Jag/JM project

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HH1978
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Jag/JM project

Post by HH1978 » Sun Nov 19, 2017 4:02 pm

Hi,

I recently received this wonderful guard from Ben (Theworkoffire). It looks a little more blue in person than on the picture.

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and have this alder jag body from Neil Haynes. I use to cut my own bodies but I just can't find the time these days. Obviously, I'll have to enlarge the neck pickup cavity. The body is fairly lightweight, under 2KG.

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and this 1964 neck (that probably showed up in the "why did you do this thing to me" thread). I bought it from Will more than one year ago and waited for the right project to use. Apart from the butchered headstock, it's a really nice neck with a beautiful dark board and the right amount of aging to feel great in the palm.

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So now I've have to settle on a color, and I'd like to have your opinions. I'll stay in the blue to green range though.

My favourite for now, some kind of dark yellowed LPB :

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or an even darker blue metallic, that looks almost black depending on the light, like this tele I made during the summer :

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But I also like Teal green metallic or a yellowed Ice blue metallic. The best color to match the guard would probably be a lighter yellowed LPB or OTM, but I already have two guitars in those shades.

So what do you think?

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theworkoffire
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Re: Jag/JM project

Post by theworkoffire » Sun Nov 19, 2017 4:41 pm

;D

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Shadoweclipse13
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Re: Jag/JM project

Post by Shadoweclipse13 » Sun Nov 19, 2017 6:28 pm

Image
+
Image
= :? :? :? :? :? :-*
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http://www.offsetguitars.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=104282&p=1438384#p1438384

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Futuron
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Re: Jag/JM project

Post by Futuron » Mon Nov 20, 2017 12:34 am

Well I quite like this colour:

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:shifty: but you may already know someone with one like that...

:D maybe add some subtle tint to a similar or darker grey. Subdued navy blue metallic

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Shadoweclipse13
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Re: Jag/JM project

Post by Shadoweclipse13 » Mon Nov 20, 2017 2:15 am

I like the idea of doing things that are different, but IF you felt like you wanted to go with Charcoal Frost... I mean... It's hard to mess with perfection. Certainly my favorite color on a guitar ;)
Pickup Switching Mad Scientist
http://www.offsetguitars.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=104282&p=1438384#p1438384

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JVG
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Re: Jag/JM project

Post by JVG » Mon Nov 20, 2017 3:13 am

That body is a beautiful piece of alder - a shame to cover such grain with a solid colour! Are you sure you couldn't live with a walnut stain, or have to many Costello JMs made that passé? How about a translucent sonic blue or surf green?

Other than that, I'm also a big fan of charcoal frost metallic. In fact, over the past few months I've had a growing urge to assemble a guitar in this colour!

But if you're really set on a solid blue or green, good old LPB, without the greenish tinge, is nice.

Cheers!
J.

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HH1978
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Re: Jag/JM project

Post by HH1978 » Mon Nov 20, 2017 1:46 pm

but you may already know someone with one like that...
Sure! Ben was kind enough to sell me that wonderful guard, and I know it has been a pain to make, so I won't rob his idea on charcoal frost. Otherwise, that was clearly an option.
That body is a beautiful piece of alder - a shame to cover such grain with a solid colour! Are you sure you couldn't live with a walnut stain, or have to many Costello JMs made that passé? How about a translucent sonic blue or surf green?
Actually, it is 3 pieces, though they are very well matched ; but I agree I feel a bit ashamed to cover that grain. I think a brown stain would look odd with that guard. And I'm not a huge fan of translucent finishes.
But if you're really set on a solid blue or green, good old LPB, without the greenish tinge, is nice.
Actually, I usually prefer LPB with a greenish tint. Also, I checked the guard against my other guitars. It definetely looks a tad better on green than on blue. In fact, the best match was a dark sherwood green.

However, the body is now routed for a JM neck pickup. Not the cleanest cut, but it will do :

Image

Image

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Futuron
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Re: Jag/JM project

Post by Futuron » Tue Nov 21, 2017 1:06 am

HH1978 wrote:
Mon Nov 20, 2017 1:46 pm
In fact, the best match was a dark sherwood green.
:?

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HH1978
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Re: Jag/JM project

Post by HH1978 » Wed Nov 22, 2017 3:33 pm

Ok, I settled my mind on the very dark LPB with the yellowed coat. I'll do it this way rather than finding the exact color and finidh it with a clear coat, for two reasons :

1) Much easier to find an approximate dark blue tint at the dealer's and balance it with the yellow/brown coat than to find the definitive color.
2) I like the subtle unevenness that comes from the process. Looks much more like real aging.

So here's the primer and the color coats. After that I had a "DUH" moment when I realised I totally forgot to route some space to run the wires aside the neck pickup. Too late now, so I'll have to take care of that when the finish has cured.
The primer and color are acrylic (Motip 53922 for the blue, if I remember correctly, I'll edit tomorrow if I made a mistake.) The yellowed coats and clear coats will be nitro.
It can't be seen on the pictures, but the grain still shows up a little through the finish, which I like.

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I've also been thinking about the wiring. I'll keep the rythm circuit, which I like for a lead preset with fuzz, but I never use the bass cut. So I'm thinking about something different. The classic option would be parallel/series/phase reversal, but I could also try to implement a Magnatone Tornado wiring. Some great tonal options, but one thing bothers me : the unability to have both pu's in parallel without caps beeing involved. Any idea how I could modify this wiring for this, without simply removing the caps, as both pickups with the caps also sound great?

Image

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Re: Jag/JM project

Post by Shadoweclipse13 » Wed Nov 22, 2017 4:59 pm

That sounds awesome!! Pictures aren't working though...
Pickup Switching Mad Scientist
http://www.offsetguitars.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=104282&p=1438384#p1438384

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HH1978
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Re: Jag/JM project

Post by HH1978 » Thu Nov 23, 2017 2:15 pm

Not sure why... they seem to work on my computer and on my phone as well.

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palesnow67
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Re: Jag/JM project

Post by palesnow67 » Thu Nov 23, 2017 4:44 pm

Great project!
Pictures worked for me btw
10. Signatures must be no more than two lines.

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PixMix
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Re: Jag/JM project

Post by PixMix » Thu Nov 23, 2017 7:18 pm

The pic of the front of the painted body looks very similar to the color of that first tele you posted. Looks like you nailed the color. Perhaps a tinted clear will get you even closer. But yeah, what a great piece this will be. A super unique guard, with a cool pickup config and a vintage neck. :?

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HH1978
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Re: Jag/JM project

Post by HH1978 » Mon Nov 27, 2017 12:53 pm

The yellowed coats and clear coats have now been applied... The color is not easy to capture on pics, but I'm pleased with the result.

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I will have to wait for a month or so before flat sanding and buffing. During this time, I'll take care of the electronic parts. First I'll wind the pickups. The JM will be around 7k 42AWG plain enamel. Any idea on how I should wind the jaguar pickup to have them balanced? I have the feeling that maybe using 43AWG for that one would be best, as there's not so much space on a jag bobbin.

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HH1978
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Re: Jag/JM project

Post by HH1978 » Mon Nov 27, 2017 4:43 pm

I've been thinking about this schematic, that I primarily wanted to use, but some things look odd. I'm not great at figuring out pickups schematic, so any help will be gladly welcomed.

Image

On the rythm circuit (middle pot, green wire from the s2 switch)) :

- neck pickup has always a 0.01 cap connected to ground (so a treble cut), sounds a bit stupid.

- both switches right or both left engage neck pickup only. In both case, with a 0.01 cap to ground. The sound should be the same in both case, but there's actually a much deeper treble cut when both switches are toward the edge of the guard. Why? Caps are identical (same type, same marking.)

- S1 right, S2 left => both pickups in phase, parallel, with a 0.01 treble cut on the neck pu, and a 0.01 bass cut on the bridge pu. Is that correct? (this is the best sounding position by the way).

- S1 left, S2 right => both pickups out of phase, with a 0.01 treble cut on both pu's. Correct?

On the lead circuit (upper pot, red wire from S1 switch) :

- Both switches left => Bridge only, with a 0.01 bass cut?

- Both right => Bridge and neck in series with a 0.01 treble cut?

- S1 right, S2 left => Both pickups in phase, parallel with a bass cut on the neck pu?

- S1 left, S2 right => I can't figure this one. There's sound from both pickups.

I probably won't use this schematic at the end, as it modifies the sound of the pickups too much with caps. But I'm curious. And the third position of the rythm circuit is really nice, so I'd probably like to fit it somewhere on a more traditional wiring.

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