4 way switch wiring - Jaguar

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Tbyrne13
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4 way switch wiring - Jaguar

Post by Tbyrne13 » Sat Mar 13, 2021 12:28 pm

I have done some research on the forum before posting this, so I apologize if this topic has been beaten to death. I would like to install a 4way tele switch to my Fender Jaguar (the Johnny Marr - mod). Here is my situation, I have a stock jaguar with the traditional circuits. Is it possible to get the Johnny Marr mod without tampering with the stock wiring? I found this diagram posted on another thread....wasn't sure if it actually worked. Any suggestions or ideas? Thanks!

https://app.photobucket.com/u/soulsurfe ... 80834fd8d4
https://app.photobucket.com/u/soulsurfe ... deca944fa9

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Embenny
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Re: 4 way switch wiring - Jaguar

Post by Embenny » Sat Mar 13, 2021 12:38 pm

The second photo is of a vintage jag. Is that the guitar you want to do this on? Because you have to understand that you have to modify the pickups to make 4-way wiring work. Vintage jags (and standard AVRI/AV65/etc) have the pickup claws soldered to the coil start of the pickup and then grounded. You have to break that connection and solder the claw independently, running a separate coil start ("pickup ground") lead on the pickup that gets flipped into series in the 4th position. That's a destructive mod that'll devalue the pickup and runs the risk of destroying the pickup if you aren't skilled at soldering, since you have to apply a fair bit of heat to the claw and have the potential to disconnect the coil winding itself.
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Tbyrne13
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Re: 4 way switch wiring - Jaguar

Post by Tbyrne13 » Sat Mar 13, 2021 2:29 pm

Yes that is the guitar I want to do the mod. Wow, this is more complicated than I thought. Yeah these are Seymour Duncan 'hot' jaguar pickups. So this 4-way switch idea won't work then with the current set up. I don't know what to do now.

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Re: 4 way switch wiring - Jaguar

Post by Embenny » Sat Mar 13, 2021 5:57 pm

If they're replacement pickups, at least you're not modifying vintage pickups.

You'd still have to make sure the claw is grounded separately, though. For all I know, whoever replaced the pickups may have done that anyway. You should check.

Putting two hot pickups in series is going to be really loud and dark, FYI. The Marr has very low-output pickups so it works well. Overwound pickups will give you a really loud, really dark, really midrangey tone. Maybe you'd be into it. But the reason series wiring is popular on Teles and Jags is because two low-output pickups together in series is still pretty usable. Two high-output ones might be...less so, depending on your purposes.
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Re: 4 way switch wiring - Jaguar

Post by timtam » Sat Mar 13, 2021 6:51 pm

You'll notice in your diagram that the bridge pickup has the regular two wires while the neck has 3 - that's the separate grounds for the coil and the claw that mbene085 is referring to. The pickups in the Marr (Barenuckles) and Am Pro I (Vmods) that have the 4way/series come modified that way. I have a set of Pure Vintage 65s modified/wired like the Am Pro and I like the series position for more 'lush' tones (a little louder compared to the other 3 positions), but I've never tried it really cranked.

It's not too hard to add the separate ground on any (non-vintage) pickup by first snipping the little bare wire jumper that normally joins the coil ground to the claw ....
Image

Then add a new ground wire for the claw only, as shown below. If you snip the jumper right at the non-claw end you never have to apply heat to anything connected to the coil. That new (green) wire is then permanently connected to ground in the circuit, as shown for the neck claw in your diagram. OTOH the 4way then connects the coil ground to actual ground except when the the two pickups are in series, when it gets connected to the positive side of the bridge pickup.

Image
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Bradley-Jazz
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Re: 4 way switch wiring - Jaguar

Post by Bradley-Jazz » Sun Mar 14, 2021 6:36 am

Do you absolutely want the blade switch?

That looks like a really beautiful Jag, and if it was mine, I’d want to keep the switches looking original. You can get the series mod with the regular switches, whereby the “both off” position becomes “both on in series”. Some info here - https://www.premierguitar.com/articles ... der-jaguar

There will be threads on here about it too, I just can’t locate them straight away.

You’ll still have to separate the claw ground from the neck pickup, as timtam says, but you can keep your original switch plate.

EDIT
That first link replaces the strangle switch with a series/parallel switch, the link below includes more on that, plus the one that I mentioned above that keeps the strangle switch. Both keep the stock switches and plates.
https://www.offsetguitars.com/forums/v ... =8&t=40398
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Tbyrne13
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Re: 4 way switch wiring - Jaguar

Post by Tbyrne13 » Sun Mar 14, 2021 8:20 am

Thanks for the help you guys, I think I'm going to let this idea go. The last thing I want to do is mess up this guitar its already wired perfect with no issues...I was just trying to figure out if I could somehow give myself more sound options without altering it too much. I do like the series parallel idea with the strangle switch...I think I'll try that first and see how that goes. thanks again for the support!

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