Offset madness

[GGJaguar]

Usually I rotate through my “play for the day” guitar every one or two days, but for the last 2 weeks I’ve been totally stuck on my offset body guitars and had them out to compare and contrast. So, I thought I share them, because we all love pictures.

This is my only Custom Shop G&L – a semi-hollow Doheny with roasted flame maple neck and okoume body with ash top. It’s a hardtail which is an option, though uncommon. Being semi-hollow, it’s featherweight at 6.2 lb (2.8 kg). The Doheny pickups are full spectrum compared to traditional Fender Jazzmaster pickups, but have scooped mids compared to G&L ASAT pickups. I like them a lot and find them very versatile.

 

[GGJaguar]

This is a standard Doheny again with the hardtail option and a basswood body. I know basswood isn’t highly regarded by some players, but it works great here. It also has optional block markers and maple board. Surprisingly, it sounds pretty darn similar to the semi-hollow version, but this guitar has a chunkier neck that I prefer. Actually, compared to the Fenders, the G&L necks are slim. In general, Jag/Jmaster body guitars are heavier than Strat/Tele types, but this one is a reasonable 7.9 lb (3.6 kg).

 

[GGJaguar]

This Fender Custom Shop ’59 Jazzmaster is probably my favorite of the bunch. It’s not vintage accurate, but close enough. I love the look and it plays really well. The handwound pickups have a bit more drive and midrange compared to my other Jmasters.

 

[GGJaguar]

My most recent Jmaster is this Troy Van Leeuwen signature model though I don’t really care about the TVL connection. I got it because I love the copper finish, matching headstock and maple board. Plus, it’s really just an American Vintage model in disguise (made in Mexico, poly instead nitro finish) so it has a lot of bang for the buck. The Pure Vintage 65 pickups don’t sound like my original ’65 Jmaster pickups, but they still sound like a Jazzmaster and aren’t bad. They just stress the fundamental a bit more and have a lot of top end. Again, I searched a long time to find a lightweight one and finally got one that weighs 7.8 lb (3.5 kg). Most are in the mid to high 8 lb range (3.9 – 4.0 kg).

 

[GGJaguar]

Here’s my vintage ’62 Jmaster. It has an interesting backstory, but I’ll share that some other time. Actually, it’s not a good comparator because the pickups seem to fall out of the normal range for early 60s Jmasters. They measure 6.6K and 6.7K ohm while the average is 7.9K ohm. But, they sound good albeit with lower output (nothing the amp’s volume control can’t fix). They are full range, but bright and have a clarity that the Custom Shop and TVL Jmasters lack. And it weighs 7.7 lb which is good for my aching back.

 

[GGJaguar]

Here’s a Custom Shop ’65 Jaguar. Oddly, its neck shape and sound are more like my vintage ’62 Jag than my vintage ’66 Jag. It’s warmer sounding by Jaguar standards with a little lower output. It leans into “bright Strat” territory. Jaguars are notoriously on the heavy side. My vintage Jags both weigh 8.5 lb (3.9 kg) which seems to be the average and this one is a little lighter at 8.2 lb.

 

[GGJaguar]

I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen a sub-8 lb Jaguar until I found my reissue ’62 Jag so my “weight weenie” strategy paid off. It’s only 7.9 lb (3.6 kg). It has a shallower neck than the CS ’65 Jag which is very Fendery, but not my fav. It sounds like my ’66 Jag with lots of bite and snap. This is the quintessential mid-60s Jag sound.

 

[GGJaguar]

And last, but not least, I’ll end with Guild content. The S-200 T-bird reissue clearly falls in the offset body category and even has Jaguar-like switchery. The pickups aren’t Fendery, but I like the sound of the LB-1s in solid and semi-hollow guitars. They pair well with the mahogany body (the Fenders are alder). It’s bright and chimey with a “ka-rang” sound that’s great for Brit/Mersey Beat music. The Newark Street neck profile is one of my favorites – full, but not baseball bat big. At 7.1 lb (3.2 kg) it is very light. The only downside is the wonky Tremar vibrato. The Fender Jag/Jmaster vibrato tail works much better.

 

[chazmo]

GG, forgive the ignorance, but what's an "offset" guitar?? Love the stripey neck/headstock on the G&L! That's cool!

 

[The Guilds of Grot]

Not to step on GG's toes but since I'm passing by...

"Offset" refers to the bass waist of the guitar being "offset" to the treble waist of the guitar.


A Tele is symmetrical about the center-line and the waists are opposite each other.

On a Jaguar, the bass waist is "higher" then the treble waist so therefore it is said to be "offset" because the waists are offset from each other as opposed to opposite!

 

[GGJaguar]

Grot's explanation is perfect! Nothing to add.

 

[davismanLV]

Thanks, Kurt!! I learn new stuff every day here.....

 

[davismanLV]

Usually I rotate through my “play for the day” guitar every one or two days, but for the last 2 weeks I’ve been totally stuck on my offset body guitars and had them out to compare and contrast. So, I thought I share them, because we all love pictures.

This is my only Custom Shop G&L – a semi-hollow Doheny with roasted flame maple neck and okoume body with ash top. It’s a hardtail which is an option, though uncommon. Being semi-hollow, it’s featherweight at 6.2 lb (2.8 kg). The Doheny pickups are full spectrum compared to traditional Fender Jazzmaster pickups, but have scooped mids compared to G&L ASAT pickups. I like them a lot and find them very versatile.

Well the single F-hole and beautiful wood and, of course, it's BLUE so....

 

[The Guilds of Grot]

Thanks, Kurt!! I learn new stuff every day here.....

Well since you and Chazmo are primarily acoustic players you don't get exposed to offset guitars much.

But you could...

They do look a little droopy and lop-sided though!

 

[chazmo]

Offset indeed, Kurt! Kind of cool!

 

[Guildedagain]

Once you go offset...

This is a mid 90's slightly post Cobain reverse offset, reverse headstock.

 

[Teleguy61]

Nice herd!

 

[GGJaguar]

Nice herd!

Thanks! It's why I'm GGJaguar (well, really it's because GGJazzmaster sounded too weird).

 

[Guildedagain]

A Jazzmaster guitar solo

 

[Teleguy61]

A Jazzmaster guitar solo

The great, great, great James Burton!