12 String Jazzmaster Partscaster

[sirspens]

I have wanted a 12 string Jazzmaster since the moment I first played a Jazzmaster. It's cliche, I know. I have been patient and waiting, and it seems the time has come.

I have had a beautiful CIJ Fender Stratocaster 12 string neck for a few months now, having found it for a good price on Reverb a while back. Personally, I love the simple headstock, and hate the 60's hockey stick headstock.


Yesterday I ran across an Olympic White VMJM body on Reverb for a good price, so I bought it. My plan is to keep the trem and standard Jazzmaster bridge (at least giving it a try).

I have two decisions left to make... Aesthetics: pickguard. Tone: pickups.

Aesthetically, I love the Olympic White body with Tortoise Shell pickguard. However, I have been tempted to go white on white. I can't decide if it is going to look really sleek and awesome, like it wishes it were from the '80s but was so cool the decade couldn't handle it, or ... cheap.

(but with rosewood fingerboard)

Or maybe Pearl on white would look better?


And on to pickups...

I've only ever played my VMJM and I have to say, I am 0% disappointed with the pickups, except maybe the bridge is a little too harsh when the volume is on 10, but it is fine on 9. I think I will be satisfied with the DD pickups in the Squire. That said, I'm willing to be convinced that something else will sound better for a 12 string. Any suggestions?

[Britfingers]

You may find that the heel of the neck is wider than the pocket of your body. Xii and jazz master necks are different dimensions,

[bacca51]

I've always wanted a 12 string jazzmaster ever since I got my 12 string Dano. I love the Dano but I really want that comfort and sounds that comes with the JM. I think jazzmaster pickups will sound amazing with the 12 string.

Good luck with your project!

[sirspens]

I've always wanted a 12 string jazzmaster ever since I got my 12 string Dano. I love the Dano but I really want that comfort and sounds that comes with the JM. I think jazzmaster pickups will sound amazing with the 12 string.

Good luck with your project!

That's my exact thinking. Bright and full.

[sirspens]

You may find that the heel of the neck is wider than the pocket of your body. Xii and jazz master necks are different dimensions,

You are correct. I just measured, and I have a Strat body laying around that I just threw it on. It is tight, and the heel curve is not the same radius. Fitting into the body it ever so slightly angles the neck. I'm going to explore this more tomorrow, because I don't have any string laying around.

That said, a bit of sanding to the body can probably handle most of this, right?

[s_mcsleazy]

if i can remember rightly, those xii strat necks are closer to jaguar scale

[mcjt]

I've seen online that:
1- the original japanese Strat XII had a 24.75" scale (with dedicated wide XII bridge)
2- the later japanese Strat XII had a 25.5" scale (Gotoh bridge)

Yours looks like the former. You had better measure the scale length and the heel width.
You had better know what you're getting into before you start sanding to squeeze in the neck.
I'll show you something i worked on once:

[sirspens]

I've seen online that:
1- the original japanese Strat XII had a 24.75" scale (with dedicated wide XII bridge)
2- the later japanese Strat XII had a 25.5" scale (Gotoh bridge)

Checked on this...

I put the neck back on the strat body, and it measures 25.5" from nut to bridge.

I also laid it over a Jazzmaster neck, and it is the same size and everything lines up...


Aligned the nuts...


Everything else lines up down the body (I'm pretty close in here, so the slight offsets are due to lens distortion)

[mcjt]

looks good! also it's always best to measure from the nut to the 12th fret and then multiply by 2.
But it surely looks like 25.5".
It's going to be interesting to know what the heel width is, though.

[sirspens]

I haven't figured out the slightly wider neck issue, yet. I'm pretty busy, so I figure one thing at a time.

I did get in some pickguards that I need to make a choice between so that I can start getting everything wired up.

First Option: White Pearloid...


Second Option: Black Pearloid...


I honestly like both of them. I might like the white just a hair better, but if I go with the black, I can put the white on my Sonic Blue VMJM.

[Addy Bart]

White pickguard for me!

So to recap, does the heel fit the body? I'd love to make me a 12-string JM

[fortytwo]

I've got a 12 string JM with the same kind of neck, but a Japanese body.
I had a Staytrem 12 string bridge made, and a 12 string plate from Strider13, or was it Stereordinary?
I chose a black pick guard for mine.

[bacca51]

I've got a 12 string JM with the same kind of neck, but a Japanese body.
I had a Staytrem 12 string bridge made, and a 12 string plate from Strider13, or was it Stereordinary?
I chose a black pick guard for mine.

Do they do these with 12 individual saddles? Or 6 with two string spaces.

[fortytwo]

Just 6 saddles, but with 2 strings on each.

[sirspens]

I had a Staytrem 12 string bridge made, and a 12 string plate from Strider13, or was it Stereordinary?

If I end up liking it, I will probably end up doing this. But I want to make sure I like it, first.

So to recap, does the heel fit the body? I'd love to make me a 12-string JM

The heel is just a hair wider than a standard heel. I plan to measure it the moment I am not working 12 hours a day. I can tell you that it "fits", because I made it fit. It ever so slightly pushes the head of the neck off center. I have some ideas on how to deal with it. The first being seeing if screwing it in will force it into the correct position.

Thanks for the opinions. I think I am going with white pearloid. I should order another one for my Sonic Blue VMJM.