Jazzmaster Partscaster rebuild

[Sthackenb]

Hi guys,

First post in this forum... I got attracted to offsets in the past year and had already a Squier VM JM and own a firebird. In general I had replica instruments build by luthier and finished by me and partscasters. Last month I flip a MJT Mastery Bigsby Thinline Tele for a Jazzmaster Partscaster which will be now completely refinished and parts changed.

It has a very nice B.Hefner neck, which will be refinished. The body gave me some thoughts but finally I was able to identify, it is one of those Japanese mid 90s fotoflame bodies refinished in Nitro. It will be replaced with Guitarbuild body because even when basswood doesn’t sound bad a alder body is more suitable.
The already installed Mustangbridge will be most likely changed to a Halon bridge as Staytrem is only available in UK. I don‘t know about the Trem but it is most likely is Japanese, so it might get changed.
Pickups will get replaced by Q Pickups, had some Steat and Tele PUs and they are great. Pickguard and knobs will get replaced as well, electronics will be changed.
Body will be finished in Nitro and Shoreline Gold with aged lacquer on top and weather checking.

Can somebody say which trem it is?

[adamrobertt]

That's def. a Japanese trem

[Sthackenb]

That's def. a Japanese trem

Thanks a lot... ok put on the list for replacement.

[Sthackenb]

So some parts has already arrived and I aged a used mint Pickguard to some extend

[Sthackenb]

So now in Shoreline Gold, aged clear coats will follow...

[ohm-men]

Very nice! I got a Guitarbuild Ash body in a trade a while ago and i'm loving it!
I really like the fact that these bodies are vintage correct (I think the based them on an actual 1960 Jm body) with the correct neck pocket dept of 10mm as oposed to 15 mm in a lot of other aftermarket bodies. The correct neck pocket depth makes a lot of differance for the set up and the set up and the strings not rubbing against the trem screws.

[Sthackenb]

Guitarbuild bodies are very cool, this is the 6 body that i used from them (2 Strats and 3 Tele’s) and they are very correct, for example the Tele body has the router hump which original Telecaster have!

The Shoreline went into a greenish gold with aged lacquer, looks very interesting... will post pictures when it is done.

[ohm-men]

Guitarbuild bodies are very cool, this is the 6 body that i used from them (2 Strats and 3 Tele’s) and they are very correct, for example the Tele body has the router hump which original Telecaster have!

The Shoreline went into a greenish gold with aged lacquer, looks very interesting... will post pictures when it is done.

Cool, looking forward to them!
I'm a great fan of partsmaster's as well. I also have a couple of 'em.
Currently due to the popularity of the Jazzmaster's, used parts are easy to come by.
Usually I can't ressist them when they can be found cheap locally...
I ended up recently with another one from a bunch of parts I collected, traded and bought...
Sometimes I do setups and builds for 3rd parties and I usually get paid in guitarparts... (that's how I ended up with the guitarbuild ash body)

[Sthackenb]

It is good to get paid in parts for my Partscaster I buy usually guitars with good necks and end up replacing everything else, so it is just the neck.
I started with replicas after buying a lot of 80s Japanese stuff, but always finished them myself.
My English luthier who is very known for his Bursts uses Guitarbuild bodies too for Fender stuff, because things are vintage correct and he can’t do them cheaper. I did a Burst build by him and 3 52 Tele’s were he did the one piece maple necks and matches them to the Guitarbuild bodies (2 Tele’s) were done for friends. Since then I do mostly Partscasters which I sometimes sell or trade. That was the case with the JM, were not much will be left off...

[Sthackenb]

So parts are coming in some aging is done, body still has to rest!

[HNB]

Lovely!

[Sthackenb]

So work carries on...

[ohm-men]

Looking good! Now straight to the finish line....

[Norrin Radd]

I really like where this build is headed! Nice work. Can’t wait to see the finished product. I’m really digging being able to see the grain through the paint, that’s a nice touch and something unique.

[Sthackenb]

Thanks guys!

Not so fast, the fun has to persist a little bit more...
I am doing with non plastic nitro and guitar has to get weather checking. In Winter it is placed outside in a case overnight, but for now the body has to be in a freezer again.

This time i tryed something what happened back in 60s if they have to rush a custom colour order. So the body feature the usual yellow dye, just small primer but then just the shoreline and ultra thin clear coat.