Looking real good!Hey guys! Been a while since I've posted a thread but I've been lurking dangerously
Just thought I'd share this project - you might have seen my Thinline Jazzmasters with both contours that I've been making and refining for a few years. But up until now, I hadn't gotten around to making the many small alterations to convert the process for Jag bodies.
It would have been a relatively straightforward task to move the bridge thimbles, pocket, vibrato, route for different pickups etc. But I wanted to do a proper job of it, so I have made the alterations to the body perimeter around the bass side cutaway and also moved around the little bumps and top-underside routing to suit the Jag pickguard screw pattern (I do areas under the top a little thicker where the screws go in).
I like to make the thinlines in either maple or hard ash, and they tend to come out in the low to medium 3lb-range. The Jag bodies have the potential to be lighter still if I cut a weight relief cavity in between the pickup routes (I haven't on this one).
This was day one - cutting the interiors. The front and back were then referenced together with pegs and clamped overnight.
Today, I took the "blank" out of the clamps and cut the exteriors. Here is the result:
just the roundovers to cut and the machining marks to sand out and she'll be well on the way!
One surprise is that it's actually a fair amount heavier than I was expecting! I didn't realise maple varied so much in density. It also has less wood removed for the pickup and control routes of course, and it hasn't had the roundovers cut and is still wearing its neck pocket buck. But that won't account for how heavy it is!
All the Jazzmasters I've made from maple so far have ranged from 3lb2oz to 3lb7oz. This one is currently 4lb5oz! I guess it won't be much lighter than a solid body Jag, but it definitely has a stronger bonk tone!
It must be the curse of the Jaguar
On the upside, I could always machine out a pretty large rectangular cavity between the pickups if I want to produce a lighter weight one.
Roundovers done on the Thinline Jag, just dressing her up in some plates! A little fine shaping still needed on the transitions and hand sanding, then she'll be ready for paint. I'm tempted by a Mary Kay white and finally giving this guard a home...
Beautiful attention to detail.I neglected to mention that this body is made from four pieces of maple, but that all four are consecutive sections of a single long board - so I have managed to "bookmatch" the end grain (is there a technical term for this kind of grain matching?)
Cheers!
Ya'teeh, literally, it is good in DanahCan't believe how kind and encouraging all your replies are, it really means a lot to me so thanks for following
