Xaviere Jazzmaster/Telemaster copies

[BlindtoFaith]

any good?

[nimajneb]

I'm interested in them too, but I haven't heard much about them.

[Toonster]

They look good, but couldn't finf much about them, especially the telemaster..

[blahquaker]

I have the p90 version. I like it a lot, but it has required quite a bit of work for a new(-ish) guitar.

of course, a full setup and string change was required right out of the box. then I had to file all of the fret ends because my hand was getting all scratched up while playing. then the nut fell apart - literally broke in half - after a couple of months, so I had to replace that.

but the pickups sound really good and I like playing it, so if you're prepared for a little work...

[Achtane]

I've been thinking about one for months now but just can't pull the trigger. Some people said the finish on the necks is so yellow it looks like a banana, anyone experienced that? Not that it's a huge deal, but...

Basically the thing that's putting me off is that there's not much info out there. I love the way they look, though.

[htsamurai]

Judging from the amount of work it seems to get them into a playable condition I'd probably get a JM body built by elbandito and a neck off of ebay and just build the damn thing myself lol

[veteransdaypoppy]

A friend of mine recently bought an Xaviere Tele and put a bigsby on it. He loves it.
He did, however, take it to a shop to have it set up and stuff. I think he said it cost him like 50, 100 bucks or something.

[Noise...]

For what they cost, plus the amount of work required to make them playable, you'd be better off in the long run going with a Blacktop Jazzmaster. Then you get a legit Jazzmaster that plays and sounds great right out of the box - and also has an accurate body, decent electronics, solid tuners, and a nice neck.

I got my BT Jazzy for $400 from Musician's Friend. Chat the sales people up, treat them like people, etc, and they'll make a deal with you.

I haven't heard anything but disaster stories about the Guitar Fetish stuff - one instance where the pickguard, pickups, and control plate of one of the Telemaster knock offs literally just falling out, as the wood was so cheap. There's a Youtube demo of it somewhere - it's a black one with tape holding the stuff on.

[BlindtoFaith]

For what they cost, plus the amount of work required to make them playable, you'd be better off in the long run going with a Blacktop Jazzmaster. Then you get a legit Jazzmaster that plays and sounds great right out of the box - and also has an accurate body, decent electronics, solid tuners, and a nice neck.

I got my BT Jazzy for $400 from Musician's Friend. Chat the sales people up, treat them like people, etc, and they'll make a deal with you.

I haven't heard anything but disaster stories about the Guitar Fetish stuff - one instance where the pickguard, pickups, and control plate of one of the Telemaster knock offs literally just falling out, as the wood was so cheap. There's a Youtube demo of it somewhere - it's a black one with tape holding the stuff on.

All I needed to hear! Thanks for the input. Looking bor BT Jazzmaster as we speak

[Noise...]

For what they cost, plus the amount of work required to make them playable, you'd be better off in the long run going with a Blacktop Jazzmaster. Then you get a legit Jazzmaster that plays and sounds great right out of the box - and also has an accurate body, decent electronics, solid tuners, and a nice neck.

I got my BT Jazzy for $400 from Musician's Friend. Chat the sales people up, treat them like people, etc, and they'll make a deal with you.

I haven't heard anything but disaster stories about the Guitar Fetish stuff - one instance where the pickguard, pickups, and control plate of one of the Telemaster knock offs literally just falling out, as the wood was so cheap. There's a Youtube demo of it somewhere - it's a black one with tape holding the stuff on.

All I needed to hear! Thanks for the input. Looking bor BT Jazzmaster as we speak

Keep in mind, I have no direct experience with the Xavieres - aside from the absolute nightmare of trying to order through Guitar Fetish once.

I do, however, have a Blacktop Jazzmaster, and I absolutely love it. I would put the quality level above CIJ Fenders - and I have a CIJ Jaguar to compare to. It's a solid guitar, still plays and sounds like a Jazzmaster (Even the humbucker with the volume rolled off a tad still sounds Jazzmaster-ish), and the tones from the middle position are drool-worthy.
It came with some of the best fretwork I've seen on a guitar - super clean, level frets, no high spots, nothing. Just all around beautiful work.

I highly recommend them, as well as the other Blacktop guitars. Fender hit things right with them - even if they aren't spot on vintage reissues like some complain about.

[htsamurai]

I'd still rather make my own, elbandito body, mighty mite neck, my own stuff otherwise lol

[nimajneb]

Those Fender blacktops do look niiiiiice.

[foomanfat]

Those Fender blacktops do look niiiiiice.

Those Fender Blacktops are nice. I love my Blacktop Jazzmaster.
That P-90 through a '69 Champ =

I was looking at the Xaviere offsets for a long time, but I never got one. Now I've got a Blacktop and I'm glad I held out.

[Big Daddy SB]

I recently bought one off the clearance/blem area. it was their knock off of the "butterscotch blonde".

it had just a few very minor dings in the back (and I have added a couple of my own since)

imo:

the neck is crap, gonna have a luthier sand down the back to a real tele diameter.

the tuners are pretty good, no problems yet (been playing it for about 2 months)

the bridge pick up is the best tele p-up I have ever played...it is awesome.
it uses p-bass poles and is overwound to 10k. I love it

the neck mini-humbucker sounds great, just not the sound I want.

my biggest problem is the electronics. it uses 250k pots...needs 500k or better.
also it uses an import style switch, gonna replace with USA style

I payed about $225 with shipping for the guitar as is, to replace the neck p-up (using another guitar fetish mini-humbucker, friend has the one I like) and other problems is about another $170. so in all I get what will be a great guitar for under $400. worth every penny.