Assistance evaluating a 1962 JM I just found

[mgeek]

Planing the fretboard is something a bunch of luthiers do that seems totally brutal and unnecessary to me. You end up with the fretboard thinner in some sections than others and it feels kind of wrong.

The heat thing DOES work, is far more gentle and it can be a totally invisible repair with no sign that there was ever an issue.

[infiniteposse]

Planing the fretboard is something a bunch of luthiers do that seems totally brutal and unnecessary to me. You end up with the fretboard thinner in some sections than others and it feels kind of wrong.

The heat thing DOES work, is far more gentle and it can be a totally invisible repair with no sign that there was ever an issue.

Yes, I'm getting that impression. I'd like to at least give the clamping and heat the old college try before resorting to anything more drastic. I've got nothing to loose.

Do you happen to know a good source for step by step directions on the process of the clamp and heat procedure?

I think I'll create a new thread in the project section now that this is moving on into the salvage stage of things.

[Danley]

Occasionally no heat is necessary. I had a problem Strat neck a luthier clamped to fix for $40 a few months ago.

[fuzzjunkie]

The refret and neck plane will cost around $375 and I'd have a local shop do the work. I spoke to the tech there and he said he's quite certain it would fix the issue. I'd love any other thoughts anyone might have on the subject.

While that seems a decent price for that work, be aware that it could be a temporary fix. The removal of wood will make the neck feel different, even slightly, and having less wood can make the neck more likely to continue to back bow.

The neck pocket looks like the guitar was originally sunburst and the heel is missing the shim that would tilt the neck back, more signs of a backbow that has been an issue for a while. Since the neck has already been refinished it won't loose value with trying to fix it.

The cracks and gap are sure signs the pick guard has shrunk, but usually the ground shield covers that gap. I didn't see it in the lifted photo?

$1200 is a lot better than $4000! Can hardly believe they were asking that much!

[infiniteposse]

The refret and neck plane will cost around $375 and I'd have a local shop do the work. I spoke to the tech there and he said he's quite certain it would fix the issue. I'd love any other thoughts anyone might have on the subject.

While that seems a decent price for that work, be aware that it could be a temporary fix. The removal of wood will make the neck feel different, even slightly, and having less wood can make the neck more likely to continue to back bow.

The neck pocket looks like the guitar was originally sunburst and the heel is missing the shim that would tilt the neck back, more signs of a backbow that has been an issue for a while. Since the neck has already been refinished it won't loose value with trying to fix it.

The cracks and gap are sure signs the pick guard has shrunk, but usually the ground shield covers that gap. I didn't see it in the lifted photo?

$1200 is a lot better than $4000! Can hardly believe they were asking that much!

Thanks for the feedback. I'll be starting with an attempt at the bending/heat approach. My tech is game and he's a smart and cautious guy. I think he'll give it his best effort and we'll see how it goes. If I could get this exact neck profile on a modern neck I might not go to all of the trouble, but I've never felt a JM with a neck like this and I like making sick old things well again. I should have gone into geriatrics.

I didn't see evidence of the shield under the guard, but I was being extremely cautious when I lifted it since it's still pinned under the tall bridge thimbles. I'm hoping to get under there soon and see what I find.

Re: the price, I can't believe it was on a wall for 5 months! When I pulled it down they knocked the price down to $2,800. I looked it over and offered $2,000 assuming the neck was functional. They countered with $1,980...seriously. We'll see how things go.

Thanks!

[sunburster]

Sounds like they knew the neck was messed up big time and just wanted to get the guitar off their hands. Otherwise shops don't drop the price so aggressively on a guitar.

Hopefully you can get the neck sorted out and come away with a killer deal in the end!

[mgeek]

Occasionally no heat is necessary. I had a problem Strat neck a luthier clamped to fix for $40 a few months ago.

Yeah that's true- I had a badly twisted mahogany neck that got like, 75% of the way back to normal just with being clamped up.

That said most of the time I've done this the heat has been required. The idea being to soften the glue between the neck and fretboard, which will then re-set in the new position. It's worth going in cautiously- I often do it a few times with varying levels of heat.

[mcjt]

i don't see the aluminum pickguard shield.
my vintage guard shrank too and i kinda like the look of the shield peeking out from under the guard. And that might mostly cover the route. Just an idea....

also curious if anyone has any more ideas about the gap between the guard and the body here:

!

[infiniteposse]

I assume a JM of this period should have come with an aluminum plate under the guard?

Thanks for the suggestion.

[somebodyelseuk]

Sorry dude, I think you've been had.

The head decal is wrong for starters - should read 'synchronised floating tremolo' - and then when I saw the date stamp photo...

Isn't July 4th a public holiday in the US? So, Fender would have been shut that day, and from what I've read, they were having some industrial disputes around that time. I think it's extremely unlikely there'd be necks dated 4th July.

Then there's the knobs and pickup covers. Pristine white, while the switch tip is extremely aged? A pickguard that doesn't come off? That's convenient.
Looks like it's been thrown together from parts, I'd go as far as to speculate that neck came off a Strat reissue.

When it comes to neck dates, be very suspicious of any that match a (US) public holiday, and any where that date was a Sunday.

I hope I'm wrong.

[FrankRay]

4 represents the model number, not the day. 4 was the serial code for jazzmasters until CBS took over. The head stock looks fine for a JM to me. Incidentally a slab board strat neck would be worth a lot more than a JM one anyway, so unlikely to be switched. The pickguard has shrunk back to uncover the cavities, which is very common. The decal is wrong and it's a refin, but other than that it all looks fine to me.

[andrewaward]

....the bridge saddles/springs/screws look like repro's.............a minor thing though.

RE the neck..........I've always found once wood decides to move in a certain direction, any heat fix is temporary.

[PorkyPrimeCut]

Isn't July 4th a public holiday in the US? So, Fender would have been shut that day, and from what I've read, they were having some industrial disputes around that time. I think it's extremely unlikely there'd be necks dated 4th July.....

....I hope I'm wrong.

4 represents the model number, not the day. 4 was the serial code for jazzmasters until CBS took over. The head stock looks fine for a JM to me. Incidentally a slab board strat neck would be worth a lot more than a JM one anyway, so unlikely to be switched. The pickguard has shrunk back to uncover the cavities, which is very common. The decal is wrong and it's a refin, but other than that it all looks fine to me.

This.

[mcjt]

yes, all jazzmasters had this back in the day:

I assume a JM of this period should have come with an aluminum plate under the guard?
Thanks for the suggestion.

[fraser]

To elaborate on my last post-
Planning and regretting is to me something that I'd do to correct an upwardly bowed neck.
The opposite of yours.
Fatter fret tangs force the bow out-
They call it compression fretting.
In your case that will only make it worse.
You could plane and refret with thinner wire,
But I never would cause I'm German.
I'd be worrying all the time that the frets gonna fall out.

Clamp it straight for a month.
Then they'll see.
Then they'll all see!!