Stopped at GC, found a couple guitars I like!

[sunvalleylaw]

Had a bit of time to kill and stopped off at GC today. I have not looked at or lusted for any guitars for quite a while. Two caught my eye today. One, maybe, enough to make me consider moving some stuff around to get it. With a mod. Here are the candidates. I welcome your thoughts.

Candidate #1: Fender Modern Player Telecaster Thinline deluxe.

Pic: http://static.musiciansfriend.com/de...urst_maple.jpg

The Modern Player Telecaster® Thinline Deluxe casts an already distinctive classic Telecaster model in a whole new light with a full-throated pair of single-coil Modern Player MP-90 pickups. Other features include a mahogany body, C-shaped maple neck, maple fretboard with 9.5” radius and 22 medium jumbo frets, three-way toggle pickup switching, three-ply pickguard (parchment on Sunburst model; black-white-black on other models), four skirted amp knobs (two volume, two tone), vintage-style Stratocaster® string-through-body six-saddle hard-tail bridge, vintage-style tuners and nickel/chrome hardware.

Features

Series: Modern Player
Body Shape: Telecaster®
Body: Mahogany, Gloss Polyester Finish
Neck: Maple, "C" Shape
Neck Finish: Gloss Polyester
Fretboard: Maple
Fretboard Radius: 9.5" (24.1 cm)
Frets: 22, Medium Jumbo
Scale Length: 25.5" (64.8 cm)
Nut Width: 1.650” (42 mm)
String Nut: Synthetic Bone
Pickups: Modern Player MP-90 Pickup (Bridge)
Modern Player MP-90 Pickup (Neck)
Pickup Switching: 3-Position Toggle: Position 1. Bridge Pickup, Position 2. Bridge and
Neck Pickups, Position 3. Neck Pickup
Controls: Volume 1. (Neck Pickup), Tone 1. (Neck Pickup), Volume 2. (Bridge
Pickup), Tone 2. (Bridge Pickup)
Hardware: Nickel/Chrome
Tuning Keys: Vintage Style Tuning Machines
Bridge: Vintage Style 6-Saddle Strings-Thru-Body Hardtail Bridge
Control Knobs: Skirted Amp Knobs
Pickguard: (500) 3-Ply Parchment, (539,541) 3-Ply Black/White/Black
Strings: Fender® USA, NPS, (.009-.042 Gauges)
On sale for $399.

Screaming deal! I liked this guitar a lot, and loved the control layout. I really like being able to blend the volumes and tones of the bridge and neck. The p90s sounded good too. But, I wanted a little more fat in the tone. Though I really liked the weight of the thinline, and the controls, the pickups lacked some depth and fatness that I want in my next guitar. I think it needs a humbucker, and have single coils only guitars covered. So, . . .

Candidate#2:

Pic: http://static.musiciansfriend.com/de...unburst_rw.jpg

Fender Blacktop Jazzmaster HS

The most affordable humbucking pickup-equipped Jazzmaster ever made.


The Blacktop Jazzmaster HS delivers monster dual-bucker tone without breaking the bank. A vintage-style Duncan-Designed alnico humbucking pickup delivers the hot high-gain power of today's most aggressive sounds while the Duncan-Designed single-coil supplies the bite and twang; other distinctive touches include skirted black amp knobs, and one lean and mean three-way toggle switch rather than the customary barrage of Jazzmaster controls, Features include an alder body, maple neck, 9.5"-radius rosewood fretboard, 21 medium jumbo frets, gloss urethane finish and nickel/chrome hardware.

Check the drop-down menu to the right to select colors and/or other options.

Features

Series: Blacktop
Body shape: Jazzmaster
Body material: alder
Colors: (500) 3-Color Sunburst, (506) Black
Neck: maple
Neck finish: gloss urethane
Fretboard: rosewood
Position inlays: white dots
String nut: synthetic bone
Bridge pickup: 1 Duncan Designed Humbucking Pickup
Neck pickup: 1 Duncan Designed Single-Coil Jazzmaster Pickup
Pickup switching: 3-Position toggle:Position 1. Full bridge pickupPosition 2. Full neck & bridge pickupsPosition 3. Full neck pickup
Controls: master volume, master tone
Hardware: nickel/chrome
Tuning keys: standard cast/sealed tuning machines
Bridge: American Vintage Jazzmaster Tremolo with Adusto-Matic Bridge
Strap buttons: vintage style
Control knobs: skirted amp knobs
Pickguard: 3-ply black (500 3-Color Sunburst), or mint green (506 Sonic Black)
Strings: Super 250L's, NPS (.009-.042 gauges)
Included accessories: truss rod adjustment wrench
$499

I loved this one! I have single coils covered. The jazzy sounded more complex, a bit warmer, and I liked the jazzy pickup in the neck combined with the humbucker in the bridge. Plus it has the trem. If I had the tele, I would want to add a trem. On this one, the only mod I would think I would want would be to add a blend pot of some kind to balance to pickups to taste. I think that could be done. But even as is, it was tempting.

I am tempted to sell my CV tele, and save some extra dough and give it a go. The Hagstrom Vik semi stays, and so does my 60th MIM strat. It was my first, I like the neck just that much better than my tele, due to the semi vs. gloss finish.

so what do you guys think?

[R_of_G]

If you can afford to make that Jazzmaster work and you don't, I'll never forgive you.

[sunvalleylaw]

It's under consideration for sure. I love my CV tele, but it and my strat duplicate each other to some extent, at least at my level and for my purposes. If the jazzy could work, with the blend of bucker and jazzy pickup, it would broaden my voicing. The thinline tele is a really cool guitar too, and I like those controls, but it would need a 'bucker, and I would like it to have a trem.

[Tig***]

From your description, the Jazzmaster speaks to you the most.
I bet one more visit will bring out the winner.

[R_of_G]

Steve... this is your subconscious speaking... buy the jazzmaster... buy the jazzmaster.

Anyone else hear that?

[sunvalleylaw]

Yeah, and then there is this one: http://www.reverendguitars.com/rever...agent_III.html A bit more expensive at street price than the on sale jazzy, but looks like a pretty nice quality guitar. The bridge and trem on the jazzy worry me just a little based on a couple reviews I read, but I like the fender aesthetics.

[Bookkeeper's Son]

Maybe something like this for under $300?

http://www.rondomusic.com/argusminilpb.html

[NWBasser]

Yeah, and then there is this one: http://www.reverendguitars.com/rever...agent_III.html A bit more expensive at street price than the on sale jazzy, but looks like a pretty nice quality guitar. The bridge and trem on the jazzy worry me just a little based on a couple reviews I read, but I like the fender aesthetics.

I really like the bridge/trem on that Reverend. Looks like a sweet guitar to me.

[sunvalleylaw]

Here is the jazzy in action:



Can't find a double agent III demo, just the double agent.

[Tig***]

I really like the bridge/trem on that Reverend. Looks like a sweet guitar to me.

Yep, those Wilkinson tremolos are really nice.

[NWBasser]

The bridge and trem on the jazzy worry me just a little based on a couple reviews I read, but I like the fender aesthetics.

Maybe Frankenfretter will chime in here, but I recall him telling me some negative things about that trem system.

Otherwise, seems a pretty cool guitar.

[NWBasser]

Yep, those Wilkinson tremolos are really nice.

I really like the fairly simple and effective design of the Wilkinson.

I've toyed with the idea of getting a PRS SE with that trem on it for something different from my LP.

[sunvalleylaw]

I have heard that said, but also heard said if you set them up right they are pretty darned nice if you aren't going for dive bomb stuff. Tell me what you think and if you think they are not so good, why please.

I figure Nels Cline and Elvis Costello use them (though EC's is modified I guess).

On the other hand, here is that Double Agent III in action. Looks pretty cool too, but I sure like the old school looks of the jazzy.



Here is a review of the Blacktop Jazzy, with the aforementioned trem.

[Tone2TheBone]

Where's the "Like" button.

[sunvalleylaw]

Where's the "Like" button.

Yeah, but which one?

[mrmudcat]

I have my eyes on a blacktop tele @$499 If my ins. sends a refund as they should!!! You know that song and dance..I like the jazz and its still quality mexico not china.

[Tig***]

If it were for looks only, the Jazzmaster.
For a guitar that I'd likely never let go, the Reverend Double Agent III. With the Reverends, there is nothing that will ever need upgrading. The build quality is amazing, and the range of tones with the Bass Contour knob is unique and useful.

The only reason I bought the Gretsch over a similar Reverend is the new blacktop pickups it came with. I'll still get another Reverend or two down the road. Their only weakness is that some models don't have the classic visual appeal. That goes out the window once you play it.

[Duffy]

Have you seen this one?


http://www.musiciansfriend.com/guita...lectric-guitar
or this one?


http://www.musiciansfriend.com/guita...lectric-guitar
They are copies of these Fenders -


http://www.musiciansfriend.com/guita...lectric-guitar

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/guita...lectric-guitar