I gotta 80s MIJ Jazzmaster now

MattK · Post by **MattK** » Wed Jul 02, 2014 12:08 pm

So I can't justify spending vintage or AVRI money, but I love Jazzmasters and I love Fender Japan. Problem was I didn't bond with either of the CIJ JMs I tried, or the 90s MIJ. Then this A serial (probably 1985/6) MIJ came up and I could see from the photos it had a meatier neck and some wear and tear - plus the body was made of sen, instead of alder, and I really have a thing for sen.
So I took a leap and bought it - from Kyoto - and it's everything I hoped, pretty much. Took it apart to see what's what and discovered the nicotine yellow covers held pickups which were not quite the classic "Strat wind" MIJs but not a wide JM wind either. They don't sound great - fortunately I have a nice set of Rose hand-wound formvar ones which I will install the first chance I get. Got some whiter covers as well - these were cream but have yellowed like crazy.
I went to put the brown printed tort back on but I couldn't do it. Had to go and get the B/W/B guard - it totally nails the look I was after. Black Strat knobs in tribute to the last run of the original Jazzmaster in 1982.
But all this writing is just delaying the pictures.

I mentioned that I have a thing for sen:

With a Fuji-gen Gakki sibling (1983, Squier Japan):

1982 inspiration:

singlepup · Post by **singlepup** » Wed Jul 02, 2014 3:47 pm

Congrats... Nice find. Ishibashi?

I really like the yellowed covers myself. Goes well with the Sunburst.

timhulio · Post by **timhulio** » Wed Jul 02, 2014 4:40 pm

Nice find, excellent looking guitar! I love the heavily grained body with that black guard.

The pissy covers are quite bad though.

taylornutt · Post by **taylornutt** » Wed Jul 02, 2014 4:41 pm

The whole look is so classy. Love the covers and black on sunburst.

Bacchus · Post by **Bacchus** » Wed Jul 02, 2014 4:45 pm

Very nice, although I can't decide if I like or dislike the covers.

MattK · Post by **MattK** » Wed Jul 02, 2014 9:14 pm

Thanks guys - I love it too, looking forward to good pickups. Those covers look like someone painted them with saffron, or like the plastic yellowing on a computer from the 80s. The camera is forgiving but the guitar looks like it has jaundice in person. I have some white ones, will see how they look when I do the rewire on the weekend.

The switch tip is almost ... amber.

MattK · Post by **MattK** » Wed Jul 02, 2014 9:17 pm

Oh and it was listed on eBay by a guy I've bought from before, so I emailed him an offer. Nice guy to deal with, username ookini55.

theshadowofseattle · Post by **theshadowofseattle** » Thu Jul 03, 2014 1:12 am

daaaaank

paul_ · Post by **paul_** » Thu Jul 03, 2014 4:44 am

That fucking grain. That's one hell of a sunburst.

I thought Verlaine's in this video was that scheme for years in the 240p era but now I see it's just history's plainest tort. Bugger. Posting it anyway.
[youtube][/youtube]

HNB · Post by **HNB** » Thu Jul 03, 2014 5:07 am

Lovely looking body and I love the black guard.

markarkark · Post by **markarkark** » Fri Jul 04, 2014 8:18 am

Black guard was a fine choice - looks great.

Rox · Post by **Rox** » Sun Jul 06, 2014 6:07 am

Shimmy..

MattK · Post by **MattK** » Sun Jul 06, 2014 1:44 pm

There is an E serial JM66-70 on eBay at the moment - I think the body wood is sen as well. In better shape than mine and cheaper!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/161356181094

MattK · Post by **MattK** » Mon Dec 29, 2014 2:47 am

Well golly, it only took me nearly seven months, but I have a full new wiring harness and my Rose Korona pickups installed. For full cork sniffing I even went the AVRI trem. And shielded the hell out of the cavity and guard with copper foil. I kept the entire original harness intact since I guess there aren't too many 1985/6 Jazzmasters on the planet.
Poor man's brass tub:

Foil explosion:

All the bits ready to go (note - short Switchcraft switch works just as well as the angled one which costs 3 times as much):

Harness done:

Installation:

Sounds godlike - that breathy light JM sound and none of the midrange glare it had before. Pickups sound very different to each other - and both the middle position and the rhythm circuit have beautiful, usable sounds, which they didn't with the originals. Highly recommend the Rose guys - they did custom winds using formvar wire and it's definitely mellow.

speedfish · Post by **speedfish** » Mon Dec 29, 2014 4:51 am

taylornutt wrote:The whole look is so classy. Love the covers and black on sunburst.

Me too. Congrats!

robroe · Post by **robroe** » Mon Dec 29, 2014 5:47 am

looks rad.

me likey

MattK · Post by **MattK** » Mon Dec 29, 2014 8:17 am

Thanks guys! Went with some less extremely yellow covers I had sitting around. Finally scratched the Jazzmaster itch.

Johno · Post by **Johno** » Wed Dec 31, 2014 7:53 am

Looks great, amazing condition for its age, I have an early/mid 90's JM that is pretty beat up now.

Beau · Post by **Beau** » Wed Dec 31, 2014 11:56 pm

Rad addition, man.

I cannot stop scrolling through pages of Jazzy photos.