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HSS Warmoth Jaguar Project, pickup question

Posted: Sat Jul 13, 2019 5:07 am
by Georg Figél
Hello Everyone,

before I start my Jaguar project, I'd like to get some opinions regarding getting Stratocaster HSS pickups for it, as opposed to Jaguar pickups.

In general, I really like the look of the Jaguar, but tone wise I'd like to get a modern rock tone in the bridge, a chimey bell like neck tone and funky quack tones like a Strat in positions 2 and 4.
Of course, the Jaguar's bridge and scale length will make it sound different than a Strat, but I'm not expecting "authentic" results, rather that it'll be it's own special creation.

I'm planning to get the following pickups:
Seymour Duncan '59/Custom Hybrid in the bridge
Bareknuckle Irish Tour Middle and Neck pickups

Also, I want to mount the neck pickup closer to the neck than on a normal Jaguar for more warmth.

Here are some specs of the parts that I already have:
Roasted maple neck
Roasted swamp ash body
Height adjustable saddles mustang bridge: https://www.warmoth.com/Modified-Mustan ... 6C716.aspx
Otherwise, the usual Jaguar stuff


Edit: I now realized that there is a "Jaguarillo".
But please share your experiences in terms of pickups, thank you

Re: HSS Warmoth Jaguar Project, pickup question

Posted: Sat Jul 13, 2019 4:56 pm
by Embenny
I have a jaguarillo and a three-pickup Mustang so I have experience with 3-pickup shortscales. Your build sounds nice. It sounds like a Jaguarillo with the usual Jag plates added on, and presumably non-slanted pickups.

24" guitars already sound warmer than 25.5" ones but if you want to move the neck pickup farther from the bridge, there's nothing wrong with that.

Pickups are a totally personal thing. One thing that I will say is that whatever pickup you choose will sound warmer in this than in a strat, so be aware of that.

Also, I strongly recommend a series/parallel or coil split switch for the bridge humbucker, so that you can get more quack from the bridge&middle combo. Coil split can give you a noiseless combo with the middle pickup but parallel is the more useful tone on its own IMO.

Re: HSS Warmoth Jaguar Project, pickup question

Posted: Sun Jul 14, 2019 2:59 am
by Georg Figél
thank you for the tips :)
Ok, so it'd be best to choose clear sounding pickups then.
yes, the pickups will be non slanted.

I will definitely do the coil split option.

I'll probably put a 5 way switch in the lower control plate and 3 toggles on the upper horn
there will be a "single coil mode" for the humbucker
A "middle and neck in series" switch, to emulate a jazzy neck humbucker
An "add the neck pickup in parallel" switch

I'll probably test some of these options out first before soldering them in properly though ;)