Long-Scale, 3-Pickup Jaguar Project

Contact:jeirvine@gmail.com




This is a full-scale (25"), three pickup Jaguar project I'd been thinking of doing for a long time. I've owned Jags over the years and loved the sound and looks, but in the end couldn't get down with the short scale. My hands are too big. I started with a USA Custom Guitars Jazzmaster body with minimal routing - just pickups, bridge and trem routs. The pickguard is also from USACG. The tremelo is a US reissue unit from Angela.com The Jaguar control plates from Guitar Parts Resource. They actually align quite well with the Jazzmaster pickguard shape.



The wiring channel between pickups and the switch plate rout are now done. I'd like to get a template from a real Jag to help with the rhythm circuit routing. The rout for the trem that was done by USA CG needed to be squared off at the rear so the trem unit would clear. I used a small file for this. It just needed it at the top half inch or so.



The pickguard is now routed to accommodate the plates. I used my hand router upside down on a bench, but had to finish up the switch plate hole by hand with small files to get it just right. I will need to make two new screw holes by the main control plate, and I wish I could move the one at the top. Oh well. I may end up making a new guard at the end.



Coming together well. I'm half tempted to just clear coat the body to make it reminiscent of the stripped Jag I once got at a pawn shop. Loved that guitar. The neck is an eBay Crafted In Japan neck in very nice shape from one of my other jazzmasters. I'll have a USA Custom Guitars neck when this is done.



The control cavities are all routed now. The pickups will float - bolted to the pickguard, with wiring running under them. The wiring will be a stock Strat (250k pots) on the normal channel and a Jaguar circuit (1 meg pots) on the rhythm circuit, which should give a brighter surfier sound. We'll see. I'd like to make some brass sheilding for under the three control plates if I can find the right thickness brass stock. I'm also working on an aluminum shield for under the pickguard.



The body is now primed. I followed the Reranch 101 refinishing process. I used their grain filler, sanding sealer and white primer. No real problems. I attempted to use the 60's style fender stick method - just holding it in my left hand, shooting it with my right and moving it around a bit to prevent eny drips.



Body is now shot with about 3/4 of a can of Reranch surf green. No problems, just a few minor sags that I sanded out between coats.



The USACG JM neck was their "US-3" CBS-ish headstock shape. I cut it down to match the classic '65 Jazzmaster headstock shape, using hand files, sandpaper and a utility knife blade. I can now give it a matching surf green headstock and a Jaguar decal. Masking the sides was pretty straightforward, though I did spray a primer coat, so I had to feather sand that, then re-mask it a hair wider to allow the color to cover the primer so I doesdnt show at the edges. A minor problem happened when I wet sanded the peghead. A little water got into the string tree hole and swelled the wood a tiny bit, cracking the paint. This may preclude clearcoating, so I may just buff out the body and call it done.



The paint is now relatively set, and I've wet-sanded and rubbed out the body now too. Looks pretty good, though there is some very subtle orange peeling in a few spots, mostly under where the pickguard will be. I may give it another go in a few months when the lacquer is fully cured, but it's fine for now. I made some cavity sheilding from some thin brass stock. Hopefully this will keep things quiet. I wired all three together and they also get connected to the tremelo plate. Soldering the plates is tough as the brass act as a heat sink. I put them in a cast iron skillet with the fire on and soldered them in there while they were hot. Worked pretty well with my dime-store 30w iron.



And all of a sudden it's done. The decal came from an un-named internet purveyor of illicit fender logos. (You know who you are Mr. S.) Best quality I've come across, and I've gotten some shite decals from eBay before. Nice sort of early '65 mojo there with a slight yellow already in the decal. The pickups are three custom pickups by Curtis Novak - A little closer to Jazzmaster pickups in terms of output. They are wired one switch-per pickup so I can do any combo I want. The rhythm circuit is not wired yet, but it sure looks cool. I did get a new pickguard with all the correct holes made by Pickguardian. Super fast turnaround on that, thanks Tony. The bridge is an old mustang bridge which I think is an amprovement on the Jaguar/Jazzmaster adjustable bridge, which buzzes, rattles, slips strings, and eventually goes out of adjustment.



I have to say I'm extremely happy with the way this turned out. I kept expecting something to go horribly wrong, but it never did. It sounds very strat-like in the 1/2 and 2/3 positions - got quack if ya want it, but very nice Jazzmaster tones from the 2 or 3 alone positions, and Jag-y in the 1/3 position. Nice variety of fender tones. The 1 meg pots in the upper circuit do make a noticeable difference - like taking a blanket off the sound. This is the ultimate surf guitar for me.