There is a reason the Jazzmaster has such a big following and has stood the test of time. The comfortable offset body and distinctive tone are firm favourites with guitarists into surf, indie, alternative rock music or anyone looking for a guitar that has a thicker single coil sound tone compared to a Strat or Tele. But like any classic design, there’s always room to tweak things to make it play exactly how you want. Whether it’s because the bridge rattles or you just want a different look, finding the right parts can be a bit of a headache.
We keep a stock of the basics like witch hat knobs, pickup covers, and tremolo units. If your electronics are acting up, we have the specific pots and switches you need to get the wiring back in order. But the main thing we do differently is our range of replacement Jazzmaster pickguards.
We make every Jazzmaster pickguard to order right here in our UK workshop. We’ve found that "one size fits all" rarely works with these guitars because the screw holes and routing change depending on the specific model, along with where and when the guitar was made.
We have specific Jazzmaster pickguard templates for:
- USA Reissue
- Made In Japan (MIJ) Reissue
- American Performer and American Professional
- Troy Van Leeuwen Signature
- Blacktop and Special Edition Blacktop HH
- Modern Player HH (2013-2014 Made In China)
- Jazzmaster Special and standard HH models
You can get these in plenty of different finishes. We do the standard black, white, cream, parchment, and mint green. If you want something more specific, we have celluloid tortoiseshell, abalone, various pearloids, acrylic mirror, bakelite, and even brushed gold or silver.
We also stock Hosco fixing bushings, which are a handy fix for the classic "rocking" bridge. A lot of Jazzmasters, Jaguars, and Mustangs have issues with tuning instability or strings slipping because the bridge posts move too much in the anchor holes. It was part of the original design, but it can be annoying.
These bushings just push onto the bridge feet. They increase the diameter of the feet so they fit tighter in the anchors. It limits that rocking motion, which helps with sustain and keeps the guitar in tune better when you use the tremolo. You don't have to modify the guitar body at all, so it's a simple fix to try.
Another common issue people run into with Jazzmasters and Jaguars is buzzing at the bridge. We stock a buzz stop that is a pretty simple solution for this. It fits onto the front-facing vibrato mount screws, and the strings run underneath a roller bar. This creates more downward pressure over the bridge, which usually stops the saddles from rattling and helps the guitar feel a bit more solid.
This is just a handful of recommended parts for Jazzmaster guitars - be sure to checkout our full collection for everything that we have on offer to get the most from these fine instruments.