Jazz box modding. edit - modded

James · Post by **James** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 11:55 pm

Ok so it's fairly common knowledge I have this...

I'm tempted to get 4 of these...

and one of these...

Here's a photoshop of the knob switch, and I like the look of it.

I'd be tempted to change the tailpiece too, but that could be difficult and expense, something like this...

What do you guys think of the changes? The bridge and to a lesser extent the tailpiece will change the sound, but obviously the knobs wont. It's cheap though, I could get the 4 knobs and the bridge for Â£20.

Justin J · Post by **Justin J** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 12:04 am

what kind of sound are you going for? a wooden bridge will darken things a bit.
but the knobs are a good idea. those look cool.

James · Post by **James** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 12:06 am

Darkened a bit isnt a big deal. Sound wise im happy with the change itll make, even tho i like how it is.

Justin J · Post by **Justin J** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 12:11 am

oh, then go for it.
a tailpiece swap would be cool too, if it's not too expensive. i've always thought those jagged, art-deco things were a little cheesy.

Ninja Mike 808 · Post by **Ninja Mike 808** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 12:41 am

LOVE the knobs.

The bridge may be cool, but is it adjustable? I mean, can you achieve intonation?

HATE both tailpieces. I don't like the quasi-classical/ cello style one, and I don't like the current tailpiece. I jus think the little zig-zaggy pieces are bad looking. That's me, tho...

dodgedartdave · Post by **dodgedartdave** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 1:20 am

If the bridge you want is thicker wood, that will also darken the tone.

Will · Post by **Will** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 1:34 am

You could look into a pre-compensated wood bridge or a Hofner Jazzica bridge. The Hofner one is interesting because it is a slotted ebony saddle with frets inserted - you can adjust the intonation reasonably well:

I really like wood bridges - they don't make as big of a difference as you'd think (mostly sustain), and they eliminate string breaks.

Sloan · Post by **Sloan** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 1:41 am

I'M GONNA PUT THESE KNOBS ON MY ARTCORE

Mo Law-ka · Post by **Mo Law-ka** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 2:17 am

the good thing about those mods is that you can just change them back if you dont like the sound. i'd go for it.

benecol · Post by **benecol** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 9:29 am

James, are you familiar with Vintage Strings over in Cheltenham? It's just out of town on London Road (nextdoor to Nora's Caff - pop in there too); they've got loads of jazzboxes, and more importantly, John (the bloke who runs it) is insanely knowledgeable, and has got old biscuit tins chock full of cool bits like that. Well worth a trip.

James · Post by **James** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 9:39 am

I think I've been there. When I went they had a brown 70s SG but other than that and a handful of electrics, it was all acoustic and archtp types. He had a charlie christian ES175 too. Ordering the parts new from guitar parts resource will probably work out cheaper than buying them from that shop in cheltenham, even the bus ove rwill cost a quarter of the GPR price.

Post by **Mike** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 9:40 am

I like the original knobs and bridge way better than that stuff.

Post by **Doog** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 9:41 am

Sloan wrote:

I'M GONNA PUT THESE KNOBS ON MY ARTCORE

hahahaha

Do you love anyone enough to give them your last push-pull?

benecol · Post by **benecol** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 9:49 am

James wrote:I think I've been there. When I went they had a brown 70s SG but other than that and a handful of electrics, it was all acoustic and archtp types. He had a charlie christian ES175 too. Ordering the parts new from guitar parts resource will probably work out cheaper than buying them from that shop in cheltenham, even the bus ove rwill cost a quarter of the GPR price.

Yep, that's the place. I played that SG - he used to have a weird 70's Ovation electric too. He gets some quite interesting things, albeit totally by accident. Trick is, get him talking, then look through his bits boxes; chances are, he won't charge you (you do have to stay and chat for ages though).

dodgedartdave · Post by **dodgedartdave** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 12:19 pm

Sloan wrote:

I'M GONNA PUT THESE KNOBS ON MY ARTCORE

would'nt the carmel ooze onto your guitar when you push em down over the pots?

Bacchus · Post by **Bacchus** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 1:39 pm

I think you should definitely do all of the mods you mentioned.

There are some things I really can't stand on an archtop:

Cheesy, noticeable knobs
Cheesy ornate tail-pieces
Tune-o-matic bridges (I don't understand this one, it's a taste thing I suppose)
Pickups/Switches mounted directly on the body (Less mojo (maybe). This can't really be fixed though).

You'd be addressing three of these things with the above mods.

My Epiphone (except mine has an ebony bridge, a nicer black mini humbucker, and doesn't have the epiphone 'e' on the plate. Also all the hardware on mine is nice and worn, and it doesn't say 'frequensator' (?) on the tail-piece):

James · Post by **James** » Thu Jul 10, 2008 6:15 pm

Mo Law-ka · Post by **Mo Law-ka** » Thu Jul 10, 2008 6:19 pm

looks good. hows the new bridge sound?

James · Post by **James** » Thu Jul 10, 2008 6:32 pm

A little more resonant in the lower mids. The difference isn't much and it's possibly i'm imagining it, but I think there is a little more there, especially on certain areas of the fretboard. I suppose you could descrive it as a little more 'rounded' or some word like that.

I'd like to change the tailpiece at some point (purely for looks so I'm not that bothered about it), but they're so expensive and hard to come by.

Ninja Mike 808 · Post by **Ninja Mike 808** » Thu Jul 10, 2008 9:58 pm

Knobs look cool.