Suggest me pups for Squier Jaguar HH

[Straight6DOHC]

Hi, this is my first post and first attempt at modding a guitar. I've a '95 USA Standard Strat that I'll leave alone for now. Until then, if I'm a good boy, Santa's gonna git me a Squier VM Jaguar which has 2 Duncan Designed HB102 humbuckers in it. Now I'm thinking of removing those but really don't have much of a clue what to put in. That said I'm swinging towards TB-4 and SH2. (do I even need a trembucker??)
Can anyone give any advice on this? Or even offer any other suggestions on pups? I play more rhythm because I'm rubbish at solo. I like bands like Loop, Spacemen 3, QOTSA, Led Zep, The Jesus and Mary Chain, MC5 and Stooges to name but a few. More often than not I play with headphones on through an old Boss ME6 but I do have a little Peavey Amp that dates from the early '80s.

 

[PRSfan nym 1985]

Re: Suggest me pups for Squier Jaguar HH

really it depends on what you are looking for

if you want a cool versatile set of pickups the P rails are a wonderful option when paired with a couple of push pulls you can get p90 tones, rail -stratty/teleish- single coil tones, series and parallel humbucker tones -more of a modern tone than a vintage tone but very useable

aside from that the jb/jazz set is one of my favorites if you get the set with the four conductors you can use push pulls to split and get a single coil sound in addition to the standard humbucker tone

I think getting the hb and sc tones would be useful since you have a fender guitar

most of the bands you are after probably use paf style vintage output pickups so perhaps a set of 59's or pearly gates might be worth a look as well.

Really the sky is the limit just really boils down to what you like. I don't currently own any trem guitars but I don't think you have to have a trembucker I think I always just used f spaced bridge hbs in my fat strats (which are pretty much standard anymore)

but probably the best advice I can give you is get the guitar first and try it stock see what you like/dislike about the pickups and maybe even the instrument itself and then choose a set to give you the tone you are after. I find it's best to pair pickups to the guitar and your needs rather than just to upgrade pickups usually I need a reason to switch pickups

 

[icantbuyafender]

Re: Suggest me pups for Squier Jaguar HH

a set of SD '59s always sounds great.

 

[Masta' C]

Re: Suggest me pups for Squier Jaguar HH

Whoah...hold up!

That guitar comes with the HB-102 set. Try those out first!

The HB-102 bridge is the import version of the JB and the HB-102 neck is the import version of the Jazz...the same pickups you are looking at replacing them with! If you don't like the tone of the stock pickups, I can 99% guarantee you won't like the regular JB (i.e.TB-4) or Jazz (i.e. SH-2) tones either!

Also, the Duncan Designed pickups are very well made and many players find there's no reason to change them. Also, many of us hardcore fans of the regular Seymour Duncan products still have guitars with those pickups in them! Don't get caught up in the "have to upgrade" mindset on your new guitar unless they turn out to be the complete opposite of what you want in your sound. Besides, you're currently playing through headphones and a small amp...if you can get along with the HB-102 set, then don't waste money upgrading the pickups until AFTER you upgrade your other gear!

By the way, if you want some awesome amp and stompbox modeling, 32-bit digital effects, the ability to record straight to the PC via USB and a studio quality monitoring port for your headphones to really hear what you're playing, then check out the Peavey Vypyr amps! The TUBE 60 model is a ridiculous value for what you get, works well at bedroom volumes and would do a LOT for your tone. The 75W Vypyr model is full solid-state, but performs equally well and is also an extremely good value for what they go for!

 

[LtKojak]

Re: Suggest me pups for Squier Jaguar HH

My ex-bandmate got one of those and I modded it for him putting a GFS Mean90s set.

He owns about thirty guitars, but that became his go-to #1 guitar.

HTH,

 

[marcello252]

Re: Suggest me pups for Squier Jaguar HH

My ex-bandmate got one of those and I modded it for him putting a GFS Mean90s set.
He owns about thirty guitars, but that became his go-to #1 guitar.

That sounds really, really interesting.

(Could you please ask him if he find issues with the strange bridge they mount on this model? that guitar is cheap and beautiful. thank you)

 

[Straight6DOHC]

Re: Suggest me pups for Squier Jaguar HH

Thanks for the replies guys. I'll have a bash at answering marcello252's question about the bridge. The saddle and bridge heights can be adjusted easily enough. I've not adjusted intonation but it would require lossening the string, loosening the saddle screw and moving the saddle forward or back, tightening the screw, tightening and tuning the string, then repeating again for that one string as necessary....then repeat for all 6 strings. Fortunately, the intonation is perfect on my guitar.
PRS fan and masta' c, your absolutely correct, I need to get used to this guitar the way it is, first. Coming from a sss strat I'm having difficulty with a so much fatter and bassier sound. The effects board is set up for the strat and plugging this double humbucker guitar in and using the same sounds just isn't working on some of the voices.
However, others sound priceless and this seems such a good guitar for the price.
If I could ask PRS fan, or indeed anyone else, I take it I can make these humbuckers switch to single coils and use both together (ss) and use just the bridge or just the neck alone as a single coil? I know the body is routed for as the original Jaguar was, so there is space for plenty of switches.

 

[PRSfan nym 1985]

Re: Suggest me pups for Squier Jaguar HH

I don't know if they have a four conductor hook up cable or not if so then you should be able to wire them up to push pulls to get your different tones, if they are a single conductor hookup than you are stuck with humbucker only

so I suppose if they don't have a four cable hookup and you like em the hot rodded set from SD wouldn't be a bad investment

 

[Masta' C]

Re: Suggest me pups for Squier Jaguar HH

The HB102 pickups both have 4-conductor wiring, including the ones made for Fender, so you should be able to wire them for single coil operation easily. The JB bridge makes for a very good single coil sound, so the HB102 bridge should be decent, as well.

 

[Straight6DOHC]

Re: Suggest me pups for Squier Jaguar HH

I really appreciate your advice guys. Getting quite excited about this. I'm not sure about the push/pull knobs, only because the Squier has stacked volume and tone pots.
I'm wondering, (remember I know nothing about what is possible with the wiring) if I can install two 3 way switches. One of the switches would operate the bridge pickup and give, humbucker in position 1, single coil in position 2 and 'off' in position 3. Then the second switch would give the same, but for the neck pickup.
These switches would be down near the lower horn (the original Jaguar has a plate with three 2 way switches.)
Tone controls could be moved to the tone wheels near the top horn - I'm pretty sure these wheels control tone on the original Jaguar.
Does all this seem feasible?

 

[Straight6DOHC]

Re: Suggest me pups for Squier Jaguar HH

This is a revelation! I've now figured these humbuckers out. Probably a bit of a noob discovery this, but, all the sounds on the effects board that were great on the strat had to be changed for this new guitar. Suffice to say, I'm now sounding like Marc Bolan, Slash and Jimmy Page! (Just wish I'd the same technique).
Just to tie up this thread, I reckon I've found wiring diagrams that could sort me out for the single coil option. I'll be sure to ask plenty of other questions in new threads for sure. Many thanks.

 

[Artie]

Re: Suggest me pups for Squier Jaguar HH

That guitar comes with the HB-102 set. Try those out first!

The HB-102 bridge is the import version of the JB and the HB-102 neck is the import version of the Jazz...the same pickups you are looking at replacing them with! If you don't like the tone of the stock pickups, I can 99% guarantee you won't like the regular JB (i.e.TB-4) or Jazz (i.e. SH-2) tones either!

Also, the Duncan Designed pickups are very well made and many players find there's no reason to change them. Also, many of us hardcore fans of the regular Seymour Duncan products still have guitars with those pickups in them! Don't get caught up in the "have to upgrade" mindset on your new guitar unless they turn out to be the complete opposite of what you want in your sound.

Well said. Even if it was five years ago.

I found this thread because I was researching my Squier Vintage Modified Jag HH. I have the Fiesta Red. The Zebra DD JB/Jazz set sound great. I've always had pretty good luck with the Duncan Designed pups. This is a sweet axe.

 

[elelpe]

Re: Suggest me pups for Squier Jaguar HH

Go with humbucker in the bridge and single coil in the neck. I'd say Custom Custom bridge and Phat Cat neck for music style you want to play.

 

[Clint 55]

Re: Suggest me pups for Squier Jaguar HH



Antiquity Surfer Strat and Custom 5
Definitely go HS

 

[Artie]

Re: Suggest me pups for Squier Jaguar HH

^ Sweet! Kinda a Squier 51 vibe.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Suggest me pups for Squier Jaguar HH

The HS setup seems like a great one in this guitar. Get Stratty neck tones and rock out when you need to.