Blacktop Jazzmaster Pickguard and Trem questions

stilwel · Post by **stilwel** » Thu Dec 09, 2010 6:21 am

I bought a sunburst Blacktop JM the other night.

Are there any aftermarket pickguards specifically for this model yet?
Or do I have to trace the guard and have one made custom?

Also has anyone successfully replaced the non-locking trem with a locking JM trem?
Is there a direct drop-in replacement?

Here's a few pics of my new ladyfriend...

SKC Willie · Post by **SKC Willie** » Thu Dec 09, 2010 6:29 am

I would be interested in knowing the same thing . . .

I'm not a big fan of having a humbucker in the bridge but if a simple pickguard/pick up change could fix it, I'd consider getting one. If you take the pickguard off, be sure to take pictures. I'd love to see the routing on them.

stilwel · Post by **stilwel** » Thu Dec 09, 2010 6:32 am

I know for certain that the bridge pickup area is routed for a humbucker...not for a JM pickup.

There are some pics posted at the Offsetguitars forum.

It's also NOT routed for the rhythm circuit, which is fine by me. I like the simplified design of this guitar.

stilwel · Post by **stilwel** » Thu Dec 09, 2010 6:37 am

I'm actually very interested in this guitar because of the humbucker in the bridge.

...but to add even more versatility to it, I'm looking into putting a Seymour Duncan P-Rails pickup and a Triple-Shot pickup ring in there.

That would give me single-coil, P90 and Humbucker sounds in the bridge along with that classic Jazzmaster sound in the neck.

endsjustifymeans · Post by **endsjustifymeans** » Thu Dec 09, 2010 2:54 pm

Thats a great idea... I was going to put a JB in there but the P-Rails and switching mechanism might be a better way to go for versatilities sake.

SGJarrod · Post by **SGJarrod** » Thu Dec 09, 2010 3:35 pm

endsjustifymeans wrote:Thats a great idea... I was going to put a JB in there but the P-Rails and switching mechanism might be a better way to go for versatilities sake.

totally agreed, the thought even crossed my mind too...but that pickup set-up is like $120ish....JB's can be had for $40 used or very easily traded for

plus, too many options are bad for me, I tend to sit there and f with sounds instead of practicing...

STILWEL:
How were you thinking of wiring the p-rail....series or parellel.....or does the ring have a setting for both?

If you put one in I definately want to know bout results

stilwel · Post by **stilwel** » Thu Dec 09, 2010 3:40 pm

That's the thing about the Triple-Shot....it has those switches and makes ALL of the sounds available by flipping the little switches.

Here's some more info on the rings:
http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/e ... _shot_swi/

And the installation instructions show exactly what the different switch positions do:
http://www.seymourduncan.com/images/pro ... iagram.pdf

SGJarrod · Post by **SGJarrod** » Thu Dec 09, 2010 3:42 pm

stilwel wrote:That's the thing about the Triple-Shot....it has those switches and makes ALL of the sounds available by flipping the little switches.

Here's some more info on the rings:
http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/e ... _shot_swi/

sweet..... I put a JB in mine and am very happy with the results....as implied earlier it was traded for....buying the guitar itself strapped my wallet

plaidbeer · Post by **plaidbeer** » Thu Dec 09, 2010 4:41 pm

Any opinions about Gretsch Filtertrons? A friend suggested the Filtertron as a replacement for the stock humbucker, but I haven't had any experience with them.

hotrodperlmutter · Post by **hotrodperlmutter** » Thu Dec 09, 2010 4:44 pm

that cream humbucker ring looks great on there.

taylornutt · Post by **taylornutt** » Thu Dec 09, 2010 5:56 pm

stilwel wrote:I'm actually very interested in this guitar because of the humbucker in the bridge.

...but to add even more versatility to it, I'm looking into putting a Seymour Duncan P-Rails pickup and a Triple-Shot pickup ring in there.
Both in creme of course.

That would give me single-coil, P90 and Humbucker sounds in the bridge along with that classic Jazzmaster sound in the neck.

So does the triple shot offer enough to operate the P-Rails without additional switching? I read the wiring diagram of the triple shot, but that is for a standard humbucker . I am guessing you would loose the original functionality of the Triple shot but be able to run the P-Rails with the Triple Shot switches.

I have never heard a P-Rail. Is it a good pickup? I have always been disappointed with coil-tapped pickups but if it works as advertised, that would be one versatile setup.

This is a fascinating thread. Please do a video demo if you get it all working.

SGJarrod · Post by **SGJarrod** » Thu Dec 09, 2010 6:51 pm

taylornutt wrote: I have never heard a P-Rail. Is it a good pickup? I have always been disappointed with coil-tapped pickups but if it works as advertised, that would be one versatile setup.

This is a fascinating thread. Please do a video demo if you get it all working.

There are tons of demo's on this on the utubes..... sounds good but to me the tones are not as good as the real thing if u know what I mean..... the HB mode is good but not as good as an actual strickly HB, and so on and so forth.... I think its great and super versitle but not quite as good as the real thing..... Like u said with coil tapping a HB...... same principle with different coils in the pick up....the P-Rail is a supposive REAL P90 with a rail single attacted... That would lead me to beleive the P90 mode and the rail single mode would be better than the HB mode

stilwel · Post by **stilwel** » Sun Dec 12, 2010 7:22 am

FYI...here's a pic of a BT JM body without the pickguard.
Routed for a bridge humucker and neck JM pups....also see a route for the lockout switch on a proper Jazz/Jag trem.

Now I wonder if one of those fancy Jazzmaster Shields will fit in the electronics cavity.

SKC Willie · Post by **SKC Willie** » Sun Dec 12, 2010 7:29 am

I'm sure that it would fit. You may have to do a tiny bit of bending but it would be close enough.

Of course, shielding tape doesn't take much time/effort

Haze · Post by **Haze** » Sun Dec 12, 2010 8:48 am

Doubtful, they are really particular. Most avri brass shielding cavities won't fit mij,mim, etc let alone certain vintage years.

taylornutt · Post by **taylornutt** » Sun Dec 12, 2010 2:16 pm

So which Jazzmasters had the tremolo without the locking option? I didn't know they ever came without the lock. It is good that you can apparently put the locking one in as an option. Looks like Fender was thinking ahead for a change. Thanks for the body shot. Did the JM pup have foam under it?

stilwel · Post by **stilwel** » Sun Dec 12, 2010 3:43 pm

If you look close...the Blacktop JM that I'm buying does NOT have the lockout button on the trem.
I'm not sure why they decided to leave that feature off.

Not a huge deal for me, but it's nice to know I can replace it if I want to.

stilwel · Post by **stilwel** » Thu Dec 16, 2010 3:25 pm

Fedex says my my BT Jazzy is "On Vehicle for Delivery".

I also bought a Duncan P-Rail bridge pickup and Triple Shot ring on ebay last night.

SGJarrod · Post by **SGJarrod** » Thu Dec 16, 2010 3:43 pm

stilwel wrote:Fedex says my my BT Jazzy is "On Vehicle for Delivery".

I also bought a Duncan P-Rail bridge pickup and Triple Shot ring on ebay last night.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

endsjustifymeans · Post by **endsjustifymeans** » Thu Dec 16, 2010 4:15 pm

Will anxiously watch the progress in this thread. Curious how the prail handles super high gain brutalz though... won't work for me if I can't get metalish tonez.