Prototype: Jazzblaster Deluxe v1.0

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Somnospeed
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Prototype: Jazzblaster Deluxe v1.0

Post by Somnospeed » Fri Jan 28, 2022 8:04 am

Backstory:
So I'm a huge fan of the 70's Telecaster Deluxe models with the WRHB. It would have been my Numero Uno main guitar, but I could not stand the neck. Totally sharp edges and I'm a thumb over player. So for me, it was torture; best and worst of both worlds. :squint: I couldn't bring myself to change the neck on such a classic (3 bolt anyway... :fp: ) So I decided to keep the WRHB tone and make myself a cool looking, great feeling, easy playing Jazzblaster. I'm a huge Sonic Youth fan and remember searching and searching magazines, VHS videos, DVD's, etc, trying to figure out what frickin' model Jazzmaster Lee Ranaldo was playing. Pre-internet... so I had no idea Lee had them custom made. I thought it was some super-secret Seattle-only guitar that was too cool to find anywhere in my boring town. It turns out no such Jazzmaster existed.

Fast forward 25 years... I finally got one of those exclusive Seattle-only Jazzblasters, but it just couldn't match that Tele Deluxe tone. I thought it must be the pickups but nope, my issue was that I could not adjust tone and volume settings for each individual pickup. The pickups were fine, but with only one tone and one volume, I knew the tones I was looking for where locked in there somewhere, they just needed to be unlocked.

Enter the Jazzblaster Deluxe. I added an additional volume and tone pots, as well as moved the pup selector to the top horn, ala the Tele Deluxe (Did I mention I loved those?? ;D ) First test run, it was immediately apparent that having only one vol and tone hides a lot of fine-tuning options on the WRHB. Having doubled the pots does not directly translate to doubling tone adjust options... I say it triples it at least!! YMMV. Granted, I upgraded the pots from 500k to 1Meg and added a treble bleed, but I am factoring that in my assessment. I still say the tone options are free from their two pot chokehold!
Looks wise, et... :derp: I like it. I love it, actually but I admit the placement of the neck pup knobs is not a final design. Being that this is Prototype #1 I wanted to use the current pickguard so I used the original pup selector switch hole for one of the added pots and drilled for the other. But performance-wise, they are perfect. You may have noticed that my two volume knobs are next to each other in a TV-VT pattern, which is an atypical staggering on any guitar. My style of EQ is to find the "sweet spot" in the tone knob each pup and, for the most part, leave the tone knob set at that position. Then I use the two volume knobs as the EQ to adjust tone in the middle position, which I play most. Deeper tone, roll off bridge volume. Vice-versa. So the knobs being located where they are suit my playing style perfect. I can reach each volume knob without moving my hand left or right, away from my strumming position. I can now easily reach each volume with the most minimal arm movement. Mission accomplished!!

Like I said, this is Prototype v1.0. This is my first Jazzmaster ever so I wasn't sure if all those extra pots and wires would even fit inside there lol. Now that I know it does fit and how to do it, I know the final product will be a big improvement over the prototypes. Jazzblaster Deluxe prototype v1.2 soon to come. Stay tuned!! :w00t:

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HNB
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Re: Prototype: Jazzblaster Deluxe v1.0

Post by HNB » Fri Jan 28, 2022 9:13 am

Cool. I love a good tele deluxe also, but the body isn't my favorite shape. A jazzy version is cool. You should look up Deed_Poll's Deluxemaster. I am getting one of his bodies. It is like a Jazzy and Tele Deluxe has a sexy baby.
Christopher
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Somnospeed
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Re: Prototype: Jazzblaster Deluxe v1.0

Post by Somnospeed » Fri Jan 28, 2022 11:22 am

I just took a peek at the Deluxemaster you mentioned. Sweet looking guitars! I'm partial to the WRHB version myself. ;)

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Re: Prototype: Jazzblaster Deluxe v1.0

Post by HNB » Fri Jan 28, 2022 11:27 am

That is what mine will have. Dual WRHB. :)
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hexes
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Re: Prototype: Jazzblaster Deluxe v1.0

Post by hexes » Fri Jan 28, 2022 12:24 pm

sweet. i was considering jazzblaster style for my baritone, except small knob concentric pot for tone next to the selector switch, two volumes by the output jack.

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Re: Prototype: Jazzblaster Deluxe v1.0

Post by hulakatt » Fri Jan 28, 2022 5:27 pm

For using the 2V/2T control scheme but keeping things tidy, have you thought about using concentric pots like the early Jazz Basses or some Danelectros?
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Re: Prototype: Jazzblaster Deluxe v1.0

Post by CorporateDisguise » Sun Jan 30, 2022 6:02 am

I went with a concentric pot on my Baritone jazzmaster. It’s really hard to get it to work smoothly, without rubbing. Still haven’t quite gotten it down.

My current Jazzmaster is wired with vvtt, but I used the rhythm circuit for the neck volume and tone. This works way better for me.

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Re: Prototype: Jazzblaster Deluxe v1.0

Post by Flurko » Sun Jan 30, 2022 6:13 am

That looks like a fun guitar !

I like how Electrical Guitar Company used a 4-knob layout (well if you don't count the master volume on the lower horn) on a jazzmaster body with their Ken Andrews signature model :
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It makes sense only on the aesthetics and possibly ergonomic point of view, because engineering wise it requires both a top and back routing if done on a traditional wooden body, but the knobs position looks great with the lines of the guitar IMO.

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Re: Prototype: Jazzblaster Deluxe v1.0

Post by threewordname » Sun Jan 30, 2022 6:54 am

Putting neck volume and tone on 1M rollers in the rhythm circuit is a nice aesthetic solution, but rules out volume swells and adjustment on the fly. More of a fashion over function situation.

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