Today, we look at (and hear) the differences between the Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster, the Vintage Modified Jazzmaster and it's more 'up-to-date' sibling the Classic Vibe... Pickup sound comparisons: 4:13
Much appreciated, thanks for watching! Yes, the CV is an unbelievable guitar for the money, seems they really set the mark this time round across the whole squier line!
Just ordered a classic vibe - can't wait to play. Bit dubious about the 'bone' nut in the specs. I do like the p90 sound but this is an easy mod for a bridge p/up.
The P90 is a great bridge pickup...and rocks with overdrive...The Classic Vibe had the best Neck and mid position tone though...and it's more authentic as a Jazzmaster...
the mascis trem assembly sits [on top of the body, wish they'd set it in flush] closer to the bridge. .stronger break angle, more downward force on the bridge which, on the mascis, features razor sharp v cuts for the strings [which i dulled] i stripped mine to bare basswood, it's a pretty wood the paint finish was very thick layers of clear base with the toilet seat white, gone from mine it sounded much much better. .it did have in my opinion too much backset in the neck pocket which revealed a less than flat to flat interface, so letting the neck back up a bit did'nt cause any problems. .there are no problems with the squier j mascis these are just comments
its a bigger sound but better? it sounds quite generic p90 to my ears. the other guitars do sound thinner but thats more in line with the plinky plank of a jazzmaster, and in context of a mix, or band might well add that character you're after.
@@do-bugger5719 I'd suggest that in this demo, he's playing the same notes the same way on all 3 instruments. If you were actually performing/jamming you'd cater your playing to the instrument. I think the J. Mascis is just a more spirited horse... it may be harder to tame, but it can outrun the others. The sound of that thing cuts hard, but it can be mellowed with a softer touch once you know it's eccentricities. I really thought the others sounded muddy by comparison in most positions despite the distortion.
I got the Squier Jazzmaster Deluxe, which is a red version of the J Mascis. It's my second best playing guitar after the Johnny Marr Jaguar. It's ridiculously heavy, but sounds so great.
I have the red Squier JM deluxe also. Mine isn't terribly heavy though. I think it's about 8 and 1/2 lbs. I actually have a VM Jaguar that's 9 lbs which is way too heavy for a short scale. I agree the Deluxe plays great. I chose it over the J. Mascis simply because it was cheaper yet had the same specs. This was about 3 years ago now. I don't think they make the deluxe any more.
HOLY CRAP YOU PLAY GUITAR???? IM A BIG FAN OF YOUR CHANNEL ITS SO WIERD TO RUN INTO HERE!!! I have the j mascis jazzmaster and I use it live in my band. Jazzmasters are my favorite.
The J Mascis sounds more toneful, almost as if some reverb was added by the amp because of the extra sustain. Must be that bridge makes a big difference after all. Maybe fender should put that on all guitars, screw the purists!
@@wilsonguitars2724 recently picked up a used 2012 VM in white with tort guard, for a song! It needs new strings and some freshening up, but at this point I think it's a keeper, even the "duncan designed" pickups. I like to mod, especially pickups, but I might only replace what needs to be replaced for function. It's great!
I own one in Sonic Blue, it's a gem and after adding a neck shim plays like a dream. I kept the stock pickups in place as I do like the tone they produce.
@@Actionmom69 I have the stock pickups in there Duncan Designed. The Vmods are great as well these Pure Vintage 65's ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-hGzK_w_mFZI.html
i found one here in my city for 250 bucks on Craigslist. I chose it over the CV cause of the rosewood neck primarily. Feel is really the most important thing for me and i just like how rosewood is a bit smoother when fretting. the finish on the CV is kinda tacky to me also in the sunburst color-way, the sunburst is too red i feel. They are excellent modding platforms, i threw a mastery bridge on, got some black bobbin pickups, rewired to 920D vintage harness, and its a dream! id put it well over a stock vintera. name on the headstock doesnt matter if the instrument plays and sounds well.
Thank you so much for this one...have a debranded JM that I couldn't work out the model of but you solved it. A VM. And as I bought with my ears and hands it's proven to be the right choice for my tastes :)
appreciate the work you put into this. i personally prefer the sound if the vintage modified. this really helps because i was caught up between the first two
Great demo. It lets me know I'm not missing anything with the Vintage Modified. I have the Mascis and Classic Vibe. Love the Mascis for the higher output resulting in more sustain and a great high gain sound. Love the Classic Vibe for the great clean tones, with nice attack on each note. Mascis is great out of the box. Classic Vibe needed additional setup. Really happy to have them both. In comparison to the Mascis and Classic Vibe, the Vintage Modified sounds more "plunky", lacking in sweetness and sustain, and I assume this is mostly due to its pickups.
This video made my decision harder by highlighting all the minute details! The JM that I want is a combination of all 3. Satin neck, vintage tint, bone nut, rosewood board, I like the VM pickups the best, but want the mustang bridge, and really want the tremolo lock. Guess it's time for a partscaster.
I literally just bought one plan to mod it a bit. The classic vibe with the bone nut and mustang bridge seem like good value. Might swap out the bridge for a p90 and maybe a staytrem if I can get my hands on one
That vintage modified has such a beautiful thick tone, but I think the Mascis sounds bitier and almost as chunky, but with some extra mid/high clarity that puts it ahead. It’s a bit of a unicorn in some ways that thing. I don’t want to like it but it seems like a decent guitar. I can feel it pulling my wallet slowly out of my pocket
Great review, superbly carried out 👍 and it’s been a real help, thank you 😊 Vintage Vibe gets my vote, closely follow by the JM Jazzmaster. That Vintage Modifified sounds like it’s got really old strings, not good.
I have/had all three (sold the vintage modified a while ago) and the J Mascis is one of my favourite guitars I've ever played. The cv is great as well and the vm just has a certain vibe to it that I really liked although it's definitely my least favourite sound-wise.
If you have owned all of them, I have a question for you : do the VM and CV models have real differences in violin making or is it mainly the electronics and the pickups that make the difference?
Tough one that my friend, but I'm going to go with squier Stratocasters from 1995-1997ish... Full size alder body, full size neck, rosewood board so it's the best mod platform you could think of! That's what we did the "frusciante" strat video with, and it really was a lovely guitar in the end.
Perfectly done video. All sound great but different. I think for the classic jazzmaster sound etc it’s the classic vibe for me. The mascis sounded great but I’m looking for something different than the p90 sound. Otherwise I’ll take all three
Great video! Great comparison! Great guitars!! I Got the Mascis in a trade a few months back and I love it!! Would like to get the Classic Vibe now! . . . UPDATE I got the Classic Vibe now 😁
@@BrandonKJohnson which one would you recommend as first Jazzmaster? I've found J Mascis and CV at the same price but I honestly don't know at the end of the day which one is "better" for the price ( I also know it's just personal preferences)
@@magrolorenzo I love both - for different reasons. The Classic Vibe gives the "real jazzmaster feel" where as the Mascis feels like a jazzmaster shaped guitar that I can play any way I want. Dunno if that makes sense - but when I play the Classic Vibe I find myself playing "pretty" and with the Mascis I find myself playing more rocky and aggressive. I think it's cause the bridge on the Mascis is stable and the classic vibe does the jazzmaster wiggle. Again both good but for me and my playing I play differently on each one. (I've always been a believer that you play the style of whatever equipment your using at the time [hopefully that makes sense lol] )
Great video... I read up on these woods and they say basswood is a better tone wood and has better sustain than popular. It also said some high end guitars are made out of poplar. one of the things that sold me on the J Mascis.
I loved the video. To me, the most equilibrated guitar was the VM (that's why I chose over the JM some time ago); however, the bridge it's a crap. I bought some cheap 10 bucks aliexpress version of the mustang, and now my VM is amazing. Thank you a lot for this great comparison video
Since Squier dropped the J Mascis Jazzmaster, I can't help feeling there's an opening for competitors to make a great affordable JM with character, around the 500-600 mark. The Fender Player Jazzmaster doesn't cut it, and the Vintera is a big leap up in price. Hopefully Sire will do one and fill in the gap, above the CV and VM. Otherwise, second-hand Squier JMJM are the choice in that price range. edit: very happy they started making the Squier J Mascis again. Listening back, I think the vintage modified sounds better than the classic vibe Jazzmasters, which are a bit shrill.
Vintage Modified is fantastic. It has a darker sound with a stronger kick. It sounds like something between Jazzmaster and Jaguar at times. I think it would spread its wings even more with a 15 inch speaker.
Hi, hope you can help. When listening to the clean finger picking round (the first round) the answer as to which was the best became immediately obvious to me…. The Vintage Modified was the only one that sounded like a Jazzmaster….. i.e. it “thunked” and “plunked” like I’d expect a Jazzmaster to sound. Almost like it was wearing heavy Flatwounds. I’d love to know your opinion as to why….?
Thanks for great comparison. Recently I made complete rewirng of JM Jazzmaster, I put 60s specs electronics and Fender 65 Pure Vintage Pickups + Mustang bridge. Now it sounds a lot like genuine old Jazzmaster, the only one thing bothers me a bit... a fact that both PUs are 6.8 kOhm, I would like to have bridge bit louder. Every component changes the sound in some way. I liked the stock sound but I also keep Fender Modern Player JM upg with P-94, it is mahagony body Jazzmaster a chinesee FENDER for the prize of Mascis - it sounds truly amazing. It is my secret tip for getting cheap good JM!!!
Feel like we may have another Squier JV era going on with these Indonesian made guitars. Quality and finish exceeding the cheaper Fenders and, to me, nearly on a par with Fender Japan. I've a CV Jazzmaster and love it.
Yeah, was hard for me to choose a J Mascis when the CV is Indonesian. Although, there are "real" Fenders made in China and no "real" Fender made in Indonesia that I'm aware of. They are all pretty good, lol.
Great comparison video! It would be amazing - if you had a chance to do one for Fender Jazzmasters (Player, Vintera, American Player, American Professional, American Original and American Ultra). Hoping to own/buy a Jazzmaster at some point in the future
@@wilsonguitars2724 My bad - I later read that you are focusing mostly on budget gear. I think a Player and Vintera comparison with the Squires you reviewed in this video would be great though - if it's possible :)
@@patrickel94 We'll be reviewing a wealth of gear over the coming months so we'll look into getting ahold of those models. Make sure to subscribe so you dont miss it! ;)
I've been looking at Jazzmasters and Jaguars for months now, and I think the JM JM is going to be the guitar I buy. I keep coming back to it and for the price it'd be hard to find a better instrument.
I have the VM and I worry from time to time if I messed up not getting the JM. For me I just really prefer the VMs warmness but the neck on the JM is awesome. Might grab a JM neck on the VM body and I think that would be perfect
Very enjoyable video but I’ve got to say I’m disappointed you were making so much noise in a public library. I’m surprised you didn’t get shushed by anyone 😉
I Have the JMascis and CV version. Playability is near perfect with the JMascis. CV is a bit rough on the fretboard material but nothing to stop you playing.
@Neon Thunderbird I have found these with only 3 guitars so far. JMascis, CV Tele Butterscotch and the PRS SE. All three of these can match any other high priced equivalents.
For a true lover of the Jazzmaster there are no losers, they are just a bit different but certainly not in a negative way ( except when fitted with hum buckers!). Having had Deluxe JM I finally managed to get a new J Mascis Squier but had to pay top dollar as they tend to fly of the shelf. It’s a stunning looking guitar, has a fabulous neck and those tweaked pickups have a sound of their own. I rank it equal with my American Standard Strat which cost me more than three times as much. Highly recommended. Keep up the good work!
@@clarkster98 Different pickup voicings (more full blooded on the Mascis) and jumbo frets on the Mascis. Have to say I also prefer the white body and pickup covers on the Mascis set against the gold pickguard. Did not like the red/ black combination on the Deluxe but liked the tone of the guitar. Wish I had kept it and had both , but can’t complain as got good price for it!
yep i wish the j mascis came with tall/narrow and, i made it happen on mine with an easier than you might think remedy : using a dulled hacksaw blade for cover, over the fretboard up against the frets, run a chainsaw file across the sides leaving the top of the frets untouched
love my VM sunburst jazzmaster, however I tried the mustang bridge and the string spacing was off. This is because the fretboard radius between the jazz and stang are different. Best upgrade is a mastery bridge, but the cheapest is using the original bridge with thicker strings.
@@christianberthiaumeccb 👍👍👍 Unfortunately, most of guitar reviews/tutorials/unboxing on youtube are lacking of sonic youth (and, in general, interesting bands) riffs... And mostly filled with typical rock guitar heroes kind of stuff!
@@christianberthiaumeccb I guess most people into guitars are more oriented to regular/technical/virtuoso style, and probably many of them are like "Yngwie Malmsteen is god" and everything outside their range is crap! So, you can find tons of "guitar videos" with someone playing big solos, but not many with some Sonic Youth or Butthole surfers riffs! 😠
J.Mascis for the win. I have it and it truly sounds good in here too not just to me in my head. Handles fuzz well. It sits well in my bands mix at practice.
Timely, I'm looking for a Jaguar so the review of the bridge/trem was handy as the Vintera 60s Modified HH has the same system as the Mascis. I'd hang onto the Mascis on the basis of that & the pups on the basis of this test.
Yep, the Mascis was the 'keeper' for us too! If you haven't seen it, we did a review of the Squier Jaguars too! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Q3lI892gDDc.html Thanks for the feedback!
I see your wishes on the wall And that's all right with me I see you run to make a call Hoping that there's someone free Your life and my life, they don't touch at all And that's no way to be We've never seemed so far... Loved your video ✌️
Get the nut changed to bone, and there are “roller bridges” for that specific style. Smoother and more sustain with both pieces replaced. You can also upgrade the pots for different things (better treble roll off, roll on) Please consult your local on all of these things though. The first two probably would be something actually needed more than the pots is just a tone thing. Doesn’t make it better. Just changes what things can sound like.
I love the tone of the vintage modified. I felt like it sounded like me. I really connected with it and could feel the emotion so much. Like it has the same soul as me
Yes, the tutomatic helps on the J Mascis- BUT -it's not a 9.5" radius bridge. I've found that since the cost-cutting 12" TOM bridge has odd string height causing string fret buzz at odd places. PROBABLY negligible for most people, but keep it in mind. J Mascis wanted this design for some reason. Still a fantastic guitar!
He raises his action super high. By the look of it you could stick a finger between the strings and higher frets. So the fact the the E strings are a little further at either end probably doesn't make a big difference.
I returned my mascis after realizing that the action couldn’t be lowered. I just thought it needed a setup like most squier guitars. Once I found out you’d have to buy a new bridge and redrill to get it lower I was like f that and returned it. It’s a shame cuz it sounded great but the action was ridiculous.
@@AllTheCoolNamesAreTaken84 yes I did. The problem is that the neck is a 9.5 radius but the bridge is a 12 radius. The bridge is designed for guitars, like a Gibson, with a flatter fingerboard than on the typical fender neck. Basically what happens is the strings on the edge of the fingerboard have a slightly higher action than the strings in the middle and if you try to get all 6 strings low the strings in the middle will have fret buzz and your low and high e strings for example will be at a low and good action. But when you adjust it higher so the middle strings are at a good action your low and high e’s will be really high. It’s just a bad design if you play precisely but if your an indie rocker just blasting chords you probably won’t even notice.
. I liked the mascis sound only a little better then the modify jazz master. But didn’t really like the classic vibe sound . Well done very nice Comparison job
I'm pretty sure the pickups on the Classic Vibe and Vintage Modified are exactly the same, just labelled differently. They look identical and have almost identical measurements (with a bit of individual variance perhaps) The VM sounds fuller in the bridge and middle position, but that probably has to do with pickup height.
@@ryanmckenna3088 I don't have one currently but I've worked on both and the pickups seem identical in terms of construction and measurements. Of course they're glued to the cover so I haven't taken them apart to inspect the coils.
