Educate me about Offsets

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Lostininverness
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Educate me about Offsets

Post by Lostininverness »

It's fair to say that the look of an offset guitar is a "slow grower" concept for me.

So what I'd like to know from you fine lot - in your opinion - is what makes an offset guitar so appealing? Starting with the traditional Jag/Jazzmasters, the switching looks complicated - is this an essential part of the sound, or can it be simplified like the American Professional series?

How essential is the traditional bridge on the Jag/Jazzmaster as compared to a bigsby type...

Do the original type pickups make the difference as well??

And then what are the things that are more appealing about other brands such as Fano or the firebirds???

All comment appreciated.

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Re: Educate me about Offsets

Post by null_pointer »

ITS A TRAP!!

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Re: Educate me about Offsets

Post by AiRdAd »

Big question... Where to start...? :-)
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Re: Educate me about Offsets

Post by KNNZ »

there is a thread here showing off offsets :winky:
it can be regular bridge/neck or both style switching, not necessary jag/JM switches

Fano you have to play one to appreciate one, they are absolutely great sounding guitars, but my words cannot convince you until you try one :winky:

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Re: Educate me about Offsets

Post by null_pointer »

I keep going back because I love the way they look. But (for me) they're just the wrong guitar to play so I end up selling after a short period :/ Wanna buy a Johnny Marr? HAHAHA!

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Re: Educate me about Offsets

Post by mule »

I just think Jag's/JM's look gorgeous. Hard to quantify why beyond personal preference.

The switching on JM's is not really that weird. There is a rhythm switch that I think a lot of JM players just ignore, and besides that it's just a 3-way pickup select. Jag's seem unnecessarily complicated though...

This guy has written some interesting stuff about Fender offsets. I found it quite useful.

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Re: Educate me about Offsets

Post by Single coil »

Mod a jazzmaster so it doesn’t have the rude ass rhythm circuit and away you go.
Chuck a mustang bridge on it and bobs nobbin yer aunty
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Re: Educate me about Offsets

Post by Slowy »

I have only played two.... Ever.
The first was allegedly a fine guitar, but I had nothing to compare it with.
The second was definitely a fine guitar, accompanied by a fine player who ably demonstrated what a Jazzmaster was capable of.
Listening to it, I thought of Fender voices; Strat and Tele are quite distinctive sonic personalities and the Jazzmaster has another voice entirely. That was the thing that convinced me of their general goodness.
Also, I'm a big guy and they are comfortable to play.

You notice I haven't mentioned Jaguars? Don't get them at all. Further education required, I think.

Also, Nels Kline plays a Jazzmaster on 'Impossible Germany'. I'm sold.
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Re: Educate me about Offsets

Post by Single coil »

I had a classic player jazzmaster, a classic player HH jag, and a squier classic vibe (?) jazzmaster.

Squier one was good but felt a little flimsy.
Jag didn’t do it for me.
CPJM was good, but get rid of the pickups.
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Re: Educate me about Offsets

Post by jeremyb »

I should play my telemaster more often.
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Re: Educate me about Offsets

Post by KNNZ »

my tele (in my avatar) is an offset, so offsets are not just about JM or jags :rofl: :winky:

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Re: Educate me about Offsets

Post by Reg18 »

Things that appeal to me about Jazzmasters for the most part is the sound, (I personally prefer to drop the pots from 1meg to 500k) every time I hear a jangly Fender Type guitar that I like on YouTube or somewhere else it’s 90% of the time a JM. I have used the rhythm circuit live but it’s neither here nor there for me personally.
The Trem works better than a bigsby in my opinion, so I’d rather it come with a standard Trem
Than a Bigsby.
The bridge comes with its quirks though, Mastery bridge being the most expensive but best solution from what I’ve read. Mustang bridge works fine if it’s the same radius, but not all Jazzmasters are 9.5” radius (or what ever a standard Mustang is)
I’ve pursued with the stock bridge and used brass saddles that had slots and used some loctite to keep things from rattling. It solved most of the problems.
And finally the look is unique! There’s a million Strat and Teles being played everywhere under the sun, it’s nice to see something a bit different, even if it is a little strange looking. If the JM had come first I bet all the Indy guitarists would be playing Strats now though!

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Re: Educate me about Offsets

Post by willow13 »

only "offset" guitar the even remotely interests me is the Charvel surfcaster...although at a stretch the EVH wolfgang is right on the boarder of being an offset :mrgreen:
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Re: Educate me about Offsets

Post by Lostininverness »

Thanks for all the responses so far. It's not a trap - honest! Possibly more like market research.

Hmmm, seems like the sound is a key, but the it seems that the switching isn't that important - good to know.

Slowy & Reg - thanks for the all the detail. It's good to get your opinions.

Would it be fair to say that fender offsets are a different animal to, say a fano, which has completely different hardware, pick ups etc?

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Re: Educate me about Offsets

Post by WellyBlues »

Magic Slim played fantastic old school blues on a Jazzmaster.
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