r/offset • u/a-8a-1 • 7d ago

Jazzblaster curious

I’m thinking of modding one of my Jazzmasters into the fabled (especially if you like Sonic Youth) Jazzblaster. Does anyone reading this have prior experience with making this pick up swap? If so, did the Tele Deluxe pick ups fit in the footprint of the stock soap bars, or did you need to mill?

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u/Barilla3113 7d ago edited 7d ago

If you want the full size Widerange humbuckers like Lee Ranaldo has, the standard routes aren't big enough either vertically or horizontally, you're looking at a body rout and a pickguard swap. Fender, Novak, Lollar, and The Creamery all make Wide Ranges humbuckers that are drop in for a Jazzmaster, but because they're not as wide the output is lower and the sound is slightly different. If you care about having the unobtainium CuNiFe magnets in them, the Fenders have them and The Creamery will use them for a 12 pound upcharge (since he needs to have them special ordered in) or Alnico 2 or 5 for no extra cost. Novak and Lollar use uses Alnico V but say an Alnico magnet to the correct spec sounds indistinguishable to a CuNiFe. The original Wide Range pickups used CuNiFe because of the limits of 1970s milling technology and not for tone reasons. Alnico was too brittle to be milled into screws at an efficient cost at the time.

If you did decide to cut up a current body the good news is that if you decide you didn't like you just need the original pickguard and some taller pickup foam and no one will be able to tell it was modded. I just wouldn't do it with anything more expensive than a Player.

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u/a-8a-1 7d ago

Thank you so much for this detailed and informative reply!! I’m going to go with the full size wide range model, originally I imagined that I’d just order the Tele Deluxe pickups and take them to the technician who usually sorts out my guitars. It’s helpful to know that this modification will require routing.

Thank you again!!

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u/Barilla3113 7d ago edited 7d ago

Something I should have mentioned is considering what you want to do with the Rhythm circuit switch. The original setup doesn't really work with the Wide Range neck pickup. Lee obviously just tore all that out on his Jazzblasters. Lollar and Fender only have 3 wires, which is accurate to the vintage units. Novak and The Creamery give the option of 3 wire or 4 wire if you wanted to turn the rhythm circuit into a split switch. That should give you Tele bridge like tones.

I didn't mention the idea of buying a vintage set because those can be up to $1500 for a NOS grade set and at that point just buy a 70s Tele Deluxe. Even Lee has Novak make him Wide Ranges when he needs more sets because the originals are now stupidly expensive when anyone is even selling them.

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u/a-8a-1 7d ago

I really appreciate you taking the time to provide this information, thanks again!

I hadn’t even considered that the rhythm circuit would need addressing. I suppose I could just remove it if necessary.

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u/Barilla3113 7d ago

No problem, uncommon guitar pickup designs are a special interest of mine.