Setup to improve snap/spank

[Talesmusic]

I have a Johnny Marr jaguar that I just cannot fall in love with. It misses snapiness or spankiness acoustically so to say. The pick attack is very round instead of sharp. Maybe this is something I can improve with a good setup? Anybody has some tips? I have a Mastery bridge installed

[JSett]

I've never found Jaguars to have much 'snap' or 'spank'...those are the domain of the Telecaster and Strat really. You could play around with string guage and pickup height to improve things more to your liking but the nature of a Jaguar is kinda spiky in the high end and round in the lows...it's just how they sound.

[Talesmusic]

I forgot to mention that I mean acoustically (edited my original post now). It misses the bright top end. My Jazzmaster does have it. Is this maybe due to the short scale?

[JSett]

I forgot to mention that I mean acoustically (edited my original post now). It misses the bright top end. My Jazzmaster does have it. Is this maybe due to the short scale?

Oh that changes everything.

Yes, it'll sound darker thanks to the physics of the shorter scale. Higher emphasis on the low fundamental of the notes over the upper harmonics.

That's why Mustang basses thump more than a P Bass

[MayTheFuzzBeWithYou]

Doesn‘t the Marr use some rounder sounding Bare Knuckle Pickups (and/or different pots)? Other than that: pickup height? Raise that treble side a bit!

[Embenny]

Yeah, light gauge strings and a Mastery will give as much "snap" as a Jaguar is capable of. Coated or even stainless steel strings, if you really want to push it as far as it'll go.

That's just not what it excels at, though. Like Johnny said, it's part of the physics of short scales. I've played Jags as my main guitars for just about 20 years now, and there were times that I wish they had more of that long scale snap to them. That was later solved by buying some long scale guitars

[tequila_in_teacups]

A different pick material might help too.

[fisonic]

A different pick material might help too.

Yes. A light guage tort style pick might work. Think harder material.
Pick closer to the bridge.

[andy_tchp]

Get rid of the Mastery Bridge.

[Webrocker]

The Marr Jag has a neck pocket that already has an downward angle - what traditionally you would achive with a shim in the pocket. Now with the stock bridge this is a good thing, steeper break angle, more pressure on the bridge etc pp. But the Mastery works best If it can be lowered as far as possible, which on a Marr is not really working out due to the angled neck. I replaced the Mastery with the Staytrem (since it is a 1st gen Marr, the srings with the stock bridge were too close to the fretboard's edges) and for me this works in that special combination way better. I don't know if later models were changed in regard to the neck pocket, but the stock bridge on those don't have the string spacing issue. As for a test you could try and shim the neck, but in reverse, to counter the pokcet's angle and get the Mastery as close to the body as possible and see/hear if that changes the tonal character and response.

[Talesmusic]

That is some useful info. I will try the stock bridge and see If that brings back some snap

[jorri]

Lower action/straighter neck?