Best way to get a full sparkle JM?

[the_devils_tool]

So I've only recently fallen in love with offset guitars (technically, I guess, with what we're calling offset here) and I really have a desire to get a good sparkle flake Jazzmaster (red sparkle would be primo)

I know that the Mascis model (purple) is current the "most available" but what are the other options?

Do I just get a JM blank and then have it custom painted? (I've been burned before by a shop--who-will-not-be-named) And then build/mod it out?

Do I just buy a regular stock JM and strip it, get it painted and MOD it out?

Let's assume that I'm not trying to buy a $2500-$2800 custom and want a guitar that I can gig with.

Thoughts/Options?

[Kramertron 2000]

Id either look for a Mascis model, or find a squier/fender in your price range that you like and get it refinished.

You could build your own, but its a lot easier to either get someone to refinish it for you or DIY (if you are building one, its going to have to be painted anyway, so why add the extra steps of building it and potentially getting burned on dodgy parts).

Or you could wait and see if they are going to make a kevin sheilds signature model (which they seem to be hinting at). The Troy van Leeuwen signature is a nice metallic oxblood colour too, and a pretty good guitar to boot, so thats another option.

[dinosaurkale->]

warmoth just put some up

[wooderson]

Buying an unfinished body and neck and getting them finished would be ~$1000. Depending on how much you can do yourself after that, you're talking ~$1500-1600 all in.

Marty Bell is supposed to be the best sparkle finisher, his site says $360 (but I don't know if that's for raw wood or refinishing) so you could get a used '60s lacquer JM and have $1200 or so in it (not counting any other mods).

An alternative of sorts - the G&L Doheny is available in many varieties of sparkle.

[the_devils_tool]

Marty Bell is supposed to be the best sparkle finisher, his site says $360 (but I don't know if that's for raw wood or refinishing) so you could get a used '60s lacquer JM and have $1200 or so in it (not counting any other mods).

Ah, thanks for that - good to know. I scanned his site and wow, the sparkle is pretty amazing.

[the_devils_tool]

warmoth just put some up

I saw those, but looking for a specific color, but thanks!

[the_devils_tool]

Id either look for a Mascis model, or find a squier/fender in your price range that you like and get it refinished.

You could build your own, but its a lot easier to either get someone to refinish it for you or DIY (if you are building one, its going to have to be painted anyway, so why add the extra steps of building it and potentially getting burned on dodgy parts).

Or you could wait and see if they are going to make a kevin sheilds signature model (which they seem to be hinting at). The Troy van Leeuwen signature is a nice metallic oxblood colour too, and a pretty good guitar to boot, so thats another option.

Yeah, I think getting (another) Squier and refinishing it may be the way to go. I'm such a gear whore I start thinking about upgrading pickups and mastery bridges which then puts me into a "how much do I spend on the Squier" mode.

[the_devils_tool]

Or you could wait and see if they are going to make a kevin sheilds signature model (which they seem to be hinting at). The Troy van Leeuwen signature is a nice metallic oxblood colour too, and a pretty good guitar to boot, so thats another option.

Dang, that Shields model looks sparkly red, which is right what I was looking for! The price point may be a little higher than I'm aiming though - I guess we'll see.

[Lilliputti]

Even if you go the Squier way, I would still get an unfinished body and try to sell the Squier body separately. It takes hours and hours to strip and prep an already painted body, especially with the squier paint being relatively thick.

[the_devils_tool]

Even if you go the Squier way, I would still get an unfinished body and try to sell the Squier body separately. It takes hours and hours to strip and prep an already painted body, especially with the squier paint being relatively thick.

Thanks for the tip!

[lunaticjaguar]

On the cheap side GFS has a few sparkly jazzmaster bodies these days

[the_devils_tool]

On the cheap side GFS has a few sparkly jazzmaster bodies these days

Ah, thanks!

[Embenny]

Even if you go the Squier way, I would still get an unfinished body and try to sell the Squier body separately. It takes hours and hours to strip and prep an already painted body, especially with the squier paint being relatively thick.

This is the truth. It costs so much in labour to get a poly body stripped (to yield very low quality wood in the case of the Squier) that you'd easily double your investment in the Squier body just taking off the poly. A blank canvas unfinished body is way more cost effective and will offer you a higher quality wood, not to mention more choices in terms of wood type, weight, etc.

[Unicorn Warrior]

Most finishers will not strip the poly finishes on squires. They just prep them with sanding and finish over top.

[NICQ]

Most finishers will not strip the poly finishes on squires. They just prep them with sanding and finish over top.

I'd also sand the finish, rough it up a bit and then spray over it..

I have stripped 2 squiers and it's a lot of work - also the wood underneath mostly doesn't look too pretty (3-4 pieces, weird grain etc) ... Stripping the paint would only be necessary if you want a transparent finish/stain.. otherwise just use the existing finish as basecoat..