Spit-balling some pickup ideas for new Jag build

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miseria
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Spit-balling some pickup ideas for new Jag build

Post by miseria » Fri Feb 07, 2020 4:38 pm

Howdy folks. First time poster here looking for some offset specific advice for a new build I'm planning.

I'm planning a highish end Jaguar build (Warmoth most likely with Mastery bridge/trem) and want some advice on electronics/pickups.

My goal is to have a lot of chime but be able to get pretty dirty. Think everything from Surf rock to Nirvana.

Option 1. Fralin standard Jaguar neck with a Unbucker in the bridge. If I go this route I'd like to see about splitting the Unbucker and having an option to run it in parallel with the neck for some good lead options. Only question here is I'm not sure what pots to use so I could get the best of both pups.

Option 2: TV Jones Classics or Filtertrons. I haven't played these before but have read they still have gorgeous cleans but can handle the dirt.

I'm also unsure how much the shorter scale will darken the tone.

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Re: Spit-balling some pickup ideas for new Jag build

Post by jvin248 » Fri Feb 07, 2020 6:01 pm

.

I would go with a Strat neck pickup if that's the one you want for Surf? The Jaguar pickups, from memory, are hotter from both more kohm wire windings and the metal shield provides some magnetic field reflection like a Tele baseplate.

You could go with dual single coils and a 4-way switch to get a humbucker option. Then you have a true single coil bridge pickup. But if you are spending all your time on the humbucker with occasional coil splits then go as you plan.

Look at the MIA/MIM HSS Strat 5-way switching diagram for how they handle splitting the humbucker in #2 position. Treat your 3-way switch as the back three positions on the Strat 5-way HSS wiring for N/N-inside coil/Humbucker.

.
Last edited by jvin248 on Sun Feb 09, 2020 5:33 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Spit-balling some pickup ideas for new Jag build

Post by ChrisDesign » Sat Feb 08, 2020 9:45 pm

Option 1. Your second option of TV Jones are inappropriate because they are low output and very clean.

I would love to see jaguar pickups slanted like a mustang. That would give you awesome and unique tone.
"I own a '66 Jaguar. That's the guitar I polish, and baby - I refuse to let anyone touch it when I jump into the crowd." - Kurt Cobain

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Re: Spit-balling some pickup ideas for new Jag build

Post by Horsefeather » Sat Feb 08, 2020 11:54 pm

G&L MFDs. I have experience with only the Strat sized ones and about those I can say they are fantastic. High output across the range so with the appropriate controls (hell, just use their PTB system) you can get whatever you want out of them.

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Re: Spit-balling some pickup ideas for new Jag build

Post by miseria » Sun Feb 09, 2020 4:20 pm

ChrisDesign wrote:
Sat Feb 08, 2020 9:45 pm
Option 1. Your second option of TV Jones are inappropriate because they are low output and very clean.

I would love to see jaguar pickups slanted like a mustang. That would give you awesome and unique tone.
That is a real interesting idea....I could try to widen the pup route a bit and see about a custom pickgaurd.

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Re: Spit-balling some pickup ideas for new Jag build

Post by miseria » Sun Feb 09, 2020 4:22 pm

jvin248 wrote:
Fri Feb 07, 2020 6:01 pm
.

I would go with a Strat neck pickup if that's the one you want for Surf? The Jaguar pickups, from memory, are hotter from both more kohm wire windings and the metal shield provides some magnetic field reflection like a Tele baseplate.

You could go with dual single coils and a 4-way switch to get a humbucker option. Then you have a true single coil bridge pickup. But if you are spending all your time on the humbucker with occasional coil splits then go as you plan.

Look at the MIA/MIM HSS Strat 5-way switching diagram for how they handle splitting the humbucker in #2 position. Treat your 3-way switch as the back three positions on the Strat 5-way HSS wiring for N/N-inside coil/Humbucker.

.
I actually have a Strat set up this way currently. It has 2 trule single coils in the neck/middle with a Pearly Gates in the bridge. Its a pretty awesome guitar. My only real problem with it is I REALLY enjoy playing shorter scale guitars and don't have one :( This build will be primarily for humbuckers but I'd love some sweet single coil chime on occasion. The more I read the more the Fralin Unbucker sounds like a winner. I just worry that they will be too dark in a Jag due to the scale.

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Re: Spit-balling some pickup ideas for new Jag build

Post by Steadyriot. » Mon Feb 10, 2020 2:53 am

I'd consider mini-humbuckers or Filtertrons if you're after some more grind than from single coils.
Both sit between that humbucker and singlecoil sound. Bright but heavy too.

It's nonsense that Filtertrons have too low of an output. Ohmage doesn't mean shit for how pickups can sound. A lot of rock guys flock towards Cabronita's and such and they seem happy as can be. Don't let output deter you from anything. I play (really) heavy music on my Johnny Marr Jaguar with the stock low output pickups and they can hold their own.

Series wiring with single coils could work too but I never got that "humbucker" sound from it, just another cool and useable tone.
"If someone duetted with a Bald Eagle, they could rule the Country charts from here to eternity." ~shadowplay

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Re: Spit-balling some pickup ideas for new Jag build

Post by miseria » Mon Feb 10, 2020 4:59 am

Steadyriot. wrote:
Mon Feb 10, 2020 2:53 am
I'd consider mini-humbuckers or Filtertrons if you're after some more grind than from single coils.
Both sit between that humbucker and singlecoil sound. Bright but heavy too.

It's nonsense that Filtertrons have too low of an output. Ohmage doesn't mean shit for how pickups can sound. A lot of rock guys flock towards Cabronita's and such and they seem happy as can be. Don't let output deter you from anything. I play (really) heavy music on my Johnny Marr Jaguar with the stock low output pickups and they can hold their own.

Series wiring with single coils could work too but I never got that "humbucker" sound from it, just another cool and useable tone.
Filtertrons are definitely something I'm considering. How do the Johnny Marr pickups handle gain? I don't play anything real heavy by today's standards. Would love something that can do a nice 90s grunge/alternative sound.

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Re: Spit-balling some pickup ideas for new Jag build

Post by nnieman » Mon Feb 10, 2020 5:07 am

I have tv jones classic classic plus set in a duo jet that I use for that type of music.
Its fairly thick but still bright and articulate.
Handles drop d well too

https://www.gibson.com/Guitar/MEMQ9N633 ... Drab-Green

Nathan

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Re: Spit-balling some pickup ideas for new Jag build

Post by jvin248 » Mon Feb 10, 2020 5:31 am

Steadyriot. wrote:
Mon Feb 10, 2020 2:53 am
...Series wiring with single coils could work too but I never got that "humbucker" sound from it, just another cool and useable tone.
Often that's because of the 250kohm volume pot put in single pickup guitars. If you put a 500k in a guitar running series single coils you get the classic humbucker mid-heavy tone.

Generic Strat single coils around 6k when in series give a 12k humbucker that is 50% hotter output than a PAF and right in the area of all the classic hot aftermarket humbuckers.

But, if you use 500k to get that sound on the humbucker switch position, you need to turn the tone knob a bit when you flip to single coils so they are not overly bright and 'ice picky'.

Choices just depend if you want to play mostly in humbucker mode or single coil mode and what you need to adjust.

On my Strat I don't want to give up the classic SSS tones but I like having a humbucker option (it's on a blender so I can use just a little to thicken things up a bit too) so I run it with a 250kohm volume.

.

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Re: Spit-balling some pickup ideas for new Jag build

Post by Steadyriot. » Tue Feb 11, 2020 12:46 am

miseria wrote:
Mon Feb 10, 2020 4:59 am
Steadyriot. wrote:
Mon Feb 10, 2020 2:53 am
I'd consider mini-humbuckers or Filtertrons if you're after some more grind than from single coils.
Both sit between that humbucker and singlecoil sound. Bright but heavy too.

It's nonsense that Filtertrons have too low of an output. Ohmage doesn't mean shit for how pickups can sound. A lot of rock guys flock towards Cabronita's and such and they seem happy as can be. Don't let output deter you from anything. I play (really) heavy music on my Johnny Marr Jaguar with the stock low output pickups and they can hold their own.

Series wiring with single coils could work too but I never got that "humbucker" sound from it, just another cool and useable tone.
Filtertrons are definitely something I'm considering. How do the Johnny Marr pickups handle gain? I don't play anything real heavy by today's standards. Would love something that can do a nice 90s grunge/alternative sound.
The JM pickups handle gain really well. They stay really bright and articulate. The saturation that you get from humbuckers isn't there as much but to me that often translates to mud anyway so I don't miss it.
We play in drop C and play heavy indie / pop-punk music (think Taking Back Sunday and Boston Manor). I play Jags and Tele's and the other guitar player plays a stock Mexican Telecaster. Singlecoils will hold their own when used in high-gain situations. You just need to know how to work them!
"If someone duetted with a Bald Eagle, they could rule the Country charts from here to eternity." ~shadowplay

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Re: Spit-balling some pickup ideas for new Jag build

Post by jvin248 » Tue Feb 11, 2020 5:38 am

Steadyriot. wrote:
Tue Feb 11, 2020 12:46 am
...The JM pickups handle gain really well. They stay really bright and articulate. The saturation that you get from humbuckers isn't there as much but to me that often translates to mud anyway ...
JM brightness is from the 1Meg volume pot. If they have a 250k or 500k they get dark and muddy fast.

A humbucker with a 1Meg pot would get a lot better for the playing style you're using.

.

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Re: Spit-balling some pickup ideas for new Jag build

Post by Steadyriot. » Tue Feb 11, 2020 5:46 am

jvin248 wrote:
Tue Feb 11, 2020 5:38 am
Steadyriot. wrote:
Tue Feb 11, 2020 12:46 am
...The JM pickups handle gain really well. They stay really bright and articulate. The saturation that you get from humbuckers isn't there as much but to me that often translates to mud anyway ...

A humbucker with a 1Meg pot would get a lot better for the playing style you're using.

.
It won't. I like my setup.
"If someone duetted with a Bald Eagle, they could rule the Country charts from here to eternity." ~shadowplay

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Re: Spit-balling some pickup ideas for new Jag build

Post by miseria » Tue Feb 11, 2020 9:29 am

Steadyriot. wrote:
Tue Feb 11, 2020 12:46 am
miseria wrote:
Mon Feb 10, 2020 4:59 am
Steadyriot. wrote:
Mon Feb 10, 2020 2:53 am
I'd consider mini-humbuckers or Filtertrons if you're after some more grind than from single coils.
Both sit between that humbucker and singlecoil sound. Bright but heavy too.

It's nonsense that Filtertrons have too low of an output. Ohmage doesn't mean shit for how pickups can sound. A lot of rock guys flock towards Cabronita's and such and they seem happy as can be. Don't let output deter you from anything. I play (really) heavy music on my Johnny Marr Jaguar with the stock low output pickups and they can hold their own.

Series wiring with single coils could work too but I never got that "humbucker" sound from it, just another cool and useable tone.
Filtertrons are definitely something I'm considering. How do the Johnny Marr pickups handle gain? I don't play anything real heavy by today's standards. Would love something that can do a nice 90s grunge/alternative sound.
The JM pickups handle gain really well. They stay really bright and articulate. The saturation that you get from humbuckers isn't there as much but to me that often translates to mud anyway so I don't miss it.
We play in drop C and play heavy indie / pop-punk music (think Taking Back Sunday and Boston Manor). I play Jags and Tele's and the other guitar player plays a stock Mexican Telecaster. Singlecoils will hold their own when used in high-gain situations. You just need to know how to work them!
Damn...how does the Jag handle drop C? Are you using 13s or something for strings? I had issues with my Gibson scale length guitars and tuning that low.

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Re: Spit-balling some pickup ideas for new Jag build

Post by Steadyriot. » Thu Feb 13, 2020 4:09 am

miseria wrote:
Tue Feb 11, 2020 9:29 am
Steadyriot. wrote:
Tue Feb 11, 2020 12:46 am
miseria wrote:
Mon Feb 10, 2020 4:59 am


Filtertrons are definitely something I'm considering. How do the Johnny Marr pickups handle gain? I don't play anything real heavy by today's standards. Would love something that can do a nice 90s grunge/alternative sound.
The JM pickups handle gain really well. They stay really bright and articulate. The saturation that you get from humbuckers isn't there as much but to me that often translates to mud anyway so I don't miss it.
We play in drop C and play heavy indie / pop-punk music (think Taking Back Sunday and Boston Manor). I play Jags and Tele's and the other guitar player plays a stock Mexican Telecaster. Singlecoils will hold their own when used in high-gain situations. You just need to know how to work them!
Damn...how does the Jag handle drop C? Are you using 13s or something for strings? I had issues with my Gibson scale length guitars and tuning that low.
I run 12-60's and try to pick a little softer than my punk-rock years! ;)
"If someone duetted with a Bald Eagle, they could rule the Country charts from here to eternity." ~shadowplay

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