Fixing up a trashed up Squier Jagmaster

alexryzhkov · Post by **alexryzhkov** » Thu Oct 02, 2014 1:50 am

Oh god

Here's the story:
A while ago a friend and I were at a guitar center and I was playing one of them cobain Jags and I remember liking it quite a bit but never having the money to buy it.
Well fast forward about 2 years later, and my friend texts me, "hey, i found this guitar thing that looks kinda like the one you liked a while ago lol". So he brought it over, and it's this terrible ugly ass Jagmaster. Basically he was at a pawnshop and saw it for $30

Oh god was it ugly. The old owner beat the hell out of it, and did the worst relic job i've ever seen. There was dirt and green paint all over it. One of the tuners is missing and the nut is cracked. The guitar had no electronics or pickups, and the pickguard was in pieces. There were some burn marks and it was just gross honestly. Also there was some funky routing going on in the pickguard cavity.

Well at this point all that is salvageable is the body, bridge, and neck.
So it looks like I need a new pickguard, pickups, electronics, tuners, springs, screws, and a new nut.

I have an old Dimarzio Super Distortion i can use for a bridge pickup, but besides that I have no idea what to do with this guitar.
I have about $120 to spend, can I get some decent parts and fix it up?

Pics:

BillClay · Post by **BillClay** » Thu Oct 02, 2014 4:01 am

Yeah man, do it up

cur · Post by **cur** » Thu Oct 02, 2014 4:54 am

So with the CY serial number that is a conversion neck (I think... Someone confirm) I love these necks. Go to guitarfetish.com and you can do your build. Getting a pickguard may be the biggest problem.

James · Post by **James** » Thu Oct 02, 2014 7:15 am

As Cur hints at, the first thing to do is to find out what variant you have. The best ways to do this are to measure the scale length yourself and to take note of the serial number, and then consult an online source. I'm pretty sure somebody here (Carl?) wrote a fairly comprehensive guide to the differences that should have the information you'd need.

After that you'll be able to look at sourcing a pickguard. The electronics will purely be down to your own preferences, so think about what you like about guitars you already know and don't worry too much about restoring it to how it was. I always think it's best to go with what suits you rather than how it came stock.

r40f · Post by **r40f** » Thu Oct 02, 2014 12:26 pm

i love my jagmaster. this seems like a really fun project.

you didn't carve "ALEX" into it?

cur · Post by **cur** » Thu Oct 02, 2014 2:28 pm

James wrote:I'm pretty sure somebody here (Carl?) wrote a fairly comprehensive guide to the differences that should have the information you'd need.

YEP! Check i t out.

pre made guard, looks like you can get one for fairly cheap

Rox · Post by **Rox** » Thu Oct 02, 2014 3:51 pm

I'd leave the finish how it is and maybe sand off the splinters if there is any and pimp it out. Jagmasters are awesome guitars. Pretty much a funny looking Super Sonic.😁

alexryzhkov · Post by **alexryzhkov** » Thu Oct 02, 2014 5:38 pm

Thanks for the posts guys
So first of all, no I didn't carve the "Alex" on the back, and I'm looking to get a sticker or something to put on the back.
I did some research and I found out it's the Standard series one with the Conversion neck.
I found a store that sells the pickguards for $25
I'm planning on getting all of the parts except the pick guard of guitar fetish.
I'm getting the 500k pots, wiring, 3 way toggle, Gotoh style tuners with will work with some holes drilled, and a Neck pickup.
I also have to get some springs.

Post by **dots** » Thu Oct 02, 2014 5:51 pm

cur wrote:
James wrote:I'm pretty sure somebody here (Carl?) wrote a fairly comprehensive guide to the differences that should have the information you'd need.
YEP! Check i t out.

pre made guard, looks like you can get one for fairly cheap

sticky'd that thread. it's a good one and prolly should be wiki'd eventually.

great topic here, too. that guitar is going to be fantastic once you finish it.

cur · Post by **cur** » Thu Oct 02, 2014 6:10 pm

Dots! wiki dat sticky!

Post by **dots** » Thu Oct 02, 2014 7:58 pm

ima hafta remember how that shit works. it's been aaaaaages. i really do think i need to upgrade the code on that bitch, too. when i tried several months back, the old server's php version wouldn't support it, so we ended up on this box (which has been way more stable). so now i have to attempt the upgraydd.

still have to decide how/if to handle an upgrade to the forum, too. there's a whole community of phpbb2 forums who have collectively decided to keep on keepin on without going to version 3.

jmmc · Post by **jmmc** » Thu Oct 02, 2014 11:09 pm

nice project. i am supposing ALEX was from the previous owner, what a shame

cur · Post by **cur** » Fri Oct 03, 2014 2:44 am

I like it even with the alex, I would do like Rox said and get some 400 grit and just wet sand the transitions between the finish and the exposed wood. I will really give it that aged worn look. keep the alex. If it wasn't for him and needing to pawn it for crack, you would not have a nice $30 score/ story.

While you are at it, git the steel tremolo block from GFS. Nice up grade if you ask me. make sure you get the correct sized one, but it is probably the one for imports.

link

cur · Post by **cur** » Fri Oct 03, 2014 2:44 am

I like it even with the alex, I would do like Rox said and get some 400 grit and just wet sand the transitions between the finish and the exposed wood. I will really give it that aged worn look. keep the alex. If it wasn't for him and needing to pawn it for crack, you would not have a nice $30 score/ story.

While you are at it, git the steel tremolo block from GFS. Nice up grade if you ask me. make sure you get the correct sized one, but it is probably the one for imports.

link

alexryzhkov · Post by **alexryzhkov** » Mon Oct 06, 2014 12:13 am

So I finally ordered the parts:
For pickups I went with the GFS Crunchy Pat for bridge and the GFS VEH for neck. I was gonna use the Dimarzio Super D but decided to install it in a different guitar.
I got the Gotoh style 14:1 tuners from Guitar Fetish
Standard wiring, 2 500k pots, 3 way toggle, and jack.
I also got some humbucker rings, screws, some trem springs, and some wire.
I found a place where I got the pickguard for only $14 + $5 for shipping.

So I'm pretty excited for the stuff to arrive. Hopefully this guitar turns out to be a keeper!

alexryzhkov · Post by **alexryzhkov** » Fri Oct 10, 2014 12:00 am

Well the pickguard and wiring came

Its starting to look a bit less ghetto now

Rox · Post by **Rox** » Fri Oct 10, 2014 12:29 am

Will your budget allow you to get better tort ?

Greasy Groove can cut you another one from really good tort . Will actually go better with the " distressed" body..

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Fri Oct 10, 2014 4:21 am

i think this might be my favorite jagmaster so far, aside from EXCAILBUR or that silver sparkle one

jamba72 · Post by **jamba72** » Fri Nov 07, 2014 9:27 pm

this actually is a nice finish ..

the serial nr..as far as I can see that on your neck foto its like..CY08..so its China 2008
its a conversion neck 24"..

cheers