Fender Jaguar; I'm struggling to bond with it.

[Walter Broes]

Shim the neck just a little, put pure nickel 10's on it, put a hotter lead pickup in it, and maybe a 500K volume pot. All of that put together should give it a little more beef. If that doesn't do the trick, maybe Jaguars aren't for you - I'm not a big fan myself, even though I like the tones some people get with them a lot.

 

[mrjlkelly]

Thanks for your suggestions chaps, that's what makes this forum so great.

tune-o-matic bridge conversion? those mustang style bridges have no sustain even the mastery. i was a huge offset fan but i got tired of their quirks. it's tele for me from now on...

I think the biggest issue I have with the Jauars is, that it's not a Tele.

 

[mrjlkelly]

Thanks for all of your suggestions chaps. That's why this forum still ROCKS...

The Jag is currently strung 0.10-0.52 tuned to standard, although I will often tune to drop D or double drop D.

I was amazed at how good it sounded when I had it set up for Baritone. Below is a recording I used it all over. The only guitar part that's not the Jag is the reverse delay solo in the middle of the song.

 

[ben smith]

Thanks for your suggestions chaps, that's what makes this forum so great.


I think the biggest issue I have with the Jauars is, that it's not a Tele.

lol

 

[ReverendRevolver]

I have a related question; I run "hybrid(9-46)" gage strings on my >24" scale stuff (being the tele, toronado, and strat) but the mustang is (afair) strung with regular mediums. As I'm awaiting a Duosonic , I'm questioning upping the gage on the short scales, since I own 2 now.

I'm used to the tension difference on the tele vs toronado, but I was wondering if itd be better to run regular 10s, 10-48s(literally a hair bigger than my orange packs, but only available through generic EB stuff) or try the other, more popular hybrid with 10-52, offered by most companies now.

I realize I'm asking a question that is about a $5 risk tops, but I'm not good at setting up guitars, and while my local shop will do the 'stang free, I'd be left to myself or paying for the duo sonic. That's time where I'm not playing and deciding, so I hoped for input.

Disclaimer: I'm all for machismo-ness on everything but strings. I started on 8s, broke them alot, moved up to mediums, but 10 year old me didn't know what set up meant AND had trouble on bends in the high actioned strat, switched to 9s, broke the fat strings still, eventually quit using picks, but didn't like the wiggle in the fat strings, found these neat orange boxes of rotosound when the old shop was outta 9s, and never looked back.
I feel like the mustang could benefit from fatter strings in single coil mode, so I'm sure that the DS will be the same or worse. The only guitar of this scale I loved the sound of right away was an old mustang, and my grandfather ran mediums, but I have a feeling that those pickups were made better than stock modern stuff. So, am I gonna feel like I'm playing a short scale bass with 52s on the fat end? The skinny ones will be fine, I'm unconcerned. I just haven't used 52s or fatter since I was testing heavy stuff on the ESP I had years back, and the action on that was really low. Lower than I like.

 

[Ian T]

raise your action and put a little more relief in the neck

 

[G.Rotten]

The 90's MIJ Jaguar I had ended up getting P-90's. Awesome after that.

I think not many people would go there, but it worked for me.

 

[Zepfan]

Thanks for your suggestions chaps, that's what makes this forum so great.


I think the biggest issue I have with the Jauars is, that it's not a Tele.

I've always loved the tone of the neck pickup on these guitars and thought that the bridge pickup just didn't do it justice(like a Strat). You could put a Tele bridge pickup in it and move the Jag bridge pup to the center position or delete it altogether.

 

[Zepfan]

The 90's MIJ Jaguar I had ended up getting P-90's. Awesome after that.

I think not many people would go there, but it worked for me.

Hard to beat P90's in anything.

 

[ReverendRevolver]

The 90's MIJ Jaguar I had ended up getting P-90's. Awesome after that.

I think not many people would go there, but it worked for me.

That sounds rather reasonable. I feel like the feel and look attracts more people than the sound. I always assumed this was why so many alt/grunge people popped in a humbucker.

 

[El Tele Lobo]

Ok, I got my hands on a CIJ Fender Jaguar circa '89-90 about six months ago and I dare say that I'm struggling to bond with it. I have had a lot of work done to it; Mastery Bridge, TremLok system, SD Jaguar Antiquities and I removed the plate with the 3 PUP switches and replaced it with 3 way switch.

I originally got the guitar for it's shorter scale neck so I could have it tuned to F# standard as I often use a capo on the 2nd fret for vocal tunes. The action was surprisingly good with .009 strings but the tone was dreadfully "plinky" when tuned up that high. My guitar tech suggested we go the opposite way and set it up for Baritone (B to B). It sounded great like this but tuning became an issue, especially when playing live.

I've now got it set to standard and whilst I can get some fairly cool tones at home it just sounds hollow and empty with very little sustain (even with Compressor!) whenever I use it for gigs. Very frustrating.

My live set up is into a Vox AC30 with a bunch of pedals. I mostly use a very twanggy CV Tele that also has SD Antiquities in it. The Jag just sounds very small and inconsequential when compared to the tele.

What can I do to bring this guitar alive???

I've heard heavier gauge flatwound strings are the key to a great jaguar sound. Maybe give those a try. Like a set of 12s...maybe 11s?

 

[El Tele Lobo]

Actually, based on what I've read through this thread, I'd like to amend my suggestion to 12s or maybe even 13s. I would try them in both flats and roundwounds. I think you may find something you like.

 

[davidge1]

I had a friend who had a vintage Jaguar that someone had put a humbucker into. It just didn't have any sustain. It felt dead when I played it.

There's a reason the Jaguar wasn't popular. And there's a reason the Tele was always popular. Actually there are probably many reasons. I agree with the guy who said to just get something you like.

 

[24 track]

I love jags my favorite fender guitars , I've owned 2 vintage 60's I always wanted a lefty , sad, sad day when i sold them best playing guitar Fender ever made, but dont forget I was talking about 60's vintage Jags

my brother playing it in 71'

 

[G.Rotten]

That sounds rather reasonable. I feel like the feel and look attracts more people than the sound. I always assumed this was why so many alt/grunge people popped in a humbucker.

I currently have a Vista Series Squier Jagmaster. Right now I'm in the process of making a new pickguard so I can install a set of Duncan P-Rails. Once done, I will have solved all of my issues with Jaguars & Jazzmasters, but still have a quality Fender designed guitar.

Offset guitars are super comfortable to play & do look wicked awesome. If the MIJ Jagmasters had been made with Fender decals I think they would have been top sellers.

 

[Danjabellza]

10-46(or 48) about the lightest I like on 25.5" guitars. On 24.75 I like 11-52. On a 24" scale I couldn't imagine getting by with 9's or 10's I'd want or need at least 11's maybe 12's at that point, like I said before. 9's on a 24" scale must feel like rubber bands.

 

[ReverendRevolver]

I currently have a Vista Series Squier Jagmaster. Right now I'm in the process of making a new pickguard so I can install a set of Duncan P-Rails. Once done, I will have solved all of my issues with Jaguars & Jazzmasters, but still have a quality Fender designed guitar.

Offset guitars are super comfortable to play & do look wicked awesome. If the MIJ Jagmasters had been made with Fender decals o think they would have been top sellers.

Several modern Squiers feel nicer than Indonesian Fenders from the last 15 years, no contest.

My absolute favorite guitar since I bought it is my toronado, but it's got Gibson 57s in it. I decided finding a guitar that feels and looks like you're after is harder than installing pickups, so agree with your methodology completely.

10-46(or 48) about the lightest I like on 25.5" guitars. On 24.75 I like 11-52. On a 24" scale I couldn't imagine getting by with 9's or 10's I'd want or need at least 11's maybe 12's at that point, like I said before. 9's on a 24" scale must feel like rubber bands.

In light of this, I'll consider chunky strings. Or find something that's 11s on top, fatter on bottom. 10s will possibly feel like noodles if I detune. I know 9s did.......

 

[G.Rotten]

I had a friend who had a vintage Jaguar that someone had put a humbucker into. It just didn't have any sustain. It felt dead when I played it.

There's a reason the Jaguar wasn't popular. And there's a reason the Tele was always popular. Actually there are probably many reasons. I agree with the guy who said to just get something you like.

Jags & Jazzmasters have a ton of problems IMO, but the basic look & feel of the guitars are great. Ive had 2 Jags & 1 Jazzy. None were worth keeping as they came from Fender. Tradition is great if it actually works. They're worth the effort to turn it into something useful though. Fender made the Squire Jagmaster right, then stuck a Squier decal on it & doomed it to be a hidden gem.

 

[G.Rotten]

C

Several modern Squiers feel nicer than Indonesian Fenders from the last 15 years, no contest.

My absolute favorite guitar since I bought it is my toronado, but it's got Gibson 57s in it. I decided finding a guitar that feels and looks like you're after is harder than installing pickups, so agree with your methodology completely.

I've only ever owned 1 guitar that I felt didn't need tweaking (& I've gone through a ton of guitars). That guitar is my 61 reissue SG. Everything else has either been a good starting point or not worth the time & done away with. Now I've never forked out the cash for a custom made guitar, but I never would because I enjoy modding anyway.

I did build my own guitar based on the 72 Tele Thinline, then years later modded it too. Lol. Now I never touch it because I'm into other things. The Tele Deluxe hasn't even been finished yet & has been modded multiple times.

BTW, 57 Classics are my favorite Humbucker

 

[cyclopean]

Use at least 011-049 strings.

Light gauge strings don't work in a Jag because of the very short scale and bridge geometry.


Google Johnny Marr in order to understand how great a Jag can sound.

I have .13s on my tuned to standard. they're like .11s on a tele.