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Average Price: $699
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$400
$1001+
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Description
Discover a harmonious blend of classic design and modern performance with the Fender Jazzmaster Blacktop HS. This electric guitar is crafted for musicians who crave versatility and power without breaking the bank. At its heart lies a specially designed Seymour Duncan humbucker, strategically placed at the bridge to deliver aggressive rock tones, while the Jazzmaster single-coil neck pickup offers a smooth and vintage sound palette. Whether you're crafting intricate melodies or driving rhythms, this guitar is your canvas.
The Jazzmaster Blacktop HS boasts an alder body with a sleek profile, providing both durability and resonance. Its maple neck with a rosewood fingerboard ensures a comfortable grip and smooth playability, perfect for both studio sessions and live performances. With a 9.5" fretboard radius and 21 medium jumbo frets, you'll enjoy effortless bends and solos across its 25.5" scale length.
Tuned with precision, the guitar features standard cast/sealed tuning machines and an American Vintage Jazzmaster tremolo bridge, giving you the stability and control needed for any performance. Vintage style strap buttons and skirted amp knobs add a touch of classic Fender aesthetics, while the 3-ply mint green pickguard provides a striking visual contrast.
Key Features:
- Series: Blacktop Series
- Body Shape: Jazzmaster
- Body Material: Alder
- Neck: Maple with Gloss Urethane Finish
- Fretboard: Rosewood
- Frets: 21, Medium Jumbo
- Scale Length: 25.5"
- Pickups: Seymour Duncan Humbucker (Bridge), Single-Coil Jazzmaster (Neck)
- Bridge: American Vintage Jazzmaster Tremolo with Adjusto-Matic Bridge
- Control Knobs: Skirted Amp Knobs
- Pickguard: 3-Ply Mint Green
Product specs
| Brand | Fender |
| Model | Blacktop Jazzmaster HS |
| Finish | 3-Color Sunburst, Black |
| Year | 2011 - 2013 |
| Made In | Mexico |
| Categories | Solid Body Electric Guitars |
| Body Material | Alder |
| Body Shape | Double Cutaway |
| Body Type | Solid Body |
| Bridge/Tailpiece Type | Tremolo Tailpiece |
| Color Family | Black, Brown |
| Finish Pattern | Sunburst |
| Finish Style | Gloss |
| Fretboard Material | Rosewood |
| Model Family | Fender Jazzmaster |
| Neck Construction | Bolt-On |
| Neck Material | Maple |
| Number of Frets | 21 |
| Number of Strings | 6-String |
| Offset Body | Offset Body |
| Pickup Configuration | HS |
| Right / Left Handed | Right Handed |
| Series | Fender Blacktop |
FAQs
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What type of pickups does the Fender Jazzmaster Blacktop HS feature?
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The Fender Jazzmaster Blacktop HS is equipped with a humbucker in the bridge position and a single-coil pickup in the neck position, offering a versatile range of tones suitable for various music styles.
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Is the Fender Jazzmaster Blacktop HS suitable for beginners?
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The Blacktop Jazzmaster HS is a solid choice for beginners and intermediate players, offering a comfortable neck profile and versatile pickup configuration that can handle a wide range of musical genres.
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What is the neck profile of the Fender Jazzmaster Blacktop HS?
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The Fender Jazzmaster Blacktop HS features a modern "C" shaped neck, providing a comfortable playing experience that accommodates various playing styles and hand sizes.
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Does the Fender Jazzmaster Blacktop HS have a tremolo system?
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Yes, the Blacktop Jazzmaster HS includes a tremolo tailpiece, allowing players to incorporate vibrato effects into their playing, characteristic of the classic Jazzmaster design.
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What is the fretboard radius of the Fender Jazzmaster Blacktop HS?
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The fretboard radius of the Fender Jazzmaster Blacktop HS is 9.5 inches, which balances comfort and playability, making it suitable for both chord playing and lead work.
Videos
N Stuff Music
Fender Blacktop Jazzmaster HS
Reviews
PROS
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Neck pickup offers a rich, classic Fender single-coil tone
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Bright and chimey bridge pickup, great for a clean, articulated sound
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Smooth tremolo system enhances playability
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Beautiful body finish and overall aesthetic
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Excellent for exploring diverse soundscapes with modifications
CONS
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Stock electronics, particularly tone pot and switches, are subpar
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Tailpiece design can create string splay issues
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Setup can be challenging for optimal playability
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Bridge pickup may lack desired quality without modification
Owner Insights
We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Fender Jazzmaster Blacktop HS.
Setup and maintenance
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Blacktop Jazzmaster owners frequently replace the stock bridge with a Staytrem due to stability issues, though applying loctite to grub screws can fix rattling.
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Owners highlight the benefit of sanding fret sprout for improved playability without extensive modifications.
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Applying blue Loctite to bridge post and saddle screws effectively prevents rattling for long-term stability.
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Features and functionality
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The Blacktop Jazzmaster lacks a rhythm circuit, which some players miss for tonal versatility.
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Comparisons
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Player Jaguar is often considered more inspiring than the Player Jazzmaster, potentially due to its unique tonal characteristics.
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Use cases and applications
Mods and upgrades
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Jazzmaster owners interested in humbucker-sized single coils find the Blacktop's pickup cavities versatile for experimenting with new configurations.
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Removing the pole piece screws from the stock humbucker can mimic a P90-like tone without full pickup replacement.
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Replacing the stock humbucker with a P90 improves tonal match with the neck pickup for balanced sound.
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Build quality
Critic Reviews
5.0 out of 5
Based on 4 Reviews and 19 Ratings
148
Great Jazzmaster for a Lower Budget
I bought my Blacktop JM secondhand. The original owner had replaced the neck with that of a Squier Vintage Modified Jazzmaster, which is a very nice, smooth neck, and also has the vintage finish. They also replaced the bridge humbucker with an aftermarket Seymour Duncan pickup, so it's a little hotter. But I love the tones I get out of this thing. The bridge pickup is bright and chimey (like Nels Cline or Mike Daly), and the neck pickup has that great, fat Fender single-coil tone like Thurston Moore is jumping out of my guitar. The tremolo is very smooth, and I love it soooo much more than the one on my American Standard Strat.
If I were to make any change to it, it would probably be to replace the vintage-mint pickguard with tortoiseshell. But otherwise, this is a really great guitar.
85
"Mika"
My Jazzmaster has a tobacco-sunburst finish, a rosewood fretboard on a maple neck, and has been modified with a Master Bridge replacing the stock bridge. It has been named after Mika Todd of MiniMoni.
16
amazing guitar plays brilliant!
Bridge pick up amazing for distorted sound Neck is brilliant for cleans
Artist usage
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Jim Root also uses an off-the-shelf Fender Jazzmaster Blacktop, tuned to Eb. He has had the bridge pickup cut out and replaced with and EMG humbucker.
In this live photo of Mike in Their / They're / There, he plays a Fender Jazzmaster Blacktop in Sunburst. You can tell its a Blacktop due to the Humbucker pickup in the bridge position.
In the video for the song Up In The Air by 30 Seconds To Mars Tomo Milecvic is seen playing this guitar.
Throughout thisvideo Zach can be seen playing a fender jazzmaster blacktop in sunburst
On the band's Tumblr page, Jordan Hudkins responded to a follower's question about his main guitar, identifying it as a Fender Jazzmaster Blacktop HS. He mentioned removing the high E string and tuner from this guitar.
In the back of this picture he can be seen playing a Fender Jazzmaster Blacktop HS.
Mentioned and pictured in this November 27, 2014 Total Guitar interview.
Robin: “At the moment, a Fender Blacktop Jazzmaster.”
Genre Usage
Based on how artists on Equipboard use this gear, it is most commonly found in the following genres.
Used With
Based on how musicians on Equipboard use Fender Jazzmaster Blacktop HS, it is most commonly used with the following gear.