Creamery Jazzmaster & Fender® Reissue Jazzmaster Pickups

Vintage Jazzmaster Pickups

One of my favourite pickups, the original Jazzmaster pickup, unlike the modern CIJ reissues, had short & wide coils around 1/8" high. Its this unique design that helps to give the pickup that classic darker, warmer single coil tone. The larger surface area of coil 'senses' more of the string, resulting in that fatter, warmer tone. The individual pole piece magnets help keep clarity & string definition and when combined with the shape of coil, gives that unique tone.

Creamery Custom Handwound "Classic '58" Vintage Jazzmaster Pickups

Modern 'Crafted in Japan' Reissue Jazzmaster Pickups

Unlike the high-end American versions, Fender® CIJ Jazzmaster guitars have what on the surface looks much like a true Jazzmaster pickup design but underneath its something entirely different.

As you can see from the picture above, the CIJ reissue Jazzmaster pickups are more akin to a Strat pickup, with a much narrower, taller coil giving a brighter tone. When you consider the Jazzmaster has 1Mb pots then you can see why some say the CIJ Jazzmaster are too bright, maybe even shrill with much less in the bass & mid-range.

Creamery Custom Handwound "Classic '58" Vintage Jazzmaster Pickups

Creamery Vintage & Custom Jazzmaster Pickups

As shown in the image above, I make all my Vintage, Custom & 'Extra-Width' Jazzmaster pickups to the original coil size to give simple variations on that classic warm, darker tone. Recently I've been balancing the original design with slightly taller magnets, narrower coil wire for higher output and other variations to give a few modern twists on the original.

What the Guitarist said:

The reissue pickup in the picture belonged to a guitarist who got in touch wanting something more from his Jazzmaster. The neck pickup was ok for him but the bridge was just too bright. We talked about vintage Jazzmaster pickups and I explained the differences. Once I'd fitted my vintage style Jazzmaster pickups to his guitar this is what he had to say:

"What a brilliant difference. My Jazzmaster now has that real tasty classic sound. My Musicman amp has found a good friend. Awesome clean tones. I would never change now. I'll be requesting some strat pickups now as I had no idea the vintage tone would sound so idyllic with my amp. I have had an education. Thank you."

Upgrade your Jazzmaster Pickups

If you'd like to upgrade your Jazzmaster with handwound pickups, take a look at the Jazzmaster Pickups page on the site here. I don't have a shelf full of pickups all boxed up and ready to send, each order is custom wound so if you have a spec in mind, just get in touch.

Available in Black, White or Vintage Aged White covers with vintage cloth push-back wire, have a read through the reviews to see what customers are saying about my handwound Jazzmaster pickups.