ShortScale.org

I Googled for previous results here for a question like this and didn't find it. Sorry if this has already been covered somewhere. I'm more comfortable with shortscales but I miss the sound of my Jazzmaster.

Has anyone here used a Jaguar neck with a JM for a short scale JM? Or should I just get a VM Jazzmaster and use a capo? Or maybe a Jaguar with JM pickups? I'm trying to think of the most practical and economical option for getting that JM sound but with a shorter scale.

I had this Blacktop JM a couple of years ago, but sold it to fund another guitar:

A short scale Jazzmaster would be kickass!

I vote that you put the Jag neck on a JM

maybe a conversion neck because of the scale? maybe someone could chime in on this.

otherwise i would just put jazzy pickups in a jaguar. like one of the cheap vm jaguars, might require a bit of routing but it's probably easier than fitting a 24' neck on a 25.5' guitar.

hurb had a jag w/ jazzy pickups (jazzuar), some others too

Conversion neck would do the trick?

paul_ wrote:hurb had a jag w/ jazzy pickups (jazzuar), some others too

Thought about that, but then I read a thread on here where it was mentioned that the guitar still sounded more like a Jaguar than a Jazzmaster.

Not sure if this is what you're asking: Can I put a 24" neck on a body intended for a 25.5" neck?

The simple answer to that question is no. The placement of the bridge is based on the scale length. Changing the scale length without moving the bridge will give you intonation issues, I believe.

A conversion neck would work. I don't know how those work, exactly... But the the Jagmaster series was released with both 25.5" necks and 24" conversion necks.

Solution 1) Find a 24" Jagmaster conversion neck on eBay.

Solution 2) Curtis Novak makes Jazzmaster pickups that fit Jaguar bodies with no routing. Supposedly sound nice and fat, too. Read more about them here: Novak JM-Jag Pups


*Major disclaimer: Part of what makes a Jazzmaster sound like a Jazzmaster is the scale length. A 24" scale neck on any guitar will give that guitar a more "plinky" sound. Thus, you can never create a 24" JM that will sound exactly like a traditional JM. Novak says his pups sound fat on a Jag body, though. Give them a listen at his website. It may be close enough for your tastes.

Good luck!

If you're going to get a 24" neck I suggest getting one from Musikraft and have it roasted. You will be amazed.

Musikraft Custom Jaguar Necks

singlepickup24 wrote:Not sure if this is what you're asking: Can I put a 24" neck on a body intended for a 25.5" neck?

The simple answer to that question is no. The placement of the bridge is based on the scale length. Changing the scale length without moving the bridge will give you intonation issues, I believe.

A conversion neck would work. I don't know how those work, exactly... But the the Jagmaster series was released with both 25.5" necks and 24" conversion necks.

Solution 1) Find a 24" Jagmaster conversion neck on eBay.

Solution 2) Curtis Novak makes Jazzmaster pickups that fit Jaguar bodies with no routing. Supposedly sound nice and fat, too. Read more about them here: Novak JM-Jag Pups


*Major disclaimer: Part of what makes a Jazzmaster sound like a Jazzmaster is the scale length. A 24" scale neck on any guitar will give that guitar a more "plinky" sound. Thus, you can never create a 24" JM that will sound exactly like a traditional JM. Novak says his pups sound fat on a Jag body, though. Give them a listen at his website. It may be close enough for your tastes.

Good luck!

From what I have read, the Squier VM Duo Sonics also have a 24" conversion neck as well.

chadmo1 wrote:

singlepickup24 wrote:Not sure if this is what you're asking: Can I put a 24" neck on a body intended for a 25.5" neck?

The simple answer to that question is no. The placement of the bridge is based on the scale length. Changing the scale length without moving the bridge will give you intonation issues, I believe.

A conversion neck would work. I don't know how those work, exactly... But the the Jagmaster series was released with both 25.5" necks and 24" conversion necks.

Solution 1) Find a 24" Jagmaster conversion neck on eBay.

Solution 2) Curtis Novak makes Jazzmaster pickups that fit Jaguar bodies with no routing. Supposedly sound nice and fat, too. Read more about them here: Novak JM-Jag Pups


*Major disclaimer: Part of what makes a Jazzmaster sound like a Jazzmaster is the scale length. A 24" scale neck on any guitar will give that guitar a more "plinky" sound. Thus, you can never create a 24" JM that will sound exactly like a traditional JM. Novak says his pups sound fat on a Jag body, though. Give them a listen at his website. It may be close enough for your tastes.

Good luck!

From what I have read, the Squier VM Duo Sonics also have a 24" conversion neck as well.

Where'd you read that? And conversion from what? I always wondered why those guitars only have 21 frets, but never imagined it was because it was a conversion neck.

Using the distance from the bridge to the nut (scale length), you can then calculate fret placement. A conversion neck is just a shorter neck with completely different fret placement to account for the change in scale length.

There are no VM Duosonics, it was the Classic Vibe Duo, the one that was all tan and gold. It had a 25 1/2 inch to 24 inch scale conversion neck. I compared it to a Strat when they had them in the instrument section at Best Buy and the necks matched up perfectly. If you got a CV Duosonic neck, you could have a shortscale version of any 25 1/2 scale guitar that neck will fit on.

I know Novak makes JM pickups for a Jag that require no routing, I am not sure how much they would cost though

I personally feel that the 24" scale is what gives the Jag most of its tonal character.
I have 5 Jags all with different pickups in them and they all have that under pinning Jag spank and sparkle.
Im not sure if a JM pup would change that much

I hate to say it but maybe ask on OSG, I think a few people have tried the novaks I mentioned above.