# My first build! Jazzcaster Esquire happening in this thread!



## jordanky (Sep 10, 2013)

So, I have always wanted a Jazzmaster but I do not like the bridge setup. They lack sustain and just overall feel very awkward to me, as well as most of the times the saddles are prone to the strings popping off. Also I'm not a big fan of JM pickups. I was digging on eBay at some stuff by MJT guitars who primarily does vintage style, reliced Fender bodies and I saw a Telemaster/Jazzcaster body that he had made up and I fell in love! It's the body shape I am after, along with all Telecaster pickup and control routes and I'm a big Tele guy! Some more digging turned up a guy in Oregon who CNC's bodies to order and sells them, so I picked up this body for a great price.





Parts List:
-Saylor Guitars Alder Telemaster Body
-Mighty Mite Vintage Tint Stratocaster Neck with the CBS headstock 
-Warmoth Jazzcaster Pickguard, either Tortoise Shell or Aged White Pearl
-Fender Ashtray Tele Bridge with six saddles
-Fender Original Vintage Bridge Pickup
-Other assorted goodies.

This guitar will more than likely not have a neck pickup installed, as I love single pickup guitars, especially Tele's. I should have the majority of the parts, as well as the body itself tomorrow.

I'm planning on a full nitro finish. I need you help! I've wanted a Seafoam Green guitar FOREVER, but there are just other finishes that are making the choice tough. I'm really leaning towards Seafoam Green, with a tortoise pickguard and a rosewood board. I'm also strongly considering Fiesta Red, Lake Placid Blue, or Ice Blue Metallic. You guys help me choose!

Seafoam Green:






Fiesta Red:





Lake Placid Blue:





Ice Blue Metallic:





Some other food for thought:













I'll update this as I make progress and get parts!


----------



## Solodini (Sep 10, 2013)

Seafoam. Get it done!


----------



## Thrashmanzac (Sep 10, 2013)

my vote goes to shell pink with a black guard


----------



## Kiwimetal101 (Sep 10, 2013)

Dam dude I love the idea, your giving me more gas....

I'd either go with placid blue or the old Blonde personally

UPDATES!!


----------



## skeels (Sep 10, 2013)

Show off that nice wood grain!


----------



## icos211 (Sep 10, 2013)

Definitely voting for a darker stained natural finish with a cool pickguard.


----------



## knagy0325 (Sep 10, 2013)

I think seafoam looks the best!


----------



## MoshJosh (Sep 10, 2013)

Can't go wrong with seafoam green!


----------



## synrgy (Sep 10, 2013)

+1 for seafoam.

Second choice would be white, third would be yellow.


----------



## skisgaar (Sep 10, 2013)

Do none of those colours. 

Instead do this:

Sea foam green, hot as(s) f(uck) pink, and royal purple and yellow swirl. 

It'll look f-ing fantastic, I promise.


----------



## BigBaldIan (Sep 10, 2013)

Seafoam, keep the surf vibe.


----------



## tommychains (Sep 10, 2013)

This i like 

I was gonna say go for black and relic the hell out of it, but it's your guitar. Do what YOU want!


----------



## pondman (Sep 10, 2013)

Looks like a swirl then , sea foam green,shell pink, blue, yellow, black and purple.
Or a natural finish.


----------



## BIG ND SWEATY (Sep 11, 2013)

either seafoam, and eye blinding yellow or a bright orange with metallic flakes


----------



## JEngelking (Sep 11, 2013)

I like seafoam green, or a some light yellow. Seafoam green's my first choice for sure though.


----------



## Ironbird (Sep 12, 2013)

Another vote for seafoam. It's just... right.


----------



## jordanky (Sep 12, 2013)

Probably gonna be Seafoam Green with a matching headstock! A little update, I still haven't received my body, but I have everything else! No pictures yet as I'm out of town at the moment hopefully my body shows up either today or tomorrow and I can get this show on the road!


----------



## jordanky (Sep 13, 2013)

Still waiting on the body, but I have everything else other than the pickguard!





Couldn't get the exact neck I wanted, so I picked up a regular Mighty Mite Strat neck and plan on possibly tinting it myself, and also finishing the face of the headstock. Since I've decided this guitar is getting some finish work, I installed my tuning keys this morning. I'll pretty much be building the guitar up completely before starting on any type of finish work to make sure everything lines up nicely.








Also got my control plate wired up. Everything is ready to drop in! Excuse the Instagram picture, it's all I've got!


----------



## JEngelking (Sep 13, 2013)

What kind of tuning machines did you pick up? I've been wanting some ones like that with white buttons for a bit but didn't find much.


----------



## jordanky (Sep 14, 2013)

JEngelking said:


> What kind of tuning machines did you pick up? I've been wanting some ones like that with white buttons for a bit but didn't find much.



These are Kluson keys, you can grab them here!

* WD Music Products - KLUSON® TRADITIONAL - 6 IN LINE - OVAL PLASTIC BTN - SAFETY POST - SINGLE LINE - NICKEL

Also it's been decided... Seafoam Green is happening!


----------



## jordanky (Sep 16, 2013)

Got my body today! The overall build quality is outstanding, I'd recommend Saylor Guitars without a doubt, except that it took a while to get here because the guy used USPS Parcel Select. I put everything together this morning to make sure everything fit tightly and lined up... Everything was perfect! I have it strung up with no electronics or anything, but I've drilled and mounted the neck, control plate, and strap buttons. It plays pretty great, the frets need a little love despite it being a brand new neck. Acoustically this thing is pretty damn loud! I can't wait to get it completely finished!


----------



## jordanky (Sep 21, 2013)

I've had some trouble out of my Photobucket app, so I haven't been able to update anything. Since the last update, I did a full fret dressing on the beck (which I have no pictures of) and they are now perfectly level and smooth as butter. I have decided to go with a Tru-Oil finish on the neck, so I also stripped the entire neck down to bare maple, ready to be oiled! Now time for some pictures!

I got a package on Wednesday!




I already had the body sanded up and ready for sealer, so I sprayed a few sealer coats Wednesday afternoon and left it to dry until Thursday. I debated on just clearing it after this, the grain on these pieces of alder actually looks really nice!








After that dried up, I block sanded it down to 320, and hit it up with some Reranch White Primer. That stuff dries pretty quick, but I still let it sit overnight and blocked it down to 400 yesterday morning. I know SS.org loves paint matched headstocks!





Sanded down and ready for some greenery on my messy ass workbench. I'm embarassed by how shitty it is, but I'm in the middle of a project, it's excusable!





I actually deleted all the boring in between pictures of the first coat of color, but this is the only one that matters anyway!





That's all I have for now. Should be shooting some clear this week, whenever I can dry the air in my shed out enough for the nitro to not blush, then it's an excruciating one month period where the guitar hangs and cures, before wetsanding, polishing, and final buffing. Stay tuned!


----------



## jordanky (Sep 24, 2013)

Good news, I ordered my pickguard from Warmoth on Friday and it's already on it's way. I decided to do a Tortoise Shell guard with a humbucker cut in the neck. Should look a little like this, except this is obviously a Strat pickguard haha.





Better news, I got my clear sprayed today! Everything is looking good, but I'm super bummed that I have to wait an entire month at least to wetsand it and put it all together. Hurry up and wait I guess.


----------



## Ironbird (Sep 24, 2013)

That looks remarkable! You have really good skills, man.


----------



## jordanky (Oct 2, 2013)

For those interested... This guy may or may not be finished!

http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/st...ead-collision-jazzcaster-build-completed.html


----------

