Custom cut Jazzmaster pickup covers?

[glennleaguesny]

Does anyone know a company that does these? Or any ideas on how to accomplish? There is a set of pickups that I’m after for a new build. The builder typically makes them in humbucker or soapbar P90 sized. He can make them in a Jazzmaster pickup size, however I would have to supply my own covers.

I know the easy answer would be just to get a pickguard routed for humbuckers and go the humbucker route. I just don’t love the way humbuckers look in a jazzmaster and really would like jazzmaster shaped pickups for this build. The humbuckers as is look a bit futuristic to me, and I would love to make this as vintage-y looking as possible. Any ideas?

[epizootics]

Do you want to keep the whole forbon top visible or just have the rectangular magnets sticking out through the cover? Looking at them cool red stripes I assume you're after the former. The latter is a harder endeavor unless you have a laser cutter, but the former only requires taking off the central section of the covers. Here's how I do it with P90 covers (the same method works for JM covers):









Using a router is the fastest / cleanest way to do it. I remove as much material as I can will my drill press (I got a bit lazy with this one), double-tape shims on the inside the thickness of the width I want to keep at the top, then trim that flush with a top-bearing flush trim router bit. Ten minutes' work if you have the tools. If you don't, any luthier should be able to do it.

And if you happen to be in continental Europe, I'll be glad to do it for you!

[glennleaguesny]

Do you want to keep the whole forbon top visible or just have the rectangular magnets sticking out through the cover? Looking at them cool red stripes I assume you're after the former. The latter is a harder endeavor unless you have a laser cutter, but the former only requires taking off the central section of the covers. Here's how I do it with P90 covers (the same method works for JM covers):









Using a router is the fastest / cleanest way to do it. I remove as much material as I can will my drill press (I got a bit lazy with this one), double-tape shims on the inside the thickness of the width I want to keep at the top, then trim that flush with a top-bearing flush trim router bit. Ten minutes' work if you have the tools. If you don't, any luthier should be able to do it.

And if you happen to be in continental Europe, I'll be glad to do it for you!

WOW, that looks fantastic. I'm actually in the US unfortunately. My original idea was to cut it so just the magnets were showing. At least, that's what I thought aesthetically would look best in my head. I was thinking of trying the best I could to make them as similar looking to a Jazzmaster pickup as possible. But, if I had to, I probably would settle for just routing out a Jazzmaster cover the same way you did.

[MayTheFuzzBeWithYou]

This is what I‘d do/what I‘ve been looking for quite some time… sadly that‘s very expensive for just pickup covers…

Aluminum Pickup Covers

PS: without the inlay of course.

[glennleaguesny]

This is what I‘d do/what I‘ve been looking for quite some time… sadly that‘s very expensive for just pickup covers…

Aluminum Pickup Covers

PS: without the inlay of course.

This is perfect, I had no idea this existed. I wonder if he could do without the inlay and without the little lips that hold the inlay in. I’ll have to shoot him a message. Just not sure how aluminum would look for the build, but leaning towards going this way!

[MattK]

Or 3D print: https://www.shapeways.com/product/UWPJN ... cker-mount

[Shadoweclipse13]

Or 3D print: https://www.shapeways.com/product/UWPJN ... cker-mount

My thought was either 3D-printed or laser cutting. 3D-printing would be much cheaper, but will still take some time to model. It would be really cool though. Those pickups look SO cool!!!!

[tammyw]

I don't like the way they shaped the mounting ears on those aluminum covers, and I have other biases against 3D printing and laser cutting.

If you're still interested in having just the pole cutouts in a solid cover...

If you had a steady hand and a bit of patience, I think you could get better results with a jeweler's saw and needle files. Although I realize not everyone has the skills or the time.

Alternatively, some place with a CNC engraving machine might be able to do it, like a trophy shop or something.

If you have the exact dimensional layout I could probably do it...

[epizootics]

The winder would be the best person to ask for the layout - those flatworks are laser cut, you'd just need a bit of an offset added to the pole piece slots so you have enough wiggle room when fitting them through the covers. You can then take the CAD files and a pair of blank covers to your local fablab and ask one of the nice geeks there to help you out

[glennleaguesny]

I don't like the way they shaped the mounting ears on those aluminum covers, and I have other biases against 3D printing and laser cutting.

If you're still interested in having just the pole cutouts in a solid cover...

If you had a steady hand and a bit of patience, I think you could get better results with a jeweler's saw and needle files. Although I realize not everyone has the skills or the time.

Alternatively, some place with a CNC engraving machine might be able to do it, like a trophy shop or something.

If you have the exact dimensional layout I could probably do it...

Ideally it would just be Jazzmaster covers cut to just fit the poles through. I definitely have the time and patience to cut them out, just wasn't really sure how to even start. I'll look into the jeweler's saw and needle files. I thought I may be able to cut it myself but wasn't sure which tools would allow me to start cutting that plastic cleanly

[MattK]

That many fine, precision cuts with a tool you’ve never used before is guaranteed to look bad.
If you could help the maker with the process they might be able to offer them to a new market, they sure look good, and Jazzmasters are pretty popular these days.

[MattK]

or https://www.axesrus.co.uk/FENDJMHB-p/jmpupcovhb.htm

[MayTheFuzzBeWithYou]

It would really be a shame to cover up those red stripes…
You‘ve earned them (or earned the money that bought 'em) - (find a way to) show them to the world!

Edit: also I agree that you‘d at least need some test runs before you can make that process with the individual pole pieces) look good.
A individually designed and precisely measured cookie-cutout comes to mind.

[windmill]

You could buy half a dozen blank jazmaster covers off ebay or the like and have a few trial goes.

Using a drill of the appropriate diameter as much as possible and the files you may be able to do a good enough job.

Yeah, you do deserve those red stripes as well.

HTH

☺

[Ironboy504]

Who is the builder that make these pickups?