Elvis Costello talks about his Fender® Jazzmaster® guitar

[Desmaad]

I read the reason that Jazz players rarely played the Jazzmaster was because it was too prone to feedback.

[actionfleet]

such an awsome colour

[veitchy88]

@fuck192ass Considering he had Humbuckers in it, it would look pretty similar from a distance. But yeah, he should have had a tape measure handy...

[jdalbiac]

How does a Jazzmaster look like a strat with a bit cut off?

Why purposely get your guitar refinished in an ugly guitar?

How is a Jazzmaster "BRUTAL" sounding??

Costello, what the fuck?

[charlessale]

@jdalbiac Whoa, chill out. Opinions remember?

[Emilien03]

@jdalbiac .. when you are a real player

[jdalbiac]

@jdalbiac Oh for fuck sake, I was joking.

[sindresollie]

Cobain never used Jazzmaster, he used a 66 Jaguar and several Mustangs. But never Jazzmaster cause it was too expensive - Recording to Cobains guitartech

[PBANDSNOW]

@sindresollie Actually, he said it was 66 but it was 65, 66 has different necks

[FourHbcaps]

Danny Adler still uses the same turquoise Jazzmaster as in the 1970s. I know--I'm still playing with him.

[TheKabinetMusic]

cool

[gastonhr]

tried it out in a music store, plays like a rocket! :)

[Prodigiousguy8]

I'm 14, and I know the jazzmaster only because Elvis played one :D

[ymarchosky]

why does EC always look like he needs a bath?

[MrPhotodoc]

I would "nick it"

[fendermac]

Yay! Danny Adler......DANNY F***IN' ADLER. He really is something else...

[DeeFutura]

Elvis C's damn awesome, he's an artist who deserves to have his signature guitar.

[fanofthemusic1090]

awesome guitar...

2k, man?  Fuck that...

[dusthase]

ROBERT SMITH HAS USED A JAZZMASTER SINCE THE 70'S AND IS HIS FAV GUIT.

[PieceofMindmusic]

what a beautiful guit!

[bigmac364]

I don't like the clean sound of the jazzmaster at all, I don't know why.

[hudsontoronto]

that`s some ugly guitar.lol

[ClueSign]

I love how he talks about Tom Verlaine and Richard Lloyd of Television playing these, and that "you don't see many jazz players playing Jazzmasters..."and "It was designed for the mellower sound...which nobody wants..."

[mrpicky510]

@bababscardi. It's watching the detectives. Also Robert smith from the cure played a jazzmaster especially during the pornography album as well as a hard to find fender vI six string bass

[777system777]

@mrpicky510 Robert Smiths Jazzmaster is a little different though, it has an extra strat pickup. He has that on his olympic white and his black Jazzmaster that he used at the beginning of his career. Not sure if there's a specific name.

[arrisfilms]

@777system777 They're not Strat pickups they are from Teisco. He put them an all his Jazzmasters. He mainly uses his UltraCure

[bababacardi]

opening song! name please that's a great reggae tune. anyone kind enough?

thank's in advance;)

[aintnoluckitsskillz]

@bababacardi watching the detectives- elvis costello

it's not reggae at all :P

[louisguitarslinger]

@aintnoluckitsskillz

why would you say that? its not played by jamaican people but it has a reggae vibe

[BoycottStabb]

@aintnoluckitsskillz It's totally and obviously a reggae rhythm, I've even read an interview with costello, where he proudly and happily acknowledges it...........

[IamtheWV17]

@aintnoluckitsskillz are you an idiot?

[aintnoluckitsskillz]

@IamtheWV17 haha, actually no. you, however, are a complete prick. good job :)

[IamtheWV17]

@aintnoluckitsskillz just wondering since it could be nothing but reggae :P

[jorghad6]

Elvis is so cool. he's one of my guitar inspirations and he seems like such a nice guy

[weaselsuit]

Not a huge EC fan, but he comes off as quite a likeable fellow here!

[jsphillip60]

I think Elvis Costello has mellowed out over the years (meaning he is long over his "angry young man" phase). I love the guy...he is so open minded about music (friends with everyone from George Jones to Gregg Allman and all across the music spectrum). Talent running out his ears. I was just listening to the "Trust" album recently. One of my favorites. A brilliant record.

[weaselsuit]

I've owned a '63 Jaguar and I've just now ordered a reissue Jag (I sold this '63 in my twenties). I know the scale is different, but how do the stock Jazzmaster pickups sound as opposed to the stock Jag pickups?

[tchpandy]

@weaselsuit The Jazzmaster pickups are very mellow and warm sounding. The neck pickup on it's own is particularly 'woody' (if that makes sense) and there's really no other guitar that sounds like a Jazzmaster played through a clean tube amp with just the neck pickup on. The in between sound (both pickups on) creates a beautiful jangly, 'airy' sound which works with with overdrive (depending on what gear you're using, obviously).

[superlou1s]

Haha I love cement fingers costello :P

[StevieWonder501]

Aw man, I was just takin' a liking to that guitar! I am in a "band" (probably the first band ever that writes its own material, but hasn't played once together) where a friend of mine plays guitar (lead), and another plays the skins. Me? Keyboard, quaking noises, pans, pots, bongo (actually just a water container), and (possibly) rhythm guitar (or bass if I ever have enough money for one). Too bad it was discontinued...oh, and THIS ELVIS IS THE KING!

[Canadianspunge]

OH MY GOD my band has the exact same issue XD

[FrancoDamn]

sadly it was discontinued so someday i'll buy a Classic Player Jazzmaster. Good guitar.

[artgonewrong]

Yes, it was discontinued. However, you can still find them at Sweetwater....and, of couse, eBay.

[Canadianspunge]

And Steve's music... at least the one in Ottawa

[dannonnicks]

The Costello signature is the best sounding guitar I own, I can get strat and tele sounds all the way too Les Paul sounds with the jazz circuit. Just bout a used Crafted in Japan model, sounds great too. I'd recommend replacing the bridge with one from a mustang or jaguar.

[YoHuckleberry]

Does Johnny Marr still play Jazzmasters? I think he plays Jaguars. Either way he's pretty good. Also Thurston Moore plays em. It seems that people who into more .... "progressive'' sounds ...... play Jazzmasters. They're great. I need one.

[oxidindigo]

fender, why the hell did you discontinue this? it cant be lack of sales, everywhere i look these were out of stock or close to it. and its by far the best looking jazzmaster of the bunch. whats the deal? i wanted to get one of these too. pisses me off.

[hanumann]

I'm also bewildered that it's no longer available. But I must say, I had my share of problems with it (owned it for about 3 months). The bridge saddles kept coming down, the tremolo arm kept falling out, so I sent it back (also, action hadn't been set up at all). Finally, I had to return it for good. They told me they had some Costellos they had to send straight back to Fender because they were so faulty. I suspect insufficient QA was the main problem.

[tchpandy]

@hanumann Hmm...I suspect the main problem was that it needed a proper setup from a tech who actually knows how to sort the bridge. I mean...You say the action hadn't even been set? Sounds like typical buck-passing from a know-nothing guitar shop all too eager to blame Fender, whilst selling guitars they haven't bothered to 'setup' beyond opening the shipping carton, polishing and hanging on the rack... I consider intonation, action, pickup height and truss rod adjustment 'minor' work myself.

[arrisfilms]

Loads!

[YoHuckleberry]

I love Elvis but the best guitarist playing a Jazzmaster today is Nels Cline. That man is absolute genius.

[Wrayson]

So true. I love that you can see where he's worn the finish off one of them, so you know it's not "just another Jazzmaster", it's HIS.

[BeauSylvester47]

He says auntie. lol people are always ripping on us hawaiians for saying auntie (if you've ever met a hawaiian), but goes to show we're not alone!

[En3usiast]

Great interview...the non-signature Jazzmasters are good and much cheaper...I have a Jap one which I love the sound of.

[arrisfilms]

I know people talk trash about the japan jazzmaster but thier pretty awesome

[jurrobear23]

The japanese jazzmasters are never bashed, its regarded as a better model than the Mexican model of recent years.

[arrisfilms]

Yeah I got a red one with matching headstalk the person who sold it to me put new pickups and mustang bridge it plays great!

[Hugoow16]

i like the guitar but it sucks that it is a signature.

[hanumann]

Why? The name's only on the back of the headstock.

I definitely like mine, if only it had come set-up properly....

[hanumann]

By the way, it sounds ab-so-lute-ly fan-tastic!!!!!

[eluxoso]

Chet Atkins Gretsch and Les Paul Gibson guitars were signature as well

[retku]

Well, that's not really the same thing... Those guys were involved in designing the guitars, and the instruments have been made several variations of. So a Les Paul = a Jazzmaster in this sense. These "signature" models like the Costello one are merely copies of the instruments they have. And that's why I dislike them too. I mean, I'd rather make a guitar "mine". I hate these "relicked" models for kind of the same reason. And jeans that have readymade holes in them. All of this copied crap...

[beseeingyou6]

@Hugoow16 you don't like signature models?

[evilvon]

@Hugoow16 why?

[ShaneMacgowanFan93]

@Hugoow16 False.

[Desmaad]

@Hugoow16 What's wrong with that?

[jarvisandjess]

haha i thought elvis costello was dead.

[guyinfuckinghat]

what lol

[worstjazzer]

thinking of elvis presley?

[bearstronauts]

WHAT? He was just on 30 Rock and Colbert! I hope you don't mean Elvis Presley. COUGH! HACK! COUGH!

[SteveCarterMusic]

Great video, although Elvis wasn't a lead player, he had some of the most interesting tones for a rhythm guitarist.

[WouterJ]

In the background stands his original one, he had it refinished from brown in "Marlin burst" (Green to silver) in the eighties.

[taofish]

Any one who watches this video needs to listen to the name Danny Adler of Roogalator fame. Elvis Costello mentions his name for good reason. I have heard no one that plays the Jazzmaster like Adler before or since.

[brettyf]

is this guitar made in america or mexico?

[lagunaalbums]

Corona, CA

[gretscher]

Liked it when he broke into "Watching The Detectives". I wish he would just sit there as he is, no band just him and play all the early classic Elvis Costello songs. Would be great.

[gabbagabba64]

I had a '62 Jazzmaster. Great action, but it was freaking heavy. It made a Les Paul feel like an Danelectro

[ronmo12ronmo]

Buy this guitar, then install the Mastery Bridge - Enjoy! Amazing combo.

[jensenbell]

Oops Correction to comment below! "5ive Gears" is gone. Search "Can't stand up for falling down" or just "Elvis Costello Get Happy"

[jensenbell]

There was one great jazz player who made his name in "Western Swing"& became a pretty strong Jazzer in the early 60s. He was a friend of Leo Fender & it has been suggested that this player named *ROY LANHAM* was responsible for a lot of the evolution of the JAZZMASTER.I adore his playing on "LOST WEEKEND" & you can hear that Jazzmaster sound clear as a bell. This guitar didn't catch on for Jazz perhaps due to fashion, 'cuz when you hear Lanham you hear a great Jazz tone. (he's on Youtube!)

[dorianfg]

Nels Cline from Wilco plays a jazzmaster. He plays some jazzy stuff with it, but mostly I think the vibrato is why he uses it. Too bad they are popular enough to be really expensive now.

[TJTele52]

The sound is from the alnico P-90 pick ups Ry Cooder has used one quite a bit as they are terrific for slide as well...

[hondacoronamx]

is a jazzmaster good for F A S T improvising? comment back please, thanks

[bilbomarks]

o_O

needing some validation?

[TheBlackCrayon77]

Never did dig too much on Costello, maybe I'll take another listen. Anyone have any suggestions on where to start?

[baggytights1991]

radio radio, pump it up, and i'm not angry are some of his songs that i personally enjoy.

[comicstripdude]

All of his work with the Attractions is excellent, especially 'This Year's Model,' 'Trust,' and 'Blood & Chocolate,' (but maybe not 'Punch the Clock' or 'Goodbye Cruel World'), but I think his debut 'My Aim is True' may be even more timeless than most of them.

[metalcore929]

This Year's Model is a total class. Brilliant album.

[z8it]

That first album MY AIM IS TRUE is a great place to start.

The begining always is... isn't it?

[squirmypuppy]

"Trust" is my personal favorite album of his (and possibly all-time...but I'm a huge huge huge fan)

I think all his work from this current decade are as good as his "My Aim is True" (1977) through "Blood and Chocolate" (1986) period; aka the height of Costello's career.

[jensenbell]

I'll agree with the others that the "My Aim Is True" album is a great place to start. But if you like musicianship & groove, 1980's "Get Happy!!" was 100% great songwriting with an homage to 1960s Soul & RnB. (Booker T, Ray Charles, Stax, Motown.) Yet it still rocks. And that Jazzmaster tone is very clear. The bass lines are astounding too. Try searching "5ive Gears In Reverse" on youtube.

[daffodillers]

Thanks Elvis, straight down the edge with a bit of warmth thrown in. What a great songwriter and what a cool guitar!

[BucksStudent]

By the way, what song is this playing?

[srb1369]

Watching the Detectives.

[HankLafayette]

Well, fuck. I hit the "reply" button to correct some people's remarks about Cobain, and ended up getting a new post... So, for those of you just now tuning in and wondering why I'm talking about Cobain on a Elvis Costello vid, just read down a bit.

[pvbmisfit]

i love my Jazzmaster

[wisesatyr72]

my hero

[foff4strings]

I'm a fan of both Elvis Costello and Television, but I am a little puzzled by Fender's choice of EC for a signature series Jazzmaster. I appreciate that Elvis Costello has sold a hell of a lot more records than Tom Verlaine, but guitars are primarily bought by guitarists. Whilst EC has inspired many people to sing and/or write songs I don't know anyone who took up guitar cos of his playing; Tom Verlaine on the other hand...And wouldn't you rather have a tasty 3-tone sunburst than a sideboard?

[artgonewrong]

I must have one.

[colossalkegan]

Costello mentions that Richard Lloyd and Tom Verlaine played Jazzmasters.

To correct him, only Tom played Jazzmasters and Jaguars. Richard played primarily Stratocasters and Telecasters, and they both occasionally picked up a Dan Armstrong res-o-glas or aluminum-necked Travis Bean guitar.

[Sting0NL]

Jazzmaster... the ultimate indorock guitar

[jmm1000]

thats the most relaxed elvis ive seen, and he lets out a for real LAUGH!

[ExodusPessoa]

What a great interview he is!!!

[Soniclife91]

"that marquee moon record" lolz

[guitar1255]

kurt had played jags not jazzmastera he also played mustangs teles and strats some univoxs and 1 epiphone guitar

[Drummer7813]

NEVER TELES

[pv6]

...Less than a minute into it he said he originally played Teles. FAIL.

[Drummer7813]

we were talking about kurt

[pv6]

Whoops, sorry about that.

[moonandantarctica2]

Kurt had a tele, i think it was sunburst but he painted it light blue and scratched things into the new paint job. google it - few photos on google images of him playing it i think

[srb1369]

Yep, it was painted with blue house paint, and had a heart scratched out of the paint.

[HankLafayette]

"Smells Like Teen Spirit" was played on a Telecaster (through a Fender Bassman amp) in the studio version. So, what many people consider to be THE MOST RECOGNIZABLE GUITAR RIFF OF THE DECADE WAS RECORDED ON A TELECASTER. Furthermore, Kurt's guitar tech stated that at the end of Kurt's life, he was playing a Telecaster, and it had become his favorite guitar.

[BucksStudent]

Who told you that? Kurt never played a Tele until close to the date he died, when he said it was his new favorite guitar.

[srb1369]

No, he'd owned a Tele for years. If you watch the Come Ss You Are video closely you can see Kurt's Tele when he plays the solo.

[Fendervana]

It was played on his 65 Jag with humbuckers. Clearly, the Teen Spirit clean tone is a humbucker. Kurt's Tele didn't have a humbucker at that time.

[tomorrettisgay]

the EC signature sound pretty schwing

[masataka986]

jazzmaster is my dream!

[bazmanfitz]

wow... he doesnt make a jazzmaster sound one bit attractive!

i have a jazzmaster and love it but if i had this video to go on alone, with HIS OWN WORDS i wouldnt touch a jazzmaster.

[dointime024]

What song is playing in the beginning?

[wookiedude]

Watching the Detectives off his album My Aim is True

[dointime024]

Thanks.

[gremboul]

even Clapton started off with a JM...

[lovecalder]

Cobain played a Jazzmaster too.

[dg310]

cobain is dead. who cares

[lovecalder]

...me and "nietz" obviously. If you don't care, that's cool. I don't see why you'd bother commenting about it though, if that's the case.

[dg310]

cobain was a good songwriter but one of the worst guitarist ever. I just get tired of everyone talking about him when jazzmasters or jaguars come up. I bet you guys watch videos of fender mustangs and reply with Cobain played one of these too!

[lovecalder]

haha. hmm, I know what you're saying. I could see how that would get annoying. But I don't think that I'm the Kurt Cobain-obsessed youtube geek you'd like to think I am. I'm sure "nietz" isn't either. I only found this video because Fender has it posted on their website. When I saw somebody had written "cobain actually played a jaguar" I thought, "hmm, no, good old Elvis is actually right", so I figured I would share that little piece of information.

[dg310]

lol. its all good. It just gets old. I actually love nirvana.

[lovecalder]

yeah, totally. What I find the most annoying is when people are always like "RIP KURT" and shit like that. That's what gets reaaaalllly old for me.

PS if you love nirvana you should listen to Dinosaur Jr (their early stuff), if you don't already.

[dg310]

lol. That's the only reason I found this video. I was watching some Dino Jr videos and found the J mascis signature guitar video.

[COLOSSALYOUTHmusic]

I dont think kurt ever played one, but he did play jaguars which are basically just like it but a shorter neck. J mascis, thurston moore, and lee ranaldo played them though.

[srb1369]

Nope.

[lovecalder]

Naw, you must be right. The only guitars Kurt Cobain ever played were Jaguars and Mustangs. He NEVER touched anything else in his life.

[srb1369]

Kurt also played Univox Hi-Flyers, a Mosrite, and the occasional Epiphone. But fine. Show me a picture of Cobain playing a Jazzmaster. Otherwise, shut up until you know what you're talking about.

[lovecalder]

hahaha wow, you seem like a really wonderful person.

Okay! You win first place for biggest Nirvana-nerd! I give in!

[srb1369]

I sounded ruder than I meant to. but I'm 99% sure Kurt never owned a Jazzmaster, and if Elvis mentioned it he may have been mistaken.

[lovecalder]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure you're right, I don't think that Kurt Cobain ever owned one.

I was pretty much just being a goof and talking out of my ass.

[weezerfreak942]

nirvana sucks

[lovecalder]

It's funny that your name is weezerfreak, and you have the balls to say taht Nirvana sucks. Do you have any idea how huge of an influence "Bleach" was on Rivers Cuomo?

[weezerfreak942]

yes, unfortunately i do. i think nevermind was more influential to him actually, if you listen to or read the lyrics to "Heartsongs" off their new album. I used to like nirvana, but then i realized how overrated they were and what a dick kurt was. Can you believe RS put kurt as the 12th greatest guitarist ever?! thats bs, but rolling stone sucks anyways.

[lovecalder]

Nirvana were really over-hyped, that's definitely true. But I don't think that that should get in the way of liking their music....I think that it's just as cliche to like something because everybody else does, as it is to not like something because everybody else does. You know? Plus it's not really the music's fault that it was over-hyped...

But I don't really think Nirvana were overrated... they pretty much shaped the "music scene" of the 90's.

[lovecalder]

Kurt Cobain wasn't very "technically skilled" at guitar, that's also true. But he was a very influential guitar-player, so maybe that's why he's on that list.

I'm enjoying talking about this...but I feel like we should shut-up about Nirvana, because this is an Elvis Costello video...oh well!

[colossalkegan]

Left Handed Fender Jazzmasters were never really commercially available; plus, a left handed tremolo assembly was never made, at least not until recently. Kurt was left-handed.

He played Jaguars often, but never jazzmasters.

[lovecalder]

Besides, if Elvis Costello says it, IT MUST BE TRUE.

[nietz]

Cobain actually played a Jaguar.

[smirkingghost]

Elvis is mistaken about his "My Aim Is True" jazznmaster being refinished to his current silverburst Jazzmaster

[babyslapmafro]

what

[Dessna32]

Joe Pass played a jazzmaster

[GravityJim]

Joe Pass played a Jazzmaster once, for, like, 15 minutes, to give Leo his opinion of it... AFAIK, he never played one on a record or a gig.

[iagobroxado]

I think he did. Also he used a Jaguar and you can find a video of it here on youtube. But certainly he never liked them that much uh?!

[Lukeblueslover]

definitely not...

[willywonka091]

love that guitar!