Testimonials
David Lamkins, Portland, OR
Owner review and links to recordings
Owner review and links to recordings
I am thrilled that Jason Rodgers of Jayemar Guitars took on a project to help me with the next step in my musical and artistic development, leading to the creation of a beautiful Bahama Blue Jessie Lynn Headless nine-string guitar built for major-thirds tuning.
This instrument is quite lively and comfortable. I am currently exploring the neck-up playing posture (ever see John Stowell perform?) which the instrument supports by design; this creates a more comfortable position for the fretting hand when doing any kind of wide reach on the fretboard. Neck-horizontal playing is also quite comfortable. The instrument weighs in at a light (considering size) seven pounds.
Jason builds his own pickups. They look and sound fantastic! When I commissioned this instrument, I described to Jason how I play (finger style), my favorite sounds (mostly clean, highly dynamic), and that I wanted a very articulate, full-range sound; Jason did the rest.
I really like the push-pull tone control: pushed, it behaves like a normal treble cut; pulled, it becomes a bass-cut. The latter can be incredibly useful to get a clean low-end sound from a Fender-like amp or modeler.
Specs and photos of this instrument can be found here. Studio recordings made with this instrument are available to Dropbox users here; we will add more.
http://lcwmusic.com/
This instrument is quite lively and comfortable. I am currently exploring the neck-up playing posture (ever see John Stowell perform?) which the instrument supports by design; this creates a more comfortable position for the fretting hand when doing any kind of wide reach on the fretboard. Neck-horizontal playing is also quite comfortable. The instrument weighs in at a light (considering size) seven pounds.
Jason builds his own pickups. They look and sound fantastic! When I commissioned this instrument, I described to Jason how I play (finger style), my favorite sounds (mostly clean, highly dynamic), and that I wanted a very articulate, full-range sound; Jason did the rest.
I really like the push-pull tone control: pushed, it behaves like a normal treble cut; pulled, it becomes a bass-cut. The latter can be incredibly useful to get a clean low-end sound from a Fender-like amp or modeler.
Specs and photos of this instrument can be found here. Studio recordings made with this instrument are available to Dropbox users here; we will add more.
http://lcwmusic.com/
Matt Lazo, New York
Owner review and demo
Owner review and demo
Demo clip: Matt plays his Jessie Lynn through Axe Fx, with a GGD drum sample, recorded in Reaper
Jessie Lynn 8-string Review
The Jessie Lynn 8-string guitar is my first custom guitar. Bands like Animals as Leaders and Meshuggah inspired me to learn and play the 8-string guitar. I wanted to sweep, tap, finger pick, thump and DJENT! However, I was struggling to find the right 8-string guitar for me. And this guitar is exactly what I was looking for! Each part of the guitar is so well designed and executed perfectly.
Body
The guitar has an alder body with a quilted maple top and walnut cap. Jason ebonized the walnut cap to complement the yellow finish on the maple. The guitar is very lightweight thanks to the headless and chambered feature. I tried many different 8-string guitars and they tend to be too heavy for my preferences. The relief contours really sit well with my body in the classical position. And it just feels right when I'm playing standing up!
Electronics
Jason and I spent a lot of time talking about the pickups and the sounds I wanted. I wanted the bridge to have that tight mid range focused tone, split coil for both pickups for thump glory or chimey cleans, and a silky lead tone in neck position. His hand wound HOT pickups delivered those tones and more! I mainly use amp modelers and amp sims, including plugging my modelers into a power amp and cabinet. I find it really easy to dial the high gain rhythm, spacious lead, edge of break up cleans, and growling thump tones with these pickups.
Jason even set up my switch system (3 way toggle pickup selector with two separate split coil switches) at the angle that would allow me to switch effortlessly. This setup also opened a world of tones with all the different switch combinations of these already versatile pickups. My favorite setting is in the middle with both pickups split. It's articulate for chimey cleans, yet it has a snappy growl that's great for thumping.
Neck
The best part is the neck! It's a 1-piece roasted maple neck with Richlite fretboard. The fret work is pristine. Smooth edges and butter smooth 16 inch radius fretboard. His signature multi-scale work gave this instrument an ideal string tension and intonation, especially for progressive metal style on 8-string guitars. The teardrop shape of the neck is really conducive to chord fingering and bass side playing, while still having a natural feel to playing on the treble side. And the heel cut makes sweeps and other shredding techniques on the upper register feel no different than it would on a normal 6-string guitar. The oil finish on the neck (and the body) also feels really smooth. It doesn't get sticky if and whenever my hands begin to sweat after playing awhile.
Hardware and Accessories
The Falbo M Design headless tuning system is SUPER stable and easy to use. I have no issues changing strings and tunings. The recessed strap locks, the custom M7 leather strap, and the Pelican vault case just made this guitar an even more luxurious experience then it already is. And even after 1.5 year of playing, moving to a new home, changing tunings, and not having the most ideal environmental conditions for guitar stability, the guitar still plays as great as it did when I first got it!
Finally, the whole process of customizing my guitar was so fun. Jason is so patient, smart and transparent. He gave regular updates. He took time to answer my questions. He helped me decide on parts and design. I wholly recommend any guitar aficionado to order a custom guitar from him.
Jessie Lynn 8-string Review
The Jessie Lynn 8-string guitar is my first custom guitar. Bands like Animals as Leaders and Meshuggah inspired me to learn and play the 8-string guitar. I wanted to sweep, tap, finger pick, thump and DJENT! However, I was struggling to find the right 8-string guitar for me. And this guitar is exactly what I was looking for! Each part of the guitar is so well designed and executed perfectly.
Body
The guitar has an alder body with a quilted maple top and walnut cap. Jason ebonized the walnut cap to complement the yellow finish on the maple. The guitar is very lightweight thanks to the headless and chambered feature. I tried many different 8-string guitars and they tend to be too heavy for my preferences. The relief contours really sit well with my body in the classical position. And it just feels right when I'm playing standing up!
Electronics
Jason and I spent a lot of time talking about the pickups and the sounds I wanted. I wanted the bridge to have that tight mid range focused tone, split coil for both pickups for thump glory or chimey cleans, and a silky lead tone in neck position. His hand wound HOT pickups delivered those tones and more! I mainly use amp modelers and amp sims, including plugging my modelers into a power amp and cabinet. I find it really easy to dial the high gain rhythm, spacious lead, edge of break up cleans, and growling thump tones with these pickups.
Jason even set up my switch system (3 way toggle pickup selector with two separate split coil switches) at the angle that would allow me to switch effortlessly. This setup also opened a world of tones with all the different switch combinations of these already versatile pickups. My favorite setting is in the middle with both pickups split. It's articulate for chimey cleans, yet it has a snappy growl that's great for thumping.
Neck
The best part is the neck! It's a 1-piece roasted maple neck with Richlite fretboard. The fret work is pristine. Smooth edges and butter smooth 16 inch radius fretboard. His signature multi-scale work gave this instrument an ideal string tension and intonation, especially for progressive metal style on 8-string guitars. The teardrop shape of the neck is really conducive to chord fingering and bass side playing, while still having a natural feel to playing on the treble side. And the heel cut makes sweeps and other shredding techniques on the upper register feel no different than it would on a normal 6-string guitar. The oil finish on the neck (and the body) also feels really smooth. It doesn't get sticky if and whenever my hands begin to sweat after playing awhile.
Hardware and Accessories
The Falbo M Design headless tuning system is SUPER stable and easy to use. I have no issues changing strings and tunings. The recessed strap locks, the custom M7 leather strap, and the Pelican vault case just made this guitar an even more luxurious experience then it already is. And even after 1.5 year of playing, moving to a new home, changing tunings, and not having the most ideal environmental conditions for guitar stability, the guitar still plays as great as it did when I first got it!
Finally, the whole process of customizing my guitar was so fun. Jason is so patient, smart and transparent. He gave regular updates. He took time to answer my questions. He helped me decide on parts and design. I wholly recommend any guitar aficionado to order a custom guitar from him.
GT, Washington state
Owner review
Owner review
I love this guitar! Lots of people claim their guitars are the world's best, but this is is OBVIOUSLY the world's most versatile with the humbuckers and single coils giving growl, bark, cut, chime, quack and all the other animal sounds you're supposed to get from HB's and single coils. I have a lot of experience with multi-scale 7s/8s and the pickups are usually the weak link, often giving rich bass and treacly or shrieky highs, but these are full range and sound great. Tune the lower 3 strings like a 34" bass and play Earth, Wind & Fire bass lines! You really can.
Another good decision: putting vertical/neutral fret at 12. Most multi-scales have them around 7 or 9 and it makes lining up your fingers at the 15 fret visually difficult. Also the neck is perfectly relieved on bass and treble sides, which is another weak link often seen on 8-strings.
The shape and neck/body balance is a really comfortable, simple design. Not neck heavy, with the strap button at 15 and the compactest headstock you can have on an 8 (it's a long convoluted discussion why if anybody's really interested, but I can give examples of really expensive guitars that have the first tuner way far above the nut).
Also, living closer to the Canadian border, I'm happy that it's made with local, sustainable tonewoods and won't arouse any CITES/Lacey/Aphis issues like the ebony, abalone/MOP, rosewood on many of my other instruments. Another sensible decision from Jason!
Another good decision: putting vertical/neutral fret at 12. Most multi-scales have them around 7 or 9 and it makes lining up your fingers at the 15 fret visually difficult. Also the neck is perfectly relieved on bass and treble sides, which is another weak link often seen on 8-strings.
The shape and neck/body balance is a really comfortable, simple design. Not neck heavy, with the strap button at 15 and the compactest headstock you can have on an 8 (it's a long convoluted discussion why if anybody's really interested, but I can give examples of really expensive guitars that have the first tuner way far above the nut).
Also, living closer to the Canadian border, I'm happy that it's made with local, sustainable tonewoods and won't arouse any CITES/Lacey/Aphis issues like the ebony, abalone/MOP, rosewood on many of my other instruments. Another sensible decision from Jason!
Scott Wilson, Ferndale, MI
Owner review
Owner review
Hello, I’m the proud owner of the Iris "Ten Woods" guitar. This guitar, in a word, is fantastic. There are three things I look for in a guitar: 1. playability, 2. sound, and 3. how it looks, pretty much in that order.
First off, with looks, this guitar is as much a work of art as it is an instrument. From the unique shape to the pickup cover, the attention to detail can’t get any better.
Next, sound, the pickup on this guitar is incredible. I bought this guitar already made and I would prefer two pickups but this one can pretty much do it all. The best I can describe the sound is maybe a Jazzmaster on steroids. The clarity is really second to none when I was able to a/b with some of my other guitars. Also, for a single coil pickup it is really quiet, and it can do clean to fuzz without any issues.
And finally, the most important, playability. If a guitar is fretting out on bends, can’t stay in tune, or needs constant maintenance, it’s a no-go. This guitar just went through its first Michigan winter and the action is great and doesn’t need a set up. The multiscale fretboard needs about 5 minutes to get used to, but after that you don’t even notice the difference.
Knowing this guitar is made by one person who loves his craft is pretty cool. From following Jason on Instagram and exchanging many emails he seems to be a genuine good guy. I’m hoping to get a custom made guitar in the future. When you consider the price is considerably less than what it costs for a big brand custom shop, you know you’re getting a great guitar at a great value.
First off, with looks, this guitar is as much a work of art as it is an instrument. From the unique shape to the pickup cover, the attention to detail can’t get any better.
Next, sound, the pickup on this guitar is incredible. I bought this guitar already made and I would prefer two pickups but this one can pretty much do it all. The best I can describe the sound is maybe a Jazzmaster on steroids. The clarity is really second to none when I was able to a/b with some of my other guitars. Also, for a single coil pickup it is really quiet, and it can do clean to fuzz without any issues.
And finally, the most important, playability. If a guitar is fretting out on bends, can’t stay in tune, or needs constant maintenance, it’s a no-go. This guitar just went through its first Michigan winter and the action is great and doesn’t need a set up. The multiscale fretboard needs about 5 minutes to get used to, but after that you don’t even notice the difference.
Knowing this guitar is made by one person who loves his craft is pretty cool. From following Jason on Instagram and exchanging many emails he seems to be a genuine good guy. I’m hoping to get a custom made guitar in the future. When you consider the price is considerably less than what it costs for a big brand custom shop, you know you’re getting a great guitar at a great value.
Brian Christopher, Portland, OR
Owner review
Owner review
Simply put, the headless 6-string Jessie Lynn baritone guitar Jason built for me is the most “alive” stringed instrument I’ve ever held in my hands. It’s not only comfortable to hold and play, both on and off the strap, but between the body being creatively chambered and the resonant synergy between the body and neck woods, I can literally feel the warm vibration of every note and chord singing through my body as I play, and the sound is so acoustically rich and full that I’m inspired to play it unplugged often and have even composed a couple of entire pieces on it that way. And that acoustic richness translates beautifully through Jason’s hand-wound pickups, too, offering me a wide range of inspiring tones to choose from. When I first played it on a song during rehearsal with my band, as soon as it was over, they asked if there was any chance I could play baritone on every song, and while that’s not really an option, I’ve already composed five new pieces on it and we’ve just started working up the first of them, so we shall see.
As for the build itself, Jason was a consummate and thorough professional every step of the way, while also being incredibly easy-going and easy to work with. He spent lots of time with me as I played a few other instruments he’d built - with which I was greatly impressed - then through the critical process of selecting the specific pieces of wood for the body and the fingerboard, choosing the neck radius and profile, and then later when I went to his perfectly socially distant open garage to make final decisions about certain aspects of the body and neck contouring as he was working on them. He also sent me photos throughout the construction process and updated me regularly, which was great. Jason’s workmanship on the instrument itself is impeccable, from his unique and elegant design, to the nuances of every element of the build, he clearly loves what he does and it shows in the instrument in every way. I’ve picked the guitar up for between thirty minutes and an hour every single day since I got it from him a few months ago, and once it is in my hands, I never want to put it down. I think it might be a keeper.
As for the build itself, Jason was a consummate and thorough professional every step of the way, while also being incredibly easy-going and easy to work with. He spent lots of time with me as I played a few other instruments he’d built - with which I was greatly impressed - then through the critical process of selecting the specific pieces of wood for the body and the fingerboard, choosing the neck radius and profile, and then later when I went to his perfectly socially distant open garage to make final decisions about certain aspects of the body and neck contouring as he was working on them. He also sent me photos throughout the construction process and updated me regularly, which was great. Jason’s workmanship on the instrument itself is impeccable, from his unique and elegant design, to the nuances of every element of the build, he clearly loves what he does and it shows in the instrument in every way. I’ve picked the guitar up for between thirty minutes and an hour every single day since I got it from him a few months ago, and once it is in my hands, I never want to put it down. I think it might be a keeper.
Brandon Sause, Portland, OR
Demo and review
Demo and review
Kirby Kuehl, Portland, OR
Review
Review
I first met Jason Rodgers of Jayemar Guitars at the Rose Quarter Guitar Festival in Portland, Oregon. After wandering around the show looking at mostly vintage inspired instruments, I came across Jason and his booth of extended range guitars. We struck up a friendly conversation about 8-string guitars, multi-scale frets, and of course Meshuggah. I asked if I could try one of his instruments, and was soon plugged into a Fender Cyber Twin combo amp that was set to a modern metal tone. I chugged and djented for a few minutes, and we talked back and forth about his 8-string Iris guitar and my initial impressions of the instrument. Jason liked my playing enough that he thought it would be cool if I recorded some audio/video footage of his instrument. After sorting out our busy schedules, Jason graciously dropped of the guitar and let me bond with it for a few weeks.
Specifications
Specifications
- Body: 1-piece alder body core; bookmatched figured walnut cap.
- Neck: 3-piece maple, alder, maple; 2-3/16 inch nut; two-way truss rod and two carbon fiber bars; matching walnut headstock cap.
- Fingerboard: Walnut; 16 inch radius; 24 jumbo stainless steel frets with zero fret; white fret marker dots; Graph Tech NuBone nut.
- Finish: Shellac, tung oil, and wax.
- Tuners: Hipshot Griplock 4+4, black.
- Bridge: Jayemar Guitars aluminum fixed bridge with GraphTech saddles, 2.84 inch string spacing.
- Scales: 26 inch treble to 28 inch bass multi-scale.
- Electronics:
- One bridge position Jayemar ceramic 8 humbucker, high output (15.6k ohms DCR).
- One 500k Bourns volume pot with treble bleed circuit.
- DiMarzio Super-switch: 1- series, 2- single north coil, 3- parallel, 4- single south coil, 5- out of phase.
- MONO Vertigo gig bag case included, plus handmade leather strap with Jayemar logo by M7 Straps.
Impressions
This guitar is fun to play! I have been playing 7- and 8-string guitars for a few years, so I am pretty comfortable with the extra strings and longer scale length, but this is the first time that I have played a multi-scale guitar aside from brief encounters at music stores.
The thing that jumps out immediately is the clarity of the 8th string. I have played the instrument with the 8th string tuned both to F# and E. To make sure that my ears were not deceiving me, I A/B’ed the Iris and my Ibanez Prestige RG852 8-String (EMG 808 pickups and a 27” scale length, strung with Ernie Ball 10-74). The extra inch of scale length on the 8th string of the Iris noticeably improves string tension and feels tight and responsive. The RG852 in identical tuning definitely has less string tension, and sounds a little bit flubby in comparison.
The neck profile isn’t nearly as thin as the RG852, but I found it very comfortable to play even after an hour or more of play time. The neck finish is very silky and smooth and doesn’t feel sticky even after working up a little sweat. I was able to adapt to the multi-scale layout pretty quickly, and didn’t really have to even think about it after playing on it for just a couple of hours. The fretwork itself is very nice, and I don’t feel any sharp edges along either side of the neck. I made sure to play a mixture of single note djent riffs, standard power chord chugging, and a handful of jazz chords and leads.
The bridge is very comfortable with no noticeable sharp edges when palm muting, and this thing stays in tune! As you can see in the picture above, the bridge angle aligns perfectly with my right hand. I tend to pick aggressively and I have been keeping an eye on the tuning before and after playing with a Peterson strobe tuner.
Jason mentioned that his pickup was voiced similar to the Seymour Duncan Nazgul. I just happen to have the Sentient/Nazgul set in my Mayones Duvell 7, and I would have to agree that he pretty much nailed the voicing when in the full humbucking position. My amps are dialed in for modern metal tones, so for me personally I found the the single coil, or out of phase pickup selections to be too noisy to use in a high gain setting even with a quality noise gate. I wanted to give them a fair chance, so I did noodle around on the clean channel of my Triamp with some Earthquaker Devices delay and reverb effects and found them to sound decent. Jason was trying to expand the tonal palette of a single humbucker with the addition of the single, parallel, and out of phase options. These additional available tones might be useful to some players.
This particular instrument only has a bridge pickup, although two pickups is standard. With all of the guitars that I play though my rig, and not just the Iris, I find it necessary to switch to the neck pickup to alleviate some of the shrillness when playing leads. This isn’t really a negative ding against the Iris since it is an available option, and I can also remedy the situation by adjusting the mids and treble of my amplifier. It is just hard to have the best of both worlds, tight and focused modern metal rhythm tone and a smooth lead tone without making an external amp or pedal adjustment.
The guitar shape itself is obviously original. I find it comfortable to play standing or sitting. The guitar is balanced well when playing standing up, with no neck dive.
This guitar is fun to play! I have been playing 7- and 8-string guitars for a few years, so I am pretty comfortable with the extra strings and longer scale length, but this is the first time that I have played a multi-scale guitar aside from brief encounters at music stores.
The thing that jumps out immediately is the clarity of the 8th string. I have played the instrument with the 8th string tuned both to F# and E. To make sure that my ears were not deceiving me, I A/B’ed the Iris and my Ibanez Prestige RG852 8-String (EMG 808 pickups and a 27” scale length, strung with Ernie Ball 10-74). The extra inch of scale length on the 8th string of the Iris noticeably improves string tension and feels tight and responsive. The RG852 in identical tuning definitely has less string tension, and sounds a little bit flubby in comparison.
The neck profile isn’t nearly as thin as the RG852, but I found it very comfortable to play even after an hour or more of play time. The neck finish is very silky and smooth and doesn’t feel sticky even after working up a little sweat. I was able to adapt to the multi-scale layout pretty quickly, and didn’t really have to even think about it after playing on it for just a couple of hours. The fretwork itself is very nice, and I don’t feel any sharp edges along either side of the neck. I made sure to play a mixture of single note djent riffs, standard power chord chugging, and a handful of jazz chords and leads.
The bridge is very comfortable with no noticeable sharp edges when palm muting, and this thing stays in tune! As you can see in the picture above, the bridge angle aligns perfectly with my right hand. I tend to pick aggressively and I have been keeping an eye on the tuning before and after playing with a Peterson strobe tuner.
Jason mentioned that his pickup was voiced similar to the Seymour Duncan Nazgul. I just happen to have the Sentient/Nazgul set in my Mayones Duvell 7, and I would have to agree that he pretty much nailed the voicing when in the full humbucking position. My amps are dialed in for modern metal tones, so for me personally I found the the single coil, or out of phase pickup selections to be too noisy to use in a high gain setting even with a quality noise gate. I wanted to give them a fair chance, so I did noodle around on the clean channel of my Triamp with some Earthquaker Devices delay and reverb effects and found them to sound decent. Jason was trying to expand the tonal palette of a single humbucker with the addition of the single, parallel, and out of phase options. These additional available tones might be useful to some players.
This particular instrument only has a bridge pickup, although two pickups is standard. With all of the guitars that I play though my rig, and not just the Iris, I find it necessary to switch to the neck pickup to alleviate some of the shrillness when playing leads. This isn’t really a negative ding against the Iris since it is an available option, and I can also remedy the situation by adjusting the mids and treble of my amplifier. It is just hard to have the best of both worlds, tight and focused modern metal rhythm tone and a smooth lead tone without making an external amp or pedal adjustment.
The guitar shape itself is obviously original. I find it comfortable to play standing or sitting. The guitar is balanced well when playing standing up, with no neck dive.
Rig Rundown
I tested the Iris through my Fortin Meshuggah head, a Fortin 33 boost, with a Fortin Zuul in the effects loops into a Marshall DM1960A, as well as a Hughes and Kettner Triamp MKII, with a Fortin 33 boost, and a Fortin Zuul in the effects loop into a Marshall 1960B. Earthquaker Devices Dispatch Master and Avalanche Run for clean channel use. Peterson StroboStomp 2 for tuning accuracy.
I tested the Iris through my Fortin Meshuggah head, a Fortin 33 boost, with a Fortin Zuul in the effects loops into a Marshall DM1960A, as well as a Hughes and Kettner Triamp MKII, with a Fortin 33 boost, and a Fortin Zuul in the effects loop into a Marshall 1960B. Earthquaker Devices Dispatch Master and Avalanche Run for clean channel use. Peterson StroboStomp 2 for tuning accuracy.
Lon Whittier, Shakopee, MN
Owner review
Owner review
When my longtime friend Jason asked me what my next axe was going to be, without hesitation I answered "a five string fretless bass." He asked a few questions about what I liked in the basses I had and a few things immediately came to mind: the neck had to be a thin style, good sustain, and a great tone. Little did I know he was working on a secret project making one for me as a wedding gift. Once I played this beauty, it delivered all those things and more! The multi-scale neck takes some getting used to, but Jayemar Guitars is definitely titling the scales in my favor!
Brandon Sause, Portland, OR
Demo and review
Demo and review
I was really skeptical of the idea of multi-scale. I own a Strat and an SG and am mostly drawn to more classic styles of playing. After the easier-than-expected initial adjustment to the feel of a multi-scale guitar, I got to appreciate the benefits. I noticed that low E and A had more snap and clarity. The intonation was fantastic!
The pickups and tone controls were great. The model I tried out had an HH configuration with a standard 3-way switch. This model also had a push-pull pot which allowed you to bypass the tone control. This was fun to play with! The tone control was really responsive so I was able to dial in a perfect darker rhythm tone and then bypass it creating a treble boost effect for lead parts. Really cool idea!
The set up was spot on and effortless to play. I was worried that bends would feel weird with the slanted frets, but that went away after a minute or so of playing.
Jason is a total craftsman. His guitars are works of art and you can see and feel his love for building the second you pick them up.
The pickups and tone controls were great. The model I tried out had an HH configuration with a standard 3-way switch. This model also had a push-pull pot which allowed you to bypass the tone control. This was fun to play with! The tone control was really responsive so I was able to dial in a perfect darker rhythm tone and then bypass it creating a treble boost effect for lead parts. Really cool idea!
The set up was spot on and effortless to play. I was worried that bends would feel weird with the slanted frets, but that went away after a minute or so of playing.
Jason is a total craftsman. His guitars are works of art and you can see and feel his love for building the second you pick them up.
Irvin Smith, Vancouver, WA
Review
Review
I love how articulate this guitar is. Playing weird chord shapes and letting each note ring out, it's cool to actually hear all the notes instead of it being muddled. My first time playing a multi-scale, but this guitar is so comfortable it wasn't hard to adapt. Not to mention it looks amazing!
Irvin leads the Vancouver/Portland-based progressive metal band The Vestigial Crow.
Irvin leads the Vancouver/Portland-based progressive metal band The Vestigial Crow.
Kevin Kingrey, Hood River, OR
Review
Review
1. Great tone. Big, huge, ballsy lows, like a baritone. I.Love.That. For fingerstyle electric (which is a big part of my style), this is hard to beat. These pickups are the shizzle, and the long bass scale needs no comment.
2. Nice balanced feel and handling. It's very comfortable to play.
3. Superior fit and finish on wood and fretwork.
4. Original and excellent tonewood choices. Sounds fabulous unplugged: I would even consider recording it this way. I've been playing this thing with some really good Dire Straits-style backing tracks. Amp set just to break up slightly when signal is pushed. Positions 2 and 4 kill it.
2. Nice balanced feel and handling. It's very comfortable to play.
3. Superior fit and finish on wood and fretwork.
4. Original and excellent tonewood choices. Sounds fabulous unplugged: I would even consider recording it this way. I've been playing this thing with some really good Dire Straits-style backing tracks. Amp set just to break up slightly when signal is pushed. Positions 2 and 4 kill it.
Jason Sather, Beaverton, OR
Owner review
Owner review
I have several guitars that over the years I have formed an attachment for, guitars that hold a special place in my heart for one reason or another. Last year, I made the leap and asked Jason about the Alma.
I don’t have a lot of extra cash, so a purchase like this I did not take lightly. He told me it was the first, a prototype, which for some might seem like a risky thing to take on, but damn it, I loved the look of this guitar.
As far as guitars go it’s the best purchase I’ve ever made. I strap this on and feel instantly at home. It’s light and feels easy to do just whatever I want. For those of you second-guessing multi-scale guitars, don’t. I don’t even notice it, it feels completely natural.
Jayemar Guitars are made by someone who loves what they do, and it shows.
I don’t have a lot of extra cash, so a purchase like this I did not take lightly. He told me it was the first, a prototype, which for some might seem like a risky thing to take on, but damn it, I loved the look of this guitar.
As far as guitars go it’s the best purchase I’ve ever made. I strap this on and feel instantly at home. It’s light and feels easy to do just whatever I want. For those of you second-guessing multi-scale guitars, don’t. I don’t even notice it, it feels completely natural.
Jayemar Guitars are made by someone who loves what they do, and it shows.
Matt Cockrell, Portland, OR
Owner review
Owner review
I honestly can't say enough good things about my Jayemar instrument! I received the Alma Bass as a gift and waited a few months before writing this review to get to know it better. Now that I've played with it both at home, in the studio, and on stage I can say without reservation that I love it.
It looks great. The lines are clean and sexy, multi-scale frets, solid hardware. Mine has a Koa wood top that really gives it a unique personality and has a deeper meaning for me since I proposed to my wife in Hawaii. Love the Koa Wood. It feels great. It's not too heavy, and the thicker neck balances the weight comfortably so I never feel like I’m holding it up. The custom wound humbuckers with rare earth magnets are hot! The results of which is a beautiful rich tone and sustain for days. My bandmates love my new tone, and I've already gotten lots of compliments on the bass from family, friends, and fans.
I've even met the man behind Jayemar and was impressed. His attention to detail, pride in craftsmanship, and the quality of finished product make my Jayemar Alma Bass not only a one of a kind, but a once-in-a-lifetime instrument. Thank you, Jason, I wish you all the best.
Sincerely,
mattC
Matt plays bass with the Portland-based dark cabaret band Bright and Shiny.
It looks great. The lines are clean and sexy, multi-scale frets, solid hardware. Mine has a Koa wood top that really gives it a unique personality and has a deeper meaning for me since I proposed to my wife in Hawaii. Love the Koa Wood. It feels great. It's not too heavy, and the thicker neck balances the weight comfortably so I never feel like I’m holding it up. The custom wound humbuckers with rare earth magnets are hot! The results of which is a beautiful rich tone and sustain for days. My bandmates love my new tone, and I've already gotten lots of compliments on the bass from family, friends, and fans.
I've even met the man behind Jayemar and was impressed. His attention to detail, pride in craftsmanship, and the quality of finished product make my Jayemar Alma Bass not only a one of a kind, but a once-in-a-lifetime instrument. Thank you, Jason, I wish you all the best.
Sincerely,
mattC
Matt plays bass with the Portland-based dark cabaret band Bright and Shiny.
Ben Haynor, Portland, OR
Demo and review
Demo and review
"The Jayemar Iris is a sight to be seen, and so fun to play. The spalted maple on the back is gorgeous, as is the overall design. Unlike other offset guitars I've played, the body style feels comfortable in a seated and standing position.
I had never before played a multi-scale fretboard, but felt right at home within minutes. The spread of scales make the low strings punch and the high strings sing. Where standard electrics sometimes feel lifeless in dropped tunings, the Iris played beautifully. The pickup combinations were a blast to play with through effects and an overdriven amp, each with their own unique sound.
Jayemar guitars are unique and made by a true craftsman. Jason has dialed in his designs and pickups. Can't wait to see his future builds!
Ben plays guitar in the Portland-based funk/soul band Hammerhead - His Head is a Hammer.
I had never before played a multi-scale fretboard, but felt right at home within minutes. The spread of scales make the low strings punch and the high strings sing. Where standard electrics sometimes feel lifeless in dropped tunings, the Iris played beautifully. The pickup combinations were a blast to play with through effects and an overdriven amp, each with their own unique sound.
Jayemar guitars are unique and made by a true craftsman. Jason has dialed in his designs and pickups. Can't wait to see his future builds!
Ben plays guitar in the Portland-based funk/soul band Hammerhead - His Head is a Hammer.
|
|
|