Jet JS-300 Mods - newbie, any tips and recommendations for parts?

SgtGonzo17th

Hi all,

really interesting in getting one of these to mod 

https://www.bax-shop.co.uk/electric-guitars/jet-guitars-300-series-js-300-sea-foam-green-electric-guitar?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=surfaces&gclid=Cj0KCQiA0eOPBhCGARIsAFIwTs7405dvs0M1dNvQ3x3URL1o4FjCS9g6SfsdbqYxNckcBsZ8FjScdNYaAv9HEALw_wcB

This will be my first project, super excited about it. I know most would probably not recommend spending too much, but I love the seafoam green + maple neck. I don't mind going over budget to make a really nice guitar out of it. any recommendations on:

(budgets are an indication - willing to go over budget if you think it will be be a substanttial gain over anything cheaper)

Replacement bridge (£30-50) - ideally something that just fits without too much hassle

Replacement tuners (£30-50) - again, something that just fits out of the bag would be great

Replacement pickups/loaded pickguard - John Frusicante tone. I was thinking about going budget and getting Wilkinson WVS60s and soldering onto existing pickguard, but I'm perhaps leaning towards getting a loaded pickguard with all new electrics, perhaps fender tex mex - would this be fine to add to this guitar? willing to go to around £150-200 for a loaded pickguard and open to drilling new holes for screws if absolutely necessary

shielding the cavity - recommended?

Any other tips or recommendations would be massively appreciated!

Thanks for your time and patience!
Sgt Gonzo

longjaw

I'd go with Wilkinson for the bridge (one with a solid steel block) - I have one in my partscaster Strat and it's very good..

Not sure why you'd want to change the tuners, unless they don't work. Id' rather spend the money on a new tus-q or bone nut.

You need to be careful that a replacement guard is the same shape and size as the original.

SgtGonzo17th

longjaw said:

I'd go with Wilkinson for the bridge (one with a solid steel block) - I have one in my partscaster Strat and it's very good..

Not sure why you'd want to change the tuners, unless they don't work. Id' rather spend the money on a new tus-q or bone nut.

You need to be careful that a replacement guard is the same shape and size as the original.

Thanks a lot for getting back to me. Apologies I'm new to this and don't have much information to get the specs of things like the pickgaurds/bridge dimensions etc, couldn't seem to find anything online. It seems like quite a few users here have modded these guitars already, so was hoping to narrow down to specific part reccomendations.

I was looking at this bridge in the meantime

https://www.bax-shop.co.uk/guitar-bridges/wilkinson-t-wvcs-n-tremolo-bridge-for-st-style-guitar-nickel

And good shout on a tusq nut, will look into it

DrBob

I have a Wilkinson WV6 with the full fat Steel block and the push fit arm that I might have for sale in a week or so

SgtGonzo17th

DrBob said:

I have a Wilkinson WV6 with the full fat Steel block and the push fit arm that I might have for sale in a week or so

thanks dude. I ended up buying a black Wilson WV6 as it happens, along with a tusq nut, black gotoh tuners, a black loaded pickguard from axesrus with pink tone nobs/pickup guars going on the sea foam green jet. ordered the tools too. It's probably going to look horrendous but i think it will have a fun/toyish look which i'm pretty keen on. I have a few 'serious' looking guitars anyway. Not sure when all the parts/guitar will arrive as the guitar itself wasnt even in stock, but hey, got nice little project to look forward to now. I'll let you know how it goes.

Rich31k

I have a Js 300. Lovely as a base. 

But as mentioned above, a standard fender strat guard didn’t really fit. It took a bit of sanding and I have a reasonable fit, but I had to drill holes for the screws. 

Great low risk guitar to mod though. 

mark123

Rich31k said:

I have a Js 300. Lovely as a base. 

But as mentioned above, a standard fender strat guard didn’t really fit. It took a bit of sanding and I have a reasonable fit, but I had to drill holes for the screws. 

Great low risk guitar to mod though. 

looking to change the pickguard on my Jet 300 strat , how far out are they ? Was it the neck pocket that you have to sand ?

Rich31k

mark123 said:

Rich31k said:

I have a Js 300. Lovely as a base. 

But as mentioned above, a standard fender strat guard didn’t really fit. It took a bit of sanding and I have a reasonable fit, but I had to drill holes for the screws. 

Great low risk guitar to mod though. 

looking to change the pickguard on my Jet 300 strat , how far out are they ? Was it the neck pocket that you have to sand ?

A fair amount at the neck pocket and around the bridge. Also had to drill new holes for the screws. All of them I think. The old holes are all covered by the new pick guard. I might have been able to do a better job, but it looks fine to me.

BillDL

From a personal viewpoint, and please don't take this as a criticism, I prefer to actually have the guitar in my [edit] nagds HANDS (don't know how I typed that) to measure BEFORE buying any parts.  This is especially true of guitars where you can't find full specifications either on the retailer's website or the manufacturer's website, but even if specs are given in the details they can often be wrong either because of revisions or how and where those specs were retrieved from.  One of the obvious examples of potential mismatches is that "standard" Strat type tremolo bridges and also nuts can come in a couple of different string spacings on the saddles and these details are not available on the Jet Guitars website.

My other reason for not buying parts first is that the guitar might very easily already have branded or generic unbranded parts on it that are just as good quality as replacement parts that you have gone and bought.  That leaves you with a dilemma - keep the guitar as it is and buy another one to mod, or mod it and hope that the money spend on the parts has actually improved it.  You don't want to go back down the line in price to buy a cheaper one that definitely would benefit from upgrades because there could be other build issues that would make it less satisfying.  I'm talking from experience here, and that's the reason I have far too many guitars than is healthy for one person.

I fully understand that the only way you are going to get experience tinkering with guitars is to buy a budget priced one and have a go, and it is enjoyable and satisfying doing this, but the problem is that budget guitars are getting better and better and it's sometimes hard to know whether swapping out parts is actually worth the money.  It's nearly always worth the money if you are personalising it even if you're not actually upgrading anything though.

I hope everything goes well with modding and personalising your guitar when it arrives, and I hope I haven't curbed your enthusiasm.

Flip

My advice is much in line with BillDL's. I started building guitars a couple of years back and my advice would be to buy A Harley Benton type kit and learn about building, getting fits right, frets dressed and all the making before worrying about new bits.

Now I spend maybe four times as much on a kit and spend maybe another £100 on upgrading but I'd be concerned that you'd waste a proportion of the upgrade investment on your first few instruments.

Just a personal point of view.

Dan7

Rich31k said:

I have a Js 300. Lovely as a base. 

But as mentioned above, a standard fender strat guard didn’t really fit. It took a bit of sanding and I have a reasonable fit, but I had to drill holes for the screws. 

Great low risk guitar to mod though. 

What about the tuner holes what size are they? I have ordered js 300 and also im thinking on full upgrade.

MentalSharps

Another option for the pickguard could be to get a custom pickguard made that fits exactly. 

@tinytone is a great option on this forum and offering a discount for fretboard members if you check the traders section - lots of cool options to choose from and would save drilling holes in your guitar. 

mark123

I was wondering how the jet guitars swap with fender / squier scratchplates/ necks and  came accross this video , it gives you the answer and its pretty much what Rich31k said in a earlier post.