Fender MIJ Trad II 60s Jazzmaster BPL

Fender MIJ Trad II 60s Jazzmaster BPL review

The Fender MIJ Trad II 60s Jazzmaster BPL is a Japan-made, black-finished Jazzmaster with two vintage-style single-coil pickups, a floating tremolo tailpiece, and the model's separate lead and rhythm control circuits. Its specifications point to a traditional layout rather than a stripped-down, single-circuit design. The listed price is $1,444, and the model has been available since May 2025.

This is a specification-based assessment. No customer reviews are available, so there is no basis for claims about playing feel, tuning stability, tonal character, or build consistency in actual use. Those points need to be judged in person. The information provided does, however, make the instrument's construction and control layout clear enough to assess what buyers should look for.

Body, neck, and fingerboard

The body color is listed as Black Pearl, with a three-ply black pickguard and gold-colored hardware. The body wood description needs a qualification: the specifications identify the body as both linden and basswood. These names can refer to the same wood category, but the listing uses both terms, so it is best to confirm the exact material with the seller if that distinction matters to your purchase. No separate top is specified.

The bolt-on neck is maple, with a rosewood fingerboard and a U-shaped neck profile. The fingerboard has pearl dot inlays, a 9.5-inch radius, and 21 vintage-style frets. The 25.5-inch scale and 1.615-inch nut width provide useful sizing information for comparing the guitar with other instruments. The nut is bone.

Those measurements describe the layout, but they do not establish the neck's actual feel, fret finishing, or setup quality. In particular, a stated radius and neck profile are not substitutes for trying the instrument. Buyers should check fret condition, action, and neck relief on the specific guitar they receive.

Pickups and switching

The pickup system consists of two vintage-style Jazzmaster single coils. Fender lists a three-way switch and two control arrangements selected by a slide switch. In the lead position, the controls are two volume knobs and one master tone control. In the rhythm position, two thumbwheel controls adjust the neck pickup's volume and tone.

This arrangement gives the guitar separate operating modes, with the rhythm circuit dedicated to the neck pickup. The specifications do not state the pickups' electrical output, magnet type, or measured frequency response, and they do not describe how the guitar sounds through an amplifier. It would be misleading to infer a precise tone from the "vintage-style" description alone. Players should test both circuits and all switch positions to confirm that the controls suit their needs.

Tremolo and hardware

The bridge and tailpiece assembly is described as an adjustable, six-saddle, vintage-style tremolo with a floating tremolo tailpiece. This identifies the general design, but the supplied information does not specify bridge materials, saddle type, or setup details. There is also no stated locking mechanism or other feature that would support claims about performance under heavy tremolo use.

The guitar has vintage-style tuning machines and gold-colored hardware. The specifications do not provide a hardware finish type or tuning-machine ratio. Before buying, check the smoothness of the tuners and the condition of the tremolo on the individual instrument. These practical details cannot be confirmed from the model description alone.

What is included

A gig bag is included, while a hard case is not. The sales unit is one guitar. The item number is 617713, which may help when checking availability or confirming that a listing refers to this exact model. Its stated country of manufacture is Japan.

Verdict

The Fender MIJ Trad II 60s Jazzmaster BPL has a clearly defined traditional Jazzmaster specification: a maple bolt-on neck, rosewood fingerboard, two single-coil pickups, dual control circuits, and a floating tremolo system. Its dimensions and materials are documented well enough for initial comparison, though the conflicting body-wood labels deserve clarification before purchase.

At $1,444, the key decision is whether this specific configuration matches your requirements. Confirm the body material, inspect the setup and hardware, and try the lead and rhythm circuits if possible. With no customer feedback available, there is no responsible basis for rating its real-world feel or sound beyond the features listed here.