Just inherited a jazzmaster body…could it be vintage?

Discussion of vintage Jazzmasters, Jaguars, Bass VIs, Electric XIIs and any other offset-waist instruments.
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Gswearengin
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Re: Just inherited a jazzmaster body…could it be vintage?

Post by Gswearengin » Wed Jun 15, 2022 8:11 pm

I would actually love to find the grounding plates they use for the AO/professional series. As long as they work as well, it seems like the flat type would be much easier to work with than the “tub.” Maybe I just did it wrong or don’t have the right tools.

More thoughts on the body, if anyone is still reading: the pickup I got is a black bottom, and the tort is definitely the older, more brown style. Both of those suggest pre-‘65, but I have no way of knowing whether they “belong” together.

As a total novice, I’m not convinced that the neck pocket is fully painted. Most of the pocket just looks yellow, with a hint of black on the bass side, and a bigger section on the treble side. The rest is fullerplast/base coat, right?

The body is packed away for now, but looking at pictures I sometimes think I see the hint of a “3” in the bridge pickup cavity, but it’s very faint, much smaller, and pointed a different direction from what I’m used to seeing. Maybe?

I also noticed the staple is still in place for the grounding wire in the trem cavity. What is that black square with the cross through it…has anyone ever seen something like that before?

Thanks!

Gary

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T70
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Re: Just inherited a jazzmaster body…could it be vintage?

Post by T70 » Sun Jun 19, 2022 12:29 pm

I recommend squirting some wood glue into that split in the mounting hole in the rhythm circuit route and then clamping it up. It could split all the way.

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Re: Just inherited a jazzmaster body…could it be vintage?

Post by bluemonday » Sun Jun 19, 2022 12:39 pm

From the picture, the neck pocket residue looks like the body was painted with a stick attached which is consistent with that pattern you describe. I read somewhere that after bodies were sealed, the default spray was that yellow at the center of the bursts. All over the body. From there, most guitars were finished in sunburst. The rest are custom or other colors, but that yellow is underneath regardless.

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Gswearengin
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Re: Just inherited a jazzmaster body…could it be vintage?

Post by Gswearengin » Sun Jun 19, 2022 12:53 pm

One more thought (you guys have moved on, I’m still obsessing…),

I just looked at the main control cavity and don’t see any evidence of Glazier points. I can’t verify that they’re original, but the location of the Glazier points in the rhythm circuit cavity seem consistent with other guitars that I’ve seen. Wouldn’t that suggest pre-‘64, when they moved to the flat shielding plate in the control cavity?

I don’t see any evidence of a date in the bridge pickup or trem cavities. I see a few things that could potentially be evidence of filled nail holes, but nothing certain.

Thanks!

Gary

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Gswearengin
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Re: Just inherited a jazzmaster body…could it be vintage?

Post by Gswearengin » Sun Jun 19, 2022 2:01 pm

T70 wrote:
Sun Jun 19, 2022 12:29 pm
I recommend squirting some wood glue into that split in the mounting hole in the rhythm circuit route and then clamping it up. It could split all the way.
I’ll do that ASAP once I get home (on vacation right now…).

I did a test fit with the vintage pickguard and it wasn’t as bad as expected. It’s pretty wrinkled and warped and ugly, but I would love to use it if I can (I’m a tort aficionado). I’ll try flattening it between glass or mount it to a piece of wood so it doesn’t shrink further.

Thanks,

Gary

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Gswearengin
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Re: Just inherited a jazzmaster body…could it be vintage?

Post by Gswearengin » Sun Jun 19, 2022 2:28 pm

Image

:-* :-* :-* :-* :-*

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Re: Just inherited a jazzmaster body…could it be vintage?

Post by marqueemoon » Sun Jun 19, 2022 4:10 pm

Looks like a decent fit!

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T70
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Re: Just inherited a jazzmaster body…could it be vintage?

Post by T70 » Mon Jun 20, 2022 5:25 am

Gswearengin wrote:
Sun Jun 19, 2022 2:01 pm
T70 wrote:
Sun Jun 19, 2022 12:29 pm
I recommend squirting some wood glue into that split in the mounting hole in the rhythm circuit route and then clamping it up. It could split all the way.
I’ll do that ASAP once I get home (on vacation right now…).

I did a test fit with the vintage pickguard and it wasn’t as bad as expected. It’s pretty wrinkled and warped and ugly, but I would love to use it if I can (I’m a tort aficionado). I’ll try flattening it between glass or mount it to a piece of wood so it doesn’t shrink further.

Thanks,

Gary
If it's been off the guitar for a while, you might have to file the pickup cutouts to get them to fit. No big deal though.

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