1966 Vintage Jaguar restoration

[MrSparkle]

Sorry if I'm violating some offset protocol with all these postings- they all seem like different issues to me.

Different issues, but same guitar. People are capable of managing three subtopics in one thread, we're clever monkeys.

Is there a similar grounding of the bridge, maybe using a wire to one of the thimbles? I can't tell from the basket of parts.

There isn't a need for it if you have the vibrato grounded, and fun fact - on a lot of modern guitars the *vibrato* isn't grounded. Unless you're daft and put plastic strings on (I continue my crusade against DR Neon, which are still on two of my guitars) then your strings, which are metal wires, provide a ground connection to the bridge from the vibrato; or vice versa. As long as one of your hands is on the strings, tuners, bridge, vibrato, string trees, control plates or jack plug - the guitar is grounded at the rest of them too.

[fendermcfenderface1!]

Duh! Makes total sense, thanks for revealing the obvious, which I missed.

Now I'm looking for a replacement pick guard- I have the original tortoise, but somewhere along the line it was modded, looks like to accommodate hum buckers. So I'm looking for one that will fit a mid 60's original jag. There are so many Fender models- American Vintage 62, American Vintage Reissue, Player, yada yada- so what will mach the mid sixties 10 screw hole pattern? Any favorite source? I've seen a couple with template maps on eBay, they look like a match except for just a couple dimensions- maybe that's shrinkage of the original.

Body is getting painted Fiesta Red nitro as I speak- as for pick guard color, tortoise never really thrilled me- especially with a red body, I like a little contrast. I was thinking maybe black. What's your suggestions?

[alexpigment]

Fiesta red looks good with tortoise imho, especially a faded pink version of fiesta. Mint could work too if it’s the right shade. Black seems a little harsh / out of place for a guitar that’s on the lighter side of red, but to each their own.

Also, just to be clear, the reissues you mentioned all use the same pickguard template. If you decide to come to your senses (kidding!) and go with tort, it’s worth searching for “celluloid Jaguar pickguard”. Usually the listings will show the actual guard and will cost a bit more. With the official Fender ones, you’re going to be in the tortoise shell lottery, and the odds are not good that you get a lively example.

With mint, I generally just search for Fender AVRI and get the official one.

[andy_tchp]

I like black guards but would probably opt for mint on fiesta red.

AVRI mint pickguard and leave it under a strong UV source (ie the sun) for several days so it doesn't retain the fake puke green tones.

An example here - Re: Best Aged White Guards?

[alexpigment]

Just so it's clear to the OP, the stock AVRI mint pickguard will look closer to (actually a bit lighter than) the latter picture. The first photo looks like that mint guard has been around the block a few dozen times. They certainly darken over time, but I don't think I've got an old mint pickguard that's yellowed *that* much yet.

[andy_tchp]

Possibly they sourced material from different suppliers over the years too. My AVRI Jag is an early one (late 90s/early 2000s) IIRC.

'Realistic Relics' got a good shout out on here just the other day; I'd be keen to see their options (sadly lacking photos on their website at the moment) given this is a vintage instrument.

Realistic Relics - Jaguar Parts

Mint Green JM Guards from "Realistic Relics" are killer

[alexpigment]

No doubt that the composition of the pickguards have changed over the years, but I do think they change color to some degree over the years in general, which you can usually tell by taking off the knobs. Yours just looks like a particularly extreme example of that aging. I really just wanted to make sure the OP doesn't think he needs to put the guard in the sun right off the bat, which is how I initially read your post. As for the Realistic Relics recommendation, I too was pretty impressed with what they had to offer when I looked at their website.

[andy_tchp]

The 'back' side was even greener FWIW.

[MrSparkle]

How "worn" is your paint job going to be? Because I'm still a fan of a flat, unaged white with Fiesta.

Call me a heretic. I dare you. I double dare you.

[fendermcfenderface1!]

Thanks all for the input. So much tort love! Ok I'm rethinking black- maybe a mint... or tort... think I'll wait and see how the fiesta comes out.

I'm in NM, the sun here at 7500' is HOT. Don't these tend to shrink over time? Seems like heat might do that too.

I'm getting the drift that particular models of Jag guards isn't an issue, most all would fit? I thought there were screw pattern differences?

[andy_tchp]

I'm in NM, the sun here at 7500' is HOT. Don't these tend to shrink over time? Seems like heat might do that too.

Not an issue with current production plastic pickguards.

The original vintage celluloid nitrate guards are the ones prone to warping/shrinkage as the material is inherently unstable forever.

[fendermcfenderface1!]

Thanks for all the pick guard info.

Thinking now about the Sep66 B neck- bound and blocks- it looks pretty good and straight, some wear on the first few frets on the G,B and E strings, but overall pretty good. With a straight edge I can see the last few frets 13 and above look higher than the ones 12 and below; before I attempt any fret work, I'm wondering should a neck with no strings on it to offer tension be perfectly straight? Or should there be a bit of back bow or concavity to it, to allow for string tension to straighten it out once it gets strung up?

I'm not aware of anyone skilled in fretwork around here that I would trust with this.

Thanks! Again to the brain trust here at the forums- so much experience and sharing!!

[fendermcfenderface1!]

Getting ready to mount pickups soon, '66 original Jag undergoing restoration. Had the neck pup rewound by Fralin, now they both balance right around 6.48 Ohms. Question- how thick should the foam be underneath the pups? I have some from Stewmac that's 5/8" thick, seems way to thick (the original foam was fossilized). Have the screws and springs too.

What's a good starting point for foam thickness?

How high should the top of the pups be above the body, without the pick guard mounted? As a starting point...

Thanks!

[OffYourFace]

5/8" should be good. It compresses easily pretty quickly. You don't need to worry about height until you've got the strings on. Height without pickguard is irrelevant.

Most people do the height by ear. A good starting point would be:

Bridge pickup: Top of Low & High E magnets to Bottom of strings - 4/32" (1/8")
Neck Pickup: Top of Low & High E magnets to bottom of strings - 5/32"

Adjust to taste from there.

[OffYourFace]

I'm not aware of anyone skilled in fretwork around here that I would trust with this.

where are you?