The Squier Jazzmaster 40th Anniversary Vintage: Glorified or Not?
In the world of Jazzmasters, especially in the subculture of Squier lovers, there are two models that get all the attention from forums, reviews, YouTube, Reddit, etc. One of those is the Squier J. Mascis Jazzmaster (both new and older versions are reviewed HERE), and the other one is a model that has become a sought-after unicorn. Is it a hidden gem?
So, in the year 2022, Fender/Squier decided to celebrate Squier's 40th Anniversary with a few models in the Vintage Edition lineup, which was composed of a Telecaster, a Stratocaster, and the Jazzmaster we are talking about today. It's also worth noting that the Gold Edition was part of that launch, but we are not here to talk about that.
The Specs:
Colors: Satin Seafoam Green and Satin Desert Sand (Satin Urethane Finish)
Body Material: Poplar
Neck Material: Maple (Tinted Satin Urethane Finish)
Neck Shape: "C" Shape
Number of Frets: 21
Fret Size: Narrow Tall
Fretboard Radius: 9.5" (241 mm)
Fretboard Material: Maple
Nut Width: 1.685" (42.8 mm)
Nut Material: Bone
Hardware: Aged Chrome
Tuners: Vintage-Style
Bridge: Squier Jaguar Style and Squier Jazzmaster Tremolo
Neck Plate: 4-Bolt Squier 40th Anniversary
Pickguard: 1-Ply Gold Anodized Aluminum
Other Features: Aged White Plastic Control Knobs, Black Dot Position Inlays
Country of Origin: Indonesia
So let's start with the looks. I have watched videos and read reviews where people seem to be not so enamored with the satin "feel" of both the neck and body, describing it as "sandpaper-like." We are in 2025, and this guitar is three years old, so at the moment of this review, I can't feel any discomfort with the finish. Maybe it was there, but I can't comment on that.
The neck has this yellowish tint, which again, some might hate. In my opinion, it looks great. Whether it has too much yellow/amber or not is a matter of taste, so not much can be said there. The body color, in this case, looks like an eggshell. I much prefer the blue one (I’m coloured blinded), but I don't hate this one either.
The neck is very comfortable. It has a rounded shape with a bit of a shoulder, but it is very round. As I have said before, I could add the letter that corresponds to that neck shape, but what is a "D" for me could be a "C" for you, or a "U" for another person. Therefore, I don't use that categorization. You'll just have to believe that it's comfortable, and that's me holding the guitar.
Now, as for the hardware, some have criticized the fake vintage job done on it. It's a cosmetic mod, and whether it is too much is in the eye of the beholder. I hate the look of chrome in particular, so for me, this is just perfect; I love it as it is. The function or performance of the hardware is a bit tricky. The tuners work perfectly, as does the Jaguar-style bridge. The tremolo on this guitar is typical for a Squier Jazzmaster. It works fine, and if the guitar is set up well, then there are no problems or issues with the tremolo. With that said, the feel of the tremolo is not that great—it's stiff, kind of clunky sometimes. I'm sure this bridge can be modified to work much better, but as it comes, it's just fine. Again, you can swap it out if you want, but a Mastery System costs as much as this guitar, and if you go with Fender, it's half the cost of the guitar. If you didn't love the guitar before, those upgrades aren't going to make any magic in the end. So, try to modify the tremolo to your needs and save the money; that's my two cents.
The Pickups cavity is painted with shielding paint. The wiring is the typical Squier kind—nothing fancy, vintage, or "cool"—just functional wiring as it should be. The pots are the proper value and are made by Alpha Korea, which are good, cheap parts that get the job done. The switches on these guitars are on the cheaper side, but a typical individual won't need to change them. A professional user might eventually need to, but that should only be done when it becomes necessary.
The pickups in this guitar are not as advertised, at least half of them aren't. The neck pickup is the original JM-N-ADWH M26101, and the bridge one should be JM-B-ADWH M28102, but instead, it seems that someone swapped it for this mysterious pickup.
The original bridge pickup often has an impedance of around 11 K-ohms, but in this case, it's 6.63 K-ohms. The bobbins are gray and have vintage cloth wires, but there are no markings. It could be a Fender, a Seymour Duncan, or some ghost pickup from Temu—who knows—but it works fine. It's much clearer than the original pickups in these guitars, which are often quite dark and lack detail.
Conclusion
When people talk about these Squiers, they often say they're the best "bang for the buck." You'll hear phrases like, "You can't get a better guitar for this money," "In this budget, there's just no match," or "This guitar is punching above its weight." That's all well and good, but it seems the guitar is always judged by its price and how good it is in relation to that price. It's rarely considered as a guitar on its own, based on its own merits.
I don't disagree that the guitar is great. I like it and I enjoy playing it, but it's not my MIJ Jazzmaster, and I don't think this guitar even tries to be that, which is odd. Why do big brands like Fender need to have cheap guitars? Because they are a gateway to the next in the line. They think that after this, you'll get a MIM, then a MIJ, or an AM, and then move all the way to an AV so they can "get you by the balls" once you're in the CS prima donna tier.
But the reality is that luxury is a state of mind. All Jazzmaster guitars, regardless of their price, are a Jazzmaster. Whether it's a Squier or a Custom Shop model, they serve a purpose, and it's up to you to determine its value. Just because expensive stuff exists doesn't make it inherently valuable. Yes, you might think it's more desirable, but only in direct proportion to the value you give it. Therefore, a valuable Squier is not less in any way compared to a Custom Shop or a holy grail vintage Fender.
So, use what you have, and have what you use. The brand, price, or "quality" is irrelevant as long as the thing has value to you.
