I really lost count of all the changes, but I'll mention the highlights.
It's Sonic Blue, but sometimes it looks like it's a light green. I was going to put a blue pickguard on it, but I thought it might look bad in certain lighting, so I went with the pearl.
Even out of the box, the Squier Jazzmasters are a good deal. With a decent setup, they play well.
I can't leave well enough alone, so I went whole hog.
We also have Curtis Novak pickups, a Mastery offset bridge, a Fender vibrato, white roller knobs and white rhythm circuit switch.
I rewired the rhythm circuit to use a high-pass filter - to cut the bass to get more 'ching' for rhythm playing. I'm still experimenting with component values, but it's promising.
I have parchment knobs for the lead circuit controls - I want to change them out for white knobs. Likewise, the switch has the stock 'aged' tip and I want a white one to match everything else.
I also put threaded inserts on the neck, and did a fret level and crown on it. Plays super fast now.
Whatever you do, don't throw this guitar into a trash bin with wheels!
All Posts on the Squier Vintage Modified Jazzmaster Modification Project:
Part One: Starting DisassemblyPart Two: Removing Factory Wiring
Part Three: Shielding
Part Four: Wiring Modifications and Curtis Novak Pickups
Part Five: Neck Inserts and Installing Mastery Bridge
Part Six: Buffalo Bone Nut and Final Setup
Part Seven: Modified VM Jazzmaster Visits the Garden (This page)
"Ching" Rhythm Circuit Revisited: 28 April 2014
Man I just have to say that I have been following this thread from the beginning and I am absolutely stoked to see it. You really did an amazing job! It looks so so awesome!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your kind words!
ReplyDeleteAmazing job. Love the pickguard.
ReplyDeleteJust bought one new at GC and it hums and sometimes crackles on the Lead circuit. I don't expect the warranty repair will be as comprehensive as the mod you made to the wiring but I might steal the idea and have a tech do it. I'm all thumbs when it comes to that sort of thing. Great job!
ReplyDeleteKeith
Hi there,
ReplyDeletejust wondering if you would be willing to share the hi pass filter info, I like jags and jazzmasters but agree with your take that guitars are dark and would love to have a more treble-y rhythm tone.
graham.maureen@sympatico.ca
Hi Graham -
ReplyDeleteYes, I made some changes to the circuit after this post was made.
Full details and schematic are here:
http://crawlsbackward.blogspot.com/2014/04/squier-jazzmaster-rhythm-circuit.html
I've been thinking lately that you could just wire the switch to sent the front pickup through a small value cap - .002 or .003 - and then to the output. Bypass the pots entirely, or just leave the volume pot. It would be similar to the 'strangle switch' (The term Leo Fender used) on a Jaguar. Cut the lows and leave the highs.