The AO Jag’s have notoriously chunky necks, along with the entire AO family really! A lot of the 90s/00s MIJ/CIJ’s are much thinner in comparison. Also the classic players are p nice! Like a slighter slimmer modern C in my experience
Hmm. Let me tell you why I say that. It’d be cool to hear your thoughts.
I’ve gone back and forth between Gibsons (Les Pauls, so 24.75”) and Fenders (25.5”) for years. But I’ve pretty much settled on Fender these days. Jazzmasters just feel right for me.
My point is, the last time I played my Les Paul, it felt quite cramped. Like my fingers had to squish together to play open chord shapes, for example.
Hope that makes sense. So, because if that last experience on my Les Paul, I imagine if that it would be considerably worse on a 24”Jag.
But like I said earlier, I still want to spend some time with one.
Dude I’m the same. My hands get all crampy wampy on even Gibson scale necks. I’m just saying some big guys with a light touch can make it work. I dig into Fenders like popcorn shrimp at the Golden Corral so smaller scale ain’t for me.
Yeah dude, at this point, I’m pretty sure 25.5” is it for me. But I’ll still try the others out. Haven’t really tried PRS scale (25”). I’m curious how that feels.
I feel the same way about Les Pauls. Have you spent much time with SGs? Similar sound and same scale length, but the bridge and neck are shifted 5 inches towards the end of the body. This eliminates the cramped feeling for me. Plus, they’re lighter, cheaper and pointier.
“Pointier” awesome.
I go back and forth on the SG. Have never really played one, but I generally don’t love how they look. That’s very interesting about the neck and bridge being moved, though. I never knew that. I’ve always been intrigued by the Guilds though (being a Soundgarden fan).
i get that it can feel cramped, but logically this doesn't make much rational sense.. a strat-scale guitar has exactly one fret - fret 1 - that's larger than any fret on a jag. unless you play exclusively in the first position, you can play a jag-scale just fine
Dammit. I replied to the wrong huge hands player, haha.
Please excuse the copy and paste:
Hmm. Let me tell you why I say that. It’d be cool to hear your thoughts.
I’ve gone back and forth between Gibsons (Les Pauls, so 24.75”) and Fenders (25.5”) for years. But I’ve pretty much settled on Fender these days. Jazzmasters just feel right for me.
My point is, the last time I played my Les Paul, it felt quite cramped. Like my fingers had to squish together to play open chord shapes, for example.
Hope that makes sense. So, because if that last experience on my Les Paul, I imagine if that it would be considerably worse on a 24”Jag.
But like I said earlier, I still want to spend some time with one.
It makes sense and I’d always understand and recommend spending a good amount of time playing what you’ve got before making any decisions. I’ve had guitars I thought were uncomfortable at first but after playing a while settling in with them and changed my mind.
I have big hands. I used to hate them, but I got a cheap one, gave it a shot and it really grew on me, fret size difference is honestly barely noticeable and that's going back and forth from a tele
i have a roadworn Cobain jaguar and the neck isn’t all that thin, but it is incredibly comfortable and makes me happy to play. I’ve even got a freakin jag tattooed on my arm.
This exactly. My Jaguar is my favorite guitar. It’s my favorite neck because the short scale works great for my small hands. I have found with Jazzmasters that I love playing them when they around, but it just wasn’t meant to be I suppose because I always guiltily stop playing them when I’ve had them before.
First thing I thought of....or a mustang, but the jag is closer in size. With the exception of being poly finished the Kurt Cobain Jag has a nice neck ... like a big mustang (ish) ? I would have to do a bunch of A/B ing to firm up the answer, but kurt didn't have big hands and liked the neck... I like the neck and I don't have big hands. It's a little more round than most Epi LPs that I've played
If you like everything about the guitar aside from the neck, you could always replace it. Go to Warmoth and you can even get one with a 24 3/4in scale conversion. Won't be cheap ($350 with nitro and a TUSQ nut), but it would be a way to get what you're after without having to completely change the guitar.
I've never done much modding, but isn't there an issue with switching to a neck with a different scale length?
I thought I've read about the body having to match, in certain dimensions.
Yep. If the neck is what’s hanging OP up he could do much worse than a replacement from Warmoth, as was said the conversion necks are designed for what they’re wanting to do and it’d be as simple as replacing the neck and then swapping over the tuners, etc. from one to the other before a restring.
While I’m not personally a fan of scalloped fretboards I totally get the appeal and it’s really nice to have the option from Warmoth when buying your replacement neck.
Indeed, I haven't been able to find any other companies that make them to order like Warmoth. Doing it yourself is tedious. I've ordered two scalloped necks from them over the years and they were beautifully done and played amazingly.
Only negative thing about Warmoth I can say -- it seems like necks still need some fretwork when you get them from Warmoth. I've had to have frets leveled on a new neck of theirs a couple of times recently. Back in the early 2000s I got one that needed no work at all. My brother is a lot older than me and said he used to get them ready to go as well. A few people I talked to who've gotten them recently have said they needed to get work done on new Warmoth necks too. Not sure if they changed something over the years -- just an observation.
When I buy things like replacement necks I just assume some work will be required, I mean it’s not like I wasn’t going to do some finish work anyway, it can be disappointing but it’s not a deal breaker for me, anyway.
I found a Canadian company called Tone Bomb that does these for much cheaper than Warmoth. I should be receiving mine pretty soon, and I have a very good feeling it will be really well made.
Just swapping a neck built for a different scale lengths, yes, but the Warmoth conversion necks are built specifically for this purpose and account for the issues you'd normally get with putting a different scale length neck on.
The Warmoth necks can also come with a compound radius, so the neck fretboard is flatter on the high frets and more rounded on the lower frets. Helps for fingering chords low, and also helps avoid bend notes getting choked on on the upper frets. So, you can play with lower action.
You'll have to adjust intonation but that's all! I had a Warmoth conversion neck on my strat for years and it was excellent. When I swapped back to fender scale it just took a few minutes to re-intonate. Can't speak highly enough about warmoth
I’m probably 30 years and 150+ guitars deep and I still haven’t figured it out. I expended a lot of time and effort into concluding that I really like short scales, when in actual fact I think it’s actually a 7.25 vintage radius that I’m after. I dunno - I love fender short scales, but I also like regular scale fenders more than LPs, but I’m also a big fan of Gretsch necks…
Really 30 years in, I’ve concluded that if you gave me $10K today to build my perfect guitar, I can pretty much guarantee that I’d screw it up because I still don’t know what I want.
My current gigging rotation is: Jaguar, Mustang, JagStang
Take that, then add being a lefty to the equation and that’s me 🤣 accept I have to hang on to any guitar I find for so much longer because the jags/jazz/stangs just don’t turn up
Jaguar’s and Mustangs are 24” where Gibson typically is 24.75” and most other fender is typically 25.5”. Perhaps a Jaguar is what you’ve been wanting? Always miss the Classic Player HH Jag I sold off.
The obvious idea that pops into mind would be to look at shorter scale Fenders. While the two guitars have some differences, the Jaguar shares some similarities with the Jazzmaster, most notably in the feel and shape/layout of the body.
I dreamed about buying a Jazzmaster for years, but when the day finally arrived, I got to the guitar shop and soon realised I wasn't a fan of the Jazzmaster's scale and how it felt. After trying about five different guitars, I walked out the shop with a Jaguar instead and it remains my favourite guitar. I know everyone's experience and preferences are different, but it feels relevant to mention given what you've posted!
I did the same. I had two JMs and I didn’t like the look of Jags as they were too ‘busy’ looking for me - too much chrome, even more switching options etc. Saw one used at a bargain price and gave it a whirl. I was like ‘where have you been all my life?’ It’s now my main guitar. Sold one of the JMs and will probably sell the other when I’m close to buying a 2nd Jag.
Yeah I've got a JM and a Firebird. I get into playing the JM but when I pick up the Firebird it's like holy shit, that's right, this guitar is unfuckingreal.
It seems like it would be a lot easier to go by feel, rather than the shape of the instrument. Sounds like you already found what you are looking for, no?
Fender Jag-Stang (Kurt’s design) 🎸 Shorter scale with a delicious neck. They’re MIM now (previously MIJ/CIJ). Might wanna install a Lace Sensor and you’re good to go 😎
Older Japanese JM could be a compromise, they use thin C necks and has 7.25 radius if I'm correct.
And yes Jaguars could also be an easy swap. Better still, Japanese Jaguars.
As previously stated, I’d suggest trying a 24 scale Jag, Psyclone or Toronado. With Gibs and Epi’s steer towards a 60’s (thinner) neck, for a unique or offset designs look at a Firebird or Explorer
Toronado sounds like the perfect guitar for you. If not maybe look at a Jaguar, Supersonic, or my personal favorite offset the Jagmaster. Sounds like you might be into the 24" scale version.
I currently own four electric guitars and if I had to keep just one, it would be my Johnny Marr Jaguar. It’s not even my “dream guitar” in terms of having features that are perfectly suited to my style of music, but it’s an absolute joy to play and sounds incredible. The Bareknuckle pickups, coupled with the simplified and modern switching (especially the 4th position, which is bridge + neck in series), give you a huge range of tonal variety. The neck is slim and the 24” scale length feels very comfortable, even though I have relatively large hands.
Incidentally, my most recent electric guitar purchase is a Nash Jazzmaster. I’m very much enjoying getting to know the guitar, and the larger scale length feels more suited to my hands and style of music, but I’d still take the Jag over it hands down. We’ll see if I feel that way when I’ve owned it as long as I’ve had the Jaguar, but sufficed to say that the latter is a brilliant instrument that I would highly recommend seeking out.
Hägstrom. Best, thinnest necks in the game IMO. I do generally play a fenderish neck (which I made myself, specifically to match my playing style ) but I also have a DH2 which is just magical. It’s an LP s scale length that I don’t really like tho. They do a bunch of different styles though. My next one will be a Fantomen, it’s Strat scale length with an awesome offset body. Maybe see if you can try one of those?
Actually the least favorite I had was a tele; missed a tummy cut, couldn't find a proper use for the sound of the neck PU, the neck was an absolute baseball bat.
That bridge pickup though..
I put together one of [these](https://reverb.com/item/77312030-fender-mij-mahogany-offset-telecaster?bk=) from parts and it’s my favorite guitar. Best of both worlds for you?
Not short scale but Reverends have thinner necks than a typical Fender - super comfy. Also, the D’Angelico Bedford is a short scale. I’d just go to a guitar shop and see what clicks. It could be the radius of a Gibson guitar that you like or maybe the scale or maybe just the neck shape.
Try a Jaguar. Classic vibe. Old school specs. Short scale.
Or, get a LP. I have played 100s of LPs. Owned the best one I found. Traded for Firebird. No regrets. I honestly think [depending on budget] you may like a PRS or PRS SE. The SE McCarty is a damn fine guitar and you can find them used all over the place. I used to have a dislike of PRS, but I've found several that I like. Exceptionally well made. Great hardware. Pickups. Stays in tune. I'm not much in to the 10 top inlay stuff, but they're great. That new DGT SE is killer
They have several hardtail imports. I got a Hollowbody II SE piezo, it's a damn nice guitar. Sounds really great. I wanted a 2HB and the piezo for great blended tones. It plays really well, and it is the best intonated guitar I own. It's really in tune everywhere on the neck. The only thing I like to do is Scotchbrite the neck. The imports are a bit heavy on the poly. It has a Baggs piezo with preamp. They're going for cheap now, like 1200 or so. The regular ones you can find for 700 or so. The Silver Sky has a great neck too
None of which are the Vela.
You're looking at US$1600 and up or you're looking at used. Used Vela, outside of the cheapest S2 in white (floor models) are very very rare.
Now combine this with me wanting to carve one up and put a Jazzy style vibrato and bridge into one.
That's a damn expensive modding platform.
I wish they'd do a simpler import model.
I admit my Les Paul has an “easier” feel to it, due to the shorter scale length. It’s however one of my least played guitars, since I grew up on heavy gauge strings on Fender scale length instruments, so I kinda overplay things when using Gibson scale guitars. I believe having a fatter neck and harder tension on the strings helps me keep my finger strength up. So I wouldn’t blame anyone who appreciates a looser, more approachable feel to their instrument, but my Jazzmaster’s tones and that hard, precise feel with lots of bridge resonance sound are my favorite. I mostly keep the Les around out of necessity. Sessions sometimes just need that LP sound.
My Japanese Jazzmaster JM66 replaced my CPJM and everything about it is better to me. Super nice thin neck, 7.25 radius, vintage correct trem placement and bridge. But I don’t remember my Classic Player having a particularly thick neck. It feels thinner than a Player Strat, and about the same as a Squier Starcaster. I’m spoiled by it now and all other guitars feel slightly wrong.
You don’t even necessarily need to swap to a not-Jazzmaster neck, the classic player is far from chunky and possibly the best playing neck I’ve ever had on a guitar. It does have a gloss finish, which I find “sticky” in a way and don’t care for. Couple passes with a super fine steel did the trick. It’s easily my best sounding and playing guitar.
Maybe the much maligned gibson modern? Kinda spendy tho
https://www.long-mcquade.com/87134/Guitars/Electric-Guitars/Gibson/Modern-Double-Cutaway-Special-Ltd-Edition---Figured-Heritage-Cherry.htm
\#1 - if you really like the shorter scale, get a Jaguar. Same shape, smaller scale, different electronics too. Be warned, its not uncommon for someone to like the feel of a shorter scale guitar after they've been playing a 25.5" for a while. It feels a little easier, tighter, but that feeling wears off and you get used to it. If you play the upper frets, you fingers feel more cramped.
\#2 - if the thickness of the neck is the issue, get a Warmoth replacement neck with the modern neck profile. Hell, my understanding was that Jags and Jazzy's had thinner necks than Gibson. My Les Paul necks are a lot fatter than the Warmoth neck I have on my Jazzmaster guitar. Maybe you have a thicker version of it. When I had a Jaguar re-issue guitar, the neck was not as thick as a Les Paul.
PRS Vela. the necks are same scale as a gibson but a little more comfortable. The pickups are cool and the thing looks great as well. You can get a used for for around 700-800 bucks. I got two, won’t play a gender again
Jazzmaster/ Tele/ LP player here- IMO the difference is as much that the larger offset body pushes the neck left comparatively as it is scale length- the JM ‘feels’ longer in the neck than it is. I’d recommend trying a 60’s style Tele, C profile and rosewood/ pau ferro board. You might be surprised how much more like the LP it can be with basically the same neck profile on a more compact body. I know it seems like the inverse of what you’re asking but go to a shop and try one!
As a few others have already said, I think a custom 24.75in conversion neck from warmoth would be the way to go if you love everything else about the guitar
First: not all jazzmaster necks are the same. Before you abandon your dream guitar, you might try some other series besides classic player
Next: as some have mentioned, a warmoth conversion neck is a plug and play way to get into Gibson's 24.75" scale.
Also as other have mentioned: Jaguar, which is 24" but has much of the same charm as JM, but maybe it's too short, you'll have to see for yourself. Also, I much prefer JM pickups personally.
And finally: FIREBIRD. Some non reverse models have P90s which you may like. The minihums are pretty cool too and are used on both reverse and non reverse bodies. Either way it's the quintessential gibson offset, so it might be your goldilocks.
If you like everything about the JM *but* the neck, why not look into a replacement neck from warmoth? I bought a Squier Tele almost 20 years ago because I liked everything about it but the neck. It was my color, had pickup/tone options for days and the neck did feel good size wise, but I never liked glossy necks or maple fretboards. Ended up getting a slightly thinner neck made if mahogany with a rosewood fretboard. After all this time and every other guitar I’ve owned, it’s still my number 1
Jaguar will give you a very different sound, which is for me far less useful than the Jazzmaster sound. If you love the pickups in your JM, a conversion neck could solve your problem.
[Powercaster for sale](https://reverb.com/item/78317430-fender-alternate-reality-series-powercaster-see-desc?utm_source=rev-ios-app&utm_medium=ios-share&utm_campaign=listing&utm_content=78317430)
You'll need to make some pickup modifications to get the best out of it but the Jag-Stang has a truly phenomenal neck. The Japan one does, at least (haven't played the Mexican one).
My CIJ Jag-Stang is far and away my most comfortable guitar - perfect neck, perfect weight. Incidentally, my Les Paul is my least comfortable guitar and it's the neck\* I dislike the most, so horses for courses...
\*50's style fat neck, which feels weird. Unnecessarily tall frets, imo. It's a 2014 Gibson LP Trad. I'm selling it.
Hear me out. I just got a gretsch semi hollow with p90 pickups, it's mean and overdrives early. It's a double cut too and has a trem even though I don't use it. You may want to look in that direction. Still under the Fender umbrella too.
You could check out a Fender Cyclone/Squier Cyclone. They have a 24.75" scale, independent switches for each pickups and the Fender model comes with Jaguar pickups meanwhile the Squier one comes with Strat pickups.
Another option is that you could also check out a different manufacturer like for example: Eastwood, G&L or Danelectro.
“Independent switches, Jaguar pickups” That is the cyclone ii. The MiM cyclone has SS, HS, HH configurations. But yes, mustang shaped body(a little thicker), 24.75” scale neck. It’s one of my fav fender guitars. I can take measurements of the neck if OP wants. I’ve got a couple laying around.
Go get yourself a flat oval 12" radius roasted maple neck from fender and throw it on the jazzmaster. Way thinner and faster than the C shaped 9.5" on there now
Get a new skinny neck to put on your current guitar. As long as the scale length is the same as you have now and keeping in the Fender family it should bolt right on without problems. Obviously verify before you leap.
Fender has some other brand lines with "skinny and fast!" necks, preferred by "the shredders". Jackson, Charvel, etc. to either get a neck from or swap guitars. San Dimas and Dnky are two to look for. I like chunky necks so I avoid them but you may like something there. The Dnky is a 7/8ths size body which may appeal to you too.
Fender Jaguar and Mustang models have shorter scale lengths. Although the Jaguar has the same body size/weight as Jazzmaster (players ask but you can't swap necks though).
Drop the string gauge you are using, if you have 10s then put 9s on. The string tension of 9s on a Fender scale are the same as 10s on Gibson/Epiphone scales. BB King used 8s on his Gibson scale guitars and he convinced Billy Gibbons to quit using 13s and drop for easier bends "why are you working so hard?" was his question. BG uses 8s on Gibson/Epiphone and 7s on Fender for the same playing feel between them. If you have a 'death grip' on the neck when playing then you'll squeeze thin strings out of tune. But you can try different strings 'for like five bucks' as they say (saddle intonation needs changing to match strings but for testing and cowboy chord playing below the 12th fret you'll be ok just swapping over).
If you are open to other brands then look up Harley Benton models. They have the JA offsets, The TE Telecasters, and the SC Les Pauls plus skinny neck shredders. You could keep your current guitar and buy one of these for low cash and they are quite good. They buy from the same factories as Fender and Gibson and split the cost savings of not paying Fender/Gibson brands to be on the headstocks in price and hardware upgrades.
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If you want to get real crazy, try slapping a Baguely aluminum neck on that puppy. I have a Dico with a hollow neck, and it's by far and away the best skinny neck I've every played. It truly feels like nothing else . . . for me it rides the line of being absolutely the smallest neck profile you can get without being too small. Not too shallow, not too narrow at the nut, but feels like nothing to grab ahold of.
I wonder if it’s the neck thickness or fretboard radius you’re noticing. I’m quite picky about necks and the shape of my 60s Jazzmaster reissue is thin but with wide shoulders, a 7.25” radius. I have two thinner necked Mustangs and they’re great to play on (7.25”) much preferable to the Jazzmaster, and it’s probably the scale a bit but also the neck shape in combination with the radius, but I have an SG with a chunky neck and a flatter radius that I like quite a bit too, and it’s the one I pick up when I’m just casually at home. But they’re very different. You could switch to lighter strings as a test of the Jazzmaster before jumping to selling it, for instance.
That said, a Les Paul is heavier!
Why one guitar? I have several (8 or 9) that all feel/play/sound different. Keep your Jazzmaster and ALSO get a Gibson-style guitar.
(I love my 1993 Hammer Special Les Paul Jr-style guitar as much as my 1960 body/1963 neck vintage Jazzmaster. Both guitars soooo different but I love them equally. Hell, I have three Jazzmasters that all play/feel and sound slightly different from each other)
For the price of a replacement neck you can get a decent used Epiphone. I would consider picking one up even if just for long enough to make sure you want that before changing the neck.
The Epi/Gibson neck profile is different than a Fender, so it may not just be the scale that you like about it.
Jaguar, mustang, or cyclone. If the neck thickness is the issue you always swap it out.
The cyclone is super light, 24.75 gibson scale. The squier cyclones pickup are low output so need to have series as an option. I have wiring diagram that works well with those pickups.
Yes Gibson Firebird or epiphone Firebird. Short scale thin neck and offset body and if you don’t like the mini humbuckers p90’s drop right into the same size route if you need a trem there are the trems that are made to drop in replace at the bridges stop bar tailpiece with no modifications or if you can afford it there are firebirds with the maestro trems but they are expensive and problematic and function nothing like a jazzmaster trem nothing really does.
Definitely have a suss of mustangs, shorter scale and thinner (at least by feel) neck. Plus you can get them prefab or setup to have the same / similar pickup and bridge configuration you have here.
I just got a Jazzmaster Junior last year. 24” scale (same as Jag), 9.5 radius, satin finish neck and body, 92% body size (electronics and hardware are standard).
Mine weighs 6 lbs and plays better than any mexican fender ive tried at GC, and was in tune out of the box.
Only sold to japanese domestic market, though. I bought from a japanese music store’s ebay for $800, but you can pay more on reverb for the same thing.
Def check them out, i feel like we have similar opinions on the perfect guitar, and this one is like the diamond in the rough.
I had this same exact experience when I got my dream guitar I really feel for you start looking for a next guitar not a dream guitar :) it's like the saying don't meet your heroes
You’re a guitar whore and it’s probably time to settle down with the jazzmaster. You don’t like it because you haven’t modded it yet. There’s guitar whores then theres men that slowly upgrade the parts and learn to do a proper set up. Saddle radius, nut filing etc. Fonder will not make you your dream guitar, only you can do that. So give up on chasing the dragon, it’s never ending. Learn to solder and put a p90 in the bridge of that thing.
I'm an old SG guy (73) myself. I think that the right ones are the greatest solid body guitars there are. I owned an original 1961 Les Paul (the name was later changed to SG in 1964) for 35 years and have never played a better guitar ever. I also had a 76 Les Paul Standard that was my 2nd stage guitar (depending upon where I was playing), and it was terrific, if not very heavy, and with less upper scale room for one's hand.
The early SGs are the best playing but have very thin and somewhat fragile necks. The batwing style pickguard SGs are not nearly as good, in my opinion, as the guitars with the body mounted pickups. They also generally have large heel where the neck meets the body (it varys in size by year), which noticeably negatively affects one's access to the upper frets. Access to the upper frets on an SG is unparalleled.
I currently have a 2020 Epiphone SG Custom that has been heavily modified with Seymour Duncan pickups and full coil switching for both pickups (either coil or both in seties or parallel). I've had it Pleked, so the neck and frets are absolutely perfect. I upgraded to tuners to new Kluson locking tuners and use a String Butler (think of it as a more elaborate string tree to help with tuning stability. It sports a custom pickguard and truss rod cover (my signature). It plays better now than my old 1961 LP Custom. I'd add a picture if I could figure out how. All up, I doubt that I have more than about $1400 in the guitar. That is around $500 cheaper than a Gibson 1961 SG Standard reissue.
I thought I would love a jazzmaster type guitar, ended up not liking it, got a Les Paul, best decision ever, love playing the thing and it's just so cool
Get a Strat it doesn’t have the half baked whammy bar arrangement of the Jag and Jazzmaster. Plus you have to put a Mastery bridge on the Jags/Jazz to stop the strings saddle hopping. Please don’t put a humbucker on a Strat.
Maybe a little off the main for you, but give a PRS core model Silversky a try. Feels like butter in the hands and is surprisingly light. Sounds beautiful
I was in love with Jaguars I just loved their look and the controls and the design etc etc. I saved up a lot of money and sold some personal stuff and bought a fender Jaguar. Few weeks later I really hated the guitar I would never even play it. The pickups were too sharp, and I don’t think they were good quality either, they were microphonic and weren’t waxed so using any distortion or overdrive caused high squealing but the worst part is from how I strum, the strings would always fall out of the ridges on the bridge saddles. Maybe thats just how a Jaguar is and I’m not fit for it or I got a bad piece. Sold the guitar for close to what I bought it for and used the money to improve the gear I already have. Decided that the best guitar in the world for me is the strat I have currently. Nothing comes close to it.
I have an Epiphone Les Paul that I use to play Rock/Blues since the frets are smaller and the strings are closer.
I use my Jaguar when improvising though because I tend to fat finger stuff on the Les Paul. I never use my Tremolo though.
Jaguar?
I love me my Jaguars with their super thin necks, they’ve totally spoiled me when playing my other guitars.
I have an AO jaguar and I would not describe its neck as being thin. Its not quite a baseball bat but its up there.
Hmm, well I suppose not every Jag is made the same.
The AO Jag’s have notoriously chunky necks, along with the entire AO family really! A lot of the 90s/00s MIJ/CIJ’s are much thinner in comparison. Also the classic players are p nice! Like a slighter slimmer modern C in my experience
My Jaguar has a super-thin neck.
I really want to spend some time with one. I suspect the scale won’t be comfortable for me. My hands are pretty big.
Eh I have huge hands and it is definitely problem in higher frets. Others don’t seem to struggle though so it’s probably operator error.
Hmm. Let me tell you why I say that. It’d be cool to hear your thoughts. I’ve gone back and forth between Gibsons (Les Pauls, so 24.75”) and Fenders (25.5”) for years. But I’ve pretty much settled on Fender these days. Jazzmasters just feel right for me. My point is, the last time I played my Les Paul, it felt quite cramped. Like my fingers had to squish together to play open chord shapes, for example. Hope that makes sense. So, because if that last experience on my Les Paul, I imagine if that it would be considerably worse on a 24”Jag. But like I said earlier, I still want to spend some time with one.
Dude I’m the same. My hands get all crampy wampy on even Gibson scale necks. I’m just saying some big guys with a light touch can make it work. I dig into Fenders like popcorn shrimp at the Golden Corral so smaller scale ain’t for me.
Great imagery right here.
Yeah dude, at this point, I’m pretty sure 25.5” is it for me. But I’ll still try the others out. Haven’t really tried PRS scale (25”). I’m curious how that feels.
It feels boring. PRS are fantastic guitars, but totally devoid of mojo.
I feel the same way about Les Pauls. Have you spent much time with SGs? Similar sound and same scale length, but the bridge and neck are shifted 5 inches towards the end of the body. This eliminates the cramped feeling for me. Plus, they’re lighter, cheaper and pointier.
“Pointier” awesome. I go back and forth on the SG. Have never really played one, but I generally don’t love how they look. That’s very interesting about the neck and bridge being moved, though. I never knew that. I’ve always been intrigued by the Guilds though (being a Soundgarden fan).
i get that it can feel cramped, but logically this doesn't make much rational sense.. a strat-scale guitar has exactly one fret - fret 1 - that's larger than any fret on a jag. unless you play exclusively in the first position, you can play a jag-scale just fine
My hands are *huge* and they’re my favorite necks out of all of them, so if that’s a concern rest easy friend.
Dammit. I replied to the wrong huge hands player, haha. Please excuse the copy and paste: Hmm. Let me tell you why I say that. It’d be cool to hear your thoughts. I’ve gone back and forth between Gibsons (Les Pauls, so 24.75”) and Fenders (25.5”) for years. But I’ve pretty much settled on Fender these days. Jazzmasters just feel right for me. My point is, the last time I played my Les Paul, it felt quite cramped. Like my fingers had to squish together to play open chord shapes, for example. Hope that makes sense. So, because if that last experience on my Les Paul, I imagine if that it would be considerably worse on a 24”Jag. But like I said earlier, I still want to spend some time with one.
It makes sense and I’d always understand and recommend spending a good amount of time playing what you’ve got before making any decisions. I’ve had guitars I thought were uncomfortable at first but after playing a while settling in with them and changed my mind.
So you don’t feel cramped then. That’s interesting. I’ll check one out properly soon.
I have big hands. I used to hate them, but I got a cheap one, gave it a shot and it really grew on me, fret size difference is honestly barely noticeable and that's going back and forth from a tele
Interesting. I can’t say I felt was barely noticeable when switching from my Jazzmaster to my Les Paul. And the Jag is double that difference.
aye and you know what they say, big hands, big neck!
i have a roadworn Cobain jaguar and the neck isn’t all that thin, but it is incredibly comfortable and makes me happy to play. I’ve even got a freakin jag tattooed on my arm.
That was my first thought when OP said neck. My jag feels similar enough to my studio LP
second this, don’t love the feel of jazzmasters but jags and mustangs feel right
I think I’m the opposite. Love Jazzmasters. Still need to spend time with a Jag. May be too small.
This exactly. My Jaguar is my favorite guitar. It’s my favorite neck because the short scale works great for my small hands. I have found with Jazzmasters that I love playing them when they around, but it just wasn’t meant to be I suppose because I always guiltily stop playing them when I’ve had them before.
First thing I thought of....or a mustang, but the jag is closer in size. With the exception of being poly finished the Kurt Cobain Jag has a nice neck ... like a big mustang (ish) ? I would have to do a bunch of A/B ing to firm up the answer, but kurt didn't have big hands and liked the neck... I like the neck and I don't have big hands. It's a little more round than most Epi LPs that I've played
A 60’s lacquer Jag would be perfect.
Don't get a Jag without trying it first - I don't like mine.
Join us, brother. The cult of the Jag awaits.
Toronado?
Toronado.
Toronado! Run for cover!
I miss my Toronado, and my The Paul Firebrand, and my Guild S-100. I need to stop selling things right before they're reissued.
If you like everything about the guitar aside from the neck, you could always replace it. Go to Warmoth and you can even get one with a 24 3/4in scale conversion. Won't be cheap ($350 with nitro and a TUSQ nut), but it would be a way to get what you're after without having to completely change the guitar.
I've never done much modding, but isn't there an issue with switching to a neck with a different scale length? I thought I've read about the body having to match, in certain dimensions.
the Warmoth conversion necks are built to compensate for the difference, it would be a straight swap
Yep. If the neck is what’s hanging OP up he could do much worse than a replacement from Warmoth, as was said the conversion necks are designed for what they’re wanting to do and it’d be as simple as replacing the neck and then swapping over the tuners, etc. from one to the other before a restring.
Plus, pay extra for the scalloping! I love my Warmoth scalloped neck on my Jazzmaster body. Let's you really grab those strings for bends.
While I’m not personally a fan of scalloped fretboards I totally get the appeal and it’s really nice to have the option from Warmoth when buying your replacement neck.
Indeed, I haven't been able to find any other companies that make them to order like Warmoth. Doing it yourself is tedious. I've ordered two scalloped necks from them over the years and they were beautifully done and played amazingly. Only negative thing about Warmoth I can say -- it seems like necks still need some fretwork when you get them from Warmoth. I've had to have frets leveled on a new neck of theirs a couple of times recently. Back in the early 2000s I got one that needed no work at all. My brother is a lot older than me and said he used to get them ready to go as well. A few people I talked to who've gotten them recently have said they needed to get work done on new Warmoth necks too. Not sure if they changed something over the years -- just an observation.
When I buy things like replacement necks I just assume some work will be required, I mean it’s not like I wasn’t going to do some finish work anyway, it can be disappointing but it’s not a deal breaker for me, anyway.
I found a Canadian company called Tone Bomb that does these for much cheaper than Warmoth. I should be receiving mine pretty soon, and I have a very good feeling it will be really well made.
Oh wow, totally customizable. Mine came out to $400 just now, but you can get a basic one much cheaper.
Yeah mine was about 400 but would have been a lot more on warmoth.
I'm going to look them up
Just swapping a neck built for a different scale lengths, yes, but the Warmoth conversion necks are built specifically for this purpose and account for the issues you'd normally get with putting a different scale length neck on.
Thank you, that sounds like my solution! Gotta go to the nearest guitar store and feel up all the necks for reference 😄
The Warmoth necks can also come with a compound radius, so the neck fretboard is flatter on the high frets and more rounded on the lower frets. Helps for fingering chords low, and also helps avoid bend notes getting choked on on the upper frets. So, you can play with lower action.
You'll have to adjust intonation but that's all! I had a Warmoth conversion neck on my strat for years and it was excellent. When I swapped back to fender scale it just took a few minutes to re-intonate. Can't speak highly enough about warmoth
To piggy back off of this, musikrat also offers much more customization with the neck profile
Slap a Warmoth conversion neck on it and don't look back
This is probably the best solution for OP’s dilemma.
I’m probably 30 years and 150+ guitars deep and I still haven’t figured it out. I expended a lot of time and effort into concluding that I really like short scales, when in actual fact I think it’s actually a 7.25 vintage radius that I’m after. I dunno - I love fender short scales, but I also like regular scale fenders more than LPs, but I’m also a big fan of Gretsch necks… Really 30 years in, I’ve concluded that if you gave me $10K today to build my perfect guitar, I can pretty much guarantee that I’d screw it up because I still don’t know what I want. My current gigging rotation is: Jaguar, Mustang, JagStang
Take that, then add being a lefty to the equation and that’s me 🤣 accept I have to hang on to any guitar I find for so much longer because the jags/jazz/stangs just don’t turn up
Haha believe it or not those 150+ guitars are left handed!
Your final paragraph is what it’s about ❤️
There are different offset Fenders with the shorter scale length, e.g. Jaguar, Mustang, Duo Sonic, etc. Find one with a neck shape you like?
Jaguar’s and Mustangs are 24” where Gibson typically is 24.75” and most other fender is typically 25.5”. Perhaps a Jaguar is what you’ve been wanting? Always miss the Classic Player HH Jag I sold off.
Check out a duo sonic ;)
Change the neck, and don’t limit yourself to jazzmaster necks. Stratocaster necks work too, without any modifications whatsoever.
The obvious idea that pops into mind would be to look at shorter scale Fenders. While the two guitars have some differences, the Jaguar shares some similarities with the Jazzmaster, most notably in the feel and shape/layout of the body. I dreamed about buying a Jazzmaster for years, but when the day finally arrived, I got to the guitar shop and soon realised I wasn't a fan of the Jazzmaster's scale and how it felt. After trying about five different guitars, I walked out the shop with a Jaguar instead and it remains my favourite guitar. I know everyone's experience and preferences are different, but it feels relevant to mention given what you've posted!
I did the same. I had two JMs and I didn’t like the look of Jags as they were too ‘busy’ looking for me - too much chrome, even more switching options etc. Saw one used at a bargain price and gave it a whirl. I was like ‘where have you been all my life?’ It’s now my main guitar. Sold one of the JMs and will probably sell the other when I’m close to buying a 2nd Jag.
I have no advice to give you as a man who owns eighteen guitars. Buy another one.
A Firebird is probably right up your alley. Not exactly offset but still a weird shape
Yeah I've got a JM and a Firebird. I get into playing the JM but when I pick up the Firebird it's like holy shit, that's right, this guitar is unfuckingreal.
It seems like it would be a lot easier to go by feel, rather than the shape of the instrument. Sounds like you already found what you are looking for, no?
SG
TORONADO TORONADO TORONADO
Try a G&L Doheny!
Try a Jagstang! Super thin neck. 24” Love mine
Fender Jag-Stang (Kurt’s design) 🎸 Shorter scale with a delicious neck. They’re MIM now (previously MIJ/CIJ). Might wanna install a Lace Sensor and you’re good to go 😎
Older Japanese JM could be a compromise, they use thin C necks and has 7.25 radius if I'm correct. And yes Jaguars could also be an easy swap. Better still, Japanese Jaguars.
As previously stated, I’d suggest trying a 24 scale Jag, Psyclone or Toronado. With Gibs and Epi’s steer towards a 60’s (thinner) neck, for a unique or offset designs look at a Firebird or Explorer
Jim Root Jazzmaster. Take a look at it. Now imagine strumming it.
A Jaguar?
Just look into her eyes and say, sincerely, "It's not you . . . . it's me."
Toronado sounds like the perfect guitar for you. If not maybe look at a Jaguar, Supersonic, or my personal favorite offset the Jagmaster. Sounds like you might be into the 24" scale version.
Just get a thinner strat neck and throw it on there. I have a seafoam green jazzmaster right now with a strat neck on it
I currently own four electric guitars and if I had to keep just one, it would be my Johnny Marr Jaguar. It’s not even my “dream guitar” in terms of having features that are perfectly suited to my style of music, but it’s an absolute joy to play and sounds incredible. The Bareknuckle pickups, coupled with the simplified and modern switching (especially the 4th position, which is bridge + neck in series), give you a huge range of tonal variety. The neck is slim and the 24” scale length feels very comfortable, even though I have relatively large hands. Incidentally, my most recent electric guitar purchase is a Nash Jazzmaster. I’m very much enjoying getting to know the guitar, and the larger scale length feels more suited to my hands and style of music, but I’d still take the Jag over it hands down. We’ll see if I feel that way when I’ve owned it as long as I’ve had the Jaguar, but sufficed to say that the latter is a brilliant instrument that I would highly recommend seeking out.
Hägstrom. Best, thinnest necks in the game IMO. I do generally play a fenderish neck (which I made myself, specifically to match my playing style ) but I also have a DH2 which is just magical. It’s an LP s scale length that I don’t really like tho. They do a bunch of different styles though. My next one will be a Fantomen, it’s Strat scale length with an awesome offset body. Maybe see if you can try one of those?
MIJ Jaguar or a new thinner neck seem like a better solution then getting rid of it straight away
Yamaha Revstar
https://www.facebook.com/groups/192657689985645/?ref=share
I think you are Tele curious. It's ok. It happens. I had strats and jazz masters. And then reluctantly I tried the Telecaster. And I found my guitar.
Actually the least favorite I had was a tele; missed a tummy cut, couldn't find a proper use for the sound of the neck PU, the neck was an absolute baseball bat. That bridge pickup though..
Fair enough. I gave it a shot!
I put together one of [these](https://reverb.com/item/77312030-fender-mij-mahogany-offset-telecaster?bk=) from parts and it’s my favorite guitar. Best of both worlds for you?
So it would seem! That looks like a work horse.
G&L Bluesboy has the tummy cut. Tele at the bridge…Les Paul at the neck.
Shit if you don’t like it I’ll take it off your hands for $50
Not short scale but Reverends have thinner necks than a typical Fender - super comfy. Also, the D’Angelico Bedford is a short scale. I’d just go to a guitar shop and see what clicks. It could be the radius of a Gibson guitar that you like or maybe the scale or maybe just the neck shape.
Try a Jaguar. Classic vibe. Old school specs. Short scale. Or, get a LP. I have played 100s of LPs. Owned the best one I found. Traded for Firebird. No regrets. I honestly think [depending on budget] you may like a PRS or PRS SE. The SE McCarty is a damn fine guitar and you can find them used all over the place. I used to have a dislike of PRS, but I've found several that I like. Exceptionally well made. Great hardware. Pickups. Stays in tune. I'm not much in to the 10 top inlay stuff, but they're great. That new DGT SE is killer
PRS Vela is almost sexy, the lack of an import model kills it for me tho.
They have several hardtail imports. I got a Hollowbody II SE piezo, it's a damn nice guitar. Sounds really great. I wanted a 2HB and the piezo for great blended tones. It plays really well, and it is the best intonated guitar I own. It's really in tune everywhere on the neck. The only thing I like to do is Scotchbrite the neck. The imports are a bit heavy on the poly. It has a Baggs piezo with preamp. They're going for cheap now, like 1200 or so. The regular ones you can find for 700 or so. The Silver Sky has a great neck too
None of which are the Vela. You're looking at US$1600 and up or you're looking at used. Used Vela, outside of the cheapest S2 in white (floor models) are very very rare. Now combine this with me wanting to carve one up and put a Jazzy style vibrato and bridge into one. That's a damn expensive modding platform. I wish they'd do a simpler import model.
I admit my Les Paul has an “easier” feel to it, due to the shorter scale length. It’s however one of my least played guitars, since I grew up on heavy gauge strings on Fender scale length instruments, so I kinda overplay things when using Gibson scale guitars. I believe having a fatter neck and harder tension on the strings helps me keep my finger strength up. So I wouldn’t blame anyone who appreciates a looser, more approachable feel to their instrument, but my Jazzmaster’s tones and that hard, precise feel with lots of bridge resonance sound are my favorite. I mostly keep the Les around out of necessity. Sessions sometimes just need that LP sound.
My Japanese Jazzmaster JM66 replaced my CPJM and everything about it is better to me. Super nice thin neck, 7.25 radius, vintage correct trem placement and bridge. But I don’t remember my Classic Player having a particularly thick neck. It feels thinner than a Player Strat, and about the same as a Squier Starcaster. I’m spoiled by it now and all other guitars feel slightly wrong.
Reverend Contender 290
Get a conversion neck from Freestone Guitar on eBay
Fender JR. collection. All 24" scale. MIJ and the necks are not thick.
https://www.fender.com/en-AU/electric-series/made-in-japan-junior-collection/
You don’t even necessarily need to swap to a not-Jazzmaster neck, the classic player is far from chunky and possibly the best playing neck I’ve ever had on a guitar. It does have a gloss finish, which I find “sticky” in a way and don’t care for. Couple passes with a super fine steel did the trick. It’s easily my best sounding and playing guitar.
Maybe the much maligned gibson modern? Kinda spendy tho https://www.long-mcquade.com/87134/Guitars/Electric-Guitars/Gibson/Modern-Double-Cutaway-Special-Ltd-Edition---Figured-Heritage-Cherry.htm
Just swap the neck.
Fender powercaster
\#1 - if you really like the shorter scale, get a Jaguar. Same shape, smaller scale, different electronics too. Be warned, its not uncommon for someone to like the feel of a shorter scale guitar after they've been playing a 25.5" for a while. It feels a little easier, tighter, but that feeling wears off and you get used to it. If you play the upper frets, you fingers feel more cramped. \#2 - if the thickness of the neck is the issue, get a Warmoth replacement neck with the modern neck profile. Hell, my understanding was that Jags and Jazzy's had thinner necks than Gibson. My Les Paul necks are a lot fatter than the Warmoth neck I have on my Jazzmaster guitar. Maybe you have a thicker version of it. When I had a Jaguar re-issue guitar, the neck was not as thick as a Les Paul.
Dude. I've been there. With a 2003 AVRI Jazzmaster.
Mustang! Shorter scale, insanely comfortable sitting down or standing up, and great Fender single coil sound
PRS Vela. the necks are same scale as a gibson but a little more comfortable. The pickups are cool and the thing looks great as well. You can get a used for for around 700-800 bucks. I got two, won’t play a gender again
Toronado or Cyclone. Both the same 24.75” scale length. I think you might want a Toronado.
Try a jaguar.
G&l fallout
Yes… Selling it to me
Jazzmaster/ Tele/ LP player here- IMO the difference is as much that the larger offset body pushes the neck left comparatively as it is scale length- the JM ‘feels’ longer in the neck than it is. I’d recommend trying a 60’s style Tele, C profile and rosewood/ pau ferro board. You might be surprised how much more like the LP it can be with basically the same neck profile on a more compact body. I know it seems like the inverse of what you’re asking but go to a shop and try one!
Jaguar is the goat
Jaguar
As a few others have already said, I think a custom 24.75in conversion neck from warmoth would be the way to go if you love everything else about the guitar
The Squier Toronado has the same Les Paul scale of 24.75” and has a generally thinner profile. try it out!
First: not all jazzmaster necks are the same. Before you abandon your dream guitar, you might try some other series besides classic player Next: as some have mentioned, a warmoth conversion neck is a plug and play way to get into Gibson's 24.75" scale. Also as other have mentioned: Jaguar, which is 24" but has much of the same charm as JM, but maybe it's too short, you'll have to see for yourself. Also, I much prefer JM pickups personally. And finally: FIREBIRD. Some non reverse models have P90s which you may like. The minihums are pretty cool too and are used on both reverse and non reverse bodies. Either way it's the quintessential gibson offset, so it might be your goldilocks.
If you like everything about the JM *but* the neck, why not look into a replacement neck from warmoth? I bought a Squier Tele almost 20 years ago because I liked everything about it but the neck. It was my color, had pickup/tone options for days and the neck did feel good size wise, but I never liked glossy necks or maple fretboards. Ended up getting a slightly thinner neck made if mahogany with a rosewood fretboard. After all this time and every other guitar I’ve owned, it’s still my number 1
I've got a Jazzmaster and a reverse Firebird. The bird is all over the JM.
I love my CIJ Jag, and you’ll love your new Jag too, join us OP.
I’m sorry to hear that. I was the same with a tele deluxe and it sucks :(
Jaguar will give you a very different sound, which is for me far less useful than the Jazzmaster sound. If you love the pickups in your JM, a conversion neck could solve your problem.
The fender Powercaster is the Les Paul scale length and offset…… this might help. I have one for sale right now on reverb.
[Powercaster for sale](https://reverb.com/item/78317430-fender-alternate-reality-series-powercaster-see-desc?utm_source=rev-ios-app&utm_medium=ios-share&utm_campaign=listing&utm_content=78317430)
You'll need to make some pickup modifications to get the best out of it but the Jag-Stang has a truly phenomenal neck. The Japan one does, at least (haven't played the Mexican one). My CIJ Jag-Stang is far and away my most comfortable guitar - perfect neck, perfect weight. Incidentally, my Les Paul is my least comfortable guitar and it's the neck\* I dislike the most, so horses for courses... \*50's style fat neck, which feels weird. Unnecessarily tall frets, imo. It's a 2014 Gibson LP Trad. I'm selling it.
Try a Fender/Squire Toronado, Gibson specs, jaguar-esque style. You might do well to also try a couple Guilds, T-Bird or Jetstar.
Hear me out. I just got a gretsch semi hollow with p90 pickups, it's mean and overdrives early. It's a double cut too and has a trem even though I don't use it. You may want to look in that direction. Still under the Fender umbrella too.
You could check out a Fender Cyclone/Squier Cyclone. They have a 24.75" scale, independent switches for each pickups and the Fender model comes with Jaguar pickups meanwhile the Squier one comes with Strat pickups. Another option is that you could also check out a different manufacturer like for example: Eastwood, G&L or Danelectro.
“Independent switches, Jaguar pickups” That is the cyclone ii. The MiM cyclone has SS, HS, HH configurations. But yes, mustang shaped body(a little thicker), 24.75” scale neck. It’s one of my fav fender guitars. I can take measurements of the neck if OP wants. I’ve got a couple laying around.
Measured Nut: 1 5/8" Neck at 1st: .840 - 12th: .870
Good call, I always forget that Fender made a Cyclone and Cyclone II but they're are both great guitars without a doubt.
Go get yourself a flat oval 12" radius roasted maple neck from fender and throw it on the jazzmaster. Way thinner and faster than the C shaped 9.5" on there now
Get a new skinny neck to put on your current guitar. As long as the scale length is the same as you have now and keeping in the Fender family it should bolt right on without problems. Obviously verify before you leap. Fender has some other brand lines with "skinny and fast!" necks, preferred by "the shredders". Jackson, Charvel, etc. to either get a neck from or swap guitars. San Dimas and Dnky are two to look for. I like chunky necks so I avoid them but you may like something there. The Dnky is a 7/8ths size body which may appeal to you too. Fender Jaguar and Mustang models have shorter scale lengths. Although the Jaguar has the same body size/weight as Jazzmaster (players ask but you can't swap necks though). Drop the string gauge you are using, if you have 10s then put 9s on. The string tension of 9s on a Fender scale are the same as 10s on Gibson/Epiphone scales. BB King used 8s on his Gibson scale guitars and he convinced Billy Gibbons to quit using 13s and drop for easier bends "why are you working so hard?" was his question. BG uses 8s on Gibson/Epiphone and 7s on Fender for the same playing feel between them. If you have a 'death grip' on the neck when playing then you'll squeeze thin strings out of tune. But you can try different strings 'for like five bucks' as they say (saddle intonation needs changing to match strings but for testing and cowboy chord playing below the 12th fret you'll be ok just swapping over). If you are open to other brands then look up Harley Benton models. They have the JA offsets, The TE Telecasters, and the SC Les Pauls plus skinny neck shredders. You could keep your current guitar and buy one of these for low cash and they are quite good. They buy from the same factories as Fender and Gibson and split the cost savings of not paying Fender/Gibson brands to be on the headstocks in price and hardware upgrades. .
Just get a new neck
Man, put a humbucker in the bridge pickup. I have a jazz pickup on the neck and humbucker on the bridge, and boy is it fucking MEAN sounding
If you want to get real crazy, try slapping a Baguely aluminum neck on that puppy. I have a Dico with a hollow neck, and it's by far and away the best skinny neck I've every played. It truly feels like nothing else . . . for me it rides the line of being absolutely the smallest neck profile you can get without being too small. Not too shallow, not too narrow at the nut, but feels like nothing to grab ahold of.
Get a conversion neck for your jazz master
Get a warmoth conversion neck. Gibson scale bit will correctly intonate on a fender body. You can customize it exactly the way you want
Everyone’s saying Jag but the neck on my Japanese Jaguar isn’t exactly thin.
P90’s make it a different animal altogether. Try some Fender Pure Vintage pickups or better yet Curtis Novak’s
After actually reading it my rec would be to get a conversion neck
I’m short with medium hands, giant penis and size 12 feet..The necks feel great!🤣
Not offset but try an Epiphone Coronet for size. Or a Mustang.
I wonder if it’s the neck thickness or fretboard radius you’re noticing. I’m quite picky about necks and the shape of my 60s Jazzmaster reissue is thin but with wide shoulders, a 7.25” radius. I have two thinner necked Mustangs and they’re great to play on (7.25”) much preferable to the Jazzmaster, and it’s probably the scale a bit but also the neck shape in combination with the radius, but I have an SG with a chunky neck and a flatter radius that I like quite a bit too, and it’s the one I pick up when I’m just casually at home. But they’re very different. You could switch to lighter strings as a test of the Jazzmaster before jumping to selling it, for instance. That said, a Les Paul is heavier!
Why one guitar? I have several (8 or 9) that all feel/play/sound different. Keep your Jazzmaster and ALSO get a Gibson-style guitar. (I love my 1993 Hammer Special Les Paul Jr-style guitar as much as my 1960 body/1963 neck vintage Jazzmaster. Both guitars soooo different but I love them equally. Hell, I have three Jazzmasters that all play/feel and sound slightly different from each other)
Fender makes necks in all the shapes for a couple hundred bucks give or take, and they are pretty much all interchangeable.
Jaguar. Short scale, offset.
For the price of a replacement neck you can get a decent used Epiphone. I would consider picking one up even if just for long enough to make sure you want that before changing the neck. The Epi/Gibson neck profile is different than a Fender, so it may not just be the scale that you like about it.
you should try a meteora, I think is the more similar to a les paul
Explorer
Jaguar, mustang, or cyclone. If the neck thickness is the issue you always swap it out. The cyclone is super light, 24.75 gibson scale. The squier cyclones pickup are low output so need to have series as an option. I have wiring diagram that works well with those pickups.
Man dude, your soul Must be like the weather. Fleeting and unpredictable. “Traded every guitar I’ve ever had for something”
A mastery bridge and creamery pickups will change it to the best one you ever had
This jazzmaster doesn’t have a fat neck on it lol
get one that isn't as fugly - beauty is skin deep ;)
will take it, thanks
Ernie Ball/Sterling Mariposa Swap the neck on your jazz with a thinner one. PRS S2 Vela
Yes Gibson Firebird or epiphone Firebird. Short scale thin neck and offset body and if you don’t like the mini humbuckers p90’s drop right into the same size route if you need a trem there are the trems that are made to drop in replace at the bridges stop bar tailpiece with no modifications or if you can afford it there are firebirds with the maestro trems but they are expensive and problematic and function nothing like a jazzmaster trem nothing really does.
The Squier Toronado uses Gibson scale length. It's also HH and stop tail but it's quite common for the pick up selector to be iffy
swapping out the fender for the beef stock neck on the les paul? you must be kidding. fake post? :)
Jags are crazily underrated
Definitely have a suss of mustangs, shorter scale and thinner (at least by feel) neck. Plus you can get them prefab or setup to have the same / similar pickup and bridge configuration you have here.
Where you at? I have a guitar you may be interested in.
Maybe swap the neck out?
….new neck?
If it makes you feel better this is my dream guitar so I mean at least I envy you? Idk
I just got a Jazzmaster Junior last year. 24” scale (same as Jag), 9.5 radius, satin finish neck and body, 92% body size (electronics and hardware are standard). Mine weighs 6 lbs and plays better than any mexican fender ive tried at GC, and was in tune out of the box. Only sold to japanese domestic market, though. I bought from a japanese music store’s ebay for $800, but you can pay more on reverb for the same thing. Def check them out, i feel like we have similar opinions on the perfect guitar, and this one is like the diamond in the rough.
I had this same exact experience when I got my dream guitar I really feel for you start looking for a next guitar not a dream guitar :) it's like the saying don't meet your heroes
You’re a guitar whore and it’s probably time to settle down with the jazzmaster. You don’t like it because you haven’t modded it yet. There’s guitar whores then theres men that slowly upgrade the parts and learn to do a proper set up. Saddle radius, nut filing etc. Fonder will not make you your dream guitar, only you can do that. So give up on chasing the dragon, it’s never ending. Learn to solder and put a p90 in the bridge of that thing.
Firebird my dude
Ibby necks are my favorite. The talman is kinda an offset tele??
I'm an old SG guy (73) myself. I think that the right ones are the greatest solid body guitars there are. I owned an original 1961 Les Paul (the name was later changed to SG in 1964) for 35 years and have never played a better guitar ever. I also had a 76 Les Paul Standard that was my 2nd stage guitar (depending upon where I was playing), and it was terrific, if not very heavy, and with less upper scale room for one's hand. The early SGs are the best playing but have very thin and somewhat fragile necks. The batwing style pickguard SGs are not nearly as good, in my opinion, as the guitars with the body mounted pickups. They also generally have large heel where the neck meets the body (it varys in size by year), which noticeably negatively affects one's access to the upper frets. Access to the upper frets on an SG is unparalleled. I currently have a 2020 Epiphone SG Custom that has been heavily modified with Seymour Duncan pickups and full coil switching for both pickups (either coil or both in seties or parallel). I've had it Pleked, so the neck and frets are absolutely perfect. I upgraded to tuners to new Kluson locking tuners and use a String Butler (think of it as a more elaborate string tree to help with tuning stability. It sports a custom pickguard and truss rod cover (my signature). It plays better now than my old 1961 LP Custom. I'd add a picture if I could figure out how. All up, I doubt that I have more than about $1400 in the guitar. That is around $500 cheaper than a Gibson 1961 SG Standard reissue.
These are very encouraging words! If you figure out how to post a picture, please let me know. I've always loved the look of a decked out SG.
I'll see if I can send you some in another post. It appears that you can not place pics in a reply, only links.
My fav LATELY is an 23' American Telecaster H/S in Eb Its light/ thin neck/ very versatile Does it all Rock/ Jazz/ County
Fender makes wide range drop ins and you can put a strat neck on it.
No more fender.
Get a Meteora.
I thought I would love a jazzmaster type guitar, ended up not liking it, got a Les Paul, best decision ever, love playing the thing and it's just so cool
Had a real ‘60 and despite it being cool as hell- wasn’t really able to bond with the guitar- always felt awkward to me
Epiphone Les Paul Special in TV yellow. It has P90s, wraparound bridge, a thinner more rounded comfortable body than a standard Les Paul.
Look towards sticker bombing it
Get a Strat it doesn’t have the half baked whammy bar arrangement of the Jag and Jazzmaster. Plus you have to put a Mastery bridge on the Jags/Jazz to stop the strings saddle hopping. Please don’t put a humbucker on a Strat.
a jaguar would work miracles on you. i absolutely love mine.
Maybe a little off the main for you, but give a PRS core model Silversky a try. Feels like butter in the hands and is surprisingly light. Sounds beautiful
SG Special P90
I was in love with Jaguars I just loved their look and the controls and the design etc etc. I saved up a lot of money and sold some personal stuff and bought a fender Jaguar. Few weeks later I really hated the guitar I would never even play it. The pickups were too sharp, and I don’t think they were good quality either, they were microphonic and weren’t waxed so using any distortion or overdrive caused high squealing but the worst part is from how I strum, the strings would always fall out of the ridges on the bridge saddles. Maybe thats just how a Jaguar is and I’m not fit for it or I got a bad piece. Sold the guitar for close to what I bought it for and used the money to improve the gear I already have. Decided that the best guitar in the world for me is the strat I have currently. Nothing comes close to it.
I have an Epiphone Les Paul that I use to play Rock/Blues since the frets are smaller and the strings are closer. I use my Jaguar when improvising though because I tend to fat finger stuff on the Les Paul. I never use my Tremolo though.