1961 Jazzmaster W/ Ash Body - Pictures

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bencrit
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1961 Jazzmaster W/ Ash Body - Pictures

Post by bencrit » Fri May 04, 2018 10:36 pm

OK, after having failed miserably with last attempt to start this restoration thread, I will try again.

Update: Okay, Photobucket wants be to subscribe to their service to post public photos on forums. I am not going to do that, so you will have to be contented with links to the photo bucket page itself.

Just picked up this 1962 Jazzmaster project off the web the other day. The electronics date to 61, but the body is 2-62. The neck and body had both been painted red at one time, but had subsequently been 95% stripped.

I have some vintage gold hardware for a JM that I plan to put on this after I painted and Mary Kaye blonde nitro.
Will be a fun spring summer project.

After restoring that cracked fiesta red guitar 1959 last year (search the threads here on OSG for that story), I’ve decided I only have strength in me for one JM restoration a year.

I just happen to also pick up a natural/stripped 1959 Gold guard (I know, I know: how do I find these guitars?). That one is getting sent to Joe Riggio to get a vintage style sparkle finish. Just like the one in the songbirds museum :-).

The neck on this 62 was laden with problems. I got quotes anywhere from $300-$800 to fix it. It was repairable, but probably worth more sold than fixed. So I sold it. I have a 61 neck on another project that I will use for this one for the time being. but I Will need a donor neck at some point.

Here is what she looked like when I got her.

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Electronics were all original, which is very good. Basically paid for the guitar itself. Things don’t look too bad in the pictures. When I got it you can see more clearly how the red paint had gotten deep into ash grain.


There was a couple ways to proceed here. First, you could just stand down the body until you get to the bottom of the grain and get the red out that way. Unfortunately, that method Can do quite a number to the contours of the body.

The second, more tedious method is to use a very fine plastic bristle brushes, along with fine wire brushes, to gently clean the grain of the ash. This is the method I am opting to use.

All it takes is a little citrus stripper, the organic kind of brush, and a lot of patience. I’ll post some more pictures of the results tomorrow.
Last edited by bencrit on Mon May 07, 2018 8:54 am, edited 5 times in total.

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gishuk
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Re: 1961 Jazzmaster W/ Ash Body - Restoration Project

Post by gishuk » Sat May 05, 2018 11:37 am

Photos arnt working, photobucket being pricks again.

Sounds like a great project though I'd like to see it, try hosting them on imgur maybe?

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Embenny
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Re: 1961 Jazzmaster W/ Ash Body - Restoration Project

Post by Embenny » Sat May 05, 2018 11:58 am

Another vote here for Imgur. This project sounds too awesome to leave to the jerks at Photobucket.

Can't wait to see this, but I like how you casually mentioned the '59 GG incoming in a Songbird-style sparkle refinish. That is AMAZING and please tell me you'll be posting photos of that one as soon as it's back from the paint shop!!
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bencrit
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Re: 1961 Jazzmaster W/ Ash Body - Restoration Project

Post by bencrit » Sat May 05, 2018 11:29 pm

Okay, thanks for the tip. I will work on the photos. Sorry!

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Re: 1961 Jazzmaster W/ Ash Body - Pictures

Post by bencrit » Mon May 07, 2018 9:04 am

So, I hope I have the pictures working now. Let me know if you can't see them.

So having spent a few hours (over several days) working on the paint in the grain, I have managed to get 98% of it out of the from and back of the guitar. The sides need a little more work as the side grain on ash is a different animal. Here are some shots of the grain close up:

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I must emphasize that before the work with the brushes and sandpaper these were absolute caked and filled with red paint.

Here's a before and after close up comparison of one particular area:

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Again, this is pretty tedious work, but it allows you to preserve the original counters and avoid oversanding.

I still have some work to do as the previous owner had already done some work to most of the body except the neck pocket area, as that is obviously harder to sand and work with because of the strong curvature at that part of the body. A little more tedious, but the same basic process:

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Again, my plan to to refinish this in Mary Kaye White and use some vintage gold hardware I have been saving to make it a Mary Kaye JM. Here is a shot of the tremolo unit and bridge. I also have a set of tuners, but they are double line from about 65.

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Its a day off, so I am hoping to get some more work in today. Next step is to put a couple thin coats of nitro clear on there and begin putting black or dark grain filler in in there to accent the grain and establish a smooth area for the refinish.

Stay tuned!

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Re: 1961 Jazzmaster W/ Ash Body - Pictures

Post by gishuk » Mon May 07, 2018 9:35 am

Photos are working now and that is a beautiful body, will look stunning with the mary kaye white and gold hardware! :?

My main guitar is similar in that its a 1961 body with an early slab board 1962 neck.

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Re: 1961 Jazzmaster W/ Ash Body - Pictures

Post by bencrit » Mon May 07, 2018 9:55 am

gishuk wrote:
Mon May 07, 2018 9:35 am
Photos are working now and that is a beautiful body, will look stunning with the mary kaye white and gold hardware! :?

My main guitar is similar in that its a 1961 body with an early slab board 1962 neck.
Thanks for the comment.

I really like the neck shape on 61-62 necks. Its a little more substantial that what you see in 59-60, and it still has the slab board which gives it a warm tone. My main vintage "Player" is also a 61, made up of a body, electronics, and neck from two different guitars, but all vintage. A great year that seems to be underrated--everybody either wants a 58-59, or would shoot for a cheaper 63-64 model with veneer (or so it seems to me).

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Re: 1961 Jazzmaster W/ Ash Body - Pictures

Post by gishuk » Mon May 07, 2018 10:03 am

Im all about the slab board! I agree with the neck shape too, its the sweet spot I think. Mine being very much worn in does help too with the feel, but its the best feeling neck ive ever played.

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Re: 1961 Jazzmaster W/ Ash Body - Pictures

Post by solfege » Mon May 07, 2018 4:45 pm

This is really nice work, and I'm really looking forward to seeing how this turns out.

In the mean time, I'm such a sucker for vintage pickguards like that one. What a lovely piece of tort!

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Re: 1961 Jazzmaster W/ Ash Body - Pictures

Post by Ursa Minor » Mon May 07, 2018 6:36 pm

I am so stoked to see this all dressed up in Mary Kaye!

:-*
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bencrit
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Re: 1961 Jazzmaster W/ Ash Body - Pictures

Post by bencrit » Mon May 07, 2018 6:42 pm

solfege wrote:
Mon May 07, 2018 4:45 pm
This is really nice work, and I'm really looking forward to seeing how this turns out.

In the mean time, I'm such a sucker for vintage pickguards like that one. What a lovely piece of tort!
Yes, this is a nice tort guard... A great mix of dark, medium, and light colors.

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Re: 1961 Jazzmaster W/ Ash Body - Pictures

Post by bencrit » Mon May 07, 2018 7:32 pm

Well, here’s a few more shots showing the progress tonight. I worked quite a bit on the edges where the end grain pokes out. Ash usually has pretty deep grooves, but on the ends of the cut these become small holes that are even more difficult to work with in terms of getting paint out.

As you can see, there still work to do, but it’s a lot better than it was in the previous pictures:



Image

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Re: 1961 Jazzmaster W/ Ash Body - Pictures

Post by Ursa Minor » Tue May 08, 2018 8:14 am

Image link/s appear to be broken. :whistle:
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Re: 1961 Jazzmaster W/ Ash Body - Pictures

Post by bencrit » Tue May 08, 2018 11:00 pm

kosmonautmayhem wrote:
Tue May 08, 2018 8:14 am
Image link/s appear to be broken. :whistle:
Sorry...I keep having having trouble with those. You know something is wrong with the Internet when it is easier to get red paint out of ash grain then it is to get a picture of it up on OSG.com!

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Re: 1961 Jazzmaster W/ Ash Body - Pictures

Post by Ursa Minor » Wed May 09, 2018 4:31 am

zing!
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