OffsetGuitars.com

any update?

not really..
The neck is in a guitar shop, still waiting for a good headstock job.
...they are still waiting there for the ordered correct wood... (since over 3 weeks now...)

...I did a few other guitar projects meanwhile. (I got one of my Mustangs now in good playing condition without detuning vibrato unit!)
...and I did a headstock painting (matching to body) to one of my Jags. ...I have to make pics.

...always a lot to do with 27 guitars, you all know of such projects on your own here I guess...

27 guitars, Supersonic ? Man, that takes me back ! I think the most I ever owned at one time ( back in my early-'20s ) was 34 !

Dunno whether it's simply a matter of getting older, but just last week I took 5 guitars up to my local music store ( which specialises in 2nd-hand gear ) to put on consignment..a few pedals, too.

That still leaves me 6 (electric) guitars- I'm not counting a Baritone, a Bass, 2 acoustics, 2 Lap Steels, a mandolin & several vintage ukuleles- and I STILL have trouble deciding which one to pick up !

However, I know exactly what'll happen when the others sell..I'll just go out & buy more !!

Never actually owned a Jazzmaster, & the idea of a vintage 'project' such as yours really appeals..looking forward to seeing how yours comes together.

Best,
Jeff.

There was some discussion ´bout restaurating the headstock.
Now I got it back from my guitar shop.
I don´t know, should I be happy?
It´s the correct wood now, maple.
But the cirlce at the end of the headstock looks not sooo good...
Now it still looks a little bit like a "drop"?
The previous guitar destroyer even cutted off a piece from the circle...
What do you think about?
Backside: Looks ok for me, I have to fill up the wood a little bit only.
Front side: I want to paint it, so I spray it with filler first, this is not a problem.

i think it looks REALLY good and accurate.

Hi Ralf

I think it looks OK..............its not perfect, but I think once its painted and the decal is on, and the rest of the furniture is on, it will look much better.................you're seeing it at its worst now.

If it was me I'd ask him to do a little more re-shaping. I reckon there's still some wood left to work with, if you really want to get it close to an original '63 headstock.

indulge me a little...



OK, the photo you supplied isn't straight on so the headstocks are at slightly different distances & angles but the main point is that a Jazzmaster headstock has an almost perfect circular shape at the tip. Also you'll see that the curl that leads downwards from that circle is a little sharper.

My '59 headstock measures 19.4cm from the furthest end of the headstock to the centre of the nut (keeping my measure parallel with the strings). If yours still does too I see no reason why your guy can't put a little more work into getting it spot on.

By all means, double-check with other Jazzmasters or maybe even wait to see if someone else chimes in here with the same 19cm measurement. There are even accurate templates out there that can be used. I think, in the long run it'd be worth it.

EDIT - If it helps, there's a to-scale template here, page 15.

Of course, your luthier should know all this

Seeing these pics - and that pickguard - makes me appreciate Spitfire's work. He totally nails that look, huh? The pickguard looks like it could be one of his (which I suppose is the entire point, and the highest compliment).

Alright, some things take their time...
in the last weeks I checked the color for the ´64 Jazzmaster. I wanted to finish it in some kind of green, not the typical color.
I tested a lime green on the headstock, but it looked like a trashy toy...
Then I´ve found a color at Molotov it called "dandelion". It´s nearly the green what you cn find on a custom color Jazzmaster in the "Ultimate Guitar Book". I like this kind of vintage green and use it now.
After works on the body and headstock I am at the finish. ...I have no place in the basement where I can do it with good options. I have to use the basement where other people very time can walk through... I have to put foil everywhere and work very fast.
Whatever, here are some pics. There´s one time green on he body, I will give it a 2nd layer and then later the clear coat.


On the right you can see the lime green. It was much too lime for me.
So I decided to use the dandelion green, which you can see on the left.

oh i also have that book and i've always LOVED how that JM looks!!! isn't it supposed to be like ultra-faded daphne blue?
anyway, amazing color, looks great!

btw, you guys still playing live?
i'm now living in Cologne, would love to see/hear your band live some day!

Beautiful work! The energy you put into the restoration will make the guitar all the more more special to you. Well done sir!

Update: The finish is in good progress.
Pickups: Neck pickup worked. Bridge PU was dead...
So my guitar repair man sent it to a Pickup specialist.
BUT... they are lost now... The PU specialist never received the PU`s...
And he sent them both complete with Pick covers...

So: If anyone notices a pair of 1964 Jazzmaster PU´s for sale these days, they are probably mine. Please let me know immediately
and I will go to the police directly.

Other side: I need another pair of 1964 (or earlier) Jazzmaster PU´s incl. used covers.
Who has got something for sale???

Alright,

here some new pics.

Headstock shape looks good for me now.
I closed the screw holes for the pickguard because the pickguard is shrunken a lot and I guess new holes are better in this case.

And, ...what can I say... I have learned A LOT about finishing a guitar
It was a long way, there where still dents in the finish and I decided to fill them again and put color and clear coat again and so on...
Then I learned a lot about the polishing, the 2000 wet sand paper. In the last weeks I had fun in spraying clear coat, let it dry, polish the surface and seeing it´s getting better and better. My spraying skills are much better now.
Ok, here are some more pics:







The body shaping is fantastic!!!







I have pinned the pickguard onto a piece of wood for a few months to get a bit tension on it:

It's coming along nicely, dude!!