Jaguar special HH (CIJ) vs classic Jaguar

MONGo

I just bought my first Jaguar and really like it (although the stock humbuckers are kinda weak). I have been researching the guitar a bit and can't tell if there are differences (aside from the pickups) between my CIJ Jaguar HH special and regular, single coil Jaguars. From what I can tell the wiring is the same but there have been a few sites that say otherwise, any insight?

This leads to my next question which should really be a whole new topic: I want to put single coils into the HH Jaguar so I am curious if by doing so will I essentially have an authentic/classic jaguar? Any suggestions on PUP's?

Can I put single coils underneath the metallic humbucker plates or should I just get a new, single coil pickguard and start fresh?

HNB

la vasa said:
I just bought my first Jaguar and really like it (although the stock humbuckers are kinda weak). I have been researching the guitar a bit and can't tell if there are differences (aside from the pickups) between my CIJ Jaguar HH special and regular, single coil Jaguars. From what I can tell the wiring is the same but there have been a few sites that say otherwise, any insight?
This leads to my next question which should really be a whole new topic: I want to put single coils into the HH Jaguar so I am curious if by doing so will I essentially have an authentic/classic jaguar? Any suggestions on PUP's?
Can I put single coils underneath the metallic humbucker plates or should I just get a new, single coil pickguard and start fresh?

You could just get a MIJ pickguard with the proper holes for standard Jag pickups. I am not sure what the pots are on the HH. Stock Jags have 1meg pots. The HH might have 500k. Check that if/when you open it up. The HH has a stoptail too instead of a trem right?

spirograph

humbucker-sized P90 single coils? just a thought

HNB

gypsyseven said:
I would go for the classic jaguar singlecoils...

I would too if you want single coils. If you want a Jag with humbuckers, maybe grab the HH Special and put in your own pickups. The ones in there stock are pretty weak so they sound similar to single coils but with no hum. I liked my HH Special a lot, but I missed the trem. (Added a Bigsby and still just didn't seem right to me.) I might actually be getting a CP Jag this week. Will see how it goes.

MONGo

I was thinking the P-90 route as well (I have them in my jazzmaster, love 'em) but wanted to achieve the classic jaguar look...who knows what I'll do. I was actually thinking p-90 in the bridge and JB4 in the neck but we'll see. Is there a single coil sized P90? I have to say, this is my 3rd MIJ/CIJ and I am starting to see why Japanese Fenders have such a good reputation-the finish is perfect on them and the electronics are impeccable (from what I've seen so far). The necks are soo much smoother than MIM's and the yellow finish they have as compared to the clear finish on MIM/USA is, to me, way better. Anyone know if they make black Jags with white pickguards?

HNB, yes, it is a stoptail not a tremolo, which would be cool...am I limited to what pickups I can select if the pots are only 500k? can/should pots be upgraded?

MONGo

I just saw a photo of a black jag with white pickguard; first photo in the gallery. I'll probably order a white pickguard prepped for single coils...

spirograph

la vasa said:
I just saw a photo of a black jag with white pickguard; first photo in the gallery. I'll probably order a white pickguard prepped for single coils...

do it

Marred

HNB said:
You could just get a MIJ pickguard with the proper holes for standard Jag pickups. I am not sure what the pots are on the HH. Stock Jags have 1meg pots. The HH might have 500k. Check that if/when you open it up. The HH has a stoptail too instead of a trem right?

I've just asked this question in another thread, you may be able to clear it up here actually as I'm trying to do the same thing! Would the holes around the bridge still fit, even though the bridges differ on a standard single coil Jag and a humbucking model?

MONGo

I bought a jaguar pickguard prepped for single coils and everything looks like it will line up. I still haven't decided which pups to put in so i haven't taken it apart to confirm but I am confident that the single coil pickguard will work with little to no modifications, I'll give updates as I go...

MONGo

so I've finally gotten around to getting ready to put new PUP's in the Jaguar but realized that standard strat-sized PUP's wont fit into the Jaguar pickguard, they would be too small by about 1/2" or so. My goal is to use the single coil pickguard with stacked Seymour Duncan single coils but now I don't know if I will be able to put anything in the Jaguar pickguard other than a Jaguar pickup, any advice/experience with this issue? do I have to use Jaguar PUPs in the jaguar or is it possible to use a strat/mustang single coil?

brandonwinmill

I have a cp jag hh and i have a similar ?. I want to change the pickups and they have the roller thing that splits the coils and i have always wondered if i could put another humbucker there and it would still be splitable? I think i asked this a few years ago and we couldn't figure it out. Can you only split certain pickups? Is that a wiring issue or a pickup issue? That is more than one question. I hope i don't hijack this thread. I can start a new one with this question if it's interrupting the original question.

spirograph

brandonwinmill said:
I have a cp jag hh and i have a similar ?. I want to change the pickups and they have the roller thing that splits the coils and i have always wondered if i could put another humbucker there and it would still be splitable? I think i asked this a few years ago and we couldn't figure it out. Can you only split certain pickups? Is that a wiring issue or a pickup issue? That is more than one question. I hope i don't hijack this thread. I can start a new one with this question if it's interrupting the original question.

any splittable humbucker should work as far as im aware. if its got four wires (or 3, but with two twisted together sometimes) it should be fine.

remember to get pickups the right width tho!

MONGo

spiro-is it possible to put smaller pickups in a jag (i.e. strat single coils into a jag pickguard)? I was thinking I could modify the pickguard to make them fit but not sure what the ramifications of this might be. Seymour Duncan has limited jag pickups available and none of them are stacked single coils which is what I want to use...

spirograph

la vasa said:
spiro-is it possible to put smaller pickups in a jag (i.e. strat single coils into a jag pickguard)? I was thinking I could modify the pickguard to make them fit but not sure what the ramifications of this might be. Seymour Duncan has limited jag pickups available and none of them are stacked single coils which is what I want to use...

im really not sure. i think strat pickups are too small, but there are mounting rings available for scratchplate-less guitars. whether these would negate replacing the scratchplate, i dont know. thought about mini humbuckers? ps - sorry for late reply!