Long-Awaited Review: THE JAGUAR X!!!

[mongoose]

In the last couple of months, I have made a major transition- leaving my long-scale guitars behind, and embracing what has become my dream axe: the Fender Jaguar. As such, these have become my primary instruments:



Having established that I am a Jaguar guy, I started searching for a 24" scale 12-string; and came up with nothing. The music I play (power-pop and retro rock) uses a fair bit of 12-string, which is why I have these:



But my love of Jags (and my tendonits) left me wanting something else. Luckily, fate intervened in a few ways. Firstly, I scored a buggered CIJ Jaguar for a ridiculous price from Chicago craigslist



She's a great player, and sounds really good as well; in spite of the Duncan Hums the previous owner (rather crudely) installed, along with a TOM bridge




I also happened upon a 60's vintage Kimberly/Teisco with 4 narrow "gold-foil" pickups in a pawn shop super cheap



Which sounded fabulous, but played like CRAP. So I pillaged said pickups and sold the rest for slightly more than I paid for the whole thing! I then sent the pickups off to my man Paul (Stereordinary) with some very specific instructions. Shortly thereafter, he sent me this photo:



I couldn't wait to get this guard installed in my Jag; but before I had the chance to do so, I started GASsing for a way to have everything I wanted in one instrument.

So the plan was hatched as such: With Paul's expertise, we'd convert the Jag into a 10 string!

The headstock wouldn't really accommodate 12 strings, and the sound I want is really in the treble strings anyway, so 10 was the perfect compromise. Plus, I could continue to use my preferred .060 and .052 "E" and "A" strings respectively.

So I'll be sending this old gal off to Portland next week for the conversion, after which Paul himself may well hijack this thread as he makes progress.

The following modifications will be performed (in whatever order Paul sees fit)

1.) Replace the buggered Jag pickguard and electronics with the 4-Teisco pickup loaded custom guard and a no-hole rhythm control plate. A custom 4-switch control plate is already fabricated and ready to be installed.

2.) Disable the vibrato and re-groove the D-G-B-E TOM saddles to accept doubled strings.

3.) Add 4 additional tuners to the headstock, possibly altering the profile as deemed necessary by Paul, and cut a new nut for the 10 strings.

4.) Add a new JAGUAR X decal and reassemble/restring/set-up

5.) Send back to Indiana and into my eager hands to ROCK OUT ON!

Stay tuned, folks...

[jazzymaster616]

HOLY SHIT, DUDE!!!!!!
Can't wait for this! I was hoping for twelve, but ten is better than nothing.

[garyptaszek]

great idea, can't wait to see the outcome

[Jonesie]

Thought about maybe going Rickenbacker style on the headstock? I've seen people do it to Teles to make them 12 strings.

[Mitchell?]

This sounds awesome, this is gonna look shweet when it all comes together.

[jimboyogi]

Great project

[mongoose]

I was hoping for twelve, but ten is better than nothing.

Funny, that's what she said!

[mongoose]

Thought about maybe going Rickenbacker style on the headstock? I've seen people do it to Teles to make them 12 strings.

I considered it for about 30 seconds. But my main goal is to do this as inexpensively and simply as possible, and still have it kick ass! I wanna prove that it can be done.

[jazzymaster616]

I was hoping for twelve, but ten is better than nothing.

Funny, that's what she said!

Haha!
I always leave myself wide open for those......

[scott_va]

X as in four doubled courses + 2 strings, or 5 doubled courses? (Don't laugh--weirder things have been built ).

[mongoose]

X as in four doubled courses + 2 strings, or 5 doubled courses? (Don't laugh--weirder things have been built ).

E-A-Dd-Gg-bb-ee: 4 doubles, 2 singles. I was inspired by a friend's B.C. Rich 10-string Bich, actually.

And one extra detail: the doubles will be strung Rickenbacker style- fundamental string struck first on the downstroke.

I'm basically looking to replace my 12-strings guitars entirely with this.

[weed_killer]

[AWSchmit]

If only that jag had the Kimberly paint job. Plus that pickup configuration. Would be one of the sweetest things I've ever seen.

[whatisdust]

Very very cool! Gold foil pickups are great! Can't wait to see this one!

[mongoose]

If only that jag had the Kimberly paint job. Plus that pickup configuration. Would be one of the sweetest things I've ever seen.

The Kimberly was awful, seriously. But the neck & bridge p/u combination sounded like heaven! If all those pickups wind up causing a problem with my picking, I may have Paul make me another guard for just those two.

In any case, a former project idea I had, but never went through with was to be called the FROGUAR. It would've been a Jag with this finish:



If only I had the cash available, I'd combine both ideas and have Paul make the Jag X in this finish! Maybe sometime in the future a refin will be in order.