Opinion of Blacktop Jazzmaster

[chrisom]

bump
http://s1372.photobucket.com/user/chris ... 5652667217

[s_mcsleazy]

i played one a month ago. yet again, bridge pickup was shite on toast but the neck was awesome.

the only problem i had was the thing was not set up and had no action on the high e

[chrisom]

Yeah, I know what you mean. My factory humbucker had already been removed when I acquired the Blacktop, replaced with the GFS, which in itself wasn't a bad pickup, but I wanted the stock AVRI JM bridge pickup sound. I did end up leaving the original 500K pots in it that it came with. Not sure if I need to go to 250K's or not yet...

[FunkyFlash5]

Got one scratch and dent for under 200, sanded off some of the finish on the back of the neck and oiled it, now it plays like butter. Had to shim the neck a bit to get the bridge to cooperate, but no big deal. I'm planing some unusual electronic mods for it, and a pickguard made out of copper-clad pcb blank, but it's a fine playing guitar, if a little bland at the moment.

[Mad-Mike]

I've played a few of them, I like them, I even like the Humbucker, but the lack of a Rhythm Circuit is a no-go for me b/c that's one of the things I putz about with when using a Jazzmaster, especially when I'm playing 70''s-ish Fuzztone stuff.

[chrisom]

I don't use the weird rhthym circuit tone controls, just the main volume and tone w/ 500K pots. The Blacktop JM seems to be a great way to get one's feet wet for a "first" Jazzmaster to me. Looks, sounds and plays great- but I would recommend routing it out for a real JM bridge pickup...

[MKR]

I converted mine into a traditional JM recently. The blacktop jazzmaster is a cool guitar, but for me it only made me want to have a true jazzmaster all the more. Now that i am done, i am so happy i went the router approach. The guitar is so much better now.

If people are getting this as their first jazzmaster, i would hold out for a true jazzmaster or get a VMJM instead.

[chrisom]

Only if it has an alder body, flat fingerboard & bigger frets for my preferences...

[stilwel]

I love my BT-JM. I put a Staytrem on it and popped a Kent Armstrong P90 in the bridge.

More muscle than a JM bridge pup, not quite as hot as the stock humbucker yet still fat.

[nico2mars]

I like your mod very much, colors of plastic stuffs and pickguard are far better like that !, I am also considering doing the same on my sunburst one, not sure for the P90, maybe a SD P-Rails....