Warmoth Custom Jazzmaster w/ Curtis Novak Wide Range 2020 Transparent Red

[SOLD Dec 2020]

This is a Custom Warmoth/Curtis Novak Jazzmaster that I built in 2020. This is an extremely premium instrument that will require some explanation. Below you can find the specs on the body and neck; no expense was spared. The body is a spectacular flamed maple on mahogany, chambered and top-bound with F-hole. The neck is Goncalo Alves, and is one of the lowest-friction necks I have ever played.

The only parts that are not new are the Curtis Novak pickups, which I renovated to add cloth wire (these came to me with regular poly wiring, not sure if Curtis used that in the past, and I added the red cloth wire “tap” to achieve a single coil option. Tuners are Hipshot locking–and no holes were drilled in the headstock on install; I installed with the no-screw Hipshot sleeves.

“Full Dual-Path” Wiring

The electronics deserve particular mention. I have included some photos of the build. First, all my builds I cage all the electronics in copper shielding, and I use Gavitt pull-back cloth wiring.

The rhythm electronic circuit here does not operate like a traditional jazzmaster circuit.

  • The upper switch takes both pickups to single coil and uses the upper volume & tone.
  • Upper switch in lower position takes both pickups to full humbucker and uses the lower volume & tone.
  • As you can see from the photos, the upper rhythm circuit uses a 4-pole, double-throw switch to achieve this.
  • I am not aware of any other jazzmaster that previously used this wiring.
  • It’s a useful wiring scheme, much more useful than the the standard “mud” setting.
  • More complete information on the wiring schematic can be found on the Mirovox website here:
  • Both the double coil and single coil circuits have treble bleeds installed.
  • This is custom-shop level wiring that I personally spent about 5 hours on.

A Note on the Vibrato

This guitar is intended as a player’s guitar, and I chose with this build to bypass the troublesome Jazzmaster bridge and vibrato in favor of the technically superior Gotoh 510; in Gotoh’s words, they pursue “goal of greater tremolo functionality”. This 510 is a steel saddle with the FST feature, which uses fewer bends. I have jazzmasters with traditional bridges, this 510 stays in tune better. Plus you see more of that flamey maple on the body.

Body Specs:

Model: Chambered Jazzmaster®

Orientation: Right handed

F-Holes: 1

Scale: 25-1/2″

Wood: Flame Maple on Mahogany

Rout: Top Rout

Pickup Rout: Standard Jazzmaster®, None (Middle), Standard Jazzmaster®

Controls: None

Bridge: Gotoh 510 Tremolo

Stud Install: No Stud Install

Jack Rout: No Side Jack Hole

Neck Pocket: Strat® Shape

Mounting Holes: Standard 4 Bolt

Contours: / Tummy Cut / Forearm Contour

Binding: Pearloid Binding

Top Finish: Red Dye

Back Finish: Black

Finish Type: Gloss Finish

Neck Specs: 

Style: Jazzmaster®

Construction: Modern Construction

Orientation: Right Handed

Neck Wood: Goncalo Alves

Fingerboard Wood: Ebony (Black)

Nut Width: 1-11/16″

Back Shape: Standard thin

Fret Size: 6150

Tuner Ream: Schaller (25/64″)

Radius: 10-16″ Compound

Scale: 25-1/2″

Fret #: 21

Mounting Holes: Standard 4 Bolt

Pre-Cut Installed String Nut: GraphTech White TUSQ XL – Standard Nut

Inlays: White Pearloid Blocks

Side Dots: White Side Dots

Final Words

I am selling this guitar for slightly less than the cost of all parts. I am trying to keep myself to 10 guitars and I have more builds on the way.

The guitar will ship without a case from Austin TX.