Mods for Jazzmaster HH (MIM)

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I'll be the owner of one of these shortly. I've read a lot of criticism online about these, mainly to do with the fact there are humbuckers in a Jazzmaster.

I had a Blacktop Jaguar which is a great workhorse. I just found the shorter scale a bit odd to deal with, and noticeable around the 7th fret in particular. Anyways, this Jazzmaster should satisfy my humbucking needs. 

Well that'll suit me fine. I have a standard CIJ Jazzmaster, and love the feel of it, so something with a similar feel, but with humbuckers will give me my humbucking kick.

I can't afford a Lee Ranaldo sig! Based on my own one, it looks like I'll have to change the bridge on the HH one. I put a tuneomatic into my CIJ one, and it seems to have done the trick. So that will be one thing I'll look at.

The coil splitting option in the HH model isn't something I'll use a whole lot, so might replace the pickups eventually. Maybe a tip to wide range humbuckers, ala Ranaldo's Jazzblaster.

I've seen Creamerys recommended.

Any other Jazzmaster HH players here?
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Comments

  • MossMoss Frets: 2409
    Mojo do humbucker sized Wide Ranges so you don't have to rout the body to fit them - http://www.mojopickups.co.uk/product/humbucker-sized-wide-range-humbucker/
    Stop crying, start buying
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  • Creed_ClicksCreed_Clicks Frets: 1384
    edited August 2015
    Are these similar to P90s then? They're not exactly humbuckers?

    Hmmm, I'm probably best steering clear and just going at the bridge!
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  • meltedbuzzboxmeltedbuzzbox Frets: 10337
    putting a TOM on a CIJ Jazzmaster makes me a sad panda...
    The Bigsby was the first successful design of what is now called a whammy bar or tremolo arm, although vibrato is the technically correct term for the musical effect it produces. In standard usage, tremolo is a rapid fluctuation of the volume of a note, while vibrato is a fluctuation in pitch. The origin of this nonstandard usage of the term by electric guitarists is attributed to Leo Fender, who also used the term “vibrato” to refer to what is really a tremolo effect.
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  • haha, the old one had to go. It's fine. No problems with it. I got a good set up.
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  • meltedbuzzboxmeltedbuzzbox Frets: 10337
    they do work well but tend to suffer from too much sympathetic resonance behind the bridge

    if you can, check out a mastery bridge
    The Bigsby was the first successful design of what is now called a whammy bar or tremolo arm, although vibrato is the technically correct term for the musical effect it produces. In standard usage, tremolo is a rapid fluctuation of the volume of a note, while vibrato is a fluctuation in pitch. The origin of this nonstandard usage of the term by electric guitarists is attributed to Leo Fender, who also used the term “vibrato” to refer to what is really a tremolo effect.
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  • Creed_ClicksCreed_Clicks Frets: 1384
    edited September 2015
    Once I'm in the money again I might go for one.

    Looking at the mastery website, which bridge would be suitable for a MIM Jazzmaster though.

    I see they only mention MIA and CIJ. I suppose the MIM bridge will be one or the other!
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  • Creed_ClicksCreed_Clicks Frets: 1384
    Hi guys. I'm bumping my own thread from 3 years ago! I sold this guitar in the meantime, but potentially might try and pick one up again and mod it as follows: New pickguard, and just keep the volume knob. Staytrem bridge. Humbucker size wide range pickups ala Lee Ranaldo.
    I would imagine the humbuckers in HH jazzmasters are standard sized?
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  • impmannimpmann Frets: 12641
    Hi guys. I'm bumping my own thread from 3 years ago! I sold this guitar in the meantime, but potentially might try and pick one up again and mod it as follows: New pickguard, and just keep the volume knob. Staytrem bridge. Humbucker size wide range pickups ala Lee Ranaldo.
    I would imagine the humbuckers in HH jazzmasters are standard sized?
    Yes they are standard sized.


    Never Ever Bloody Anything Ever.

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  • Creed_ClicksCreed_Clicks Frets: 1384
    Feck it, I should have kept it and turned it into a modded monster. The stock bridge really broke my heart. I'll keep an eye out for a used one.
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  • Simon_MSimon_M Frets: 542
    The pickups are standard size but, depending on the model you have, the routes and cut outs in the pick guard may not be. I replaced the pickups and pick guard in mine and I had to route about 5mm extra out of the neck pickup and a smidge out of the controls route to fit the toggle. I ended up rewiring the whole thing with Teflon insulated, silver wire and adding shielding to the entire cavity and guard. I prefer it now (it had pickup rings before, now it looks cleaner) but a bit more work than expected.
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  • Creed_ClicksCreed_Clicks Frets: 1384
    Did you change the bridge?
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  • Simon_MSimon_M Frets: 542
    No. I havent had a problem with the bridge once I set it up properly. It’s a bit fiddly but works okay for me.
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  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14320
    Are these similar to P90s, then? They're not exactly humbuckers?
    Fender Wide Range humbuckers definitely are humbuckers - albeit of an unusual design. They have two coils, each spanning all six strings. Where they differ from the majority of humbuckers is in which polepieces are adjustable and which are hidden studs. 
    Be seeing you.
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  • Might as well drag up an old thread I started a few years back. I had a MIM Jazzmaster HH and moved it on eventually (bridge was the worst part of it but I never bonded). I'd love to have a Jazzmaster with wide range humbuckers, but can't afford the Lee Ranaldo sig, so think a mod might do.

    Short of keeping my eyes open for a used Jazzmaster HH, I notice there's a new Jazzmaster HH Player, which could be an option on the used market. I'm not too sure what the technical difference are between it and the standard HH MIM other than the finishes...

    A cheaper option might be the Affinity Squier Jazzmaster HH, which seems suspiciously cheap! I don't know if it would be worth investing in wide range buckers to put into one of these, but it is a hardtail, which is an advantage in itself....


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  • punchesjudypunchesjudy Frets: 1020
    I'd suggest a Jazzmaster with standard JM pickups over a HH player myself. Especially if you decide you want standard JM single coils later on. 
    Swap out the pickups for Mojo wide range Jazzmaster pickups if that's what you want. 
    A Squier Mascis or Deluxe or possibly a Fender Classic Player JM if you can find one cheap enough. 


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  • I'd suggest a Jazzmaster with standard JM pickups over a HH player myself. Especially if you decide you want standard JM single coils later on. 
    Swap out the pickups for Mojo wide range Jazzmaster pickups if that's what you want. 
    A Squier Mascis or Deluxe or possibly a Fender Classic Player JM if you can find one cheap enough. 


    Ah, I didn't realise you could get JM sized wide range pickups. Certainly an option then. A Squier Mascic would indeed be good. I'll keep my eyes peeled....
    Like a bit of a fool, I recently sold a Jazzmaster baritone because I didn't like the trebly plink plink off it..... A pickup change could have solved it all..... :/
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  • punchesjudypunchesjudy Frets: 1020
    I'd suggest a Jazzmaster with standard JM pickups over a HH player myself. Especially if you decide you want standard JM single coils later on. 
    Swap out the pickups for Mojo wide range Jazzmaster pickups if that's what you want. 
    A Squier Mascis or Deluxe or possibly a Fender Classic Player JM if you can find one cheap enough. 


    Ah, I didn't realise you could get JM sized wide range pickups. Certainly an option then. A Squier Mascic would indeed be good. I'll keep my eyes peeled....
    Like a bit of a fool, I recently sold a Jazzmaster baritone because I didn't like the trebly plink plink off it..... A pickup change could have solved it all..... :/
    Yeah, when I had a standard JM I swapped to the overwound bridge set Mojo sells that were incredible. Makes the bridge pickup much more useable. Before that my Avri set were way too bright. 

    Just to let you know also that proper full size wrhb wouldn't fit in the standard humbucker route either so the HH options might not be what you're after. I'm sure a pickup builder could make something close to a wide range in standard Hb size though. 

    Again though, a standard JM would be my choice and then a pickup swap. Unless of course you find you like the pickups it comes with.
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  • GagarynGagaryn Frets: 1553
    I'd suggest a Jazzmaster with standard JM pickups over a HH player myself. Especially if you decide you want standard JM single coils later on. 
    Swap out the pickups for Mojo wide range Jazzmaster pickups if that's what you want. 
    A Squier Mascis or Deluxe or possibly a Fender Classic Player JM if you can find one cheap enough. 


    Ah, I didn't realise you could get JM sized wide range pickups. Certainly an option then. A Squier Mascic would indeed be good. I'll keep my eyes peeled....
    Like a bit of a fool, I recently sold a Jazzmaster baritone because I didn't like the trebly plink plink off it..... A pickup change could have solved it all..... :/

    I just put this JM together with Mojo WRHB. The pickups are excellent!http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/138525/new-jazzmaster-build#latest

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  • Creed_ClicksCreed_Clicks Frets: 1384
    edited August 2018
    Oh very nice. Looks like I just need to hold out for a cheap JM and mod away...

    On a side note, any humbucker suggestions for a baritone Jazzmaster that wouldn't get too muddy?
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  • Would humbucker size wide range pickups fit snugly in a Jazzmaster HH? 
    Aesthetically I think they look cool on a JM.
    Or could a regular Jazzmaster body be altered to accommodate humbucker sized wide range pickups ?
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