Gold Jazzmaster build

mcsdan

Body picked by Scott for me.

Hattigol

Rich210 said:

mcsdan said:

oooh. TBH I've played around with gibson electronics and strat/teles but jazzmasters are new to me (in terms of electronics). The ryhthm circuit has always seemed a mystery hence another reason to do a build/wire one up.

I love the rhythm circuit on the Jazzmaster! 

Do you? I find it uninspiring. Sounds like someone has thrown a blanket over my amp.

If I was having a JM custom-made, which I have thought about, I'd change that switch/circuit to a boost of some sort.

Good luck with the build, OP!

Rich210

Yeah I really do, I suppose it depends on how your amp/speaker copes with the lower frequencies? What do you play it through?  I get great things from mine when it's put through an amp with headroom galore. 

Hattigol

I play it through an AC15 and a Bassman. Whatever I play it through, it just sounds so dull compared to the 'normal' circuit...

Rich210

Headroom aint an issue there then! Maybe it's just a question of horses for courses then or just look of the draw on the parts? I'm not sure if they make a difference or not, but I did put some creamery vintage pups in mine. Steve Robinson did a great job on the upgrading the MIJ electrics in the normal circuitry but left the rhythm circuit alone, I think it sounds fab, sort of silky or buttery with a big bottom. Have you tried other Jazzers to compare?

mcsdan

Anyone fitted p90s to a Jazzmaster? From what I can see they should fit the standard JM covers but height may be an issue on the neck.

I have a couple of sets of Bareknuckle p90s (BKP90 & BKP91) sitting around for a future build. So a set of those would be interesting in a JM and give a different sound albeit in the offset body.

mcsdan

Gold anodised pickguard has arrived. Not too sure on it tbh - looks a bit too gold if that makes sense. I'll have to see how it looks when on the body.

Rich210

mcsdan said:

Anyone fitted p90s to a Jazzmaster? From what I can see they should fit the standard JM covers but height may be an issue on the neck.

I have a couple of sets of Bareknuckle p90s (BKP90 & BKP91) sitting around for a future build. So a set of those would be interesting in a JM and give a different sound albeit in the offset body.

I've not but I though the J Masics Squire was a JM with P90's?

mcsdan

That's what I saw and made me think of doing it. I have the pickups so one less thing to buy and a variation on the standard JM sound.  Wondering if I could change the dark circuit to make the p90s thinner/brighter sounding like normal single coils. I suppose higher pots and a lower capacitor could do the trick. I'll have a search around ....

mcsdan

lol dark circuit to make it brighter!

Rich210

Cool, I like that idea! A bright switch instead of a warmer upper. Very nice take on the design. You could even use it as an experimentation bay by cutting a section across the pick guard so you can try dropping in and out different components till you find something you like

mcsdan

Just thinking out aloud really.

I'm going with it! Already have pickups and if I don't like I can buy some normal JM pickups which was on my list anyway. Nothing lost except a bit of experimental time.  I'll add the cost of the p90s into the build though!

PeteC

Really like how this is coming together - watching with interest. Love that Gold Jazzer. 

mcsdan

PeteC said:

Really like how this is coming together - watching with interest. Love that Gold Jazzer. 

Going to take a while!!

mcsdan

Just got the gold scratch plate out and given a clean (was used) and tbh it is growing on me. I'm going to reserve decision until it all comes together. Just not what I'm used to!

mcsdan

Neck order placed with Scott - screlics. I have one of his necks on my tele build and it;s great. Nitro - clean on the back with some slight wear around the cowboy chords area. The finish on these is really thin and know this will age naturally very quickly. Perfect.

I have some CTS 500k TVT pots which I'm going to add in until I've worked out what I'm doing with the wiring. Also a selection of PIO caps and others lying around. Again, adding the price into the build even though I don't have to buy them.

Price is getting close to budget now and still a few bits to source!

mcsdan

A few more bits ordered and arrived.  Budget is getting a bit close although just a few more bits to get.

For the wiring, I've going to go for

• lead circuit - as normal JM albeit with p90s so 500k pots and a 0.022 cap.
• rhythm/dark circuit - both pickups on but the volumes controlled but the pots, no tone circuit or caps. Should be quite raw but can blend pickups.
  

Have some JM pickup covers so need to try these with the P90s to see if they fit. Final test will be the routing of the body for the neck pickup and neck angle. All good fun!

Rich210

How's the build going dan?

spir4L

Hey, very cool idea! Mine looks like this. I actually also have a rosewood board neck, as at that time I wasn't sure which one to use, and I was thinking to swap them recently, to have a try and see how it feels. I went for the silver plate instead of gold anodised, but I am sure yours is going to look amazing. 

brooom

I've got something similar going on at the moment, a copy of a 1964 with Musikraft parts in candy apple red with a spitfire tortoise guard. Still early stages, but really looking forward to it.

Will be cool to see how your comes up as well. Keep us posted.