Wide jazz

Aw darn, it's always limited edition when it comes to the good stuff. Fender Japan Jazzmaster, featuring a pair of wide range humbuckers. But this is niche stuff, if you have encountered the wide range humbuckers & they sound appealing to you, this might be equally appealing. The Jazzmaster purists would scream blasphemy; a Jazzmaster not featuring the default single coil pickups. Ultimately, it's your money, yes?

Pic: Fender Japan

Fender: Classic Player HH Strat

Yet another freshie by Fender: Classic Player HH Strat. It's, em... another Strat but deliciously equipped with a pair of Wide Range humbucker. Pair with that alder body, how would it sound like? Here:

Fender: Modern Player Starcaster

The Modern Player Fender Starcaster is now available at Swee Lee. No twang on board so Strat/Tele fans can move on. It's not quite a semi, tone-wise, because the guitar is a bolt-on make. So what you have is Fender's take on a non-solid body instrument made more affordable by virtue of its construction (not to mention country of manufacture). If you A-B one with Epiphone's Dot model, you'd hear more clarity coming from the Starcaster (especially from the neck pickup) due to the pickups (Fender's Wide Range humbucker has some reputation in this department) & maple fretboard. The body is a little wider here so those of us accustomed to the Strat/Tele need a wee bit of getting used to. That headstock is acquired taste, personally, I think it's downright ugly. The Starcaster is not new to the Fender fold, it's a come back of sorts with a little tweak in design. I'm largely a solid-body guitar fan but this one has it in terms of tone, especially in terms of drive.

Rating: 70%

Fender: Starcaster (Modern Player series)

Availability: Swee Lee Co.

Price: $949

Other price references: USD699/ Euro689/ BP556/ Aus999