String Thru Jazzmaster..

[Amber]

I'm thinking of building my own Lefty JM from USACG parts and USRI parts.

I really like the look and style of a JM and from recordings I've heard the sound. I've never had chance to play one but think it would suit my style of music well.

I use thick strings and my own tunings and play quite hard. Due to some of the tunings, if one note is slightly flat it totally ruins the sound as I play a lot of open notes. I'm thinking of maybe have a string thru JM body but I'd like to be able to use a trem if I changed my mind. I don't have a JM to look at so would it be possible to drill holes in a JM trem under where the strings go through? I mean so you wouldnt be able to see them.

[mynameisjonas]

i guess it would be possible, but i don´t think it would make much - if any - difference to the sound. the easiest way of obtaining a "hard tail" jazzmaster is to tighten the trem spring screw to the point where the trem is totally immobilized.
another way would be to use some kind of wraparound bridge.

[Amber]

Thing is, I like the sound of a string through body. I like the feel to.

[FireAarro]

I think it would change the sound a lot, the sound of Jazzmasters and Jaguars comes a lot from the vibrato system and its oddities, I think. Like the relative lack of sustain. The vibrato makes it crap to change between tunings though, so no trem might help you.

[mynameisjonas]

I think it would change the sound a lot, the sound of Jazzmasters and Jaguars comes a lot from the vibrato system and its oddities, I think. Like the relative lack of sustain. The vibrato makes it crap to change between tunings though, so no trem might help you.

yeah, but since you would still be making use of the trem/bridge system (although not the vibrato abilities), most of the jazzmaster´s characteristics would still be present.
the lack of sustain is not due to the non-string-thru design, but to the shallow angle at which the strings lay over the bridge and the fact that the bridge itself isn´t solidly attached to the body. so, running the strings though the body and then through the trem->bridge will not dramatically change the amount of string vibrations that are transferred to the body.

[Amber]

I plan on slowly making a few for different tunings. I'm mainly thinking about doing it for the tuning stability.

[mynameisjonas]

then i think immobilizing the trem is the best way to go.
besides, drilling holes under the trem would mean you have to drill holes in the trem plate as well, and there isn´t much room back there.
if you want the most out of a string thru setup then you´d be better off placing the holes for the strings closely behind the bridge. otherwise you sorta miss the point IMO.

[Maggieo]

then i think immobilizing the trem is the best way to go.
besides, drilling holes under the trem would mean you have to drill holes in the trem plate as well, and there isn´t much room back there.
if you want the most out of a string thru setup then you´d be better off placing the holes for the strings closely behind the bridge. otherwise you sorta miss the point IMO.

I think Jonas is right on this one- tho' an immobilized trem is still a top-loader, and Tele folks can tell you that a top-loader Tele sounds different than a string-through.