ON THE BENCH #1: Fender MIJ Jazzmaster Pickup Swap (Duncan Antiquity/Curtis Novak WRHB/V + Demo)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 17 ธ.ค. 2020
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Welcome to the bench! Today we're doing a pickup swap on this great MIJ Jazzmaster, taking out the Antiquity IIs in favor of a Novak WRHB/V set. Grab some snacks and follow along as I walk you through the process, and be sure to stick around for unforeseen circumstances too -- this job has its fair share of snags.
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Curtis Novak pickups:
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Seymour Duncan Antiquity II for Jazzmaster:
www.seymourduncan.com/single-...
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920dcustom.com
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Currently screaming and crying while I rewire my own Jazzmaster
Are ya STILL rewiring?! 😉
@@BeesWaxMinder Almost done.
@@Sheepisheep 🥺
that's weakness leaving the body
I know this is an old post, but boy do I feel this. Just did the same to mine (nearly identical to the one in the vid) and am chasing down weird little issues. When I get that sucker fixed, I never want to take that pickguard off again. Stupid rhythm circuit (love it as a player, hate it as a tinkerer).
Timestamps here!
32:42 Novak Bridge
32:58 Antiquity Bridge
33:12 Novak Middle
33:29 Antiquity Middle
33:47 Novak Neck
34:07 Antiquity Neck
34:24 Novak R.C
34:46 Antiquity R.C
This guitar just looks and sounds like Christmas, baby.
That was the most entertaining, accessible, and educational guitar tech-y video I’ve ever watched. Can’t wait to see more.
Too kind! Thank you so much
"Sometimes the hardest part of the job is undoing what some else did" - That's a cold, hard truth. Especially when both people are me. Also, desoldering braid helps a lot on those connections where the lead is looped through they eyelet.
Great video! Was thinking about getting this pickup combination for my '90's Japanese Jazzmaster, and this video convinced me to do so. Thank you for posting these great video's!
I kinda feel like the antiquity 2 doesn’t get the love it deserves. In all JM pup shootout videos, everyone always pics something other than the ant 2. I frikken love them man. I think they’re so underrated.
Especially when cranked
Both sets sound great but that middle position with the Novaks is really something else.
That pickup setup is made of dreams! Thank you for the video. Might get them put in my parts caster next year.
Both pup sets sound great to me. Nice lovingly done work Mike.
Nicely done! I think I love the Antiquities more. Especially in the bridge.
welcome back great content and detail in this one!
It's actually the more soothing tech video I've ever watched.
It is always a blessing to be able to learn from you, Mike. What a time to be alive!!
What a time indeed haha
I agree 1000039372627% with this comment.
Thanks for another great video. Great idea for grounding on the vibrato.
While late getting to the party, I had to comment on the sound of this guitar. It is tone that I would describe as the finest ever from a JM. Most impressive and expressive. Guru, you've achieved reaching the Holy Grail.
The soldering “wrap” is second only to “the knot” while stringing.
OMG THE KNOT nooooooo
My MIM Strat was like that. I got so frustrated that I cut the leads and soldered them where I wanted them...
ITS THE ABSOLUTE WORST!!!
Thank you for providing such detailed and instructional content for the jazzmaster. This is definitely your own niche since the jazzmaster doesn't get enough love in guitar circles. Seems like most techs don't have experience with setting them up. Happy holidays
Concur, they indeed forgo learning to properly set these up. Mike is a blessing in the offset world because he pretty much stopped the age old lies that these have had agaist them for decades, like the trems not working well enough to use which he painstakingly shows they can be made to work better than you imagined. Also the setups that seem impossible, he nails also.
It’s goofy how happy your playing makes me. Thank you.
"Think about the next person" more if the next person...is YOURSELF
that's PRAXIS
Great video! Keep them coming.
Excellent soldering tips. Nice Novak pickups.
The Novak is louder but I prefer the Antiquity II because of their clarity and brightness.
Great video, great playing!
Really enjoyed this, thanks so much for sharing, Mike. I'm hoping to pick up my first offset, a Jaguar, in the new year. Your content has really helped me in terms of what to be aware of in offset guitars. I'm new to soldering too, but I promise I'll never wrap even a single wire! Best wishes to you and yours over the holidays
Haha thank you, and I'm really excited to hear about your first Jag! Congrats and happy holidays!
Great vid! I must admit I’m want Antiquity II’s now! They would be perfect for my surf tone!
Sounds great! I'm more of a single coil guy in general, but the Novak Wide Range sounds great!
The test song he's playing reminds me of some of my favorites from Roy Montgomery. What a great video.
I just replaced the pickups in my Squire Jazzmaster yesterday and this video was super helpful. Thx! The oem wiring is a complete tangle inside, I don't know why they do that...
I have the staytrem arm and collet on all my jazzmasters. I broke my screw in on my American pro when I got it and had to replace it with that. So it’s a must have on any JM style guitar for me.
My trem arm broke on my American pro also lol my old bandmate was packing my gear because I unexpectedly got held up at work and was running late to practice. He had to pack my gear since we lived together . He didn’t take the trem arm out of my JM and slammed my case shut in a hurry lol. Been fucked since
learning a lot about soldering the right way thanks a bunch
Hey Mike, at around 24 minutes. I noticed you kept it tight and kept it vibing. Thanks for that. If you need me I'll be on my Mobile.
Grrreat job......prefer the Antiquities though the Novak wide range is really amazing!!!!I am subscribing now.....
Beautiful guitar, great sounds both ways. Not sure which i like best though. Each had their moments...
i am so here for every minute of this premium pandemic program.
Great video and beautiful job soldering which takes lots of patience. Coincidentally, I just swapped out a pair of antiquity II in my custom Jazz for a pair of the Duncan design. I fell in love with these pickups back in 2011 when I picked up the original Squier VM jazzMaster with the Daneclecro style Hardtail bridge and concentric pots. The bridge comes in at a healthy 12k. These Pickups are very full.. warm and articulate sounding… Like everything, it’s all purely subjective. I strongly suspect that a lot of the sound and love for any pickups has a lot to do with the amp you’re playing through. Maybe I wouldn’t like these Duncan designed so much if I wasn’t playing through a 6L6 with a 12 inch speaker🤷♂️
Great and very useful video! I’m a big Jazzmaster fan and I just found your channel! ... but yeah I guess I’m a fan of bright and chimey growl.. I preferred the original pickups waaaay more.
I was taught to wrap the wire around the terminals because “a good electrical connection needs a good mechanical connection.” Then I went back and rewired some of my earlier work. What a PITA.
Great stuff!
I dont even own a jm and this is super fun and helpful to watch, thanks for the tips mike!
Owen thank you!
I also swapped pickups in my MIJ Jazzmaster! I still had the original on it, which were nice, but kind of weak and thin sounding. I went for a set of Creamery from the UK (Alt-88 mid range & '58). Amazing pus, the guitar totally became alive!
I wasn’t sold on the WRHB in the bridge, but I was surprised by the clarity and sparkle exhibited by the JM-V in the neck, especially in comparison to the already relatively bright Antiquity II. Would definitely consider a matched set in a future build.
Mike! Another great video. I love watching your process and hearing your thoughts on everything as you go. I'd be interested in seeing how you decide pick up heights, maybe across a few popular Jazz or Jag pick ups, finding those sounds that you think work best. I know I should probably just trust myself but I always get anxiety that I'm going to mess it up! 😅
A lot of folks start with factory specs, but that's all they are: factory specs. They're neither correct nor incorrect, just a place to start. I'm sure I'll do a full video on the topic at some point, but my best advice is to experiment!
Thank You Mike! As always super clean and informative. In this case also really incredibly on time, since I plan to do a pickup upgrade in my Japanese blue flower Jazzmaster. I will switch from the original stock pickups which are not fully Jazzmaster pickups bobbin (taller and not enough wide, they look like a mix between a strat and a Jazzmaster bobbin) and will install Monty's 59 Jazzmaster pickup set. I have great expectations on sound. Thanks! I think that in the future it will be of great interest to have You touch points such as different values of capacitors and how those affect sound (I see that different tone capacitors - .33 and .45 uF have been great, although many people suggest .22). Regarding pickup sounds of that super nice red Jazzmaster I have to say that both sets sound great, I love the Antiquity and also the Novak. I think that I am not yet experienced enough to be ready for a different kind of pickup as the wide range. I still need to experience more with usual Jazzmaster pickups; but that it's just me!
Yep, standard Japanese pickups, sounds like! Will definitely get to caps at some point, though I normally just stick with good old 333 for Jazzmasters.
You should consider creating a playlist with all your awesome aerodynamically guitar intros you play, They are really nice and so soothing (also, always teach me something new to play too)
:-)
Great video! I preferred the Antiquities over the Novaks but that's just me.
Love the new setup, Mike. Gives the show a Bill Nye Science guy kinda vibe!
Definitely going for that, a bit of Alton Brown, Mr Wizard... all the good stuff
Same here. Sometimes I just cut them off, real termination!
I was literally planning on swapping the pickups on my jazzmaster this weekend! Great time for a refresher lol
Quick question, I also plan on shimming the neck, are there any measurements you look for or is it just a thing where you eyeball it?
Every guitar is different from tolerances in manufacturing. At this point I just eyeball it -- I kind of know what to aim for instinctively -- but as long as the strings stay in place, you're in the right range
@@Puisheen ok cool thanks I’ll play around with it!
Hi Mike! Love your vids they have your DNA stamped all over them! I am about to embark on project adding a Descendant trem and Mastery bridge to a HH Tele body!! I preferred the more open sounds/tones of the SD Antiquities 👍
Cool video filled with great info. The 90s SD vintage pickups on my 90s MIJ Jazzmaster in CAR are ok and better than oem but just not enough punch. I got it super cheap when Fender Japan and Fender Usa/Mexico was having an import spat. MIJs were blown out for a few years as MIM were getting off the ground with the "Classic" series. I guess the SD vintages have been good enough for 20 plus years but I might need to revisit, but not sure the basswood MIJ is worth it. Maybe... Maybe not...
keep doing what you are doing. its great. thanks!
Thank you!
Wonderful video Mike. Thank you.
Thank you friend!!!
Killer Vid!!! The TOANZ!!
With your encouragement I swapped out the pickups on the 61. Intimidating AF but easy peasy
Not so hard at all!
Both sets sound great
Beautiful fender my friend. Happy Friday.
Same to you!
What a beautiful Jazzmaster!
Very entertaining video and nice shirt 😂
The girls and I just watched the whole thing. Caty found it highly entertaining, and Brighton loved the goofiness. Next time we roll through York I'll bring my JM by for a pickup swap video and you can make fun of my wiring.
James I'd be delighted!!!!!! I won't be too mean, I promise
As a tech who does automotive electronics (like stereos and remote starts), i assume I'm going to be the next tech to service the installation so I make things easy for the next tech. Even if it isn't me, passing along a bit of kindness in that respect makes me feel good.
See this is how it's supposed to be done. Gotta think ahead
This is my favorite red guitar I've ever seen. And my guild is in vintage walnut...
Nice job!
Great man 🔥🔥
Oh my god @puisheen , I'm so sorry but I bust out laughing when the double ground was tied in a knot! Thats the realness of working on a bench- the magic mystery of what you find under the pickguard. Thank you for taking a brave one for the team and telling this truly frustrating tale. This sort of shit happens daily on my bench!!! Lol / Crying
JOHN HOW ARE YOU. I like how you put that, even when it's frustrating, opening a guitar to find out what's lurking beneath the surface is very much its own gift, right? John I hope you're well!
@@Puisheen too true! I usually have a $30 sliding scale built into rewiring that is adjust according to how many WTF moments happen and incur more time. Grateful even for the nightmare wiring jobs in these times! Keep cranking out the hits :)
@@johncourage9424 There could be anything in there, I applaud your scale! I charge double for spider egg sacs, which is not a joke and something I've run into more often than I'd like
Great video! I bought a loaded pickguard from 920D a couple of years ago - somehow the bloke had wired all the pots in reverse and the output jack wasn't working. Never touched their stuff again.
YIKES! I'll keep that in mind
Creamery pickups in the UK make great Wide range humbuckers, with proper threaded magnetic pole pieces.
this video is gold. Think it's time to invest in a soldering iron! the wide range pairs really nicely with the bridge, I might consider that in the future since I'm not a huge fan of the bridge pup on my stock classic vibe
I hear that. Can't go wrong with a WRHB. Good luck!
What a sweet guitar in both stages. You've obviously still got "it" Mike!
A relief!
@@Puisheen I actually have a CN P(B)-90 on its way to now. Can't wait to put it in my Elite P.
@@discostuvw Love those!
Great video! Can’t beat a WRH in a Jazzmaster.
Distorted, that wide range humbucker came alive. Great sounds.
Thank you!
I only do the wire wrap with the output jack connections along with shrink tubing. It’s a constant failure point. I figure it’s a switchcraft, it’ll last as long as the guitar.
It's amazing what people will do to avoid learning how to solder properly. What I really hate is when they bury the ground wires in a massive clump of solder that covers the entire back of the pots. 🙄
MIKE I have been there and it makes me so hoppin' mad lol
I actually love the wide range bridge but I prefer the antiquity II. A bit more suitable to my edge of break up tones.
Great video! Would have liked to see the parts you skipped over - how to determine proper neck angle/shim needed, and trem adjustment so the lock works, etc. Is there another video you have done for that?
Patience! All will be revealed
I love those chord progressions wish you youd make a vid to show them hehe.
Add a push pull pot for the coil split and this guitar is perfect !
Perfect timing indeed! Novak's go in this weekend! My stupid expensive snake oil capacitor got hugely delayed by the USPS so I've been waiting.
Are you the kind who obsessively checks shipping notifications (like me) or are you able to just chill and let it get there
@@Puisheen If a tracking number isn't checked multiple times a day is it really being shipped?
@@xzatious Schrodinger's USPS Portal
This was a fantastic review for me haha. I have a candy apple q-series CIJ jazz with the same tortoise pickguard and antiquity ii’s installed, and I love it, but it’s too quiet. It’s my favorite guitar physically to play, but is also an always on clean boost situation, and makes me tempted to try something else for pickups. But hearing this back and yeah, the antiquity ii’s win all day for what I like. You mentioned the i’s being hotter, if I love the sound of the antiquity II but just want more output is that something to try? Or just deal with gain staging switching instruments? Or anything else worth checking out?
Noob question: thanks for the walk-thru! Very helpful! On attaching the neck pickup wires; since you solder the hot wire to the R circuit toggle, how do the lead circuit toggle tap a thing other than just the bridge pickup? Cheers!
While I cannot recall ever seeing anyone who advised winding leads to each other, I have seen instructional videos that included the step of "making a mechanical connection" before soldering by bending the wire around the terminal... 🙈
Yes, I think I learned that same technique many years ago.
The chord progression has a Dear Hunter feel imo
When I first modded my squier strat at 15, i looped all of the leads around the lugs, then soldered. a year later, i found out just how much a PITA they are. thankfully, no guitar techs were harmed during the modding of that guitar XD
Does the thimble not need to be grounded at all if the vibrato is?
The antiquities just sound delicious to me. I would had bought another jazzmaster, like a vintera '60 non mod and swapped out those pups rather than this one. Great vid anyway, thanks for sharing all those info!
Oh boy, mental note to undo all the bent wire ends I soldered on my Squier J Mascis just in case I ever meet Mike
Bless you Michael
920D Custom Wiring Harnesses on an MIJ: curious if they make specific ones for MIJ measurements.
Gotta say, the video has given me an itch to swap my PUPs out!
Hey there! Just started watching your vids this past week and I’m really enjoying them. You give excellent info and are very entertaining. That hot rod red is gorgeous on that Jazzmaster.
2 questions about Jazzmasters.
1) The Troy Van Leuwen(sp?) Jazzmaster has the Lead/Rhythm switched changed out for a toggle which I love. How would I go about installing that on my own Jazzmaster?
2) What are your thoughts about putting a Filter’tron in the Neck of a Jazzmaster with a hot Jazzmaster pickup in the bridge?
1) That switch has been tough to find, but search for two-way DPDT switches and you'll probably find something
2) That could be fun, probably no something I'd be into but go for it!
@@Puisheen Thanks for the info. I’m looking for ideas to upgrade a Squier Classic Vibes Jazzmaster and just thought I’d run them by the Master of the Offset. Idk if I’ll do the Filter’tron it was just a thought.
I basically have this guitar with the same pick guard and pups. I also have a beard and a beanie. That said, I’m definitely watching. Well done sir.
What’s a set of Novak’s for a red tele w a bigsby?
You know... have I ever played his Telecaster pickups? Huh, I don't think I have. Definitely have played his Telecaster for Jazzmaster but I have no memory WAIT I HAVE, four years ago at NAMM. Yes, I remember, on a Tele with a Guyatone style neck pickup and the combo of the two was glorious. Curtis' Tele was really ALIVE, very minimally potted, vocal and gruff. I'd just do his standard Tele!
You make me want to drive my bass down from Michigan for a set up!
I mean hey, we can do that!
I run into that all the time. It's like you need pliers when de-soldering!
It pains me so
love the antiquity 2s but the 1s are even better
I'm trying to decide between the two to put in my squire classic vibe. Have you actually tried both of them in your guitar? I was thinking putting antiquity 1s in the bridge and antiquity 2s in the neck. Or maybe both pickups and be antiquity 1s. I don't know... what's the difference between the two and the neck position.?
@@jordanebacher The I´s are sligthly warmer and more "full", so i would put the I´s in the neck and II´s in bridge. But to my own taste i would go for I´s overall, and only II´s if you really want i direct sound.
@@jordanebacher I have a squier 60th anniversary jazzmaster, and the pickups were microphonic so I replaced them with the antiquity 2's, and honestly I massively prefer the original pickups (at least the neck pickup). Its been 5 months so you probably switched them out by now, but I think that if you ever like the sound of something, dont change it just so you can have an "upgrade". Like I have less noise issues now, but I really think the sound I get isnt quite what I want.
Mike, I know this video is two years old now but I just re-watched it because I am about to replace the pickups on one of my Jazzmasters myself. Honestly, I think I like the sound of the Seymour Duncan antiquities pickups better than the Novaks, but I imagine that opinion may change if I was running the guitar into distortion and effects.
Also, I was wondering, do you think there was no ground wire on the guitar because it was grounding through the shielding on the pickguard and inside the electronics cavities?
Anyhoo, thank you so much for all your entertaining and informative videos!
Not a guitar tech, but a professional amateur. I had to re-wire a previously modified 3 pickup Epiphone Les Paul Custom for a friend of mine. 3 pickups = a lot of wiring. The tech that was there before me wrapped EVERY SINGLE WIRE to every connection point. I planned on reusing the pots, so I was forced to get every existing connection off the pots.
Not fun.
I feel your pain, Mike.
Id prefer to keep my jazz a jazz and go for antiquities although the recent advertisement of Fender CuNife wide range did start to get me thinking about trying no doubt you'll be reviewing some soon, which i can't wait for.
I use fender V65's and im not owing my brain to persuade me to try anything else. It sounds like the perfect JM to me. For most live stuff I use a Jaguar HH loaded with "Montys" full monty hum buckers and its an outrageous sound in to my ears, if you've not heard go Montys guitar he's a UK pickup maker doing great things here, his JM pickups are really popular now.
Great vid as always
Geat clip. Like always. You are priceless. I think there is no gound wire to the bridge and othe parts because the copper shielding is wrapped over the edge and therefore is when the pick guard is screwed down, making a solid contact for a continuous shielding.
I have a MIJ JM-66 in CAR that looks a lot like this one, except block inlays and bound fretboard. Also added a Mastery. BIG fan of the Novak JM-V in the neck, which mine has. One of my favorite sounds on Earth. I also have a JM-90 in the bridge which, to my ears, is somewhere between the WRHB, and the Antiquity II. I can't imagine a better combo. I do tend to feel traditional JM pickups are a touch thin in the bridge, but it sounds (on my cheap headphones) that maybe the WRHBs sound a tad dark for a bridge for my taste. The JM-90s sound full, but you can still get a touch of twang from them when you need it.
I prefered the SDs. But hey. Depends what you're after. Interesting with that pickguard. I really hated the ground beef look of those MIJ pickguard sand swapped mine out ASAP. But it actually looks really good on this red guitar.
I also don't care for this tort at all! And the AIIs were great, absolutely.
Man, the packaging for those Novak pickups is damn classy!
I really enjoy your videos, and I'm starting to learn about soldering. Might be a silly question, but are the fumes from the soldering harmful at all?
I mean they’re not great to breathe in constantly. A good fan to suck away fumes can be nice if you’re soldering daily.
The intro sounded celestial....