Fender American Ultra Jazzmaster

[Unicorn Warrior]

I think they’ll be sought after. They’re good quality and unique specs, even if everyone didn’t like them initially.

[Emil_Kodar]

I've one in ultraburst.
Perfect and incomparable at luthier lever.
Not sure about pickup swapping or wiring semplifying, the noiseless couple is not really superexciting...
Anyway a guitar for professional players, but not for vintage lovers.

[DrPete]

Apologies for the mega bump or triggering any JM purists on the board.

But I have a question for any Ultra owners out there:

What are the knobs on the ultra? I have a new Japanese jazzmaster (NGD post incoming) and I would like to put some telecaster/ultra knobs to go with the cunife chrome aesthetic.

Cheers!

[forestgreen]

According to the parts list it’s the Fender Pure Vintage '60s Tele Knurled Chrome Knobs.

[Emil_Kodar]

Any knob compatible with screw for 1/4'' solid shaft model is good, non only Fender branded. You need three pieces.

[Vibrochambient]

I just bought a used/discounted American Ultra Jazzmaster. The pickups have been changed, and my plan is to remodel it in various other ways to my preferences. I have copies of the wiring schematic, and a parts list. I am better with wood than wires, and find the wiring a little daunting. I could use a little guidance.

I am willing/planning to remove the pickguard and all electronics, but I find I actually like the extra tone knob.

If I remove the in/out of phase rhythm circuit thingy, will the pickups and their respective tone knobs remain functional as they are?

I want to move the pickup selector switch to the upper bout, like an American Professional Jazzmaster, or Les Paul. I have a pickguard from the Am Pro JM. One idea is to leave the Ultra input where it is, and use the input hole on the pickguard for the extra tone knob from the Ultra. I know it will take a little modification -- the extra tone knob is in a different position, but can I just move it?

Thanks much for the help.

[timtam]

I just bought a used/discounted American Ultra Jazzmaster. The pickups have been changed, and my plan is to remodel it in various other ways to my preferences. I have copies of the wiring schematic, and a parts list. I am better with wood than wires, and find the wiring a little daunting. I could use a little guidance.

I am willing/planning to remove the pickguard and all electronics, but I find I actually like the extra tone knob.

If I remove the in/out of phase rhythm circuit thingy, will the pickups and their respective tone knobs remain functional as they are?

I want to move the pickup selector switch to the upper bout, like an American Professional Jazzmaster, or Les Paul. I have a pickguard from the Am Pro JM. One idea is to leave the Ultra input where it is, and use the input hole on the pickguard for the extra tone knob from the Ultra. I know it will take a little modification -- the extra tone knob is in a different position, but can I just move it?

Thanks much for the help.

The Ultra's phase switching - that replaces the rhythm circuit - relies on a different, 4PDT switch instead of the standard 2PDT rhythm circuit switch.

That switch determines if the bridge pickup is connected in phase or out of phase (OOP), and then makes connections to the OOP volume rollers. Just disconnecting the phase circuitry that switch facilitates would leave one position of that switch doing nothing. Or after disconnecting, you would have to figure out how to wire it as a conventional rhythm switch. Not impossible, but difficult for a novice.

If you remove all the electronics as you say, the pickups will do whatever the new (conventional ?) harness you add makes them do ... which would not likely include the extra tone control.

A schematic shows you what a circuit actually does, better than a wiring diagram. The Ultra is Fender's most complex offset circuit ...


Standard jazzmaster ....


I haven't yet drawn a schematic for the Am Pro (I) JM you mention, as it's the simplest JM circuit ever.

[Dr. Ooh]

If you aren't super skilled at electronics, wiring, and soldering, then save yourself the headache and get a new aftermarket harness.

Also, you need to ask yourself if you like 250k pots for the jazzmaster. I like both 250k and 280k.

Also, you really need to ask yourself if you like the 250k no load pots, and/or if you will like them with the existing pickups.

The no load pots are an important distinction. When rolled up all the way, at 10, they are removed from the circuit. So, it's like wiring the pickups directly to the output jack. It is bright beyond what you would be used to from a traditional 1meg pot on a jazzmaster. With some pickup and amp combinations, it can be completely insane, as far as brightness goes. Once you roll the volume and tone down to 9 or below, the potentiometer is in the circuit, and all is well. Just something to think about.

I opted to leave the stock wiring in my ultra jazzmaster, changed out the pickups to novak jm vintage/jm fat. In the no load position, 99% of the time it is way too over the top bright, so I always have to keep it rolled to 9 for a maximum across all of the pots.

The no load's may work for you, may not. Just be aware.

[Vibrochambient]

Thank you for the very helpful replies! Excellent points about the complexities.

I think my original, simpler, plan will be the way to go.

[alexpigment]

Also, you really need to ask yourself if you like the 250k no load pots, and/or if you will like them with the existing pickups.

The no load pots are an important distinction. When rolled up all the way, at 10, they are removed from the circuit. So, it's like wiring the pickups directly to the output jack. It is bright beyond what you would be used to from a traditional 1meg pot on a jazzmaster. With some pickup and amp combinations, it can be completely insane, as far as brightness goes. Once you roll the volume and tone down to 9 or below, the potentiometer is in the circuit, and all is well. Just something to think about.

Just wanted to clarify something here. While you can do a no-load tone pot, you can't do a no-load *volume* pot with traditional wiring. Turning it up to 10 will basically cut the signal.

Assuming you want to go with a 250k volume and a 250k no-load tone pot, when both pots are at 10, the effective resistance will be the same as if you had two 500k pots at 10. That's not to say they would sound exactly the same, but the resistance is the same, and the tone will be in the same ballpark.

For JMs, I'm a big fan of 250k for the volume pot and 500k for the tone pot. 1meg+1meg just doesn't make any sense to me for slightly-hotter-than-normal single coils. 250k volume is close to the right resonant peak in my opinion, and the 500k tone gives you some extra presence if you need it, though you'll probably be hanging around 7 or 8 on the tone pot most of the time. That being said, a no-load tone might be what you're looking for. FYI, Fender branded no-load pots have a potentially annoying detent at 10, whereas CTS no-load pots have no detent at all.

[Vibrochambient]

Thank you for the extra information.

[Vibrochambient]

The pickups in my new guitar had been changed. There aren't any markings, but I think they are Fender Pure Vintage '65s. They have black and white wires, but is there any other way to tell?

[timtam]

The pickups in my new guitar had been changed. There aren't any markings, but I think they are Fender Pure Vintage '65s. They have black and white wires, but is there any other way to tell?

DCR around 6.8k (+/- 10%). Inductance around 3.2H (DE-500 LCR meter).


Gauss consistent with A5 pole pieces (non-staggered), around 750G (eg WT10A magnetometer). Also opposite magnetic polarities for neck/bridge.
https://guitarnuts2.proboards.com/threa ... sis-review

Black/white wire colours, connected (in-phase) according to wiring diagram for pickup set ..
https://www.fmicassets.com/Damroot/Orig ... A_SISD.pdf

Red/blue coloured dots (always consistent ?) ....
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail ... et/reviews
https://www.thomannmusic.com/fender_pur ... pu_set.htm

[Vibrochambient]

Thank you!