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Fender Player Jazzmaster
Fender Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster
VS
Playability
67
Sound
75
Build
60
Value
72
Score
67
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Playability
70
Sound
68
Build
52
Value
73
Score
63
FIND IT ON:
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Fender Player Jazzmaster vs Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster

Reasons to Get
Fender Player Jazzmaster over Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster

Country of Manufacturing
Mexico vs China
Built with higher quality standards
Release Year
2018 vs 2011
From a more recent year
Type of Frets
Medium Jumbo vs Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Pickups Brand
Fender vs None
Pickups from a renown brand
Nut Material
Synthetic Bone vs Plastic
Good quality nut with rich tone
Pickup Mods
Coil Split vs Multi-Voicing
Splits humbuckers into single coil pickups
Pickups
HH vs SS
High output without hum
Number of Frets
22 vs 21
Allows to reach higher notes
Nut Width
1.654'' (42mm) vs 1.675'' (42.5mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes

Reasons to Get
Fender Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster over Fender Player Jazzmaster

Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Type of Frets
Jumbo vs Medium Jumbo
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Pickup Mods
Multi-Voicing vs Coil Split
Changes the voice (tones or gain) of the pickups
Volume Knobs
2 vs 1
More volume control
Tone Knobs
2 vs 1
More tone control
Pickups
SS vs HH
Beautiful cleans
Nut Width
1.675'' (42.5mm) vs 1.654'' (42mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Value Score
73 vs 72
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Fender Player Jazzmaster vs Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster

Bridge Pickup
Fender Player Series Alnico 2 Humbucking vs Single-Coil Jazzmaster
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Fender Player Series Alnico 2 Humbucking vs Single-Coil Jazzmaster
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Alder vs Basswood
Different Body Wood
Fretboard Wood
Pau Ferro vs Laurel
Different Fretboard Wood
Nut Material
Synthetic Bone vs Plastic
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Fender Player Jazzmaster vs Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster

Neck Wood
Maple
Same Neck Wood
Headstock
6
Same Headstock
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Switch Positions
3
Same pickups versatility
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Bridge
Tremolo
Simple vibratos without too much maintenance
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm)
Same string tension and fret separation
Fretboard Radius
9.5'' (241.3mm)
Same fretboard comfortability
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Neck Profile Type
C
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Neck Joint
Bolt-On
Allows you to detach and swap the neck

Common Weaknesses

  • Neck-Through Build
  • Weight Relief
  • Locking Tuners
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • Strap Lock
  • Expensive Wood
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Fender Player Jazzmaster is probably the better product overall with its final score of 67 compared to the Fender Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster's 63 score, although not by a lot.

The Fender Player Jazzmaster wins when it comes to sound, build quality. On the other hand, the Fender Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster has the upper hand when it comes to playability, value for the money.

If you got small hands, none of these instruments will make a big difference when it comes to comfortability.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

Both meet 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness. This takes into account the type of frets, scale length, nut width, bridge type, fretboard radius, and neck profile to determine the easiest combination for new players. If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, you can't go wrong with either of them.

New Player Friendliness

Fender Player Jazzmaster
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Fender Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

Nevertheless, when it comes to choosing an instrument, you should pick the one more compatible with your personal style. Still, below we'll try you to give you our results as objectively as it's possible to help you decide.

Fender Player Jazzmaster Overview

  • From Fender's 2018 Player series
  • Made in Mexico
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 9.5" Fretboard Radius
  • Alder body
  • Maple neck
  • Pau Ferro fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Fender Player Series Alnico 2 Humbucking (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Fender Player Series Alnico 2 Humbucking (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Bell knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • 6-Saddle Vintage-Style Adjustable with “Floating” Tremolo Tailpiece bridge
  • Modern C Bolt-On neck
  • 22 Medium Jumbo frets
  • Standard Cast/Sealed tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Fender Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster Overview

  • From Fender Squier's 2011 Artist series
  • J Mascis Signature
  • Made in China
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 9.5" Fretboard Radius
  • Basswood body
  • Maple neck
  • Indian Laurel fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Single-Coil Jazzmaster (Single Coil/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Single-Coil Jazzmaster (Single Coil/Passive)
  • 2 volume and 2 tone Bell knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Adjusto-Matic Bridge with Vintage Style Floating Tremolo Tailpiece bridge
  • Modern C Bolt-On neck
  • 21 Jumbo frets
  • Vintage-Style tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Sound Quality Comparison

The wood used in an electric guitar or bass is not as important to determine the final tone. However, some people prefer specific wood types, so we'll take a look at those first. Then, we'll take a look at the electronics to determine the versatility and sound quality of each instrument.

Woods Used in Both

Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple

Maple is one of the most popular necks for good reasons. It is a strong wood that is relatively cheap to make and looks beautiful. The highest quality maple is the hardest that comes from North America. Find out more about Maple.

Woods Used in the Fender Player Jazzmaster

Pau Ferro wood pattern used for guitar building
Pau Ferro
Alder wood pattern used for guitar building
Alder

Pau Ferro has a dark, chocolate-like color with straight dark grains that is being used as a replacement to Rosewood due to the regulations. It produces a warm tone that is somewhere between Mahogany and Rosewood. Find out more about Pau Ferro.

Alder is the most popular wood that Fender uses in most of their guitars nowadays. Even though they say it's because of its balanced tone with an emphasis in the upper midrange, it probably is because it isn't too expensive, and it's also pretty lightweight—more than Mahogany. Find out more about Alder.

Woods Used in the Fender Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster

Laurel wood pattern used for guitar building
Laurel
Basswood wood pattern used for guitar building
Basswood

There are many types of Laurel, but East Indian is the most common for guitar building. Its color can vary from dark to light brown with black lines. Many people find its tonality similar to Rosewood, which favors the warmer frequencies. Find out more about Laurel.

Basswood is a lightweight type of wood that isn't as expensive as other popular choices for guitar building. It gives more power to the mid-range frequencies. Its color can vary from pale white to light brown. Find out more about Basswood.

Winner: Tie.

Pickup Configuration

The Fender Player Jazzmaster has an HH configuration while the Fender Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster has SS pickups.

Double Humbucker (HH) is the choice for people who want a fuller, more round sound with tons of mids and lows. Humbuckers also get rid of the hum noise that plague single-coil pickups. They can work out for almost any genre going from Djent to even Jazz.

On the other hand, SS is the classic Telecaster configuration. It's used mainly for playing clean or with low-gain distortion, and it's very popular for the country genre because of their brightness. It doesn't give you as much versatility as a Strat SSS configuration, but you might like the cleaner look of a guitar body with fewer pickups.

Pickups Quality

The Fender Player Jazzmaster has pickups from a more specialized brand than the Fender Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster. Its pickups should simply give you a better, fuller sound, although it all depends on what type of music you're going to play. We recommend these pickups for Hard Rock and similar genres.

Both use Passive pickups. This is what's used for most music genres. They have a regular output and will serve you for both high-gain and clean tones. The alternative (Active pickups) offer a higher output that is mostly used for heavy music.

Winner: Fender Player Jazzmaster.

Versatility Comparison

Some instruments offer you more ways to explore your creativity than others. Below you'll find how both compare when it comes to versatility.

Switch Options

Both are equal when it comes to the pickup switching option.

Both give you different pickup mod options.

The Fender Player Jazzmaster offers Coil Split.

Coil Split lets you disconnect one of the pickup coils. When used with humbuckers, it turns them into single-coil with lower output and cleaner tone.

On the other hand, the Fender Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster comes with the following: Multi-Voicing.

Multi-Voicing means the pickups come with multiple ''voices'', which means they can change the tone and gain by a simple switch or knob. Piezo, Fishman and similar are considered multi-voicing pickups.

Fender Player Jazzmaster pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Fender Player Jazzmaster's switch options
Fender Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Fender Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster's switch options

When evaluating versatility, we also take into consideration bridge and neck joint type, number of frets, switch options, amount of pickups and more.

Winner: Fender Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Fender Player Jazzmaster
Pickups 90
Sustain 70
Versatility 74
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 75
Fender Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster
Pickups 70
Sustain 65
Versatility 78
Tuning Stability 60
Sound 68

Build Quality Comparison

When it comes to build quality, we like to take into account everything used to build the instrument. This includes materials, hardware and the quality control expected depending on the country where it was built. Let's see how the Fender Player Jazzmaster compares to the Fender Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Fender Player Jazzmaster is built in Mexico while the Fender Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster is made in China.

Mexico has been for a long time where Fender has built their semi-premium series. If you don't want to overpay for a wellp-built instrument, a guitar built in this country by a good brand always offers good value for the money.

China has a bad reputation when it comes to building quality. However, times have changed and now respectable brands use China's cheap labor to build good instruments for a lower price. Don't discount a guitar only because it was built in China, but also expect more quality from countries like Korea.

Winner: Fender Player Jazzmaster

Nut Material

If you want your guitar to stay in tune and sound good, you need a well cut nut. Nut quality can be inconsistent even when comparing two copies of the same model. The best way to make sure you're nut will be well done is by getting a nut made by an expert company like TUSQ or Micarta.

The Fender Player Jazzmaster has a Synthetic Bone nut. Bone is the best natural material for guitar nuts. However, its tonal properties can be inconsistent. That's the problem that synthetic bone fixes. This is much better than using a plastic nut because the nut is more slippery—which helps with tuning stability—, and it gives your open strings rich harmonics.

On the other hand, the Fender Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster comes with a Plastic nut. This is a low-quality nut that you might want to consider upgrading soon. Bone and TUSQ nuts are the best for guitars with a fixed or simple tremolo bridge.

Winner: Fender Player Jazzmaster.

Fret Material

Most fret wire is made of nickel silver. This material eventually wears down after a lot of use and most instruments end up needing a complete fret replacement. However, some expensive models come with stainless steel frets. This is what you should aim for if you can afford it.

Unfortunately, none of them come with stainless steel frets.

Winner: Tie.

Bridge

The perfect bridge for you will depend on your playstyle because they all have advantages and disadvantages. However, some bridges are more expensive—like Floyd Roses and Evertunes—and thus add more value to a guitar.

Both come with a similar bridge: Tremolo. Tremolo bridges give you more versatility than fixed bridges. They let you perform the intense vibrato effects that would be impossible with a fixed bridge. However, since the bridge floats and there's less contact with the body, the strings lose sustain slightly faster. They can also be a bit harder to restring and set up correctly than fixed bridges.

Since we need to be objective, the most expensive type of bridge will be the winner of this section. In the end, this doesn't matter if you're not going to use the bridge for its original purpose, so choose the bridge that fits your playing style better.

Winner: Tie.

Tuners

Both come with regular tuners. The Fender Player Jazzmaster's are Standard Cast/Sealed while the Fender Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster's are Vintage-Style

Winner: Tie.

Neck Joint

Contrary to popular belief, the difference in sustain and tone that some neck joints give to a guitar is simply unperceivable—if they're all well built. However, some of them do have advantages over the others.

Both have a Bolt-On neck joint. This neck is joined to the body by 4 bolts that you can simply unscrew. This allows you to replace the neck or take it off for travel. It's the most common and cheapest way to build a guitar.

Winner: Tie.

Here is the list of features that were considered when choosing the winner in the Features subcategory:

Strengths & Weaknesses
Fender Player Jazzmaster
  • Synthetic Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Coil Split Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Mexico
  • No Expensive Woods
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Fender Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster
  • Multi-Voicing Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in China
  • No Expensive Woods
  • No High-Quality Nut
  • No Top Brand Pickups
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Fender Player Jazzmaster
Quality of materials 51
Features 60
Quality Control 70
Build Quality 60
Fender Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster
Quality of materials 41
Features 60
Quality Control 55
Build Quality 52

Playability Comparison

Let's now compare their playability. Bear in mind that the instrument will feel different depending on your hand size and play style. That's why you should always test before buying. But if you can't or want a second opinion on it, we can still take a look at each of the important measurements of the instrument for you. This way, we can predict how easy a guitar might be to play, or how different it will feel compared to the other.

Remember that, even though the difference might seem small, every inch counts when it comes to feeling of the instrument in your hands. Any variation can completely change how comfortable a guitar feels in your hands.

Nut Width

Fender Player Jazzmaster Nut Width
Fender Player Jazzmaster Nut Width
Fender Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster Nut Width
Fender Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Fender Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster has the wider nut with 42.5mm (1.675'') vs 42mm (1.654''). This is a 0.5mm (0.021'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Fender Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.

Scale Length

Fender Player Jazzmaster and Fender Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster's Scale Length
Both have the same scale length

The scale length is one of the things that influences playability the most. This is the distance between the nut and the bridge and will affect everything from low action allowance, difficulty to perform bends, fret separation, and even tone.

In this case, both have a scale length of 25.5".

This is the scale used in most Stratocasters. It's slightly longer than the typical 24.75'' size found in Les Pauls, and it's one of the main reasons why Stratocasters have such a bright sound in general. A longer scale also means that the strings will have higher tension. This will help you get lower action without suffering fret buzz, which will also be helpful when playing in lower tunings without having to increase your string gauge.

However, this also means that there will be more separation between frets, which can make it more difficult to play. Also, bending the strings will require more strengths due to the increased tension, but remember that a tremolo guitar will offset this difficulty.

Lastly, remember that you can also affect the tension of the strings by changing your string gauge. You can use a thicker gauge for more tension and a lighter one for less tension.

Neck Profile

Fender Player Jazzmaster Neck Profile
Fender Player Jazzmaster's neck profile
Fender Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster Neck Profile
Fender Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster's neck profile

No single neck shape is better than others. However, most people tend to prefer a thinner necks because it doesn't get in their way when playing fast and most hand sizes can adapt to it pretty well. However, some people still prefer thicker necks for a better grip, especially if they have big hands.

Both the Fender Player Jazzmaster and the Fender Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster have a C-shaped neck. This is what you'll find in most modern guitars. Most people feel like the thickness of a C neck is simply the less intrusive one for playing fast, while at the same time allowing you to grab the neck easily for resting if you want to.

Fretboard Radius

Fender Player Jazzmaster Fingerboard Radius
Both Guitars Have The Same Fretboard Radius

Most guitar fretboards are not flat; they usually have a curve or arc across their width. A curved fretboard will make it easier to perform chords without muting strings, while a flatter one will make it easier to play single notes, which is good for bending and soloing in general. The best fretboards have a compound radius that varies across the fingerboard, but they're not common since they take a lot more work to build.

Both the Fender Player Jazzmaster and the Fender Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster have the same fretboard radius of 9.5". This is the most common radius for Stratocaster guitars. It's considered curved when compared to most other models. This allows you to play chords very easily without muting strings accidentally and gives you more space between strings for fingerpicking. However, this curve also gives the guitar less allowance for lower action. If you bend too hard at the high frets, some of your notes might get muted because the curve will make the string fret out.

Hand Size Comfortability

Everyone has a different hand size, and that's why it's recommended to try a guitar before buying, even if others tell you that it's comfortable to play. However, we can know whether a guitar favors small or large hands just by knowing its exact measurements.

After taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that both in this comparison favor small hands .

Fender Player Jazzmaster:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Fender Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Fender Player Jazzmaster Frets Size
Fender Player Jazzmaster's Frets Size
Fender Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster Frets Size
Fender Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster's Frets Size

The Fender Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster has Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Fender Player Jazzmaster's Medium Jumbo frets.

Some people prefer taller frets because they result in more sustain since the strings get pressed cleanly without interference from the fretboard. However, if they're too tall—like Jumbo frets—, you might change the pitch of the strings accidentally if you press too hard because you won't be touching the fretboard with your fingers. This is also why some guitarists with a heavy grip prefer smaller frets. They like to feel the fingerboard to avoid pressing down too hard and getting out of pitch.

Final Playability Scores

Fender Player Jazzmaster
Bending & Vibrato Ease 60
Chord Playability 80
Solo Playability 60
Playability 67
Fender Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster
Bending & Vibrato Ease 70
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 70
Playability 70

Specs Side-by-Side

Fender Player Jazzmaster vs Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster
General Fender Player Jazzmaster Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster
Brand: Fender Fender Squier
Year: 2018 2011
Configuration: HH SS
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Mexico China
Series: Player Artist
Colors: White, Sunburst, Orange, Yellow White
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Alder Basswood
Bridge: 6-Saddle Vintage-Style Adjustable with “Floating” Tremolo Tailpiece Adjusto-Matic Bridge with Vintage Style Floating Tremolo Tailpiece
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Bolt-On
Tuners: Standard Cast/Sealed Vintage-Style
Fretboard: Pau Ferro Indian Laurel
Neck Material: Maple Maple
Decoration: White Dot White Dot
Scale Size: 25.5" 25.5"
Shape: Modern C Modern C
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.82'' (20.8mm) - 12th Fret: 0.87'' (22.1mm) 1st Fret: - 12th Fret:
Frets: 22 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver 21 Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 9.5" 9.5"
Nut: Synthetic Bone Plastic
Nut Width: 42mm (1.654'') 42.5mm (1.675'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Fender Player Series Alnico 2 Humbucking (Humbucker / Passive) Single-Coil Jazzmaster (Single Coil / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Fender Player Series Alnico 2 Humbucking (Humbucker / Passive) Single-Coil Jazzmaster (Single Coil / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Bell Bell
Pickup Mods: Coil Split Multi-Voicing
Volume Controls: 1 2
Tone Controls: 1 2