NVGD - '72 Jaguar

Bridgehouse · May 2016

@meltedbuzzbox - well, it was next to it on my wall

To be fair, it plays better than my others apart from the Olympic - and that's just coz that's had a refret and a really good setup

Bucket · May 2016

Gorgeous.

I'm a total sucker for blocks and binding. Many's a time I've wondered what they'd look like on my Strat.

thermionic · May 2016

@Bridgehouse's last post on the Staytrem bridge swung me. I bought a Jag a couple of weeks ago and I wasn't planning to upgrade the bridge for a while - I wasn't experiencing the strings jumping out of the grooves that I'd heard so much about. However, thinking I should be able to get an action more like yours, I tried lowering the saddle. That's when the problems started... I realised I'd lost a grub screw from the high E saddle and it was now rattling around - tremendous amount of side-to-side play in them. I guess there's some truth in the old belief that 3-saddle bridges are better than 6-saddle bridges on Teles because there's two strings pressing down on them (OK, I know the steeper break angle helps a lot, but still). I can see what Lro was trying to do with this bridge, but a number of factors are working against it.

Well impressed by the Staytrem. I've read up about over the last week or so and it's definitely all it's made out to be. Intonation was very close just how it landed on my doormat, but I'll adjust it finely when I put some 11s on.

Bridgehouse · May 2016

@thermionic - careful now, when I put the staytrem on it highlighted to me other areas where my jag could be improved even more - hence why it's now in for a refret!

JD50 · May 2016

Love the staytrem bridge, I also bought the Staytrem trem arm and collet for my 64 Jag.

Bridgehouse · May 2016

@JD50 - been considering the arm - is it similar in size/shape to the original?

meltedbuzzbox · May 2016

Bridgehouse said:

@JD50 - been considering the arm - is it similar in size/shape to the original?

it sits higher which makes it a bit clumsy to use.

You can just wrap an elastic band around the arm and push it back into the collet. It does the same thing

Bridgehouse · May 2016

Ah so it's to get rid of floppy arm, which I don't have...

meltedbuzzbox · May 2016

Bridgehouse said:

Ah so it's to get rid of a floppy, which I don't have...

steady!!

Bridgehouse · May 2016

@meltedbuzzbox - yep, it is..

meltedbuzzbox · May 2016

boom tis....

Bridgehouse · May 2016

I'm here all week...

JD50 · May 2016

Bridgehouse;1070455" said:
@JD50 - been considering the arm - is it similar in size/shape to the original?

Unfortunately my Jag did not come with the original arm it was probably lost decades ago so I could not say.
Its a really simple job to fit and comes with instructions.
Its a great bit of kit.

Bridgehouse · May 2016

@JD50 - thanks for that. Mine holds position, but it does rattle a little bit from time to time.. hmmmm might have to try one

Bridgehouse · May 2016

Well now, It's back from having a refret.

Oh my. I took it in to @SteveRobinson (Manchester Guitar Tech). Steve has done an absurdly good job of refretting a difficult board with a bound edge. It looks better than the original fret job, and it is impeccable. The man is a genius, and I would have no hesitation in recommending him if you want the absolute highest quality work doing. He's clearly a busy man and went out of his way to make sure the job was done in good time. Oh, and his prices are very reasonable indeed. Steve replaced the factory shim with a proper full size shim.

I'm learning more about Jags than I ever thought I would do. I've had a play around, and although I've actually gone back to the action Steve set it to, I could get it down to, probably about 1mm at high E and just over 1.2mm at low E with minimal buzzing and pretty much no choking out on bends. I'm not a bend-freak but definitely no choking.

So this is a 7.25in radius board, with a Fender 70's neck and it's playing in a way I never expected. With the Staytrem as well it's just so much better than the AVRI's I tried before I went down the vintage route.

If you're reading this and you are considering a Jag, and you have looked at a late 60's/early 70's and wondered if they are worth the extra over a new AVRI then my opinion is yes. Yes, if you bear in mind the following:

- You need to find one (!) and you need to find a good one. If you are buying at distance then ask about weight and get as many pics sent over as you can

- The Staytrem is worth every penny and just works. It's fire and forget. No buzzing and no fiddling about with saddles that squirm around

- Replace the old spring with a new AVRI one in the trem. Means you can balance it properly - and if you do, it's remarkably good.

- Jags have overtones. Lots of them. Harmonics, noises, and all sorts of other funky bits that give it character and make it a Jag. Sometimes they sound like a teeny bit of fret buzz - sometimes they sound like the bridge is doing funky things. Chances are, it's just it's natural character.

- If buying vintage unseen, consider the fact that you may need a refret, or you might need some bits changing to get it perfect. If you want it to play, and play well then don't think about the fact that it won't be totally original. After the refret mine plays better than I ever thought it could do.

- The pups are the elephant in the room. I think mine are probably late 60's and they often were in early 70's Jags. They are in a totally different league to the new ones on the AVRIs you get today. Just no comparison at all. For me, they were worth the entry price alone.

- They are quirky. And in some ways the quirks are amplified in a vintage one. This might put some off. For me, it's a guitar with so much character that it's comical. I'm not a straight down the line guitar player - I'm not a technical player. I come from a background of other instruments, and my playing style reflects this. The Jag is the closest I can get to replicating a style I've built up on other instruments because it just encourages you to do things differently and treat it differently.

- It's a 70's fender finish. It doesn't age as well as an early 60's, but it's still pretty good.

usedtobe · May 2016

Ooohhhhh!!!!

Kylef · May 2016

Whizzed. Great post. I really fancy a vintage jag after enjoying my Marr's so much, there's definitely alot to look out for and get right though. Well done on your purchase.

SteveRobinson · May 2016

-blush-

Thanks for the kind words

Bridgehouse · May 2016

SteveRobinson;1081674" said:
-blush-

Thanks for the kind words

You're very welcome

dindude · May 2016

because it just encourages you to do things differently and treat it differently.

This is what I love about my Jag, just makes you think differently when you play.

Lovely guitar btw.

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NVGD - '72 Jaguar

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