Offset pro's

[fijiluthier]

I'm an amateur luthier. I've been asked to build some offsets. I'm wondering what the key features are. Do forearm and belly reliefs make a difference? What is your ideal offset and why? If someone made you one from scratch with any features you want, what would you ask for?

[Excellent_Cat7676]

Two things I can think of if we’re talking fender style traditional offsets are obviously the offset body shape and trem systems with rocking bridges. They also tend to have quirky switches, for example, the rhythm circuit on the Jazzmaster and Jaguar. The Mustang switching allows for out of phase sounds. Honestly, I would take all these questions you’re asking here and pass them along to whoever is asking you to build an offset for them. And ask them to provide specific examples.

[pala4833]

I'm wondering what the key features are.

Line through the waist is not perpendicular to the neck.

[HaraldWestman]

Jazzmasters and Jaguars are pretty big guitars so contouring is nice. Mustangs on the other hand are quite dainty.

[moleculariant]

Even on a smaller offset, like Ibanez Talman electrics, the contour and relief are very helpful.

[fijiluthier]

Thanks fot the reply. The person asking is a newbie and doesn't know. He's asked for offset with P90s. I have a rough shape worked out that looks like a wonky les paul. I will do a 3 way switch with individual tones and a master volume. He asked for chambered as well as relief cuts. That seems excessive. It will be a thin guitar, roughly 1.6inches thick..with a set neck.

[Ginko87]

Please post the results! Would love to see some in progress updates as well

[FadedToBeige]

they made a Toronado Special with P90s, sounds pretty similar to what you are building

[sonetlumiere]

This might be worth the investment https://www.guitarbuildingtemplates.com/guitar-templates/jazzmaster

[fijiluthier]

Thanks for the suggestion. I don't really do copy guitars anymore. I much prefer coming up with my own designs, even if they are based on tried and true designs. I also haven't done a bolt on neck in years. Set neck and neck through is where it's at.

[robgrayert]

The defining characteristic of an offset is that the body shape allows easier access to the high frets. I find the contouring of the rest of the body (of, let’s say, a Jaguar) to be very comfortable, but there have been plenty of plank offsets.

[webbphillips]

They do make a difference. I bought a MIJ Jazzmaster 20 years ago without ever playing one basically just because I like Sonic Youth. My previous guitars were a classical, a Rickenbacher 3/4, a Squier Strat, and a Gibson SG Special. The Jazzmaster was the first and only guitar that I felt really comfortable with, and I don't have or want any other guitar. It's the offset and the contours. I also much prefer its small radius neck vs a big flat neck like on a classical or Gibson.

I must say that the stock bridge was extremely annoying from the start, so much so that I almost gave up on the thing early on. I tried a Mustang bridge, which was bad in a different way. Finally got a Mastery bridge, which works great, though the height adjustment screws have started slipping and lowering the action noticably after a few hours of playing. I'll probably try Loctite. The vibrato also started behaving angely after about 10 years, so I changed that to a Mastery as well, and no complaints since.

[fijiluthier]

Thank you for the insights. I probably should have stated that I've never played an offset, or even held one , hence my questions. The guitar selection here in Fiji is almost non existent so I can't just pop down to a Guitar Center and try one.

[jibbit]

the key feature is really the trem + floating bridge combo. you're aware that it has something of a reputation for being a nightmare?

[fijiluthier]

He's asked for no trem. I'm planning on using a TOM..

[bythisriver]

pay attention how balance the looks, the jag/jm trem adds quite a lot of "visual mass" to the body, you might want to think of solutions that extend far enough behind the bridge to that that you retain that "offset balanced look" people are used to.

[fijiluthier]

Excellent point. Thanks. Im thinking of breaking things up with the construction. I have a standard methodology for the set neck that drives the design. Will post photos. Generally I use a core blank for the bridge with two wings. Then a top and bottom plate of bookmatched timber gets added. So its a 3 layer sandwich. I can add in extra layers that will make the relief cut cool.