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So...

I am going to convert my AVRI back to singles

I am thinking SJAG 3 Quarter pounders most likely without covers or claws.

But I thought I would ask about to see if anyone else has any suggestions.

I did look at AVRI pups but I dont think they will handle the amounts of gain I am looking to throw at them.

Lower-output pickups should be able to handle a touch more pedal/amp gain before the sound becomes an unintelligible mess than peaky overwound stuff (though this depends greatly on the pedals and amps obviously), but if you're going specifically for high gain w/singles out the gate the quarter pounders are a great choice, a bigger and fatter sound.

meltedbuzzbox wrote: but I dont think they will handle the amounts of gain I am looking to throw at them.

You realised this was nonsense as you were typing it, didn't you?

Duncan Designed SJAG-101s

The singles from the Classic Player Jags were often described as Jag-with-balls. I swapped an AVRI into my MIJ Jag and could barely tell the difference. There's always the red or silver Lace Sensor option, too.

MatthewK wrote:I swapped an AVRI into my MIJ Jag and could barely tell the difference.

I agree with this, but only for the neck pickup. The bridge on my CIJ sounded terrible.

Actually I swapped the bridge pickup - I really like the neck pickup on the MIJs. However it's possible the AVRI pickup was a neck one, in which case it might have been underwound for the bridge and hence a bit weak.

timhulio wrote:

meltedbuzzbox wrote: but I dont think they will handle the amounts of gain I am looking to throw at them.

You realised this was nonsense as you were typing it, didn't you?

As I have a CP jag and vintage spec mojo pickups in another jag I can do an A/B comparison. I know the difference between both guitars when ran through my rig.

but cheers for your post buddy, if I need help with picking peanuts out of turds you will be my first port of call.

paul_ wrote:Lower-output pickups should be able to handle a touch more pedal/amp gain before the sound becomes an unintelligible mess than peaky overwound stuff (though this depends greatly on the pedals and amps obviously), but if you're going specifically for high gain w/singles out the gate the quarter pounders are a great choice, a bigger and fatter sound.

If I use my jag with mojos in it (62 spec I think they are off the top of my head) It sounds glorious clean but it doesn't have the meatyness of my CP Jag singles when handling a lot of gain from my amp or pedals. They almost have a tipping point where just wont go beyond and the sound remains very late 70s rock'n'roll if that makes sense? Crunchy but lacking sustain and ring.

I just want the thing to have more balls as it were without the syrupy cleans of a bucker.

DesmondWafers wrote:

MatthewK wrote:I swapped an AVRI into my MIJ Jag and could barely tell the difference.

I agree with this, but only for the neck pickup. The bridge on my CIJ sounded terrible.

And the CIJ neck unit sounds great, never saw a reason to change it as I mostly used it for cleans. The AVRI can handle higher gain without squeaking though, that's probably reason enough to change it for the majority of rock guitarists.

I went 62AVRI on my Jag. Works great. But with that said if I could do it again I'd use Quarter Pounders. The 62s are lower output and work well but a little hotter would be better. Duncan Jags or even Classic Players perhaps would be perfect.

SJAG-3s are a little TOO hot IMO...always felt they just don't fit a Jaguar very well. Pronounced midrange like a P90, but also really bass-heavy, sort of lacking the chime and clarity Jags usually have. The SJAG-2s are nice though. I have AVRIs in my Jag right now, and to me they sound like they were made for that guitar. No issues with high gain at all, using the right setup anyway. It is Chinese-made though (Squier CV body and electronics). Oddly, I've seen people say that AVRI pickups aren't the best match for AVRI guitars

The Creamery do a really good range of Jag pups.
LINK

Dillon wrote:SJAG-3s are a little TOO hot IMO...always felt they just don't fit a Jaguar very well. Pronounced midrange like a P90, but also really bass-heavy, sort of lacking the chime and clarity Jags usually have. The SJAG-2s are nice though. I have AVRIs in my Jag right now, and to me they sound like they were made for that guitar. No issues with high gain at all, using the right setup anyway. It is Chinese-made though (Squier CV body and electronics). Oddly, I've seen people say that AVRI pickups aren't the best match for AVRI guitars

I have entertained the AVRI pups because they can be had cheap, but worried about the all round flexibility. Perhaps I will punt for a set on ebay, I can always shift them on at no loss I guess.

i've found the avri pickups take loads of drive and distortion just fine, though they definitely are a more "mid level" output variety.

meltedbuzzbox wrote:If I use my jag with mojos in it (62 spec I think they are off the top of my head) It sounds glorious clean but it doesn't have the meatyness of my CP Jag singles when handling a lot of gain from my amp or pedals. They almost have a tipping point where just wont go beyond and the sound remains very late 70s rock'n'roll if that makes sense? Crunchy but lacking sustain and ring.

I just want the thing to have more balls as it were without the syrupy cleans of a bucker.

You just need a tune-o-matic bridge on the AV, I'd bet you anything. If you have a large-post import style TOM just try dropping it into the bridge cups on the AV and tuning the strings up, have a little play through your rig... it's shocking how much bigger the difference is changing bridges on a Jag or Jazzmaster compared to changing pickups. If you like that setup you can just shim the neck a bit and the modification is completely reversible (I rocked my CIJ this way in high school but am back to a Mustang bridge now... even when you're just on the JB Jr it still sounds pretty plinky and '60s).

I'll agree with a lot of the others. Quarter Pounders (or Sjag3 or whatever) are too hot. IN my experience they were breaking up my clean amp at totally normal volumes, and turning my fuzz fx into buckets of mud.

I can really only recommend AV or similar "old fashioned" jag pickups if you're using distortion fx pedals, or ever intend to play clean, but hit hard. If you're an amp distortion type, then I have pretty much no experience.

paul_ wrote:

meltedbuzzbox wrote:If I use my jag with mojos in it (62 spec I think they are off the top of my head) It sounds glorious clean but it doesn't have the meatyness of my CP Jag singles when handling a lot of gain from my amp or pedals. They almost have a tipping point where just wont go beyond and the sound remains very late 70s rock'n'roll if that makes sense? Crunchy but lacking sustain and ring.

I just want the thing to have more balls as it were without the syrupy cleans of a bucker.

You just need a tune-o-matic bridge on the AV, I'd bet you anything. If you have a large-post import style TOM just try dropping it into the bridge cups on the AV and tuning the strings up, have a little play through your rig... it's shocking how much bigger the difference is changing bridges on a Jag or Jazzmaster compared to changing pickups. If you like that setup you can just shim the neck a bit and the modification is completely reversible (I rocked my CIJ this way in high school but am back to a Mustang bridge now... even when you're just on the JB Jr it still sounds pretty plinky and '60s).

I cant bring myself to TOM my AVRI. I use a staytrem bridge on it which makes a huge difference to the guitar.
My AVRI has buckers in it in the moment with 1k pots. It makes it brighter and rids it of the muddy bucker sound when clean. but they kind of get in the way when I strum.

I think I am going to punt for the 65 AVRIs. If they suck I will swap them out for something else.

Left field suggestion but Gareth Liddiard of Aus band The Drones gets some pretty outrageous noise out of his Jaguar. It has a bucker in the bridge but a Tele neck pickup in the neck. Not sure which is used for what though.

Sounds more like some kind of hybrid than a Jag . " Teleguar? " I pulled a pic of it .. Pretty cool . That tele pickup looks tiny in that thing ..


I guess the output or " heat " in the pickup depends on what you're using it for . A "Normal" or " Standard" Jag should be putting out in the 8s for both pickups and a metal claws . CPs I think are a little hotter ( at least they sound like they do) .
Mine when RPed can sound nasily . I've played the newer AVRIs and they've sounded a bit hotter but clean . I might have to check the wiring .