Old vs New J Mascis Jazzmaster: What the Hell Changed?
This post compares both the older and newer J Mascis Jazzmasters—based on actual hands-on experience.
On the Right JMJM 2024 and on the Left JMJM 2011
In the beginning, there was only a Squier Jazzmaster Mini. That was the Nutcracker. I bought it for my kid — he didn’t give a shit — so I started messing with it myself. Despite being a tiny little toy, it was stupidly fun. Lightweight, noisy, jangly as hell. It made me want more. So I thought: let’s find something like this, but adult-sized. Nothing fancy. Just cheap and fun.
I started looking around and found a used Squier 40th Anniversary Gold. It was going for a decent price, but of course, by the time I made up my mind, someone else had grabbed it. Now I was hooked — the hunt had begun. Everywhere I looked, the forums, the videos, the endless Reddit threads, it was all JMJM this, JMJM that. The J Mascis Jazzmaster was the go-to. The cult following, the reputation, the “better than it should be” hype machine.
So I gave in. Went to Thomann, hovered for maybe thirteen minutes, then pulled the trigger.
Then, naturally, the universe spat on me — a 2011 JMJM popped up for sale. Suddenly the chorus changed: “The old ones are better,” “They’ve got real rosewood,” “The pickups are different,” “Mojo, man.” And like a fucking idiot, I let it get in my head.
Now I was spiraling — do I cancel the new one? Do I tell the seller I’m not interested anymore? Should I try both and return the loser like a sociopath? The whole thing started to feel more like gear chess than playing guitar. And of course, I convinced myself this was all totally rational behavior.
The Oldie JMJM - 2011
Gut Out! The Oldie comes with shielding paint.
When the guitar arrived, I was excited—like I’d just won something in the fucking lottery. I paid 370€ (plus shipping) for it, and honestly, for that kind of money it felt like a damn good guitar. Even at a higher price, it would still have been a solid find.
It came with a gig bag and a set of Ernie Ball 11-54 strings, which I thought was a bargain on top. The JMJM played quite nicely. For an older guitar, the frets were still in good shape, and the neck felt just about right for my expectations. Weight and balance were pretty standard for a Jazzmaster—not heavy, not feather-light—just… normal.
The “tremolo” (and I’m sorry, but I refuse to call it a Vibrola, that sounds like a cross between a sex toy and some corset-shaping contraption from the Victorian era)—anyway, yeah, the tremolo felt alright. Cheap? A bit. But it worked. Tuning held up decently too. The oddball choice of a Tune-O-Matic (or sorry, Adjusto-Matic, yeah, can’t say that one either) bridge—well, it functions. But it just feels off. Like those guys wearing tiny jean shorts with half their ass hanging out, paired with boots. You know it’s weird, but you can’t deny it kinda works.
Electronics? Decent. No scratchy pots, and the rhythm circuit worked fine, with good-quality pots too. The tuners were smooth, no dead spots, no drama. So overall, I was genuinely happy with the guitar.
Now, the pickups… Compared to Goldie (the Fender Jazzmaster Gold Foil from the previous post), these were much darker. Nothing really stood out. They weren’t bad, but they weren’t exciting either. I just don’t get the hype around these pickups, honestly.
Bridge Pickup
11,49Ω
Neck Pickup
6,89Ω
The whole rosewood talk? I’m not going into that bullshit. I’ve been working with guitars professionally for over 20 years, and tonewood debates are about as exciting as getting kicked in the balls for breakfast. But hey, if you’re into tiny jean shorts and boots, who am I to judge?
The neck’s clearly been played a lot — no more satin or matte finish, just smooth from years of use. It feels broken-in, like a tool that’s been used right, not babied. Way more comfortable than any showroom neck pretending to be “vintage.”
So that’s all about it. Overall, great guitar. If this one got burned, stolen, damaged in a flood or whatever, and I didn’t have another one, I’d most probably get another — if available. But honestly, I could also get a Squier 40th Anniversary Gold or Vintage and not really miss the JMJM.
The Newie JMJM - 2024
As fresh as it can be JMJM 2024, straight from Thomann
Exciting day it was — another NGD. This guitar retails at Thomann for 535€, which puts it in the “Lower Mid-Tier” zone. But let’s be honest, depending on who you are, that price could be pocket change or a serious investment. So calling it a “cheap guitar” is meaningless without context.
Out of the box? No gig bag. Understandable, I guess. Thing is, guitars in this tier have a certain feel when new — a kind of raw, slightly unfinished vibe. The necks usually feel dry, especially the fretboards. Same happened with The Goldie, and that thing cost 1399€.
This one felt just a bit wider in the neck. Not sure if it’s actually thicker, but the width was noticeable. Acoustically, it had decent resonance. Setup from the factory wasn’t bad, but let’s not kid ourselves — that’s always subjective. For me, the action was too high. For someone else, it might’ve been perfect.
Then I plugged it in — cheap Harley Benton Tube-15 amp, Line 6 M13 in between — and holy shit. It was like playing a completely different instrument. Not a small difference. I’m talking night and day. The Oldie JMJM felt like someone stuffed wax in my ears. The Newie? Suddenly, everything had definition. Clarity. The amp responded better. The overdrives reacted right. So… what the fuck happened here?
These pickups have adjustable pole pieces. The Oldie doesn’t.
Neck Pickup
8,31Ω
Bridge Pickup
8,79Ω
So here’s the first real comparison point: The Oldie measures N-6.89Ω and B-11.49Ω. The Newie? N-8.31Ω and B-8.79Ω. So yeah — not even remotely close, not in resistance, not in sound. The Oldie seems like a very early run. Maybe they hadn’t figured their shit out back then. I don’t know how these measurements have varied through the years, but I’d bet they’ve only gotten better — refining the recipe slowly, tweaking the sauce, until they finally nailed it.
What I’ve learned is that the pickup codes in The Oldie actually match pickups used in the Squier Classic Vibe and/or 40th Anniversary models… so — did I get scammed? Did Squier fuck this up? Based on the pics, it doesn’t look like the pickups were changed, but hey, maybe someone did a clean swap job. Who the fuck knows?
Opinions and ass holes right? well mine tells me that The Newie sounds better, period. The Oldie even though is not bad while the amp is clean, in the overdrive territory is just not my thing, too dark, weak and under powered. So you might ask well what about the B-11.49Ω? well thats only resistance.
Higher resistance (like 11.49Ω) doesn’t automatically mean “hotter” or “stronger” in tone. It just means the wire is longer or thinner, so there’s more electrical resistance in the coil. That can actually choke the output and kill high-end frequencies. The result? A pickup that’s darker, muddier, or even dull — like someone threw a blanket over the amp.
Lower resistance (like 8.79Ω) in this case means a slightly shorter or thicker wire, less resistance, and more efficient signal flow. That gives you a more open, responsive, and balanced tone. You hear the string, not just the coil fighting itself.
So yeah — the Oldie’s 11.49Ω bridge isn’t “stronger,” it’s more like it’s suffocating. The Newie’s 8.79Ω has more punch, clarity, and dynamic response. Better recipe, better sauce, simple as that.
Also, in the electronics compartment, the components are just better than in the Oldie JMJM—except for the toggle switch. They decided to use a bigger version, like the one found on a Gibson SG. The problem with that is it switches pickups from front to back, and there’s not enough room to set it up to down, which is how I like it. Microscopic bitching? Maybe. But I haven’t bitched about anything yet, so I’ve earned this one, right?
So judging by this — and considering the differences in electronics — could it be that whoever did the job actually swapped all the guts from a Squier CV or 40th Anniversary into this thing? Ta-ta-taaaa! If that’s the case… buddy, congratulations. You did a hell of a job — and for what? Just to transplant a bunch of cheap electronics? That’s some real dedication to mediocrity. Respect, I guess.
Okay, the elephant in the room—is Indian Laurel shite? Nothing like rosewood, right? Meh, I can live with it, honestly. But this is the board I got. You might get a worse one, and you might hate the look of it. And I can’t stress enough the word LOOK here, because that’s the only thing we’re splitting hairs over.
If you’re gonna tell me that a 3.74mm-thick Indian Laurel fretboard is killing your overtones and muddying your harmonics, then congrats—you’ve clearly had too many gourmet coffees in your life. Might be time to stare long and hard at your coffee bean grinding machine… and get a life, perhaps?
This is about looks, for fuck’s sake. Stop repeating nonsense. Or—well, let’s just leave it there.
Here the Indian Laurel board after polishing the frets and oiling the fretboard, what’s wrong with it?
And if you care about the weight:
The Oldie 3,514 Kg
The Newie 3,645 Kg
Conclusion
Both guitars are good. Both guitars have pros and cons. And this has nothing to do with them being Squiers — it’s because every fucking guitar ever made has discrepancies. Lemons exist. So do hidden gems. And let’s not forget the bored, bitter clowns trying to hate on anything that moves and shitting on your preferences like it’s a sport.
You love rosewood fretboards? Fine, go find a good Oldie JMJM and romance that woody bastard to your heart’s content. You prefer a fresh one because the idea of someone else’s sweat, skin flakes, and pubes on your neck creeps you out? Fair enough. Bravo.
As for me? No agenda. Just trying to be honest.
After setting up both guitars with Ernie Ball 10-48s (yeah, I know — “should be 11s” — but they’re my fingers, not yours, so shut the fuck up), I can say this: both guitars work. They sound good. They get the job done just like guitars that cost three times as much — if you can live with the Squier logo.
Personally, between these two, The Newie is my favorite. The neck is spot-on. The trem (sorry — Vibrola my ass) works better on the newer JMJM. Maybe because it’s new. Maybe because it’s not worn to shit. But it’s smoother.
The main difference? Pickups.
The Newie sounds ready. No mods needed. Just a proper setup and it becomes a genuinely excellent guitar — for most people — at a damn good price.
So, yeah, in theory I should sell The Oldie. Might even flip it for a profit to someone foaming at the mouth over “vintage rosewood tone,” whatever the hell that means. But I won’t — not yet.
Nah, I think I’ll mod the shit out of The Oldie. Whisper to it real close: "I'ma get medieval on your ass" and then go full Dr. Moreau on it. Because I can. The Newie? That baby stays clean. Stock. Pure. Because it’s just that good.
Rock Out with Your Cock Out!
UPDATE:
The Oldie went to another home. See, modifying guitars is something I’ve done professionally for the past 21 years, so when it comes to my guitars, I just want to play them as they are. Buying an instrument as a project doesn’t inspire me anymore.
I think guitars are like people — you might like them, you might not — and there’s no right or wrong in choosing to invest your time and money in mod projects. As for me, I did like Oldie, but it didn’t speak to me like Newie does (besides the supposedly downgraded fretboard wood).
So, all the best to Oldie and its new owner!
