replace jaguar pickups

nismosurf

Joined: Mar 04, 2013
Posts: 76
United States

Posted on Feb 17 2016 04:53 PM

Hello, everyone! I recently got a Squier VM Jag. Great guitar, but I'm not into the pickups. I know, I know, it's blasphemy, but I'm wanting to put rail type pickups in it. I searched and couldn't find anything here, so I'll ask, will normal size strat pickups fit in it without getting a new pickguard? Thanks.

Joe

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JakeDobner

Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 12159
Seattle
5 News Pins

Posted on Feb 17 2016 05:31 PM

No, normal Strat pickups won't work.

Why do you want rail pickups? What do you think they offer that your current pickups don't?

There are a bunch of Jag replacements that are voiced different and do different things, that is why I ask.

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eddiekatcher

Joined: Mar 14, 2006
Posts: 2778
Atlanta, GA
1 News Pin

Posted on Feb 17 2016 07:05 PM

I just went down in the basement and pulled a Strat pickup and a AVRI Jag pickup out of my box-o-pickups, and with a bit of handy, clever resourcefulness, you could fit Strat pickups into your Jaguar. They would not be a perfect, lazy boy, drop-in job, but they could be made to fit. The major issue is the pickup width between the two is different, as the Jag PU sports those "claws," and is wider. The mount screw spacing seems to be the same. If I was going to attempt it, I'd opt for hiding the Strat pickup inside the Jaguar's plastic cover and get a thin sheet of black plastic and cut two strips to fill the pickup to pickguard gap (where the claws were) and glue these strips to each side of the plastic cover. If you want to just "try it," use double stick tape to attach the strip spacer.

I had '68 Gibson P-90s hiding in my 88 Mosrite for a while. That was an interesting stuff job.

McGiver Ed

—

Traditional........speak softly and play through a big blonde amp. Did I mention that I still like big blonde amps?

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Surf_Skater

Joined: Sep 06, 2012
Posts: 1300
Lawrenceville , GA
United States

Posted on Feb 17 2016 07:33 PM

Congratulations on your new Jag. What do feel is missing from your pickups? Seymour Duncan has different types from mild to hot. For a more traditional sound I love my AV65'S.
If you have the ability to cut your own pickguard and maybe have to router the cavity a little you should be able to put anything you want in.

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JObeast

Joined: Jul 24, 2012
Posts: 2762
Finknabad, Squinkistan
Turkmenistan

Posted on Feb 17 2016 08:24 PM

Get real Fender p'ups that sound right for the guitar. Stay within the tradition.

—

Squink Out!

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nismosurf

Joined: Mar 04, 2013
Posts: 76
United States

Posted on Feb 17 2016 11:31 PM

Thanks for the replies. I was looking for something a little hotter. They aren't pushing my amp for what I want to use this particular guitar for. I'll look into the Duncan pickups.

Joe

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JakeDobner

Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 12159
Seattle
5 News Pins

Posted on Feb 17 2016 11:47 PM

Have you tried raising the pickups?

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stratdancer

Joined: Dec 11, 2013
Posts: 2537
Akron, Ohio
United States

Posted on Feb 18 2016 06:07 AM

The VM jag pups are pretty decent pups for surf. Height makes a big difference in how hard they push. I really liked them in mine before I sold it.

—

The Kahuna Kings

https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Kahuna-Kings/459752090818447

https://thekahunakings.bandcamp.com/releases

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JObeast

Joined: Jul 24, 2012
Posts: 2762
Finknabad, Squinkistan
Turkmenistan

Posted on Feb 18 2016 10:53 AM

My 1965 Jag had very low bridge p'up and sounded dead. I noticed after a while that the strings were way too far from it to produce much flux. Since Jag p'ups are screwed directly into the body, I simply unscrewed it and discovered the problem: the rubber foam had shriveled up just as the mute's had long before I got the guitar. I cut some new stuff that won't rot from packing material and installed it. Now the p'up is the perfect height and sounds awesome.

Stay canonical, eschew modern pickups; get real Fender Jag pickups.

—

Squink Out!

Last edited: Feb 18, 2016 10:54:46

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nismosurf

Joined: Mar 04, 2013
Posts: 76
United States

Posted on Feb 18 2016 08:29 PM

Thanks for the advice. The pickup looks like it's about as high as it can go without coming out. I guess the problem isn't really that it's not pushing the amp, but that it just doesn't sound good when the amp is on the overdrive channel or with an OD pedal. I'm talking about the bridge pickup. The neck pickup seems fine.

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Gilette

Joined: May 04, 2014
Posts: 734
Montserrat

Posted on Feb 19 2016 01:37 AM

nismosurf wrote:

Thanks for the advice. The pickup looks like it's about as high as it can go without coming out. I guess the problem isn't really that it's not pushing the amp, but that it just doesn't sound good when the amp is on the overdrive channel or with an OD pedal. I'm talking about the bridge pickup. The neck pickup seems fine.

Are you more used to the sound and output of humbuckers? I can imagine you can't get a kick out of single coils if that's the case. For me the solution was using a lot more clean power. Turn it up! And find a tone control setting you like.

Top

Surf_Skater

Joined: Sep 06, 2012
Posts: 1300
Lawrenceville , GA
United States

Posted on Feb 19 2016 06:03 AM

This might help you. (Warning, no surf content whatsoever)

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JObeast

Joined: Jul 24, 2012
Posts: 2762
Finknabad, Squinkistan
Turkmenistan

Posted on Feb 20 2016 02:52 AM

I almost always play with both pickups on (they are wired in parallel). The 'both=on' sound is typical to most classic surf. It's both bright and deep and has the 'twang' sound that is particularly good with a reverb tank.
Norm Cabrera is a pretty exclusively Jag playing contributor here, and I think he uses the bridge p'up alone on a lot of Boss Fink tunes, for a very snarly, aggressive tone, with either fuzz or a bit of OD.

The thing about Jags is that they have a very deep fundamental tone and a bright top that other Fenders don't. With adequate amplification, they sound pretty aggressive. What speakers in what amp are you using?

Squire p'ups are often quite generic. I have a pair of Jazzmaster p'ups I got for next to nothing that are worth about that much, installed in a Squire 'modified JM' – with the Dano-type bridge and no vibrato tailpiece. It sounds utterly generic.

Have you read conversations on the topic at offsetguitars.com? I say check out the Fender AVRIs, etc. for cheap but good upgrade.

I have found that as I explore the surf idiom deeper, I want to hear less midrange overdrive. I hardly ever use my Fulldrive II anymore, but prefer boost from a Tube Tape Echo or just a Rangemaster treble boost. But a nice amp with robust speakers (rated at high enough watts relative to amp output to avoid farting out), and a reverb tank, often obviates any need for further complication of the signal chain. Simple is best.

nismosurf wrote:

Thanks for the advice. The pickup looks like it's about as high as it can go without coming out. I guess the problem isn't really that it's not pushing the amp, but that it just doesn't sound good when the amp is on the overdrive channel or with an OD pedal. I'm talking about the bridge pickup. The neck pickup seems fine.

—

Squink Out!

Top

nismosurf Joined: Mar 04, 2013 Posts: 76	Posted on Feb 17 2016 04:53 PM Hello, everyone! I recently got a Squier VM Jag. Great guitar, but I'm not into the pickups. I know, I know, it's blasphemy, but I'm wanting to put rail type pickups in it. I searched and couldn't find anything here, so I'll ask, will normal size strat pickups fit in it without getting a new pickguard? Thanks. Joe Top
JakeDobner Joined: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 12159 Seattle	Posted on Feb 17 2016 05:31 PM No, normal Strat pickups won't work. Why do you want rail pickups? What do you think they offer that your current pickups don't? There are a bunch of Jag replacements that are voiced different and do different things, that is why I ask. Top
eddiekatcher Joined: Mar 14, 2006 Posts: 2778 Atlanta, GA	Posted on Feb 17 2016 07:05 PM I just went down in the basement and pulled a Strat pickup and a AVRI Jag pickup out of my box-o-pickups, and with a bit of handy, clever resourcefulness, you could fit Strat pickups into your Jaguar. They would not be a perfect, lazy boy, drop-in job, but they could be made to fit. The major issue is the pickup width between the two is different, as the Jag PU sports those "claws," and is wider. The mount screw spacing seems to be the same. If I was going to attempt it, I'd opt for hiding the Strat pickup inside the Jaguar's plastic cover and get a thin sheet of black plastic and cut two strips to fill the pickup to pickguard gap (where the claws were) and glue these strips to each side of the plastic cover. If you want to just "try it," use double stick tape to attach the strip spacer. I had '68 Gibson P-90s hiding in my 88 Mosrite for a while. That was an interesting stuff job. McGiver Ed — Traditional........speak softly and play through a big blonde amp. Did I mention that I still like big blonde amps? Top
Surf_Skater Joined: Sep 06, 2012 Posts: 1300 Lawrenceville , GA	Posted on Feb 17 2016 07:33 PM Congratulations on your new Jag. What do feel is missing from your pickups? Seymour Duncan has different types from mild to hot. For a more traditional sound I love my AV65'S. If you have the ability to cut your own pickguard and maybe have to router the cavity a little you should be able to put anything you want in. Top
JObeast Joined: Jul 24, 2012 Posts: 2762 Finknabad, Squinkistan	Posted on Feb 17 2016 08:24 PM Get real Fender p'ups that sound right for the guitar. Stay within the tradition. — Squink Out! Top
nismosurf Joined: Mar 04, 2013 Posts: 76	Posted on Feb 17 2016 11:31 PM Thanks for the replies. I was looking for something a little hotter. They aren't pushing my amp for what I want to use this particular guitar for. I'll look into the Duncan pickups. Joe Top
JakeDobner Joined: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 12159 Seattle	Posted on Feb 17 2016 11:47 PM Have you tried raising the pickups? Top
stratdancer Joined: Dec 11, 2013 Posts: 2537 Akron, Ohio	Posted on Feb 18 2016 06:07 AM The VM jag pups are pretty decent pups for surf. Height makes a big difference in how hard they push. I really liked them in mine before I sold it. — The Kahuna Kings https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Kahuna-Kings/459752090818447 https://thekahunakings.bandcamp.com/releases Top
JObeast Joined: Jul 24, 2012 Posts: 2762 Finknabad, Squinkistan	Posted on Feb 18 2016 10:53 AM My 1965 Jag had very low bridge p'up and sounded dead. I noticed after a while that the strings were way too far from it to produce much flux. Since Jag p'ups are screwed directly into the body, I simply unscrewed it and discovered the problem: the rubber foam had shriveled up just as the mute's had long before I got the guitar. I cut some new stuff that won't rot from packing material and installed it. Now the p'up is the perfect height and sounds awesome. Stay canonical, eschew modern pickups; get real Fender Jag pickups. — Squink Out! Last edited: Feb 18, 2016 10:54:46 Top
nismosurf Joined: Mar 04, 2013 Posts: 76	Posted on Feb 18 2016 08:29 PM Thanks for the advice. The pickup looks like it's about as high as it can go without coming out. I guess the problem isn't really that it's not pushing the amp, but that it just doesn't sound good when the amp is on the overdrive channel or with an OD pedal. I'm talking about the bridge pickup. The neck pickup seems fine. Top
Gilette Joined: May 04, 2014 Posts: 734	Posted on Feb 19 2016 01:37 AM nismosurf wrote: Thanks for the advice. The pickup looks like it's about as high as it can go without coming out. I guess the problem isn't really that it's not pushing the amp, but that it just doesn't sound good when the amp is on the overdrive channel or with an OD pedal. I'm talking about the bridge pickup. The neck pickup seems fine. Are you more used to the sound and output of humbuckers? I can imagine you can't get a kick out of single coils if that's the case. For me the solution was using a lot more clean power. Turn it up! And find a tone control setting you like. Top
Surf_Skater Joined: Sep 06, 2012 Posts: 1300 Lawrenceville , GA	Posted on Feb 19 2016 06:03 AM This might help you. (Warning, no surf content whatsoever) Top
JObeast Joined: Jul 24, 2012 Posts: 2762 Finknabad, Squinkistan	Posted on Feb 20 2016 02:52 AM I almost always play with both pickups on (they are wired in parallel). The 'both=on' sound is typical to most classic surf. It's both bright and deep and has the 'twang' sound that is particularly good with a reverb tank. Norm Cabrera is a pretty exclusively Jag playing contributor here, and I think he uses the bridge p'up alone on a lot of Boss Fink tunes, for a very snarly, aggressive tone, with either fuzz or a bit of OD. The thing about Jags is that they have a very deep fundamental tone and a bright top that other Fenders don't. With adequate amplification, they sound pretty aggressive. What speakers in what amp are you using? Squire p'ups are often quite generic. I have a pair of Jazzmaster p'ups I got for next to nothing that are worth about that much, installed in a Squire 'modified JM' – with the Dano-type bridge and no vibrato tailpiece. It sounds utterly generic. Have you read conversations on the topic at offsetguitars.com? I say check out the Fender AVRIs, etc. for cheap but good upgrade. I have found that as I explore the surf idiom deeper, I want to hear less midrange overdrive. I hardly ever use my Fulldrive II anymore, but prefer boost from a Tube Tape Echo or just a Rangemaster treble boost. But a nice amp with robust speakers (rated at high enough watts relative to amp output to avoid farting out), and a reverb tank, often obviates any need for further complication of the signal chain. Simple is best. nismosurf wrote: Thanks for the advice. The pickup looks like it's about as high as it can go without coming out. I guess the problem isn't really that it's not pushing the amp, but that it just doesn't sound good when the amp is on the overdrive channel or with an OD pedal. I'm talking about the bridge pickup. The neck pickup seems fine. — Squink Out! Top

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replace jaguar pickups