Tqi wrote:

No, nononono. I'm all about Silver Sparkle!

The only thing I have there is a Vaporizer. Here's the source for the rest:

https://www.reddit.com/r/GuitarAmps/comments/x5q510/one_amp_one_guitar_one_drink_one/
**

Tqi you have thing against surf green now? Or maybe Silver Sparkle?
I appreciate your comments & jokes too... to a point... and its things like this that make me wonder ...borderline ...

But it's all good fun.

Surfadelphia wrote:

I really enjoyed following this thread as you completed your mods.
Looks like you ended up with the perfect break angle of the strings over the bridge. We always talk about the more common problems associated with too shallow a break angle, but too high brings its own a set of problems.
Now I have an even worse case of Jag GAS.**

Hey Thanks Surfadelphia!
Was it you that gave me the original tail stop dimension of a standard Jag?
This one has the tail moved forward but only 20mm (about 3/4")
This is enough to make a difference tho. These 10-46 strings are firmly seated on the bridge, no slipping.

I did some more tone testing and still have the conclusion that the rhythm circuit is too dark. So I ordered a full compliment of the exact 3 capacitors that are specified for the 62' Jaguar. 2 are on tone pots and the other on the strangle switch.

2 caps I used were as factory issued for the HH setup and I do think there will be a slight difference for the single coils.
For the rhythm circuit, I had used an unrecognizable cap, so that's the most I expect to change.
It all sounds pretty twangy awesome now tho, and its a completely different experience than the HH setup.

edwardsand wrote:

To a great extent, the dark tone of the rhythm circuit is down to the low value (50k) of the tone pot and not necessarily the cap value used. If you want it a bit brighter, you'd probably have more luck changing that to a 100k or 250k pot. On the other hand, I like how big of a difference there is in that circuit versus the normal one - it works for gnarly distorted bluesy sounds (like Jon Spencer for example). And that's one of the things I love about Jaguars - you can go from that bright, cutting sound of the bridge pickup to the dark, wooly sound of the neck pickup in the rhythm circuit.

Definitely. A 50K tone pot would definitely cut some highs.

The artist formerly known as: Synchro

When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar.

FINALLY Finished Up!
I got the new capacitors in, was a Fender package of all 3 required, 2 tones and the Strangle.
I meter tested everything.
Turns out the Main circuit was spot on as I had assembled, and no changes were required.
However, the Rhythm circuit was the problem area. The problematic unknown capacitor I had used measured off but was also not stable.
Swapped out for the new Fender spec.
Once assembled and tested audio I hear good tone sweep, but the Rhythm tone pot was seriously scratchy and cutting in and out at the low end.
I may have mentioned that the effort to shield the guitar cavities is great but that it may cause unwanted grounding to occur.
My bad, as the wire packing of the Rhythm circuit was getting grounded out!Doh!!
After next assembly and bench sound check using the Positive Grid mini amp (really cool sound) the Rhythm circuit operated perfectly with tone range from high to low even at very low volume!
And I do confirm that the high tone on Main is much higher,than the highest setting on Rhythm.
And the lowest setting on Rhythm is lower than the lowest on Main.
I will attribute this difference directly to the 56k resistor in the Main circuit.
What an awesome design!

Last edited: Nov 18, 2022 18:18:22

synchro wrote:

I would think that 56k resistor probably explains a lot about the sound of the Jaguar. I had always wondered why the rhythm circuit on my ‘66 RI was so much darker, now I know. Congrats on solving that problem.**

Yes Synchro!
The volume and tone potentiometers are 1Meg and that's the highest you see for any single coil use. But they are original to Fender spec for the Jaguar. So the use of the Rhythm circuit without any added resistance makes it darker by default.
The Main circuit gets knocked down by use of the 56k resistor and is decidedly much brighter.
The Strangle switch is another unique gem where the use of a capacitor gets introduced to the Main circuit and cuts out some highs. When not engaged it actually allows a darker tone through, then by its use knocking down lows and in turn brightens up. It is very slight but with more volume and pick attack is much more noticeable.

I am just glad I stuck to the 62' wiring correct and it does sound amazing with so many ranges of tone possible.

I got to post a sound bite check soon!