Lefty Jazzmaster , mixed feelings

[reluctant-builder]

It was a morning full of potential. With both my new bed and my Warmoth slated to arrive. The bed came first, a box spring and a mattress. The mattress was A-OK, but the box spring had two sizable rips in the top. I had to refuse delivery of the box spring and the movers took it back. How that situation resolves is yet to be seen.

Barely an hour later, my Warmoth arrived. My Super signed for it, so I hurried downstairs upon seeing the delivery confirmation, retrieved my two boxes and returned to my apartment. I wasn't nearly as excited as I'd have liked to be; my enthusiasm tempered by my disappointment with the bed delivery.

I wonder, sometimes, if I will bad fortune upon myself. Upon removing the body from the box and looking it over ... at first glance, it's beautiful ... but, on closer inspection, I found a spot where it looks like a drop of something, I don't know what, fell and created an area when the finish is not consistent. Just north of it, too, is a black fleck, well beneath the clear coat.

Is it ridiculous to be disappointed in such a blemish? :sad: Here are some pictures.

 

[reluctant-builder]

And a snap of the guitar somewhat as it may look altogether.

 

[dudesweet157]

Is it really a finish blem, or could it be a wood anomaly?  Regardless, if it bothers you, by all means, send it back.  Personally, that spot doesn't bother me, but I'm not too anal retentive about my guitars anymore.  Gigging 2-3 times a week cured me of that pretty quick (no matter how careful you are, something bad WILL happen).  I kind of wish I went for plain jane solid color guitars instead of figured maple (strat) and rosewood (tele thinline).  Solid colors don't look as bad when they have a few dings.

 

[reluctant-builder]

I was thinking about it, and it really is a "big whoop" kind of issue. I mean, it's the back of the friggin' guitar, which will be against my body. I seem to have this need to wring my hands over some really inconsequential bullshit but, in this case, it was just that my desire for this first build of mine to be "perfect." In reality, I know that nothing could possibly be perfect, but I did hope the finish would be "flawless."

If it is an anomaly in the wood, though, I know nothing could be done about it. Aside from the mark, the thing looks pretty great. Nice chattoyancy, the grain is interesting without being either distracting or too boring. The burst looks really nice.

Thanks for giving me the perspective I needed, with regard to the blemish. That spot really isn't worth all the agita of sending it back. That would be like detonating an atomic bomb to kill a fruit fly.

 

[tfarny]

Well, the fleck is invisible in the photos, and the light spot could definitely be a wood "blemish" and not a finish flaw. plus it is literally on your belt buckle spot, utterly invisible to everyone and you when actually using it. If it's going to bother you forever, if you are that kind of guy, send it back. BUT - if this bothers you enough to send it back, then custom guitar making is NOT the hobby for you. You are ordering custom parts, yet to be built, nobody can know what they are going to look like. I'd keep it, it looks like an awesome build.

 

[reluctant-builder]

Hey, Tim. Good points. I'm the kind of guy whom it would bother only to the point that either my better judgment prevails or you guys slap me upside the head with the realization that, whaddayaknow, it's not the end of the world. It's not even a real issue. Thanks.

File this one under: If you look for problems, you'll find them.

 

[Cagey]

File this one under: If you look for problems, you'll find them.

Perzactly.

I had a neck show up from Warmoth that took some shipping damage (USPS shipping). Even the mail carrier said "you may need to file a claim - that box is a mess". It was, too. Looked like a major league baseball team used it for batting practice. But, after opening the package the damage was so minor, I just took it. I never notice it. But, I have a buddy who comes over and likes to play that guitar, and he never fails to point the blem out, as if I wasn't aware of it or it was some Earth-shaking anomaly that rendered the thing unplayable.

It did teach me a couple things, though. One, the USPS probably isn't the best way to ship things you care about, and two, from Palooka Washington the USPS is definitely faster than UPS. That's odd, but I've seen it repeatedly. UPS takes 8-10 days to get here, while the USPS only takes about 5. Plus, the USPS delivers on Saturday.

 

[Corey P.]

I seem to have this need to wring my hands over some really inconsequential bullshitee but, in this case, it was just that my desire for this first build of mine to be "perfect." In reality, I know that nothing could possibly be perfect, but I did hope the finish would be "flawless."

"Yeah, you need to get over that..."

The guitar looks fantastic!  Looks like it's going to be a great player - what pickups did you wind up going with?  I love the cream covers in the mix with the burst and tort.

 

[reluctant-builder]

Thanks!

I've got two Novaks on the way. A JM-V for the neck and a JM-90 for the bridge.

I'm trying to set about doing something with the guitar, and I chose to try fitting the bridge thimbles. I thought it would be pretty minor and easily satisfying. Boy, was I wrong!

The thimbles measure exactly 3/8" while the holes are 23/64" inside, with the lip closer to 11/32" ... neither of which is as wide as 3/8" ... so, what do I do? I've got Fender Jazzmaster bridge thimbles. I figured that would be a pretty safe bet. I bought them separately because I was getting a Mastery bridge and the only difference I could tell between their thimbles and Fender's is that the latter were cheaper. The Mastery fits just fine in the thimbles, but I can't get the thimbles in the too-small holes.

I tried the soldering iron trick, but I didn't force it. I don't think I can heat it enough to account for 1/64" at best and 1/32" at worst.  :sad1:

Edit: I tried the soldering iron trick, but I just couldn't stay with it beyond 15 seconds out of sheer fear and anxiety and anyway ... would it allow for 1/32" of contraction?

 

[Cagey]

I tried the soldering iron trick, but I just couldn't stay with it beyond 15 seconds out of sheer fear and anxiety and anyway ... would it allow for 1/32" of contraction?

I'm assuming you're talking about string ferrules here? If so, heating things up doesn't usually cause contraction unless what you're heating is wet and you're boiling off the liquid. The reason to heat ferrules is to melt the finish that's invariably in the holes they're to go into. Keeps you from chipping the finish. It doesn't shrink or enlarge the holes.

If there isn't any finish in the holes making life difficult, heating the ferrules up is an exercise in futility.

Be aware that those are a press-fit part. They aren't going to just drop in without a fight. I suspect manufacturers use an arbor or hydraulic press of some sort to press those in, but for us regular folk, we usually use a persuader...

Persuading a nail to penetrate some pine​

Use something to cushion the face of the ferrule, and give it a couple/few whacks. That'll teach it to defy you.

 

[reluctant-builder]

It's not precisely a ferrule. It's a bridge thimble, in which sits the posts of my Jazzmaster bridge. They look a lot like ferrules, but they're only open at the point where they receive the bridge posts.

 

[Cagey]

Oh, my. All bets are off. I forgot we were talking about a Jazzmaster bridge. When you said "thimble", the only thing I could think of that that could possibly be was string ferrules. Hmmm... couldn't we just take an ass-beating instead of trying to get any of that to work?

Just kidding. Sort of.

The holes for those are going to have to be very nearly if not exactly the same diameter. They're not fluted, so they have no bite to them, no wood displacement, nothing to keep them tight. Who designed that bridge anyway? Let's see... I don't know... who could it be...

Could it be... SATAN!?!​

 

[nexrex]

I was thinking about it, and it really is a "big whoop" kind of issue. I mean, it's the back of the friggin' guitar, which will be against my body. I seem to have this need to wring my hands over some really inconsequential bullshite but, in this case, it was just that my desire for this first build of mine to be "perfect." In reality, I know that nothing could possibly be perfect, but I did hope the finish would be "flawless."

If it is an anomaly in the wood, though, I know nothing could be done about it. Aside from the mark, the thing looks pretty great. Nice chattoyancy, the grain is interesting without being either distracting or too boring. The burst looks really nice.

Thanks for giving me the perspective I needed, with regard to the blemish. That spot really isn't worth all the agita of sending it back. That would be like detonating an atomic bomb to kill a fruit fly.

Me personally, I would keep it, but would mention it to Warmoth. As you mentioned it is the back, and you will eventually get all weird kinds of scratches back there anyway. It looks more like a wood anomaly to me.  Anyway, looks like a great guitar.  :icon_thumright:

 

[Volitions Advocate]

I built my first warmoth only to have it stolen from me less than a year later.

Insurance paid for it though and I built a new one nearly identical to replace it.
within a week i bumped it on a chair... there's a bit dent right on the edge on the front of the body,  right on the top just left (looking down at it) of where my forearm rests against the body when I play with a strap standing up.  Its a carved top LP.

I moped for 2 weeks. afraid to touch the guitar.  then I eventually said.. to hell with it!!  and now I enjoy my blemished guitar to its full extent.

You're all right buddy.  Its okay.. *patpat*  we get you.... but don't worry.

 

[nexrex]

" In reality, I know that nothing could possibly be perfect, but I did hope the finish would be "flawless."

Trying to find perfection in an imperfect world is a futile exercise. That's what my grand dad used to tell me anyways

 

[Nightclub Dwight]

Think of it like children.  Everyone wants their kid to be special, but some kids, well, they come out....."special."  Their parents don't love them any less.  In fact, I understand that kids with disabilities are often the ones parents enjoy the most.

I'm using an extreme example, and I don't mean any offense to anyone, or to imply that your guitar has any similarities to a disabled child.  But on one level we all bond with our instruments in an intimate and personal way.  Maybe your kid doesn't end up playing shortstop for the Yankees, but darn it, its still fun watching his Little League games.  Same with our guitars.  In a year's time I'm willing to bet there will be more serious things to be worried about than that one little speck.

Its your money, and Warmoth is a customer service oriented business.  If you feel that anomoly is unacceptable then by all means send it back, I'm sure they will take care of you without a second thought.  But I think the consensus of the forum here is that its not that big a deal, and we're collectively giving you permission to feel great about that awesome body you just received.  Have fun with it!

 

[stubhead]

If the thimbles are just not getting there, I would personally make the holes a little bigger. But power tools would be a reckless and unnecessary danger. I don't know what kind of wood working experience you have.... You could use 50 grit wet/dry paper wrapped around a dowel, but you'd have to super-careful about watching where the "sand" falling off the sandpaper went, i.e. not on the body where it can scratch around. And switch to 220 girt when it's closing in. A little hand vac would help with the shrapnel. I have even gone after finish flaws with the assistance of... kitchen plastic wrap! Wrap that whole thing up like a big ol' chicken, except the space you're working on. A cleaner tool would be the tip of a round file, a 8" or 10" would work.

However, you'd have to be very sure you can concentrate on making a round hole stay round. The tip of the file is much smaller than the hole. You'd also want the sides to be straight, if you enlarge the top or bottom of the hole more than the sides, the thimbles could get wobbly. And no matter what you do, be very careful about not chipping the finish at the top, if you have a countersink bit I would even twirl it - BY HAND - on the top of the holes just to back the finish away. I dunno - it's just wood, and you have the thimbles right there to check the fit as you go. Just go SLOWLY and CAREFULLY. It might take an hour or two, being super-careful. So what - what've you got better to do, watch people eat bugs on TV?* The only way to screw up is to get mad at it and take off too much wood, or chip the finish, or let particles loose that would scratch the finish. All of those are very controllable issues. And when it's close, call Omar:

*(There used to be not one but two shows where the highlight of the season is when people stick their face in a bowlful of worms or bugs and eat them - "Survivor" and "Fear Factory."  The winner is not the one who ate the least amount (or the one who was too smart to do such a dumbass thing) but the guy who ate the MOST bugs.  :icon_scratch: My TV's been in the closet for a while though, maybe it's all Shakespeare and National Geographic by now. Right.)

 

[tfarny]

Bring it over, I'll help you through the rough parts. Next week could work, maybe next Tuesday night or something. Bring a bottle of wine and all the parts.

 

[kboman]

Bring a bottle of wine and all the parts.

I like where this is going...

 

[reluctant-builder]

Bring it over, I'll help you through the rough parts. Next week could work, maybe next Tuesday night or something. Bring a bottle of wine and all the parts.

All right! Deal. Send me a PM or an email when you know for sure when you'd be free. Thanks!