Jazzo-Sonic | Restoring a '62 Jazzmaster

Bringing your older offset back to life.
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PJazzmaster
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Re: Jazzo-Sonic | Restoring a '62 Jazzmaster

Post by PJazzmaster » Thu Jun 16, 2022 5:12 am

Subscribed 8)

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terminalvertigo
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Re: Jazzo-Sonic | Restoring a '62 Jazzmaster

Post by terminalvertigo » Thu Jun 16, 2022 11:52 am

Highnumbers wrote:
Thu Jun 16, 2022 5:05 am
terminalvertigo wrote:
Thu Jun 16, 2022 4:40 am
the real treat will be watching the duo sonic come back to life ;)
I’m going to leave that endeavor up to somebody else.

Personally I think there is nothing left to restore!
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Highnumbers
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Re: Jazzo-Sonic | Restoring a '62 Jazzmaster

Post by Highnumbers » Fri Jun 17, 2022 9:42 am

terminalvertigo wrote:
Thu Jun 16, 2022 11:52 am
Highnumbers wrote:
Thu Jun 16, 2022 5:05 am
terminalvertigo wrote:
Thu Jun 16, 2022 4:40 am
the real treat will be watching the duo sonic come back to life ;)
I’m going to leave that endeavor up to somebody else.

Personally I think there is nothing left to restore!
[/img]
Lol.

Well... I've seen people attempt some crazy shit in the past, you never really know.

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Highnumbers
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Re: Jazzo-Sonic | Restoring a '62 Jazzmaster

Post by Highnumbers » Wed Jun 22, 2022 2:01 pm

Thread update!

After the 1/4" veneer was applied with epoxy, the next step was cutting the excess off, I didn't want to sand the edges much (or at all) to retain the original body dimensions/shape. I also cut off the foream contour excess because it was just sticking out

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Some basic filing of the edges for the contour. I ended up shaping the contour back to factory specs with a handheld belt sander (carefully!) followed by a sanding block. I have to say, it's totally satisfying when this contour came back to it's full original shape. You can't feel it at all running a hand across the joint.
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As luck would have it, one of my other Jazzmasters is a totally original '62, which made for the perfect reference point for all sorts of specs on the body, from the shape to the route depths to the contour shapes.
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I started working on opening up the original factory cavity routes. Aside from the lower control routing, all of the other cavities were intact (both pickups, trem and rhythm circuit). I drilled with a forstner bit to open up the route area, then used a flush-cut bearing bit to follow the original cavity edges for a perfect shape. In the course of doing so, I found that the available aftermarket templates are *slightly* off a 1/16th of an inch here or there. Nothing you would really notice if you weren't trying to use them on an original cavity.

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Here I have leveled the body half, preparing to mate it to a piece of fresh alder for the treble side, both planed to the matching correct thickness.
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I attached the other side of the body with epoxy - again because I don't want this coming apart in the future.
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Continuing to open the factory routes on the bass side of the body, while also routing the control cavity on the new half (before cutting the body to size). Shout-out to Javelina Guitars (who sell templates on Reverb), really high quality stuff that helped with this project quite a bit.
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Lastly, it was just a matter of using the template and tracing from my original '62 JM to get the body outline started. Then cut it out to shape on a bandsaw and final shaping with a spindle sander and disc sander.
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Starting to look like a Jazzmaster again! The next stop is doing the edge roundover on the body with a 7/16" router bit, and then doing all the fine sanding to prep it for sealer and paint. That'll have to wait a week or two, though.
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Finally (and this is subject to change), I have decided on Sherwood Green w/matching headstock for the final color selection. One of my favorite custom colors and one that you don't see very often on 60s Fenders.

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caples
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Re: Jazzo-Sonic | Restoring a '62 Jazzmaster

Post by caples » Sat Jun 25, 2022 2:59 am

It’s looking really good! Actually starting to look like a jazzmaster again.
1969 Comp Blue Mustang, 1965 Natural Jaguar

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sal paradise
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Re: Jazzo-Sonic | Restoring a '62 Jazzmaster

Post by sal paradise » Sat Jun 25, 2022 2:37 pm

Thought there would be more love for this… amazing work so far :-*
I have nothing to offer anybody, except my own confusion?

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Re: Jazzo-Sonic | Restoring a '62 Jazzmaster

Post by DaddyDom » Sat Jun 25, 2022 8:34 pm

Thought there would be more love for this… amazing work so far :-*
Every time I try to type my undying love for this thread, the drool swamps my keyboard.

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Re: Jazzo-Sonic | Restoring a '62 Jazzmaster

Post by maximee » Sun Jun 26, 2022 1:36 am

Awesome restoration, can’t wait to see more progress. Sherwood green is also :?

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Re: Jazzo-Sonic | Restoring a '62 Jazzmaster

Post by Jazzmastervsjaguar » Sun Jun 26, 2022 4:37 am

Amazing! Can’t wait to see how it ends up!

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Highnumbers
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Re: Jazzo-Sonic | Restoring a '62 Jazzmaster

Post by Highnumbers » Sun Jun 26, 2022 3:37 pm

Thanks everyone! I appreciate the kind words.

It’s been a fun project so far and I’m looking forward to getting the final prep done on the body and color back on it 8)

I’ll have more pics later this week.

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Re: Jazzo-Sonic | Restoring a '62 Jazzmaster

Post by maximee » Sat Jul 02, 2022 2:14 pm

Is it already later this week? :)

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Re: Jazzo-Sonic | Restoring a '62 Jazzmaster

Post by Highnumbers » Sat Jul 02, 2022 2:24 pm

Ha! I’m working on the guitar today (finally, it’s been a busy week). Hopefully more photos soon, I’m working on the contour edges.

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Re: Jazzo-Sonic | Restoring a '62 Jazzmaster

Post by maximee » Sat Jul 02, 2022 2:36 pm

Looking forward to seeing that. Thinking about re-contouring a Korina JM of mine, so that’ll be cool to see!

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Re: Jazzo-Sonic | Restoring a '62 Jazzmaster

Post by caples » Mon Jul 04, 2022 8:10 am

Looking forward to seeing how it turns out :-)
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Re: Jazzo-Sonic | Restoring a '62 Jazzmaster

Post by T70 » Tue Jul 12, 2022 7:30 am

Wow, this is quite the project, and a testament to your woodworking skills. I draw the line at chopping 2x4s! Nice work.

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