Jazzmasters

['59]

I got a chance to play a '66 AVRI Jazzmaster this weekend and now I am wondering if I want one. $2.6k is a little steep for me to go in if I'm just going to modify away all the things people pay extra for. A few things I noticed,

1. The bridge pickup is a bit bright, who makes a good overwound bridge?
2. The rhymthmn circuit is a bit lackluster at the moment, I'm thinking a cap value of 10 nf would make it more usable, and keep the other tone control 22 nf
3. Perhaps the rythmn circuit could tap the neck pickup too? Is that too much for one switch to handle?

 

[jeremy]

1-lots of options. duncan makes a few good ones
2-a smaller cap is a good idea
3-youd have to have a tapped neck for that to work, im guessing there is a switch that could do it

 

[GuitarStv]

I've often wondered if the rhythm switch would be better used to put both JM pickups on in series and then maybe use the extra pots to control the tone/volume of that combo. I don't have any use at all for the stock rhythm wiring.

 

[Mincer]

If you are going to replace the electronics, absolutely don't spend that kind of money.

 

[Chistopher]

I obviously don't know your financial situation, but I wouldn't say it's a good idea to buy a $2600 instrument if you don't even know if you like the design.

That being said, I think most people view the Jazzmaster wiring a little wrong. They dial in their tone for the lead circuit and use the ryhtmn circuit (if at all) to get a more subdued tone. I say it's better to roll the volume back for the ryhtmn circuit and then dial in your base tone, and then use the lead setting as a boost. Obviously if you do this you probably want a treble bleed on the rythmn volume.

 

[Supernautilus]

I agree with the notion of not messing around with a $2,600 guitar. That being said, I just got a new CV60s Jazzmaster which I am absolutely messing with lol.

There are tons of mods you can do, thanks to the generous controls. One mod I am doing soon, which is a popular one, is to change the rhythm circuit to affect BOTH pickups instead of just the neck, while allowing the toggle to function normally in both modes. This effectively gives you two sets of pots to choose from for the whole guitar.

I'm also changing the rhythm circuit pots to 500K/500K instead of the stock 1000K/50K. This makes the rhythm circuit a lot more normal/usable for folks who think it's too dark and murky.

 

[Chistopher]

I've often wondered if the rhythm switch would be better used to put both JM pickups on in series and then maybe use the extra pots to control the tone/volume of that combo. I don't have any use at all for the stock rhythm wiring.

This would be pretty cool if you wired the tone control as a bass cut. How thick do Jazzmasters get in series? I've never tried it, but if I ever wound up with a Jazzmaster, this is probably what I would end up with. Or perhaps a blend knob that could serve as a pseudo gain knob

 

[elelpe]

I'd say the rhythm circuit would be better for the bridge pickup and it could be the one and only mod you need.