Not really a build project, more of a customisation...

[StevieD_FenderP2009]

Hi guys

I recently got one of the Squier Vintage Modified '77 Jazz basses and honestly, it's one of my favourite basses I've ever played. Reason I bought this was because I couldn't afford the Geddy Lee signature model so I chose this one as it was the closest one to it.
As much as it's a really good bass out of the box, there were a few things I decided to do to it.

Firstly, I copper shielded all of the control and pick up cavities.
Secondly, I fitted a white pearloid pickguard on the bass and a jazz pick up cover.
Thirdly, I added some of the proper jazz style control knobs. It was quite hard sourcing ones that would fit the split shaft pots on the Squier as most the ones I found on eBay were for the solid shaft ones that you need to tighten the grub screw on.
Last thing I've done so far is added an "F" stamped neck plate instead of the Squier neck plate. So, here's some pictures of it. Excuse the quality, as with all my pictures, I've used my iPhone for them.

Body shot


Control shot


Full bass shot


Headstock shot (I have gone back to tying bandanas under the strings to stop rattling when recording. Don't worry, I colour match them to the basses ;P )


The Duncan Designed pick ups in this bass are actually a total surprise. They're really good pick ups but they do lack a little something which is why I'll eventually be replacing them with Seymour Duncan SJB-1 or 3 pick ups. As well as that, I'm still waiting on my mate to send my badass II bridge he borrowed back to me so I can fit that to it. In the mean time, is anyone selling a jazz bass bridge cover? Preferably with the F stamp in it but let me know

Lastly, I'm not too fussed about this but if anyone has the black block and bound maple neck from the other Squier VM jazz bass and wants to do a trade for this one, drop me a message because I would like to get that neck for it but it's not essential.

Lemme know what you think
Stevie

[gary mac]

Looking good Stevie.

[StevieD_FenderP2009]

Cheers dude. It's my main bass for everything now

[Lylodile]

Just a heads up but if you want to add a badass bridge and a bridge cover, the standard sized cover won't fit over a badass bridge.

Bass is looking really nice though =D.

Edited July 27, 2011 by Lylodile

[StevieD_FenderP2009]

Yeah i'm not going to fit a bridge cover over it when the badass is on there. I'll just leave it open and on view

And thanks very much too

[StevieD_FenderP2009]

*update*

I decided I was bored of the bass as it was so here's how it's changed over the last 3 weeks...

Pearloid pickguard, pick up cover (body shot) -


Pearloid pickguard, pickup cover (full guitar shot) -


Pearloid pickguard with both ashtray covers -


Pearloid pickguard with both ashtray covers (again but as an arty shot haha) -


No pickguard with both ashtray covers (you can kind of see the copper shielding I did on the control and pick up cavity too) -
[IMG]http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w99/Stevie_Dewar/IMG_1028.jpg[/IMG]

I was tempted to leave it without a pickguard on it as it looked really cool but being me, I had to spend money on stuff I didn't need and couldn't afford (even if it was only £4 inc postage from Hong Kong)...
Presenting the new blue pearloid pickguard with both ashtrays fitted! (A thumb rest has also been fitted but I haven't pictured it yet). 2 layers of protective film were still on the pickguard at this point and the lighting in my kitchen is sh*t so this picture really doesn't do the blue pickguard any justice. I'll get a better photo when I take one of the fitted thumb rest.

Blue pearl pickguard with both ashtray covers -


Next up for Jazzy Jeff is a set of Fender reverse vintage style tuners and a Hipshot D-Tuner (BT-3 I think it is?) as well as a set of Seymour Duncan AJJ-1 pickups (but they'll be the very last thing I do to it)

Screamz N' Dreamz!
Stevie.D

Edited November 13, 2011 by StevieD_FenderP2009

[Nibody]

Nice! I sourced a solid ebony thumb rest for my 70's VM Jazz - guy even ptovided a template for placing it. He makes boxes shaped like guitar necks and uses the offcutts to make Thumbrests. I have the SD designed pickups in mine too, they were a pleasant suprise. May upgrade mine to a set of Wizards - Nice as SD's are I like the Scatterwound hand crafted approach, and the Wizard trads on my Pbass are great.

I think they got the necks wrong on these two (the VM 77 and the VM 70's). Yours would definately look better on mine and Vice versa.. lol. Am currently taering myself up as to whether to offer a straight neck swap - one Steve harris wanabee to another!!

Edited November 13, 2011 by Nibody

[StevieD_FenderP2009]

Oooh very nice. I bet that Ivory one looks amazing on yours. If it's made from the neck off cuts as you say then it should feel really comfortable. That's a very nice choice in the Wizard pick ups too. I would of gone for something like a Wizard Trad Jazz pick up (if that's the correct model) for it but I just love Seymour Duncan stuff and I'm in the process of changing all of my basses to the Active Pro series pickups from SD. APB-1's in my P Basses, ASB-BO5 soapbars in my Tobias and AJJ-1's in my Jazz bass. The current Duncan Designed pick ups are really good though and a total surprise. I'll be keeping them for a P/J project i'm starting on as a practise bass for my mate who wants a bass to noodle on.

I'm just about to reply to your PM as well mate so expect one in your mail box soon! I do kind of agree they should of put the necks the other way round one the 70's and 77 VM Jazzes but then the black one would of been too close to the Geddy Lee jazz which is a popular model.

Thanks for the kind words too.
Stevie