Jazzmaster pickups in a strat?

[aron464]

I have a MIM squier strat that I'm trying to hotrod because I don't really play it that often and I want to make it a bit of a project. I've been throwing around ideas and I want to put Jazzmaster pickups in it (neck and bridge). However, I'm not sure if there is sufficient space between the bridge pickup cavity and the cavity holding the volume and tone pots to hold it. I've been looking for schematics online, but I haven't done any modifications aside from changing the tuning gears on the guitar. Is it possible to fit the pickups in a strat? If not, I would welcome any other suggestions. I've never seen the modification, so if anyone has pictures of it, I would love to see them.

Thanks,
Aaron

 

[Stratman]

Re: Jazzmaster pickups in a strat?

Not a good idea.

I have Stratocasters, Mustangs, Jaguars, Telecasters, and Jazzmaster.

They are different sounding guitars. Keep them that way!

 

[aron464]

Re: Jazzmaster pickups in a strat?

Fair enough, but I don't have the money right now to own a mustang, jaguar, jazzmaster, etc. And you say it isn't a good idea, but why? Is there a big difference with string width of the pickup?

Aaron

 

[ratherdashing]

Re: Jazzmaster pickups in a strat?

Don't listen to him. You can put just about any pickup in a Strat if you want to. No, it won't sound exactly like a JM, but it will be pretty close, especially if you change your wiring to match the JM tone circuit.

String spacing on most Fenders is pretty close. The Jazzmaster poles should line up fine under your MIM's strings. The only issue - and I don't see this as a big deal - is that JM pickups are very large, even bigger than humbuckers. You will no doubt need to rout your body and chop some holes in your pickguard. If you don't have a problem with that, you should be good.

Keep in mind I've never actually done this ... on paper it should work though.

btw. welcome to the forum!

 

[aron464]

Re: Jazzmaster pickups in a strat?

Thanks for the advice. I don't mind drilling into it since it is a MIM, and I assumed I would need to do some routing. I'll give it a shot.

 

[idsnowdog]

Re: Jazzmaster pickups in a strat?

You would need a swimming pool route and the route may need to be wider than normal. Then you would need a custom cut pickguard. Jazzmaster pickups are their own beast so proceed with caution unless you have knowledge of what they sound like. A more utilitarian method might be just getting a double hum pickguard and some humbucker sized p-90's if you already have a swimming pool route.

 

[aron464]

Re: Jazzmaster pickups in a strat?

I have no idea what a swimming pool route is (is that a humbucker sized route?). I could see the P-90s being a good alternative, but I've seen those in strats before. I wanted this one to be a little different. I don't own a router either, but I can hunt one down.

 

[Fusion1]

Re: Jazzmaster pickups in a strat?

I always thought a Jazzmaster's pickups were p-90's. Ya learn somtin knew everydhey.

 

[flank]

Re: Jazzmaster pickups in a strat?

a swimming pool route is a certain way the body is routed under the pickguard. On some strats, the wood under the pickguard is completed routed out, in the shape of a rectangle, i assume this is probably a cheaper and more efficient way to route. Its debatable whether it makes any difference in sound, but it does make a difference when replacing pickups, since there is a large cavity underneath, and many different pickups will fit, provided you cut the pickguard or get a new one. In contrast, some strats feature routes under the pickguard that are roughly the shape of the bottom of a single coil, and thus, replacing with any pickup differently shaped or wider than a single coil, will require routing of the wood underneath to make it fit

 

[idsnowdog]

Re: Jazzmaster pickups in a strat?

I think that Ry Cooder had a strat with jazzmaster pickups? As long as you know what they sound like and like the sound I would say go for it. Maybe you could trade the body for a swimming pool route.

 

[danglybanger]

Re: Jazzmaster pickups in a strat?

never done it.

But be careful and measure up. I have a feeling the jazz pickups might even be off the pickguard...

Slade

 

[More-Gear-Than-Skill]

Re: Jazzmaster pickups in a strat?

I second the P90 suggestion. It would be sweet. And unless you're going to do the whole Jazzmaster wiring circuit, it seems only 50% jazzmaster with the pups alone? Hmmm, lipstick pups?

 

[ratherdashing]

Re: Jazzmaster pickups in a strat?

JM pickups and P90 pickups aren't similar at all IMO. People assume they are because they're roughly the same dimensions. P90's tend to be much hotter and have a more pronounced high end edge. Remember that Jazzmaster pickups use Alnico 5 poles, whereas a P90 uses a bar magnet with screw poles. This alone results in a big difference.

There isn't really a word to describe how JM pickups sound ... they are very unique. They lack the chime of a Strat pickup and the bite of a Tele bridge pickup, but the Fender-y vibe is still there. They have some of the tonal properties of a PAF, but not the sustain or compression. There's nothing at all like them, and they are a big part of why the Jazzmaster is such a cool and unique instrument.