94-95 MIJ Jazzmaster - Any Upgrade Constraints?

[qb748]

I am new here, and anxious to take my instrument to the next level. I would like to wish everyone a hello!!!

I am finally getting around to upgrading most of my 94-95 MIJ JM components. Everything except perhaps the body.

I want to upgrade:
-pups
-pots/wiring
-add shielding/tape stuff
-neck
-tuners
-bridge
-trem

If I want to make my guitar basically transform into an american-whatever version, is there a thread or direction I should go re: info on what stuff is available?... I was told to come here, but I don't even know where to start.

I am most interested in what to do about a neck. I want a rosewood US Fender trapezoid inlay, but I don't think I've seen them in anything aside from Squire. Is a neck something I def need a professional to handle?.. it seems to me, guys just don't "throw a neck" onto a guitar real quick... seems like there MUST be some precision things going on there.

[ohm-men]

Yup, all doable.
Lots of trem and bridge options these days with Mastery, and a few others. Or just go with the classic Fender AVRI trem unit, a very good upgrade imho. As for the bridge, more options are availble these days that do not requiere any mods.
Pu's idem ditto, plenty of choiche and all drop in's, so again no modifications needed.
Shielding is not hard, I'd suggest using copper self adhesive tape (you can even solder on this stuff) The AVRI shields will not fir the MIJ body, not will a AVRI pickup guard...
Tuners, Gotoh vintag style or vintage style locking, can't go wrong with these either. Another drop in and worthwile investment.
Pots and wiring is also not too difficult.

As for the neck, measure the heel. Some MIJ/CIJ's have somewhat wider heels then their US counterparts. But a US neck will fit.
I've not seen a trapezoid inlay neck for Jazzmasters. But I'm sure Musikraft or warmoth can build you that to the specs you want.
Or ask arround here and get a lead to a local builder.

[timtam]

If it has shielded conductor wiring as many MIJs do, changing to the unshielded single conductors more common in MIA will likely make any noise issues worse (depending somewhat on how noisy your environment is). Which may then make the cavity shielding necessary, where it wasn't before. So evaluate closely what you have before assuming MIA is "better".

[MattK]

Sell it and buy an AVRI, Classic Lacquer, AV65, Vintera, whatever. If you’re replacing everything but the body, you don’t want that guitar, you will end up spending more on parts than the price difference and you’d end up with a low resale partscaster. If you trade up to the kind of guitar you really want, it’ll cost less, be professionally put together and hold its value. Plus you can play it to see if that’s what you REALLY want instead of buying stuff blind and hoping it’ll go together well.

[Funkybot]

Sell it and buy an AVRI, Classic Lacquer, AV65, Vintera, whatever. If you’re replacing everything but the body, you don’t want that guitar, you will end up spending more on parts than the price difference and you’d end up with a low resale partscaster. If you trade up to the kind of guitar you really want, it’ll cost less, be professionally put together and hold its value. Plus you can play it to see if that’s what you REALLY want instead of buying stuff blind and hoping it’ll go together well.

Agree with this. It doesn't make good financial sense to buy a MIJ Jazzmaster (which is a great guitar) then only keep the body. You could've just bought a body for much less than the guitar cost and you'd be no worse off because you're buying everything else anyway. My advice: keep the body and neck and replace the other parts (that's what I did: Mastery bridge, American tremolo with StayTrem, Antiquity pickups), or sell the guitar and buy a body then order the rest. If you're literally replacing everything but the body it's honestly not worth the cost.

[Severed Hand]

Yeah was gonna say the necks on the 93-95 are kinda awesome. If you’re gonna replace it I’ll buy the neck.

If not I’d definitely keep it upgrade the wiring, pickups, trem plate, and bridge and you’ll have yourself a very playable Jazzmaster.

[lastlol]

Sell it and buy an AVRI, Classic Lacquer, AV65, Vintera, whatever. If you’re replacing everything but the body, you don’t want that guitar, you will end up spending more on parts than the price difference and you’d end up with a low resale partscaster. If you trade up to the kind of guitar you really want, it’ll cost less, be professionally put together and hold its value. Plus you can play it to see if that’s what you REALLY want instead of buying stuff blind and hoping it’ll go together well.

+1
I had a mid 90's MIJ Jazzmaster, and it was perfect, I even liked the pickup.

[solfege]

I have one of these, there is no need to do most of that.

The toggle on mine is a bit flaky (though I haven't changed it), but the pots and wiring are great and tbh the pot values are perfect and everything adjusts beautifully. I've even kept the bridge and while I have swapped the trem, I'm on the verge of putting the old one back in b/c honestly it's fine and I can use the AVRI I have on another project.

I swapped the pickups for some that I love, but that was after about 20 years of liking the ones that are in there (which I'll probably reuse).

Basically, early 90s MIJ JMs are really, really good guitars and probably should not be fucked with.

If I were going to do anything, I'd say Staytrem arm and collet and pickup swap. Otherwise, leave it.

[solfege]

Wait I just read the other comments, you want to replace the NECK?

Dear God No! These are now significantly valuable instruments intact, and the build quality is as good as anything Fender USA ever did. Sell it and buy something else to mod (you'll end up saving money).

[solfege]

Also, Also, MIJ bodies are slightly off relative to USA standard dimensions, making things like pickguards an odd fit. keeping just the body makes basically no sense, especially when you're ruining a valuable instrument by doing this.

This is not a good plan.

[Ceylon]

The body is by no means the best part on these guitars, and are, as others have said, not compatible with a lot of US-spec stuff like pickguards and necks. The stock necks are also fantastic. You can find some MIJs that have block inlays, although rare and with a price tag to match, but getting one of those and then upgrading electronics and bridge parts is in the end going to make a whole lot more financial sense.

Although to be fair it sounds like you might be better off doing a pure partscaster build at this point, and maybe even finding a luthier willing to put it all together.

[qb748]

WOW!!,, thanks for the replies... I haven't read through all yet, but am responding already. Ummm...

1) yeah this guitar came from money that relates to my Mother's inheritance from HER mom's death. So there is a sentimental connection to the machine... despite the fact that I want to replace most of it Either way, I am aware of cost.

2) As far as the neck though... some say do not even replace it. There's something inside me that says a more expensive neck is better. Why is this neck fine?.. what would be the difference between it and an AMerican model?.. again, my experience is limited, so I don't even know what a good neck is. Though Ive been playing since 92ish.

3) I'm so hooked on what a guitar looks like, that I realize playing a less "comfortable" instrument is a reality, and I literally do not care. I would play a Jaguar with Shell Pink body, tortoise shell pickguard, even if the fretboard was lined with razor blades.

4) what to do about the AVRI's not fitting the MIJ pickguard dimensions... does anyone make replacement?... or is that completely custom (musikraft/warmouth, etc)?

5) What about the bone?.. does altering that do anyhting noticeable?


Thanks again!!.. i'm ecstatic

[qb748]

Basically, early 90s MIJ JMs are really, really good guitars and probably should not be fucked with.

why is it that the US models, at the time, were so much more money though?... I swear these have to have inferior electronics, though it may have a sound that some may have preferences for.

[ohm-men]

MIJ stuff if something you like or don't imho.
I used to have a 94-95 myself that I really liked, but again imho, there are better Jazzmasters out there.
Back then I got it in a trade for a MIJ Jaguar (that I really didn't like a bit) also back then used these were just about 500,- and a good deal.
If I see todays prices, I'm a bit stunned... I would never pay a 1000,- for a used MIJ, but meaby that's just me.

I'd say, keep it as it is and build something to you own liking/specs. As what you are going to sink into it, will be a good enough budget for another guitar (especially if you want to replace the neck as well)
As fas as the pickguards go, MIJ/CIJ are just different, locations of the pickups and bridge post is slightly different as are the screw hole locations.
I think there is aftermarket availble, but I'm not sure it's worth it.

As far as electronics go, these come with plastic wiring, strat wound pickups, mini pots (if I recall correctly) and no shielding whatsover. The trem unit is also different from a vintage Fender/AVRI unit. Tuners are "Ping" Kluson style, not bad, but not of Gotoh quality. Bodies are usually Alder, but the far eastern variant (forgot the name of the wood, Alder spicies and very simelar to US Alder but mostly slightly heavier.) Finisch is a thicker poly. (I never had any problems with it) The stock bridge was... ehm... fustrating... replaced it with set of Tusq saddles, which improved the tone somewhat, but got rid of the rattling of the height adjustment screws.

I upgraded about everything on my MIJ exept for the body and neck, although the frets got quiet worn from using D'addario flatwounds for years on it. Was a superb guitar, mostly because I liked the neck (again personal preference) I did have the nut replaced with a bone one, which I always found a worthy upgrade over the plastic
the body was not spectacular, I had a ligherweight one in vintage oly white, although the wood was quiet soft.
I sold the guitar years ago, not really regretting it. But I have to admit I really enjoyed it.

Took me sometime to find a suitble replacement for this guitar, but ever since I got a Vintera Jazzmaster, I gotta say I like the latter more as I find the stock version better then the MIJ. Again personal preference.

[solfege]

Basically, early 90s MIJ JMs are really, really good guitars and probably should not be fucked with.

why is it that the US models, at the time, were so much more money though?... I swear these have to have inferior electronics, though it may have a sound that some may have preferences for.

I mean, at the time it was production costs, perceived value of 'made in usa' vs. 'foreign' production, etc. Basically, global capitalism is the reason for the price difference.

As many have realized, the MIJ instruments from the late 80s on are on the whole as good as anything being made in the USA at the time.

As for electronics, they're not CTS and Switcraft, but again, a lot of that is hype. Surely by now we've all realized that many of the electronic components that were being produced in Japan at that time are more than fine. They're the same ones in all those old Maxon and Ibanez and Boss pedals everyone prizes, etc. The component values are the same. The wiring isn't cloth insulated pushback, but in a rational world, it's just using modern insulation which is probably better all told.

The one notable difference is the pickups. That's been discussed to death and it's perfectly reasonable to upgrade them. They aren't, however, bad pickups. Just not totally traditional JM pickups. I replaced mine. But I kept the originals and they'll probably find a home somewhere eventually.

MIJ JMs don't use the brass cavity shields that US instruments did. So some attention shielding may be desirable if you have noise problems. I don't.

The biggest knocks on the MIJ instruments in terms of sound / performance is that some of them were using lower quality metal parts to hit certain price points. Thus the discussions re: MIJ bridges (the one in my JM is fine, but later ones seem to be widely reviled. YMMV), tailpieces (yes, there's a slight difference in string angle behind the bridge, but I'm less sold on the idea that it's an on the whole less solid part than the AVRI's I have. But again, not sure about later production. Replacing those is a totally non-destructive mod, though. So easy.

It's also worth remembering that at the time these were being produced, there *was* no US production of Jazzmasters. These were the only option, not the cheapo one.