Series/parallel wiring diagram for JM

[MayTheFuzzBeWithYou]

Thanks Shadoweclipse! That would be awesome. I didn't really question them so maybe there was my first mistake.

The third (neck end) switch should be the rhythm circuit switch. while the 3 way toggle is in its original place on the upper horn.

UPDATE: I asked GFS yesterday about the Surf 90 Pickups and they said that due to the KWIK-PLUG they can't be operated in a series/parallel switch.
The Neck Pickup is Reverse Wound to offer that "Humbucking" Sound when in the middle position.
So I'll check your wiring schematic with the stock Jaguar pickups!

[Shadoweclipse13]

The third (neck end) switch should be the rhythm circuit switch. while the 3 way toggle is in its original place on the upper horn.

I knew that. I'm an idiot

UPDATE: I asked GFS yesterday about the Surf 90 Pickups and they said that due to the KWIK-PLUG they can't be operated in a series/parallel switch.
The Neck Pickup is Reverse Wound to offer that "Humbucking" Sound when in the middle position.
So I'll check your wiring schematic with the stock Jaguar pickups!

I've not messed with GFS' Kwik-Plug system, but if it's just a Molex type plug, and the leads are long enough, you could probably just cut the plug off and wire it like any other normal pickup. You'll never to figure out which wire is hot/+ and which is ground/-, but that shouldn't be too bad.

I'll get around to the schematic tomorrow night after I get up. Shouldn't take too long

[Shadoweclipse13]

Here you go!! Wasn't sure if you wanted a standard JM/Jag schematic where the rhythm circuit works for JUST the neck pickup, or a modified one where the rhythm circuit works with both, so I made both.


Here, both pickups work with the rhythm circuit and the lead circuit, so the strangle switch and the series-parallel switch both work in both rhythm and lead circuits. I think for a Jag this would be a LOT of fun.


Here, the rhythm circuit is like a standard Jag/JM, where it only works on the neck pickup. I put the strangle switch on the lead circuit, so the strangle switch won't work for the neck pickup with the rhythm circuit engaged, so you could use the strangle switch like a preset. I'm not positive, but I believe that with this schematic, if you were on the neck position (3-way toggle) and had the rhythm circuit engaged, if you turned the switch to series, it SHOULD still work (not be a dead-spot), but it's possible.

While working on this, I had an idea for modifying the standard JM/Jag schematic (rhythm circuit neck only), with a series-parallel switch, where series could be engaged in the lead circuit, and it would be just the neck pickup (parallel essentially) in the rhythm circuit, but I'm not sure that's possible. That would be REALLY cool to have if it worked (like presets almost). I'm tempted to try to modify it for that reason. That could be really fun.

[MayTheFuzzBeWithYou]

Wow! Thanks a lot Shadow! That is awesome!

Tomorrow's rehearsal I'll play with what I've wired together and then I'll overdue it to unleash the potential of that Jag.
I just stumbled over your collection of wiring diagrams and think I have to get/build myself a few more guitars to realize some of them! :-)

[Shadoweclipse13]

Haha I've thought the same thing. I've designed a few for people where I've thought, "man, this would be cool to have on a guitar". Luckily, being lefty makes it easier. I can't just pick up a cheap guitar and mod it. Haha.

You're welcome!

[MayTheFuzzBeWithYou]

Well - there may not be so many models available... but there are at least some brands you might want to check out if you don't know/have tried them yet: Revelation Guitars should be quite alright from what I've heard (+/- the VM Squiers)... they have some really cool looking offsets including thinlines and a twelve string. also the Thomann house brand Harley Benton recently threw Lefthand Mustang and JM/JAG models on the market - they look good. And could be fun to mod. They also seem to have evolved quite a bit - quality wise...
But yeah...mostly and elsewhere you might just get the Strats, Teles, maybe SGs and Les Paul Type guitars.
But as you say... maybe it's a blessing and a course.

Before rewiring mine I thought about getting myself all the electronics and the chrome plates etc. in triplicate - so that I can wire it all together and put it into and change it whenever I wanted... and then I realized that I could do this with a JM but not with a Jag... at least not with mine...not without some milling and drilling.

so it doesn't help... either I get myself some Squiers or I mod the cheap ones I already have - my first ever electric (Epiphone Les Paul Classic in Ebony) and my most recent buy - a Eastwood Sidejack Deluxe in Sunburst would both be good platforms I think. Also I have to find a new home for the P-Rails that I just exchanged with the Surf 90s.

keep up the good work and thanks again for your help! I do really appreciate!

[MayTheFuzzBeWithYou]

Hey Shadoweclipse!
I finally had the time (and a soldering-station again) to get to rewire everything again.

Also the guys from GFS said (I guess I've already mentioned that) their Pickups already act as a Humbucker in middle position and that their wiring doesn't allow for a series-parallel switching.

And Thomann sold the last PV65 Jag Pickup set before I could order them - (for 99€ this would have been a nice deal)
So I installed my Japanese-Jag Pickups today!

I followed your diagram (the second one) in every detail. From time to time I was a bit confused (I guess first because I'm still bad at reading wiring diagrams, secondly because you painted it - as a leftie - diagram (at least I think you did-did you?) - so some things stand upside down (eg. the strangle is on when it should be off and viceversa - but that's just two screws and a little twist...)

Somehow I still have a problem in the rhythm circuit! The volume and tone-pot don't seem to interact ans I still can't silence it completely when the rhythm switch is engaged.

Also where should I best set my grounding points?
I don't have a Shielding plate as it seems to be common in the US-Models - just painted cavities.
should I ground it to Pots or to screws? Especially the toggle switch?
I have a buzzing when I'm touching either the upper or lower control plate.

After more than 5 hours of trial and error I'll get back to it tomorrow!

Also happy new year and thanks again you for your help!

[Shadoweclipse13]

Happy new year to you as well! Anytime (on the help)!

That's really weird. Electrically speaking, a passive pickup that has two leads, one being positive and one being negative (which every pickup HAS to have), you should be able to do series wiring. I'd almost understand that issue if they were active pickups (something I've personally never messed with). Almost wonder if the GFS people either are jerking you around or just don't know. Ah well...

I don't usually worry about which way a switch is up or which way is down, but I do usually label which way is which, in case anyone has a preference for which is which. Wiring diagrams can definitely get a little difficult sometimes, no worries. One thing I sometimes do (and did A LOT when I was new with wiring): I'd have the completed one next to me so I could read, but then I would draw what I completed on a separate piece of paper, so I could see the circuit as I was completing it.

Have any pictures of your rhythm circuit and what you've got? Sounds like something might be either crossed or wired backwards...

I always shield the whole cavity myself, one for noise, and two for easy grounding. If you have some conductive paint, that works great, otherwise some copper/conductive tape will work fine. The way I do it is, once I've laid down my shielding tape, I put a little solder point between each piece (I somehow always get copper tape that isn't conductive on the sticky part). You want to make sure that everything is grounded, but just make sure that your grounds are one point per grounded item, otherwise you'll have ground-/earth-loop issues. You'll want to have a wire going to all your plates, and your bridge as well. The plates are easy: you can use a wire, or a small piece of copper tape and lay them on the body, but under where the plate is, so the tape/wire makes electrical contact with your shielding tape. As long as you check for continuity as you go, you'll be fine. I'm picky in that I check continuity from every point to every point (shielding tape to one of the pots, ground lug of jack to pot, etc.).

Definitely could use some pictures here!

[MayTheFuzzBeWithYou]

I already thought so! So here are some pictures!
I just had black, yellow and red wire - so everything that I needed to redo has one of these colours.



also the rhythm cavity is the only one without black conductive paint (my guitar tech painted the rest and somehow he left that one out but I don't think for a reason - or is there contuctive paint that's "invisible"? - I had the neck P-Rail controlled in the upper horn and the bridge in the lower horn before - and let him install it back then)



I had a "grounding"-wire from the back of the toggle to the screw below it - but was still buzzing - definitely going to try that wire between plate and body thing (like with the vibrato tailpiece) - and by the way I should get a multimeter! ;-)





GFS mentioned the little box on the back - where the two wires (red and black) turn to three that I should never ever try to desolder - because I would have to rewind the whole pickup! Anyone ignored that advice and tried(did) that with success? otherwise the Surf90s are reeeeaaaallly nice pickups! absolutely sparkly and fat with fuzz! and somehow I seem to get even Sitar-esque sounds of it! :-)

[Shadoweclipse13]

Nothing is jumping out at me as inherently wrong here. I think a multimeter might be the next step, unless someone else sees something I missed. The multimeter I use for electronics stuff is from Sears. I think it was $25 like 10 years ago, but they can't have gone up that much. Only thing I'd say that you should look for is one that gives a continuous beep for continuity. That really comes in handy.

I've been wanting to try the Surf 90's pretty bad. I've heard REALLY good things about those.

[MayTheFuzzBeWithYou]

Thanks for checking, Jason!

Then I'll probably just need to ground them properly!
Yes, they're fun!
I guess they're one of the best pickups you could get for 34,99 (no affilation here - just a happy customer)
And in your case you probably won't even have to pay as much for taxes/custom fees as I did!

I'll defenitely get a multimeter very very soon! Also because there is a Fuzzrite and a Rangemaster DIY kit waiting to be soldered together!

[MayTheFuzzBeWithYou]

Hey there!

I checked my guitar today again - with the amp's volume a bit turned up - and it's even stranger than I first thought:

the two switches are now more or less for pickup on and off switching - but the pickups won't work together - just like they're really cancelling each other out... also my tone knobs seem to do less now. So there must be some kind of mistake I made...

but my doubts also got confirmed again - the Japanese jag pickups are heavily feedbacking! (that's the reason I changed them in the first place) so I won't keep them in there long.

I might find another way to use that middle-switch... either back to the mini toggles and the P-Rails or some other crazy shit with the Surf90s.

Is there any capacitor value I could easily use as a bass-boost (like the opposite of the strangle switch - like a rhythm circuit with no knobs? - or could I just ignore the knobs and wire it with the rhythm-tone-cap I have?)

I also thought about changing the 50k Pot to a 1Meg - and just use it for the neck pickup - or could the 50k be used/wired to a no-load pot? anyone any experiences with something like that?

I might also start with treble bleed mods tonight - both in my Les Paul and my Jaguar. and later in the Eastwood Sidejack. Any thoughts which of the 3 different ways suits which guitar better?

[Shadoweclipse13]

I guess they're one of the best pickups you could get for 34,99 (no affilation here - just a happy customer) And in your case you probably won't even have to pay as much for taxes/custom fees as I did!

That's not bad! I might pick up a set for a semi-hollow body I'm planning on building. It's tough because the way they arranged the pole pieces reminds me of Dynasonics, which I would imagine they don't sound quite like...

I checked my guitar today again - with the amp's volume a bit turned up - and it's even stranger than I first thought:

the two switches are now more or less for pickup on and off switching - but the pickups won't work together - just like they're really cancelling each other out... also my tone knobs seem to do less now. So there must be some kind of mistake I made...

I can't say for sure, but if they're cancelling each other out, it almost sounds like they are out of phase with each other (one pickup has the positive and negative leads reversed from where it should be). Are the pickups RWRP from each from the factory? That would affect the phase too.

but my doubts also got confirmed again - the Japanese jag pickups are heavily feedbacking! (that's the reason I changed them in the first place) so I won't keep them in there long.

That sounds like either a grounding issue, or just the Jag pickups are very microphonic.

Is there any capacitor value I could easily use as a bass-boost (like the opposite of the strangle switch - like a rhythm circuit with no knobs? - or could I just ignore the knobs and wire it with the rhythm-tone-cap I have?)

You won't be able to get a bass boost with passive electronics, but what you're looking for is a basically a standard tone knob (low pass filter). You could definitely do it with a capacitor and no pot (just like a strange switch). It'd almost be like a fixed position tone pot, or a Gibson Varitone. Not sure about exact capacitor value for what you're looking for though. This might work for you (calculator in first two posts):
High/Low Pass Filter Calculators

I also thought about changing the 50k Pot to a 1Meg - and just use it for the neck pickup - or could the 50k be used/wired to a no-load pot? anyone any experiences with something like that?

That I'm not sure about. You're talking about the tone pot in the rhythm circuit?

I might also start with treble bleed mods tonight - both in my Les Paul and my Jaguar. and later in the Eastwood Sidejack. Any thoughts which of the 3 different ways suits which guitar better?

I haven't yet needed a treble bleed on any of my guitars yet, but from what I've heard talking to people, most that I know of have used the "Duncan type":


Here's some more good information on the subject:
Treble Bleed Mods
Treble Bleed Mod Roundup

[MayTheFuzzBeWithYou]

More or less back to what I had two weeks ago... (no series/parallel switch; Surf90s installed; a working lead circuit; new: treble bleed mod - yeah!)

What still doesn't work is my rhythm circuit - especially the knobs! They are buzzing heavily when I touch them with the rhythm-circuit engaged - and they don't really cut the signal not the volume neither the tone... I've cross-checked various jaguar and jazzmaster diagrams - they differ - but the rhythm circuit is always mostly the same... are my pots dead?

[Shadoweclipse13]

The pots could be dead, but I'm not sure. I've never had dead pots. It still sounds like a grounding issue, but the pots should be doing something. I'm rubbish at troubleshooting without the issue in front of me.

Anyone else have any ideas? What about a repair tech/luthier in town, or a friend who's good with electronics?