AVRI JM Mods

[DDJ]

Hey guys,

This is weird but, I have a super generous friend who is offering to finance some upgrades for my 62 AVRI JM (already has mastery bridge and trem screws reversed...).

She wants to have a luthier redo the fretwire, put Fralin humbucker pickups, change the switch (mine vibrates) and possibly change the tone/volume pots.

Aside from replacing the PU selector, I haven't been longing to do any upgrades so I'm tossing and turning over the whole premise. I do struggle with extremely noisy signal in bridge and neck positions, so, maybe it's worth it to try out the humbuckers??? BUT I LOVE THE SOUND OF MY PICKUPS and hate the idea of shaving wood out in order to fit the new ones in.

If I do have the new pickups put in, would it be a simple fix to put the old ones back in? - Just need some extra foam or something?

If I go with new fretwire, what do you guys suggest? I've done some research on the topic but am wondering if there is a consensus among JM users.

Again, I know this is a fucked up post - who gets this type of offer and doesn't jump at it?? the answer is me. I'm an overthinker as well as a bit of a purist who is resistant to turning my AVRI into a complete frankenstein.

[Maggieo]

Don't put humbuckers in it.

Get some Antiquities or Novak vintage ones.

[hexes]

I like the jazzmaster as is. frets are up to you, very personal choice for some people. i GREATLY prefer fender vintage spec to any sort of medium jumbo or larger. (i'm a mosrite player, and those are the smallest frets ever).

if the frets are worn to the point of huge dents and buzzing, then by all means do a refret. looking at $300+. or have the existing frets crowned and polished and only have the worst ones replaced and it'll cost a little less.

what contexts are your pickups noisy? tons of gain? fluorescent lamps? my jag and JM are very quiet with stock pickups after going over the shielding, but i use clean amps and only stack a boost and low overdrive, max.

EDIT: I see your house is possibly your noise issue. There are many things to check here before doing a pickup swap.

vol/tone pots from those guitars are pretty good. a tech can clean them if they're noisy. you might possibly need to change values depending on your pickup choices and personal needs, but they should still have lots of life in them.

i'm not a humbucker/noiseless fan at all. that said, the hum cancelling JM sized fralins get some good reviews, and I'd love to try Novak's JM sized wide range humbuckers someday in a backup guitar. you can always email fralin and explain you like your existing pickups and he has some options for winding you could pursue.

I'm not a modifying for the sake of modifying person, but if the frets and pickups take away enjoyment of the instrument, then sure. $600-700 for pickups and a refret is a significant amount of money.

[Maggieo]

Oh, and noise often come from grounding issues, not pickups.

[Lost In Autumn]

How about something like Fralin's Noise-Cancelling Jazzmaster pickups? The have a great Jazzmaster tone, without the hum. Also, Novak Does a PAF-style humbucker in a Jazzmaster shape, so you wouldn't have to modify your guitar. That said, if you love the sound of your guitar already, the Fralins are the way to go.

[DDJ]

In the end I decided not to do the mods. I love my guitar and got cold feet.

I'm still thinking of getting some noiseless pickups. I messaged Mr. Fralin about loving the sound of my guitar and the fact that I wouldn't be pumped about modding the pickup cavity and all he said was, 'Most people have found that they need to make some extra space'.

So, I'm saving up to try the Kinman Surfmaster pickups. Really looking forward to trying them.