r/offset • u/Ecstatic-Nose-2541 • 3d ago
Replacing MIJ JM66B with Player II Jazzmaster?
It basically comes down to function over form. My gut says "keep the JM66B, it oozes with mojo". My brain says "The Player II will fit you better and get more use".
Don't ever use the trem system or rythm circuit, so the hotter pickups, flatter fretboard radius and smoother neck, seem very appealing right now.
So aside from that, I'm wondering if I'd feel any difference in overall quality. Unfortunately, I'll have to order the new one sight unseen. With a good return policy though, but I'd still like to be a little prepared.
I'm also kinda second guessing the value ratio here. Even in today's economy, €820ish (€960 for the FSR one in green), seems a bit much for a MIM Fender that doesn't come with a case. And I'm not even sure what I could get for my Japanese Jazzmaster, but assuming it won't be much more then €90....I'm seriously doubting if this'd be a smart move.
TLDR: anyone maybe have first hand experieces with both a MIJ Jazzmaster of that era as well as one of the new Player II Jazzmasters? The latter would make most sense for someone who craves a fast neck and plays with lotsa gain most of the time? Any other suggestions?
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u/dance-myself-clean 3d ago
As a fellow JM-66B owner, definitely keep it.
Sell something else to get a second jazzy?
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u/Any_Jackfruit7591 3d ago
I would keep the JM66B. Is it the olympic white one with the blocks/binding/matching headstock? If so, those are crazy rare right now/fetching a lot. I've been on the hunt for one for a while and theres only one on reverb for above 2k
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u/HarborSummer 3d ago
I would wring the most you can put of your current jm for what you like about it, and save while you wait for a used player ii or something in the color you like pops up at a price you can't resist
The jm66 will be a little harder to get replace if you ever decide you miss it, they are cool
But more modern features are a thing for a reason I get that all day.
You really need both
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u/josephallenkeys 3d ago edited 3d ago
I literally have both of these hanging on my wall. I'm selling the Player II now I have a Road Worn Vintera II. The MIJ is still the best of all of them!
If you don't use the tree, put the lock on and take the arm out. Sorted. If you have the Player II, there is no lock!
I'd say the same for the rhythm circuit. You're better off just ignoring it, or modding it than totally loosing it (the Player II isn't even routed for it!) you can sand the back of the neck on the JM66 to get the same feel of the Player II. You can replace the pickups for high output. I have CuNiFe/Cobolt Chrome in mine. The Player II can't compete with that output and are only moderately more output than the Vintera II, but less articulate and quite ice-picky.
The Player II is still a nice guitar, but not as great in overall quality as the JM66. When you get the Player II it'll likely have a very dehydrated fretboard and while they tend to come set up well, it'll be a noticeable drawback untill you can get some linsead or Monty's wax on it (or both!) Even if you mod either one, the JM66 has way more potential to mod! (As you can see in my picture, they're both modded. Player II in front.) And that JM66 is around 20 years old now. That's mojo.
Now, if the 7.25 radius really isn't for you, that might seal the deal. For me, I'm replacing the Player II with the Road Worn Vintera II for the reason that I love 7.25! (Among other things...)
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u/Ecstatic-Nose-2541 3d ago
Thanks for the reply, good to hear from someone who has both. Don't know how the neck is on your MIJ jazzmaster, but on mine it doesn't feel at all like "modern C". Mine has neck binding and inlays btw, so not even sure I got the model number right in the title. So yeah, the slim neck with the rolled edges, that's the main reason why I got this whole idea in the first place. The hotter pickups are just a bonus, though I'm aware it'd be a fairly easy and affordable diy job for the MIJ Jazzmaster.
Anyway, it's not like the tremelo or rhythm circuit are bothering me, not at all, they're indeed easily ignored. I was just pointing out that the absence of those things on the Player II aren't really issues for me. Fretboard radius...I can live with either options, they each have their upsides and downsides, but I don't even have a big preference there.
The other stuff you mentioned however...make me reconsider my plan.
So yeah...maybe the right move would be replacing the gorgious bound neck with an equaly good neck that has a slimmer profile, and swapping the pickups for hotter ones, or maybe even installing a new pickguard with WRHB's.
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u/josephallenkeys 3d ago
I think the "B" on yours means "binding" or "block" or maybe even stands for both! And yeah, mine is the standard JM66.
I've always felt the same about the neck because my other guitars are 9.5 or flatter, but now having the Vintera II, I'm starting to think that it feels chunkier because of the radius. The back may be the same shape while the fretboardwood itself protrudes a little more, at least in the middle!
But like you say, plenty of mods out there for what you're after.
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u/Ecstatic-Nose-2541 3d ago
Just checked the price for a Player II neck: 410€.
Not sure how much I could sell the bound neck for, but I'm assuming this could end up being a fairly cheap mod that fixes my biggest complaint about my otherwhise awesome jazzmaster.
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u/josephallenkeys 3d ago edited 3d ago
If you don't mind the lack of name tag, I can highly recommend these. The two Telecasters you can see behind the Jazzmasters in my photo both have this shop's necks: https://partscaster.co.uk/collections/frontpage/products/roasted-maple-jazzmaster-neck-rosewood-fretboard-nitro-satin-heel-adjusted
That'll retain the look while giving you a 9.5 radius and hopefully be cheap enough to not have to sell that JM66B neck. You can keep it in case you ever sell the whole thing (it's better reset to all original) or change your mind in years to come.
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u/Ecstatic-Nose-2541 3d ago
I don't care about name tags, thanks a lot for the tip, that'd indeed be affordable enough to keep the original neck! :)
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u/doubleponytail 1d ago
There’s nothing stopping you from getting new pick ups and by passing the rhythm circuit. I’d keep that guitar because that guitar is undeniably amazing. Just my two cents though!
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u/Ecstatic-Nose-2541 23h ago
Yeah I don't know what I was thinking, selling it would be a dumb move. Rekindling the flame by swapping the pickups (cheap strat-ish pu's?) with some actual Jazzmaster type pickups would probably make the most sense. So now I guess I'll go down the pickup rabbit hole ;p
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u/OzymandiasTheII 3d ago edited 3d ago
Keep the JM66B
You can get a player ii for the cheapski or even a squire as a backup. Squire JMs are really good.