Jazzmaster Project ! Need help

[Nevy]

Hi guys,

I'm planning on buying a neck and a body from warmoth to build my ever dreamed jazzmaster:
-black body
-white pickguard
-blocks and binding
-bigheadstock like the after 68' ones.

Just like this one :
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-KqmhZvHqg8

I think im pretty close to the final order but i would use a little help on some details.

First things first, i will have to take a cbs strat warmoth proneck to get that big headstock vibe as the jazzmaster one looks much smaller on warmoth's website. Is this going to fit perfectly with the jm body ?

The body is going to be one from their stocks. Do you know if its going to be drilled for the pickguard, straps locks, tremolo and neck? Is the neck going to be drilled as well ? Will the screws for the neck joint will be sent with the neck? Will the headstock be drilled for the string retainer ?

Im planning on buying a mastery bridge, will it fit the bridge cavities on the body?

I chose vintage tint gloss. It says 100$ for a mapple neck + non mapple fretboard but still charges 130$ am i missing something ?

Why can't i chose a bone nut in the options ?

Any thoughts on which woods to chose ?
For now i think about alder body / maple neck / dark indian rosewood fretboard.

Sorry for all the text and non native speaker english.

Thanks a lot in advance for any tips / advise you would give me !

 

[adked]

Warmoth will not drill any holes for the pickguard, strap buttons, string retainers or tuner mounting holes.  I even called them and said I'd pay extra but they said "nope".

The neck holes will be done, bridge holes will be done if you know what bridge you will use.

Neck screws are extra, but only a couple of bucks.

If you're getting the body finished, note that every hole that they drill will end up a little too small due to the finish.  I had a spend a lot of time expanding every hole before anything would fit through them. 

 

[Fat Pete]

Warmoth's Jazzmaster headstock is bigger than the standard Strat - based on pre-CBS JMs. Their CBS version is based on the CBS Strat 'stock, which I don't think is the same as the CBS JM. They do both fit exactly the same though, so just choose the one you prefer.

Neck holes yes, but they don't drill any of the 'small holes' - pickguard, strap buttons, string retainers or tuner screw holes.

If you're buying the body from the showcase and plan on using a vintage JM type bridge/trem, you'll have to choose one that's already drilled for it - the 'your choice tremelo' bodies can only be routed for Strat-derived trems.

See above, but yes, the Mastery should fit fine.

If you check out the neck binding info page, you'll see that finishing a bound neck is $30 extra.

Warmoth simply don't offer bone nuts. Maybe because it's nasty, smelly stuff to be working with on a large scale. If you're set on bone, you'll have to source that elsewhere (get a local luthier/tech to cut one for you?)

Seems like you're going down a mostly vintage path, so the wood choices you suggest are certainly the most obvious.

With care and attention to detail, a guitar built around a Warmoth body and neck can be something really special but do remember that they do not sell kits; some work is required, so if you are worried about drilling holes etc., consider getting a pro to put it together for you.

Anyway, welcome to the forum! Good luck with your project and don't worry about asking questions. Oh, make sure you post pictures of any parts, progress etc.

 

[Nevy]

Hello,

Guys thanks a lot for the informations !

2 more questions :
- how long does it generally takes to get an order done ? (here the neck)
- Is there any options for block inlays, i noticed they are smaller than the fender ones ?

I will post a few pics once everything is finished !

Cheers !  :rock-on:

 

[Day-mun]

Welcome to the forum! When you get this guitar's pieces and start the build, come back and show us lots of photos!

-CBS strat neck will fit the JM pocket; I know because I have put this same combination together.  :icon_thumright: Exceptions are the Jazzcasters, -they typically have Telecaster pockets.

-Warmoth sells neck screws, but you have to order them; they are not included in your neck purchase.

-The tail-piece cavity will have the mounting screw-holes drilled, as will the neck and neck pocket. One of my JM's didn't have a tunnel to the bridge route for a ground wire (maybe was painted over?), so I had to drill that, but typically there is a provision for bridge/string-path grounding.

-The white Graph-Tech Tusq is a very good synthetic if you like the look/sound/feel of bone; no disappointments here!

-One of my JM's has an ash body; even though it its chambered, I thought it was a little too bright sounding. I vote for Maple/Rosewood & Alder!

 

[Day-mun]

Warmoth says 8-10 weeks for made-to-order items getting finished, but they are usually faster than that...

 

[Day-mun]

...I looked on the custom builder, and I see what you mean; the picture of the block inlay does make it appear very small! But, I think that if you check for the block inlays on showcase items, you'll see that they are really much larger than the builder's picture seems.

 

[Fat Pete]

They certainly only offer one size of (rectangular) block inlays. If you want to see a real world example, you could (ahem) do worse than check out my Corvette.

 

[Day-mun]

-A splendidly beautiful example of W's blocks indeed!  ccasion14:

 

[Nevy]

I'm a big tele fan and yours is very beautiful.
The blocks are very nice too thanks !

 

[Day-mun]

This JM neck with Blocks in the showcase right now (20% off at that!):

-Good-sized inlays, IMO!

 

[Day-mun]

Ooops! here's some rosewood:

 

[Nevy]

That's the exact same one i want except for the vintage tint and big headstock

 

[Day-mun]

Here's one in the showcase without finish. It is a JM headstock; -bigger than the strat, but smaller than the CBS.

But look at that creamy binding! I'd personally consider ordering this (-or one of the other three in the showcase right now) and add the vintage tint finish and Stainless Steel frets (-worth the $20 up-charge in my opinion) for around $537 (as opposed to the ~$650 for custom-build), -ONLY IF you can compromise on how large the headstock is. -Or wait until you see a CBS neck with block inlay & without finish, but I think the chance of seeing a CBS with blocks and binding on rosewood pop up in the showcase is sketchy.

Compromising on certain aspects of the build is a funny thing; I do sometimes if it is something that isn't that critical, because I am a bit of a bargain shopper. But sometimes it bites me in the butt because later I find out it is something that is really going to bother me, then I *sigh* have to replace the offending piece. -Only you know if you can live with the JM head instead of the CBS.

 

[Cagey]

Personally, I've always thought the CBS headstocks look like pizza peels. Way too big. Even the Jazzmaster head is too big for me; I'd be looking at a Strat headstock at most - more likely a Warhead. But, I understand the desire for "vintage" appearance. I think if one wanted a JM neck, what you've picked out would be great. Still, a roasted Maple neck that didn't need a finish and could be properly burnished, with a Strat headstock and unique choice Rosewood or Pau Ferro fretboard seems like it would be the whip.

 

[Nevy]

Just checked the warmoth page this morning and the sales are gone :x
Do you know if they come on regular basis ?

 

[bagman67]

Nope, they come very infrequently.  The last one was something like four years ago.  See you in 2019!

 

[Nevy]

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo  :laughing3:

 

[Nevy]

I finally got my tele and my strat for sale. Once i got my money, i'll place the order.
But I was just thinking, I know how to drill properly but how can i know where to drill exactly for example for the pickguard ?

 

[stratamania]

You align the pickguard relative to the body, neck pocket, centre line , bridge etc. the pickguard has holes in it so there is the template right there.

This might help you.

http://unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=22445.msg336594#msg336594