Competition Burgundy Jazzmaster Finished Pg. 5!

Talk about modding or building your own guitar from scratch.
User avatar
HNB
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 13513
Joined: Tue May 10, 2011 7:55 am
Location: Puyallup, Washington
Contact:

Competition Burgundy Jazzmaster Finished Pg. 5!

Post by HNB » Mon May 10, 2021 8:11 am

Most know I am a pretty big fan of Nirvana. While I really like the music and guitars Kurt used, two iconic ones just don't work for me. First off his Mustangs. I love how they look, but they just don't fit me right when I play. I don't like the pickup switches, and I am not a fan of the tremolo bar. Also the body is small and the shorter scale (while only a little different than full scale) kinda feels off to me personally. I decided it would be cool to take that iconic instrument and make it into something I would use. Sort of like my Gibbard style Jazzmaster. It has the visual elements of his Mustang, but as a Jazzmaster.

Why not with a competition Mustang? There is some controversy on the burgandy burst ones, but you can see the more purple edge on the one below. I sent this picture and some others for ageing to MJT to have them finish me a Jazzmaster body in these colors.

Imagefender-mustang-competition-blue-1969-cons-full-front by Christopher Louck, on Flickr

This is the alder body that came. (I know the old Mustangs were poplar, but since it has color over it and it is more of a visual tribute, I didn't care about that detail.)

ImageScan from 2021-03-31 03_43_05 PM by Christopher Louck, on Flickr

ImageScan from 2021-03-31 03_43_15 PM by Christopher Louck, on Flickr

Today they sent me a paint update.

ImageScan from 2021-05-10 09_44_44 AM by Christopher Louck, on Flickr

ImageScan from 2021-05-10 09_44_53 AM by Christopher Louck, on Flickr

I have been working on the neck. Another short scale of Kurt's I like is the Jaguar. I got this bound and dot neck and have been working on it. :) This is with the decal I made freshly applied.

Image2021-05-08_08-28-48 by Christopher Louck, on Flickr

I ordered a bridge Seymour Duncan JB in a Jazzmaster construction from their custom shop. The neck pickup will be an antiquity II single coil. The upper part of the guard will have no wiring, just be empty. Lower controls will be normal 1megs and a toggle, but I am using a stained pearl guard and mustang knobs for it. Tremolo will be a classic player since I love screw in arms and I will go with a Mustang Style bridge or a Mastery. Depends on what I find when it is done curing and being aged. I asked them for mild wear. Something that looks played and stuff, but not super crazy. :)
Last edited by HNB on Mon Nov 29, 2021 4:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Christopher
Lilith Guitars

User avatar
RIORIO
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 2247
Joined: Sun Jun 17, 2012 9:49 pm
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Contact:

Re: Competition Burgundy Jazzmaster

Post by RIORIO » Mon May 10, 2021 1:07 pm

Looks AMAZING but I’d add a matching headstock :D

User avatar
PorkyPrimeCut
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 24464
Joined: Tue Nov 28, 2006 7:46 am
Location: Leipzig
Contact:

Re: Competition Burgundy Jazzmaster

Post by PorkyPrimeCut » Mon May 10, 2021 1:20 pm

I've always preferred plain over matching headstocks but in this case, if you're going for the look of that Mustang he played, you should have a matching headstock.
You think you can't, you wish you could, I know you can, I wish you would. Slip inside this house as you pass by.

User avatar
HNB
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 13513
Joined: Tue May 10, 2011 7:55 am
Location: Puyallup, Washington
Contact:

Re: Competition Burgundy Jazzmaster

Post by HNB » Mon May 10, 2021 1:46 pm

I just don't dig matching. I like how they look, but I never keep guitars with matching headstocks. I don't know why. LOL Just something strange about me I suppose. :D
Christopher
Lilith Guitars

User avatar
Scout
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 962
Joined: Thu Feb 27, 2020 3:26 pm
Location: Phillyish

Re: Competition Burgundy Jazzmaster

Post by Scout » Mon May 10, 2021 3:05 pm

Did MJT supply the body or just the paint? Fun idea.

User avatar
HNB
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 13513
Joined: Tue May 10, 2011 7:55 am
Location: Puyallup, Washington
Contact:

Re: Competition Burgundy Jazzmaster

Post by HNB » Mon May 10, 2021 3:58 pm

Body and paint. :)
Christopher
Lilith Guitars

User avatar
CorporateDisguise
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 777
Joined: Sun Mar 08, 2015 9:56 am
Location: NY

Re: Competition Burgundy Jazzmaster

Post by CorporateDisguise » Wed May 12, 2021 2:14 am

This is going to be so freaking cool!

User avatar
Arc
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 155
Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2014 5:11 am

Re: Competition Burgundy Jazzmaster

Post by Arc » Wed May 12, 2021 5:56 am

What do you think about the JB? I mean, what is the reason for your choice? I ask because I have one (regular size humbucker) in a mahogany guitar (supposedly the best match) but I cannot stand it for the life of me. It is stupidly honky even with the mids down to zero, very ice picky top end too. The only upside being the tight and defined low end. I remedied a little lowering it below the ring and adjusting the pole pieces, but still.. wouldn’t buy another one. Different strokes for different folks I guess! Looking forward to seeing your build because that body makes me horny!

User avatar
FenderBob
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 2076
Joined: Sun Dec 03, 2006 11:26 am
Location: Milwaukee
Contact:

Re: Competition Burgundy Jazzmaster

Post by FenderBob » Wed May 12, 2021 6:34 am

Cool project!... :w00t:

Excited to see how this turns, can't wait to see finish pics in better lighting. At one point I considered sending them my actual comp. mustang so that could copy the finish but I lost my nerve.

User avatar
HNB
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 13513
Joined: Tue May 10, 2011 7:55 am
Location: Puyallup, Washington
Contact:

Re: Competition Burgundy Jazzmaster

Post by HNB » Wed May 12, 2021 7:15 am

Arc wrote:
Wed May 12, 2021 5:56 am
What do you think about the JB? I mean, what is the reason for your choice? I ask because I have one (regular size humbucker) in a mahogany guitar (supposedly the best match) but I cannot stand it for the life of me. It is stupidly honky even with the mids down to zero, very ice picky top end too. The only upside being the tight and defined low end. I remedied a little lowering it below the ring and adjusting the pole pieces, but still.. wouldn’t buy another one. Different strokes for different folks I guess! Looking forward to seeing your build because that body makes me horny!

I like JBs because they tend to be bright and mid forward. :) I even enjoy the Distortion which is like a higher output JB. I read an article on a new Tele sig an artist made. They said they wanted the bridge to be ice picky so you can use a tone pot to adjust it to your liking. It is sort of the argument for 1meg pots over 500k. It can make the pickups brighter, but you can tone it down with the tone pot. In the reverse, it is harder to make a dark pickup brighter. :D
FenderBob wrote:
Wed May 12, 2021 6:34 am
Cool project!... :w00t:

Excited to see how this turns, can't wait to see finish pics in better lighting. At one point I considered sending them my actual comp. mustang so that could copy the finish but I lost my nerve.
I sent them pics of your Mustang from the internet to show the color before greening out. (Your under guard shots.) It is looking like they got it pretty close to the pictures I sent. I wanted it to be a little greened, but not full color change from the sun. :D
Christopher
Lilith Guitars

User avatar
HNB
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 13513
Joined: Tue May 10, 2011 7:55 am
Location: Puyallup, Washington
Contact:

Re: Competition Burgundy Jazzmaster

Post by HNB » Wed May 12, 2021 7:16 am

CorporateDisguise wrote:
Wed May 12, 2021 2:14 am
This is going to be so freaking cool!
Thanks! I hope so. ;)
Christopher
Lilith Guitars

User avatar
FenderBob
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 2076
Joined: Sun Dec 03, 2006 11:26 am
Location: Milwaukee
Contact:

Re: Competition Burgundy Jazzmaster

Post by FenderBob » Wed May 12, 2021 9:02 am

This jazzmaster body on ebay would look great with stripes too.

Image

User avatar
Arc
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 155
Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2014 5:11 am

Re: Competition Burgundy Jazzmaster

Post by Arc » Wed May 12, 2021 9:24 am

HNB wrote:
Wed May 12, 2021 7:15 am
Arc wrote:
Wed May 12, 2021 5:56 am
What do you think about the JB? I mean, what is the reason for your choice? I ask because I have one (regular size humbucker) in a mahogany guitar (supposedly the best match) but I cannot stand it for the life of me. It is stupidly honky even with the mids down to zero, very ice picky top end too. The only upside being the tight and defined low end. I remedied a little lowering it below the ring and adjusting the pole pieces, but still.. wouldn’t buy another one. Different strokes for different folks I guess! Looking forward to seeing your build because that body makes me horny!

I like JBs because they tend to be bright and mid forward. :) I even enjoy the Distortion which is like a higher output JB. I read an article on a new Tele sig an artist made. They said they wanted the bridge to be ice picky so you can use a tone pot to adjust it to your liking. It is sort of the argument for 1meg pots over 500k. It can make the pickups brighter, but you can tone it down with the tone pot. In the reverse, it is harder to make a dark pickup brighter. :D
Yeah it makes sense but the you would need two dedicated tone pots for neck and bridge. Unless you wire your rhythm circuit with two 1 meg pot and use it as a pickup switch. Otherwise you’ll end up with a much darker neck.. don’t you think?

User avatar
Shadoweclipse13
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 12435
Joined: Fri Feb 07, 2014 9:22 pm
Location: Stuck in the dimension of imagination

Re: Competition Burgundy Jazzmaster

Post by Shadoweclipse13 » Wed May 12, 2021 9:50 am

FenderBob wrote:
Wed May 12, 2021 9:02 am
This jazzmaster body on ebay would look great with stripes too.

Image
Damn! That's awesome!
Pickup Switching Mad Scientist
http://www.offsetguitars.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=104282&p=1438384#p1438384

User avatar
HNB
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 13513
Joined: Tue May 10, 2011 7:55 am
Location: Puyallup, Washington
Contact:

Re: Competition Burgundy Jazzmaster

Post by HNB » Wed May 12, 2021 10:48 am

The Squier one from China? If so, I thought about that, but I don't know about it. Stuff from China can be iffy.
Christopher
Lilith Guitars

Post Reply