My Jazz-O-Caster 1

[EL34]

New project time:
This is my bastard Jazz-O-Caster. It's a work in progress soon to be finished.
I have had this pieced together no name Strat for many years. It's not a real Fender Strat.

I miss my 66 jazzmaster and the really cool sounds it made. But I don't really like all the switches and the bridge setup on a Jazzmaster. So instead of buying a real Jazzmaster I decided to experiment on the fake Strat.

I ordered a Mojo 59 clone bridge Jazzmaster pickup and installed it in a trashed out pick guard just to see how it sounded. It sounded really good and so I decided to go all the way and order the neck Jazzmaster pickup from Mojo also.

The body had to have some serious routing done to it to fit the oversized Jazzmaster pickups

I ordered a black pearloid pick guard and cut all the holes on my CNC machine. I mounted the bridge Jazzmaster pickup in the pickguard and I am waiting for the Neck pickup to arrive. The neck pickup should be here tomorrow.

I installed a 3 way tele switch, a volume control, a tone control and added some Graph tech saddles.

That's it, just a simple setup. Can't wait to fire it up
The pics below show it before and after.

[tubenit]

Doug,

That's waaayyyy cool!  I like the idea.  Very innovative approach.  Plus it's a nice looking guitar.

Thanks for sharing the info and picture.  Look forward to some sound bits soon, hopefully.

 

Best regards,  Jeff 

[Willabe]

I think maybe 1 of the moderators should move this to the Guitar section.     

[Platefire]

I like it! To me there is something special about those guitars that you re-work yourself as oppose to stock. Do you like the trem floating or blocked??? I use to set all mine blocked but now I'm floating them even to Jeff Beck extreme 3/16" gap. I like a soft easy feel on the trem bar. Platefire

[EL34]

I think maybe 1 of the moderators should move this to the Guitar section.     

crap, I am in effects
I'll move it 


Thanks for the heads up

[EL34]

I like it! To me there is something special about those guitars that you re-work yourself as oppose to stock. Do you like the trem floating or blocked??? I use to set all mine blocked but now I'm floating them even to Jeff Beck extreme 3/16" gap. I like a soft easy feel on the trem bar. Platefire

I float mine but only a little bit.
The stuff I do with it only requires a little bit of wiggle up and down

[EL34]

Doug,

That's waaayyyy cool!  I like the idea.  Very innovative approach.  Plus it's a nice looking guitar.

Thanks for sharing the info and picture.  Look forward to some sound bits soon, hopefully.

 

Best regards,  Jeff

Thanks Jeff
The front pickup should be here today
Have to do a major setup once I get the pickup in and the strings on


Check truss rod
Set bridge saddles
check nut height
Set intonation

[tubenit]

Doug,   if you have time and would be willing to ............. I'd be VERY interested in your review of the graph tech saddles. 

I've considered doing that with my hardtail bridges but wasn't sure if I'd like them.  I've read mixed reviews that they increase sustain and have excellent tone   VS.  are somewhat prone to making a buzzing noise from vibration. My guess is there are numerous factors including vibrato or hardtail that play into the results.  I've read more positive then negative reviews.

Anyhow, I'd trust your review and evaluation of them.  I do use and really like the graph tech nuts.

BTW,  I really like the black Pearloidish  pickguard.  Looks sharp!

Thanks, Jeff

[EL34]

I'll let you know
This will be the first time I have used them

[EL34]

Did a quick sound test last night
The middle position with both pickups is really cool
It has that Jazzmaster quack sound that I love.


Jeff,
The Graph tech saddles are the most comfortable saddles I have ever laid my palm on
Have to spend more time with the guitar to get more info about them


More setup work today and then some sound clips

[pullshocks]

Cool idea, and nicely done. 

What really catches my attention is how you did the cut outs by CNC.   What a time saver compared to making templates and doing it with a router, futzing around with double sided tape....

I feel a severe case of Shop Equipment Acquisition Syndrome setting in. 

I have always figured that by the time I could get a CNC router built and get up the learning curve of use and programming, my shop days would probably be coming to an end.  Maybe I need to re-evaluate that.  I would also have to figure out where I could put it.

[EL34]

It's a ton of new learning for sure


Not only just how to operate the machine but you have to learn CAD software, CAM software and the software that operates the CNC machine


Here's a pic of mine in action today

[EL34]

The Jazz-O-Caster lives.
Here's a quickie recording I did using the middle switch position, which is both pickups.
It has that Jazzmaster cluck that I like.


http://el34world.com/Misc/Music/files/Espionage_Jazz_O_Caster.mp3

[Willabe]

I love that!!!!!   

How about a little of each PUP alone?

[EL34]

Nothing much to write home about as far as the individual pickups by themselves
The neck is dark sounding, the bridge is really bright

The combo of both is the magic of the Jazzmaster sound, IMO

I leave the switch in the middle on this guitar full time, where as on my Ibanez guitars, I flip the switch during the song multiple times

I will try and get a sound clip to demo all 3 sounds

[jjasilli]

 

[tubenit]

That sounds great!  It's a really neat guitar.

Jeff

[EL34]

Thanks guys

[EL34]

Here's the bridge pickup in action
http://el34world.com/Misc/Music/files/LullabyoftheLeaves.mp3


Compare that to the middle/both pickups sound here
http://el34world.com/Misc/Music/files/Espionage_Jazz_O_Caster.mp3

[EL34]

Jeff,
Getting back to you on the Graphtech saddles

I think they are really nice and way better than the stock Fender vintage type saddles that were on the guitar
They are way more comfortable on the palm
They are a tiny bit wider and so there are no gaps between the saddles

[2twang2]

Outstanding, Doug! Thanks for sharing!

[EL34]

Thanks, I am enjoying it
It sounds really nice

[Platefire]

Doug

Representing us old aged Venture fans---Great work--you put together a fine ax there---it helps that your chops/trem bends and tone are A1! I can't believe you might be recording that direct through an effects processor---has to be a Fender amp of some sort? Platefire

[EL34]

Thanks Plate,


The chain is this
Guitar > Kemper profiling amp > Stereo Tube pre amp > Recording sound card input

[Platefire]

Wow! That's doing a great job emulating pure vintage Fender tone or better! 

[EL34]

The Kemper profiling amp is an amazing piece of gear

I have profiled all my tube amps and they live inside the kemper

Check it out if you get time
http://www.kemper-amps.com/page/render/lang/en/p/199/do/The_Kemper_Profiler.html

[Platefire]

Pretty amazing, all the amp profiles listed. Many amps I've never heard of. If all sounds as convincing as your recordings I suppose it could be the wave of the future. Hard to imagine all our beloved tube amps becoming museum pieces as a reference to what use to be although tube amps and parts sales seem to be stronger than ever. Platefire

[EL34]

Tube amps will never go away
The Kemper lets you store them all inside it and makes it really easy to switch between many types of amps


The on line user library lets you have access to all the amps that other people have profiled
You press one button and that amp profiled is downloaded into your Kemper for free

There are studios that profile amps and sell those profiles
Thousands of profiles are available to download