The best Jazzmasters to buy in 2023: 10 great offset options from budget to premium
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The Jazzmaster: an occasionally misunderstood, brilliant beast. Since its inception in the 1950s, its been reimagined countless times – but there are also plenty of vintage reissues from budget to premium. With its core specs of a pair of single coils and a floating offset vibrato, Fender and Squier offer Jazzmasters for plenty of players: so whether you need to surf our shoegaze, let’s look at the top ten Jazzmasters available right now.
Ten best Jazzmasters, at a glance:
Fender Vintera II 50s Jazzmaster
Fender American Ultra Jazzmaster
Fender Player Jazzmaster
Squier Classic Vibe Jazzmaster
Squier Affinity Jazzmaster
Fender American Pro II Jazzmaster
Squier 40th Anniversary Jazzmaster
Fender American Vintage II Jazzmaster
Fender Made In Japan Elemental Jazzmaster
Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster
Fender Vintera II 50s Jazzmaster
The lastest iteration of Fender’s Vintera Jazzmaster heads back to the 1950s, and is probably the best way to acquire an authentic Jazzmaster with all the classic trimmings. It comes complete with a vintage-correct 7.25” radius fretboard, narrow tall frets and a 50’s C-shaped neck – and perhaps most excitingly, it seems the return of rosewood to the fretboards of the Vintera series.
Today’s best deals on the Fender Vintera II 50s Jazzmaster
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Fender American Ultra Jazzmaster
This is a much more forward-looking take on the Jazzmaster. While the vintage-styled vibrato remains, there are a lot more modern features on display, including a 10-14” compound fretboard radius, noiseless single-coil pickups, and a redesigned electronic layout for series/parallel switching. The modern D neck profile will be a lot more familiar to modern players, too, and the chamfered neck heel will make upper-fret playing easier.
Today’s best deals on the Fender American Ultra Jazzmaster
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Fender Player Jazzmaster
Speaking of modern – this is a more affordable entry-point into the world of reimagined Jazzmasters. While the vintage vibrato remains, gone are the Jazzmaster single-coils and the rhythm circuit – there’s instead a pair of humbuckers, perfect for players who use a bit more gain. Otherr moindern appointments include a flatter 9.5”-radius fretboard and a slimmer modern C neck profile.
Today’s best deals on the Fender Player Jazzmaster
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Squier Classic Vibe Jazzmaster
If you’re on a budget and looking for the authentic Jazzmaster experience, the Classic Vibe from Squier is a great shout. With two Fender-designed pickups, all of the standard Jazzmaster wiring, a quality non-threaded Jaguar-style bridge and a range of appealing finishes, it’s a great way to get into the world of offset guitars without breaking the bank.
Today’s best deals on the Squier Classic Vibe Jazzmaster
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Squier Affinity Jazzmaster
For beginners or players on an even tighter budget, however, the Affinity Jazzmaster is also a good entry-point. There are two Jazzmaster-style single-coils with slimmed-down electronics that forgo the rhythm circuit. For some wobble, there’s now a two-point Strat-style vibrato and the satin C-shaped neck offers a comfy playing experience, from beginner to expert.
Today’s best deals on the Squier Affinity Jazzmaster
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Fender American Pro II Jazzmaster
This all-out Jazzmaster isn’t quite as unmistakably modern as the American Ultra, however, it features a bunch of spec tweaks to make it even more appealing for the forward-thinking player. These include the same chamfered neck heel, and a new set of V-Mod II pickups, with the bridge offering two distinct voices thanks to a tap switch. The new Panorama offset vibrato also offers a wider range of pitch-bending compared to the vintage version.
Today’s best deals on the Fender American Pro II Jazzmaster
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Squier 40th Anniversary Jazzmaster
Similar in spec to the Classic Vibe, the vintage-edition 40th Anniversary Jazzmaster from Squier offers a more ”played-in” feel, with a satin fish on the body and slightly aged hardware. There’s also a gold anodised pickguard for a classy, old-school look.
Today’s best deals on the Squier 40th Anniversary Jazzmaster
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Fender American Vintage II Jazzmaster
This is the most no-expense-spared vintage Jazzmaster experience you can get outside of either the real vintage deal or the Fender custom shop. With a spec sheet accurate to 1960s models, there’s everything from the threaded-saddle bridge to a 7.25” round-laminated rosewood fretboard with block inlays. Pickups are Fender’s Pure Vintage ‘66 set for tones accurate to the bright jangle of the 60s Jazzmasters.
Today’s best deals on the Fender American Vintage II Jazzmaster
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Fender Made In Japan Elemental Jazzmaster
This is a much more out-there Jazzmaster that’s a little more of a modern rock machine – but offset. There’s a hardtail tune-o-matic bridge along with two powerful humbuckers, and a flatter 12”-radius rosewood fretboard for a playing experince a little closer to a Les Paul than your traditional Jazzmaster, but with all of that out-there cool of the offset shape.
Today’s best deals on the Fender Made In Japan Elemental Jazzmaster
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Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster
Speaking of cool – J Mascis’ signature Jazzmaster is an affordable classic for a reason. With a tune-o-matic bridge paired with the vintage-style vibrato, a gold anodosed pickguard and pickups more reminiscent of P90s than traditional JM single-coils, it’s a unique combination of specs that make for an expressive and powerful guitar. Plus – it’s pretty affordable!
Today’s best deals on the Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster
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