surferXmatt
Joined: Aug 27, 2008
Posts: 1570
New York
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Posted on Jan 18 2009 04:39 PM
Yesterday I went down to Sam Ash to kill some time. Decided to try out the Classic Player's Jazzmaster. All in all, I must say that I did not like it much. Pros: Lightweight body, really nice/smooth tremolo action. Cons: Thin Sounding, lifeless pickups, the particular guitar I tried could have used some fret filing. Something just felt wrong and dare I say cheap about it.
For $850 it plays like a guitar worth less than half of that price. IMO. If I had more cash and was in the market, I would save a few bucks more and search for a nice used AVRI or Japanese model. From the models I have played in the past, I felt they had quite an edge over this model. I am sure after a proper set up to your personal liking, this guitar could play much better.
Just giving you all my first impressions. I left about 30 minutes later and did not get a chance to try out the Classic Player's Jaguar. I think the staff was getting tired of my surf noodling and I was getting annoyed at the guy next to me playing bad shred riffs on an Ibanez Satriani signature model twice as loud as me.
Anyone else have experience with these models?
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AnalogSurf
Joined: Aug 12, 2011
Posts: 133
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Posted on Aug 12 2011 08:28 PM
I bought my Classic Player Jazzmaster on pure economics...
The Tune O matic Bridge is just dreadful along with the #9 or 10
strings that came on the rig..Its more of Teen age Chord grinder than
A surf guitar...
I removed the Classic Thimbles and installed 5/16th bolts with a taper
that I drilled into the ends installed them and them cut off...I re-installed the thimbles and installed a Mustang bridge along with #11
Di Addario flats..
What an improvment...
Later I installed a Jaguar Mute plate and had to tilt the neck using a
Peavy 1mm guitar pick...Yes Ive broken all the rules but Im impressed
how it turned out.
These are not for Surf players but with some mods is a cheep way to get
into the groove
Pete
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Ariel
Joined: Aug 29, 2009
Posts: 1556
Israel
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Posted on Aug 13 2011 12:56 PM
Yeah. I tried the CP Jag a while ago.
Didn't seem to be constructed very well, had all kinds of rattle going on, frets were ok nothing to write home about, pickups were meh. I believe it was set-up the best that can be for the potential of this guitar, but still it felt cheap, almost plasticy (?).
[I've got an exquisite AVRI thin-skin JM so I'm spoiled, really.]
My frient who owns the store decided to take it off the showroom floor and hang it high for show only. It glows nicely with all that chrome and shiny red.
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AnalogSurf
Joined: Aug 12, 2011
Posts: 133
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Posted on Aug 13 2011 03:24 PM
The Classic Player Jazzmaster has the look of the old school girl but
she is designed for the death metal kids...
I bought mine for Trade and some cash brand new...I thought what Am I going
to do with this thing...the Bridge really Sucks for Surf!
Im breaking all the rules but they do convert over quite easily...
Mel Wardolf Gave me some ideas but I went with Plan "C" and went with the
Idea of plugging the thimbles with bolts..Stock Jazzmaster thimbles will
not fit and adding wood dowels or the dreaded electrical tape were to the point of a joke.
The pick ups are Ok but Ill cheat with A rocktron Nitro on front before the
6G15 tank.
Ive looked at the Jaguar Classic in the stores and thought with A little
of my mods it could work too but still at $800 its still on the wish list.
Pete
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fighterfire
Joined: May 12, 2011
Posts: 1
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Posted on Aug 13 2011 03:40 PM
AnalogSurf wrote:
I removed the Classic Thimbles and installed 5/16th
bolts with a taper
that I drilled into the ends installed them and them
cut off...I re-installed the thimbles and installed a
Mustang bridge
I am not really following this. Could you go into some more detail on how you did this?
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AnalogSurf
Joined: Aug 12, 2011
Posts: 133
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Posted on Aug 13 2011 04:01 PM
Shure
The classic player has thimbles that are 3/8 of an Inch + in size.
Mel sujested after removing the thimbles plugging the holes with dowles
and re drilling. When I removed the mexican Thimbles I thought
( How About NO!) the odds of making a Fukushima out of this are to good !
After removing the Mexican Thimbles I went around the draws in the shop
and found 2- 5/16 bolts (I think) american thread which seemed to cross thread into the bottom of the thimbles and get stuck...I ended up drilling the ends of these bolts to remove the flat surface.
I screwed the bolts into the bottom of the thimbles and cut them off.
Put the thimbles back in and tride the Mustang bridge...It fits and
with some adjustment the hight moves...
Now the thimbles are threaded but there is a tons of play for the
Mustang bridge...
I later added a Jaguar Mute to this system and It functions Great
for sombody taking a Classic player and making a surf guitar out
of nothing..
The neck seemed to low so adding a peavy 1.14 mm guitar pick into the
neck pocket gave enough angle to set the neck correct...
Oh I know I broke some rules here but We wont tell anybody Hi Hi !
Pete
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JakeDobner
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 12159
Seattle
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Posted on Aug 13 2011 04:05 PM
Does anybody know if a Gibson tune-o-matic fits in there? Those are really great bridges, you will have no problem using vibrato heavily with it. It might be simpler to put one of those in than modifying your guitars. Be sure to get one of the good ABR-1 bridges, not a cheap copy.
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AnalogSurf
Joined: Aug 12, 2011
Posts: 133
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Posted on Aug 13 2011 04:36 PM
Hi Jake
I really cant Answer that one...I dont own any real Gibson Guitars
But is do have a 1970s Pearl Les Paul cut from the FujiGen Factory in Japan
and anybody who has played it says it a real Law Suit Guitar .
Its not a Surf Guitar but there is always sombody in the shop who wants
to play EVH stuff !
I was not impressed with fenders Tune O matic Knock Off...YES ,its fine
for Chord Grinders of the Sonic Youth crowd but Fender did sell itself
short when calling it the classic player.
Pete
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JakeDobner
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 12159
Seattle
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Posted on Aug 13 2011 04:37 PM
Some of the cheaper guitars I've owned with tune-o-matics have just chewed up strings. You can see the string carve out a hole in the metal. Just really cheap... It seems anything under $800-$1000 gets that type of bridge. Really disappointing.
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AnalogSurf
Joined: Aug 12, 2011
Posts: 133
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Posted on Aug 13 2011 04:50 PM
Ive had a Few guys ask to have the Bridge Filed so the round Wounds
wont get cut up or jump off..
The biggest problen with the Tune O Matic on the Fender is that it wont
float on the pins to good.
Fender claims it does to hold the intonation but on the Classic Players
Ill beg to differ with the pro's at fender.
Put a set of #11 or 12s on a Tuno O matic and its like the tires are
sticking out over the fenders....It does not work !
The Classic players are marketed for the teenagers who want to play
this Indie stuff...The Blacktops are A good Chassis for mods but off the
shelf they are not Surf Guiatrs but in name only !
Pete
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djangodeadman
Joined: Jan 25, 2007
Posts: 1568
Brighton UK
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Posted on Aug 16 2011 02:56 AM
JakeDobner wrote:
Some of the cheaper guitars I've owned with
tune-o-matics have just chewed up strings. You can see
the string carve out a hole in the metal. Just really
cheap... It seems anything under $800-$1000 gets that
type of bridge. Really disappointing.
That seems to be the story with my Epiphone Sheraton. Can't just change the bridge, though, because it's a Korean made guitar and the bridge is not a standard size. I don't seem to be able to find one the correct size. Otherwise it's a nice guitar.
— Los Fantasticos
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thunderbass
Joined: Aug 15, 2010
Posts: 54
Largo, Florida
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Posted on Aug 16 2011 06:18 AM
Hey everbody. I know that you're talking 6 stringers here but here's a little project that I undertook that had very, very good results. This is my SX project bass. I made a plywood template and routed out the Jazz pick ups and installed a pair of Thunderbird Pro pups. I like the Humbucker sound. It rumbles and roars! I sold off my other guitars, this is the only one I own(first time in a long time that I've had only one guitar).
My reason for posting here is to mention the quality of these basses. It's a friggin' rock! It's a short neck(which I need due to back and neck injuries) and the neck barely bows with full string tension. Nice low action. I don't know about the guitars. I'd expect that they're of the same quality. Neck pocket is t.i.g.h.t. and the frets are finished.
$139.00 new with about that much invested, I'm happy.
For the money they're definately worth checking out.
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AnalogSurf
Joined: Aug 12, 2011
Posts: 133
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Posted on Aug 21 2011 07:17 AM
Building Guitars is part of the Surf tradition..Just like real Hot rods!
Everything that comes in the house seems to get A mod with me.
Surf guitars and Bass's dont come from the store ready to go...
Ive seen some SX Classic Bass's in the store with some pretty cool
colors..For the price you cant feel guilty to modify.
The myth that Chinese guitars all stink is not true...Yes there
cheep but these days there pretty good on quality and easy to attack
with a router and make your own.
Pete
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Las_Barracudas
Joined: Apr 24, 2011
Posts: 1087
Surf City, NC
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Posted on Aug 21 2011 09:58 AM
I played two at local stores and both were dawgs imo. The SX models are better and cost waaay less. Fender is really putting out some junk now-a-days. That wouldn't be so bad if they priced them accordingly??
— METEOR IV on reverbnation
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eddiekatcher
Joined: Mar 14, 2006
Posts: 2778
Atlanta, GA
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Posted on Aug 21 2011 12:44 PM
Nope the Gibson bridge has different bolt centers from the studs on the Fender bridges. It can be made to work by plugging the thimble with a dowel, drilling to to fit the Gibson bridge, setting the studs and proceeding on.
The biggest issue that most modern Fender Jazz and Jags have with the bridges is a lack of down pressure. Shim up the pocket a bit and it will help a LOT. Also as WoodyJ sez you can file the saddle grooves deeper with a rat tail file and this improves bridge/string stability as well. Not too deep or you will choke off the sustain. I machine my own saddles out of free machining brass on a lathe in the basement. Make sure to use a low grade locktite on all threads.
Oh, let me tell you that in the 60's when I was first starting out, Fender Guitars were terribly set up and adjusted at the factory. Gibson's on the other hand played like butter. Crappy playing modern Fenders is nothing new. There are some that are lovingly adjusted and set up, but Wronski can't get to all of them!
ed
— Traditional........speak softly and play through a big blonde amp. Did I mention that I still like big blonde amps?
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Diggey
Joined: Sep 23, 2007
Posts: 571
State College
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Posted on Aug 23 2011 05:15 AM
Just curious if you can swap out the trem with a 62 reissue without modifications? I hate the screw in arm. Anyone know? Totally curious is all.
— Peace to you, not on you
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killbabykill34
Joined: Apr 03, 2010
Posts: 3201
Jacksonville, AL
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Posted on Aug 23 2011 08:11 AM
djangodeadman wrote:
JakeDobner wrote:
Some of the cheaper guitars I've owned with
tune-o-matics have just chewed up strings. You can
see
the string carve out a hole in the metal. Just
really
cheap... It seems anything under $800-$1000 gets
that
type of bridge. Really disappointing.
That seems to be the story with my Epiphone Sheraton.
Can't just change the bridge, though, because it's a
Korean made guitar and the bridge is not a standard
size. I don't seem to be able to find one the correct
size. Otherwise it's a nice guitar.
That is strange. I have an Epiphone Dot and an Epiphone WildKat and was able to purchase roller bridges for both and they fit right on. It has been quite a few years but I believe I got them through guitarfetish. No adjustments to the bridge polls was needed.
— THE KBK ... This is the last known signal. We offer Sanctuary.
www.thekbk.com
http://www.deepeddy.net/artists/thekbk/
www.reverbnation.com/thekbk
www.facebook.com/thekbkal
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cambeezy
Joined: Jun 26, 2007
Posts: 399
Cleveland, Ohio
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Posted on Aug 23 2011 08:00 PM
Diggey wrote:
Just curious if you can swap out the trem with a 62
reissue without modifications? I hate the screw in
arm. Anyone know? Totally curious is all.
The trem plates are interchangeable between the two models. You can also just buy a new reish collet bushing herepart #005-4471-000 (top right) and arm. I hate it too... plan to do one or the other soon. I tossed the TOM bridge for the reissue. Its gotta move, man!
Last edited: Aug 24, 2011 20:35:03
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djangodeadman
Joined: Jan 25, 2007
Posts: 1568
Brighton UK
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Posted on Aug 24 2011 03:45 AM
killbabykill34 wrote:
That is strange. I have an Epiphone Dot and an Epiphone
WildKat and was able to purchase roller bridges for
both and they fit right on. It has been quite a few
years but I believe I got them through guitarfetish. No
adjustments to the bridge polls was needed.
I think it's to do with Epiphone's made in a particular Korean factory at a particular time. Others are the standard size, if I understand correctly.
— Los Fantasticos
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jonfender
Joined: Mar 09, 2011
Posts: 273
Melbourne FL USA
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Posted on Aug 24 2011 10:37 AM
The Classic Player's Jazzmaster I tried out had frets that could have been filed better by Fender. The weight was good.....no more to say cept' for the same amount $$$, there are much better Fender's you can get. I guess I am getting old, but the "Pawn Shop" series sure does justice to it's name !!
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