Why I haven't bought another Jazzmaster

Price.

The only Jazzmaster made that has all the proper electronics for the lowest price is the Squier Classic Vibe Jazzmaster. It costs too much for what it is. The guitar used to be $275. It's now significantly more than that and not worth it.

Yes, there are other cheaper Jazzmasters, but they don't have the proper 2-circuit electronics and don't have the proper bridge or vibrato type either.

For a true Jazzmaster, you either have to buy the Squier, or part one together yourself.

Why haven't I parted one together? Again, price.

Parting together a Strat or Tele is cheap. Parting together a Jazzmaster is not. The bodies, necks, pickups, bridges and vibrato systems are all significantly more expensive to source. Why? Because the Jazzmaster is not as copied as Strats and Teles are.

I can put together completed Strats and Teles all day for under $150. I'm not saying you can build a fantastic guitar for that price. But I am saying you can have a complete working guitar for that price. There's no way to do that with a Jazzmaster.

And as far as used Squier Jazzmasters are concerned, good luck trying to find one for under $350. These guitars can't be had cheap, but it's not for the reason that you think. It's not that these guitars hold their value because they don't. It's because most used proper Jazzmasters are barely used and are still in like-new condition.

Actual used Squier Jazzmasters hardly ever show up for sale and I know exactly why. They wear out really easily. I know this from experience.

Even if you went so far as to part together Squier-to-Squier Jazzmaster parts off eBay, same result. You're going to easily spend over $300 to put together a complete working guitar.

Strats and Teles may be very common, but the advantage of that it's easy and moreover cheap to not only buy but also part guitars together.

Guitars wear out with regular play. Happens all the time. Replacing Strats and Teles is cheap. Replacing Jazzmasters? Never cheap.

Published 2020 Jan 7