If it was me, I would forego any wiring to the upper bout...I never use the "jazz" circuit...but since it's about you and not me, have fun with whatever your decision is!

Lorne
The Surf Shakers: https://www.facebook.com/TheSurfShakers
Vancouver BC Canada

The pickups came in and I pretty much nailed it from the drawing and measurements I did earlier.
I will have to add 1/4" wood shim, and the 1/2" adjustable foam spring.
I will use a premium 1/4" maple and epoxy set into pocket bottom
The neck pickup needs less.
Waiting for more components.

So another minor mod, I carved out a tool access notch, so you won't have to remove the neck just to adjust truss rod. Still have to remove the pickguard.

Last edited: Nov 03, 2022 19:50:29

Epoxy set maple shims in!
I use quality West System marine grade 2 part epoxy with a mix of microfiber.
The microfiber additive makes the epoxy into a peanut butter consistency and fills in all the voids between the woods.
I have used West System on many guitar projects mostly because I have a supply for other boat building needs.
West System offers the most stability over the widest temperature and wood species of any kind of epoxy.
WEST:Wood Epoxy Saturation Technique

Last edited: Nov 04, 2022 06:38:25

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Tqi makes a point which draws my attention to the Tuneamatic bridge.
I would be mostly happy with it as is. Except I had not fully understood how the dynamics work until now.
The mounting posts are threaded shafts, there is no "rocking pivot point" bearing inside thimble, as designed in original bridge or a Mustang bridge.
The only 'rocking' that is to occur is..the slop of threads bearing in the loose threaded thimble.
This is kind of a serious design flaw IMO for a Tremolo.

Checking measurements it looks like I can replace thimbles and outfit for a modern adjustable Mustang bridge.
$20 and probably worth it.
The Tremolo is mounted further forward with more break angle of strings to bridge. I hope I won't bottom strings out on Mustang bridge back flange.

Last edited: Nov 05, 2022 09:40:18

synchro wrote:

IMHO, speaking as a person that has owned Jaguars with stock bridges, Mustang bridges and the Tune-O-Matic, I’d keep the non-rocking T-O-M, and never look back. Unless you are dive-bombing like Eddie Van Halen, it will serve you well.

Appreciate that feedback!
Question tho,
The TOM bridge does 'rock' but it's as described..a loose screw fit.
When used as pure fixed as on a Les Paul, there is no movement.
But this Jag appears to use 'slop' in the assembly to rock with Tremolo bends.

There may be some movement with strings in the saddles, which is friction.

I hear what you are saying that the Tremolo action range might be fine on the funky TOM.
But it just doesn't seem right.

The way this mod is going I will continue with the components I have , complete the work and plug it in to test out.

Last edited: Nov 05, 2022 17:06:11

IceratzSurf wrote:

synchro wrote:

IMHO, speaking as a person that has owned Jaguars with stock bridges, Mustang bridges and the Tune-O-Matic, I’d keep the non-rocking T-O-M, and never look back. Unless you are dive-bombing like Eddie Van Halen, it will serve you well.

Appreciate that feedback!
Question tho,
The TOM bridge does 'rock' but it's as described..a loose screw fit.
When used as pure fixed as on a Les Paul, there is no movement.
But this Jag appears to use 'slop' in the assembly to rock with Tremolo bends.

There may be some movement with strings in the saddles, which is friction.

I hear what you are saying that the Tremolo action range might be fine on the funky TOM.
But it just doesn't seem right.

The way this mod is going I will continue with the components I have , complete the work and plug it in to test out.

I am mostly a Gretsch and Telecaster player. Gretsch guitars have Bigsby tailpieces, which will dive bomb, if so desired. Gretsch makes a bar bridge called the “Rocking Bar Bridge” and I have never observed that it actually rocks. Maybe if you hit it hard enough to drop the pitch a minor third; then the bridge would actually rock, but I’ve never caught it in the act. There does seem to be a small amount of bend at the bridge posts, but it’s a very small amount, and hardly worth noting.

So, in spite of dreaming of owning one when I was first learning to play, I have only owned 2 Jaguars. One was identical to the one you just bought, and I ended up sending it back. The other was a Japanese made RI of a ‘66, which I sort of retreat having sold. I had put some money into it, replacing the OEM pickups with Seymour Duncans and installing a Mustang bridge.

It was a decent guitar, but the bridge decided to tip during a gig, and I played the last handful of songs with the intonation way out of whack and a wicked buzz on the lower strings. The bridge on Offsets has been a sore point for many players, and may well have been the reason that such guitars were not as successful in the market of the ‘60s, as Fender had hoped.

Speaking only for my own opinions, I think that once you finish the pickup swap, you will have an excellent feature set. The tailpiece placement, the T-O-M bridge, the neck radius and fret size are the feature set I would like.

I would have kept my Modified Jag HH, except that the color just didn’t work for me. That might sound a bit strange, but a Surf Green Jaguar hanging alongside a collection of guitars that are all warm colors, just didn’t fit. It stood out like a hooker wearing fishnet stockings in the middle of a convent. I like Surf Green, and appreciate it, but just not in the context of my collection.

Had I kept it, I probably would have done exactly what you are doing, with regard to the pickups. I replaced it with a Candy Apple Red Thinline Tele, that also matches my Bass VI, perfectly. There's no whammy, but it gets a great Surf sound, and is exceptionally versatile, especially with the four-position switch, which lets me put both pickups in series. Here’s a photo of it, during the “cat scan” which is a major part of the receiving inspection that everything entering my home undergoes.

The artist formerly known as: Synchro

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

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Last edited: Feb 02, 2024 15:41:18