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mtotallywired wrote:

Got this beautiful piece from a local dude, and offset lover recently, in a non-original state. He had an enviable collection of original vintage late 50's/60's jazzy's and early 60's jags (no strats or tele's in sight!). With a lineup like that, he had no use for this thing, which had been routed under the guard by another player upon buying, and installed different pots in the lead, and these gigantic stacked Seymour Duncan P90's, which actually sounded pretty damn cool, BUT a bit too aggressive for my playing style, not to mention a bit unsightly with the gaps in the guard. As with any guitar that's been untouched for a bit, it needed some serious tender love and care, so after work today, i went at it.

Now back in all of it's original glory, I've installed Peter Leonard (the pickup wizard) early sixties style black bobbin formvar JM pickups. Re-radiused the bridge, re-shimmed the neck, reinstalled the pickup route shielding, grounded the trem and bridge which had been disconnected for some reason, adjusted the truss rod, set up the trem, and took off the strange choice of gibson style amber bell knobs. In a nutshell, I gave it the works. I had to sell my beloved Fully AVRI spec'ed, Bound & Blocks MIJ jazzmaster to get this but I have no regrets. Sure the neck looks cooler, but I prefer the feel of an unbound neck to be honest.

This is now the 10th Fender offset I've done up (i should start a side business setting lazy people's offsets up for them!) I LOVE this thing, despite already having other jazzy's, I really dig the AVRI. It's a bit heavier than my custom builds, but the finish on the neck and body is wonderful. I've always had a soft spot for sunburst, and the burst on this is I know this one will age gracefully. I think the early AVRI guards are really great, and prefer them to the brown tort guards that would later replace them. I'm not the biggest fan of the stock pickups, a bit too bright and lacking the multidimensional depth and subtleties of the likes of handwound vintage spec alternatives that I've been lucky enough to own, Curtis Novak, Seymour Duncan's Antiquities, and now Peter Leonards. Peter Leonard's early 60's pups are darker than novak's. They are lightly potted, so they have a wonderfully controlled microphonic quality about them (just like the real deals!) The over all tone is very woody while packing a mellow punch. A bit beefier in the bridge as it's every so slightly wound hotter. They take to overdrive and cooking tube amps incredibly. I'm really digging them! It goes to show despite the variations on vintage spec pickups, each maker really throws in their own character and interpretation, and Mr. Leonard really has an incredible value to his custom wound stuff. Believe it or not, I have another AVRI coming in this week, and will be ordering the mid 60's grey bobbin set from him next

Anyway, just wanted to share with you guys!