Chuck's JZA-1

Kit ordered and due on Monday - really excited to get cracking on this one. Probably the biggest change for me with this kit is that I won’t be modifying the body. It feels a bit weird to leave it intact given I’ve never done a kit without a few tweaks, but there’s simply nothing I want to do! Then again, my mantra for kit building is to always create something I couldn’t buy off the shelf so there will be some fun stuff.

The plan is to do a walnut stain as a nod to the Elvis Costello Jazzmaster, but the interesting stuff will be more around what I do with the pickups and switching. I hope to replace the toggle switch with a 5-way switch and use the Bill Lawrence 5-way Telecaster Circuit that delivers the following:
· Position 1: neck pickup alone
· Position 2: neck + bridge in parallel
· Position 3: bridge pickup alone
· Position 4: neck + bridge in parallel “half out of phase”
· Position 5: neck pickup alone with 10 percent less low end than position 1

This is similar to the Jerry Donahue wiring Peavey and Fender have offered.

I also want to have a toggle switch on the upper horn with the idea being to have a “blower switch" that links the neck pickup to the output directly, but perhaps have a low pass filter on it (especially as the position 5 of the Lawrence set-up is effectively a high pass filter). This will naturally require an extra bit of routing. I’m not sold on the specifics of this one yet, so if anyone has some interesting ideas on what I could do with an extra toggle there I’d welcome your thoughts.

There are a couple of ways I can approach mounting this stuff. One is to simple make a new pickguard with all the relevant holes. The other is to make it a bit more Jaguar-like with control plates. The issue here is that the plates are effectively custom – the 5-way switch would be like the one on the Johnny Marr Jag, and the top horn toggle plate would truly be custom. I have found a place in the US called Faction Guitars who make custom plates, but they are US$50 each. Or I make my own…

Anyway, that’s the plan at the moment. I figure I’ve got a little time to consolidate my ideas while sanding the body!

sounds like a cool build Chuck. Interested in the pickup settings you are planning. Is it an ash body ? will it be stained or solid painted ? I suppose you will wait to see the grain in the kit first. Is this a standard or custom kit ?

EDIT I found the kit Chuck, looks awesome !

https://www.pitbullguitars.com/shop/...-kit-ash-body/

Walnut stain, Wok. And I'm leaning toward a tru-oil finish at this point. It'll be good to do a stain as my other builds have been sprayed.

ah cheers Chuck, I read that and glossed over it. Haven't had my coffee yet haha. Sounds awesome, never seen a kit with the vintage tremelo (with no springs - assume it pivots on screws) and tune o matic bridge.
Should be a beast. Will you upgrade the P90 pickups ?

I've got a Tonerider Rebel 90 bridge pickup floating around, so may grab neck one to pair with it. I think that could work well.

sounds like a plan Chuck. So you are just hanging to see the kit Monday to see what lucky dip grain you get !

Just received an email to say kit now arriving tomorrow...woohoo!

good stuff Chuck, always a nice surprise when you get a kit before a weekend. Better stock up on sandpaper and beer !

Ha! I'm now doing a fair bit of consulting work from home so every day is potentially the weekend!!

Looking forward to this one, Chuck. Love the Elvis Costello JM.

Woks, that trem does have a spring hidden underneath.
http://offset.guitars/site/assets/fi...m_side_jpg.jpg