Jaguar pickups

[Filipe]

Hi! I'm looking to replace the pickups in my CIJ Jaguar and need some advice as I'm new to this.

I play mainly postrock and I actually like the sound of the neck pick up, but I never use the bridge pickup as I think it sounds really bad. Another problem I have is that the jag starts squeeling really loud when I turn overdrive/distortion on, it's not a problem as long as I'm playing, but I can't let chords ring with the distortion on, which is a bit stupid.

Now, there's a guy on a local website selling an SJAG-1 neck pickup and an SJAG-2 bridge pick up for cheap. I figured that would be a good upgrade as I like the sound of the neck pickup on my jaguar and would like the bridgepickup to be more punchy, but it is recommended to use this combination? or will the bridge pick up be much louder? And will this resolve the squeeling problem or are there any other recommended mods to solve this?

I need a quick answer as he's getting impatient
Thanks in advance!

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: Jaguar pickups

You could have the pickups wax potted with the covers on (and then scrape the wax from the outsides of the covers, of course) and see if it helps the feedback.

Then, make extra sure you know how to operate the guitar's controls. They are rather complicated compared to most guitars!

With proper understanding of the controls, perhaps some trial-and-error modifications to caps and pots, and a decent amp, there's no reason you shouldn't be able to fatten up the tone of a pickup that is too trebly. Thinning out a pickup that is too meaty and dark is the hard thing.

In short, I wouldn't look for the answer in replacement pickups just yet. There is a lot you can do for much cheaper, if you are willing to learn a little about how guitar electronics work, and to take the time to experiment.

 

[Filipe]

Re: Jaguar pickups

Thanks! I was thinking about letting my guitar tech wax potting the pickups entirely (with the claws and the cover) anyway, even if I let him install the SJAG-1 and SJAG-2 pickups, as I read that the feedback can be caused because of the space between the pickups and the metal claws.

I do understand the controls of the guitar, but I'm a complete newby when it comes to the technical aspects of pickups.

He's selling them for cheap, so that's not the issue and I don't really trust myself messing around with these kind of things, so I'll let a guitar tech do the work. I just want a good sounding guitar without big feedbacking problems as soon as possible

So my main question is if the combination of a Seymour duncan SJAG-1 in the neck and a SJAG-2 in the bridge would be okay, as the SJAG-2 has more output, or would this be unbalanced and would the volume of the bridge pickup be much louder if I use both pickups together or if I switch from neck pick up to bridge pick up or from the rhythm circuit (only the neck pick up) to the lead circuit with both pickups on?

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Jaguar pickups

The stock CIJ pickups are thin sounding. The SD vintage style replacements are a definite improvement. IMO, the hotter replacement pickups stray out of Jag territory. I chose SD Antiquity pickups (Ant1 neck, Ant2 bridge.) The pickups that I would like best of all would be Five-Two for Jag. Sadly, these would need to be ordered specially.

Regarding the squeaks and creaks, IMO, these are essential ingredients in the sonic identity of the Fender Jaguar.

The single most important improvement that you can make to your vintage-style Jaguar is to replace the bridge saddles. I went the Mustang saddle route. Some people prefer changing the entire bridge asssembly to a Tun-o-Matic type. (The bridge post holes would require filling and redrilling.)

 

[Filipe]

Re: Jaguar pickups

Thanks Funkfingers! I already have a mustang bridge in my jaguar, so that issue is already solved

I don't mind feedback myself and I love to play with it, with my gretsch g5120 I can control it prefectly with the bigsby, but that's the good kind of feedback. The squealing of the jag is microphonic and uncontrollable and it just hurts the ears...

I still don't know if the combination of an SJAG1 in the neck and an SJAG2 in the bridge would be okay though? Main reason I'm thinking of this combination is I have the chance to buy them for cheap and the guy only lives 15 minutes away, so I wouldn't have to order anything or wait. It doesn't have to be perfect 'jag territory', I just want it to sound balanced and good and wonder if the bridge pickup wouldn't dominate the neck pickup as it is hotter and has more output?

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Jaguar pickups

To the best of my recollection, the SD SJAG-1 has some of the true Fender brilliance. The Hot model did not - not even in coil-tapped form.

For what it is worth, the new Fender Johnny Marr signature Jaguar has pickups by Bare Knuckles wound with a slightly darker voicing and a little extra output.

Like I said before, a little more power is nice. Too much and it ceases being a proper Jaguar.