NGD: Road Worn Jazzmaster (+ aluminum guard page 3)

[invisible man]

I have perused other RW JM threads, several suggest US-spec pickguards will fit. Any objections? I'd love a Spitfire tort guard in the future, not in the cards now. Thinking about a gold guard, but I also saw WD Music has "brushed silver" in addition to "brushed gold". If this is the same as anodized gold over aluminum I might go for silver. Does anyone have any experience with these?

http://www.wdmusic.com/fender_jazzmaste ... -1413.html

[Embenny]

I have perused other RW JM threads, several suggest US-spec pickguards will fit. Any objections? I'd love a Spitfire tort guard in the future, not in the cards now. Thinking about a gold guard, but I also saw WD Music has "brushed silver" in addition to "brushed gold". If this is the same as anodized gold over aluminum I might go for silver. Does anyone have any experience with these?

http://www.wdmusic.com/fender_jazzmaste ... -1413.html

Yes, US spec guards fit.

That WD guard is plastic with simulated metal finish. If you're fine with that, it'll work. But it's not functionally a metal guard (which provides shielding and a particular feel and look).

[invisible man]

I have perused other RW JM threads, several suggest US-spec pickguards will fit. Any objections? I'd love a Spitfire tort guard in the future, not in the cards now. Thinking about a gold guard, but I also saw WD Music has "brushed silver" in addition to "brushed gold". If this is the same as anodized gold over aluminum I might go for silver. Does anyone have any experience with these?

http://www.wdmusic.com/fender_jazzmaste ... -1413.html

Yes, US spec guards fit.

That WD guard is plastic with simulated metal finish. If you're fine with that, it'll work. But it's not functionally a metal guard (which provides shielding and a particular feel and look).

Thanks for the info. I'll skip that one, looking for an aluminum one. Does anyone make non-anodized aluminum guards, or anodized with something other than gold? I've been looking, havn't found anything yet.

[jmurph]

Happy NGD! That is one stunning guitar. I've always loved the look of the RWJM. A few years ago, I opted for the RW Jag based solely on the desire for a short scale. Sometimes I wish I had gotten the JM because the burst on them is so appealing. I don't think they could have made necks feel any better on the Road Worns. It's such a welcome departure from the thick poly on other necks.

As for your pickguard search, I read on one of the forums about a non-instrument company that makes aluminum sheets that work well for pickguards. I'll try to find the link to the company & post it so you can check it out. But if all else fails, there's always...TORT!

[Embenny]

Thanks for the info. I'll skip that one, looking for an aluminum one. Does anyone make non-anodized aluminum guards, or anodized with something other than gold? I've been looking, havn't found anything yet.

Glad to help.

You can get a few other colours of anodized aluminum from http://www.tone-guard.com/

There have been varying opinions of this company's customer service expressed by members of OSG at different points in time. I have no personal experience with them, but most people on the board seem to be happy with the pickguards themselves.

[BuddyHollywood]

Congratulations! I tried a used Road Worn Jazzmaster at Guitar Center and it felt perfect. You know how some guitars just have it and most don't? The Road Worn Jazzmaster I played felt amazing. If I had the money I would have made an impulse purchase.

I've had good transactions with Tone-Guard and have even had lunch with Wayne the owner. He has made me some original design pickguards for my Freestyle guitars (https://reverb.com/item/4232878-freestyle-del-rey" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;) and I also bought an aluminum Strat pickguard and an aluminum Jazzmaster pickguard for my Blacktop Jazzmaster HS. He's a good guy. Made in the USA!

[preservation]

i don't usually like sunburst at all but this thing is gorgeous.
it'd be KILLER with a gold anodized guard.

[marqueemoon]

Someone in town has a Road Worn up for trade on craigslist with a gold guard. It looks amazing (if you ignore the Buzz Stop). Definitely want.

[redchapterjubilee]

I've had this one for 4 or 5 months. Came with gold guard and Amber switch tip for a low rent '58 JM. These are fine guitars but it took me some getting used to. The neck finish is so different

[marqueemoon]

Gold guards look so good on those. What's funky about the neck finish? My preferred neck finish is a nicely played-in nitro but I'm definitely not picky. I'll play just about anything as long as the string spacing isn't silly narrow and the frets aren't huge.

[redchapterjubilee]

It's a relic'ed poly that is supposed to mimic a worn-in nitro. It feels more to me like it's not finished at all, kinda rough. Along with the shallower neck profile I really notice the fret ends. Part of it is me. My other JM's are nitro.

[invisible man]

Oooh, those gold guards do look good. Have you seen what is going on in DeedPoll's epoxy tort thread in the Mod room though? That thread has got me hesitating on buying any guard until those projects gestate for a while. I have a feeling I'll end up with multiple guards and have to rotate them!

[markblack77]

very nice - I do like the worn anodised gold PG on those.

[RandyRandom]

Looks good. Is the decal under the finish?

yep its underneath the finish.

[pscates]

Great pics on the front page! I love all the close-ups and various angles. Never really seen a Road Worn Jazzmaster (or Jaguar) up close like this.

Not quite the historian on all this...did sunburst, 60's-era Jazzmasters ever come with white pickguards? I know Strats and Teles did (and do). In fact, when I Google "sunburst Jazzmaster white pickguard" (and all the variations, including model years, etc.), I find either a) nothing, OR b) photos of the current 60's Classic Road Worn Jazzmaster, like the one in this thread. I wonder what Fender's reasoning was here, going with such a non-standard, uncommon pickguard choice?

Just seems like it would've come with tortoiseshell. I can only assume that it might've been some across-the-board, lineup-specific streamlining/cost-saving measure, as the other three models in the Classic 60's offset lineup (Surf Green JM and the two red-hued Jaguars) all come with white pickguards too (which is what those models would've originally come with, right?). "Guys, let's just buy a boatload of 3-ply white pickguard material for these four models...they're not gonna like our stock tort anyway since it's not Spitfire..."

At least there's no shortage of places to get tortoise JM pickguards from, if that's the eventual goal.