Champage Sparkle Jag build

Talk about modding or building your own guitar from scratch.
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mackerelmint
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Re: Champage Sparkle Jag build

Post by mackerelmint » Thu Mar 18, 2021 10:51 pm

ngf. :?
This is an excellent rectangle

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bubba899
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Re: Champage Sparkle Jag build

Post by bubba899 » Fri Mar 19, 2021 12:58 am

I don't think it can ever be overstated enough how good Rexter's work it.

Absolutely incredible.

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JamesSGBrown
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Re: Champage Sparkle Jag build

Post by JamesSGBrown » Mon Mar 22, 2021 7:36 am

Fretting starts this week 8)

Anyone got advice re: cutting decals?

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Wessel.v.l
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Re: Champage Sparkle Jag build

Post by Wessel.v.l » Mon Mar 22, 2021 2:08 pm

Fresh x-acto blade works the best for me when cutting a decal, don't use a slightly dull blade, and scissors also down work. :) well at least Mine came out horrible.
Recording and studio engineer.

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JamesSGBrown
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Re: Champage Sparkle Jag build

Post by JamesSGBrown » Sat May 22, 2021 9:52 pm

We've had a mad amount of work come in as people gear up to playing live again, but it's slowly getting there!!!

Image

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Re: Champage Sparkle Jag build

Post by JamesSGBrown » Sat Jun 19, 2021 1:44 pm

Image

Didn't get to grab any more pics after it'd been wired up, but it is very close to being done... however I'm having some issues:

- trem is sticking. The spring/arm height adjustment screw is making 0 difference (and the screw is definitely threading through the cone fine)- the trem's default position is maxed out right at the top where it seems to 'stick'. I can then force it down but it feels like it's scraping something. This is a brand new part so I'm pretty irritated. I'm sure it's not the body as @rexter has routed it to vintage spec... but I shall investigate next week when I've got more time. this is what's bumming me out most atm.
- nut needs some work as the slots and actual nut itself is too high currently. But that's an easy fix when my boss has time- he basically rushed this through this week to get it out the way so it's not had the love and care i'd have liked just yet
- decal needs applying
- the disgusting amber switch tip needs to go and be replaced with a black one. not even gonna post a pic as it's so gross. bad call on my part.
- i'm putting in a stew mac 0.5 shim. I know pieces of card work, but there's now a visible, albeit small, gap towards the heel where the neck has started to lift over the shim. I want a full-pocket shim to retain contact throughout.

So far... it sounds great. But it isn't playing great yet. However I've not put on the proper staytrem bridge either- just a placeholder mustang with gappy saddles and terrible spacing.

The plates and scratchplate don't all go together perfectly to be honest. There's some gaps and the plate is slightly warped due to compression from the sided, making the bridge pickup sit at a very slight angle. Now, maybe I was getting ahead of myself expecting custom-shop level stuff from a partscaster.

Of all the guitars to put together with aftermarket parts from various sources... maybe a Jag wasn't the best choice :D However, I do have faith this with a little work it'll soon be sweet. Just needs dialing in and I am getting impatient!!! Rather than the insanely high quality Jag I was dreaming of, I guess it's more turning into a (hopefully) loveable, faithful mongrel that's a bit rougher up close that I'd have liked...

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Re: Champage Sparkle Jag build

Post by marqueemoon » Sat Jun 19, 2021 1:49 pm

That is quite a looker.

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Embenny
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Re: Champage Sparkle Jag build

Post by Embenny » Sat Jun 19, 2021 2:06 pm

Oh my goodness, I never saw that this was getting Firebirds.

It's even more gorgeous than I imagined when I saw the regular pickguard on it. Firebirds are my favourite pickups in Jags, they suit them both tonally and visually with all the chrome.
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Re: Champage Sparkle Jag build

Post by smjenkins » Sat Jun 19, 2021 2:47 pm

:? :? :?

I'm sorry to hear that you're having some setup and plate alignment issues, but you will get all that sorted with time. Agree with mbene, the Firebird pickups are well, 🔥🔥🔥

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Re: Champage Sparkle Jag build

Post by JamesSGBrown » Mon Jun 21, 2021 11:59 pm

Right, I've ordered a 0.5 degree StewMac shim!

I'm just gonna gently sand the inside of the trem cavity until all is well- is that advisable?

Nut needs dressing. Right now it's almost as tall as me and sharp on the edges, makes open chords uncomfortable.

QUESTION: As this plate warping will undoubtedly get on my nerves, I'm thinking- fill all the holes for the control plates and scratchplate, then refit and drill the scratchplate and fit the control plates around it. How does that sound?

I was a bit down about this the other day but I know it'll be sweet with time. I've got a Ric 12 string in for work and a bass amp and pedal of mine have died in the last few weeks so I'm just feeling a bit 'urgh'. Haemorrhaging money on half-working shit right now!!!

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Re: Champage Sparkle Jag build

Post by ShortyMedlock » Tue Jun 22, 2021 6:37 pm

Looks very nice... bigger flake would not ave looked that good. Congratulations.

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Re: Champage Sparkle Jag build

Post by JamesSGBrown » Tue Jun 22, 2021 11:37 pm

Here's how it is at the moment-

Image

Yesterday we took a look at the trem and there didn't seem to be any signs of scraping :-/ so we're just going to take the trem apart and put it back together. My guess is that maybe a screw on the baseplate hasn't been aligned properly or something... either way, we'll get there!

God that amber tip is gross. Headstock without a decal makes it look so fake :D

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Re: Champage Sparkle Jag build

Post by RIORIO » Wed Jun 23, 2021 8:24 am

This looks so good!!

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Re: Champage Sparkle Jag build

Post by MrJagsquire » Thu Jun 24, 2021 9:11 am

Looking good (once you sort that switch tip). Maybe I'm biased, but I think it would look nicer with chrome Telecaster knobs to go with the other chrome bits. Hope you get the bridge and nut sorted out. :)

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Re: Champage Sparkle Jag build

Post by JamesSGBrown » Thu Jun 24, 2021 1:47 pm

Sadly it seems I've got a defective trem unit!!

What are Fender's UK support like? I imported this from the US a few months ago so can't really go back to the retailer.

Seems the plates aren't aligned properly and it is now sticking when you pull up. Feels like metal rubbing against metal. We've taken it apart, unscrewed the top plate from the bottom slightly when strung up to see if the strings will pull it into place, and it's gotten a teeny bit better but still no dice...

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