Upgrading a Squier 40th Anniversary Jazzmaster

In this video, Radioshop's Paul Best reviews the Squier 40th JM and gives it some tasty mods. Is it worth the upgrades?

[@garypannone7755]

Great job. Sounds good. I have been toying with the white pick guard idea. I really like the look.

[@shaneburbery4478]

Looks Fantastic, Great work!

[@elmud]

Never had a tuning problem with any Jazzmaster vibrato and bridge, never. It's just the best engineered vibrato system. At this moment I also own the desert sand 40th anniversary version and also that bridge/vibrato is outstanding. Lots of gigging, never had a tuning problem... something I won't experience with a stopbar tailpiece of any Gibson. Crazy uh?

[@AR-do3gj]

Love all the mods! If I buy one that’s exactly what I’d do. Would have loved to see a wiring diagram.

[@davegallagher7428]

I think it came out beautifully. I definitely like the white pickguard better. Modding guitars is much fun!

[@frettingitforward]

Cool video dude🤟

[@mr8ty8]

I own the white gold squier 40th. It's such an amazing instrument.

[@perecaramba3319]

Nice guitar, great job and nice explanations. I prefer pickguard on Green Mint

[@mr8ty8]

Little tip on the wiggle stick. Put it in the vise and hamer it once or maybe twice so it's slightly bended. Then it's fixed forever.

[@keithshields5297]

Great video. I have only owned one Jazzmaster (60 custom finish) and now I am jonesing to get it back again. I wish you could have demo’d the new maple blend knob cause I’m not sure if I would like it or not. I’d have to hear it in use or better yet? Play it myself. As far as the new guard definitely like white better than gold, but, I would prefer the 3ply w/b/w like used on later Fenders rather than all white. Overall, great job on the mods. Other than placement of your windscreen (lol).

[@dieuexiste]

When I first bought this guitar, I was also thinking of putting in a white pick guard. But the golden one ended up growing on me and now I'm not that sure anymore... The white one sure looks great. More of a classic. Very interesting video, btw. Cheers

[@mr8ty8]

I think a anodised aluminium coloured pick guard looks nicer. Fits with the hardware

[@GG-jw8pt]

​@@mr8ty8 I agree.I just got gold/light blue weaved strap 😂👍

[@fraenkiboii]

Awesome video! I prefer the gold pickguard but that's just personal preference right!? I love how you round off the edges of pot knobs. I'm gonna try that this weekend :D Also, question: does the trem arm on this model have threads or is it just a pop in? I bought mine used and of course the seller forgot to send the trem arm :(

[@RadioshopPickups]

This one’s just a pop in and it needed a bit of shimming! Definitely the weakness with this guitar

[@adamkrauss303]

Would have been useful to hear before and after sound samples. I like the idea of a blend knob but feel that maple knob is too much of a distraction and concerned it could get in the way of hard strumming.

[@Firewaltzwithme]

nice with the white pickguard, im thinkin of changeing mine to, but maybee ill get the mint green one

[@whittlad]

yeah looks better with the white scratch plate. I like the idea of the blender control but not sure if the maple control knob works? How about a chicken head (to be different) control knob or something that has that 50's sc-fi vibe as the guitar is a 50's design? I don't think it cares how much you pay to mod your guitar as its the enjoyment of doing it is all that matters.

[@mr8ty8]

There's aluminium aluminium annodized pick guards. That would look better. I would switch it to that. The toggle switch is not greatly placed. I would have placed it higher,more in the middle of that part of the plate.

[@oldasrocks9121]

Aw, I was silently voting for a tortie pickguard... Paint the maple knob with translucent Mary Kay white?

[@jasonswitzer1748]

The white is infinitely better than the gold guard.

[@Furtheronmusic]

I like the new scratchplate but I might prefer ply. Ditching the rhythm circuit probably sensible and like you say modern Fender Performer and Pro models don't feature it.

[@RadioshopPickups]

The Blender I’m enjoying too - although I’m mostly on neck only at the moment

[@fraenkiboii]

Question to all Jazzmaster aficionados: I've got this particular guitar and the bridge is a bit weird to me as a strat player. The two studs of the bridge basically sit in their dedicated holes in the body. But it's not snug, there's a lot of wiggle room to the studs along the strings. How do you get the right intonation? Is it one of those where you just have to wiggle it to the right place after changing strings? How do you guys handle this? If the bridge is too far either side, the string will touch the base of the bridge and I get weird damping of the strings. whelp :) Update: You can kinda see what I mean in this video at 14:29 where Paul pulls out the bridge.

[@oldasrocks9121]

Fender sells nylon inserts for a couple of Mustang bridges that eliminate the rocking but the bridge/trem is designed that way. Ideally the strings stick in the saddle grooves and the bridge rocks back to center post-vibrato. Barring inserts folks wrap the bridge posts in vinyl or electrical tape. I like copper shielding tape. Then of course you need to lube your saddles. One of the aftermarket bridge makers sell bead blasted saddles for folks who run the tremolo as designed, they claim they're stickier

[@Vertlain]

Got one of these too, and was a bit confused at first but ended setting up bridge as close to the middle position as possible, and tuning to that... assuming no crazy neck dive attempts are involved it stays in tune well enough. Such a clever and lovely instrument.

[@joeyjojojrshabbadoo]

I think the gold pickguard and seafoam colour combo is an amazing look…white is so boring

[@RickMcCargar]

Maybe move the microphone so it doesn't cover half the thing you're showing to us...

[@alanthew6490]

This…

[@elmud]

Hahahaha

[@itchyvinyl]

White looks better. I put a plain grey aluminum guard on mine.

[@dustdevilz4771]

Yep, it does look lots better with fewer switches and the white pick guard.

[@tomduckworth8335]

White is much better

[@giovannibonapace4250]

I disagree .... I owned exactly the same one ... Got it from Gak ... It was unplayable ... the tuners were a joke and the trem was all over the shop... The wood grade on the neck was cheap. U always v7 get what u pay and dropped lucky!! I replaced the tuners and the bridge ... then traded it ... for a Troy Van Leewen proper mexican fender... That was awesome The money went on the jazzy colour

[@giovannibonapace4250]

No it's not worth spending 600 pounds on it ... The pick ups were good though