Even if you don't know who the guitar is named after, the Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster can still be considered one of the best guitars under $400 by virtue of its quality construction and design. With specs chosen by Mascis himself, it won't leave anyone feeling like they are playing a budget guitar. If you're looking for an entry point into the world of electric guitars, this is a solidly built instrument that plays well, sounds good and has been blessed by one of the patron saints of the Jazzmaster.

Who Is J Mascis?

Baby boomers may still be tied to the rock icons of their glory days, but for Gen X players, a different crop of guitar heroes emerged. One one hand you had Malmsteen, Van Halen, Satriani and Vai, distilled products of '80s shred mania. On the other hand, you had the rebellious pioneers of alt-rock, including acts like Sonic Youth and Dinosaur Jr., creating music that responded to the excesses and self-glorification of the time with wonderfully dissonant, layered and simple music. J Mascis is one of the godfathers of this latter movement, leading Dinosaur Jr. with personal, memorable lyrics and equally memorable guitar parts. His riff-writing prowess and continued use of Fender Jazzmasters made him something of an icon, turning a whole new generation of today's younger players on to his style.

A Stealth Beginner Guitar

This guitar does not come with a pack, or its own amp and cables, or an instructional DVD. It is not priced so low that it's a prize behind the ticket counter at Chuck E. Cheese's. It is not available at Wal-Mart. We would argue that this is a great beginner guitar, not because it's simple or watered-down, but because it's one of the few guitars under $400 that we would actually want to play everyday. And that is the most important factor in a first guitar - the obsession with playing it. With a vintage white finish and gold anodized aluminum pickguard, this is a guitar that looks and feels cool. Beyond that, Squier offers some of the highest quality standards in that price range, so you can rest assured that it will have true intonation, a great neck and reliable electronics.

How is the Squier version different from the Fender J Mascis Jazzmaster?

The Fender version is a made-in-Japan model, and the main differences are the paint job and (maybe) the electronics. The Fender J Mascis Jazzmaster has a purple-sparkle finish and uses Fender Vintage Reissue pickups rather than the standard Squier pickups. It also costs nearly four times as much. In other ways, it is the same - same Basswood body, same neck profile.