Can series wiring mod effect overall JM/Jag tone?

[sciuri]

Thank you for the images and detailed instructions! I was finally getting around to doing a series mod for my (second) new MIJ Traditional 60s Jaguar, and initially I thought the pickup coil negatives weren't actually connected to the claw, even though there are soldering spots there.



On closer inspection, the wire connecting the pickup coil negative to the claw is just extremely thin --- thin enough for me to accidentally break it when removing the foam that is held on by double-sided tape.

broken one:


intact one:


I can imagine this could break on its own eventually and potentially introduce more hum... Just an FYI in case someone notices their stock MIJ Jaguar suddenly being noisier!

[Iffymiffy]

Just an update - thought I would take a swing at it myself so over the last few days I ordered parts to do a Series switch mod with a Cobain Plate, 3-way toggle and a DPDT switch for the series.

But before attempting to mess up a perfectly good pair of pickups and wiring with my sub-par soldering skills, I thought I should just start simple and see if the 3-way switch works.

Which it did. Then it didn’t …. Then it did again …. This whole pattern repeated for the past 48 hours and I soldered and unsoldered pretty much every joint on the lead circuit and volume/tone plate.

Finally, I found the culprit was the ground on the Cobain plate shorting out on the body cavity’s shield when I screwed it down firmly.

After wasting an entire weekend on what I thought would be a 30 minute - 1 hour job max, I honestly don’t want to open up a jag again unless i absolutely need to

Can anybody tell me how much I am missing by not going ahead with the Series switch with Pure Vintage 65s?

I have several decent dirt pedals, does series really do anything unique sound-wise compared to a boost or light/mid-gain pedal?

[MayTheFuzzBeWithYou]

[…]

After wasting an entire weekend on what I thought would be a 30 minute - 1 hour job max, I honestly don’t want to open up a jag again unless i absolutely need to

Can anybody tell me how much I am missing by not going ahead with the Series switch with Pure Vintage 65s?

I have several decent dirt pedals, does series really do anything unique sound-wise compared to a boost or light/mid-gain pedal?

Haha. I feel you. I had a very similar experience this weekend. I was changing Pickguards and while I was on it - also pickups…I wanted to install the series mod using the 4 way Tele plate…facing my end-boss… I had everything ready soldered only to find out that the switch was too big for the Squier Jag‘s cavity… bummer.

I just assumed it would be big enough…So I used the sliders I had on the other Jag I took the pickups from. That’s the easiest way to install this mod if you ask me.

Next I wanted to install the Firebirds with the 4 way switch… but it was getting late - and maybe I got tired/couldn‘t concentrate any more… when I was finished - something was weird - I could tune the guitar - but only when touching the pickups - but they wouldn‘t make much sound at all… so I decided to take that 4way switch out again and probably will put it up for sale soon… (turns out I broke several cables at their solder-point due to the limited space underneath the switch…and maybe from using a tad too short cables or pulled too hard when opening up. Anyhow - broken cables have been the issue) - but my patience had come to an end… so I went for the Surf90s and their already wired switches (that were left from the Squier) - that will be really easy… it must be! So I installed them - only to find out the neck pickup wouldn‘t work… another broken cable - but in my defense those GFS cables are very flimsy.
Also: easy to spot and easy to fix.

I like it now. The Firebirds didn‘t match my aesthetic requirements anyhow. I thought it was the PAF size I was bored of but it was their look… the Surd 90s match the aesthetics way better.

As you said I also always think… ah, easy job… 20min max… okay maybe an hour… only to spend the whole evening. Again. And this time I even got a headache from the fumes I think.

Sorry for the de-rail, back on topic.
Regarding your question: if you really want to try it - I‘d suggest asking a tech for help. Doesn‘t even need to be a luthier… just someone skilled in soldering and reading wiring diagrams. OR: try again with the three on off switches. This should give you the extra room you need.

I personally tried it because I was curious. It‘s nice, it‘s fat…maybe even good to have… but not a must in any way. Tonally it’s getting a bit too dark for me (but I’d need to find a Johnny Marr plate to install those two individual strangle switches first…) but I honestly dig the parallel sound more.
A booster will do fine.
But there are surely some who think differently about it.

[Iffymiffy]

As you said I also always think… ah, easy job… 20min max… okay maybe an hour… only to spend the whole evening. Again. And this time I even got a headache from the fumes I think.

Sorry for the de-rail, back on topic.

I personally tried it because I was curious. It‘s nice, it‘s fat…maybe even good to have… but not a must in any way. Tonally it’s getting a bit too dark for me (but I’d need to find a Johnny Marr plate to install those two individual strangle switches first…) but I honestly dig the parallel sound more.
A booster will do fine.
But there are surely some who think differently about it.

Not a derail at all, reading the whole experience is therapeutic, as in - at least its not just me! Probably end up going back in again after a few days and wondering why I did

I am liking the Cobain 3-way toggle with strangle slide switch more than i thought I would. I always wanted a Marr tele style switch but the routing put me off.

I am wondering if there is a simple way to make the whole rhythm section into a “series” circuit that has a strangle switch pre - applied and “full” (1meg vol + 1meg tone pots) independent controls.

The idea being that there is the normal sounds on lead circuit, then a “preset” heavy sound when flipped over

Right now on all my JMs and Jags the rhythm circuit are just “Fuzz” switches to me as the only time I really have use for it Is when I use Fuzz, so something could be a worthwhile experiment

[timtam]

Fitting a Marr-style 4-way switch just requires you file a little bit off the top edge of each end of the standard jag pickup switch cavity with a round file. It's not that much, because it can't go as far as to disturb the existing screw holes that the Marr plate uses.

[MayTheFuzzBeWithYou]

Fitting a Marr-style 4-way switch just requires you file a little bit off the top edge of each end of the standard jag pickup switch cavity with a round file. It's not that much, because it can't go as far as to disturb the existing screw holes that the Marr plate uses.

I know it's not much - but it would have to go almost all the way down... at least my switch seemingly has the longest screws ever... (which could be changed or cut of course).

As you said I also always think… ah, easy job… 20min max… okay maybe an hour… only to spend the whole evening. Again. And this time I even got a headache from the fumes I think.

Sorry for the de-rail, back on topic.

I personally tried it because I was curious. It‘s nice, it‘s fat…maybe even good to have… but not a must in any way. Tonally it’s getting a bit too dark for me (but I’d need to find a Johnny Marr plate to install those two individual strangle switches first…) but I honestly dig the parallel sound more.
A booster will do fine.
But there are surely some who think differently about it.

Not a derail at all, reading the whole experience is therapeutic, as in - at least its not just me! Probably end up going back in again after a few days and wondering why I did

I am liking the Cobain 3-way toggle with strangle slide switch more than i thought I would. I always wanted a Marr tele style switch but the routing put me off.

I am wondering if there is a simple way to make the whole rhythm section into a “series” circuit that has a strangle switch pre - applied and “full” (1meg vol + 1meg tone pots) independent controls.

The idea being that there is the normal sounds on lead circuit, then a “preset” heavy sound when flipped over

Right now on all my JMs and Jags the rhythm circuit are just “Fuzz” switches to me as the only time I really have use for it Is when I use Fuzz, so something could be a worthwhile experiment

I'm happy to give you comfort this way!

Series circuit with an always on strangle switch? I guess this would be possible. But making it switchable surely would be good too. - or maybe crocodile clipping the cap to it and see how (and which value) you like it better.

Here is something close: Bass wiring Series with individual volume knobs - all passive - so should be adaptable for guitar use.

At one point I moved all the internal dip-switches of the "Boost" side of my DBA Super Fuzz War - so that it sounds like the strangle - which I used a lot on our first album in combination with a Tone Bender afterwards - especially because it was hard to switch between strangle with bridge to no strangle with neck live - with a toggle in the upper plate and the strangle in the lower... and that all in time - when also having to do backing vocals... (Also Fender's "Bright" switches in combination with that Tone Bender were pure Italo-Western Gold... but that's another story.)

[Iffymiffy]

Fitting a Marr-style 4-way switch just requires you file a little bit off the top edge of each end of the standard jag pickup switch cavity with a round file. It's not that much, because it can't go as far as to disturb the existing screw holes that the Marr plate uses.

I assumed the problem would be depth, will keep that in mind thanks! Might just put the Marr plate in the cart in my next Eyguitar order.

[Iffymiffy]

I'm happy to give you comfort this way!

Series circuit with an always on strangle switch? I guess this would be possible. But making it switchable surely would be good too. - or maybe crocodile clipping the cap to it and see how (and which value) you like it better.

Was thinking of having it always on since then I wouldn’t need to to add another switch or further complicate the wiring, since I read that many Marrguar users leave the Series only strangle switch on all the time anyway.

Am probably over thinking stuff, as I keep telling myself pedals that I already own and use are the most versatile, logical and simple method for an additional thicker sound.

But its like a “strangle” switch has been flicked on my brain and I can’t sleep peacefully at night knowing there are “easy” mods that I am missing out on

[timtam]

Fitting a Marr-style 4-way switch just requires you file a little bit off the top edge of each end of the standard jag pickup switch cavity with a round file. It's not that much, because it can't go as far as to disturb the existing screw holes that the Marr plate uses.

I assumed the problem would be depth, will keep that in mind thanks! Might just put the Marr plate in the cart in my next Eyguitar order.

The standard jag cavity depth should be OK. You may have to bend some of the terminals on the switch a bit to give it some more clearance.

[Iffymiffy]

The standard jag cavity depth should be OK. You may have to bend some of the terminals on the switch a bit to give it some more clearance.

Thanks for the info! Will most probably be trying it out, might even consider the Marr double series switch plate since eyguitar sells a copy of that too