My Jaguar Has Lipsticks Now!
- Novae
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My Jaguar Has Lipsticks Now!
I've dreamed about this for a while now. Everything is stock except the pickups and knobs and also the 3 switches in the lead circuit were swapped. I went for the Curtis Novak Lipstick Jag vintage low output ones. Here's a pic the luthier took outside his shop.
576gw547hr5g7 by Novae IMGS, on Flickr
Unfortunately the neck pickup is faulty and is much lower output it's supposed to be. The pickups were advertised as 3.4k for the neck and 4.0k for the bridge. The neck pickup reading was 2.27k. It sounds quite dark but it works and i can use it since i love using the rhythm circuit with the stock pickups for that really dark tone. The bridge pickup is fine and sounds lovely. It's just a bummer that i'm not sure if that neck pickup is truly supposed to sound the way it sounds right now. It bothers me. I'm still waiting for a response from Curtis himself regarding this. Hopefully i'll either get a partial refund or a new pickup, but we'll see.
Here's my thread when the pickups were installed and the problems began: viewtopic.php?f=7&t=119675
I love this guitar to death, even in this state...
576gw547hr5g7 by Novae IMGS, on Flickr
Unfortunately the neck pickup is faulty and is much lower output it's supposed to be. The pickups were advertised as 3.4k for the neck and 4.0k for the bridge. The neck pickup reading was 2.27k. It sounds quite dark but it works and i can use it since i love using the rhythm circuit with the stock pickups for that really dark tone. The bridge pickup is fine and sounds lovely. It's just a bummer that i'm not sure if that neck pickup is truly supposed to sound the way it sounds right now. It bothers me. I'm still waiting for a response from Curtis himself regarding this. Hopefully i'll either get a partial refund or a new pickup, but we'll see.
Here's my thread when the pickups were installed and the problems began: viewtopic.php?f=7&t=119675
I love this guitar to death, even in this state...
Last edited by Novae on Wed Jul 14, 2021 11:24 am, edited 3 times in total.
- Pacafeliz
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Re: My Jaguar Has Lipsticks Now!
Pics not showing.
Want.
Want.
i love delay SO much ...that i procrastinate all the time.
- Novae
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Re: My Jaguar Has Lipsticks Now!
Wow, that looks spectacular. The knobs too. Bummer about pickups, interested in how they compare to regular jag pickups
Last edited by Singlebladepickup on Wed Jul 14, 2021 6:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- Embenny
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Re: My Jaguar Has Lipsticks Now!
Gorgeous. Bummer about the neck pickup. Something is wrong though. In no way should a lipstick sound dark, and 2.27k means either it was wired wrong or something is physically wrong. Are you measuring at the output jack or at the pickup leads themselves? Measuring the leads would eliminate a wiring error as the culprit.
I've heard Curtis is difficult to get a hold of lately, but maybe try calling instead of e-mail. I've bought four sets of pickups from him over the years and the one time I had an issue (a goldfoil cover that had become ungrounded during shipping) he was great about suggesting a way for me to fix it and volunteered to take it back if I couldn't.
His Jaguar lipsticks are awesome (the closest to a true Danelectro design of any non-Dano-shaped retrofit on the market) and you deserve to be hearing it at its best!
I've heard Curtis is difficult to get a hold of lately, but maybe try calling instead of e-mail. I've bought four sets of pickups from him over the years and the one time I had an issue (a goldfoil cover that had become ungrounded during shipping) he was great about suggesting a way for me to fix it and volunteered to take it back if I couldn't.
His Jaguar lipsticks are awesome (the closest to a true Danelectro design of any non-Dano-shaped retrofit on the market) and you deserve to be hearing it at its best!
The artist formerly known as mbene085.
- Pacafeliz
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Re: My Jaguar Has Lipsticks Now!
Hot. Very much!
But a mint/parchment/cream guard would make it 110% hotter
But a mint/parchment/cream guard would make it 110% hotter
i love delay SO much ...that i procrastinate all the time.
- Embenny
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Re: My Jaguar Has Lipsticks Now!
I didn't want to be a broken record as a tort naysayer, but 100% this. The one bit of credit I'll give Vintera tort is that it's far more attractive than other Fender lines for some reason, but OTM deserves mint/parchment.
The artist formerly known as mbene085.
- Novae
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Re: My Jaguar Has Lipsticks Now!
I'm in Finland so calling him would be quite expensive for me. Returning stuff etc. will also be very pricey for me. The luthier measured the pickup directly at the base at the solder joints or something. He sent me a pic of him doing it so i have it as proof when i contact Novak the next time. Unfortunately, now the bridge pickup cut out nearly completely. It has some output but it's basically mute when clean/overdrive and only with distortion i'm hearing sound anymore. I'm worried about these pickups now. I'm not sure if it's wiring or what since the guy who fixed it up went over the solder joints and stuff. Too much bad luck this year with repairs and mods. I'm going to let him measure the bridge if it doesn't somehow come back to life. This is getting ridiculous...mbene085 wrote: ↑Wed Jul 14, 2021 8:27 amGorgeous. Bummer about the neck pickup. Something is wrong though. In no way should a lipstick sound dark, and 2.27k means either it was wired wrong or something is physically wrong. Are you measuring at the output jack or at the pickup leads themselves? Measuring the leads would eliminate a wiring error as the culprit.
I've heard Curtis is difficult to get a hold of lately, but maybe try calling instead of e-mail. I've bought four sets of pickups from him over the years and the one time I had an issue (a goldfoil cover that had become ungrounded during shipping) he was great about suggesting a way for me to fix it and volunteered to take it back if I couldn't.
His Jaguar lipsticks are awesome (the closest to a true Danelectro design of any non-Dano-shaped retrofit on the market) and you deserve to be hearing it at its best!
- Novae
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- smjenkins
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Re: My Jaguar Has Lipsticks Now!
My takeaway is that while you can't put lipstick on a pig, you can put lipsticks on a jag.
But seriously, that looks so good. Mint would take it to 11.
I'd love to hear sound clips when you can post them.
But seriously, that looks so good. Mint would take it to 11.
I'd love to hear sound clips when you can post them.
- Novae
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Re: My Jaguar Has Lipsticks Now!
Bridge pickup died... This guitar is CURSED.
PS: Curtis responded! He gave me a list of things to go through first before we start sending stuff overseas to fix/replace anything. Time for my 4th or 5th trip to a luthier/tech
PS: Curtis responded! He gave me a list of things to go through first before we start sending stuff overseas to fix/replace anything. Time for my 4th or 5th trip to a luthier/tech
- marqueemoon
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Re: My Jaguar Has Lipsticks Now!
Wow. That is really bad luck.
Nice looking guitar though.
Nice looking guitar though.
- jakeisjake
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Re: My Jaguar Has Lipsticks Now!
I would like to hear those pickups!
If I was a byrd, I'd be mighty sore every time they shut the door and I don't think I'd sing...
- Maggieo
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Re: My Jaguar Has Lipsticks Now!
::whispers:: spitfire tort...
“Now I am quietly waiting for/ the catastrophe of my personality/ to seem beautiful again.”- Frank O'Hara
I am not an attorney and this post is for entertainment purposes only. Please consult a licensed attorney in your state for legal advice.
I am not an attorney and this post is for entertainment purposes only. Please consult a licensed attorney in your state for legal advice.
- MayTheFuzzBeWithYou
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Re: My Jaguar Has Lipsticks Now!
Looking good!
I always wondered why Curtis' Lipsticks for Jag are so rare on here... as his concept is great! So thank you for changing this!
Lipsticks would be a nice addition to my Thinline Jag if I only could get brushed ones like on the Dead on 67 Baritone I once had (nothing wrong with the chrome ones - but in my case I'd need to match the brushed plates and Mastery).
Did you try the Mint guard with the stock pickups/covers? with parchment or at least not so yellowed ones it would work (at least for me - but I went with black in the end). These Vinteras are great guitars!
I always wondered why Curtis' Lipsticks for Jag are so rare on here... as his concept is great! So thank you for changing this!
Lipsticks would be a nice addition to my Thinline Jag if I only could get brushed ones like on the Dead on 67 Baritone I once had (nothing wrong with the chrome ones - but in my case I'd need to match the brushed plates and Mastery).
Did you try the Mint guard with the stock pickups/covers? with parchment or at least not so yellowed ones it would work (at least for me - but I went with black in the end). These Vinteras are great guitars!