Jaguar vs Jazzmaster

red_rob · Post by **red_rob** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 4:41 am

I thought I'd go for that slightly ages (and hopefully original) look though Paul. But you're probably right.

Thanks for the awesome awesome link!

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 6:45 am

A JM old enough to have an aged pickguard would probably not have white paint--it would have yellowed a good deal. A few escaped without varnish and those would be whiter, tho not pristine and new-looking.

sloop_john_b · Post by **sloop_john_b** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 7:00 am

I can't imagine anything but the tortoise looking good with the white finish. My MIJ Jaguar has a tortoise pickguard that is distinctly more red than brown - maybe you should try one of those?

red_rob · Post by **red_rob** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 7:35 am

ok - using Paul's excellent tool, this is the transformation we're talkin' about:

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 7:54 am

Aged Oly white with new white pickups, knobs and trem tip?

Looks OK, but doesn't have the visual impact of a TS guard.

sloop_john_b · Post by **sloop_john_b** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 9:02 am

Not a fan of that, Rob. Try gold anodized - I thought it looked pretty cool.

lars · Post by **lars** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 9:19 am

I like the minty, Rob! Brian Wilson's old P-bass had that white/white dressing.

icabod · Post by **icabod** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 10:11 am

Walked into my local music store the other morn. early and here's this guy and his wife showing Steve a 59 jazzmaster as well as a later 40's gibson mandolin...he was trying to find out they're value and was quite guarded about them..he knows he' got some dinero there.

red_rob · Post by **red_rob** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 5:57 am

Digging up an old thread for very selfish reasons here, but I've just got myself a cheap Japanese Jaguar in Seafoam Green and I am very definitely going to play with the pickguards.

The "dressing room" link that Paul posted seems not to have been working for some time now - any one know if it's moved to a new place?

Cheers

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 10:38 am

Rob, the Japanese Jags are about 90% as good as the American reissues at half the price, and are IMO much better value for the $$$.

My advice to anyone with a Japanese Jag or JM is: replace the pickups with Curtis Novak items. I did this on my replica '59 JM and it made a world of difference. Curtis handwinds these, they really capture that vintage sound, and are priced right there with Duncans.

sloop_john_b · Post by **sloop_john_b** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 10:45 am

+1 on the Novak pickups.

The Japanese-made Fender guitars are almost always excellent but seem to lack in the pickup department. Somone actually told me once that the Japanese Jazzmaster pickups are nothing more than re-housed Strat pickups.

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 10:49 am

If not true, then real close. They have the typical huge rectangular fiber bobbins, but wrapped to the rough size of a Strat housing, with tons of air around the windings. I suppose this is a cost-cutting thing.

Curtis' are wrapped solid, probably 4X the turns of the stock Japanese items.

red_rob · Post by **red_rob** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 10:50 am

I could believe that John...

I'll look into this Novak thing when I've picked her up. Seafoam green and TS me thinks (white at present)

How's your Jag workin' out for you, John?

sloop_john_b · Post by **sloop_john_b** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 11:12 am

Robert, I sold my Jag to a friend who REALLY liked it. It was cool, but i'm really a Jazzmaster guy when it comes down to the two of them. I gig with the guy once in a while, so I keep in contact with it.

Always keeping my eyes peeled for a nice Jazzmaster though.

red_rob · Post by **red_rob** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 11:16 am

Check out mine from the Jun 09 page

I need to start selling instead of all this buying - it's gonna wipe me out - I'm up to 8 now and I don't even own any shoes!