New (to me) JV Strat & Question

After a fair amount of research, including this forum, I recently purchased a 1996 Jimmie Vaughan Strat. I'm pleased thus far with the guitar and the neck in particular. I've been thinking about getting one of the Callaham super short "Gilmour" trem arms, but I don't know whether it will work in the JV trem block. Does anyone have any experience?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

I strongly recommend against that.

I just tested a shorty Callaham arm in a JV (which is an AV) trem block. It doesn't go in anywhere near far enough, and you've got half the amount of threads in that block itself actually being employed. I think it would lead to very early failure. Plus it would be very awkward, sitting up way high.

I suggest instead getting a spare USA arm and take off the tip and cut the sucker to the desired length.

Either that or buy the block and arm from Callaham, while you obtain the item that is the real reason you ordered. The $5 hardened bridge mount screws. Best $ 5 you can spend.

Thanks Boris. Why do you recommend the bridge mount screws? While I'm at it, have you tried the "Blender pot" they offer or anything like it? I'd be willing to get by with a master tone control to pick up the two additional pickup selections.

Thanks.

Almost forgot the obligatory photo. I was born in 1954 and always wanted a '54 Strat. Short of winning the lottery, I think the JV will serve well.

http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o67/echorrigan/JV_Front_Full.jpg

I shorten the arms on all my Strats. Unscrew the tip off, straighten the bend, mark desired length (edge of the body for mine), hacksaw, a drop of crazy glue into the tip before I hammer it back on, and done. Costs nothing.

One con of shortened arms is you lose alot of leverage, it will be harder to push down. That extra length really makes a difference. Just gotta muscle it.

It night not be a 96 you cant go by the serial number as its an artist model mine said MSN6 too but was a 2001 model.

You can find the real date in the neck pocket and on the pickguard back.

The necks on these are the best feel ever for me perfect.

There are 3 different neck profiles the earilest ones were a hard V that changed to a soft V and then they changed from a v that tapered to a C.

Its got all Gotoh hardware same as the USA AV series as Boris said.

The 64 Callaham term bar works ok the Gilmore one doesnt allow for enough trem movement if you just wiggle the trem its ok but it cant do a dive bomb.

I love the JV Strats one of the best ideas Fender ever had.

Mark Davis said:It night not be a 96 you cant go by the serial number as its an artist model mine said MSN6 too but was a 2001 model.

You must have xray vision. How did you know my JV's serial number begins with "MSN6"? :shock:

Mark Davis said:

You must have xray vision. How did you know my JV's serial number begins with "MSN6"? :shock:

Cause most of them did from 96-2001 I have seen the earilest ones the first 500 were MSN5 there are also MSN7 ones.

This is one of the first 500 you can see the hard v.

http://www.marcondo.com/marcondo/guitar/jvearly.jpg

Thanks Mark. I guess I'll have to wait until the next string change to find out when mine was made. It's only a matter of curiosity for me, as I don't think I could like this guitar any more than I do now. The neck is so much better than the neck on my 2005 MIA Strat.

Almost forgot the obligatory photo. I was born in 1954 and always wanted a '54 Strat. Short of winning the lottery, I think the JV will serve well.

http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o67/echorrigan/JV_Front_Full.jpg

Nice looking JV. I have an Oly white JV. Just love it.

The JV necks for me are the most comfortable Fender necks made Strat Tele or anything I like that profile the very best.

I strongly recommend against that.

I just tested a shorty Callaham arm in a JV (which is an AV) trem block. It doesn't go in anywhere near far enough, and you've got half the amount of threads in that block itself actually being employed.

If you are using the Callaham arm in a stock Fender block you want to specify the long thread length. Callaham offers their blocks with two thread lengths the short "virtual pop-in" designed for use in a Callaham block which has a Delrin bushing in it and a standard thread length for use in stock Fender blocks. The Callaham stainless steel arms are much stronger than stock Fender arms.

Why do you recommend the bridge mount screws? While I'm at it, have you tried the "Blender pot"



I'm gonna do some blenders on 2 pickup Teles first, to try and marry a bridge single coil pickup with a P-90, Minihumbucker or Seth Lover style pickup. Strat blenders will be later.

The Callaham screws are hardened material. They will last a lifetime; they will transfer more information from the bridge assembly to the body and back; they will not "evolve" as the softer material seems to do. The less slop or give in the wrong direction or manner that you can have in the Strat Trem bridge, the more refined it should sound. You are also at liberty, since the screw material is so strong, to loosen the middle 4 mount screws and let the Strat function as a sort of semi-2 post Tremolo if and when you see fit - best of both worlds.

Thanks. I purchased the mounting screw set, as well as the blender pot. The JV is in the capable hands of my guitar tech, getting set of Lollar Blondes, as well as the screws and blender. News @ 11.

Cheesehead wrote:

Nice looking JV. I have an Oly white JV. Just love it.

Thanks. When I saw that MF was offering the Oly JV on Fender Friday I almost bought one. Were you one of the Packer fans in town last weekend to witness the a__whipping administered to my Browns?

Congrats on the nice JV!

Mine is an MSN6 as well, but Oct 2000 was stamped under the PG.

I put the stock trem arm away, but had an extra old trem arm laying around that I cut off and re-bent that works great with 3 springs. Not a dive-bomber, but PERFECT for just adding some nice vibrato. I very rarely use a trem anyway, and the long ones just get in the way.

As others have said, IMHO it's probably the best shaped Fender neck. Mine still has stock pups, but I put a neck-on "expander" circuit in it, using a push-pull pot on the bridge tone control (so it looks stock). Pushed in, it's stock wiring. Pulled out it'll do neck/bridge, all pups at once, or the middle pup wide open (no tone pot).

http://i616.photobucket.com/albums/tt246/tap4154/JimmieTrem72.jpg

I picked up a second Jimmie Vaughan back in mid 2008. It was sold as a used 2006, but the serial turned out to be an MSN6. 2000 something; I couldn't read it. But the pots are early 2002, so that's what I'm calling it.

I've got a couple coming on the MFFF deal. We'll see what numbers we get, assuming the guitars are sound enough to keep.

Cause most of them did from 96-2001 I have seen the earilest ones the first 500 were MSN5 there are also MSN7 ones.

This is one of the first 500 you can see the hard v.

http://www.marcondo.com/marcondo/guitar/jvearly.jpg

I'm with you MD ...best necks ever....

http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q209/roadman_photos/DSCF0074-1.jpg?t=1256678018

I've got a couple coming on the MFFF deal. We'll see what numbers we get, assuming the guitars are sound enough to keep.

Mine just arrived today. Great neck shape. Heavy guitar. A little disappointed in the finish of the frets and the fingerboard. The frets really need a polish. They are rough, and the matte fingerboard looks like it has buffing marks on it. Is this how they are coming through now, or did they skip a process or two at the factory?

Boris, I'd be curious to know if yours are in a similar state, or if the oneI got is an exception.

Oops. The first line in the previous post was a quote from Boris.

I've got a couple coming on the MFFF deal. We'll see what numbers we get, assuming the guitars are sound enough to keep.

Mine just arrived today. Great neck shape. Heavy guitar. A little disappointed in the finish of the frets and the fingerboard. The frets really need a polish. They are rough, and the matte fingerboard looks like it has buffing marks on it. Is this how they are coming through now, or did they skip a process or two at the factory?

Boris, I'd be curious to know if yours are in a similar state, or if the oneI got is an exception.


Mine aren't here yet (still have hopes) so I cannot comment on a change in quality. But I do have 2 I already like a lot.

Everyone's demands for how their fretwork is to look varies. I polished up the whole thing (after compete disassembly) and I'm quite happy with polished frets and a soft gloss. Polishing compound, then Meguiar's Scratch X.

Having taken a little time to set up the JV and play it for a while, I now get what everyone has been talking about. What a great feeling neck shape. Just makes you not want to put it down. Mine is a little heavy but I can live with it. Tremendous bang for the buck.
How do you go about applying and rubbing the polish? It is just what mine needs to get the frets feeling right. Do you rub it out by hand or use a pad on a drill?

I got the JV back from the guitar tech over the weekend and have had some time to play it. The Lollar Blonde set has a totally different tone from the old Tex-Mex set. Lower output and great definition. The blender pot is nothing short of spectacular. I get two completely new and striking tones now. I can have the bridge and neck pickups engaged, yielding a Jazzmaster-like tone. I know the pickups are very different from those on a Jazzmaster and the tone is not an exact replica, but it's pretty close and very nice. I can also have all three pickups engaged and the resultant tone can only be described as quack on steriods; again very cool. I'm really pleased with these mods. The JV has taken it's place in the top three of my guitars.