heres what a change in scratchplate and pickup configuration can do.
the neck is a creamery modern 58, as lengthily discussed with philly q on another thread.
feels like a different guitar! bridge is still a BKP VH2.
the change has been inspired by the blacktop fender range and the new fender marauder. actually the jazzmaster neck pickup is working rather nicely with the VH2, particularly the in between position.
the body was routed for two humbuckers, and modding it for the jazzmaster neck was a bit of a sod. i used a chisel for this, and my technique could have been better - i put a nasty gouge in the top of the guitar! i wish i had gone to get Feline to do it :( however, i stuck the gouged bit back on and touched up the cracks, and its not too bad in fact since it is covered mostly by the scratchplate.
the fixed bridge changes the sound from the classic jazzmaster i think, i hear the string vibration behind the strings has an effect on the sound, and also the bridge deadens sustain. none of that here! the sustain is very good, but there is alot of routing under the scratch plate as with any jazzmaster, and the vibration doesn't transfer too much to the rear of the guitar - the upper horn vibrates loads though.
the vh2 i'm sure sounds a bit different now. the guitar looks less aggressive which leads to a perception difference, but i'm sure with one pickup it was more lively. the general tone of the vh2 is unchanged though - fendery treble, strong bass, not too many mids, generally a hotish PAF tone.
attached some before and after pics
