NHGD - Mascis Squier with Fender Baritone neck
- Axolotl
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NHGD - Mascis Squier with Fender Baritone neck
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.
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.
- Stephen_42
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Re: NHGD - Mascis Squier with Fender Baritone neck
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?
Any lessons learned in the process? What string gauge did you go for?
- GreenKnee
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Re: NHGD - Mascis Squier with Fender Baritone neck
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.
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.
- Kent
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Re: NHGD - Mascis Squier with Fender Baritone neck
Oh, that does indeed look grand. Post sound clips!
- Axolotl
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Re: NHGD - Mascis Squier with Fender Baritone neck
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.Stephen_42 wrote: ↑Wed Sep 28, 2022 8:02 amLooks 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?
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.
- Axolotl
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Re: NHGD - Mascis Squier with Fender Baritone neck
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
- Embenny
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Re: NHGD - Mascis Squier with Fender Baritone neck
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.
- MattK
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Re: NHGD - Mascis Squier with Fender Baritone neck
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.
- Axolotl
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Re: NHGD - Mascis Squier with Fender Baritone neck
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!
- MattK
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Re: NHGD - Mascis Squier with Fender Baritone neck
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 $$$$$$
We just need to photoshop a pic of Forrest White trying it out in the Fender offices and then $$$$$$
- BearBoy
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Re: NHGD - Mascis Squier with Fender Baritone neck
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?Axolotl wrote: ↑Wed Sep 28, 2022 11:30 amWhat 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.
- Axolotl
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Re: NHGD - Mascis Squier with Fender Baritone neck
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.
- BearBoy
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Re: NHGD - Mascis Squier with Fender Baritone neck
Thanks. Looks like I’ll need to do a bit of string research before taking the plunge.
Yours looks great btw.
Yours looks great btw.
- MayTheFuzzBeWithYou
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Re: NHGD - Mascis Squier with Fender Baritone neck
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!
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!
- Lost In Autumn
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Re: NHGD - Mascis Squier with Fender Baritone neck
I use d’addario Baritone strings and don’t have that issue