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Fender Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster
Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster
VS
Playability
70
Sound
75
Build
64
Value
65
Score
70
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Playability
67
Sound
73
Build
70
Value
60
Score
70
FIND IT ON:
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Fender Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster vs American Original 60s Jazzmaster

Reasons to Get
Fender Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster over American Original 60s Jazzmaster

Release Year
2020 vs 2018
From a more recent year
Pickup Mods
Multi-Voicing vs None
Changes the voice (tones or gain) of the pickups
Fretboard Radius
7.25'' (184.2mm) vs 9.5'' (241.3mm)
More curved fretboard helpful to play chords without muting strings
Value Score
65 vs 60
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster over Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster

Country of Manufacturing
United States vs Mexico
Built with higher quality standards
Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Volume Knobs
2 vs 1
More volume control
Tone Knobs
2 vs 1
More tone control
Fretboard Radius
9.5'' (241.3mm) vs 7.25'' (184.2mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend

Other Key Differences
Fender Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster vs American Original 60s Jazzmaster

Fretboard Wood
Maple vs Rosewood
Different Fretboard Wood
Nut Material
Synthetic Bone vs Bone
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Fender Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster vs American Original 60s Jazzmaster

Bridge Pickup
Fender Pure Vintage 65 Single-Coil Jazzmaster
Same Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Fender Pure Vintage 65 Single-Coil Jazzmaster
Same Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Alder
Same Body Wood
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
Pickups
SS
Beautiful cleans
Number of Frets
21
Same maximum octave
Nut Width
1.654'' (42mm)
Same string separation at the nut
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
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
Type of Frets
Vintage vs Vintage Tall
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • High-Quality Nut
  • Top Pickup Brand

Common Weaknesses

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

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

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Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster Prices

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that both instruments scored 70 out of 100, which makes them similar in terms of quality.

The Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster wins when it comes to build quality. On the other hand, the Fender Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster has the upper hand when it comes to sound, playability, value for the money.

If you got small hands, you'll probably feel that the Fender Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster is easier to play.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster is the better choice.

The Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster meets 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Fender Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster meets only 4. 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.

New Player Friendliness

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

New Player Friendliness

Fender American Original 60s 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 Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster Overview

  • From Fender's 2020 Artist series
  • Troy Van Leeuwen Signature
  • Made in Mexico
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 7.25" Fretboard Radius
  • Alder body
  • Maple neck
  • Maple fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Fender Pure Vintage 65 Single-Coil Jazzmaster (Single Coil/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Fender Pure Vintage 65 Single-Coil Jazzmaster (Single Coil/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Bell knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Jazzmaster Bridge with Nickel-Plated Brass Mustang Saddles and Tremolo bridge
  • LEEUWEN C Bolt-On neck
  • 21 Vintage frets
  • Vintage-Style tuners
  • Weight between 8.05lbs (3.7kgs) and 8.6lbs (3.9kgs)
  • Compare Specs >

Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster Overview

  • From Fender's 2018 American Original series
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 9.5" Fretboard Radius
  • Alder body
  • Maple neck
  • Rosewood fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Fender Pure Vintage 65 Single-Coil Jazzmaster (Single Coil/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Fender Pure Vintage 65 Single-Coil Jazzmaster (Single Coil/Passive)
  • 2 volume and 2 tone Bell knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Vintage-Style Floating Tremolo with Tremolo Lock Button and Push-In Tremolo Arm bridge
  • Mid 60s C Bolt-On neck
  • 21 Vintage Tall frets
  • Pure Vintage Single Line Fender Deluxe 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
Alder wood pattern used for guitar building
Alder

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.

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 American Original 60s Jazzmaster

Rosewood wood pattern used for guitar building
Rosewood

Rosewood is an almost purple-looking wood that is used mainly for fretboards since it's heavy, rare, and expensive. It's sometimes used on acoustic guitar bodies to create stronger warm tones. Find out more about Rosewood.

Winner: Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster.

Pickup Configuration

Both pickup configurations are SS. 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

Both come with some of the top pickups on the market. You can't go wrong with either of them. You'll probably never need a pickup upgrade.

You can purchase similar pickups to the Fender Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster's and use them on any guitar:

We found the same or similar pickups to the Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster's online:

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: Tie.

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.

Only the Fender Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster comes with some kind of pickup modification: 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.

They both share the following switching options:

Fender Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster and Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Fender Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster and Fender American Original 60s 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 Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Fender Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster
Pickups 100
Sustain 60
Versatility 74
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 75
Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster
Pickups 100
Sustain 60
Versatility 68
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 73

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 Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster compares to the Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Fender Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster is built in Mexico while the Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster is made in United States.

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.

The United States is considered one of the best electric guitar manufacturers in the world. A guitar made in this country is supposed to have world-class quality control. Nowadays, guitars made in other countries can beat some of the ones made in the US, but most of the time, this country offers the best you can get. Of course, that comes at a price.

Winner: Fender American Original 60s 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 Troy Van Leeuwen 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 American Original 60s Jazzmaster comes with a Bone nut. It's a type of nut found in high-quality instruments. They sound similar to Ivory since they give a lot of sustain and a bright sound (at least when striking open strings). The only problem they can run into is that you may get a bone piece that simply doesn't sound as well as others because that's just how natural materials are.

Winner: Tie.

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 Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster's are Vintage-Style while the Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster's are Pure Vintage Single Line Fender Deluxe

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 Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster
  • Synthetic Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Multi-Voicing 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 American Original 60s Jazzmaster
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Fender Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster
Quality of materials 51
Features 60
Quality Control 80
Build Quality 64
Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster
Quality of materials 61
Features 55
Quality Control 95
Build Quality 70

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 Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster Nut Width
Both Guitars Have The Same Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, both have a nut width of 42mm (1.654'').

This is considered a narrow width for a 6-string guitar. This means that this guitar will have a narrower string separation at the nut, which will affect your fretting hand.

If you are a player with big hands, you might find it difficult to play chords without muting strings. However, this is good for players who have smaller hands, as it will allow them to reach each string more easily at the nut.

Scale Length

Fender Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster and Fender American Original 60s 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 Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster Neck Profile
Fender Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster's neck profile
Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster Neck Profile
Fender American Original 60s 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 Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster and the Fender American Original 60s 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 Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster Fingerboard Radius
Fender Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster's Fingerboard radius
Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster Fingerboard Radius
Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster's Fingerboard 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.

In this case, the Fender Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster's. This extra arc will make playing chords easier in this model. You won't be as likely to mute the strings, especially if you have big hands. However, playing single notes and bending will be easier on the Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster.

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.

And after taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that the Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster favors large hands more than the Fender Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster.

Fender Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Fender Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster Frets Size
Fender Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster's Frets Size
Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster Frets Size
Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster's Frets Size

The Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster has Vintage Tall frets, which should be taller than the Fender Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster's Vintage 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 Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster
Bending & Vibrato Ease 60
Chord Playability 90
Solo Playability 60
Playability 70
Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster
Bending & Vibrato Ease 60
Chord Playability 80
Solo Playability 60
Playability 67

Specs Side-by-Side

Fender Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster vs American Original 60s Jazzmaster
General Fender Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster American Original 60s Jazzmaster
Brand: Fender Fender
Year: 2020 2018
Configuration: SS SS
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Mexico United States
Series: Artist American Original
Colors: Orange, Red Sunburst, Blue
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Alder Alder
Bridge: Jazzmaster Bridge with Nickel-Plated Brass Mustang Saddles and Tremolo Vintage-Style Floating Tremolo with Tremolo Lock Button and Push-In Tremolo Arm
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Bolt-On
Tuners: Vintage-Style Pure Vintage Single Line Fender Deluxe
Fretboard: Maple Rosewood
Neck Material: Maple Maple
Decoration: Black Block White Pearloid Dot - 7mm
Scale Size: 25.5" 25.5"
Shape: LEEUWEN C Mid 60s C
Frets: 21 Vintage Nickel Silver 21 Vintage Tall Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 7.25" 9.5"
Nut: Synthetic Bone Bone
Nut Width: 42mm (1.654'') 42mm (1.654'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Fender Pure Vintage 65 Single-Coil Jazzmaster (Single Coil / Passive) Fender Pure Vintage 65 Single-Coil Jazzmaster (Single Coil / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Fender Pure Vintage 65 Single-Coil Jazzmaster (Single Coil / Passive) Fender Pure Vintage 65 Single-Coil Jazzmaster (Single Coil / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Bell Bell
Pickup Mods: Multi-Voicing None
Volume Controls: 1 2
Tone Controls: 1 2