender can't be trusted to get that right from the factory.
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
good seein you tim brother how you been man
I know this designed to mimic a 60s JM, but hoo boy is this thing shrill. Maybe that’s good for a mix, but it’s lacking too much low end for my taste. I guess I’m just a 50s JM guy.
That was with the treble rolled off the Tone King too, I have it universally set to around 7 and it works well with all the guitars as a baseline. They are definitely accurate and in a mix really will sit well but isolated absolutely a bit shrill
Look I think Fender is now a venture capital hold and flick corp. I love Fender for the name and history but for that money it's not good enough. Not saying if I played it in a store I would not say wow if it all fitted BUT no way as an online deal. I don't blame the previous owners, but it is now what it is for the foreseeable??????????
It's tough man, it really is. Especially knowing what I can get from Japan for significantly less it makes things like this a bit harder to excuse.
With those defects, at $2,500, it's a big "nope" from me.
Absolutely understandable. Not sure if this will end up being a keeper or not myself.
Sad thing is, I'd like a nice Jazzmaster@@AudiomoMusic
It’s just a set screw on the roller knob. Could have come loose in transport, give em a break.
I have received more than 100 new and used Jazzmasters buying and selling over the last decade. I've never had one come loose in transport ever or arrive non functioning. Given the multitude of other basic QC current day Fender skips that I have witnessed first hand, my benefit of the doubt is gone for the most part - especially on a 2500+ guitar that also went through a 55 point inspection on sweetwaters end.
The kicker was, when I reached out and asked for them to just send me the part or a replacement rhythm circuit assembly if they don't have it so I could do it myself Fender refused. They required the guitar to be sent back to Sweetwater in order to provide those parts and would not reimburse me if I were to have bought it on my own. Again, at $2500+ that's a joke.
It sounds good and will hold its value but that's where the good end. Japanese brand will be better for much less and never have the problems you had. You should have get a Momose to match the silver jaguar you have if you really want another jazz master but you have two better than this one already on the stands behind you.
The Momose is the best modern offset I've played from any brand at any price - if I ever find one of the MJM1's in surf or seafoam green I'd absolutely buy it as that's my favorite line of guitars from them and the same as the MJG jaguar you mentioned. They are just hard to come by as they were not mass produced being hand made. There are two other Japanese domestic brands I've been considering trying but knowing just how great the Momose are has kind of made me hesitate and just wait for the right one of those to eventually pop up.