Vintage VS. New - Can we hear a difference in a blind test?

[@LivingroomGearDemos]

New shirts here: bit.ly/lrgdstore

[@RiffsAndBeards]

I had choosen Guitar B for the nicer low end and rounder tone. Guitar A does cut and I like its crispiness tho.

[@apfelkuchen4672]

same here and I was so sure Guitar B was the vintage.

[@thebreakfastmenu]

I think it's safe to say Fender did a phenomenal job on that reissue

[@manunautes1839]

Both sound pretty similar, B has more bottom end, A has more clarity, both sound amazing.

[@igmaribanez]

i think this is more less "harsh" highs so you hear more lows

[@Tim85-y2q]

Yeah, to me B sounds slightly warmer, but A has a more cutting top end.

[@sapphicquartz]

​@@igmaribanezthats the traditional jazzmaster tone cx

[@evanlawrence5815]

This really could come down to pickup heights

[@marcot117]

Thats true, the setup is crucial, Also strings

[@jhowellkc]

This. They sound shockingly similar.

[@IgorHatesEverything]

100% correct.

[@zeromath20]

I think it also has to do with the wear on the pickups usually vintage guitars sound darker because of how much they were used

[@OHHnoYOUdidntMAN]

I preferred guitar A. It had more clean and pronounced detail in the low mids as well as the upper mids. There was less metallic stuff in the high frequencies with it too

[@rockitflash]

This was very reassuring to me. About ten years ago, I bought a 1962 Jazzmaster that was missing all of the original electronics for a great price. I dropped an AVRI loaded pickguard in and added a Mastery bridge. It’s a mix of old and modern parts. I’m satisfied the way it is. It has the honest wear of an actual 62’ and your video lets me know I don’t need to find actual 62 pickups, I’m fine with the way it sounds.

[@Tyler_Wilson]

I personally liked Guitar A from the beginning.

[@matheusfcolombelli]

ok, now this is the perfect way to make a guitar comparison. i mean, same chords and riffs or whatever on both guitars and played one right after the other. Damn, i love this chanel

[@LivingroomGearDemos]

Thanks a lot! Means a lot to get some nice comments from time to time :)

[@oncameramastery]

Brilliant stuff, I love Jazzmasters! Great work man, I like both!!!

[@LivingroomGearDemos]

Thanks for checking out the video, sir!

[@OniDasAlagoas]

I preffered guitar A from the test. Really thought it was the vintage one, the sound was much more clear and loud, poweful. Good to know.

[@mojekh]

Great comparison, thank you!!:-) I have proved again, that you can spot the vintage against reisssue, but(!) only with such a well made comparison. Otherwise the main difference is more easily recognizeable by player only. It's just just new vs broken in instrument in your hands:-)

[@RJRonquillo]

The thumbnail is my new screensaver.

[@Gaslight.Guitar]

Haha great idea

[@LivingroomGearDemos]

Nice. I’m always with you then.

[@TheKevinm1977]

Got it right, but they were really close and both sounded really good. Nice touch you have on the guitar as well. Well done.

[@dylanclay5267]

I guessed right but only because I’ve noticed that fenders reissue pickups tend to be brighter than those they used in the first few years of production. They sound really close though and both great. I would guess putting something like Duncan antiquity I in the reissue would make them even closer.

[@kickthereverb]

Great video, I also have a 62 reissue that I love and is part of my sound. I got the comparison right, the "rounder" low-end and smoother high-end on the vintage guitar came through even while watching on a phone. Subscribed!

[@sambleach]

Really cool video, mate, I preferred the Guitar B in all the takes, the sustain, and the harmonics in high frequencies were more pleasant, but once again a tiny difference. I love your videos, I bought a few pieces of gear just because of them!

[@fuzzanderson]

Sound on 3:08 is pure vintage jazzy beast

[@zeromath20]

I a 100% got it right lol What gave it away to me was how bright sounding A was. And I knew B was the vintage one because of how dark it sounded compared to A. Honestly I prefer the reissue overall

[@fossilmatic]

Well, I could identify A and B correctly in the clean DAW test, but I presumed the more powerful sounding output would be the reissue pickups, which was incorrect. Perhaps high end is lost over time with the pickups? Perhaps the Mustang bridge adds top end? Both sounded pretty good. And kudos to you for showing yourself getting it wrong.

[@BassOutcast]

I picked correctly. I assumed that sometimes, the reissue ones are wired hotter, or like in the case of some Japanese reissues, have regular strat pickups under those big covers. A sounded janglier, while B had a muddier sound, which I liked. Could also be due to the old pots they were using back then.

[@kubok275]

posting this comment before the reveal, I feel like guitar A's sound is more open and "softer", while guitar B's is tighter, punchier. I don't know which one is vintage and which one is a reissue but I like guitar A's sound better tbh.

[@musicmann1967]

I got it right, based on the fact that I had heard from several people that I trust that new Jazzmasters are pretty bright. I don't think that this new was *too* bright however. I did prefer the warmer one, which was the vintage. I always like a slightly warmer tone to my Fenders. I always back off the tone on both my Tele and Strat. Both guitars sounded great though.

[@paulterl4563]

P.X. : I want to say thanx to You for this vid, 'cause after it, I get out my Jazzy from storage, done a little set up and enjoy her again...even if is a Squire. But is a really good one. Ciao !

[@musicmann1967]

I'm going to guess before I hear the answer. My guess is that the warmer sounding one is the vintage guitar. I've heard that the new Jazzmasters are very bright. That's the reason for that choice. I prefer the warmer (less bright) one, whatever that turns out to be. The brighter one did not sound TOO bright to me at all though, like I was led to believe it would. It still sounded really good to me.

[@jonathonhunt935]

Very interesting! In the A/B test I heard A’s high notes (or each note’s attack) as harsher and B’s as rounder so guessed correctly. When randomised though, like you I couldn’t pick enough difference to tell. An A/B review of two fender amps showed a similar result with the modern amp being comparatively harsh and lacking the depth and clarity of the early ‘60 amp. That knowledge definitely coloured the qualities I was looking for here and thus my judgement. But as you noted, it’s the whole experience of how a guitar feels and sounds as we play it that really matters. Thanks for a fab review

[@onlynofx]

Super useful video! I’d be glad to hear the same blind comparison between jazzmaster avri62 and av65

[@paulterl4563]

Oh Yeah ! I got it right. I've heard that the B is hotter/softer and with less highs and more mids.

[@manuelespinosa1906]

Even though I heard the differences between them, I got it wrong. Both sound amazing and I was looking for some specific stuff that maybe biased me as soon as I found them. For clean I prefer B and with distortion I prefer A.

[@perudolux]

I chose B for vintage one because it was more open.... but they were very close. In a band context, you wouldn’t notice a difference

[@stfa4790]

Really thought A to be the reissue but B sounds more clear and focused in the overdriven category, it‘s taff and just headphones on KZbin, I go for A for the original 1960ty and I‘ d love to hear a 50/50 blend of both simultaneously, that would be the perfect sound to me!

[@revol40]

I got it wrong as well. They both sound incredible. I guess it comes to how it feels when you play it.

[@mathiasmoermans5760]

I got it right, but it was really more like a guess. They sound so similar!

[@stevesoldwedel]

I preferred A, in the blind test and, so, assumed it was the vintage, but then I realized it wasn't when you used the vibrato*; your muscle memory and that funky curved arm gave it away. I still preferred the tone of A, though, when I couldn't see the guitars. Then, when I could see you playing, the aural nuance that I had noticed between them seemed to vanish. Interesting phenomenon. And great video! Thanks for sharing. *I know that it's officially called a tremolo by FMIC (to any potential pedants).

[@jeanemmanuelkrieger6001]

I got it right but I thinks it’s because I have an original early ‘65 jazzmaster I’ve been playing for over 20 years , as you said there’s something about the highs , it’s softer also I think the mids are slightly more pronounced, your reissue pickup compresses less which gives a different kind of response which is audible in the single note clean riff where the original jazz sounds spongy-er All of this are slight differences and I’m not saying one is better than the other

[@juliotiusanen4259]

Guitar A is reissue. Guitar B is vintage. The pickups in Guitar A have more clarity and crispness. Guitar B has a less definition, but a deeper and rounder tone. I prefer guitar B. Hope I got it right!

[@FriendlyNeighborhoodBallsack]

lol the answers are at the end haha

[@amritjanardhanan]

Immediately, the only difference I notice is that guitar B is darker, but the low end on B was nicer. You could get the same result by degaussing the magnets a bit or adding some EQ. What I can say after seeing which guitar is which is that the vintage Jazzmaster is it's a hell of a lot prettier looking!

[@alohamark3025]

In tests like this, I always choose the less flashy sounding guitar (B). The price difference between vintage and modern is only around 3:1, so if your heart is set on the old vintage, just buy it and don't worry about your decision. Same rule does not apply to Strats, Teles, or Gibson Les Paul standards. Expect to pay at least 10X (up to 50X) as much for vintage. Make sure that it does not get refretted by an amateur. The vintage Jag was set up by a pro.

[@Christocalese]

I picked guitar b to be the vintage because it wasn’t as bright. They both sound great. I think I prefer the brighter tone of the reissue. I have a similar reissue and I often run the tone at 7 or 8, but it’s nice to have the extra tone when using certain effects.

[@Andy_Yates]

I preferred guitar B in the first 2 or 3 samples, but it got difficult for me to tell any difference after those. I also tried to not fall into the trap of thinking B was the vintage because I preferred it. The eq of it felt a little rounder with overtones that were really nice. But again, after that I struggled to hear any difference on my desktop speakers. They aren't monitors, but I couldn't turn up the volume too much since my girlfriend is on a work call in the next room lol. Hard to know if better headphones would highlight more difference

[@apfelkuchen4672]

This is such a great video, thank you!

[@steffenla4]

I got it right, but they were way closer than I thought they'd be. The most interesting thing is how easy it is to "hear" a difference when you actually see what guitar he's playing.

[@viniciusferreira1109]

I thought the same exact thing as you! Cheers from Brazil!

[@paulitik7]

Hmmm. Lean B for preference but it was subtle, and the first few clean tracks were the only reason I chose B. FIrst guess, I’d say B was vintage.

[@Thomaszmccormick]

I think a lot of the charm also comes from the feel of a worn-in instrument. I cannot stand a new feeling guitar. I've been attempting to play my '65 RI Jazzmaster since 2016, and I'm treating it very nicely. It still isn't broken in enough.

[@richardhenrickson6711]

Without knowing which is which, B would be my pick any day of the week. 👍

[@lukekelly4360]

Very close call but I knew B was the original. The dead giveaway for me was the neck pickup on the reissue, sounded a bit like a Strat neck pickup and the pickup on the original had bit more of a unique sound.

[@Cadillac500]

I got everything right, but I own a vintage model from the era. The differences between the originals and reissues are subtle but most apparent in sound with the rhythm circuit, and tremolo bar. I don't feel like either of those have ever been recreated properly on a production model. If you're just playing in the lead circuit, a reissue would probably be fine.

[@70maurice]

Nice test. BTW in the mix the small difference is allmost gone.

[@LivingroomGearDemos]

yup. BUT, what if you play better with the vintage one? Because of the placebo.

[@70maurice]

@@LivingroomGearDemos Than play the vintage of course )))

[@bnf82]

I did get it right, but I have to admit I didn't notice that much of a difference between the tracks when you were doing the test. For us, listeners, there was a difference. Big? Not really, but definitely there and noticeable.

[@yannremy3081]

I won the blindtest :-) That said, I would buy the original just because it’s an original. For me, the difference in tones is too much subtil to pay more than a thousand bucks just for the tones. American vintage were made the same as the original ones, the wood is just too young. Off course I guess brazilian rosewood neck and 100% nitro finish have an impact but for me it’s a big part of the 60 years old wood. I own an AV65. I m in love with it ^^

[@peterjetnikoff]

I gave up guessing as I couldn't tell the difference apart from a very few moments which might have been a different set of strings. One thing occurred is that the RI really got the old sound down.

[@joaquinbaume1291]

i really really really like the B Guitar, such a nice tone and low end, i guessed wrong

[@coolandthejew]

I got it right. The older guitar sounded less bright. When judging I guessed that older=less bright bc of oxidation and maybe pickup cover crud.

[@Gummmibaer]

I think Guitar B has more presence and A sounds a bit "warmer" thus I guess A is the vintage guitar. Wouldnt be surprised if B is the vintage though because: Hey, whatever works best for you is fine. Edit: Yup, totally screwed it up. Any idea what exactly it is that makes them sound differently? The parts are identical apart from the bridge so is it just the "age" of the wood that makes them different? Is it the thinner neck?

[@milojohnson3057]

i liked the reissue bettter, guess that means i'll be saving some money down the line huh

[@riffsvanwinkle]

I thought B was vintage only because the output appeared to be lower, which I often fine to be the case with vintage Fenders. Otherwise I think I would have been guessing.

[@paulterl4563]

B is the vintage one. And the one that I prefer, by little though. Let's see...

[@micsunday14]

I went B and felt it was the reissue straight away. Missing some resonance and warmth. Plus the pickups sound a little clearer and less earthy.. I'd have to go B. For that extra resonance

[@sojerz1044]

What model is the reissue cheers!

[@mapindicator]

Stock pick ups in the reissue? Super cool idea! Hello from SF CA 🌊

[@LivingroomGearDemos]

Stock, yes. Hi, hope you’re safe and healthy!

[@mapindicator]

So cool. I like the way J Mascis uses a tune-o-matic bridge in his setup. It creates a more stable plinth for the vibrations to transfer into the body of the guitar, this bridge also creates a sharper or crisper attack. The Mastery bridge dulls the attack and adds a brass like feel. Also, Once all of the moisture evaporates out of those vintage guitars it can really add to the mojo of the wood and add extra overtones and textures like a violin. Imho of course. Much respect for your positivity. I have had a love affair for 35+ years on Jazzmaster’s

[@LuizFernando-fc4zi]

I got it right! I tought the Reissue had to be a brighter sound. Also, i liked the Reissue better, sorry.

[@JEmilioJNava]

cool! I got it right :P ... I have a 2008 Fender '62 AVRI ... maybe that helped.

[@pg123ab]

Did you record the guitars through an amp or are you using the DAW’s plugins? I am asking because the sound is really close. I have a 64 JM and it sounds great through my Princeton.

[@LivingroomGearDemos]

This is through my Hamstead Artist 60

[@igmaribanez]

this is like the new microphones vs vintage ones (neuman mk184 and 84) they make the new ones harsh , old models are just more balanced. option 1 : they did it on purpose to keep the high vintage value ( like legendary u87 ) option 2 : this is for a trend option 3 : they don't want to build good quality at least as good as they did ( profit profit profit )

[@jacquesadda9370]

Avri jazzmaster IS fantastic Love it 2000 euro vs 8000

[@denyel_]

i actually preferred a! i thought b had too much of a ringing on the highs. i really dont like how the finger sliding sounds on it. loved b for the mids though! *guessed correctly on both when you did the test for yourself i thought i was completely wrong haha

[@jamie21641]

I got it right. But there is really nothing different in the sound that a little amp config/eg could even out. They sound virtually identical. The vintage is slightly more clipped/restrained. Just shift the knobs a smidgen.

[@Glicksman1]

Given that no two guitars sound exactly alike, even if they came off the work station one after the other, these two Jazzmasters are virtually identical, give or take natural variations as said. Guitars of different ages often sound different. Pickup magnets, even of identical formulae, age and their sound usually changes over time, even if subtly. The same goes for well-used potentiometers, switches and other electronic components. The wire in the guitar is not going to be identical between much older and new guitars. The difference between how older and newer pickups and the other electronic components affect the guitar's sound is not necessarily what might be expected, either, however, just like with people, a certain quantity of mellowing seems to take place over time. Also, listening to a guitar in isolation is a poor way to hear what it sounds like for practical purposes. When it's being played in a band with other instruments and maybe vocals all entering your ears at the same time, small nuances largely disappear. However, that is the best way to really hear what a guitar sounds like. It takes a lot of playing to really get the feel and sound of any guitar and that makes the selection of one over another very difficult. As for this test, I found both guitars very nice sounding and I'd take either one. Once distortion is added, the differences become somewhat masked. Best advice: If you feel an affinity towards a particular guitar for any reason or reasons, buy it and don't worry about "the one that got away". Play music, not your gear.

[@zdcyclops1lickley190]

What you see affects what you hear? Close but not quite right. In general when relying on only your senses you get what you expect to get. This is well known in many fields of science, it's called confirmation bias. That being said, the tone of a guitar does change as the wood ages. The resins in the wood slowly change from a liquid or plastic state to a crystal state. Moisture continues to move within the wood, causing some areas to become more dense while other areas become less dense. in general humans cannot perceive these changes, simply by listening to the instrument when played by another guitarist. When you play a vintage guitar your self the combination of the feel and the sound the difference is quite striking, almost anyone can tell by the feel if the guitar is old or a new copy.

[@thelespauldude3283]

What would you recoment, Jazzmaster or Jaguar?

[@jonasjacobsen9702]

Guitar B is slightly warmer. I think that's the vintage one. Sounds so close though.

[@carloto96]

Is there a chance that the vintage Jazzmaster's pickups are a bit worn out? I hear a significant loss of low end compared to the reissue. By the way, great video and it's surprising how the reissue sounds almost the same.

[@LivingroomGearDemos]

That might be, but that's a phenomenon I haven't heard about before.

[@sixbladeknife44]

I thought A had more of a clear and open voice, less compressed...bit more top end which I like. Of course, it’s not the same as experiencing them in the same room.

[@JasonTHutchinson]

The sound from the vintage one is nicer. I picked that one out of the blind test.

[@blissmanu]

Did you really laugh @5:54 ???? 😆 Awesome test btw !

[@LivingroomGearDemos]

Fake laugh

[@blissmanu]

@@LivingroomGearDemos nope ! for sure! This one is real !

[@bjoern76]

Soundwise I like guitar A better, more attack and mid punch. Cool video!

[@Hehehehhehehehehehehehhe78]

Now i know Seymour duncan Antiquities 1s are the best jazzmaster pickups.

[@ashrafimaduddin8162]

Santiago Vasquez what about lollar?

[@Hehehehhehehehehehehehhe78]

@@ashrafimaduddin8162 i havent tried them but i think Antiquities have that vintage sound to them because of the highs are mellowed out a bit lile actual vintage jazzmaster pickups but idk it could also be all in my head as well but it's subjective.

[@IanMNeilson]

I chose b harmonically richer and better sounding to me, both sounded great and awesome playing.

[@oliverliria4723]

I got it right. A sounded more dynamic ... And I have found out that vintage guitars lack that.

[@bradcox8468]

I prefer B and I thought it was the vintage - it had a wider sound range. Was B the vintage?

[@LivingroomGearDemos]

The answer is in the video ;)

[@bradcox8468]

Living Room Gear Demos I can only tell the difference by the tremolo visually, my 64 jag sounds better though :-)

[@CentaurusRelax314]

Guessing A is vintage. I preferred A. B sounds 'bigger,' though.

[@combatOracle1]

Don't feel bad about preferring the vintage instrument. There is a difference because so many years of playing a guitar definitely does something to them and wears them in like your most comfortable pair of shoes.

[@jameseidson134]

B is fuller, but A has slightly more attack and is more style.

[@floflows903]

Got it right, I was thinking about the input level, the vintage one is probable lower. And your confidence in playing with the vibrato betrayed you ;). Honestly apart from these points it's too damn close for my ears !

[@amomiwalkman]

The difference between both is the dry of its wood. The reissue one will be perfect in 20 years aprox...

[@jtn191]

B isn't as bright, it's more dynamic. Both do sound great

[@ScottJamesHicks]

Vintage gear is a great investment if you have the money. New gear is more practical. These guitars sound equally good.

[@davidreid2301]

The vintage has more oomph! But that could just be the pickup setup...

[@michaelbuter6112]

"Here are two Jazzmasters I recommend: bit.ly/ultrajazzmaster bit.ly/mackisjazz" The first has noiseless pickups, which will sound different from the guitars in the demo and are getting a bad rap on the internet (never tried them myself). The second has P90s. I love P90s, but they´re very different from Jazzmaster pickups. Are you sure you want to recommend those two? Great test though. The difference definitely is not big, though I did recognise the smoother, warmer sound of the original one. Perhaps the difference age of the pickups is a factor? I´d expect newer pickups to sound just a pinch brighter/more "aggressive" and this video seems to confirm that.

[@LivingroomGearDemos]

Hi, Michael. Thanks for the comment! Yes, of course I stand behind my recommendations. There are plenty of Jazzmasters on Thomann to choose from, so I didn't just pick these randomly. Seems to be a lot of different info on the p.ups in the Mascis. I think they sound good, and Fender are saying they are JM style single coils. Are they really P90s? In regards of the Ultra I can only trust my own ears at experience of playing one, I think it is great.

[@michaelbuter6112]

Thanks for the explanation! The adjustable pole pieces give it away with those P90s. I’ve played that Squier model, I think they’re some of the best Squier ever made. I also love P90s. So, I recommend them too, just as not very Jazzmaster-sounding Jazzmasters. Sorry for the prejudice against noiseless pickups, it’s not really rational on my part. I trust they’re nice.

[@LucasRichardStephens]

a slight difference in electronic components could account for the difference it is so little.

[@Wolf_K]

A with dirt/ B clean is my preference. Edit: just as I thought, I got it right.

[@whatisthis__95]

I liked A the most

[@TheUnknownReject]

I think the vintage is guitar A it sounds less compressed and less modern if that makes sense. I prefer guitar B though.

[@TheUnknownReject]

So, I was very wrong

[@VadimZakharchenko]

B sounds to me more fuller or richer

[@calebmills2345]

I got it right!

[@LivingroomGearDemos]

💪🏻

[@brningpyre]

I got every single one wrong. At least I was consistent, LOL.

[@Kike98m1]

I prefieres guitar b because this one Sound darker and smoother, but honestly there's no much difference. Every one might get wrong

[@jo_krach]

Really, not hearing a difference, which comes through given the price difference. Gotta tell ya, I don't think that I could tell them apart at all in a mix. For me, that isn't even the point of vintage guitars. Firstly, I believe that they feel way different, there are some, you have too fight and then some, that are so broken in by their original owners that they lead you to playing a certain way. My second thought is that I just love thinking about the history of love, which had been put into playing the certain instrument over such a long time.

[@yaki_font]

Preferred A ( I think its the vintage)