Unboxing, inspecting, and reviewing the Squier 40th Anniversary Jazzmaster

In this video I try to cover every bit of information not provided by Fender in the specs while giving my own personal thoughts on the new Squier 40th Anniversary Jazzmaster. This is the longest video I've ever uploaded ( outside of a podcast or stream ), so feel free to use the timestamps if there is a particular thing you'd like to skip to. Thanks for all of your support!

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0:00 Intro and unboxing!
0:59 Putting the guitar on the bench for a spec breakdown
5:28 Measuring neck thickness and a pro tip for new guitars
8:32 Initial Impressions before the play through
10:18 Sound demonstrations
13:35 Let's start with the positives
15:16 The not so good parts...
18:54 Who is this guitar for? Talking about competitors.
19:48 Final Verdict
21:12 Where you can buy this guitar right now cheaper than Reverb.

[SAL-iypy]

One of the best reviews I’ve ever read! Knowledgeable, straightforward and hit all the right spots. As close to a perfect review as you can get!

[bciecko]

I've finally made it through. I've been commenting to replies and reading through the comments. You didn't ask, I'm aware of that but I'm gonna offer some feedback anyways. 😀

I have this guitar as well, I don't have any binding issues and my frets are pretty smooth too. They're also polished fairly well. Mine is the blue one and I ordered direct from Fender. You're a out that neck, why list it as the same neck and the regular CV when it is clearly different. I pulled it out of the box and immediately thought this is a massive neck. I like big round necks though. Comparing it to a Gibson type slim taper D is very misleading though, maybe fretboard width but actual neck profile, doesn't feel anything like that. I loathe the slim taper D profile, cramps my hand up. This isn't anything like that neck profile. It's closer to 50's Les Paul, if I were to compare it to a Gibson neck. Not quite, of course, but closer to that for sure.

I agree on the Vintera too. The CV JM is a much better guitar value than a Vintera JM. I had a Vintera JM and got rid of it. Kept the CV. This really brings me to a point though in regards to guitar quality. This Indonesian made guitar costs less because of labor, fit and finish and components. Pay USA wages, ask the person to have fit and finish measures taken; like smooth, polished frets. Add in the more quality pots and wiring and switches and those don't change the value all that much. It's less that $50 to do USA spec'd electronics. Put in upgraded hardware though and that ada to the overall cost at manufacture. It's not that much though. Really seems the biggest cost difference between the guitars comes down to labor costs.

Like you I enjoy spending the time working on the fit and finish. Sadly this needs to happen on American guitars too. Not as much if you get over the $4000 threshold but anywhere under there, it's still a mass produced guitar. True there will be more consistency in quality but they aren't exempt from flaws and extra attention to benefit ones own tastes.

I really feel some people were pushed away from this guitar by this review. Reading through the comments shows that. If you've worked on a lot of offsets, I mean a lot, from Mustangs to Jags to Jazzmasters. From American to eastern to Mexican and from vintage to new you'd know these issues aren't beholden to Squiers. It is quite common amongst the offsets. The bridge falling, it's so common that if you work exclusively on Offsets with tht floating bridge you'd think loctite should be a sponsor. The 11 guage strings you mentioned, when this guitar was designed it was intended for flatwounds and playing 12's was considered a light guage. This is going to drastically change the amount of pressure on the bridge and therefore not allow it to function proper. This is where the neck shim comes in. That raised the bridge which then means the neck need to be raised and more pressure is placed on the bridge. 2 tiny drops of loctite, one for each post screw, then it stays in place and doesn't drop. Stating this as a flaw of the guitar is technically true but it isn't seen that way in the offset community. Heck, you didn't mention the buzz and rattles and sympathetic vibrations that often live with the offset guitars. Sometimes you can't totally get rid of them and it's part of their charm. Maybe it's why they didn't catch on with the intended target market but have been adopted by the indie and alternative scene. 🤷🏼

Think about the Mastery bridge though, great piece of hardware, pricey, but adds function and value. Even those earliest Mastery bridges needed loctite. Kinda silly for a $200 aftermarket part to still not have the quirks of the stock design worked out. Staytrem mitigated this with a nylon insert under the screws. Works brilliantly. This issue, of the threads rattling, is present across the line and needs extra pieces of hardware, or steps, in order to fix the vibrations that cause the dropping. Happens on high end bridges and low end. That.is why they have extra pieces put into place. That's a more fair way to present that issue and definitely not fair to Squier for saying this is an issue that belongs solely to them.

On mine, the bridge was raised quite high off the body when it arrived from the factory. The action wasn't that bad either. Is the neck pocket angled on these!? I don't know. I haven't torn into mine yet. I do suspect they did angle it some like they did for the American Pro II Jazzmaster. I have that guitar as well and the fit an finish of that was amazing. The 40th Squier doesn't feel any different. A little less attention on the frets for sure but overall doesn't feel that different. Sound is another thing but the AmProII JM isn't trying to be a vintage or classic sounding JM. With that said, the CV line or this 40th has a great place in the line up for a serious contender for the classic offset experience.

You play great and I've subscribed to your channel but please be a little more fair and please correct the assumptions people are making that this isn't guitar that shouldn't have these issues for being a $600 guitar. As stated above, these are issues known to the design, even in the high end aftermarket realm as they had to incorporate features in, permanent versions of loctite if you will, to stop that bridge falling. The biggest complaint you had about the guitar was the sinking bridge and it's not even a problem. But it turned people away. Totally unnecessary cautions applied by people that don't know any better.

Not sure if you adjusted the pickups but they sound quite a bit thinner than usual CV JM pups. Not bad just thinner. Perhaps that's your taste. I usually keep a little more bass response happening in mine and raise that side up some. Seems to offer that more dynamic range effect that the JM is so well known for. But, tone is subjective and if you're happy with it that's all that matters there.

I was happy to see someone I respected as a player do a review on this model. It's a great guitar but needs to have a full and proper set-up. They don't set-up like regular guitars and tmyave their own quirks. Working within them truly rewards the player with an amazing experience unlike any other guitar but they need to be understood fully before making judgement calls on them.

[tman]

I've been playing and learning on dad's guitars all through my early teens (I'm 16 now) and I've finally saved up enough to buy my own, just wanna say this video was really really helpful as I've been considering one of these. Big thanks from New Zealand

[mrty]

Here's a tip! Amazon has really cheap roller bridges in nickel, black or gold.
Your issue is gone.
I got them on my self built jazzmaster and on my Les Paul black beauty with bigsby.
It really helps.
Great review

[polo]

I have just purchased a white Squier JM 40th ann.(2022) too 3 days ago and after seeing 3-4 reviews on YT, (yours being the most complete and acurate one) I must say I'm very glad with mine!!! Aesthetically, I'm really happy (I have the white tip on my trem bar, no bleeding on the neck, the finish is beautiful etc) The action on mine is incredible and no trouble with the frets (though they are a little rough on the edges too) To be honest, I went to the store to by a Fender player JM but the guitar was at their other shop, in the meantime, the seller handed me the Squier and asked me to try it and as soon as I had it in my hands I was so pleased with the action on it, then I plugged it and that's when I was sold!..I haven't taken it to a gig yet but I will test it live this week-end...So far it stays in tune quite well after playing and bending the strings so I'm definitely gonna put it to the test in shows!

[bryanlabchuk]

Fantastic review - I apparently shoot first and ask questions later because I bought one before seeing your video but I'm waiting for it to arrive and this answered pretty much everything I was trying to find out.

[dustdevilz]

Really good video and I like the guitar, you put plenty of energy into your content here. Bugs me that Fender Squire can’t improve their quality control. Thanks on the blue loctite gouge. I bought one recently used on CL locally for $350.

[DrTomoculus]

Thanks for the very direct and honest review. It's a guitar I've had my eye on a short time, having had no previous interest in Jazzmasters and Jaguars (I'm Telecaster dedicated primarily), and I really like the look of the 40th Anniversary editions being issued by Squier, but after this review; the compulsion to pick one up has subsided. I'd still like one someday, just not as urgently as before. I got some semi-hollow and hollow bodies I'm more interested in. D'Angelico being one of those.

[jerrywalker]

How refreshing to see a demo on a guitar done by a person who can actually playi it!!

[hafizhadzori]

The ever needed review. Great insights, and clearly delivered especially on issues related to the bridge. I wonder which Mastery bridge would fit this JM, especially the thimbles. Will the stock thimble fits the Mastery post?

[sunriseshell]

Mine had 3 high frets too. And they were really gritty.
File/crowned and then polished the frets with Micro-Mesh pads and it's amazing.

Feels and looks like a MCUH more expensive guitar.

[geoffreyalder]

Good demo...j.mascis has a fixed tunomatic bridge, no tremolo problems, I think the classic player has the same bridge, I've put electronic insulation tape around my classic vibe jazzmaster posts, no problems with the tremolo action, I've also wrapped PTFE tape around the little grub screws in the bridge, instead of loctite...again, problem fixed..👍👍

[feloniousmonk]

The point about this being the closest affordable thing to a proper traditional Jazzmaster was spot on. With Telecasters, there are a ton of alternatives to Fender USA - even from other brands that can give you a decent traditional Telecaster sounds at affordable prices. Jazzmasters though - a lot more pricey in order to get FenderJazzmaster pickup sound. Let's face it - those Squier Affinities and Fender Players with their humbuckers etc aren't really Jazzmasters - they just look like them.

[joli]

Thanks for posting this hard to find any reviews about these and was wondering about the quality because of the price they're asking

[DigitalViperGaming]

Nice review! I just picked up an open box model in blue for $340. Can't wait to get it!

[marleenvos]

Great review, thank you for doing this! I watched while waiting for a delivery notice about when this guitar will arrive here; can't wait to play it. Too late for the affiliate link though...

[wonderingwade]

A very in-depth, clear-cut, and well-spoken review!

[VintageRadius]

Thorough review, like your style. Just subbed.

[richthetrashpicker-upper]

That Dragon Is holding your favorite guitar. The SG

[JDKingStratslinger]

First time here. Excellent demo! Clear, to the point, many points covered. Fine playing too, !