My first build! Mahogany Jazzmaster

[thinkaboutit]

Here is my new Jazzmaster body and CBS Pro neck. I got them a few weeks ago but unfortunately I lost internet for a while. This is my first build so wish me luck!!

The body is mahogany, top routed, with heel contour. I wanted to have two volumes but not have the traditional Jazzmaster electronics, so I decided to get it routed with a side jack, and use the space on the top to have 2 volumes and one tone control. (I know a lot of Jazzmaster fans are probably a little mad at that, but I'm a newbie with electronics and I don't think I'd even use the controls that much. My G&L bass has so many controls and I just keep them at the same settings at all times). I am getting it painted an ocean turquoise color, let's hope it turns out good. 

The neck is Maple/Pau Ferro with SS 6105 frets and abalone inlays, compound radius.

I apologize for the terrible lighting in my room (one floor lamp in a corner, it's pretty miserable haha). I thought about adjusting the levels in photoshop but it made the colors look a little too bright, although I didn't take the body out in direct sunlight before I sent it off to get painted so I'm not sure how it would have looked in decent lighting.

I have a lot more in store for this project so I'll keep updating! However the body is getting finished right now and I am leaving my dad's house this week to go back to school for the fall so it might be a while.

Leave feedback please!!

 

[Mor Paul]

Sounds good, and welcome to the board!
Don't worry about what's normal; most people here are all about guitar blasphemy.

I think it should come out very nice. I can't wait to see the blue against that turtleshell pickguard.

Give us more details! What kind of humbuckers are you getting?

 

[thinkaboutit]

I got a pair of white Dimarzio D-Activators. They're supposed to be pretty good and I figured I'd try them out.

Also the tuners are the Schaller mini locking that are sold on the W site, and I replaced the pegheads with some pearl ones from stew mac.  :icon_biggrin:

Thanks!

 

[Fish Out of Water]

No such thing as guitar blasphomy when you are building a customized one of a kind guitar.  As long as you like it and it does everything that you need, don't worry about the nay-sayers...Aren't too many of them around here anyway.  Welcome to the fold... ccasion14:

 

[Mor Paul]

No such thing as guitar blasphomy when you are building a customized one of a kind guitar. 

See my point?

 

[willyk]

That's gonna be a really nice Jazzmaster..welcome to Wonderland  :hello2:

 

[NeilStryker]

That is going to rock.  Love the customizations.  How much does the body weigh?, that looks like a significant piece of mahogany.  :headbang:

 

[thinkaboutit]

I actually have no idea about the weight haha. But I'll try to figure it out when I get it back. I don't think it'll be too bad though.

Also here's a pretty n00b question... is there any purpose for the metallic tape covering the control routs?

 

[LeeSkelly]

Looks great. Did you mention somewhere else what type of hardtail you were using? If you didn't mention already, would you? My first electric bought with my own money was a foto-flame jazzmaster. Man, i miss that thing daily. I've wondered about the Tuneomatic type thing on a jazzmaster before. Whatever you end up with, please let us know about it.

 

[Ted]

Niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice!  :icon_thumright:

 

[vanhagar]

Welcome! and can't wait to see the finished product, I just painted a warmoth jazzmaster in jet black with a natural masked binding and it looks really cool, I'll post pics in a few days. Your guitar is going to look fantastic  :headbang1:

 

[thinkaboutit]

Looks great. Did you mention somewhere else what type of hardtail you were using? If you didn't mention already, would you? My first electric bought with my own money was a foto-flame jazzmaster. Man, i miss that thing daily. I've wondered about the Tuneomatic type thing on a jazzmaster before. Whatever you end up with, please let us know about it.

No, I hadn't mentioned it yet. I bought a TonePros bridge and stopbar.

 

[vtpcnk]

the tonepros tailpiece - is it similar to a gibson tunomatic - if would it fit well on a fender kinda guitar - what with "F" spacing etc?

i am quite concerned with the weight of the jm that i'm trying to build - can we have some feedback on how much yours weighs?

the traditional jm's bridge and tremolo apparently add a lot of extra weight - in contrast to other bridges.

though aesthetics wise i think the traditional bridge looks way cooler.

 

[-CB-]

maaaaan that body would look great with a transparent cherry finish... dark... white guard and maple neck

 

[dmraco]

nice...one piece body???

 

[bpmorton777]

you can see the centerline in the pickup routs. looks like two pieces

Brian

 

[OzziePete]

Good project to get started on, have fun with it and take your time. Carefully plan each step.

I've had a Jazzmaster on the boards for ages. Money problems and then some problems fitting all I wanted into the beast have stalled the project many a time. Its still waiting for me to find enough 'play' time to attempt another schematic and re arrangement of the controls within the confines of the JM routs.

As far as blasphemy is concerned, I think the only outpouring of "Oh no!" I've seen here has been when someone put a Fender styled neck onto an LP body, so there's your limits I reckon.

A good solid mahogany body will balance the instrument well. And I think you've done a smart thing by not trying to install the traditional JM tremolo unit and bridge, they are finicky at best - useless at worst.

 

[Orpheo]

nice lookin' body!

about the controls: I see your pickguard has 4 holes.

1x master volume
1x master tone
1x pickuptoggleswitch
1x coilsplit toggle.

or just a megahot preamp to boost your signal to sick levels  :headbang: :headbang1: