Jaguar Pickups: Any That Don't Squeal?

[PixMix]

I'm on my second Jaguar, and dealing with the same issue as on the first one I had. My current Fender Road Worn which I totally like otherwise, squeals like crazy at higher volumes and when distortion pedal is engaged. It has the stock AVRI pickups. I have read a dozen of threads with the same topic, and I know abut feedback, microphonic pickups, and the claw of jag pups being the probable suspect in my case.

What I don't know is: do all AVRI Jag pickups do this? Any of you have a Jag with good, typical sounding pickups on it that don't squeal like crazy at higher volumes or distorted? Should I try wax potting them with claws attached before I think about a swap? Any words of wisdom?

[Jaguar018]

Yeah. I've never really had this problem and I have had 5-6 different Jaguars. Admittedly, I don't play with super-high distortion on all the time-- it's more of a once-in-a-while thing for me.

[George L]

My jaguar has av 65 pickups and they never squeal.
i play very loud with fuzz, distortion and many other pedals and I love these pickups
These come wax potted from the factory
Is the guitar new? under warranty
both pickups squeal?

[blackbox]

Hmm...I have an AV65, same pickups as road worn. Also never had this issue.

[PixMix]

They both squeal, but the neck one seems a bit more prone to it. Even when the rhythm circuit is engaged the squeal is on. The guitar was bought used from a major online retailer, but is not not under warranty (sold as used). I never actually use super high distortion, but rather overdrive pedals, often stacked. When two pedals are on (like a Fulltone Fulldrive and Honey Bee, both with gain relatively low) the squeal is really bad.

I'm glad to hear I might be in minority with this issue. I will try wax potting first, and if that doesn't work I might look for a new set, maybe something other than AV65. Thank you gentleman!

[Ursa Minor]

I'd skip wax potting the AVRI pickups and just get a different set. Save yourself the time. Unless you're particularly fond of using a double boiler.

Besides - great opportunity to try new flavors.

I have actually had this problem but that was years ago with a CIJ Jag with its original pickups. Once I put in AVRIs - the only replacement at the time I didn't really have the same issue. Sounds like you have some sever microphony going on. It might actually be the covers vibrating. I've read stories where that was the actual cause of the squealing vs/ the actual coils. Just a thought.

[jimboyogi]

I'd skip wax potting the AVRI pickups and just get a different set. Save yourself the time. Unless you're particularly fond of using a double boiler.

Besides - great opportunity to try new flavors.

I have actually had this problem but that was years ago with a CIJ Jag with its original pickups. Once I put in AVRIs - the only replacement at the time I didn't really have the same issue. Sounds like you have some sever microphony going on. It might actually be the covers vibrating. I've read stories where that was the actual cause of the squealing vs/ the actual coils. Just a thought.

Yeah if you are going to re-pot, make sure you pot the entire pickup with the claws on. I know Lollar pots with claws on to avoid microphony, but I don't know if the AVRI are done like this.

[schroeder]

I'm starting to suspect the pickguard in contact with the claws as source of squeal. Even on well potted pickups.
It's just a theory though...

[PixMix]

I'm starting to suspect the pickguard in contact with the claws as source of squeal. Even on well potted pickups.
It's just a theory though...

Did you have a similar problem?

[schroeder]

I have a MIJ Thinline Jaguar with orig pickups. The neck seems fine, but the bridge squeals. It's hard up against the pickguard. The neck isn't. I keep reading that the Japanese pickups aren't potted, but there is plenty of excess wax underneath the covers, so there are either diff pickups in the ones Fender brought in as a special run, or the no wax thing is not entirely true. Either way, I got a set of AV65's to drop in, and when I do, I will file the pickguard opening a little bigger to avoid contact. I suspect the pickguard because there is a lot of vibration I can feel. It may be worse in a semi-hollow body though.

[PixMix]

Update:

Today I popped the pickguard open, unscrewed the pickups, turned them upside down, and dripped some candle wax on the bottom of the claws, right in the holes. I have a very noticeable improvement. The neck pickup (the problematic one) will still squeal but only with ridiculously high volume and with three overdrive pedals on.

I am convinced that the problem is in the claw. In my neck pickup, the claw was totally wobbly, attached only at one point to the pickup. When I have time I am going to give them a proper dunk in the bees wax and paraffin mix with the claw and covers on. I might also place an order for some Buddha or Rose pickups just to try them since they're not too expensive. However, I really like the way these stock pickups sound.

[Embenny]

Update:

Today I popped the pickguard open, unscrewed the pickups, turned them upside down, and dripped some candle wax on the bottom of the claws, right in the holes. I have a very noticeable improvement. The neck pickup (the problematic one) will still squeal but only with ridiculously high volume and with three overdrive pedals on.

I am convinced that the problem is in the claw. In my neck pickup, the claw was totally wobbly, attached only at one point to the pickup. When I have time I am going to give them a proper dunk in the bees wax and paraffin mix with the claw and covers on. I might also place an order for some Buddha or Rose pickups just to try them since they're not too expensive. However, I really like the way these stock pickups sound.

With jag pickups it's the claws like 99% of the time. Glad you've got things improved. A lot of aftermarket pickups are sold without claws, so those are just as likely to do it unless you pot or otherwise immobilize the claws to keep them from vibrating. For the ones sold with claws, I'm not sure I've ever noticed wax, but it might be just on the inside (that's what I would do, to avoid having wax visible everywhere...

[George L]

I don't believe plastic parts that vibrate can make pickups squeal.
Must be the claw.
When I bought av65 pickups ( fender sells them as pure vintage 65) I replaced the pickup covers and It was obvious that they were wax potted.

[clipman3]

Have AVRI pickups in my roadworn. I play with pretty high amounts of distortion, but I play so loud that mine would sometimes squeal just from the volume. The pickups were already potted, so I didn't redo the whole thing. Just melted some wax onto the bottom of the pickup around the edges to bond the claw to the cover/pickup itself. I then used a hair dryer (conservatively) to melt wax into the crevices between the pickup and the cover, and the pickup and the claw. The problem a lot of the time is that the claw and the pickup vibrate independently. It wasn't too bad, and it works really well now. I feel like I read about it somewhere too, but I can't for the life of me remember where.
Anyway, good luck!

[PixMix]

Have AVRI pickups in my roadworn. I play with pretty high amounts of distortion, but I play so loud that mine would sometimes squeal just from the volume. The pickups were already potted, so I didn't redo the whole thing. Just melted some wax onto the bottom of the pickup around the edges to bond the claw to the cover/pickup itself. I then used a hair dryer (conservatively) to melt wax into the crevices between the pickup and the cover, and the pickup and the claw. The problem a lot of the time is that the claw and the pickup vibrate independently. It wasn't too bad, and it works really well now. I feel like I read about it somewhere too, but I can't for the life of me remember where.
Anyway, good luck!

I appreciate your comment. That's exactly what I did, and it helped a lot. One thing that I also did, and probably shouldn't have, is scarped some excess paraffin from the bottom of the pickup after they cooled of. I just wanted to look nice and clean, but a thicker layer of wax would have provided a bit more support against vibration. Next string change and I am giving the problem area another treatment.