Another Jazzmaster Project

[Silence Kid]

Re: Another Jazzmaster Project

Now that I'm waiting for the body to dry, there's a can I've kicked without taking action and that's the neck. The pocket is severely under-sized for the Mighty Mite; I need to take a millimeter or maybe somewhat more off the pocket to get it to work.

I kept telling myself I'd take the easy way and enlarge the pocket, but obviously we're past where that should have occurred and I have no desire to mutilate the body for a sort of mediocre, non-spec Mighty Mite neck I'm ambivalent about - Last guitar I enlarged the pocket on to fit a neck I promptly switched to a different neck a year later and wound up with a millimeter gap If I ever want a real Mascis neck later (I might - they're nice) I'll screw myself over for short-term gain.

So - I'm pretty much going to say '**** this neck' that I'm only using because I own it, and either take a power sander/sanding block to the sides, starting at the point where it joins the body - 0.5 mm from each side should do it. I'll also need to re-file the fret ends after that business, and probably a coat of wipe-on poly to disguise however awful it looks somewhat. If I need encouragement to do that, my other makeshift-y fix on this guitar, the faux-Staytrem rocking conversion bushings, work *perfect.* The bridge seats dead-on, and no looseness (well - except the bridge itself rocking.) Guess I can make room for more crazy in this project.

[GuitarStv]

Re: Another Jazzmaster Project

You don't actually need to sand the whole neck. Just the part that fits in the pocket. Make a small overhang with your sanding so you can leave all the fretwork alone.

[Silence Kid]

Re: Another Jazzmaster Project

You don't actually need to sand the whole neck. Just the part that fits in the pocket. Make a small overhang with your sanding so you can leave all the fretwork alone.

Yeah - I wondered if that wouldn't look a bit too silly, but I'm thinking about it for the ease of things. The neck (like just about everything else on the guitar) had some initial issues I sorted out anyway; a crack/split in the heel I clamped/glued (pretty invisibly,) and spacers to fix a maxed out truss rod so it's not a masterpiece anyway.

[Ayrton]

Re: Another Jazzmaster Project

I would advise taking a smidge from both the neck and the body. Wrap some 220 around a paint stick or small file so you have a good flat surface. Use careful, purposeful stroke and count them. Repeat the same number on the other side. Check your fit often until it is snug.

Should you swap necks or whatever later, any minor gap can be filled with finish or ignored.

[Silence Kid]

Re: Another Jazzmaster Project

I took some actual measurements - the base of the neck was somewhat ‘swollen’ compared to the upper portion; ten minutes of filing and it fits fine now without even looking visibly altered. Never mind.

[Silence Kid]

Re: Another Jazzmaster Project

Well - I had a dull, depressing Thanksgiving and a bunch of parts lying around tempting me. The instructions for Duplicolor are to wait 24 - 48 hours to wet sand; I know most people would do longer, but if it starts to dull up in six months or so I'll just remove the pickguard/vibrato and re-polish. This is allegedly a beater anyway.

It plays/sounds good! maybe a bit snappier than my VM:




With flash:

[jimilee]

Re: Another Jazzmaster Project

I dig it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Mincer]

Re: Another Jazzmaster Project

That is really a great color!