Distracting myself with indecision: Partscaster, MIJ, or AVRI?

[hamletpowpowpow]

So to distract myself from the world ending, I've been obsessing over a Jazzmaster.

I'd love a Nash, or a Fender Custom, but they're beyond my reach, especially for what I'm after.
I'm trying to do an all-black guitar with matching headstock, pickguard. I'd love a mastery/staytrem bridge, AVRI term, EGC pickups. Nothing too crazy.

After a lot of research on here, I've been able to price out some partscasters—Warmoth on the low end at 1200, Guitar Mill on the high end at around 1500.

For those numbers, I could score a MIJ or an AVRI. I'll admit, the aesthetics matter to me, and I want the black headstock, so if I went that route, I'd get the neck refinished.

Thoughts? Pros, cons? I know this conversation has happened a thousand times on here, so I apologize in advance, but what else do we have to do these days? I'm coming from the world of Aluminum necked guitars, looking to mix it up. I'm from the Rowland S. Howard, Blixa, Sonic Youth, super noisy school of playing.

Cheers!

[hamletpowpowpow]

So to distract myself from the world ending, I've been obsessing over a Jazzmaster.

I'd love a Nash, or a Fender Custom, but they're beyond my reach, especially for what I'm after.
I'm trying to do an all-black guitar with matching headstock, pickguard. I'd love a mastery/staytrem bridge, AVRI term, EGC pickups. Nothing too crazy.

After a lot of research on here, I've been able to price out some partscasters—Warmoth on the low end at 1200, Guitar Mill on the high end at around 1500.

For those numbers, I could score a MIJ or an AVRI. I'll admit, the aesthetics matter to me, and I want the black headstock, so if I went that route, I'd get the neck refinished.

Thoughts? Pros, cons? I know this conversation has happened a thousand times on here, so I apologize in advance, but what else do we have to do these days? I'm coming from the world of Aluminum necked guitars, looking to mix it up. I'm from the Rowland S. Howard, Blixa, Sonic Youth, super noisy school of playing.

Cheers!

[HNB]

I would go parts if you want a black headstock unless you pick up a sonic youth sig since they have stock black headstocks.

[hamletpowpowpow]

That green body tho. I need to get my goth on!
Also, I'd prefer a MIJ or USA made guitar, if possible. I've been burned a lot by MIM in the past.

I would go parts if you want a black headstock unless you pick up a sonic youth sig since they have stock black headstocks.

[HNB]

Allparts necks are mij necks and can be finished however you like unless you don't want to do the finish work. I use those a lot. Warmoth necks are also nice, but I normally go the Allparts route. You could buy a finished body on eBay or Reverb and then custom paint your neck. I grab mjt bodies because I like the used and distressed feel of their finishes. Not sure what sort of finish you want to go with. Allparts necks fit MJT bodies perfectly in my experiences.

If you wanted to change a bridge or pickguard or pickups, a complete guitar and modding it would work well, but if you want to pick all the parts, partsmasters are just that. You get to decide each part you want. Nothing replaced. Built from the ground up.

[HNB]

Oh and the blue and green sonic youth sigs are US made.

[hamletpowpowpow]

How much work do those Allparts necks need in terms of fret dressing and edge roll?
I was curious about those, for sure. I can get a Warmoth for the same cost, more modern specs, but nice and made in America (I like supporting local companies). Bummer they don't ever seem to have any "vintage" made ones in stock.

Re: Sonic Youth sigs - I *thought* so - but then I saw a listing with one that was MIM on the headstock. Go figure. Do you know if the finish on those is nitro? I wish they did a black body, I'd be all over those. There's also a MIJ reissue that just came out, black headstock...but for lefties. I'm left-handed but play right. D'oh.

I'll probably go Guitar Mill - their bodies are Fender AVRI accurate, and the quality of their finish is top-notch. I just wish there wasn't a four-month turnaround. I'm in quarantine NOW, goddammit.

Allparts necks are mij necks and can be finished however you like unless you don't want to do the finish work. I use those a lot. Warmoth necks are also nice, but I normally go the Allparts route. You could buy a finished body on eBay or Reverb and then custom paint your neck. I grab mjt bodies because I like the used and distressed feel of their finishes. Not sure what sort of finish you want to go with. Allparts necks fit MJT bodies perfectly in my experiences.

If you wanted to change a bridge or pickguard or pickups, a complete guitar and modding it would work well, but if you want to pick all the parts, partsmasters are just that. You get to decide each part you want. Nothing replaced. Built from the ground up.

[HNB]

Both allparts and warmoth say they need final fret dressing, but I haven't had much fret issue with either with my builds.

Iirc the sonic youth ones are nitro and not made in Mexico. They came out before sigs started being made there.

[Beyer160]

I'd avoid MIJ unless you can find one super cheap- the necks are nice but the hardware and electronics are junk.

I have exactly one Warmoth neck, and the only fretwork it needed was some Nevr-Dull to clean off some light oxidization. You can't tell much from a sample size of one, but I'm happy with the neck.

If I was you, I'd build so you get exactly what you want.

[garyfanclub]

I'd avoid MIJ unless you can find one super cheap- the necks are nice but the hardware and electronics are junk.

I have exactly one Warmoth neck, and the only fretwork it needed was some Nevr-Dull to clean off some light oxidization. You can't tell much from a sample size of one, but I'm happy with the neck.

If I was you, I'd build so you get exactly what you want.

Going to have to disagree with this. The newer MIJ guitars are pretty darn close, if not equal to the MIA stuff that's currently out.

The new MIJ Traditional Series JMs are awesome, arguably on-par with the AV65 stuff, and vintage-spec. You may need to import one, found mine in a shop in NYC used for $1k.

The electronics are mine are fine, CTS pots, etc. Hardware was fine; replaced with a Johnny Marr bridge, but who isn't swapping bridges these days?

Only call out is the pickups are not "real" Jazzmaster pickups, rather Strat pickups in disguise. Just invest $90 in getting a set of AV65 pickups and you'll have a nice guitar at $1k less than what an equivalent spec US model would cost you.

[Meriphew]

I'd go with an AVRI (preferably a thin skin).

[Beyer160]

Going to have to disagree with this. The newer MIJ guitars are pretty darn close, if not equal to the MIA stuff that's currently out.

The new MIJ Traditional Series JMs are awesome, arguably on-par with the AV65 stuff, and vintage-spec. You may need to import one, found mine in a shop in NYC used for $1k.

The electronics are mine are fine, CTS pots, etc. Hardware was fine; replaced with a Johnny Marr bridge, but who isn't swapping bridges these days?

Only call out is the pickups are not "real" Jazzmaster pickups, rather Strat pickups in disguise. Just invest $90 in getting a set of AV65 pickups and you'll have a nice guitar at $1k less than what an equivalent spec US model would cost you.

I haven't seen one of these yet, thanks for the info. Did they fix the bridge spacing? That was one of the most infuriating things about MIJ offsets, the fact that the incorrect bridge spacing puts lateral force on the strings which makes them prone to popping out of the saddles even when you've done a "normal" setup that solves this problem. The only cure is a replacement trem assembly.



Even if they did, you're still talking about a guitar that costs the same as a MIM '60s Lacquer Classic but has the wrong pickups and doesn't come with a case.

[min7b5]

Not the op, but with the guitarmill option, how hard is it to put one together? I'm thinking about getting a guitar mill body to use with my jmjm neck. Their website says that a professional should set up the guitars for a jazzmaster.

How hard is it to mount the neck, guard and trem, can I get them to predrill the holes?

[garyfanclub]

Going to have to disagree with this. The newer MIJ guitars are pretty darn close, if not equal to the MIA stuff that's currently out.

The new MIJ Traditional Series JMs are awesome, arguably on-par with the AV65 stuff, and vintage-spec. You may need to import one, found mine in a shop in NYC used for $1k.

The electronics are mine are fine, CTS pots, etc. Hardware was fine; replaced with a Johnny Marr bridge, but who isn't swapping bridges these days?

Only call out is the pickups are not "real" Jazzmaster pickups, rather Strat pickups in disguise. Just invest $90 in getting a set of AV65 pickups and you'll have a nice guitar at $1k less than what an equivalent spec US model would cost you.

I haven't seen one of these yet, thanks for the info. Did they fix the bridge spacing? That was one of the most infuriating things about MIJ offsets, the fact that the incorrect bridge spacing puts lateral force on the strings which makes them prone to popping out of the saddles even when you've done a "normal" setup that solves this problem. The only cure is a replacement trem assembly.

Even if they did, you're still talking about a guitar that costs the same as a MIM '60s Lacquer Classic but has the wrong pickups and doesn't come with a case.

Not sure about the bridge spacing - mine's got the Marr spacing which I think is a little narrower?

You're not wrong about the price vs. Classic lacquer, but compared to the lacquers I've played, the MIJ blows them away.

Pickups are subjective I guess, only matters if you're a traditionalist or you care about that kind of thing - nothing "wrong" with what's in there, they're just not really JM pickups in execution. From a build quality standpoint, which is harder to change than the electronics, they're miles apart. Fair point on the case, I'd rather not have one though, I live in a tiny apartment and would rather that cost go into the guitar anyhow (I mostly use a gigbag).

[BlueMelody]

I'd avoid MIJ unless you can find one super cheap- the necks are nice but the hardware and electronics are junk.

I have exactly one Warmoth neck, and the only fretwork it needed was some Nevr-Dull to clean off some light oxidization. You can't tell much from a sample size of one, but I'm happy with the neck.

If I was you, I'd build so you get exactly what you want.

Going to have to disagree with this. The newer MIJ guitars are pretty darn close, if not equal to the MIA stuff that's currently out.

The new MIJ Traditional Series JMs are awesome, arguably on-par with the AV65 stuff, and vintage-spec. You may need to import one, found mine in a shop in NYC used for $1k.

The electronics are mine are fine, CTS pots, etc. Hardware was fine; replaced with a Johnny Marr bridge, but who isn't swapping bridges these days?

Only call out is the pickups are not "real" Jazzmaster pickups, rather Strat pickups in disguise. Just invest $90 in getting a set of AV65 pickups and you'll have a nice guitar at $1k less than what an equivalent spec US model would cost you.

I agree as the owner of a Thinskin, Ame. Pro and a MIJ Traditional. Aside from pups (which are a matter of taste), the MIJ’s need nothing...just outstanding guitars on par with the best stuff out there.