Jaguar Feedback/Squeal

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Tom P.
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Jaguar Feedback/Squeal

Post by Tom P. » Sat Oct 18, 2014 10:11 am

Hey guys!
So I recently posted on here that I got my first Offset guitar, a CIJ CAR Fender Jaguar. I went to a friends house and was playing it on his Fender Evil Twin. I threw on some distortion and was just messing around (guitar sounded awesome), but then I noticed a lot of high pitched feedback when I wasn't playing. I tried every I could in the moment, but I couldn't find the problem. Does anyone know what this could be?

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caliban
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Re: Jaguar Feedback/Squeal

Post by caliban » Sat Oct 18, 2014 12:48 pm

Tom P. wrote:Hey guys!
So I recently posted on here that I got my first Offset guitar, a CIJ CAR Fender Jaguar. I went to a friends house and was playing it on his Fender Evil Twin. I threw on some distortion and was just messing around (guitar sounded awesome), but then I noticed a lot of high pitched feedback when I wasn't playing. I tried every I could in the moment, but I couldn't find the problem. Does anyone know what this could be?
Did you use a whole lot of gain? Some feedback is normal for Jaguars, and the Japanese pickups are not wax potted (I think), which makes that worse.

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Larry Mal
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Re: Jaguar Feedback/Squeal

Post by Larry Mal » Sat Oct 18, 2014 1:18 pm

I'd probably just get some new pickups that are wax potted, as you've heard. The pickups are the weakness on a CIJ anyway, and the wax potting should help with the squeal.

It's also possible that you don't have brass shielding in there, which is also a method to make the Jaguar a quiet guitar (and it absolutely can be).
Back in those days, everyone knew that if you were talking about Destiny's Child, you were talking about Beyonce, LaTavia, LeToya, and Larry.

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DECIBILL
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Re: Jaguar Feedback/Squeal

Post by DECIBILL » Sat Oct 18, 2014 6:48 pm

Larry Mal wrote:I'd probably just get some new pickups that are wax potted, as you've heard. The pickups are the weakness on a CIJ anyway, and the wax potting should help with the squeal.

It's also possible that you don't have brass shielding in there, which is also a method to make the Jaguar a quiet guitar (and it absolutely can be).

Yeah, check them guts and make sure it's all shielded inside.

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GhostSerbia
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Re: Jaguar Feedback/Squeal

Post by GhostSerbia » Sun Dec 21, 2014 12:08 pm

I got USA fender Jag with same issues.

I did double wax them (pickups + claws) and it didn't make any difference, so it has nothing to do with waxing, but the construction of the pickups itself.

Now I'm proceeding to remove the claws...

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tylerforyou
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Re: Jaguar Feedback/Squeal

Post by tylerforyou » Sun Dec 21, 2014 1:40 pm

Be sure to try it through another amp before you rip your guitar apart. They don't call it an evil twin for nothing.

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Re: Jaguar Feedback/Squeal

Post by adamrobertt » Sun Dec 21, 2014 7:18 pm

Could be the claws vibrating against the pickup itself. I had this problem with a Jag I had. Removing the claws fixed it, but I've also heard that it's possible to solder the claws to the pickups to minimize vibrations. Haven't tried it myself though.

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Re: Jaguar Feedback/Squeal

Post by BatDog » Sun Dec 21, 2014 11:28 pm

If all else fails...try squeezing the claws tighter so they dont vibrate/move.
I tried it first but it didnt help, so I removed the claws and the feedback was gone!
It feels bad to declaw the kitty but it works for now as im planing to put in other pups anyway...

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Mad-Mike
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Re: Jaguar Feedback/Squeal

Post by Mad-Mike » Mon Dec 22, 2014 12:01 pm

Here's a werid one, I've found on some Jaguar pickups with claws, the claws can actually produce a "microphonic" note low enough to be useable in a musical situation. My Bass VI and my Jaguar-ized Cool-Railed CIJ are like that - we did a cover of "Into the Light" in Zombie Jihad - part of that feedback we got at the start is actually microphic high "D" note in a useable state oddly enough What luck!.

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GhostSerbia
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Re: Jaguar Feedback/Squeal

Post by GhostSerbia » Wed Dec 24, 2014 2:36 am

This kind of squeal is not controllable

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tg-OKK6TdZY" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;



I removed the claws from my pickups, and microphony is not present when I use the upper electronics, I can push gain and volume again to some loud levels. Anyhow, microphony and hum are still present on bottom electronics, until you turn on both pickups.

Since upper tone pot is 50k and volume is 1m , and bottom electronics are 1m tone and 1m volume, I'll try to replace bottom electronics' 1m tone pot with 250k, which is default for strats I guess.

Anyhow, this instrument was useless even on smaller gigs, and now it can do something :)

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straightblues
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Re: Jaguar Feedback/Squeal

Post by straightblues » Wed Dec 24, 2014 9:45 am

I play a lot of hollow body. When you play hollow body guitar you learn quickly how to position yourself in relationship to your amp. You stand at a 45 degree angle from the front of your amp and you don't point the guitar at the amp. If you do you get feedback. Work on your positioning. The guy in the video is doing everything wrong if you want to prevent it from happening.

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Re: Jaguar Feedback/Squeal

Post by schroeder » Wed Dec 24, 2014 5:11 pm

I have a MIJ Jaguar, and I get the same issue-it is not too ridiculous, but high gain situations are definitely susceptible. There appears to be signs of wax potting. After poking around with everything I could think of, I figure the claw vibrating against the pickguard is the culprit. To get that microphonic feedback, it needs to be a magnetic conductor of some sort. The cover against the claw can cause problems, but it is not the cover-it's the claw that's at fault. Positioning is very helpful though.

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GhostSerbia
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Re: Jaguar Feedback/Squeal

Post by GhostSerbia » Wed Dec 24, 2014 9:43 pm

straightblues wrote:I play a lot of hollow body. When you play hollow body guitar you learn quickly how to position yourself in relationship to your amp. You stand at a 45 degree angle from the front of your amp and you don't point the guitar at the amp. If you do you get feedback. Work on your positioning. The guy in the video is doing everything wrong if you want to prevent it from happening.
Dude, I tried to play this guitar like ~12 feet from some Line6 SS ~80w amp (i guess it was spider jam or sth) on a gig, and it happened to me, even tho I was at a 45 degree angle from the front of that amp. The only solution that i had is to put gain on my pedal on like 5-10% and volume on like 30%, and I have a HT Blackstar valve overdrive, which is not some MXR gain loaded metal shit.

Anyhow, I removed the claws, and microphony is sane now, and it can be controlled, even with shitloads of gain. The only problem, as I mentioned it before, is when you use only one pickup on bottom electronics circuit. Then you can hear a lot of humming, and it can squeal from time to time, but it's way more controllable than it was before.

Also, changing the pots from 1m to 500k or 250k could help to solve the humming and to cut the highs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d87hNDon4aU" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

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Re: Jaguar Feedback/Squeal

Post by marcello252 » Tue Jan 06, 2015 2:07 am

GhostSerbia wrote:I got USA fender Jag with same issues.

I did double wax them (pickups + claws) and it didn't make any difference, so it has nothing to do with waxing, but the construction of the pickups itself.

Now I'm proceeding to remove the claws...

very strange, I had a hell of a feedback problem on my VM jaguar and with a wax bath (pickup + claws together) it completely disappeared, even at high studio volume level with tons of gain in front of the cab

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Re: Jaguar Feedback/Squeal

Post by electric12 » Wed Jan 07, 2015 1:08 am

I had a Japanese Jaguar (a 1996, also CAR funnily enough) and I could not get rid of the squeal with the stock pickups.There was absolutely no way that I could use high gain with the guitar; as soon as the note played decayed slightly, the guitar would squeal uncontrollably, with claws, without claws, with cover, without cover etc. It was fully brass-shielded, by the way. I ended up getting rid of the guitar as I actually preferred the feel of my VM Squier, although it also squealed.
I have replaced the pickups in the Squier with Duncan Antiquities and it sounds much, much better, however I still get a little squeal from the bridge pickupas the note decays.

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