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I have tried everything I know to sell enough gear to purchase a Jazzmaster and nothing has worked. So I am throwing down the gauntlet and I will just make the best one ever. I can probably build one by the time I get enough money together anyway and it will way cooler anyway.

First thought:. I had been pining for a J. Mascis Jazzmaster because I loved the pickups, the purple sparkle paint with matching headstock and the gold anodized pickguard. The down sides to that guitar are the easily dented basswood body (I like basswood sound) and the TOM bridge. I recently played some AVRI Jazzmasters. I loved the feel of the necks and the pickups. I tend to like the Larger 70's headstocks on a Jazzmaster similar to what comes on Mustangs and Jaguars.

Colors: I want to do something unique with colors on this one. I really liked the gold anodized pickguards from the J Mascis Jazzmaster, so I will probably stick with that. Everyone has a Sunburst Jazzmaster which is classic, but boring. I already have a Sunburst Jaguar. I want to attempt the matching headstock on this build as well. I went to Reranch and here are some possible colors that sound appealing:

Ocean Turquiose
Sea Foam Green
Lake Placid Blue Metallic (think Blue Sparkle Super-Sonic)
Olympic White (common but cool)
Shell Pink
I have Ash Wood for the body,and a JM template I need to check. I will definitely need a gold anodized pickguard, pickups and Jazzmaster neck. I might even consider different wiring for the rhythm circuit.

I am hoping my improved finishing skills will result in a better paint job than I achieved on my Telecaster project.

Seeing as you're all about gold anodized pickguards, I'm wondering what's keeping you from the Squier J. Mascis model.
Surely, it'd be cheaper to get one of those than to build one yourself. My girlfriend and I are building a telecaster and try as I may, I've been unable to keep it under $500, if sticking strictly to parts that were anywhere near upper scale Squier in quality.

Given the amount of parts on a jazzmaster I'm intrigued to see how you'll make the best one ever for less than the cost of a squier mascis JM. I wish you luck. Paint is the least of your worries at this stage.

You can do it, just scour the forums for used stuff. Those pick guards can be pricy though.

stewart wrote:Given the amount of parts on a jazzmaster I'm intrigued to see how you'll make the best one ever for less than the cost of a squier mascis JM. I wish you luck. Paint is the least of your worries at this stage.

I was trying to get Fender J. Mascis JM, not the Squier version. You can get one for $800 and I have never been able to pull enough cash together at once for the finished guitar. By building it, I can make it exactly like I want it and it would be less than the $800 the Fender J Mascis would have run me. I like the Squier model except I am not a fan of the 9.5" fretboard radius. If I had bought the Squier model, I would have swapped out the pickups and the tremolo plate. That would have put me at about $500. I should realistically be able to put the guitar together for somewhere close to that and I can spread the cost out over several months.

I am hoping that maybe I could snag one of the Squier J Mascis pickguards from someone who is swapping out theirs. I have heard that an AVRI pickguard slips right in so it will be the proper dimensions.

What radius are you going for?

mordechaister wrote:What radius are you going for?

7.25" vintage radius

Ah! Radius issue. Makes sense. I'd be glad to sell you my gold anodized pickguard, when i swap mine.

laterallateral wrote:Ah! Radius issue. Makes sense. I'd be glad to sell you my gold anodized pickguard, when i swap mine.

Keep me in mind. Let me know for sure if an AVRI fits it. I think Paulk1 did it to his and that is what he used.

I could live with a 9.5" radius, but all my guitars current have 7.25" radius and I really like it. I am eager to see how my matching headstock comes out. I try to do at least one new thing with every build so that I can continue to build my skills.

I was searching down some real life pictures of these color combinations:

I vote seafoam sparkle.

stewart wrote:Given the amount of parts on a jazzmaster I'm intrigued to see how you'll make the best one ever for less than the cost of a squier mascis JM. I wish you luck. Paint is the least of your worries at this stage.

This. In the UK at least i realised a few years ago it is more economical to buy something like a Jagmaster and modify.
The body blank and paint alone comes to over £100, thats why i did'nt bother making anything else after the JS and Mosrite.

Good luck with this though, look forward to seeing how it turns out

wantsasupersonic wrote:I vote seafoam sparkle.

I think I just threw up in my mouth a little.

OTM all the way.

You can get a parts Jazz together for a decent price as long as you are willing to be patient. I only started mine because I got that '60 body/shielding/guard for buttons. All in mine cost under £300. Plus having that meant I could sell my Japanese one. I got £400 for that so essentially traded my Japanese one for the exact model I wanted plus £100. Dots and binding all the way!!

Necks always seem to be the most expensive thing. I've heard great things about Flex guitars necks. Cos it's Strat scale it'll be much easier to get what you're after. Although i take it you'll be looking for one with a BIG headstock. The neck was probably the most expensive part of mine but I bought it in dollars so it ended up well under £100.

At least you know if you use an anodized pick guard, it wont matter what color the guitar is.

I love the idea of the Lake Placid Blue Metallic, but I really want it to have a sparkle flake not just a metallic appearance. I sent an email to the paint manufacturer to see if it is more of a Squier Supersonic metallic or Just like the LPB version of Candy Apple Red with has a little sparkle but nothing over the top.

I like the gold pickguards ever since I owned my Squier Duo Sonic and then when I saw them on vintage Jazzmasters.

Fran wrote:

stewart wrote:Given the amount of parts on a jazzmaster I'm intrigued to see how you'll make the best one ever for less than the cost of a squier mascis JM. I wish you luck. Paint is the least of your worries at this stage.

This. In the UK at least i realised a few years ago it is more economical to buy something like a Jagmaster and modify.
The body blank and paint alone comes to over £100, thats why i did'nt bother making anything else after the JS and Mosrite.

Good luck with this though, look forward to seeing how it turns out

Since I already have the Ash guitar stock and the templates, I am saving some coin from having to buy a routed body. Unfinished Ash bodies run about $275 over here. I think my recent experience with finishing my Telecaster and refinishing the Mullet-stang's neck will help make this guitar turn out really well. I am excited to see how good a finished guitar I can turn out. I like challenge and reranch paint guy lives less than 5 miles from my house. Little nervous on getting the matching headstock right but I won't learn unless I try. I have a couple of things going my way to help keep costs down.

I need to get the neck and the pickguard to check out my templates and routes.

I found a couple of All Parts necks that might work

Allparts LRO - large headstock with vintage specs

http://www.allparts.com/Large-Headstock ... -p/lro.htm

Allparts SRO-21B - smaller headstock with binding

http://www.allparts.com/Unfinished-Rose ... ro-21b.htm

I will probably go with the first option since it has the larger headstock and is cheaper, though the bound neck is tempting.

I got THIS on my ebay watch list.



Obviously it needs finishing, and I have no idea of the quality.
It has binding and a big fat CBS headstock. It tempts me...

AddamInsane wrote:I got THIS on my ebay watch list.



Obviously it needs finishing, and I have no idea of the quality.
It has binding and a big fat CBS headstock. It tempts me...

Those are good prices. Any idea who makes them? Know anyone who has bought from them before? I plan to refinish the neck myself so that would be perfect.

Here is another link for the same neck just raw without the sealer. (same seller)

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bound-Edge-Larg ... 484299e054

Even with shipping that is basically the same cost as the Allparts neck with the large headstock with binding. Thanks for the tip. I may have to take a gamble on one.