Jazzmaster Guitar Project, Pickup Opinions?

T

tarpit

New member
This has been a project guitar idea I've been considering for years. The concept is a mashup between Fender playability and style and Gibson inspired tone.

I love Fender style guitars and have built a Strat, Tele, and Mustang from parts over the years.

What kind of pickups would work well with the following:

Warmoth Jazzmaster body Mahagony or Swamp Ash
Warmoth Jazzmaster Rosewood or Pau Ferro Neck
String through body
Dual Humbuckers

What do you guys think?
 
Re: Jazzmaster Guitar Project, Pickup Opinions?

Be careful; I also have a Strat, Mustang, Telecaster, Jaguar, Jazzmaster... On the basis of ergonomics and the trem/bridge design I like the Jazzmaster/Jaguar way too much :) Spoils me for the others.

I get that you want a humbucker sound, but seems a bit of a shame not to at least have a Jazzmaster pickup in the neck; I have Seymour Duncan Hots and love them.

(Also, remember that you may be able to get a humbucker to fit under a stock Jazzmaster pickup cover and thus have the ability to switch back and forth, but I'd test that first. It was my plan for a while with one of my guitars that I ultimately took in a different direction)
 
Re: Jazzmaster Guitar Project, Pickup Opinions?

Am currently waiting on a Warmoth JM with a hardtail, alder body and string-thru with a roasted maple neck and fretboard. I went with the HH setup, as well, to try to bridge the gap between the Fender and Gibson sound. I have owned mostly Gibsons but my favorite music is brighter, and wanted to go that same route too. I wanted a guitar that plays metal and blues both well. I have a DiMarzio SD bridge and PAF Pro neck to put in it when it arrives and I get it built up. I think it will be a beast. That said, after ordering I am already wondering about the HH, since so many of my favorite JM players (Mascis, Kim Deal, Jeff Tweedy, etc) have made awesome music with p90 JMs despite my love of the HH. I can't say much right now because I haven't received the body/neck yet, but I am already second guessing it. I am of course going forward with my plan because I already have so much in it, but am already thinking I may build up a second pickguard with p90s made to fit hum routs just to see. Like I said, I can't say yet because I don't have the body/neck yet. But it sounds like we are of similar mind, and $900 later am wondering.
 
Re: Jazzmaster Guitar Project, Pickup Opinions?

*Do remember, Jazzmaster pickups are actually very different to P90s in sound and construction...
 
Re: Jazzmaster Guitar Project, Pickup Opinions?

typically jazzmasters are bright. so of the two body choices i would go with the ash. mahogany is a mellower tone wood. a rosewood fretboard will do. my jazzy has one.

my jazzy came stock with the SD antiquity 2 jazzmaster pickups-which are phenomenal. i ended up putting a custom shop brobucker (unpotted) HB under a jazzmaster style in the bridge. it looks like a jazzy pickup but it's a HB. i played so many years with a bridge HB, that's why i changed it. i'll never get another unpotted pickup again. too much squeal at band volumes.

jazzmasters aren't exactly sustain monsters so look into the mastery bridge to help out.
 
Re: Jazzmaster Guitar Project, Pickup Opinions?

I dislike the Mastery bridge if you're using the trem; find the stock bridge to work better... OR a roller tune-o-matic but view the mastery as a bit of snake oil.

(Edit: guess op doesn't want a trem anyway)

Btw just ordered one of these pickups myself; Rose Picasso:

image.jpg
 
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Re: Jazzmaster Guitar Project, Pickup Opinions?

Well, this depends on what kind of sound you want. Going with humbuckers, you might not care about a traditional Jazzmaster sound. Or maybe you do. If you want it to sound like a Gibson, throw a Whole Lotta Humbucker set in it, and rock out. If you want to retain any Fenderish sound, there are other choices.
 
Re: Jazzmaster Guitar Project, Pickup Opinions?

I am also waiting for a JM body to arrive from Warmoth. I ordered it in roasted swamp ash with a roasted maple/roasted maple neck. I expect to see it sometime next week. I have P-Rails to go in it. Those should give plenty of variance in tone.
 
Re: Jazzmaster Guitar Project, Pickup Opinions?

P-Rails will certainly give it, and they sound great in ash & maple (it is what I used them in).
 
Re: Jazzmaster Guitar Project, Pickup Opinions?

rgand said:
I am also waiting for a JM body to arrive from Warmoth. I ordered it in roasted swamp ash with a roasted maple/roasted maple neck. I expect to see it sometime next week. I have P-Rails to go in it. Those should give plenty of variance in tone.
Click to expand...

mmmm...roasted maple neck...i wonder if it smells and tastes like maple syrup.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyUql_31pdo
 
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Re: Jazzmaster Guitar Project, Pickup Opinions?

tarpit said:
This has been a project guitar idea I've been considering for years. The concept is a mashup between Fender playability and style and Gibson inspired tone.

I love Fender style guitars and have built a Strat, Tele, and Mustang from parts over the years.

What kind of pickups would work well with the following:

Warmoth Jazzmaster body Mahagony or Swamp Ash
Warmoth Jazzmaster Rosewood or Pau Ferro Neck
String through body
Dual Humbuckers

What do you guys think?
Click to expand...

Put a Gibson Dirty Fingers in the Bridge :)
 
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