12 String Jazzmaster Partscaster
- Insomnicide
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 59
- Joined: Fri May 19, 2017 5:20 pm
Re: 12 String Jazzmaster Partscaster
If you have intonation issues from slight variations in scale length, you might be able to alleviate them with a Staytrem bass VI bridge.
I had issues with my jazzmaster not quite lining up when I built it, and the bass Vi bridge fits into the normal jazzmaster ferrules and has the same string spacing.
Hopefully it all works fine and you don't need it.
I had issues with my jazzmaster not quite lining up when I built it, and the bass Vi bridge fits into the normal jazzmaster ferrules and has the same string spacing.
Hopefully it all works fine and you don't need it.
- sirspens
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 786
- Joined: Sun Nov 08, 2015 8:26 pm
- Location: Austin, Texas
- Contact:
Re: 12 String Jazzmaster Partscaster
It's been a little while, but I am back on this project after some long work weeks.
First thing, I did a test with the neck (just placing it in the neck pocket) and running some string to see how it aligns. You will see from the pictures below that the high string is just a bit closer to the edge than the lower side, but still within limits that I feel comfortable with.
This is the tool I have made and put in my kit so that I don't have to bother my girlfriend every time I want to pull a line...
So that is the neck issue. I don't think it is going to be much of an issue.
Then there is the pickguard. This is a pearloid pickguard I ordered from Stratospehere, unbranded. It fits almost perfectly. You will see from the pictures, that when I put the neck on and place the pickguard down, the screw holes align pretty well, but the bridge grommets do not align with the holes in the pickguard. When I take the neck off and align the bridge grommet holes, the screw holes don't quite as closely line up, but there is just a bit of an overhang at the back of the heel. Also, I think the biggest issue is the spot I have circled in red. The pickguard on the upper horn is perfectly aligned.
Here is my idea. I would appreciate if someone can tell me if I am crazy and not to do this, or maybe give me some pointers on how to do it if it isn't crazy, because I have never successfully modified a pickguard. I want to screw the pickguard down in the position it naturally fits in, then take a router with a bearing bit and use the body as the "template" for modifying the pickguard.
Is there a certain speed I should be shooting for with the router? Is slower better? Faster?
Thank you for all your help around here! I'm so close to having this project completed and playable!
First thing, I did a test with the neck (just placing it in the neck pocket) and running some string to see how it aligns. You will see from the pictures below that the high string is just a bit closer to the edge than the lower side, but still within limits that I feel comfortable with.
This is the tool I have made and put in my kit so that I don't have to bother my girlfriend every time I want to pull a line...
So that is the neck issue. I don't think it is going to be much of an issue.
Then there is the pickguard. This is a pearloid pickguard I ordered from Stratospehere, unbranded. It fits almost perfectly. You will see from the pictures, that when I put the neck on and place the pickguard down, the screw holes align pretty well, but the bridge grommets do not align with the holes in the pickguard. When I take the neck off and align the bridge grommet holes, the screw holes don't quite as closely line up, but there is just a bit of an overhang at the back of the heel. Also, I think the biggest issue is the spot I have circled in red. The pickguard on the upper horn is perfectly aligned.
Here is my idea. I would appreciate if someone can tell me if I am crazy and not to do this, or maybe give me some pointers on how to do it if it isn't crazy, because I have never successfully modified a pickguard. I want to screw the pickguard down in the position it naturally fits in, then take a router with a bearing bit and use the body as the "template" for modifying the pickguard.
Is there a certain speed I should be shooting for with the router? Is slower better? Faster?
Thank you for all your help around here! I'm so close to having this project completed and playable!
- bacca51
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 377
- Joined: Wed Apr 27, 2016 5:14 pm
Re: 12 String Jazzmaster Partscaster
Looks great! I would just use a hand file. Eyeball where the guard needs to be filed, take the guard off the guitar, file it, check to see if its corrected. Just do a little at a time and you'll be fine.
- sirspens
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 786
- Joined: Sun Nov 08, 2015 8:26 pm
- Location: Austin, Texas
- Contact:
Re: 12 String Jazzmaster Partscaster
Thanks. I did that and it worked perfectly.
I then moved on to getting the pickguard wired up, transfering from the stock pickguard to the pearloid one I am using. Everything went to perfectly, except... I had an issue I knew was an issue but forgot about so didn't buy the part...
The VMJM I am converting this 12 string from has a different length bracket than the standard Fender bracket. So, I had to order a bracket and now this project is back on the shelf to wait for another part.
Speaking of... anyone know where to get a Fender 12-string string guide in the US? I have been waiting for one to pop up on Reverb for months, but nothing.
- onichodaddy
- PAT PEND
- Posts: 39
- Joined: Fri Nov 20, 2015 11:20 am
Re: 12 String Jazzmaster Partscaster
For string guides for Fender 12 strings, you could try Schroeder, who's a member here. I've gotten 8-holed string trees/guides for my Fender XII-type projects from him and some 4-holed ones that I've used for my Starcaster-type projects. They're great quality and he's very nice to deal with.
- Insomnicide
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 59
- Joined: Fri May 19, 2017 5:20 pm
Re: 12 String Jazzmaster Partscaster
Just realized how silly this comment was, you need a 12 string bridge. Whoops.Insomnicide wrote: ↑Mon Oct 16, 2017 3:59 pmIf you have intonation issues from slight variations in scale length, you might be able to alleviate them with a Staytrem bass VI bridge.
I had issues with my jazzmaster not quite lining up when I built it, and the bass Vi bridge fits into the normal jazzmaster ferrules and has the same string spacing.
Hopefully it all works fine and you don't need it.
Looking good! Hopefully you can find the rest of the parts soon without issue.
- sirspens
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 786
- Joined: Sun Nov 08, 2015 8:26 pm
- Location: Austin, Texas
- Contact:
Re: 12 String Jazzmaster Partscaster
Eh, I considered just replacing the saddles if needed. It would work.Insomnicide wrote: ↑Sun Nov 05, 2017 6:21 pmJust realized how silly this comment was, you need a 12 string bridge. Whoops.
Looking good! Hopefully you can find the rest of the parts soon without issue.
And it is coming along well. I got the tuners put on the neck this evening. The bracket should be here tomorrow. Assuming my life doesn't go crazy, I could have this thing finished by the end of the week.
It will be GREAT to have a project finished.
- s_mcsleazy
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 18442
- Joined: Thu Jul 28, 2011 7:30 am
- Location: glasgow
Re: 12 String Jazzmaster Partscaster
if you are running enough tension on the guitar, that bridge should work.
offset guitars resident bass player.
'Are you trying to seduce me Mrs Robinson? Or do you just want me to solder a couple of resistors into your Muff?'
'Are you trying to seduce me Mrs Robinson? Or do you just want me to solder a couple of resistors into your Muff?'
- bacca51
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 377
- Joined: Wed Apr 27, 2016 5:14 pm
Re: 12 String Jazzmaster Partscaster
Exactly, I always thought about turning my CP jazzmaster into a 12 string. Its really the only situation with a JM were you want that short break angle.s_mcsleazy wrote: ↑Tue Nov 07, 2017 5:06 amif you are running enough tension on the guitar, that bridge should work.
- sirspens
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 786
- Joined: Sun Nov 08, 2015 8:26 pm
- Location: Austin, Texas
- Contact:
Re: 12 String Jazzmaster Partscaster
I considered starting with a CP because it is easy to find 12 string TOM bridges, or just file one down yourself. But I want to make it work with the classic bridge, if possible. If not, I'll try something else.bacca51 wrote: ↑Tue Nov 07, 2017 10:31 amExactly, I always thought about turning my CP jazzmaster into a 12 string. Its really the only situation with a JM were you want that short break angle.s_mcsleazy wrote: ↑Tue Nov 07, 2017 5:06 amif you are running enough tension on the guitar, that bridge should work.
- bacca51
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 377
- Joined: Wed Apr 27, 2016 5:14 pm
Re: 12 String Jazzmaster Partscaster
Forsure, the standard jm bridge and tremolo placement will work, you may just need to shim the neck to get enough tension and the high octaves might not intonate perfectly... but thats the fun of the twelve string, modulation!sirspens wrote: ↑Tue Nov 07, 2017 4:58 pmI considered starting with a CP because it is easy to find 12 string TOM bridges, or just file one down yourself. But I want to make it work with the classic bridge, if possible. If not, I'll try something else.bacca51 wrote: ↑Tue Nov 07, 2017 10:31 amExactly, I always thought about turning my CP jazzmaster into a 12 string. Its really the only situation with a JM were you want that short break angle.s_mcsleazy wrote: ↑Tue Nov 07, 2017 5:06 amif you are running enough tension on the guitar, that bridge should work.
- sirspens
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 786
- Joined: Sun Nov 08, 2015 8:26 pm
- Location: Austin, Texas
- Contact:
Re: 12 String Jazzmaster Partscaster
Exactly.bacca51 wrote: ↑Tue Nov 07, 2017 6:06 pmForsure, the standard jm bridge and tremolo placement will work, you may just need to shim the neck to get enough tension and the high octaves might not intonate perfectly... but thats the fun of the twelve string, modulation!
- sirspens
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 786
- Joined: Sun Nov 08, 2015 8:26 pm
- Location: Austin, Texas
- Contact:
Re: 12 String Jazzmaster Partscaster
Got the rhythm bracket in today and got it installed.
Turns out the holes for the pots are smaller on the Allparts bracket than the Squier pots
So I had to file them out
Got it all set up in the end
The final thing to do, obviously, is ground... You see that little nub there....
Here, let me zoom in:
That is the ground wire going to the bridge thimbles. I don't know how to remove them. I would rather just hook up to that wire, but there isn't much to hook up to there. I'm not sure how I am going to handle that.
What I do know, however, is that this thing is really close to being done (version 1), and it is going to look good.
Turns out the holes for the pots are smaller on the Allparts bracket than the Squier pots
So I had to file them out
Got it all set up in the end
The final thing to do, obviously, is ground... You see that little nub there....
Here, let me zoom in:
That is the ground wire going to the bridge thimbles. I don't know how to remove them. I would rather just hook up to that wire, but there isn't much to hook up to there. I'm not sure how I am going to handle that.
What I do know, however, is that this thing is really close to being done (version 1), and it is going to look good.
- Logrinn
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 196
- Joined: Sat Oct 21, 2017 3:08 am
- Location: Sweden
Re: 12 String Jazzmaster Partscaster
You could drill a small hole next to the ground wire and screw in a screw that holds two ground lugs, similar to these:
One ground lug could be soldered to that small bit of cable sticking out (just by heating it up you'd probably have the insulation strip off enough for the solder to stick). Then you could leave that alone and never risk that it comes loose. Instead you would then proceed to use the second ground lug to connect all the necessery cables and everything is then held in place with the screw.
One ground lug could be soldered to that small bit of cable sticking out (just by heating it up you'd probably have the insulation strip off enough for the solder to stick). Then you could leave that alone and never risk that it comes loose. Instead you would then proceed to use the second ground lug to connect all the necessery cables and everything is then held in place with the screw.
- sirspens
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 786
- Joined: Sun Nov 08, 2015 8:26 pm
- Location: Austin, Texas
- Contact: