# Jaguar - Parts build question?



## Dana Harrison (May 3, 2014)

Hey guys,

Sorry I know I said I would get my guitar pics up on the new members thread and I will, just busy with work and life....writing from work right now actually. I have a new Epi Les Paul Traditional Plus coming in like 6-7 days but I am seriously GASIng for a Jaguar as well. I am also very interested in putting one together from parts myself. I am assuming since Fender are bolt on necks it should be terribly difficult over all. My plan is to buy a sunburst Jaguar body (ebay the best to find these?). I don't really care about the year of the body, really cheaper the better and if its routed for humbuckers even better, or I can do that. Anyways, before I go balls deep into this does anyone have any experience doing a Jag build? Am I wasting my time, should I just try to buy a whole one? I am in no rush and my plan is to only buy shit for great deals on ebay or other sources. Thank you in advance and insight is greatly appreciated!


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## Lincoln (Jun 2, 2008)

well, these days with Fender turning out many lower priced Jaguar models like the Blacktop and the Squire vintage modified, you can buy a complete new guitar for less money than you could buy the parts to assemble one yourself. (under $500)

But if you're in it for the adventure, then Ebay is the place alright. I've seen a sunburst Squire VM body go for as little as $75, but the average is in the $150 range. Necks are more. $150 to $200 for a Squire, $250 & up for a Fender. Check out the prices, that will help you decide whether to buy or build.
In my experience, a Fender neck on a Fender body always seems to work out very well. It's when you start mixing brands and off-shore parts that things get a little out of control.

I'd like a sunburst Jag with humbuckers and tune-o-matic bridge......but they don't make that combination of course.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

The closest I have come to a Jaguar is rewinding a Jag pickup and installing it in the bridge position of another guitar I have. Really and truly, there are two things that make a Jag a Jag. One is the pickups, which ARE distinctive in their use of the "claw: that conducts the magnetic sensing field up around the sides of the pickup, and the bass-cut switch, that inserts a cap between the pickups and the controls (see below). If it don't have that, t'ain't a Jag.

The jag pickups are almost like Fender's version of a P90. I know we tend to think of Jazzmaster pickups that way, but really they are just squished Strat pickups. Both the P90 and the Jag pickups direct the alternate pole out from the bottom to the sides. In the case of the P90, that is done by a pair of bar magnets coupled to the slug in the middle. In the case of the Jag, there are Alnico polepieces, and the "claw" passively conducts what is on the bottom pole out to the sides. But they both have a nice midrange bark to them as a result.


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## Dana Harrison (May 3, 2014)

Lincoln said:


> well, these days with Fender turning out many lower priced Jaguar models like the Blacktop and the Squire vintage modified, you can buy a complete new guitar for less money than you could buy the parts to assemble one yourself. (under $500)
> 
> But if you're in it for the adventure, then Ebay is the place alright. I've seen a sunburst Squire VM body go for as little as $75, but the average is in the $150 range. Necks are more. $150 to $200 for a Squire, $250 & up for a Fender. Check out the prices, that will help you decide whether to buy or build.
> In my experience, a Fender neck on a Fender body always seems to work out very well. It's when you start mixing brands and off-shore parts that things get a little out of control.
> ...


Thank you very much for the info! I have looked at the cheaper Jags, but they just don't look right to me with have the wiring and switches ripped out of them, etc. I guess after I find a freaking amp I like I'll start ebay watching for the right parts to start my build. Also they do make a Sunburst Jaguar with Humbuckers and a tune-o-matic, http://www.fender.com/en-CA/guitars/jaguar/kurt-cobain-jaguar-rosewood-fingerboard-3-color-sunburst/


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## Lincoln (Jun 2, 2008)

that diagram is keeper for sure.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

You will note that the volume pots are 1meg, and not the 250k people tend to associate with Fender single coils. You will also note the 50k (!) Tone pot in the rhythm set of controls.

VERY different electronics than many are accustomed to on Fenders.


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## fraser (Feb 24, 2007)

i looked into doing a jaguar at one point-
went a good couple months deep actually
and only just fell short of ordering all the parts because i found a used mij i liked-
think of it like a slightly more complicated tele/ strat build.
its certainly do-able-
i paid close to $700 for my jaguar,
and thats about what i had budgeted for the parts.
if your going with a pair of humbuckers then dont think twice,
just do it- they are easy to find cheap.
jaguar switching and all is pretty weird-
if it was my everyday guitar id simplify it somewhat-
but as it is i enjoy it for what it is.
if i want a strat/tele i grab one-
so i dont need the jaguar to be anything but itself.
i love the fecking thing really.


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## Dana Harrison (May 3, 2014)

fraser said:


> i looked into doing a jaguar at one point-
> went a good couple months deep actually
> and only just fell short of ordering all the parts because i found a used mij i liked-
> think of it like a slightly more complicated tele/ strat build.
> ...


Thanks for the info! Just to be clear, are you saying that a complete Jaguar with humbuckers can be found for cheap? Or building one with humbuckers can be cheap? I am trying to fund an Orange Amp first then work on the Jaguar. In fact I have the $$ for the amp I am just trying to find a good deal on a used one before caving and buying new.


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## fraser (Feb 24, 2007)

Dana Harrison said:


> Thanks for the info! Just to be clear, are you saying that a complete Jaguar with humbuckers can be found for cheap? Or building one with humbuckers can be cheap? I am trying to fund an Orange Amp first then work on the Jaguar. In fact I have the $$ for the amp I am just trying to find a good deal on a used one before caving and buying new.


hi-
i was actually saying that humbuckers are easier to find cheaply, as opposed to jaguar pickups.
hell, ive got a selection of buckers myself, and havent used a humbucker equipped guitar in 30 years lol.
the thing for me about doing a jag build was,
ive got boxes of spare parts here.
i could slap together a tele or a strat in an afternoon.
but doing a jag meant sourcing just about every part.
this guy has all the small stuff-
http://darrenriley.com/

also ive heard it said that warmoth bodies and pickguards are only compatible with each other-
maybe that was just jazzmasters- but if you go that way, do some research first.

also, are you going with the traditional trem set up?
some new models have the trem placed a bit forward,
effecting the behind the bridge chime.

and then there are options like this-
http://www.fender.com/squier/guitar...jaguar-rosewood-fingerboard-3-color-sunburst/
seems a good deal, but im not into the modern neck radius and big frets myself.
ive never encountered a problem putting allparts, fender or warmoth necks on a squier body before,
if you know what i mean.

also, if you havent already, start looking in here-
http://www.offsetguitars.com/forums/


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## Dana Harrison (May 3, 2014)

fraser said:


> hi-
> i was actually saying that humbuckers are easier to find cheaply, as opposed to jaguar pickups.
> hell, ive got a selection of buckers myself, and havent used a humbucker equipped guitar in 30 years lol.
> the thing for me about doing a jag build was,
> ...


Thank you again, I really appreciate the info! The squire in SB looks like balls imo. It's like 7 pieces of wood...lol I am kinda in this for the adventure as well, and I have a date of completion in mind around Sept Oct of this year, so no super rush.


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