Fender Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster

[grayn]

The thing that caught my attention, with this particular Jazzmaster, was it's looks. The "oxblood" coloured body and head, with a tort scratchplate and creamy white pickups and "witch hat" knobs, just looked amazing. And boy was I pleased that it played and sounded just as good as it looked.I've had this guitar for a few weeks now and have played it every day, through my current amp of choice, a Peavey Classic 30. I understand that the guitar is made from all American parts but assembled in Mexico, to keep the price down. And they even included a very nice Fender hard case.

I've owned a couple of Jazmmasters before, a Classic Player and a Blacktop. Both were decent guitars but this model stands head and shoulders above them. One aspect I was particularly pleased with, is the tremolo. It's as smooth as can be. Many Jazzmaster and Jaguar trems, I have tried, have always seemed rattley, especially when used vigorously.

The Fender Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster has a Mustang, brass-saddled bridge. The neck is C-profiled, with a 7.25”radius, bound rosewood, fingerboard. The pickups are American Vintage ’65 Jazzmaster single-coils. As with most JMs, you get a lead/rhythm switching, for variety. To be honest, I have it on lead all the time. I've always been a player, on basses or guitars, to have tones and volumes at full, unless they are active. I just tend to use the pickup selector and playing technique for tonal variety.

I pretty much exclusively use this guitar for instrumental surf music. I use plenty of the Classic 30's, delightful, spring reverb and a single repeat, slap-back echo, most of the time. I also occasionally add tremolo, rotary speaker effect and/or longer, multi-repeat echo. And within it all, the Fender Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster just sounds wonderful. And for me, is the ultimate surf guitar. It doesn't quite have the
full-bodied clarity, I got previously, from my Marvin 64 but somehow, it just sounds more authentic, with a lush, sparkling tone.
So yes, this guitar was a very good buy, for me.

[Billyboygretsch]

That's a wonderful looking guitar. I had been thinking of spraying one that colour or similar - Aubergine. I had decided to put a maple neck on it but may change my mind now. I take it the upper toggle switch replaces the usual Jazzmaster slide switch or does it do more ?

[RUSSET]

Looks like a really nice guitar, Graham. I too have a fondness for the Jazzmaster, I guess from seeing the Ventures & the Hunters using them back in the early '60s. This model gets a really good write-up in last month's 'Guitarist' mag., & you are confirming their opinions. The only thing I am not keen on is the colour, but that's a personal thing.

Tony.

[grayn]

That's a wonderful looking guitar. I had been thinking of spraying one that colour or similar - Aubergine. I had decided to put a maple neck on it but may change my mind now. I take it the upper toggle switch replaces the usual Jazzmaster slide switch or does it do more ?

Thanks BBG, glad you like it.

You are correct, it is just a toggle switch, replacing the, more usual, slider.
I guess it makes for easier and quicker use, mid-song.
Though i have heard that some folk accidentally knock this slider/switch, mid-song, much to their annoyance.
I've not found it a problem.

Ideally I'd just have the 4-way switch, they use on the Johnny Marr Jag and drop the lead/rhythm circuit, altogether.
But as I'm getting the tone I need already, why change?

[grayn]

Looks like a really nice guitar, Graham. I too have a fondness for the Jazzmaster, I guess from seeing the Ventures & the Hunters using them back in the early '60s. This model gets a really good write-up in last month's 'Guitarist' mag., & you are confirming their opinions. The only thing I am not keen on is the colour, but that's a personal thing.

Tony.

Thanks Tony, wish I'd seen the review, you mention. Glad it was a positive one.

There are some gorgeous Jazzmasters and Jags out there. Out of interest, what would be your colour of choice?

[Billyboygretsch]

Sunburst
Fiesta Red
Daphne Blue
White
I prefer tortoiseshell scratch plates
Don't like Black or metallics

If I paint the body I have Daphne Blue will use white pickguard ? With a maple neck and gold hardware

[RUSSET]

I do prefer the traditional colours for Fender guitars, & I guess that's a nostalgia thing that harks back to the '60s. I quite like Sunburst/Tortoiseshell , Olympic White/Tort., Fiesta Red/Tort.or White & maybe even Daphne Blue/White.
I definately don't go for Black guitars, or Gold or green. I don't like the metallic based paints either, like Candy Apple.
I have a Squier VM Jazzmaster in Sunburst/Tort. which is a great guitar for the price. Of course, it's not such a refined instrument as the US made version, but it's fine for the cost. My main guitars will always be Strats & Teles, but I now have that quirky little devil to play for a change.

[dave robinson]

That's an unusual colour and good looking guitar grayn ! I love it.
I have a sunburst/tort Japanese Jazzmaster to which I added Seymour Duncan pickups and I love it. The colour is my favourite because it's the original look as it was back then
My Jaguar is a Squier in white & tort plate, which is another great looking guitar. My first memory of the Jaguar was Rick's from The Tremoloes which was ice blue, in fact the Trems had a set of ice blue Fenders'. My first Strat in '64 was ice blue - I think it's proper name is Daphne or Sonic blue, but it was the lighter and paler of the two.

[Billyboygretsch]

Hi Dave Sonic blue was the lighter colour. The tremloes had Sonic. In UK we called it Ice Blue. Bit like Fiesta Red and Flamingo Pink. The Blues seem to vary more than the reds.

[dave robinson]

Hi Dave Sonic blue was the lighter colour. The tremloes had Sonic. In UK we called it Ice Blue. Bit like Fiesta Red and Flamingo Pink. The Blues seem to vary more than the reds.

Thanks for clearing that up Billy, I never knew the proper name of that blue. I foolishly PXd that Strat for a Telecaster in 1968 at Moore And Stanworths in Leicester, £20 and my Strat for the Tele. The serial number of the Strat was 91761. Memories !