NHGD - Mascis Squier with Fender Baritone neck

Discussion of newer designs, copies and reissue offset-waist instruments.
User avatar
Axolotl
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 1267
Joined: Sun Mar 10, 2013 9:06 am

NHGD - Mascis Squier with Fender Baritone neck

Post by Axolotl » Wed Sep 28, 2022 7:41 am

New Half-a-Guitar day! Stoked!

In my last trip to the US I splurged on a Fender baritone conversion neck. I love me a baritone, but the only one I've had it's a very cheapo Chinese made, Douglas brand. While it's fun, it never felt too inspiring. Flat radius, muddy pickups, shitty electronics.

I bought the neck thinking of having a body and components made for it. Since it would take a while, I decided to slap it on my already souped up Squier JMJM, which is collecting dust most of the time (great guitar but since I have three vintage JMs, I barely play it). Well, after installation and setup, BOOM!

It came out so much better of what I expected. The neck is a dream to play and the P90s sound really good. Clean, with a bit of growl. It also looks killer with the oly white and mint guard. Loving this thing to death, it doesn't even compare to the cheapo bari which will be for sale soon. Other upgraded components are the AVRI trem, staytrem arm, roller bridge and a new quality harness with the rhythm circuit wired for tone of the pickups and a kill switch.

The quality of the bari neck is really impressive, I'm really glad I got it over cheaper options. It feels great all around, sweet profile, impecable fretwork, the shnitz! Anyway, here are a couple of pics.

Image

Image

User avatar
Stephen_42
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 1504
Joined: Wed May 02, 2018 2:32 am

Re: NHGD - Mascis Squier with Fender Baritone neck

Post by Stephen_42 » Wed Sep 28, 2022 8:02 am

Looks really cool! I've been toying with doing exactly the same thing (maple baritone Strat conversation neck) to my blacktop Jazzmaster.

Any lessons learned in the process? What string gauge did you go for?

User avatar
GreenKnee
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 1213
Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2010 7:05 am
Location: Sheffield, UK

Re: NHGD - Mascis Squier with Fender Baritone neck

Post by GreenKnee » Wed Sep 28, 2022 8:04 am

That looks great and I bet it sounds like a BEAST!
The lowest string (B?) looks a bit close to the edge of the fretboard, might need a bit of a neck wiggle to straighten things up.

User avatar
Kent
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 741
Joined: Fri Apr 06, 2007 2:56 am
Location: Vienna, Austria
Contact:

Re: NHGD - Mascis Squier with Fender Baritone neck

Post by Kent » Wed Sep 28, 2022 9:23 am

Oh, that does indeed look grand. Post sound clips!

User avatar
Axolotl
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 1267
Joined: Sun Mar 10, 2013 9:06 am

Re: NHGD - Mascis Squier with Fender Baritone neck

Post by Axolotl » Wed Sep 28, 2022 11:30 am

Stephen_42 wrote:
Wed Sep 28, 2022 8:02 am
Looks really cool! I've been toying with doing exactly the same thing (maple baritone Strat conversation neck) to my blacktop Jazzmaster.
Any lessons learned in the process? What string gauge did you go for?
Dude, go for it, you won't regret it. The strings I used are Elixirs 12-68 and they feel great. The snap of the maple neck sounds awesome.

What I learned is that the high B string barely made it to the tuner. If the trem position was that of a standard Jazzmaster (The trem in the Mascis is closer to the bridge), I would have needed a longer string. Since the blacktops have the trem in the same position than the JMJM, you shouldn't have a problem using strings of this length.

User avatar
Axolotl
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 1267
Joined: Sun Mar 10, 2013 9:06 am

Re: NHGD - Mascis Squier with Fender Baritone neck

Post by Axolotl » Wed Sep 28, 2022 11:32 am

GreenKnee wrote:
Wed Sep 28, 2022 8:04 am
That looks great and I bet it sounds like a BEAST!
The lowest string (B?) looks a bit close to the edge of the fretboard, might need a bit of a neck wiggle to straighten things up.
Yikes! I hadn't noticed until you told me, but you are right, that string does sit a bit close to the edge. Still, due to the tension of the thicker string, there is no slippage whatsoever. But I might use a new nut sometime in the future, being OCD and all :freako:

User avatar
Embenny
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 10363
Joined: Tue May 24, 2016 5:07 am

Re: NHGD - Mascis Squier with Fender Baritone neck

Post by Embenny » Wed Sep 28, 2022 11:44 am

Axolotl wrote:
Wed Sep 28, 2022 11:32 am
Yikes! I hadn't noticed until you told me, but you are right, that string does sit a bit close to the edge. Still, due to the tension of the thicker string, there is no slippage whatsoever. But I might use a new nut sometime in the future, being OCD and all :freako:
The nut looks fine, it's just a slightly misaligned neck. You can gently loosen the neck screws and reseat the neck in the pocket to fix it.
The artist formerly known as mbene085.

User avatar
MattK
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 3571
Joined: Sun Aug 10, 2008 9:51 pm
Location: Hobart, Australia

Re: NHGD - Mascis Squier with Fender Baritone neck

Post by MattK » Wed Sep 28, 2022 2:58 pm

Damn, that's brilliant, I never imaged a JMJM could look like that! If you told me it was an early 60s prototype I'd believe you.

User avatar
Axolotl
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 1267
Joined: Sun Mar 10, 2013 9:06 am

Re: NHGD - Mascis Squier with Fender Baritone neck

Post by Axolotl » Wed Sep 28, 2022 6:00 pm

MatthewK wrote:
Wed Sep 28, 2022 2:58 pm
Damn, that's brilliant, I never imaged a JMJM could look like that! If you told me it was an early 60s prototype I'd believe you.
Heh! I wish it was!! It does look pretty striking, when I picked it up from my tech I was stunned by how good it looks. Wasn't expecting anything spectacular but I was truly wowed. The maple and the oly white combine really well. I had in mind to have an Ice blue metallic body with an anodized silver pickguard, but I guess this will do for now! 8)

User avatar
MattK
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 3571
Joined: Sun Aug 10, 2008 9:51 pm
Location: Hobart, Australia

Re: NHGD - Mascis Squier with Fender Baritone neck

Post by MattK » Wed Sep 28, 2022 6:46 pm

It looks great as is, all the pastel whites really give it a vibe.
We just need to photoshop a pic of Forrest White trying it out in the Fender offices and then $$$$$$

User avatar
BearBoy
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 384
Joined: Tue Aug 30, 2011 2:39 am
Location: London, UK

Re: NHGD - Mascis Squier with Fender Baritone neck

Post by BearBoy » Thu Sep 29, 2022 12:08 am

Axolotl wrote:
Wed Sep 28, 2022 11:30 am
What I learned is that the high B string barely made it to the tuner. If the trem position was that of a standard Jazzmaster (The trem in the Mascis is closer to the bridge), I would have needed a longer string. Since the blacktops have the trem in the same position than the JMJM, you shouldn't have a problem using strings of this length.
That's interesting. I've been toying the idea of doing this with a VM/CV Jazzmaster, which obviously have the vintage trem placing. Are those Elixirs "baritone" strings or just heavy standard scale guitar strings?

User avatar
Axolotl
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 1267
Joined: Sun Mar 10, 2013 9:06 am

Re: NHGD - Mascis Squier with Fender Baritone neck

Post by Axolotl » Thu Sep 29, 2022 5:26 am

BearBoy wrote:
Thu Sep 29, 2022 12:08 am
That's interesting. I've been toying the idea of doing this with a VM/CV Jazzmaster, which obviously have the vintage trem placing. Are those Elixirs "baritone" strings or just heavy standard scale guitar strings?
The elixirs are labeled as baritone strings. I guess the extra length from the trem plate to the bridge plus the neck's long scale require a very long string at least for the highest one. I think other brands may offer a longer length, but I'm kinda stuck with Elixirs, otherwise my strings turn black in a couple of weeks. I'm really glad I realized this before having a body built, which would have been to standard specs.

User avatar
BearBoy
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 384
Joined: Tue Aug 30, 2011 2:39 am
Location: London, UK

Re: NHGD - Mascis Squier with Fender Baritone neck

Post by BearBoy » Thu Sep 29, 2022 8:03 am

Thanks. Looks like I’ll need to do a bit of string research before taking the plunge.

Yours looks great btw.

User avatar
MayTheFuzzBeWithYou
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 2408
Joined: Mon Jul 03, 2017 12:28 am
Location: Linz, Austria

Re: NHGD - Mascis Squier with Fender Baritone neck

Post by MayTheFuzzBeWithYou » Thu Sep 29, 2022 9:16 am

That looks wonderful! And I bet it sounds that way too!
I already posted this under your fb post - but I‘d love a 70s Big Headstock Baritone neck so much! Either maple or rosewood/laurel/pau ferro - just give me a big headstock! 😅

User avatar
Lost In Autumn
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 886
Joined: Sun Jul 05, 2020 3:01 am
Location: Philadelphia
Contact:

Re: NHGD - Mascis Squier with Fender Baritone neck

Post by Lost In Autumn » Thu Sep 29, 2022 8:05 pm

I use d’addario Baritone strings and don’t have that issue

Post Reply