AEROCASTER - New quasi-JAZZMASTER build ordered...

[AEROCASTER]

Pushed the button last week...  and now waiting.  I expect to see some bits and pieces float my way in about 6-8 weeks...  then over to Calgary's Jim Mozell for the build.

Custom JAZZMASTER Specs: 

Body: Custom ordered swamp ash Standard Jazzmaster body with swamp ash top.  Tele neck pocket.  Rear route with contoured heel.  Strat controls with 3-way switch, tone-1(volume) and tone-2(tone).  Strat jack on the front.  Gotoh Wilconson recessed tremelo rout.  Pickups, routed for mini-humbucker bridge and neck, no middle. 

Body Paint:  Mary Kay White front and back.

Neck: Warmoth Pro Tele neck from the showcase:  Quatersawn maple, with a dark rosewood fingerboard and mother of pearl dots.  9-16 .  6105.  Standard Thin.  White TUSQ nut.  Gotoh route for vintage tuners. 

Neck Paint:  Mary Kay White peg-face to match the body, and clear gloss back.

Bits and Pieces:  SD mini-humbuckers (I have a Firebird, one of two guitars I have that are not Fenders, and I love the sound of the mini-humbuckers in that guitar).  Gotoh Wilconson trem, and all other pieces chrome. 

I've been Jonesin' for a Jazzmaster profile for a long time, and wanted an excuse to try mini-humbuckers in something.  I think the Mary Kay White over swamp ash and matching peg-face over quartersawn maple will work nicely together, especially against a really dark fingerboard with whte MOP dots. 

I'm sold on modified Strat controls for two pickups, after a successful summer build of a mahogany/rosewood Tele I posted a few months back.  Here's a link to the Tele and the controls if anyone's interested.    http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=13829.0

I decided to use a Tele neck just because I like the Tele peg-face profile, and I think it'll be fine on the JM body.  I'll post pics as the pieces come and the build is underway.

AEROCASTER

 

[AEROCASTER]

If anyone's interested....

The body and neck came in last week, along with most of the other bits and pieces.

The neck is quarter-sawn maple, so the grain picked up nicely in a pretty close match to what's happening on the body.

Off to my luthier today.

 

[SustainerPlayer]

Looking smashing.  :icon_thumright:

 

[OzziePete]

Good that you got the body rear routed as the JM pickguard can't be routed for mini hums.....but you are going without a pickguard - all cool!   :cool01:

Are you going to put the chrome mounting rings on the body for the mini hums?

 

[AEROCASTER]

SustainerPlayer, when I called Warmoth a few months ago to ask many questions they told there is another manufacturer in their area who could produce a custom pickguard to fit the mini humbuckers. 

I'm going to leave the wood open, as there are no open bouts to cover.  I've looked carefully over a  Firebird to check the specs on the pickguard rings and it appears there is plenty of room to mount standard Firebird mini-humbucker rings.  They're not that common, but I have two sources, one in the US and the other in China, both around $15.  If I run into problems with them I have a fabricator friend here who's seen what I'm doing and will custom make whatever I need.  They're just flat pieces.

Dropped what I had off with Jim Mozell here in Calgary yesterday.  He's very big on Warmoth quality and loved it.  He said there'd be no problem with any of the assembly.  I'll post more pix as they come. 

AEROCASTER

 

[OzziePete]

SustainerPlayer, when I called Warmoth a few months ago to ask many questions they told there is another manufacturer in their area who could produce a custom pickguard to fit the mini humbuckers.  

I'm going to leave the wood open, as there are no open bouts to cover.  I've looked carefully over a  Firebird to check the specs on the pickguard rings and it appears there is plenty of room to mount standard Firebird mini-humbucker rings.  They're not that common, but I have two sources, one in the US and the other in China, both around $15.   If I run into problems with them I have a fabricator friend here who's seen what I'm doing and will custom make whatever I need.  They're just flat pieces.

Dropped what I had off with Jim Mozell here in Calgary yesterday.  He's very big on Warmoth quality and loved it.  He said there'd be no problem with any of the assembly.  I'll post more pix as they come.  

AEROCASTER

You can get Firebird Mini Humbucker chrome rings in a few places. Allparts, Parts Is Parts... all around US$15 a pair.

Who is the other manufacturer who can custom make a Warmoth styled JM pickguard for Mini hums? I'd REALLY wanna talk to them, cause I am sick of ruining Warmoth blank JM pickguards with routing efforts for mini humbuckers.....the only way I can get what I want, is to buy the Warmoth JM pickguard without the pickup routs, and I'm always stuffing that up... :doh: Seriously, you'd do me a big favour if you let me know.  :help:

 

[AEROCASTER]

OzziePete....

Good question, and sorry I don't have the answer.  I should have written in down despite the fact I wasn't going to use one. 

It was one of the guys on the Warmoth phone line who mentioned it to me.  It's probably worth giving Warmoth a ring to try and get the name.  He said it was a local firm, meaning Washington State.

Good luck.

 

[stubhead]

If you're ruining Warmoth pickguards with a router, you might want to go caveman and cut them out with a utility knife, little files and sandpaper.... the stuff's so soft 'n' easy to work with, power tools are kind of overkill.

http://www.softneasy.info/

 

[OzziePete]

If you're ruining Warmoth pickguards with a router, you might want to go caveman and cut them out with a utility knife, little files and sandpaper.... the stuff's so soft 'n' easy to work with, power tools are kind of overkill.

http://www.softneasy.info/

:laughing7: Like the link though I have no use for it........

Not only ruining pickguards, but mounting rings that I am using as a routing template! That's how I know the Firebird rings are $15 a pair at a number of outlets...... :help:

Also the current pickguard has picked up a warp in it by the looks of it, and won't settle down flat on the body..... a million pickguard screws don't help either....

You would trust me with a knife?  

Luv
Caveman  :icon_jokercolor:

Back on topic: By using a rear rout you can get mini hums into a Jazzmaster Warmoth body much easier......... :icon_thumright: