70's style Jazzmaster on a budget - AKA the Chinamaster - DONE! (04/11/21-Page 4)

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HNB
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Re: 70's style Jazzmaster on a budget - AKA the Chinamaster - DONE! (04/11/21-Page 4)

Post by HNB » Sun Apr 11, 2021 6:55 pm

Looks like it turned out great!! :D
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Re: 70's style Jazzmaster on a budget - AKA the Chinamaster - DONE! (04/11/21-Page 4)

Post by powerdroid » Tue Apr 13, 2021 7:45 am

Great job! Really liking this one

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Re: 70's style Jazzmaster on a budget - AKA the Chinamaster - DONE! (04/11/21-Page 4)

Post by ohm-men » Sat Apr 17, 2021 2:57 am

Norrin Radd wrote:
Sun Apr 11, 2021 6:36 pm
This is just spectacular! Well done, man. Great family shot too - I totally dig it not seeing anything run of the mill there. Enjoy! 8)
HNB wrote:
Sun Apr 11, 2021 6:55 pm
Looks like it turned out great!! :D
powerdroid wrote:
Tue Apr 13, 2021 7:45 am
Great job! Really liking this one
smjenkins wrote:
Sun Apr 11, 2021 11:42 am
I'm loving the final product. I'm glad it sounds great too with your pickup choice. Nice touch with your sons' names on the headstock.
Thanks all for the kind replies :)

Well, after playing this guitar for over a week now, I can say I really like it. It's a total different beast then my other Jazzmaster (which I was hoping for in the first place) the maple neck adds a kind of brightness to the Jazzmaster, very lively with single note articulation.
Even though all the parts were on the cheap, being Chinese made, the end product does not feel anthing like it. Even the tremolo does a fine job (I did replace the spring with an old MIJ one I had laying arround)
I'm aware that the Pickup Wizzard pick up set makes up for the sound, but this set didn't sound quiet the same in my Guitarbuild Ash Jazzmaster, so I guess that the Basswood/maple combo makes up for some part of the sound as well.

I think the Tusq Nut and Saddles have to be taken in the equasion as well as they seam to have a very positive influence on the tuning stability.
I also love the laquer finish, it feels kind of vintage due it being thinner and somewhat softer then poly so it will most likely age quiet nice.
I'm also glad I took the effort I stripped and refinned the neck. This turned out to be a good move. The top is glossy, while the back is more satin, this gives the neck a nice feel. (So bonus points for the boat deck laquer)
The flatter radius does not bother me anymore, as does the thicker neck profile. it kind of feels at home. Although I prefer a vintage radius.
The only thing I should consider is to level the frets a bit. currently it's not bad at all, but when levelled and polished, I think I can gain a bit more when playing this guitar.

So, as for the verdict can a decent Jazzmaster be build from budget Chinese parts.... defenitly YES!
But one must take the effort with each part and some expirience with putting a guitar togehter will help I guess.
For me it was a great learning expirience and I'm happy I didn't screw up to many things on this one.
But in all a great expirience! For me it has that 70's vibe I was going for, so mission acomplished!

And one last pic with it's DIY Bass VI sibling

Image

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