THE OSG TWIN PROJECT THREAD: 2 COUNTRIES, 2 JAG BODIES...

[PJazzmaster]

no real daylight here so only 1 pic today ... but I've been playing this guitar a lot already It's perfect!!!

[raphaël]

Wow
She's beautiful!!!

And I definitly love that spot of wear...
I bet she does play incredible!

[PJazzmaster]

Oh, what the hell, another one (with the Light Cream pickguard):


I'm so happy and so excited !!!!!

wow, I can't wait to see this combination on a guitar!!! The tort pieces look great!

[raphaël]

[PJazzmaster]

What type of wood are you thinking about ... for the pickguard ? Gold anodized or black could also work, btw

[raphaël]

I don't know, something really dark.

I won't choose Gold because I don't like gold + silver, it looks just wrong to me.
And I won't choose black either...because I don't like black pickguards !!!!

I'm very picky when it comes to pickguards .

[raphaël]

I guess I've just found my knobs:
A set of mid 60's VOX knobs.

[PJazzmaster]

Setup of the day

[Ursa Minor]

[raphaël]

How is the Mastery btw?

[PJazzmaster]

thx!

How is the Mastery btw?

I took it off another guitar, simply to match the polished stainless steel plates ( ----> Strider). So yeah, all "front" plates are stainless on this project. The Mastery trem is nice but I wouldn't necessarily buy a 2nd one, not the Fender design drop-in version. However: their other design (with the Mastery shaped body plate) makes definitely sense for unique designs and builds.

Would I recommend it as a replacement for the Fender made unit? Yes, but only as 3rd Option

Option 1: A modified ARVI with Staytrem collet and flattened or "upside down" screw heads will basically do the same job for less money.
Option 2: a vintage trem with the Staytrem collet (IF you find a vintage unit that is cheaper than the Mastery)
UNLESS someone must own the top of the line bridge of the current market ... stainless steel , design improvements etc. .. and /or must own the brushed version to match the brushed look of the mastery bridge ... but that's a different story, overruling option 1 and 2, I guess ...

The spring of the Mastery is a bit "stiffer" --- most people seem to like or prefer that vs. the AVRI or Vintage spring tension. I'm fine with both....

In my experience: the Mastery spring tension is somehow between a Pat Pend trem (which feels even stiffer than the Mastery, maybe also because of the shorter spring) and Vintage / AVRI. The arm sits high, much higher than on a traditional unit in it's centre position (measured with the trem lock button)... I really like that but you can also achieve a higher trem arm action with the Staytrem collet.

I somehow still miss the tremlock button, although it's not really needed with this design...

[PJazzmaster]

This is currently for sale at reverb (seller based in France), an evil twin

[raphaël]

The evil twin has a great guitar!!!!!

But I do prefer mine, I like the body being more on the natural side

Anyway,
I didn't do much since the past two weeks, I had my kids and nephews at home for christmas vacations and the weather is very very very shitty here. It doesn't stop raining, and I can't clear coat at home...waiting for the sun!!!
I really can't wait

[raphaël]

PROGRESS!!!

After a week of sanding, clear coating, bubbles, more sanding, having the impression of holding an incandescent stone with my bare hands, fears, sweat and nervous breakdowns, I managed to find a way to achieve the finish i wanted for that body.
I've just decided to be calm about it, to put things in perspective (it's just a piece a wood afterall) and voilà!!!!!

Just a subtle clear coat, no polishing...
I'm very happy with how it looks considering it was a first for me.




And a pic of the back:



I even did some relicing myself, and am quite happy about it too!!


(^sorry for this blurry pic)


I found that the black finish was over a primer layer.
And beneath the primer there is what it seems to be an original SB finish!!!
I was tempted to sand the body down to the burst but I don't really SB on Jags...plus it's a part of this body History so...it will stay like this.

Now I have to do some soldering and I really don't understand a thing about this, or even what I'm doing .

[PJazzmaster]

yay, great progress! Next step is soldering? Looks like your body has most of the groundings already, incl. the wires to the plates .... this will save you a lot of pain!!!!

mine didn't have the 3 control plate wires anymore and the trem grounding was also missing.

Is the trem grounding wire there on yours?