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Hi folks. Sorry for the lack of comms. I've been a bit unwell but feeling a bit better now. Thanks for the submissions so far. I'll check back in here if there are outstanding questions.
@AdamT I've sent you a PM asking for your email address to send my submission to.
I'm in. Adam I've PM'd you for your email address
Does anyone have any experience of swapping/rewiring transformers in guitar amps?
Its a Blackstar ID60 TVP and I need to convert to run on 120v. Took the back off to get a look at the model number on the transformer, but it doesn't seem to exist anywhere online.
You might like the sound at the lower voltage. 😉
I don't know about rewiring transformers but a step up/down transformer is a possible solution.
Google "110v to 220v step up transformer". For a 60W tube amp you'll need a step up transformer that will run at least 250W continuous.
Yeah, I suppose I could get an external box, but was hoping for a more permanent solution. It's not a valve amp, but I'm quite attached to it and it'll be expensive to replace in Canada.
I'm happy to have a stab at rewiring, just most of my experience is low voltage DC stuff, so not entirely confident.
I'm in for the recording too ! Will have a stab at the recording early next week. How many bars soloing do you need?
Just been doing a bit of modding to a cheap, single HB 'Strat' from Bax.co.uk
Original:
Really good deal for £69(!), in fact the frets and neck are amazingly good. The finish on the neck is a sanded down, natural finish, just how I like it.
So far I've swapped in a Wilkinson 'hot' humbucker (read 14k ohms), chrome pickup ring, chrome knurled volume knob, a new graphite nut, and Wilkinson locking tuners (the originals were garbage).
Yet to fit is a nicer, through body bridge (though the original is actually pretty nice) + string ferrules, and I'm thinking about fitting a kill switch.
What is the status of the jam? I am back from Spain this week so will probably have time to do something. I have had a bit of a noodle over it but not recorded anything yet 🙂
Jam status is that I was a bit poorly and I'm generally lazy, so I've not done much lately. It's absolutely still on though and I'm about to mix in the submissions so far.
Phew, then there's still time for lazy folks like me? Great stuff... I'll get on it!
I have something but need to re-do it a bit more in the groove as timing is not perfect. Its only minor pentatonic based so worry its a bit boring.
Spent a couple of hours learning the solo from The only ones another girl yesterday. Fun one to play & maybe one for my little covers band to learn ( which was the motivation)
If you're interested its a modded squire VM Jazzmaster. New Pickguard & witch hat knobs, mustang bridge, Creamery P90's in JM pickup covers straight into a little vox tube amp
Noice! I liked that. Love that song.
Yeah, I love that song, too. I tried learning the solo but decided it was harder than it sounded!
Interesting about the guitar - looks great BTW. I'm going to look at a cheap Squire CV Jazzmaster hopefully later this week...
Its not super hard just needs quick fingers!
The Squier JM's are really good value and they make a great platform for customising.
Theres a big rabbit hole to go down on offsetguitars.com !
I've got a couple of other JM's - a CIJ fender with american vintage pups and a vintera JM too. They both have the classic more chimey JM sound. For the squier there was no point having another sounding similar so i got Jamie at the creamery to make some P90's in JM covers. Gives it a slightly grittier thicker sound. Sound great with a bit of dirt.
I'll try and take a family photo for you later!
Ooof, they're nice. The one on the right is the best looking IMHO, but stick a tort guard on the blue one and that'd be my perfect JM right there.
You got any Jags?
The blue has a tort guard but its quite dark unless the sun is on it. Been toying with buying a brighter one!
This is what it looks like in better lighting
I do have a jag.
its a VM squier with a nicer bridge and fender 65 vintage pups in it. Sounds lovely actually! The squiers are great guitars for the money!
Also i;m a gear slut so have an orange gretsch hollow body with tv jones internals ( think stray cats) and a dark cherry epiphone 335 with Bare Knuckle PAF humbuckers as well
Wel played on the previous page, ceepers. Joyful soloing. A question though, are you sure the intonation on that guitar is right up at the 15th fret?
i probably need to check it!
It might just be lazy fingering though!
Very pretty guitars. Not sure I’d own one (I’m a Strat lover) but they look great and will sound excellent.
I grew up as an indie kid so my guitar heroes were j mascis, Adam Franklin from swervedriver, Robert Smith, Kevin shields from MBV and Ray from Teenage fan club who all played jazz masters or jags at some point.
Never owned a strat although I can appreciate how Hendrix / Mayer /SRV made them sound. They were a bit “dads music” when I was a kid so I’ve never aspired to one even though they are a classic design.
The JM’s just have a lovely chime but with more roundness than a strat if that makes sense? Especially in the front and middle positions.
Eek, I've taken my brave pills and recorded something for the jam. AdamT, I've messaged you for submission details.
Continuing the Jazzmaster love-in, this one looks amazing. I don't know if losing the rhythm circuit is a bit annoying, but having serial/parallel options is cool.
Hope the image works...
... and a link: https://www.andertons.co.uk/brands/fender/jazzmaster-guitars/fender-limited-edition-player-jazzmaster-olive-green-matching-headstock
Jazzmaśters are the best 🤪
Unless you've got fat fingers. I find that I have trouble fitting my fingers in a few frets earlier on shorter scale.
currently negotiating for a Mustang on FB market. short scale is where it's at!
also currently lusting after one of these
https://www.thomann.de/gb/epiphone_jared_james_nichols_gold_glory.htm?glp=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiA-qGNBhD3ARIsAO_o7ymUMet_BSjK9JR_LPpagzMS30F6zVSATc2_pcXOITfVFSSO_Aa8Rm4aAmq_EALw_wcB
I find that I have trouble fitting my fingers in a few frets earlier on shorter scale.
Aren’t you mixing it up with a mustang?
According to the Fender website my pro II JM has a scale length of 25.5” (and needs a longer case than a tele or a strat).
Yeah, JM are same scale as Strat/Tele. Mustang and Jag are shorter.
Which is part of the reason I think I'd like a Jag. I've never played one but the shorter scale length is one of the few things I prefer about my LP over Fenders.
Yup, I'm wrong and mixing up but with a Jaguar not a Mustang.
Jag, mustang and duo sonic are all the same scale length. Its slightly shorter again than the gibson standard.
That green player jm is nice. I'm not sure that many people use the rhythm circuit anyway, i do use mine a bit with the band but i find it more useful on the jag as theres a bigger difference in tone compared to the neck pickup on its own on the lead circuit. I think the player JM's have a slightly shorter bridge to tailpiece distance which improves string break angle but isnt vintage correct and messes with sonic youth style behind the bridge noise making if those things are important.
The purple andertons squire JM with the gold guards are lookers too. I think the original TVL sig JM is my all time fave looker. I love the oxblood
For all the arrivistes, photo of my pair of JMs back on page 47 🤪
and a fine pair they are too!
I’m lucky in that my ‘ultimate’ JM is a three colour sunburst. After seeing Tom Verlaine’s in the Foxhole video on the OGWT moons ago.
I’m not fussed that the pro II isn’t ‘vintage correct’. The only thing id like to change is a S1 style ‘internal’ push/push switch for the bridge pickup voicing.
I’m also not a fan of matching headstock. Just don’t like it personally... 🤷🏼♀️
The purple andertons squire JM with the gold guards are lookers too. I think the original TVL sig JM is my all time fave looker. I love the oxblood
They do a purple + tort Jag too. Looks ace!
My local shop has an Orange Johnny Marr Jag, which looks amazing. But it's about 6x the price of a Classic Vibe...
Did it. I’m now the proud owner of a classic vibe JM.
The action was ridiculous (high) when I got it with the bridge slammed, so I had to shim the neck. I did that with a tapered (sanded-down) Clubcard. Keeping it real. It actually worked really well.
Cleaned it up, new strings, truss rod adjust, intonation. Now it’s sorted.
Mini review. It feels really nice. The neck feels great and plays well. No sharp edges and apart from a couple of v minor visible imperfections, it feels just as good as my MIM guitars. Feels stratty to play. The body is 3 piece which you can spot if you look closely but the finish / grain are lovely. The pot covers feel a bit cheap and the selector switch is a tiny bit crackly but aside from that this seems like a bargain for under £200. Serial number dates it to Sept 2020 so it’s pretty new. I don’t think I’ve properly played a Squier since my mate’s one from the 90s (which was pretty awful), but they seem to have come along nicely.
Haven’t really had a chance to play it much yet though. If I have time I’ll record myself playing some Jazz. That’s what they’re for, right??
Yep definitely Jazz…..
Can’t beat an offset plus a Big Muff…….
Incidentally, if any of you are Dinosaur fans, the new documentary freakscene is available on Prime now and is well worth renting for a fiver!
Very pretty, plus the amp of champs! Great home setup.
Creepers thanks for that, i will give that a watch.
Have any of you replaced plastick pickup rings with wood ones?
I hate the plastic bits on my les paul studio, and as i am just a rubbish beginner with more cash than sense and skills at playing i really fancy replacing the plastic parts 🙂
I've always been wary of replacing plastic with wood - It just feels like 1970s British hot-rodding, where they'd take lovely classic Lotus Cortinas and put purple deep-pocketed velour upholstery on them. Those classic guitars are classic for a reason. 🙂
You'll just end up with something that looks like a pine dresser...
Ooh, that was a bit of a rant, sorry. You do whatever you fancy! Though as a fellow 'throw money at guitars' player, I'd be looking at pickups, bridge hardware replacements, tuners and that kind of thing, first before wooden knobs and pickup rings...
Or pedals…………
You can never have enough pedals!
😂
Thinking about it, its the pickguard i have issues with, i made a new one of black stained wood but that looked wrong next to the plastic pickup rings, most likely will leave it as it is as it does look really nice, its the smokehouse burst i got.
I put a roseeood PU cover on my Junior tribute and in my opinion that improved looks massively.
I don't think wooden pickup rings would look right at all. That Smokehouse one is a bit unusual because it's got black (plastic) pickup surrounds. I reckon it'd look more traditional with the usual cream plastic surrounds but I also think it looks great as is.