12 String Jazzmaster Partscaster

Talk about modding or building your own guitar from scratch.
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Logrinn
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Re: 12 String Jazzmaster Partscaster

Post by Logrinn » Fri Nov 10, 2017 2:06 pm

:)

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sirspens
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Re: 12 String Jazzmaster Partscaster

Post by sirspens » Sun Nov 12, 2017 4:41 pm

Okay. I failed to take pictures of it, but I basically did what Logrinn suggested. I took a multimeter and tested to ensure that I had connection between the exposed nub of a wire and the bridge thimble. When that checked out, I took a steel screw and screwed it into the hole. I ensured I had connectivity again. Then I attached the ground wire to the screw. Checked my connectivity. All good.

Got everything put together.
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I plugged it into my amp, no buzz, very quiet.

I found a Fender neck plate laying around.
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I got the neck on, and it just pushes it ever so slightly off center, but just barely. You'll see from stringing up, but I barely have to get the strings off center of their saddles to work well.
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Here's some (fuzzy) pictures of everything put together. I'll get better pictures when it is actually finished.
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I have contacted Schroeder about a string tree, and he is going to help me out!

There is a LOT of action, after I got it strung up, so it still has a lot of set-up needed.

Oh, and it took me so long to tune my first time that my tuner timed out and turned itself off twice.

Other than that, things have come together. I think it looks great. And it is 99% the way there.

I'll record some samples as I get it set up, as well. For the three minutes I have played it, it sounded really good.

Singlebladepickup
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Re: 12 String Jazzmaster Partscaster

Post by Singlebladepickup » Sun Nov 12, 2017 5:11 pm

Looks great, I'm jelly

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sirspens
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Re: 12 String Jazzmaster Partscaster

Post by sirspens » Tue Nov 21, 2017 6:52 pm

The guitar has been up and going for about a week and a half, now. My biggest surprise is the output. It makes sense, and I guess I should have seen it coming, but the total mass of strings makes the output on this thing ridiculous. It runs hotter than my 12-60 strung Jazzmaster. My settings that I use for that guitar are just super overdrive with the 12 string, on settings that are typically fairly clean.

I knew I would probably want to replace the stock SD pickups, but I wasn't sure what I was going to want to do. Now I am getting a better idea. There isn't any pronounced piercing quality to the tone or anything, so I think I'll be sticking with Alnico 5, but will probably be going with an underwound pickup, to get a lighter touch, and more of a vintage electric 12 string sound.

Other than that, it sounds beautiful. I am so happy I finally got around to this project and got it finished!

I am still waiting to get the string tree, and to finish balancing the neck. Having to remove the neck to adjust the truss rod is kind of a pain in the ass. Who thought this was a good idea?

Pics and clips still coming!

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Re: 12 String Jazzmaster Partscaster

Post by N0_Camping4U » Thu Dec 21, 2017 8:22 am

I can't believe I missed this whole topic. Great work. I would love to hear any sound clips you have. Looks like a fairly affordable way to get a nice XII.
"I've been waiting for you, Obi-Wan. We meet again, at last. The circle is now complete. When I left you, I was but the learner, now I am the master."

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nateispro
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Re: 12 String Jazzmaster Partscaster

Post by nateispro » Thu Dec 21, 2017 9:47 am

How is the intonation? I want to do this but am worried about not having individual saddles to adjust!

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sirspens
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Re: 12 String Jazzmaster Partscaster

Post by sirspens » Thu Dec 21, 2017 6:58 pm

N0_Camping4U wrote:
Thu Dec 21, 2017 8:22 am
I can't believe I missed this whole topic. Great work. I would love to hear any sound clips you have. Looks like a fairly affordable way to get a nice XII.
nateispro wrote:
Thu Dec 21, 2017 9:47 am
How is the intonation? I want to do this but am worried about not having individual saddles to adjust!
I had a project I had to get out the door before Christmas, but I plan to get back on this after the holiday. I still have to get the neck straight and install the string tree. Should be an easy weekend of work.

Once I have that I plan to do some sound samples.

I am still loving it, but I am going to try putting 8s on it to see if that settles down the high gain issues (ie, so much steel). If that doesn't work, I will be looking into underwound pickups.

Also, no intonation issues. In fact, it's a bit too perfect. I was hoping for just a bit of intonation warble, but there really isn't any.

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sirspens
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Re: 12 String Jazzmaster Partscaster

Post by sirspens » Thu Dec 21, 2017 7:18 pm

Here's a budget I just put together. Costs include all shipping and taxes and whatnot to get everything here to Austin, Texas. Most parts bought from Stratosphere or Reverb, except the String Tree, which our own schroeder made for me.

Square VMJM Body with hardware: $179.99
Fender CIJ 12 String Strat Neck: $250.00
Square VMJM pickups & wiring: $95.00
Perloid Pickguard: $14.99
Allparts Black Pickup Covers: $13.00
Blacktop Knobs & Tips: $16.76
Aluminum String Tree: $32.00
Total: $601.74

I may still replace a few pieces or parts, at this point most likely the pickups. I went with the Duncan Designed VMJM pickups for the build because I knew I wouldn't know what I wanted to do until I had heard the guitar.

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sirspens
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Re: 12 String Jazzmaster Partscaster

Post by sirspens » Mon Jan 01, 2018 6:12 pm

I finally got around to installing the string tree made by schroeder, which is working great.
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I originally strung the guitar with 10s. While I liked the sound, it wasn't quite what I was looking for. When installing the string tree today, I restrung it with 8s. I like the sound a LOT more (though I still have to turn the volume down to about 5 to get the sound out of my amp I get at 8 to 9 with my other JMs). The downside, is that it feels like playing limp noodles.

I have been discussing a custom set of hand wound pickups with Sam at Sunday Pickups, going with an underwound version of his Woodchime, which use Alnico 3 pole magnets.

Hoping to get that taken care of in the next few weeks, so I can get this finished up and take some glamour shots of the guitar, and get a sound clip made. Actually, if I can figure out how to get my new hardware working without clicking, I'll get some samples made with the current pickups.

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Re: 12 String Jazzmaster Partscaster

Post by bunkre » Tue Jan 02, 2018 9:43 am

nateispro wrote:
Thu Dec 21, 2017 9:47 am
How is the intonation? I want to do this but am worried about not having individual saddles to adjust!
I did one of these with a TOM bridge and simply filed new saddle slots. I used one I had laying around as a placeholder expecting the intonation to be really terrible, but it turned out to be not that bad at all! It's the most noticeable on the G and closer up to the 10th or 12th fret. I'm planning on leaving it as-is, as the 12 saddle TOM's are pretty expensive. I say go for it.

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sirspens
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Re: 12 String Jazzmaster Partscaster

Post by sirspens » Sat Aug 11, 2018 12:11 pm

I never got around to posting pictures of this project, as finishes. Here we go:

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