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SQUIER SHOULD BRING BACK THIS JAZZMASTER!

Totally Wired Guitars

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So you're on the hunt for a budget Jazzmaster and everyone keeps telling you to just get a J. Mascis or Classic Vibe and call it a day. Well, today I'm taking a deep dive into my personal favorite: The Squier 40th Anniversary Jazzmaster.

I’ll cover everything from specs, sounds, and my candid thoughts about why I like this better than the other budget options. Plus — I’ll show you why the Bensonite Offset Bridge might be the best drop-in upgrade you can buy for any Jazzmaster or Jaguar.

We’ll talk specs, tone upgrades, frets, shielding mods, and the one essential tremolo setup tip every Jazzmaster owner needs to know.

Featured in the video: (Affiliate links)

'65 Fender Princeton Reverb Reissue: https://amzn.to/41crUze

'65 Fender Deluxe Reverb Reissue: https://amzn.to/4hpcfSk

Universal Audio OX Amp Top Box: https://amzn.to/49eNsgs

Fender Professional Series 10 ft Guitar Cables: https://amzn.to/42G5QxD

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Featured (Non-Affiliate Links)

Bensonite Jazzmaster / Jaguar Bridge: https://www.bensoniteproducts.com/

Have a question about offset guitars or need a setup, mod or custom build? Email me: totallywiredguitars@gmail.com

20 Comments

@minorcek 1 year ago

I have the sister model. The 40th Anniversary Jazmmaster Gold and after a set up it plays like an absolute dream. People say Jazzmasters are finicky and require a lot of attention but I've yet to have any problems with mine whatsoever. Im so glad I decided to get one when they were around

It was a present to myself for one year clean from herion and tbh I remember thinking ' I hope a year from now this thing is still around and I don't relapse/sell it for drugs '. It's been another 2 years and it still rips and I've since managed to aquire a rare 60s CV telecaster (2013) in black/matching headstock

Squier has really been killing it for some time now

@JasonTMays 1 year ago

I've said it plenty of times; The 40th anniversary Vintage Edition Jazzmaster is the best Jazzmaster that Squier has ever released! I really, really, wish Fender would bring these back.

@Kendall.from.Bensonite 1 year ago

Squier makes such great guitars. Especially if you love to mod and upgrade. Great video and thanks for showing off my bridge!!

@javirojas92 8 months ago

I have the same in seafoam green and I love it. I bought it at Thomann at the end of that year and it had a really great discount, it was less than 300 euro, but when they came out were almost 500. I love it, I fell in love with Jazzmasters thanks to that guitar

@jeanb.3493 3 months ago

I had one, but sold it as I have a CS JM. One of the very few guitars I regret selling, and would be buying in a heartbeat if they bring it back. Great neck and pickups.

@nigelpratt1831 11 months ago

Thanks for the shielding advice and a great video . I have a 62 fender jaguar with a brass plate inside for shielding but I also did the cavity s with copper in other areas.

@thevolumecontrol485 1 year ago

Oh buddy, I have that! Changed pickup covers to black, black witch hats, staytrem arm and collet. I have a set of tone hatch pickups I need to n put back in it soon

@NeverGoBack2 1 year ago

I agree! owning MIJ JM and the 40th Anniversary this one is excellent!!

@Jibs5k 6 months ago

I got mine for 385 on sale from Sweetwater.. Awesome guitar.

@matthewbeasley9983 1 year ago

For some reason, offsets had never been on my radar until recently when I finally decided to pick up a used 40th anniversary Squier JM in Olympic White with the gold hardware that kept popping up on my local Marketplace feed. I put a set of Pyramid flat wounds 10's on it and it plays like warm butter. Fantastic looking and playing instrument for $400!

@gshep42 1 year ago

Got the green one for $200 on Craigslist a couple years ago. Like it so much I got a US hard TSA case for it. Keeper.

@garyp77551 1 year ago

I had that guitar and loved it. I put a staytrem bridge on it and added full size pots. to it. I did not get along with the neck on it. It was smaller than the J Mascis by quite a bit. I probably should have gotten another neck and kept the guitar. I just found your channel. all great videos.

@joeyboucree 1 year ago

I love my 40th anniversary jazzmasters. As soon as i saw the satin seafoam finish i was hooked. I also picked up an upgraded lake placid blue gold edition that has a waterslide rubber bridge on it. A lot of fun

@bonuspoppa 1 year ago

got mine for $250 when gc was blowing them out. great guitar

@Mike_S_Swift 10 months ago

Thanks for your video and information on the Bensonite bridge. They make a replacement bridge for my JMascis guitar. I just ordered one. The plated brass one is 150$. The bridge is about the only thing I really had issue with. I may replace the pickups with something more vintage. Ordered a pair of Seymour Duncan Antiguity II 60’s for a MIJ Mustang I just received. Hopefully they’ll sound better than the Japanese pu’s

@xkovacsx09 1 year ago

Yes! I'd love one of these to go beside my J Mascis JM, which I just ordered my Bensonite bridge for ;) the Seafoam Green ones pop up on Reverb from time to time but I want Desert Sand.

@MarkB.Guitar 1 year ago

I always thought this model was rad, but I never got to play one. I didn't know it had a slightly wider nut width! The Bensonite Bridge matches so well with the distressed vibrato. A vintage spec Jazzmaster pickup in the bridge would go a long way 🤤

@sagittated 1 year ago

Fender had them on sale when they were closing them out, but only had the seafoam model. The desert sand was all gone. So I got it as a project to refinish. (I am not judging people who like the green, but it felt very cold to me.)

I wallpapered the body with a nice Van Gogh paper and replaced the pickups with Lindy Fralin jazzmasters. I recently put flat wounds on it, and it's really fun.

I don't see a need to upgrade anything else. The tuners are fine. They feel smooth and consistent. The electronics give me no issues. The bridge works great.

I did spend a lot of time on the neck, but that was more of me just being neurotic while it was in pieces.. It's really smooth now.

I think they're great guitars and I'm stoked I picked it up and I had fun doing the project. It looks good, feels good, & sounds good. It's hell and gone from stock, but it's unique now and it's mine.

@tonray9395 1 year ago

Yeah...I missed the release of this as I was broke...been trying to source one ever since here in Thailand, no luck

@gregadethhh 1 year ago

I modded the hell out of mine. Fender AVRI tremolo, Staytrem bridge, Graphtech stringtree and custom made vintage Pickups with CTS pots, Switchcraft toggle and jack. I adore it, the neck and body finish are incredible I despise gloss and the satin finish is really well done.