Page 1 of 1

Fitting humbuckers into a Jazzmaster

Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2010 9:09 pm
by Gunner Recall
So those new blacktop jazzmasters had me thinking "why don't I do that?"

(Image)

I LURB my jazzmaster, but mostly in the neck or sometimes the center position...why not switch out the bridge pickup?
I dig the charm of incredibly low ouput pups and having the pedals/amp do the heavy lifting, but I'm a humbucker guy at heart and miss the kick in the pants they give.

Has anyone done this? I've seen a few different solutions, ranging from mounting the humbucker directly to the body/drilling pickup rings in, to gettng a new pickguard (I dunno where I could get a replacement gold pg routed for humbucker/JM), or mounting the HB in a jazzmaster casing by cutting a hole out.

I know Novak has a few humbuckers made inside a JM case options, but they aren't suited for what I want to do.
He was supposed to be coming out with a crazy hot ceramic rail humbucker-in-a-JM-case pickup but they aren't out yet, and who knows what they sound like.

I was thinking a BKP warpig...I wonder if they've ever squeezed those into JM casings.

Re: Fitting humbuckers into a Jazzmaster

Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2010 10:33 pm
by tuffteef
does that jazzy have the moved close trem?

cause if it does :no:

Re: Fitting humbuckers into a Jazzmaster

Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2010 10:46 pm
by Gunner Recall
tuffteef wrote:does that jazzy have the moved close trem?

cause if it does :no:


Pretty sure it is...probably like the CP jazzy but with cheapo pups/no rhythm circuit.
Still, if the rumored $450 street price is right it's still pretty cool (they've also got a humbucker equipped jag/tele/strat in the series)

Re: Fitting humbuckers into a Jazzmaster

Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2010 11:06 pm
by tuffteef
450s an awesome price!

but yeah i have one of the classic jazzmasters with the moved trems and it pretty much doesnt work i cant get it to setup and even if i use it , it wont stay in tune and it feels bizarre like it flings back to slap u in the face :lol:

Re: Fitting humbuckers into a Jazzmaster

Posted: Thu Oct 21, 2010 9:04 pm
by Gunner Recall
I was searching for answers again and this was one of the first hits.
Stop being awesome ILF :thumb:

I'm pretty sure a humbucker can just fit under a JM pickup cover, though I haven't tried.

Re: Fitting humbuckers into a Jazzmaster

Posted: Thu Oct 21, 2010 11:06 pm
by autopilot
http://www.guitarfetish.com/NEW-Soapbar ... c_276.html

this could be your answer, personally i havent tried them but soon will do

Re: Fitting humbuckers into a Jazzmaster

Posted: Thu Oct 21, 2010 11:18 pm
by Gearmond
hey, now, jazzmaster's trem is awesome. they're the only trem i've found to be smoother than a kahler.

anyways, post pics asap. i love the blacktops, but this should sound/look even better!

Re: Fitting humbuckers into a Jazzmaster

Posted: Thu Oct 21, 2010 11:21 pm
by Gunner Recall
Those look cool...GFS has nice stuff, I really dig the mean90 in my strat.

Though I kinda had a specific humbucker in mind, I've thought about just approaching the builder but I want to wait to have cash in hand before pestering him :lol:
I found a few places that would do custom gold anodized pickguards, but I'm not sure they'd fit my j.mjm, and they were kinda expensive :(

Re: Fitting humbuckers into a Jazzmaster

Posted: Fri Oct 22, 2010 4:38 am
by tuffteef
i for shiz dont remember posting in this thread :lol:

Re: Fitting humbuckers into a Jazzmaster

Posted: Fri Oct 22, 2010 9:50 am
by proroby
I've been thinking about putting a Novak Wide-Range Humbucker in my bridge for quite some time. Why have you decided to not have these as an option?

Re: Fitting humbuckers into a Jazzmaster

Posted: Fri Oct 22, 2010 11:31 am
by theavondon
proroby wrote:I've been thinking about putting a Novak Wide-Range Humbucker in my bridge for quite some time. Why have you decided to not have these as an option?


Uhh...

Gunner Recall wrote:I know Novak has a few humbuckers made inside a JM case options, but they aren't suited for what I want to do.

Re: Fitting humbuckers into a Jazzmaster

Posted: Fri Oct 22, 2010 10:10 pm
by proroby
Gunner Recall wrote:I know Novak has a few humbuckers made inside a JM case options, but they aren't suited for what I want to do.
[/quote]

Thank you, this makes my question more clear and better worded. What kind of kick exactly are you going for? Those bareknuckles sound kinda metal, almost active. Just curious.

Re: Fitting humbuckers into a Jazzmaster

Posted: Fri Oct 22, 2010 10:38 pm
by Gunner Recall
proroby wrote:Thank you, this makes my question more clear and better worded. What kind of kick exactly are you going for? Those bareknuckles sound kinda metal, almost active. Just curious.


Something more metal-y for sure, I want the pickup to do the heavy lifting.

For a while I liked having the jazzmaster as the polar opposite of my toronado (crunchlab/liquifire), but I hate having to switch guitars to get "that" sound.
I figure the pig90 is a good fit as it mixes a few soapbar-ish qualities with the warpig (which is my current favorite bkp, though the new aftermath will probably kill in my 7string once they are released) :lol: