Following the enormous success of the Telecaster® and Stratocaster®, Fender released their third solidbody electric guitar model in 1958: the Jazzmaster®.

Originally intended for jazz guitarists, the Jazzmaster® featured a contoured offset body that was particularly comfortable to play while seated, a floating bridge with an anchored tailpiece, a new floating vibrato with a lockable tremolo, two separate tone circuits, and unique single-coil pickups.

Compared to Fender’s two previous models, the Jazzmaster® was a departure from what guitarists expected—including the pickups. The new pickups were still single coils, but they used wide, flat coils to produce tones that Leo Fender hoped would be well-received by jazz musicians.

Despite building it around their perceived needs, jazz guitarists didn’t embrace the Jazzmaster®. However, other genres connected with the new model, most notably surf legends like The Ventures and, later on, indie titans like Sonic Youth. These players embraced the Jazzmaster®’s ability to bounce between bright, punchy cleans and a warm, mellow growl.

And, of course, how it can absolutely rip through a fuzz pedal.

Like other single-coil pickups, Jazzmaster® pickups are also known for being prone to the dreaded 60-cycle hum, which is especially prevalent when stacked with overdrives and fuzz pedals. Considering that many genres that are aligned with the Jazzmaster®—such as shoegaze—rely heavily on these effects, Jazzmasters® have a reputation for getting quite noisy.

Enter the Jazzmaster® Silencer™. Available in vintage and hot voicings, our Jazzmaster® Silencer™ pickups are designed to preserve the unmistakable Jazzmaster® charm while eliminating unwanted noise, combining classic aesthetics with cutting-edge technology for unmatched performance.

How the Jazzmaster® Silencer™ pickups work

The Seymour Duncan Jazzmaster® Silencer™ pickups offer a new take on noiseless Jazzmaster® pickups. The traditional solution for a hum-free Jazzmaster® pickup uses two coils, either in a stacked design or by putting traditional humbuckers under Jazzmaster® covers.

While two-coil techniques work, Jazzmaster® purists aren’t always satisfied with the tone of these noiseless pickups. Since these designs are humbuckers (either literally or technically), many players don’t think this style of noiseless pickup captures the true single-coil punch, warmth, and growl of traditional Jazzmaster® pickups.

Instead of using stacked coil or traditional humbuckers, our Jazzmaster® Silencer™ pickups employ a patent-pending triple-coil design. This includes one primary (center) coil to capture that Jazzmaster® tone and two “outrigger” coils wired in series, placed on either side of the center coil.

With a warm and punchy neck tone, a bright and tight bridge sound, and visible Alnico 5 pole pieces that maintain the classic Jazzmaster® look, the only thing that gives the Jazzmaster® Silencer™ away is the inspiration for its name: Silence.

Available in Vintage and Hot Voicings

Not all modern Jazzmaster® players have the same sonic needs, which is why we’ve released our Jazzmaster® Silencer™ pickups in both vintage and hot voicings.

The Vintage Jazzmaster® Silencer™ retains the warm, punchy neck tone and tight, snappy bridge sound that defines the Jazzmaster®. Clean or overdriven, the Vintage Jazzmaster® Silencer’s vintage-voiced tone is perfect for shimmering indie textures, surf-inspired riffs, and modern pedal-driven explorations.

With their higher output, our Hot Jazzmaster® Silencer™ pickups deliver stronger, more powerful Jazzmaster® tones without sacrificing clarity. The neck pickup has a crisp, full-bodied tone, adding extra warmth in the low end, while the bridge pickup brings sharp definition and sustain for solos that cut through any mix. It’s ideal for gritty surf riffs, glimmering melodies, grungy fuzzed-out rock, reverb-drenched shoegaze, and beyond.

Enjoy Jazzmaster® Tone Without the Hum

The Jazzmaster® is here to stay, but that doesn’t mean you need to live with 60-cycle hum. No matter which version you drop into your guitar, the Jazzmaster® Silencer™ will give you the Jazzmaster® tone you know, love, and crave—without the single-coil noise.

Ready to try out the Jazzmaster® Silencer™ for yourself? Find the one that’s right for you here, and check out the rest of our blog for more pickup tips and guides.

Jazzmaster® is a registered trademark of Fender Musical Instruments Corporation.