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Modding my MIM Jazz!

1

1940andy

Jun 24, 2008
108
0
#1
I'm so incredibly excited! I acquired a nice precision a couple months ago, but I just love my jazz so much that it's been my main player. I see no need to keep both, so i'm selling the precision to my friend. With the money, i'm gonna mod the HECK out of my jazz bass. Here's all that's gonna happen

- put in a chrome slotted BadAss II bridge
- put in a set of Seymour Duncan 1/4 pickups
- red tortoise shell pickguard
- thumbrest for the pickguard
- gold Gibson speed knobs for the control plate
- nickel Schaller strap locks
- have the truss rod adjusted
- pickup/control cavity copper shielded
- clean it really well

It's an agave blue... so i'm really excited to see the red tort pg with the cream white pickup covers on it. =) I wanna drool just thinking about it!

Most all of the stuff I can do myself, but if I take this bass to a shop, how much would it be to have the pickups put in, the truss rod adjusted, and the shielding done?

Thanks!
-A
 
#4
i've just done something very similar to my CIJ 2005 jazz bass (62 reissue, 3 tone sunburst) last week! here's what i did, all at home:

1) fitted lindy fralin jazz pickups in the neck and bridge (both are the same size, both the holes on my jazz bass are the same size, so no worries there!) the difference in tonal quality is astounding! very easy to replace, perhaps only 10-15 minutes.

2) fitted a slotted chrome badass ii bridge. it was a direct replacement, took 5 minutes to install. the difference in sustain is amazing, like double!!!

3) fitted an orange drop 0.047 cap in place of the little stock green one. i'm not sure if it really made a difference, but it looks nicer ;)

4) fitted a switchcraft output jack

5) put new strings on. i use d'addario chromes flatwound. the last set had been on for three years. i would have kept them on (i loved the tone), but they got destroyed in all the modding shenanigans! let's hope these ones settle in soon, because they sound HIDEOUS when new!

future intended mods:

6) i'm an old hand at setups on bass and guitar, i do my own about once a year, so as soon as the strings and bridge have settled in (i'm gonna give it a month), then i'll adjust the truss rod, action and intonation for just how i like it. i'd recommend that you learn to do this yourself. all the info you need is online, and if you can follow instructions and take your time there's no reason why anyone can't do their own setups.

7) i might fit cts pots, although there is really no problem with my current ones, so i might leave it

8) i fully intend to do a full copper shielding once i get around to ordering the parts

9) i would REALLY like to add an S-1 type switch (to switch the pickups from parrallel to series), i am collecting info on how to do this right now

10) perhaps when i change my strings again (another 3 years?) i might fit schaller tuning heads, although as with the pots, i'm not really unhappy with the current ones.

the biggest differences are obviously the pickups and the bridge, both have completely changed the sound and feel of the bass, it's leapt to another level of quality. i am one very happy man!
 
#5
line6man said:
I agree.

btw,
Usually the bridge pickup is a quarter inch wider than the neck pickup, but for some reason Fender makes the MIM Jazz's with both pickups being the same size.
This might make it difficult to upgrade the pickups.
Click to expand...

I think around 2002, when the MIM line was slightly upgraded, they changed that feature and made the bridge and neck pickups different widths.

I noticed when i switched the pups on my '03 Mexican Jazz bass with fender CS 60's pick-ups and it was a drop in replacement, the bridge pickup was slightly larger than the neck.
 
#6
My 2005 MIM Jazz has the wider bridge PU.

I installed a BAII bridge, shielded the pick up cavity with copper shielding tape and the cabck of the pick up. I installed SD SJB II Pick ups. The output with the SJB II's is stronger and it still sounds like a Jazz bass. As for the bridge, I can't really tell much of a difference. I think the sustain is slightly better but for the money I can't say it was worth it. It looks cool though;)
 
#7
I believe Fender only offered agave blue for a limited time. I'm pretty sure the bridge pu is wider than the neck. Mine was.

1883284000_e56a3d6a58.png


I put a standard set of DiMarzio Model J's in it which absolutely rock IMHO. I've always wanted to put a tort guard on her. You'll have to post a pick when you do. I think I might try and paint the stock white one black and give it a go soon for a cheap change up.

Have fun!!!
Fletch
 
#8
1940andy said:
I'm so incredibly excited! I acquired a nice precision a couple months ago, but I just love my jazz so much that it's been my main player. I see no need to keep both, so i'm selling the precision to my friend. With the money, i'm gonna mod the HECK out of my jazz bass. Here's all that's gonna happen

- put in a chrome slotted BadAss II bridge
- put in a set of Seymour Duncan 1/4 pickups
- red tortoise shell pickguard
- thumbrest for the pickguard
- gold Gibson speed knobs for the control plate
- nickel Schaller strap locks
- have the truss rod adjusted
- pickup/control cavity copper shielded
- clean it really well

It's an agave blue... so i'm really excited to see the red tort pg with the cream white pickup covers on it. =) I wanna drool just thinking about it!

Most all of the stuff I can do myself, but if I take this bass to a shop, how much would it be to have the pickups put in, the truss rod adjusted, and the shielding done?

Thanks!
-A
Click to expand...

Its your gear and your money but selling an MIA P-Bass to fund (mostly cosmetic) mods to a MIM instrument just doesn't seem like a good idea to me. You'll regret it sooner or later...probably sooner.
 
#12
I bought my Mexi Jazz (a sunburst) specifically to mod it. Here's what i did:

- DiMarzio Ultra Jazz pickups
- Drilled a hole in the side to move the jack
- Used the extra hole in the control plate for VVTT wiring
- white pearl pickguard
- new bridge
- Shielded/cleaned
- Setup
 
#16
modded fenders are fantastic!! as long as u can let go of the "Vintage vibe" you can get some great results... i did this a few months ago to my 75ri..
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never regretted it for one bit!! maybe cause i have a relic being made up at the moment :) do everything bar the gold knobs!!
 

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