Re: Custom shop jazzmaster arrived today-intriguing

DaveyH · Post by **DaveyH** » Thu Nov 16, 2006 4:12 pm

Found a brand new 'custom shop NOS '62 JM' on the net this week in a shop in london,wasn't a custom order,they said the custom shop offered it for sale so they bought it,they have a jaguar the same too,was there a short production run? I didn't think so.it was made in March '06.

It's a really gorgeous two tone sunburst,VERY yellow in the middle,narrow fade(not red) into a narrow black border.It's absolutely stunning,especially on the back.Fit and finish and detailing is top notch,can't fault it at all.Clay dots,bridge mod(ground down on front side so you can reverse the saddles),neck laquer is clear not amber,flat pole pieces(pups look and sound a little different to AVRI pups).It's got great resonance,balanced across the frequencies with good definition on the bass strings,certainly sounds good for a brand new guitar.Has a vibe about it too,alot like my origional '62.

Anyway,it has something unusual going on,someone at the custom shop has been having bright ideas,the body is not entirely to spec,the part that the neck is bolted to is 1/8" thicker than spec,same as if you added a 1/8" block under the neck.No shim at the back of the neck pocket, so it doesn't have the usual neck angle in relation to the body(that i love), so it doesn't have that violin/archtop guitar look going on.It's only a couple of degrees different but i noticed it right away.Anyway i was just wondering if anyone has heard of this mod before on CS jazzers,maybe someone at the custom shop has been tinkering/experimenting.

I could 'return' it to spec,or leave it be,or maybe take advantage of it and use this one for my Novak CC blades(would look the absolute tits),could raise the bridge a smidge,add a neck shim and i'd have loads of extra pup height adjustment for the chunky blades.

IPLAYLOUD · Post by **IPLAYLOUD** » Thu Nov 16, 2006 4:18 pm

Pictures, our good man...PICTURES!

DaveyH · Post by **DaveyH** » Thu Nov 16, 2006 4:29 pm

Here's a link to a not very good pic of it(it looks very different in the flesh),i'll get some detail pics if anyone wants as soon as i figure out this picture hosting thing(yes,i'm a computer idiot)http://www.petercooks.co.uk/Images/cshopjazm.jpg

I'll get some detail pics of my origonal '62 then too,there's a pic of it here though still on the purple guitars website,says '61 but it's actually Dec '62 (veneer board)http://www.purpleguitars.com/inventory.htm (click on fender,then scroll down to '61 Jazzmaster)

Infliktor · Post by **Infliktor** » Thu Nov 16, 2006 4:33 pm

I would bet it was Built by Dennis Galuszka.

Does it have the mute on it? If not the pocket depth I beleive doesnt need to be as deep. Dennis also puts a slight angle in the pocket to keep from having to use a buzzstop. Im very new to Jags and Jazmasters but I think I know what you are sayin

Can you give me the serial number and I can ask Dennis if he made it. He has done matching sets before.

Infliktor · Post by **Infliktor** » Thu Nov 16, 2006 4:35 pm

Who signed the certificate?

DaveyH · Post by **DaveyH** » Thu Nov 16, 2006 4:49 pm

No mute on it,serial no. is R29783.The neck pocket is shallower not deeper,if you see what i mean,the neck is raised 1/8" in relation to the body.I can't detect any angle in the neck pocket,the neck is almost parallel to the body,it plays great,was suprisingly well setup when i got it.Anything you could find out would be very cool,thank you,i'm intrigued about it.Certficate says 'Jazzmater NOS' ,13/03/06,R29783.

it's only signed by the director,Alex Nicholas,it's not a Master built or anything,wasn't master built money either,it's really nice though.

Infliktor · Post by **Infliktor** » Thu Nov 16, 2006 5:54 pm

Ill talk to him in probably tommorow

DaveyH · Post by **DaveyH** » Thu Nov 16, 2006 6:14 pm

Thank you sir!

You know the more i think about it,the more i like the idea of the shallower neck pocket,i think it's a really cool idea,gives me some more set up options.It allows you to run a shallower break angle than normal (like it is right now) because effectively the nut is raised in relation to where it normally is,ie less angle in front of the bridge.but i could still increase the break angle if i wanted, by adding a shim and raising the bridge,which also adds more pup options like i mentioned earler.i like to keep a low break angle anyway so this is great for me,i think it's an important part of Jazzmasteryness.I wouldn't dream of altering the neck pocket really,it was just a suprise i wasn't expecting and only just discovered.

Post by **mezcalhead** » Thu Nov 16, 2006 11:59 pm

DaveyH wrote: No mute on it

No, you wouldn't expect one on a Jazzmaster I guess.

The neck pocket sounds like a cool idea .. something else to keep in the box of tricks for those guys making their own offsets.

Infliktor · Post by **Infliktor** » Fri Nov 17, 2006 5:52 am

Sorry,,,in Jag mode lol

Infliktor · Post by **Infliktor** » Fri Nov 17, 2006 12:43 pm

I emailed Dennis, should hear from him later or Monday

DaveyH · Post by **DaveyH** » Fri Nov 17, 2006 2:16 pm

Thanks,i aprecciate that.

i fitted the Curtis Novak 'Charlie Christian' blades today,curiosity got the better of me,i wanted to hear it with these pickups.Found some covers that match the cream knobs really well,they were off a japanese one i think but they've been in my shed for the last 10 years and have yellowed alot.Fired up the milling machine and milled the slots so it looks neat and proper.Shimmed the neck just a little and raised the bridge accordingly,the bridge is about 1/8" higher than normal (because the neck is 1/8" higher than normal)which gives a nice amount of clearance for some pup height adjustment.Got it setup how i like it with KTS saddles which i normally use(can't recommend these highly enough).

i've only had a quick play on them but soundwise they're really fat and warm,but despite that there's no muddiness so the definition is all there,really impressed with them,kudos to Curtis,they're kind of warm and fuzzy but clear.

EDIT;Well the CC Blades were alot of fun to play, but 48 hours later the original pups were back on and the neck shim removed.I couldn't live with the looks of the blades *(Curtis also makes a rod version though for a stock look) and i missed the JM pups sound.It was an interesting experiment though. The pups that came with it are fantastic, they're scatter wound and look like real JM pups not a narrower coil like AV,RI. They sound great.loving this guitar.Interestingly the bridge pup was installed in the neck position and vice versa and that's how i'm running them now,i like them that way round.