Samurai wrote:

synchro wrote:

Tqi wrote:

Samurai wrote:

I am thinking of getting it, but it’s a pretty costly upgrade for 400 euro guitar)

Cheaper than:

• Pickups
• Bridge
• Tremolo
• Tuners
• Electronics (assuming a complete replacement)
• Some scratchplates
• Custom fitted nut

Only things cheaper are budget scratchplates, string trees and the strap buttons.

Or you could be crazy like me, and order a $600 body for a $400 guitar.

I think you also should get a new neck and you mostly done with upgrades)

That’s the plan.

The artist formerly known as: Synchro

When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar.

Last edited: Mar 22, 2023 16:24:44

DrippyReverbTremolo wrote:

Synchro, your advice RE tightening the trem spring was on the spot. Half a turn and tuning stability is much better. Trem arm does feel stiffer.

I'm really enjoying this JM. The pickups are surprisingly good. Neck feels great. The only things I don't like are the knobs, switch and especially the volume pot (all lead circuit). Turn down to 9 or 8 and all the highs are gone.

I noticed the low E string behaves differently to the other 5. It gets hung up behind the nut where the fretboard angles down sharply.I'm going to round it over.

A minor miracle at the turn of one screw.

The artist formerly known as: Synchro

When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar.

StreetThing wrote:

I find that this guys channel has great information regarding offset guitar set up. The tips are kind of spread out over many different videos, but this one covers typical Squire bridge and trem issues.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BafuV4jWt9c

I just purchaced a the 40th Anniversary Jazzmaster Squire this week. Fortunately it has an angled neck pocket. So there is no need to add a shim like on the CV and others. I replaced the trem with a Fender AVRI and added a few dabs of locktite to the bridge as prescribed in the video. I installed .11 flatwound strings and it feels so nice.

Congrats! Which one did you get? Still very much impressed with mine. The (lead circuit) pickup switch went kaput after 10 days, but I'm not surprised by that. Contacted the vendor and asked for a replacement part. Planning on upgrading the switch, pots, knobs and input jack. Other than that, no complaints.

Yez Puisheen is very informative and amusing.

Honestly, I think removing the gold would be a shame. Do you know if the allparts rewire kits are any good? Or a minor lateral move....? Your text to link here...https://www.allparts.com/products/ep-4135-wiring-kit-for-jazzmaster

Last edited: Mar 23, 2023 11:29:28

DrippyReverbTremolo wrote:

StreetThing wrote:

I plan to swap out the electronics as well when it is time to change strings, or when something fails. Whichever happens sooner. I may also remove the gold anodizing from the pick guard. I think bare aluminum would look good with the sand finish.

Looking good! I had a 1964 Lincoln Continental in that colour, Desert Sand.

Honestly, I think removing the gold would be a shame. Do you know if the allparts rewire kits are any good? Or a minor lateral move....? Your text to link here...https://www.allparts.com/products/ep-4135-wiring-kit-for-jazzmaster

That appears to be an anodized finish, providing the gold color on the pickguard. If you remove it, you are left with bare aluminum, which is prone to oxidation, which could make it appear cloudy.

The artist formerly known as: Synchro

When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar.

Last edited: Mar 23, 2023 19:44:35

synchro wrote:

DrippyReverbTremolo wrote:

StreetThing wrote:

I plan to swap out the electronics as well when it is time to change strings, or when something fails. Whichever happens sooner. I may also remove the gold anodizing from the pick guard. I think bare aluminum would look good with the sand finish.

Looking good! I had a 1964 Lincoln Continental in that colour, Desert Sand.

Honestly, I think removing the gold would be a shame. Do you know if the allparts rewire kits are any good? Or a minor lateral move....? Your text to link here...https://www.allparts.com/products/ep-4135-wiring-kit-for-jazzmaster

That appears to be an anodized finish, providing the gold color on the pickguard. If you remove it, you are left with bare aluminum, which is prone to oxidation, which could make it appear cloudy.

I don't have any experience with all-parts kits. So I can speak to that question.

Yes, the pickguard is anodized. That is a good point about the oxidation. I don't think it would bother me if it were to age to a dull finish as the rest of the guitar is satin finish and "aged" parts. If it ends up that I don't like the result, then I will just paint it. That is the beauty of being a Squire owner. You can mix and match and mess around and never feel like you are destroying a valuable guitar. I have as much fun with that as I do playing music.

I don't have any experience with all parts kits. So I can speak to that question.

andare wrote:

Jazzmasters come with 1M pots for volume (linear) in both circuits. The tone pot in the rhythm circuit is 50k (IIRC audio) which is what makes it dark. The tone pot in the lead circuit is 1M audio.

1M is a lot of resistance, it makes the guitar super bright but it also makes it very dark when you roll it down. The tone control also does basically nothing until it's all the way down.

You could use 50s wiring but that will make the guitar quieter when you turn down the tone. Or use a treble bleed but beware of the type and value because it can further linearize the taper of the pot, turning the volume pot from linear to reverse log.

If you want new pots, 24mm CTS pots are great but there are different types. The ones with a dimpled back are low friction (great for volume), the flatbacks are higher friction, harder to turn.
Make sure the tone pot is audio.
Also consider using 500k pots: less harsh high end and more intuitive darkening in the tone control.

As for tunign stability, it's all in cutting the nut properly and lubricating it. Your guitar has a bone nut. Cut the slots well for your gauge but IMO it still needs graphite, vaseline or nut sauce.

Thank you for that excellent info. On second thought I think I should forget what I'm used to on Les Paul and take the time to get to know and appreciate the Jazzmaster set-up.

RE the nut: the first I did was get the nut done by texh (it came with 9s, had it filed for 11s.

DrippyReverbTremolo wrote:

andare wrote:

Jazzmasters come with 1M pots for volume (linear) in both circuits. The tone pot in the rhythm circuit is 50k (IIRC audio) which is what makes it dark. The tone pot in the lead circuit is 1M audio.

1M is a lot of resistance, it makes the guitar super bright but it also makes it very dark when you roll it down. The tone control also does basically nothing until it's all the way down.

You could use 50s wiring but that will make the guitar quieter when you turn down the tone. Or use a treble bleed but beware of the type and value because it can further linearize the taper of the pot, turning the volume pot from linear to reverse log.

If you want new pots, 24mm CTS pots are great but there are different types. The ones with a dimpled back are low friction (great for volume), the flatbacks are higher friction, harder to turn.
Make sure the tone pot is audio.
Also consider using 500k pots: less harsh high end and more intuitive darkening in the tone control.

As for tunign stability, it's all in cutting the nut properly and lubricating it. Your guitar has a bone nut. Cut the slots well for your gauge but IMO it still needs graphite, vaseline or nut sauce.

Thank you for that excellent info. On second thought I think I should forget what I'm used to on Les Paul and take the time to get to know and appreciate the Jazzmaster set-up.

RE the nut: the first I did was get the nut done by texh (it came with 9s, had it filed for 11s.

I have filed the nut for 12s flatwounds using 12s roundwound and then treated with soft graphite pencil. Works ok)

Waikiki Makaki surf-rock band from Ukraine

New Single is out!

https://waikikimakaki.bandcamp.com/album/rhino-blues-full-contact-surf-single

Waikiki Makaki

https://linktr.ee/waikikimakaki

Lost Diver

https://lostdiver.bandcamp.com
https://soundcloud.com/vitaly-yakushin

(one month into my honeymoon) Still enjoying this guitar a lot.

I've had to replace the lead pickup switch and the input jack. Also found two high frets (15th and 17th) but was able to level and recrown them. I went from 10s to 11s. Still comfortable. It's somehow not that big a difference as it is on my Les Paul.

Ï've also fitted the Fender AV vibrato. Holy crap, what a difference in feel. Night and day. Love it. Tuning stability is much improved, I can play for 30 minutes without having to tune. So it wasn't the bridge that caused it to go out of tune. The AV vibrato also changed how the guitar sounds amplified. Fuller or rounder is how I can describe it best.

synchro wrote:

DrippyReverbTremolo wrote:

(one month into my honeymoon) Still enjoying this guitar a lot.

I've had to replace the lead pickup switch and the input jack. Also found two high frets (15th and 17th) but was able to level and recrown them. I went from 10s to 11s. Still comfortable. It's somehow not that big a difference as it is on my Les Paul.

Ï've also fitted the Fender AV vibrato. Holy crap, what a difference in feel. Night and day. Love it. Tuning stability is much improved, I can play for 30 minutes without having to tune. So it wasn't the bridge that caused it to go out of tune. The AV vibrato also changed how the guitar sounds amplified. Fuller or rounder is how I can describe it best.

The AVRI trem’ I put on my CV Jaguar, and the other AVRI trem’ I subsequently put on my MIJ Bass VI, were money quite well spent. I already have one ready to go for the Warmoth Jaguar I’m building. What I find amazing is how responsive these AVRI trems are. I’m a Bigsby owner, from way back, but these are every bit as good.

I put a Les Trem II on my Les Paul last year. It was functional when used sparingly but I just couldn't get used to it.

Do you have a thread for your project? Sounds interesting. Contemplating building a JM from templates.

Last edited: Apr 27, 2023 14:02:06