Little Squier Sonic Blue Jazzmaster upgrade to a 1958 JM anodized pickguard look

[surfin_bird]

So my Squier JM has been apart since I moved back from the US over 5 years ago, the pickguard got ruined after a friend borrowed it for tracing and kept forgetting to return it until stained it horribly.

So I decided to buy a new pickguard and gave it a go with a really decent prized anodised guard.

Only now I discovered how horribly to squiers are wired but I guess that is something i'll fix in the future.
I still have a hofner staple "sharkfin" pickup just like Jamie Hince uses, which I am considering to put into the bridge.

I'm mostly posting this to show how the pg looks on sonic blue for anyone that is interested and to see if someone has advise on the next possible steps - because I do dislike that it looks so shiny.

- Should I clear coat the pickguard?

- How can I dull the finish a bit?

- Do I need to isolate a anodized pickguard with foil?

[solfege]

I don't see the problem with the overall aesthetic. The finish is fine, the PG goes nicely with it color-wise. If I were to change anything, I'd consider different knobs, but I might do that only when I decided on how to rewire, since the pots you use will determine knobs -- and also be careful that the pots you get will fit into your pick guard, though happily CTS now has import-sized pots (though I dunno if those come in 1Meg linear)

Rewiring it can definitely be a fun project (i did that for my cyclone and it was my whole 'learn how to solder' project that eventually gave rise to my Jag build.)

You do not need to shield the pick guard. That's what the Alu does -- and what Fender was using it to do in the original iteration JMs. You *do* need to scrape a bit of the anodization off the *back* where one of the pots (which should be grounded) touches the guard so that you include it in the ground loop. Anodization will act as an insulator and prevent the connection otherwise.

[TeenageShutdown!]

I think it looks pretty killer. Is that a JMJM pickguard?

I agree with swapping out the knobs. Cream or even black would look better. To each their own.

I’m sure you could dull the surface with 00000 or even 0000 steel wool.

[Fiddy]

Dulled finishes always look like shit amateur/home jobs.


Looks good as is.

[Zork]

One of the best looking ones I've seen in a while.

[The Dead Ranch Hands]

I think it looks great as is

[jagstang]

I have a jmjm and i thought about doing a sonicblue finish on it. Looks killer!!!

[s_mcsleazy]

looks fine but i'd go for cream covers/knobs/tips to complete the look

[surfin_bird]

I changed out the knobs to NOS white witchhats ones that I had laying around and I must say it does look MUCH better now.
Thanks for pushing me to change the knobs. I'm so happy, I really missed out on that jazzmaster sound.
I just want an Amber tip now.

Btw does someone knows if you can get different tremolo arms that are more like the vintage shape.
I have two (I know luxury) vintage jaguars and I do love the shape of that trem arm.

[ohm-men]

If you can get your hands on 5mm steel rod or simelar, it's not difficult to make your own vintage spec trem arm.
I made a couple for all my Squier offsets. Just cut to the length you want, bend in the shape you want using a vice. add a trem tip and you're ready to go. I moddeled mine after a vintage Bass VI trem arm as I like long trem arms on my offsets.
I even made one for my strat, Jm length and shape and threaded it. Makes the strat trem more usuable then with a short trem arm.

[Shadoweclipse13]

If you can get your hands on 5mm steel rod or simelar, it's not difficult to make your own vintage spec trem arm.
I made a couple for all my Squier offsets. Just cut to the length you want, bend in the shape you want using a vice. add a trem tip and you're ready to go. I moddeled mine after a vintage Bass VI trem arm as I like long trem arms on my offsets.
I even made one for my strat, Jm length and shape and threaded it. Makes the strat trem more usuable then with a short trem arm.

That's fantastic! Have any pictures of them? Strat especially!

[surfin_bird]

If you can get your hands on 5mm steel rod or simelar, it's not difficult to make your own vintage spec trem arm.
I made a couple for all my Squier offsets. Just cut to the length you want, bend in the shape you want using a vice. add a trem tip and you're ready to go. I moddeled mine after a vintage Bass VI trem arm as I like long trem arms on my offsets.
I even made one for my strat, Jm length and shape and threaded it. Makes the strat trem more usuable then with a short trem arm.

Same, would be really interested to see this!