Dinosaur Jr.'s J Mascis Wants Cheap Guitars and Human-Made Songs
J Mascis, singer and guitarist for Dinosaur Jr., talked about his Fender guitars, the band's next record There Near, and AI in music in a new interview. The Verge published it on Oct. 18, 2026.
Mascis told The Verge the neck is what matters most to him. He likes jumbo frets, the thick metal strips on the neck that make strings easier to press, and he wants his guitars simple and cheap so players can change them as they like.
He has long played the Jazzmaster, a Fender guitar with an uneven, offset body shape. Rundowns also note he got a signature Fender Telecaster in 2021. Premier Guitar
There Near was made with the original band, Mascis with bassist Lou Barlow and drummer Patrick Murphy. Mascis said they "just didn't push it." He came in with finished demos and they recorded fast, while Barlow and Murphy were still learning the parts.
Asked how the band has lasted 40 years, he said, "I guess we have nothing better to do."
Mascis called himself "kind of a tube purist guy." That means he likes old tube amps for their warm sound, but he will use what works. He records into Pro Tools, a computer program for recording, then mixes and finishes the music on tape, like printing a photo after editing it on a screen.
He also talked about the AI-made video for his solo song 'Old Friends.' He said "just some kid did it" and he thought it looked cool. He added, "I guess that's a slippery slope."
He told The Verge he does not think AI belongs in making music. But he said it is here whether we like it or not and "we're learning how to deal with it."
The broader context here is simple. For Mascis, a cheap video is packaging. A song is the thing inside. He is easy about the packaging and strict about the song.
In my view, that explains his other choices too. A cheap, simple guitar lets the player shape it. Recording on a computer and finishing on tape does the same thing, easy editing first, warm sound at the end.
Worth flagging is what he is not saying. He is not saying tape is better in some moral way. He is not saying AI video is good in general. He liked this one, he sees the risk, and he draws a line at making music with AI.
Looking ahead, the pattern to watch is plain. Tools that make the extra stuff cheaper, like art or promo clips, get picked up first. Tools that try to take over songs meet more pushback. Mascis keeps people in charge of the music and takes help where it saves time.
