GUITAR BUILD PROJECTS, DRUM FETTLING, CUSTOMISATION & DIY TECH
It's quite usual for most of my project builds to evolve over time. However - I don't usually start the process of upgrading before a project's actually completed...
It might seem like overkill to some - but I want to properly shield my USA Custom Jaguar body with some copper foil. While I'm at it - I can sort out a few grounding issues
Covid Lockdowns seem to be the perfect time to obsess with small details. I've been putting this off for a while now - but I'm finally going to fix some hardware to my Custom Fender USA Jaguar
Things are beginning to grind with the third UK Covid lockdown. There's precious little to keep me occupied on my various projects. It's times like these when simply fitting some tuners is enough to entertain.
When it comes to scratchplates - the fit is all important. In fact, scratchplates can often be a cause of huge frustration when piecing together a build. Especially - it seems - on a Jaguar.
It's not much of a job - but Covid lockdowns, Brexit and the Christmas holidays have all slowed things down recently. The arrival of a new neck for my Custom USA Jaguar is a welcome boost.
So if I try to work with some of the Jaguar's unique design features, take a good look at the principles at work, and treat the bridge more like I might on an archtop - what is that going to mean for the setup itself? Is there a way to achieve a perfect balance between solid-body form and archtop function?
I regularly modify previous builds in order to learn more about how they work, and to try and improve on my original results. I'm always in search of the best quality instrument I can put together. Unfortunately, the situation with my eyesight is making some of the processes more difficult. Maybe it's time to leave some of it to the experts, for a change.
The Jaguar has been sitting for a little while, to let the strings stretch, the neck to adjust under tension and to generally let everything settle. It's already pretty playable - but a proper setup should improve this even more.
It seems the Staytrem bridge must be taller than the stock design Jaguar bridge. Either that, or the neck heel is too deep. The action on the Jaguar is well above what you'd call normal - even with the bridge screwed all the way down to the deck. Fortunately - there's a cure.
Garageland 