Just got this crappy old Jazzmaster from 1959...

Discussion of vintage Jazzmasters, Jaguars, Bass VIs, Electric XIIs and any other offset-waist instruments.
kracdown
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Just got this crappy old Jazzmaster from 1959...

Post by kracdown » Sun Oct 28, 2018 10:48 pm

So crappy... Even missing an E string!

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Re: Just got this crappy old Jazzmaster from 1959...

Post by PorkyPrimeCut » Sun Oct 28, 2018 10:55 pm

Yeah, that reddy, browny colour looks all smudged & rubbish.

What a hunk of junk!
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Re: Just got this crappy old Jazzmaster from 1959...

Post by antisymmetric » Mon Oct 29, 2018 12:22 am

Out of warranty too- I wouldn't touch it! :ph34r:
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Re: Just got this crappy old Jazzmaster from 1959...

Post by 46346 » Mon Oct 29, 2018 12:52 am

guys, you might not realize this, but those have pretty nice necks. use it for your next Strat resto - just redo the decal!
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Re: Just got this crappy old Jazzmaster from 1959...

Post by Kent » Mon Oct 29, 2018 1:16 am

The bridges and vibratos are "Internet Famous" weak points. It's probably a good idea to drill for a TOM bridge and a hard tail or just put in the infinitely more reliable Floyd Rose vibrato. You only need to drill two holes through the neck in order to do so.

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Re: Just got this crappy old Jazzmaster from 1959...

Post by Ceylon » Mon Oct 29, 2018 2:27 am

Are those even humbuckers? They didn't have gain in 1959 so you probably want to go for something hotter.
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Re: Just got this crappy old Jazzmaster from 1959...

Post by parry » Mon Oct 29, 2018 3:20 am

^^^

Those are actually soap bar P90s, my friend.
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Re: Just got this crappy old Jazzmaster from 1959...

Post by Squirrel » Mon Oct 29, 2018 4:30 am

Man, you probably could have bought a perfectly good Kramer with the same money instead. Oh well, I guess on the plus side it's a really obscure oddball guitar, I bet if you gig with that thing you'll really stand out from the crowd and nobody will have seen one before!

Also, pro tip: duct tape over the rhythm switch so that you don't accidentally hit it.

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Re: Just got this crappy old Jazzmaster from 1959...

Post by surfin_bird » Mon Oct 29, 2018 4:53 am

I think you can use a hacksaw to shape it like a reversed explorer. Just give it a good respray and get rid of that metal junk pickguard and all those weird switches. I have a set of dimarzio's laying around if you're interested.

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Re: Just got this crappy old Jazzmaster from 1959...

Post by jvin248 » Mon Oct 29, 2018 5:07 am

.

Those soldering iron tip finish melts near the output jack suggest there could be amateur mods under that pickguard.
Better be careful! I'd use an ohm meter to measure the pickups not just rely on a play test demo with an amp -- might only be one good pickup wired to all switch positions!

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Re: Just got this crappy old Jazzmaster from 1959...

Post by nanamour » Mon Oct 29, 2018 5:09 am

The switching scheme on those things is so convoluted with all those buttons and rollers that they're practically unplayable, at least not without a degree in electrical engineering.

I'd try to cut your losses and sell it on while you still can--these seem to be hot with the "alternative" types right now.

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Re: Just got this crappy old Jazzmaster from 1959...

Post by Paul-T » Mon Oct 29, 2018 5:23 am

Please post more photos so we can fully absorb how crappy it is.

Back, headstock, under the bonnet, whatever.
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Re: Just got this crappy old Jazzmaster from 1959...

Post by Jaguar018 » Mon Oct 29, 2018 6:24 am

Waste of money. Everybody knows that the best year for JMs is 1958.

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Re: Just got this crappy old Jazzmaster from 1959...

Post by The Dead Ranch Hands » Mon Oct 29, 2018 6:31 am

Kent wrote:
Mon Oct 29, 2018 1:16 am
The bridges and vibratos are "Internet Famous" weak points. It's probably a good idea to drill for a TOM bridge and a hard tail or just put in the infinitely more reliable Floyd Rose vibrato. You only need to drill two holes through the neck in order to do so.
Plus 1 Floyd Rose that sucker. Needs active pickups too.

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Re: Just got this crappy old Jazzmaster from 1959...

Post by parry » Mon Oct 29, 2018 7:32 am

Also...
I hate to be the one to break it to you... BUT - upon closer inspection - I'm 99.99% certain that guard isn't made of gold. If you really look at it, whatever that surface colouring is appears to be wearing way...

Geez.
Sorry man. :fp:
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