Strings for Fender Jaguar

G

grungeman55

New member
Hey guys,
so I have a Fender Jag and for the past year or so i've been trying to find the right string gauge. these are what I've used:
Ernie Ball Slinky Top Heavy Bottoms
* Beefy Slinky
* Not even slinky
Cleartone Heavy core 7 string pack

I play in standard tuning, and as you can tell i like the thick gauge strings but nothing feels right.
I like really tense string, i pick really hard and i don't like strings that are too slinky.
The not even slinky strings had the best example they were super tense but the gaguge was too thick and it hurt too much to play, anything else has been to slinky, right now i'm using cleartones and they still aren't tense enough.
any other suggestions?
 
Re: Strings for Fender Jaguar

On my Fender AVRI '62 Jaguar, I play 11-52 gauge strings in Standard tuning. More importantly, perhaps, I set the action medium-high and use a bridge with Mustang-like saddles.

In my opinion, the Jaguar is a design from another era. It gives of its best if set up to play bold, melodic figures and Spaghetti Western effects. Nothing else delivers in quite the same way. Shred is not really its area.
 
Re: Strings for Fender Jaguar

grungeman55 said:
I've tried that gauge, my action is set as low as possible but i don't like the feel
Click to expand...

Precisely. You need to raise it. This will increase the string tension.

The fundamental problem of vintage-style Jaguars is the combination of a short scale length and a shallow break angle from the bridge saddles to the string anchoring point.
 
Re: Strings for Fender Jaguar

Jags are shorter-scaled than many guitars on the market, so it's not uncommon to go with a heavier string. Years ago I used the Skinny Top Heavy Bottom strings on my Strat and loved them, but in my old age I'm happy using 9-42s on my G&L Legacys and 10-46 on my Gibsons.

Couple of things you might try....

You can usually find tension specs on the manufacturers' websites. So...try different brands. I find that Elixir Nanoweb brass strings are higher tension than the D'Addario and Martin Phosphor Bronze strings I use on my acoustic guitars. It's a slight difference, but enough that I have to adjust the truss rod. I quit using the Elixirs; with the higher tension, I often broke them. I wouldn't be surprised if their electric strings were also higher tension. See what DR Blues and Thomastik, et.al., offer.

Definitely try a wound third string. Also, Flat-Wounds generally have higher tension than many round wound sets.

If your dealer has Ernie Ball or D'Addario single strings, try using your favorite set as a reference point, and then buy individual single strings in the gauges you want, to make up your "signature" set.

I find that tension is often a factor of the setup and the guitar itself. The stop tail-piece on a Les Paul can be raised to lower tension (or top-wrapped) and screwed down in the body to increase tension. Fret height and neck profile, play into this as does the amount of neck relief. The vibrato would also need to be set with appropriate springs. I would expect that heavy strings on a flat fingerboard (no relief) with very low action and really FAT neck would have a tighter feel. I would have a great deal of difficulty bending strings on a guitar setup like that.

And do consider that long-term, the use of heavy gauge strings may cause neck problems. Even with a truss-rod, I'm not sure that modern production techniques and the woods available today are up to the task. Jags have pretty thin necks.

Finally, learn to play with a softer touch. I know, I'm a hard hitter too, but my playing really developed when I started using a softer attack. I still use a heavy gauge pick. It will take some time to develop, but in the end it's worth it. It's just better technique.

That's all I can think of. Good luck!

Bill
 
Re: Strings for Fender Jaguar

Boogie Bill said:
Jags are shorter-scaled than many guitars on the market, so it's not uncommon to go with a heavier string. Years ago I used the Skinny Top Heavy Bottom strings on my Strat and loved them, but in my old age I'm happy using 9-42s on my G&L Legacys and 10-46 on my Gibsons.

Couple of things you might try....

You can usually find tension specs on the manufacturers' websites. So...try different brands. I find that Elixir Nanoweb brass strings are higher tension than the D'Addario and Martin Phosphor Bronze strings I use on my acoustic guitars. It's a slight difference, but enough that I have to adjust the truss rod. I quit using the Elixirs; with the higher tension, I often broke them. I wouldn't be surprised if their electric strings were also higher tension. See what DR Blues and Thomastik, et.al., offer.

Definitely try a wound third string. Also, Flat-Wounds generally have higher tension than many round wound sets.

If your dealer has Ernie Ball or D'Addario single strings, try using your favorite set as a reference point, and then buy individual single strings in the gauges you want, to make up your "signature" set.

I find that tension is often a factor of the setup and the guitar itself. The stop tail-piece on a Les Paul can be raised to lower tension (or top-wrapped) and screwed down in the body to increase tension. Fret height and neck profile, play into this as does the amount of neck relief. The vibrato would also need to be set with appropriate springs. I would expect that heavy strings on a flat fingerboard (no relief) with very low action and really FAT neck would have a tighter feel. I would have a great deal of difficulty bending strings on a guitar setup like that.

And do consider that long-term, the use of heavy gauge strings may cause neck problems. Even with a truss-rod, I'm not sure that modern production techniques and the woods available today are up to the task. Jags have pretty thin necks.

Finally, learn to play with a softer touch. I know, I'm a hard hitter too, but my playing really developed when I started using a softer attack. I still use a heavy gauge pick. It will take some time to develop, but in the end it's worth it. It's just better technique.

That's all I can think of. Good luck!

Bill
Click to expand...

I forgot to mention I've had two custom string gauge packs on the guitar!

I've been pplaying for almost 5 years now and this "hard hitting attack" is part of my style, i play a lot of punk/ grunge with the guitar so it seems understandable to me, and I have a soft touch when I try to clean up a section that i'm playing.

I'll check out the strings you recommend.

I think I might try another heavy core set but instead of what I have right now (I think they''re 11's?) maybe i should try 9's? maybe that'll give me more tension, less sway, comfort ability while playing and stuff.
 
Re: Strings for Fender Jaguar

ugh, 9's will definitely not give you more tension, and less sway.

Try a wound third. That or flatwounds are my favourite on a Jag, although you wont be playing much grunge with flatwounds.
 
Re: Strings for Fender Jaguar

Take each string individually and find a thickness you like for each one. You may end up using the same string for the E and A, but if that's what works.....

Raise the action, put a 25.5" scale length neck on it, also.
 
Re: Strings for Fender Jaguar

Kamanda~SD said:
ugh, 9's will definitely not give you more tension, and less sway.

Try a wound third. That or flatwounds are my favourite on a Jag, although you wont be playing much grunge with flatwounds.
Click to expand...

I have a wound third. I have a 7 string pack and I took out the regular G.
 
Re: Strings for Fender Jaguar

I'm really into strings and plectrums. Try a heavier gauge string for tension with thinner plectrum for bass control. Pointed plectrums will add clarity and attack if needed.

Also check out D'Addario NYXL strings. I heard hex-core strings are brighter so that'll help if you're playing heavier strings. Also, Google the tension between different brands. I know for acoustic, Martin strings of the same gauge has more tension. Perhaps electric guitar string brands will vary too.

Btw as Kamanda mentioned, D'Addario makes 6-string sets w/ a wound 3rd. I believe that includes as light as 10 gauge.
 
Re: Strings for Fender Jaguar

DrNewcenstein said:
Raise the action
Click to expand...

This is a good suggestion ... which is why it appeared earlier in this thread.

DrNewcenstein said:
put a 25.5" scale length neck on it.
Click to expand...

This would require alterations to the neck pocket and repositioning of the bridge.

Warmoth offers down-scaling conversion necks and up-scaling baritone conversion necks. I have not yet seen any Jag-to-Strat conversion necks.
 
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