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Considering the differences in preferences, it’s no surprise that the guitar community is at odds about the winder in Jazzmaster vs. Telecaster. You have difficulty choosing between the lines of guitars from Fender and need some help? Then there is a good chance that you would find this article useful. Down below is everything that you must consider regarding Jazzmaster and Telecaster from specification to performance.
Breakdown
Design
At a glance, Jazzmasters boast large bodies with rounded edges and a nice contour at the back. Because of that, models in the line usually prove comfortable to play with as you have a place to rest your arm. In addition, you should know that the large bodies of Jazzmasters mean they feature big fretboards. If you look for guitars that match your big hands, you won’t regret picking up Jazzmasters.
In the case of Telecaster, models in the line tend to be compact and weigh less than their Jazzmaster counterparts. Therefore, you don’t have to strain yourself to play Telecasters, especially during long gigs. However, you may need to change your posture a bit to be able to hold on to Telecasters comfortably. That is by no means a deal breaker though.
Controls
In Jazzmasters, besides the three-way switch, volume, and tone knob, three additional switches sit at the top of the instrument. About Telecaster, models in the line each carry a three-way pickup selector, a volume knob and a tone knob. All of the controls help you manage rhythm/lead node changes, volume control and tone in the rhythm mode. Thus, you would have an easy time manipulating the guitars to your liking.
Noteworthily, Jazzmasters have a floating tremolo while Telecasters pack a fixed bridge. If you prefer using whammy bars, Jazzmaster should fit you well.
Pickups
Known as “soapbar”, Jazzmasters’ pickups sometimes get mistaken for P90s. In reality, compared to P90s, the “soapbar” pickups have a flatter and wider construction which provides slightly sharper sounds. Regarding Telecaster, most of the models in the line integrate single-coil pickups but some also contain humbuckers.
Sounds
In play, Jazzmasters produces big, crunchy distorted sounds alongside the signature Fender jangle. That is why Jazzmasters give a good account of themselves once it comes to playing alternative, grunge, and punk. Also, as the name suggests, models in the line work well in jazz settings but many other hollow and semi-hollow guitars could provide superior sounds. Aside from that, the sounds of Jazzmasters don’t sustain quite as well as Telecasters.
Thanks to the signature Fender twang in their sounds, Telecasters become recognizable among many country guitarists. However, models in the lines could be put to good use outside of the country genre too. Possessing a nice-bottom end, the sounds of Telecasters efficiently and effectively match quite a few genres. You should still know Telecasters sound kind of thin, clean and not as set as Jazzmasters.
Jazzmaster Vs. Telecaster: Summary
Fender Telecaster | Fender Jazzmaster | |
Body Shape | Tele-style | Jazzmaster |
Body Wood | Alder | Alder |
Neck Shape | Deep C | Deep C |
Neck Wood | Maple | Maple |
Neck Construction | Bolt-on | Bolt-on |
Fretboard Material | Maple | Round-laminated Rosewood |
Scale Length | 25.5″ | 25.5″ |
Number Of Frets | 22, Narrow Tall | 21, Narrow Tall |
Frets Material | Nickel Silver | Nickel Silver |
Type of Bridge | Two-Point Synchronized Tremolo with Cold-rolled Steel Block | Jazzmaster/Jaguar Bridge with Panorama Tremolo |
Tuning Machines | Fender Standard Die-cast | Fender Standard Die-cast |
Pickups | 3 x Fender V-Mod II Single-coil | Dual Fender V-Mod II Jazzmaster Single-coil |
Pickup Selector | Five-way blade pickup switch | Two-way slide switch (rhythm/lead)3-way toggle switch |
Controls | 1 x master volume and 2 x tone (push/push add neck) | Two-way slide switch (rhythm/lead) and three-way toggle switch |
Weight | 8.5 lbs (3.85 kg) | 8.5lbs (3.9 kg) |
Conclusion
Fender is well-known for manufacturing high-quality guitars so regardless of your decision on Jazzmaster vs. Telecaster, you should be able to secure a solid instrument. Telecasters have excellent versatility but if you play genres such as grunge, alternative,… Jazzmasters won’t let you down.
Hi music fan! I am Jeff. Hope that you enjoy some stuff I shared here in my personal blog.
About myself, Currently I am in charging as Artist Manager/Music Supervisor at 72 Music Management. I did managed album to Grammy Award in 2017 with 7 Nominations from 2014-2020 and had the opportunities to work with : A.J. Croce, Blind Boys of Alabama, Bobby Rush, Dom Flemons, Dustbowl Revival, Sarah Grace
Governor of the Memphis Chapter of The Recording Academy is one of a award that I am lucky to achieved. My profile: Linkedin.