Crafted in America Project.

[Doorslams]

I would agree with you, id much rather have this but unfortunately he wants $5000 and I doubt it's 5 times better than the one I just created, actually it probably is.....so nevermind. I would never spend $5000 on a guitar so i'll never own vintage. I also don't want half-assed craftsmanship. In my situation (here in the US) if you add up everything you get with an AVRI it's cheaper than importing, hell it would be $100 just for all the shielding plates! I did the math and the CIJ's are just getting to expensive for what they offer, they could get away with cheap assembly line work when they were charging cheap assembly line prices ($6-700) but at OVER $1000 no way. Not for what you'd have to pay to get it up to spec, obviously if you don't care about electronics/shielding/a case/paint/"case candy" and you could set it up and finish the wood work yourself than CIJ is probably the way to go, but time is money to me and I work to much to have to work on the guitar I just bought with money from working all the time, I need MORE time to play not less.

[northern_dirt]

I havent changed anything except a SD Pup on my MIJ Jazz, which cost me $57
So a total of $857 for my 90's MIJ Jazzmaster, instead of $1400+tax for an AVRI..
(that would take me a couple years to work in.. new guitars don't feel right to me)

Especially since you can still find Vintage refins from the 70's for $2500 every now and again..

[fuzzking]

So basically I will have to take the neck to somebody and probably spend another $150 to get it up to where the AVRI neck is.

man i hope it will work out for you. removing the poly from the binding has been done before, and a nut and decent fret dress shouldn't cost you a kidney.

[Doorslams]

Did you get your 90's JM new for $800? Cause that's what i'm talking about, add another pickup for $57 a case for $120-150 all the shielding/bridge cover/electonics and your already up to the $1200 a "mint" but used AVRI is, and if you don't want or care for any of that (like me) you can sell ALL of the extra stuff and knock the price down to about 8-900 bucks and still have a better paint job, although I definitely agree that "new" guitars suck and they take forever to break in but the AVRI ones are a little easier to break-in because of the thinner paint. Not to mention they have a higher re-sale value if you DO ever decide to sell it. My point is this....keep sanding until it feels good, then throw some Novaks in it.

[northern_dirt]

Did you get your 90's JM new for $800? Cause that's what i'm talking about, add another pickup for $57 a case for $120-150 all the shielding/bridge cover/electonics and your already up to the $1200 a "mint" but used AVRI is, and if you don't want or care for any of that (like me) you can sell ALL of the extra stuff and knock the price down to about 8-900 bucks and still have a better paint job, although I definitely agree that "new" guitars suck and they take forever to break in but the AVRI ones are a little easier to break-in because of the thinner paint. Not to mention they have a higher re-sale value if you DO ever decide to sell it. My point is this....keep sanding until it feels good, then throw some Novaks in it.

I will agree with you on the Novaks..