For all of you that have bought Jazzmasters over the internet...
 

Relate you experience with me. Prices, services, sites,etc. I've finally got enough money to buy one of the Japanese imports (or anything in the $800 range).

Something like this: http://cgi.ebay.com/Fender-Japan-Jaz...QQcmdZViewItem
from Japan

£350 from a guy in the south of England somewhere, I met him in a Morrison's car park in Bristol and money was exchanged for the axe. It was quite weird.

Japanese, used but not abused. Ebay'd.

ah I'd love a jazzmaster but they are a little too pricey and high endy for me, eventhough i could afford one i don't see it being worth it because i'm not a fulltime musician and a strong enough guitar player to make it my worthwhile. i'd much rather buy 2 or 3 decent guitars within $250 to $500 price range... thats why i have a squire jagmaster amongst others as i can beat it down and not feel guilty about that scratch, dent, or paint chip...

I really want a jazz but finding one left-handed cheap is almost impossible. Though for the right price I'd buy a right-handed one.

i got my 65 jazzmaster on ebay from a guy in houston, when i was living in san diego. his uncle had died and he was selling his stuff and had no idea what he had. i got it for $600 (not including S&H), and the neat thing about it was that it had never been painted. just a clear coat, no paint. so it was wood colored. apparently, his uncle worked for fender earlier in his life. i kept it like that for a while, but i've always wanted a green jazzmaster (green being my fav color, and jazzmaster being my favorite guitar). so i took it to a local shop. i put $400 more into it, getting it painted, the pickups rewound, neck sanded and finished that kinda stuff. i gotta say it's everything i thought it was gonna be and i love it. only thing bad i have to say is that the "hum/buzz" is kind of annoying, but other than that, it's tits. so i say... BUY AWAY GOOD SIR! but get it painted...... i cna't stand that sun burst color, w/ the red pickguard. :)

Or replace the red tortoise pickguard with a brown tortoise one.

Bought mine directly from a factory in Japan for around $750 shipped.

Good thread idea. Jazzmasters vary in quality pretty big for such an expensive guitar. Tuning stability, buzzing in the bridge, the neck, its a fairly fragile instrument despite the abuse it takes from SY. Thurston can rape the shit out of his Jazzmasters -whammy and all- and still stay in tune.

I'd buy a jazzmaster on ebay under the condition that I knew a good guitar tech who could set it up really well once a year. It makes a world of difference. I have a fender jag-stang (like a mustang) that I get set up by my fav. guitar tech downtown once a year or so and it plays 10x better then any other jag-stang I've played. On the other hand, my friends tele goes to shit because he never gets it set up and he never plays it.

Are the USA JM of any better quality? the Custom Shop RI ones?

I have a guitar tech that I've had set up two of my guitars and repair them as well. So, I know the value of a good set-up.

Some of the parts on the USA are deffinitely a bit better than Japanase JM, I experienced that myself having to replace the tremolo unit entirely because it was a broken piece of shit.

I ordered the J. Mascis signature Jazzmaster through guitar center in september.... it still has yet to arrive.
I am rather throughly pissed off >(

Why is that? Is it because he (or his guitar tech) takes care of it so often?

I just won a Jazzmaster !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!






Oh joy of joys!

good job sir! looks nice too.

Nice!

Is it a CIJ or a an AVRI ?

CIJ. I was going to hold out for surf green, but couldn't pass this up.

So, after nearly 2 months, I've not received the guitar but have got the money back. turns out it was a big scam and he ripped off like 5 people for upwards of $6k. So...now that I've got the money back, I've decided to go the safe route...buying from a store. But, now comes a dilemma. J Mascis or AVRI. My local music store has a J Mascis in stock for $859 and I can order an AVRI in sunburst for $1,450. Does anyone here own a Mascis jazz? If so, what's it like? I really don't want to spend the cash on the AVRI unless the J is junk. (I've played the one in the store and it felt great, but I'm not sure about the pickups and such) Also, getting the Mascis would leave me with about $600 towards/for a new amp and pedals.

Bought the Mascis jazz today. Plays like a dream.

I've not played one, but it seems to be getting excellent reviews. Click here for a sample of some.

I'm a bit sceptical about the actual value of $1500 guitars as opposed to guitars nearly half that price. I'm sure there's a quality difference, but I think you made the right choice.