Jaguar set up...again

Fran

I suppose some of you are getting tired of my questions but thanks for the advice up to yet.

I've spent a lot of time (for me) trying to get this guitar up to what i think is a good playable standard, i've read up facts off various websites and despite varying opinions (especially on bridge solutions) i think i'm getting there.

The trem lock is sorted out, the bridge (original) seems to have settled down and the 11's seemed to have helped.

I read up on jaguar.net about the neck needs shimming if it is'nt already so that you can higher the bridge to improve string angle to the trem. Mine is a CIJ model and the bridge is almost flat to the body, i took the neck off and no shim. So i put a small piece of card in the pocket and reset the the bridge etc, the playability seems much better.

Has anyone else needed to put a shim on there necks ?

Opinions appreciated. 😁

matte30is

jagon did

Fran

😕

are they metal washers? 😆

matte30is

I shimmed my 65 mustangs neck. I could not get the right setup...ever. So I put one of those cardboard pieces out of a recess cup package in it. It worked great.

Rick

that setup really needs updating.

in actual fact, nowadays, i advocate shimming for the purpose of raising action higher above the scratch plate only (i hate how low to the pickguard the strings are on a strat). and that any increased angle from the bridge to the tailpiece is negligable. plus, the further out of the threads the assey screws go, the more likely they are to rattle. which is why you should raise the saddles instead of the entire bridge

Fran

Would you say it was out of date on the whole Rick? (its your website, right?) You seem to be the Jag expert round here.

Something i did notice was whilst you gain a better? downward angle from bridge to tailpiece/trem you lose pup height adjustment, ie. the bridge pup is already at its highest point but falls short of the recommended height to string.

It's a 'can of worms' once you start messing IMO, obviously each user has to find their happy medium with the Jag set up. This shows in the different opinions on ideal set up.

Incidently relating to my last thread on this subject i asked two local tech's; "can you set a Fender Jaguar up"?

Tech #1; "i've never done one....but i'll have a go"

Tech #2; "Jaguar?...they're like a strat with a different trem are'nt they"?

It does'nt install confidence does it!

Basically that means they'll fret dress, re-string and tweak the intonation...i can do that myself and save 25 quid.

Anyway, i want to learn to do this myself.

hurbet

see i was right heheh

Rick

jaguars are becoming more popular again. the time was, i went all around manchester looking for either a jaguar, mustang or jag-stang. that was around '99. nobody had even heard of them. it was just like one of those films where something seemingly disapears from existence.

nowadays, you can walk into a shop and expect to find a jazzy or a jaguar, usually. mustangs are a different matter, but we're not talking about that here.

in any case, fran is totally right about the whole guitar tech barely even knowing what a jaguar is. in which case, you probably know more than he does about it. but fran does capitalise several pointers:

1. if you don't use a trem, lock the jag trem by turning the trem adjustment screw all the way round clockwise until it is stiff.

2. use 11's and above

3. shim neck and raise saddles a bit

Rick

Fran the man said: Something i did notice was whilst you gain a better? downward angle from bridge to tailpiece/trem you lose pup height adjustment, ie. the bridge pup is already at its highest point but falls short of the recommended height to string

should be enough springiness in the foams to accomodate those heights.

remember, 2mm + from the bottom of the string to the top of the polepiece, when fretted at the last

Fran

someone said: that was around '99. nobody had even heard of them.

You should have tried finding one around nottinghamshire in '89!!

On the pup height i have 3mm so that's good, the trem i will probably never use only perhaps in a recording situation so i have locked it but i did set it so that the locking button just slides over without pressing the trem arm down and there is no pull up whatsoever by adjusting spring screw then tuning/adjusting spring screw then tuning...

By the way Rick i did'nt realise till today that Fenderjaguar.net was your website, very good, it has been a great help along with jag-stang and the forum users. 😉

johnniespring

Rick said: nowadays, you can walk into a shop and expect to find a jazzy or a jaguar, usually. mustangs are a different matter, but we're not talking about that here.

yeah but they still don't know anything about them.