First Warmoth Project

[RATM]

I'm looking at building a walnut Jazzmaster as my first project, and was wondering if anyone had suggestions about neck/fingerboard woods and pickups. I am a complete amateur when it comes to building guitars and any imput or advice would be greatly appreciated. I found willyk's Walnut Jazzmaster (http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=92.0) amazing and was thinking of doing somthing around those lines.

Thanks,
- RATM

 

[Nando Vallart]

What kind of music/tone you want to play?
Without it, nobody can help not even a little

 

[jackthehack]

And what for pickups?

A more traditional "Fender sounding" and looking build would suggest a maple neck with or without a rosewood fretboard; possibilities are damn near limitless....

 

[RATM]

The stuff I play is mostly Alternative or Rock I guess you could say, stuff like Modest Mouse, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Smashing Pumpkins etc.

Thanks,
- RATM

 

[jackthehack]

What for pickups? Jazzmaster originally came with HB sized P90 style pickups, but you can route for whatever you'd like if you're ordering the body from Warmoth.

Top routed with pickguard or rear routed?

 

[RATM]

Top routed and I was thinking of these pickups (http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/electric/specialized/progressive/sjm2_hot_for_ja/)

 

[jackthehack]

I'd go a maple neck, rosewood or kingwood board

 

[spauldingrules]

If you plan on gigging at all, nowadays you NEED noiseless if you plan on playing with any kind of distortion or volume.  Every bar I've played at would destroy a standard single coil.  However, there are noiseless singles out there which sound great to me (Dimarzio Area 58s and Area 61 are in my strat), and, of course, any humbucker will be fine.  Unless you are a blues monster or the focus of your band (and therefore out level everyone else), I'd get get it routed for the Jazzmaster pickups BUT have the pickguard routed for humbuckers so you can have the buckers now and maybe switch to the Jazzmaster pickups later.

 

[dbw]

guitarfetish sells 'Dream 180' pickups that are basically P90 humbuckers.  (Note to self: stop endorsing products I haven't tried!)