Blacktop Jazzmaster Conversion

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nad
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Blacktop Jazzmaster Conversion

Post by nad » Tue May 14, 2013 11:54 pm

This is my first Jazzmaster project.

In November last year my wife bought me 2 Jazzmasters, a Squier J Mascis and a Fender Blacktop.
Image

The Squier is a magnificent guitar and I bonded with it immediately - Flawless finish, wonderful feel, plays well sounds great. The fender Blacktop was a different story. I just haven't bonded with it. Its a beautiful looking guitar, but it doesn't sound like a Jazzmaster and doesn't feel like a Jazzmaster (I miss the rhythm circuit).

Anyway i decided to convert to a more traditional Jazzmaster configuration with Fender AVRI pickups, new electronics from Allparts and tortoise pickguard. It took just an afternoon to do the conversion.

Before:
Image

After routing and shielding with copper tape.
Image

Finished:
Image

I'm really happy with the result. it sound wonderfull and we've finally bonded. I still need to get aged white knobs and trem tip.

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Re: Blacktop Jazzmaster Conversion

Post by fenderwhite » Wed May 15, 2013 7:57 am

Looks absolutely great! I'm about to start my first jazzmaster project myself with one of the squier vm jazzys in sonic blue. I was thinking of doing a blacktop but I wanted the less traditional color. Did you need to do any extra routing (I believe one of the pickups isn't the same) or was it already routed that way underneath? Nevermind, I just read through again and saw you routed!
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Re: Blacktop Jazzmaster Conversion

Post by fenderizer » Wed May 15, 2013 9:06 am

Nice job, big improvement (at least looks-wise)

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Re: Blacktop Jazzmaster Conversion

Post by i n c u b u s » Wed May 15, 2013 9:06 am

That looks fantastic! Night and day, wasn't expecting it to come out that great!

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nad
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Re: Blacktop Jazzmaster Conversion

Post by nad » Thu May 16, 2013 3:55 am

Thanks all. I'm very happy with the results, both visually and how it sounds. The body has nice grain with a beautiful finish.
fenderwhite wrote:Looks absolutely great! I'm about to start my first jazzmaster project myself with one of the squier vm jazzys in sonic blue. I was thinking of doing a blacktop but I wanted the less traditional color. Did you need to do any extra routing (I believe one of the pickups isn't the same) or was it already routed that way underneath? Nevermind, I just read through again and saw you routed!
Here's a pic of the blacktop body routs prior to modification:
Image

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Re: Blacktop Jazzmaster Conversion

Post by Thurstonitis » Fri May 17, 2013 9:30 am

Where'd you get that pickguard from? It's niiice.

Side note: your wife rocks! Two jazzies! Epic.

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nad
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Re: Blacktop Jazzmaster Conversion

Post by nad » Fri May 17, 2013 3:12 pm

I got the pickguard from eBay - Custom World Guitar Parts in The Netherlands. Here's a link:
http://stores.ebay.com.au/Custom-world- ... 34.c0.m322" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

They have a pic of a template with measurements of the hole placements so I was able to confirm it would fit. The pickguard looks much nicer in person and appears well made. I plan to get another for my Squier.

My wife is a keeper ;D . She's placed a self imposed ban on herself going into music stores for 12 months. Every time we go into a guitar store together i come out with a guitar. Last time it was an Eastman AR810CE Archtop, time before that the JMs and the time before that a Godin 5th Ave Kingpin - all in 1 year.

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Re: Blacktop Jazzmaster Conversion

Post by fosco » Sat May 18, 2013 9:44 am

Great work! Now it looks like a real jazzmaster! :)

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nad
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Re: Blacktop Jazzmaster Conversion

Post by nad » Sat May 18, 2013 3:37 pm

Thanks. It sounds like a real jazzmaster too ;D .

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Re: Blacktop Jazzmaster Conversion

Post by Deed_Poll » Sun May 19, 2013 4:49 am

Great job! Tort brings out the bursts so much better than black, IMO.
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Re: Blacktop Jazzmaster Conversion

Post by toez10 » Mon May 20, 2013 7:12 am

That looks greats! nice work!

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Re: Blacktop Jazzmaster Conversion

Post by nad » Tue May 21, 2013 3:48 am

Thanks guys.

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Completed: Blacktop Jazzmaster Conversion

Post by nad » Fri Jun 07, 2013 5:07 pm

The Blacktop Jazzmaster conversion is finished. Aged white knobs and trem tip were the final touches:

Image

I also gave the Squier Mascis JM a facelift with a Tortoise pickguard. I love the look of aged white and brown tortoise:

Image

Image

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Re: Blacktop Jazzmaster Conversion

Post by CannSound » Fri Aug 16, 2013 3:06 pm

I hate to drag back up this old post, but I'm planning on doing almost the same thing. I love the look of the sunburst, it's so awesome. Did you need custom knobs or would regular Strat knobs fit? And also, I heard somewhere the pickup covers were glued to the pickups. Is this true?

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Re: Blacktop Jazzmaster Conversion

Post by chrissthejazz » Fri Aug 17, 2018 10:24 pm

I am also sorry to bring up an old topic, but I am considering a similar conversion of a Jazzmaster HH, which I gather is similar to the earlier Blacktop Jazzmasters, and thought I would pick your brain.

I want to switch out the pickguard that's on my Jazzmaster HH now (which has no rhythm/lead circuit toggle switches) with something like the Vintage 65 pickguard and single coil pickups (see links below) that Fender makes. I remember reading that not all Jazzmaster pickguards have the same dimensions or drill holes a. Before I drop some money on a new pickguard, I want to make sure that it will fit onto the HH guitar without any issues.

I understand you went with a pickguard from Custom World, but do you happen to know if your Blacktop could accept a Vintage 65 pickguard like the one below?

Thanks so much,

Chris

Vintage 65 Jazzmaster pickguard: https://shop.fender.com/en-US/parts/pic ... t=&start=1

and the Vintage 65 pickups: https://shop.fender.com/en-US/accessori ... 39000.html

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