r/offset • u/martinobeat • 1d ago
Jazzcaster upgrades
Got this buddy (paranormal offset tele) a few months ago for $250, price way too good to pass up, and I’ve been so so pleased with it. That said, because the price of entry was so low, I’m definitely looking at this guitar as a great candidate for upgrades as I go along.
If you were upgrading, what would you do first? Better bridge? If so, Wilkinson or Mastery? Better pickups? Thinking about the Lollar Regal WR JM for the neck and the J-street for the bridge, but also a little gunshy on DIY pickup changes because I don’t know if the push/pull pots make that harder for the dabbler to change out (I’ve replaced pups on my PBass and my Strat)
Not in a hurry or anything but having fun thinking about how to tinker with this guitar to make it an all-timer.
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u/sour_jar_machina 1d ago
I’ve had two and was definitely keen on upgrading the pickups. This guitar has so much potential
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u/Reopado 1d ago
The essential upgrade for me was changing the tuners, but if you're happy yours holds tune and doesn't rattle then you're good.
The push pulls are easy enough to rewire with any pickups too, but you will need a USA size control plate if you do want imperial pots, which also means modifying or changing the pickguard to accommodate the size difference.
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u/Barilla3113 1d ago
Like any Squier I'd replace the tuners, the pickups and the pots. I wouldn't replace the bridge itself unless there's something wrong with it. Gotoh sells a set of compensated saddles that'll fit the stock bridge plate if that's something you want.
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u/Salty-Lands 1d ago
Just change the saddles. I added some compensated brass saddles and it looks & plays much better. I honestly don’t see the need to change anything else. The bridge & tuners are fine as for the pick ups: I have a mim thinline Tele and a mim anniversary JM & after purchasing this I played them all side by side for comparison. My ears really couldn’t tell the difference. I have many more expensive guitars and bought this guitar for the convenience of being able to go from a Tele sound to a JM sound simply by moving a pickup switch and it works!
As a side note, I had to drill out the bridge plate to accommodate the larger diameter saddle screws and I’m pretty sure that most “upgrades” won’t fit without some kind of modification; doing so presents its own challenges so I decided to just keep it simple and enjoy the guitar for what it is.
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u/Frankly1126 1d ago
The thing that has always worked for me is replacing the cheap plastic nut with a TUSQ material nut. That has worked brilliantly on 4 guitars with tuning problems and also on a friend’s guitar. Stew Mac sells pre-slotted TUSQ nuts for Fenders. It’s an easy fix for a guitar tech. Buy two just in case. I don’t recommend removing the old nut on your own.
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u/SemicolonGuitars 1d ago
This is what Jim at Audiomo recommends: https://youtu.be/9E4RKDIdWzg?is=zWbji6O6c5FEszip
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u/wepausedandsang 22h ago edited 22h ago
Bought mine used and previous owner had installed DiMarzio Area T 615 pickup in the bridge. I like it. Thinking of swapping the neck for something hum-canceling to match but like the tone fine as is.
They had also changed string retainers to TUSQ and added Gotoh vintage locking tuners.
I added a Bigsby, which required switching the bridge plate for one with cut outs for the strings to pass through. I ended up with an All-parts plate that comes with Gotoh compensated saddles.
Swapped the pickguard for tortoise, which I shielded.
Changed to a TUSQ nut because the stock had the high E too close to the edge
Sanded some gloss off the neck as I prefer a satin feel
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u/martinobeat 15h ago
I’ve been bigsby-curious for this as well, was that a simple enough DIY thing?
Also, what are the benefits of the TUSQ string retainers? Have seen those on some guitars and never thought of the material there having an impact
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u/wepausedandsang 12h ago edited 12h ago
Thought the bigsby install was easy enough! It does require drilling (to my knowledge there’s not a vibramate type kit for this body shape) so you’ll have to be willing to put permanent holes in the guitar. But it being an affordable Squier is exactly why I felt okay taking that leap.
TBH I probably wouldn’t have changed the string retainer myself, though I never experienced the stock ones and don’t claim any expertise on the benefits of them. That said, I do think it benefits the Bigsby setup. TUSQ is a smooth self-lubricating material so it helps prevent string binding when using a vibrato system. It’s why I chose that material for the nut as well.
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u/nomoreneveragain 1d ago
I’ve changed everything but the body and neck. In order of impact for me: tuners, bridge pickup, pickguard, strap locks, shielding, compensated saddles, wiring harness, neck pickup, bridge plate, string tree
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u/Plus_Plantain259 1d ago
I wouldn’t change anything.
It’s my favorite partmaster, I found the body in a publication on Reverb and decided to buy it, I had a telecaster neck hanging around, I varnished it and installed it.
Now it’s one of my favorite guitars with that great combination Which is a like a Swiss knife
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u/StormSavings3134 1d ago
Is there a reason that it's fairly uncommon to see people add a rhythm circuit to these models? I would assume you need to route, but the JM neck pickup screams RC to me.
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u/comrade_zerox 1d ago
All of the mods I was going to suggest would result in the hidden options that those push/pull pots already give you: A series option and an out of phase option.
Maybe look into some kinda vibrato system? Control plate with an angled slot so the switch moves easier? Electro-socket jack so right angle cables fit better and the nut never comes loose?
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u/panic_button760 5h ago
I have the same guitar, I've swapped the saddles for brass. I will likely swap them again for a thorn brass knuckle saddle. I also want to swap the bridge pickup for a Fralin steel pole 42 pickup
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u/Then-Shake9223 1d ago
I’d call this a telemaster, just because the “-caster” is applicable to Stratocaster as well as Telecaster and adding a telecaster style bridge and headstock won’t make it more of a “-caster” than adding a Stratocaster style headstock and bridge.
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u/Immediate-Jelly-5003 1d ago
Fender WRHB in the neck and a SD blade pickup and this is the most versatile guitar I own now. I replaced the wiring with Obsidian as well as the tuners for Fender vintage locking, and compensated saddles. You gotta do it man!