Help with Jaguar

thehappycactus · Post by **thehappycactus** » Tue Dec 29, 2009 5:18 pm

Hey hey, need some help setting up my new jaguar.

Got it a couple months ago, instantly found the string saddles unbearable (although i expect this) and heard a decent and cheap/easy way to solve the problem was to get some mustang saddles. I did this, and can definately recommend the upgrade as a cheap and easy alternative to the stock saddles. However my big E string is STILL slipping out of the saddle groove, pretty much every 15 seconds of playing, which is very annoying cos it also puts the string out 1/2 a step. I've been told by a couple people that filing the saddle to make it deeper will solve the problem, but i'm that lazy/inexperienced with filing metal that i'm looking for an easier solution. I've also bought new strings (12s i think) which i also heard would solve the problem but didn't.

One thing i was thinking is.....since my jaguar is japanese, would the bridge be slightly thinner than an american jaguar bridge? because i'm finding that the saddles are possibly a tiiiiiiiny bit too wide (maybe being american, not sure), and so my fat E string is being tugged slightly out of line towards the other strings, maybe contributing to the problem. I can supply a picture if you guys are confused by what i mean.

Any help/ideas would be greatly appreciated!

Fran · Post by **Fran** » Tue Dec 29, 2009 5:34 pm

Filing the slot even deeper may end up with the string actually resting on the bridge rather than the saddle itself. What tuning do you use? A Mustang saddle with standard tuning should stand up to a lot of abuse before the string slips out.

Another option is to increase the break angle of the string over the bridge. Two ways to do this;
1/ Fit a buzzstop
2/ Higher the bridge which will mean shimming the neck to compensate (if you like low action).

othomas2 · Post by **othomas2** » Tue Dec 29, 2009 5:43 pm

File the grooves... it's a ten min job if that, you would have spent much more time and effort fitting the new saddles. Much more tricky and fiddly.

Thing about filing a groove is if you mess up (which you won't unless you don't keep checking string height) you can just flip the saddle over and its like brand new !!

I placed a washer underneath to shim it up, so it remained at the same overall height to compensate for the deeper groove.

Find your shim first, whatever that may be... and file to that depth using a needle file, literally for about 10 seconds or so.

Best mod I've ever done... & the string has never popped out since.

Post by **dots** » Tue Dec 29, 2009 5:46 pm

what i've found helps with strings jumping is a quick file with the string itself. before you tighten the string, run it up down the groove of the saddle about 15 or 20 times with a little bit of pressure. i do this occasionally anyway to reduce burs in the saddle that can cause premature string breakage. in fact, i would have done this in your place before i went to mustang saddles as the stock units allow for custom string spacing (they're not just multi-grooved to look odd). also consider having a luthier perform a proper setup on the guitar. if you're new to jags, it's no shame to need a pro's help as these are seriously complicated guitars with a big learning curve.

and, you might even want to take a look at how hard your playing. i can get pretty forceful on the strings myself and have been known to even cause a string to jump from a TOM bridge. is your pick too thick? do you break a lot of strings? all questions we have to ask ourselves if the gear isn't holding up to our expectations. there's no "one-size-fits-all" cause or solution here, but there are definitely tried and true methods to get stuff working properly without having to butcher or abandon your guitar.

welcome to shortscale!

laterallateral · Post by **laterallateral** » Tue Dec 29, 2009 6:11 pm

I think pick gauge is extremely relevant here but also the way one generally approaches the string feild itself.
I've noticed that with several players, mostly when riding the low E in downstrokes, the natural angle with which they strike tends to be a sort of flick, slightly up from under the string and outwards. I've seen this in a good number of people who would pop strings pretty much consistently on my former Japanese, Mustang saddled Jaguar. Now I'm as agressive as they come, when it comes to picking and I've never, ever popped a string on that guitar. The only reason I could come up with as to why this was happening to them and not to me is that I tend to push the string in when riding the low E.

I know this does not solve your problem but this Jaguar string pop has been somewhat of a loaded topic around here and I mention this mostly as a proposal as to why this can be a very real issue for some and not, for others.

Thom · Post by **Thom** » Tue Dec 29, 2009 7:09 pm

laterallateral wrote:I think pick gauge is extremely relevant here

Obviously some really good advice already given inthe thread, but I think that this is a really good point. What gauge are you using? I now use these:

and I have not suffered any string slippage since doing so - seem to be pefect for me and my shortscales.

Fran · Post by **Fran** » Tue Dec 29, 2009 7:23 pm

othomas2 wrote:

Not criticizing Owen but that string looks scarily close to the bridge assey.
Out of interest what distance did you gain upon filing.. 0.5 to 1mm?

othomas2 · Post by **othomas2** » Tue Dec 29, 2009 8:46 pm

The screw is fairly close but not close enough to cause a prob, it looks far worse in the pic with the shadowing !!
Not with the guitar so hard to say for sure. But will happily take a pic in the new year ?

The closer you move towards the trem plate with the saddle the higher the screw will lift and wedge that washer. Again, though you could always chop it a little if it we're a prob. It's never interfered with palm muting or anythin'. The groove is approx the thickness of the washer.

thehappycactus · Post by **thehappycactus** » Tue Dec 29, 2009 9:03 pm

well i got most of my advice from this site: http://www.fenderjaguar.net/setup.htm

which has provided me with a fraction of the much needed learning curve. I think i will try filing the saddle, i've kept my set of old saddles and i didn't think of the fact that you get TWO chances with each saddle, and worst case scenario i'll just buy a replacement if i really screw up.

I think its very relevant what laterallateral said because i do find myself lifting the string as i strum, i don't think its a question of power/hard picks because i very very rarely break strings.

What sort of file would i need? Will any old file do?

othomas2 · Post by **othomas2** » Tue Dec 29, 2009 9:22 pm

The one I used looked a little bit like this but lightly curved on both sides, unlike the black blobbed illustration.

I would say use somethin that has fine teeth and can cut a small groove string width. Perhaps the corner of a large file or something would be o.k... I'm not sure. Depends whether you want to buy somethin or use what may be to hand.

You want the incision to be quite precise otherwise your string will keep sliding out of there.

My groove really isn't that deep and it's made the word of difference. Good luck... & let us know how you got on.

thehappycactus · Post by **thehappycactus** » Wed Dec 30, 2009 1:57 pm

yea think i'll have a root around in the garage and see what i can muster up, will defo post my results

stewart · Post by **stewart** » Wed Dec 30, 2009 2:28 pm

from what i gather, japanese mustang saddles aren't particularly great. you might be better tracking down a vintage mustang bridge if nothing else works.

thehappycactus · Post by **thehappycactus** » Thu Dec 31, 2009 12:02 pm

hey hey just filed the saddle, seems to have done the trick. i'm yet to find something to prob underneath the saddle, although the amount of filing i needed to resolve the problem was minimal.

the only thing now is that i have a lot more buzz on my big E, any ideas to reducing this? Think i've got my action how i want it so not overly keen on mucking around with the height of the bridge if possible.

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Thu Dec 31, 2009 12:57 pm

thehappycactus wrote:although the amount of filing i needed to resolve the problem was minimal.

the only thing now is that i have a lot more buzz on my big E, any ideas to reducing this? Think i've got my action how i want it so not overly keen on mucking around with the height of the bridge if possible.

I hear you but then again you've lowered a string by a fractional ammount - how about raising the post pin by a fraction on the low - E side only? Short of that the only options are doing seomthing with the Nut or possibly as a random result of trussrod stuff (Isay random because logically all you could do is raise action for all strings but shit happens yaknow?). Both these options are WAY more hassle than turning the pin by a coupla twists or whatever you need to compensate for the drop.

If that fraction difference makes the other low-end string too high then file 'em the same ammount.

othomas2 · Post by **othomas2** » Thu Dec 31, 2009 10:42 pm

I would just shim that saddle higher by whatever means. I looked through my tool box and discovered a washer so that's what I used. Anything will work by trial and error... even blue tak / business card / etc etc for the time being.