• Ernie Ball
  • MusicMan
  • Sterling by MusicMan

Mars Rover

Member
Joined
Mar 21, 2012
Messages
11
Location
Central Pa
Hi all. New member here with questions. I just bought a 2003 JP6 red burst basic model that looks brand new, like it never saw the light of day. I have a 5-sring bongo bass but this is my first EBMM guitar. I do my own setups and get compliments on them. I would compliment whoever did the setup (maybe factory) on this JP - it’s nearly perfect. But just in case I do decide to mess with it, I haven’t found much info on the web – and I need to know some things.

The pickups seem to be screwed down tight to the bottom of the route, and appear lower in height (relative to the strings) that I usually do. They sound good - so don’t screw around with p/u height adjustments? Or is there another adjustment that I’m missing?

I got the saddle adjustments covered but what about the pivot posts for the trem? There are no exposed threads clearly visible but this may be normal? (not maxed out?). Before I go cranking down on them, are the posts adjustable for bridge height like my Floyd?

I’m pretty sure that the tremolo is going to get blocked and set up for dive only – and I’ll add extra springs because the bridge plate is tilted slightly up toward the neck with my strings installed. I can see through the holes in the cavity cover that there are three springs. I have a new set of Fender-branded Strat springs on hand. Can I use these? If so, better to use all Strat springs (5 or 4 or whatever works) replacing the originals? Better to just order more springs from MM?

This is the basic 2-knob, 1-switch model. 2-DiMarzio custom wound pickups with coil splitting. The pots are not push-pull, the selector switch is a simple 3-way - and in the mid position, only provides one single coil from each pickup. It’s a nice hollow strat tone but does anyone think it might be worth doing a mod to tap all four coils (while keeping the original S/S setting available) and providing the other H/S combinations?

On the shielding plate, there’s a hole where I think a third pot would go. I would not be opposed to drilling this out though the wood for a pot or switch if a mod kit (or a parts list) was available with explicit instructions ? – but would like to hear of a less intrusive way to do it if it works just as well.

Thanks!
 

Spudmurphy

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 23, 2005
Messages
12,037
Location
Cardiff, United Kingdom
Hi Mars _ i'm sure that the guys would love to see some photos of your guitar?

Let's see if I can help you with the bits I know about.

The trem plate on the front of the guitar needs to be flush with the body. So the first part would be to get the trem plate flush at the trem posts by adjusting the trem posts,

Next step to get it flush is to adjust the trem claw or add or remove springs - can't remember if I have 3 or 4 springs at the moment as the guitar is not home with me. You could use the Fender springs.

The pickups are indeed screwed onto the body in the pickup route. I raised one of mine with some thick dense foam (water seal from a horse box!!) although a wood shim would perhaps be preferable.

I'll wait for an expert to chime in on the electrics.
Spud
 

Mars Rover

Member
Joined
Mar 21, 2012
Messages
11
Location
Central Pa
Thanks Spudmurphy for the reply and advice. The only pictures I have are these and a few others taken three days ago a few minutes after the UPS man left. This JP will be nine years old next month and it looks like it was never played. The barcode serial number label was still stuck to it. Even the case has no scratches.

I like this finish and the neck/headstock color is not as washed out as the pictures show – it’s a nice almost amber color in most spots. Plays and sounds incredible. I’ve seen the same guitar go for a little less than I paid but I’m happy. I included a picture of two other Music Mans. The 5-string Bongo and the Sixty-Five Reverb amp are also amazing.


EBMM JP6-2.JPG EBMM JP6-3.JPG EBMM JP6-5.JPG EBMM JP6-8.JPG Guitar9.JPG
 
Top Bottom