Project Two - Jaguar build Project

Thomas · Post by **Thomas** » Tue Aug 21, 2012 5:24 pm

After some back and forth discussion with Cooterfinger recently I decided to put together a new Jaguar project based around my spare '67 neck.

My orignal idea was this:

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But due to the rarity and price of proper WRHB and the negative things I've heard about the high profile of a Bigsby on a Jaguar I decided to go for the standard trem unit. It will keep the cost down a bit too.

I wanted as much versatility with this body as possible, especially when it comes to future pickup swapping so I asked if it would be possible to route the pickup cavity like a universal rout but keeping to standard routes rather than just going with a swimming pool rout, this would preserve as much of the wood as possible and keep everything good and snug inside. I also wanted to know if it would be possible to have a couple of plugs made so that they could be easily installed/removed depending on whether I wanted to use standard Jaguar pickups or Humbuckers.

Here is the body getting cut to spec and getting its first routes:

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Here is the universal Pup cavity:

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And here's the plugs installed and the body configured for Jaguar:

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here it is with the guard for standard Jaguar setup:

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And here it is with the way it will most probably be set up initially:

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dren68 · Post by **dren68** » Sun Aug 26, 2012 12:23 am

That's a great idea with the plugs. Much better than a swimming pool route, and still able to switch between single coils and HBs. What are the plugs made out of? It looks like mdf, but I can't really tell.

h8mtv · Post by **h8mtv** » Sun Aug 26, 2012 1:45 am

Looks fantastic. Great progress so far.

cobascis · Post by **cobascis** » Sun Aug 26, 2012 2:09 am

How did you manage a "spare '67 neck" ??

h8mtv · Post by **h8mtv** » Sun Aug 26, 2012 3:09 am

No shit.

othomas2 · Post by **othomas2** » Sun Aug 26, 2012 8:18 am

Your first idea:

Thomas · Post by **Thomas** » Sun Aug 26, 2012 10:43 am

^ who made that one? It looks very blingy with all the chrome so I reckon that with my B+B neck it would look too Liberace.

cobascis wrote:How did you manage a "spare '67 neck" ??

It's currently on my '63 Duo body, but I'm planning on picking up another neck for that at some point. It has been ny current "take it around" guitar but I'm definitely more of a Jaguar guy so I'm building a guitar around that neck. I've always wanted a black Jag and I think it'll look great with the B+B neck.

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dren68 wrote:That's a great idea with the plugs. Much better than a swimming pool route, and still able to switch between single coils and HBs. What are the plugs made out of? It looks like mdf, but I can't really tell.

You'd have to ask Cooterfinger that, the body is currently in transit. I dare say it will be MDF though.

othomas2 · Post by **othomas2** » Sun Aug 26, 2012 11:04 am

Thomas wrote:^ who made that one? It looks very blingy with all the chrome so I reckon that with my B+B neck it would look too Liberace.

theworkoffire made it for someone I believe. Liked it for a long time.

Search Jagblaster on google images, brings up some nice ones.

Perhaps the Kim Gordon is closer to your final idea:

Thomas · Post by **Thomas** » Sun Aug 26, 2012 11:52 am

That's so ugly.... IT'S PERFECT!!! I love guitars like that. Yeah it's gonna be similar to that. I wont be giving it the relic treatment tho. I'm gonna give it a white undercoat then black with little to no clear coat so it should wear quickly and somewhat naturally. I'm pretty bad for accidentally bashing my guitars (on the tube doors and turnstiles for example) so it'll become a relic pretty quickly.

That's one of the main reasons I'm making this, to save my vintage Jag from getting destroyed.

cooter · Post by **cooter** » Mon Aug 27, 2012 1:53 am

dren68 wrote:That's a great idea with the plugs. Much better than a swimming pool route, and still able to switch between single coils and HBs. What are the plugs made out of? It looks like mdf, but I can't really tell.

It's 1/4" tempered hardboard. It's much more durable than mdf. It's the best stuff you can buy for templates.
Unfortunately the 1/4" thick stuff is getting harder to find. I've only got a few scraps left.
I originally tried to use 1/4" poplar but the small size and shape kept chipping on the corners.

dren68 · Post by **dren68** » Mon Aug 27, 2012 3:14 am

cooterfinger wrote:
dren68 wrote:That's a great idea with the plugs. Much better than a swimming pool route, and still able to switch between single coils and HBs. What are the plugs made out of? It looks like mdf, but I can't really tell.
It's 1/4" tempered hardboard. It's much more durable than mdf. It's the best stuff you can buy for templates.
Unfortunately the 1/4" thick stuff is getting harder to find. I've only got a few scraps left.
I originally tried to use 1/4" poplar but the small size and shape kept chipping on the corners.

Good to know. It was kind of hard to tell from the photo, but I was just curious what it was made from. That's a very cool idea. I like it a lot.

Thomas · Post by **Thomas** » Tue Aug 28, 2012 12:47 pm

The body/guards arrived today. Man, it's a thing of beauty in person. I've been working on it already today. More pics to follow soon.

Thomas · Post by **Thomas** » Tue Aug 28, 2012 2:13 pm

No comedy tax on the package either, so that was very cool

Thomas · Post by **Thomas** » Tue Aug 28, 2012 8:02 pm

This is what I'm currently shooting for:

I'm not sure whether to keep the pickup ring or not. I know most people aren't keen on them but there's something I really love about them, especially on a Jaguar. The guard is currently cut to be used without the ring so I'll try that first.

The wiring is going to be mostly as standard but with a humbucker splitter in place of the strangle switch. Plus the on/off switches will be flipped 180Â° so they can't be knocked "off" while playing. Standard tho sensible little mod.

I'm not 100% sure what to do with the upper circuit. I do use that section but not the knobs so I might just rig it so it switches to a set tone rather than bother with the rollers/minipots. I have a kill switch kicking about in the parts box so I could also pop that in there or something else fun. Any suggestions?

othomas2 · Post by **othomas2** » Tue Aug 28, 2012 8:50 pm

I like pickup rings and I like the projected idea.

As long as you can tweak it to your requirements, it'll be all good.

Addam · Post by **Addam** » Wed Aug 29, 2012 7:30 pm

Yeah, pickup rings are cool.
Like it was fucked with by a randomer years ago , a real 'vintage modified' feel.

paul_ · Post by **paul_** » Wed Aug 29, 2012 7:55 pm

I agree with Addam, especially as it's the only way to neatly install humbuckers on a stock Jaguar pickguard... just looks like an old modded Fender like teh Kurdtz or teh Youdth or to a lesser extent teh Rossdaldezeror had.

Fran · Post by **Fran** » Wed Aug 29, 2012 8:47 pm

I used a chrome coloured pup ring on the old Burgundy Mist, it worked out well. I think i eventually painted the single pup cover black to match the humbucker which made things look more uniform.

Addam · Post by **Addam** » Wed Aug 29, 2012 10:03 pm

Oh, the hardboard pickup route/spacer idea is fucking GENIUS!
Whoever thought that up should be feeling pretty smug.
And Cooters body building is beautiful

Thomas · Post by **Thomas** » Wed Aug 29, 2012 11:40 pm

I'm a wee bit smug but it was really Cooterfingers skills that made it happen.

Yeah Fran I was thinking about either getting a cream cover to match the Zebra or snagging a black Jag cover off evilbay. I guess I'll wait to see what it looks like when it's put together.