tone-index.com

Home / Browse Instruments / Fender Player II Jazzmaster

Fender Player II Jazzmaster

Generic depiction of the instrument model, not the specific item offered on a linked platform.

Electric Guitar

Fender Player II Jazzmaster

Fender · Player II Jazzmaster

Price: 17 EUR – 1.755 EUR

Price history 07.09.2026 18.09.2026
Cheapest seen Most expensive seen

Availability: 9/10 (Common)

The Player II Jazzmaster brings Fender's most famous offset body into the accessible Player tier, but makes one deliberate break from tradition: it drops the classic rhythm circuit switching that has defined Jazzmasters since 1958 in favor of a simpler, more conventional control layout. What remains is the alder body, Alnico V pickups, and a repositioned floating tremolo that reviewers praise for genuinely reliable tuning stability.

Where available? Go to the best price – 17 EUR About this instrument

About the Fender Player II Jazzmaster

This guitar carries the silhouette Leo Fender designed in 1958 as what he intended to be Fender's top-of-the-line instrument for serious jazz guitarists - an offset-waist body shaped for comfortable seated playing, the company's first production use of a rosewood fingerboard, and an innovative floating vibrato system unlike anything else Fender had built. History had other plans: jazz players largely ignored it, while surf rock guitarists embraced its floating tremolo and mellow pickup voicing, setting the Jazzmaster on a path far from its original marketing. The Player II version keeps the alder body, Modern C maple neck with satin urethane finish, and a 9.5-inch-radius slab rosewood fingerboard with extra-rounded edges for a smoother feel across 22 medium jumbo frets. Two Alnico V single-coils deliver the model's signature voice. The most consequential change from vintage Jazzmasters, and from pricier current Fender tiers, is electronic: this model removes the classic rhythm circuit entirely - the slide switch and two thumbwheel controls on the upper horn that historically let players preset a separate, darker neck-pickup-only tone and flip to it instantly. Fender's own reasoning, echoed by reviewers, is that the rhythm circuit confused more players than it helped; in its place sits a simpler, more conventional control section. The floating tremolo bridge was also repositioned slightly closer to the bridge saddles than on vintage originals, specifically to improve tuning stability and sustain, and reviewers confirm it holds pitch reliably even under active vibrato use - a historically common complaint about original Jazzmaster bridges that this revision directly addresses.

Where to buy

Some links below are affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Source: https://reverb.com/item/100341879-modified-fender-player-ii-jazzmaster-coral-red

Sound character of the Fender Player II Jazzmaster

The Alnico V Jazzmaster pickups deliver the jangly, articulate voice that made the shape famous, with enough clarity and definition to work for modern playing styles rather than sounding purely like a vintage curiosity. Without the rhythm circuit's darker preset tone available at the flip of a switch, players get that same fundamental character shaped entirely through the standard volume and tone controls - less immediate switching versatility, but a more straightforward path to dialing in a usable sound.

Bright Airy Vintage-voiced Midrange-forward Resonant

What owners of the Fender Player II Jazzmaster say

Owners generally praise this guitar as an unusually complete offset package at its price point, with tuning stability under the floating tremolo singled out repeatedly as a genuine, practical improvement rather than a marketing claim. The removal of the rhythm circuit is the one point of real disagreement: newcomers to the Jazzmaster shape tend to appreciate the simpler, less confusing control layout, while players attached to the vintage switching scheme see its absence as the guitar's one meaningful concession to accessibility over tradition.

Playability & handling of the Fender Player II Jazzmaster

Reviewers describe the guitar simply as a joy to play, with the extra-rounded slab rosewood fingerboard edges creating a notably smoother feel than expected at this price point. Tuning stability under the floating tremolo draws particular praise - user reviews specifically note that working the vibrato arm doesn't knock the guitar out of tune, addressing a reputation vintage Jazzmaster bridges sometimes earned for the opposite.

Recommended accessories & strings for the Fender Player II Jazzmaster

Standard 25.5-inch scale suits .010-.046 or heavier .011-.049 sets for a more authentic offset feel and tension. Since the rhythm circuit is gone, players who want that classic darker, preset neck-pickup tone will need to recreate it manually via the tone knob or an external pedal rather than relying on the historic slide-switch shortcut.

Technical data for the Fender Player II Jazzmaster

Type Solid-body electric guitar, offset double cutaway, bolt-on neck
Production Fender Player II series, built in Ensenada, Mexico
Body Alder, offset-waist shape
Neck Maple, bolt-on, Modern C profile, satin urethane finish
Fingerboard Rosewood (slab), 9.5 in. radius, extra-rounded edges, 22 medium jumbo frets
Scale length 25.5 in.
Pickups 2x Alnico V Jazzmaster single-coils
Controls Standard volume and tone controls, 3-way selector switch (no rhythm circuit)
Bridge 6-saddle Jazzmaster bridge with floating tremolo, upgraded Mustang saddles, repositioned closer to bridge for stability
Tuners ClassicGear retro-style tuners
Notable difference Omits the traditional Jazzmaster rhythm circuit (slide switch + thumbwheel controls) found on vintage originals and pricier current Jazzmaster tiers

Price history for the Fender Player II Jazzmaster

Cheapest seen: 17 EUR  ·  Most expensive seen: 1.755 EUR

1.755 EUR17 EUR 07.09.2026 14.09.202615.09.202617.09.2026 18.09.2026
Cheapest seen Most expensive seen

The history of the Fender Player II Jazzmaster

The Jazzmaster's origin story is one of Fender's best-known ironies. Unveiled at the 1958 NAMM show, it was conceived as a premium instrument aimed squarely at serious jazz guitarists, complete with a rosewood fingerboard - a first for a Fender production model - and an offset body shaped specifically for comfortable seated playing, a posture common among jazz and blues players of the era. Jazz musicians largely didn't bite. Instead, surf rock guitarists adopted the guitar for its floating tremolo and mellower pickup voicing, and decades later it became a defining instrument of alternative, indie, and shoegaze guitar sounds - a commercial life built almost entirely outside its original target market. The Player II version's decision to drop the rhythm circuit is a notable departure within that long history: the slide switch and thumbwheel controls had been a Jazzmaster signature since 1958, and removing them at this price tier signals Fender prioritizing approachability for new offset players over strict vintage fidelity, while pricier current Jazzmaster tiers retain the classic circuit for players who want it.

About Fender as a manufacturer

Built as part of Fender's Player II series, its Mexican-made accessible tier positioned below the American-made Professional and Ultra lines, bringing the Jazzmaster's offset design and floating tremolo to a lower price point through deliberate electronic simplification rather than compromised build quality.

Notable players & recordings featuring the Fender Player II Jazzmaster

No verified professional endorsement ties a specific touring artist to this Player II model. The Jazzmaster body shape and nameplate carry a well-documented broader history - rejected by the jazz players it was designed for, adopted by surf rock guitarists in the 1960s, and later embraced across alternative, indie, and shoegaze scenes - but these associations belong to the model line and body shape generally, not to this specific current-production instrument.

Related guides

  • Stratocaster or Les Paul? Two Electric Guitar Classics Compared View details
  • Buying a Used Electric Guitar: What to Check View details
  • Vintage vs. Reissue: Is an Old Electric Guitar Worth It? View details

Similar instruments

Fender Player II Telecaster 10+

Fender Player II Telecaster

513 EUR – 1.431 EUR

Fender Player II Stratocaster HSS 10+

Fender Player II Stratocaster HSS

637 EUR – 1.383 EUR

Fender Player Telecaster 10+

Fender Player Telecaster

61 EUR – 1.998 EUR

Fender Player II Stratocaster 10+

Fender Player II Stratocaster

299 EUR – 1.178 EUR

Fender Standard Stratocaster 2006 - 2017 10+

Fender Standard Stratocaster 2006 - 2017

490 EUR – 1.582 EUR

Fender Standard Stratocaster (1998-2005) 10+

Fender Standard Stratocaster (1998-2005)

387 EUR – 1.819 EUR

Fender Standard Stratocaster 10+

Fender Standard Stratocaster

11 EUR – 2.378 EUR

Fender Limited Edition Tom DeLonge Signature Stratocaster 8

Fender Limited Edition Tom DeLonge Signature Stratocaster

909 EUR – 1.429 EUR

← Back to all instruments