ilovefuzz.com

I've been thinking about upgrading some stuff on my blacktop jazzmaster. I want to:
Put in a set of p-rail 90's
Replace the bridge with a mastery
Replace the tremelo with a avri one
Replace the nut
Replace the pick guard
And have controls: 3-way pickup switch, master volume, independent volume, tone knob and tone bypass switch

Query: since I want to replace so much, should I go ahead and plan on buying a body in both the wood and finish of my choosing and a neck? The bt jazzy's not routed for a humbucker in the neck, and the way I wanted integrate the controls was to put the two extra knobs and switch in, on a normal jazzmaster, where the upper controls are, which means more routing because the bt jazzy's only routed for the lower controls.

If you're going to do all that, maybe it would be better to sell the Blacktop to get some funds for the custom guitar you've just described. You may as well be as happy with it as possible, and that seems like a lot to change around on an existing template. I love frankenstein guitars, but IMO, given all that you wanna do, just go all the way.

if you replace all that, what's left? the tuners?

Yep, if I go through with the mod, as opposed to making a parts guitar, all that would be left are the tuners, the neck, the body, the neck plate and the strap locks. Which should probably be replaced with proper strap locks.

so, how much do you like the neck and body? is it a comfortable neck? if you don't care for the basic framework you're building on, it's like renovating a house when you don't like the floor plan.

Sounds like you'd be better off building the whole thing and buying a fender decal

Gunner Recall wrote:Sounds like you'd be better off building the whole thing and buying a fender decal

yeah, i mean its your guit and shit, but you would be adding half of the cost of the guitar in the bridge. I'd start fresh IMO unless you absolutely love this guitar and how it feels

Gunner Recall wrote:Sounds like you'd be better off building the whole thing and buying a fender decal

This.....

I just picked up a project jazzmaster last night, a 94 MIJ CAR Jazzmaster, it was missing the bridge and trem arm and its got some natural relic from sitting around, got it for a decent deal on cragislist. Just keep your eyes out on CL and ebay for a project body + neck and build a partsmaster, it will be alot easier then routing and redoing the blacktop.

I do really like the way the neck and body feel and play, and I like the tobacco finish. The only thing I wonder is if I'd benefit enough from a different bassier wood for the body like mahogany or korina to justify trying to find a custom body. I don't really care much for vintage mojo of relics and where I'm already pretty hard on my instruments I wouldn't want to buy a 90's basswood jazzmaster. I've heard that wood's kinda soft.

And I wouldn't be doing any of this work myself. I don't have the tools for routing or finishing anything, and my soldering skills are laughable, so I'd just be buying everything and taking it to my local guitar luthier, who's surprisingly good.