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Bypass Squier Jaguar Boost Circuit?

KevInDaBassment

KevInDaBassment

The cat's "meh..."
Jul 30, 2010
8,451
9,332
Gulf Coast
#1
I just got a smokin' deal on a Squier VM Jaguar Special from Guitar Center online. I'm stoked about it coming in, but there's something that bothers me about this particular one. I wanted a passive P/J and this was going to fit the bill for me, but I didn't know about the Active Bass Boost circuit put into there on the new ones.

I have two dirt pedals that don't really care for high-output basses or active ones. My Idiotbox Blower Box and MXR Bass Distortion (Rat Tail clone) perform much better with passive basses, these are most assuredly going to get used with this bass. I think the bass should stand just fine on its own in passive, so no need for the bass boost circuit IMO. How easy is it to wire past it? I know there are tone and volume controls on the Jag, would it just be a matter of bypassing a special pot and wiring straight to the output jack or is it more complicated than that? I have plenty of soldering experience so it won't bother me to break it out. Also, if it will literally have zero effect with it turned off or flat, that would be a preferred solution. I'm just worried about it affecting the tone or sucking out low-end by being there and set flat.



- VT
 
#2
KevInDaBassment said:
I just got a smokin' deal on a Squier VM Jaguar Special from Guitar Center online. I'm stoked about it coming in, but there's something that bothers me about this particular one. I wanted a passive P/J and this was going to fit the bill for me, but I didn't know about the Active Bass Boost circuit put into there on the new ones.

I have two dirt pedals that don't really care for high-output basses or active ones. My Idiotbox Blower Box and MXR Bass Distortion (Rat Tail clone) perform much better with passive basses, these are most assuredly going to get used with this bass. I think the bass should stand just fine on its own in passive, so no need for the bass boost circuit IMO. How easy is it to wire past it? I know there are tone and volume controls on the Jag, would it just be a matter of bypassing a special pot and wiring straight to the output jack or is it more complicated than that? I have plenty of soldering experience so it won't bother me to break it out. Also, if it will literally have zero effect with it turned off or flat, that would be a preferred solution. I'm just worried about it affecting the tone or sucking out low-end by being there and set flat.



- VT
Click to expand...
If you can solder then locate the wire from the volume pots to the input of the boost circuit and remove it. Locate the wire from the output of the boost circuit to the output Jack and remove it (clip it). Tie these two wires you removed and tie them together. That should do it. Now remove the boost circuit. I personally would move the tone control to the position the boost was in and put a standard 1/4" Switchcraft output jack where the tone control was. Only a suggestion of fine a switch or whatever to perform some other function.. i.e. switch another cap in parallel with the existing cap.
 
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#3
LoveThatBass said:
...I personally would move the tone control to the position the boost was in and put a standard 1/4" Switchcraft output jack where the tone control was. Only a suggestion of fine a switch or whatever to perform some other function.. i.e. switch another cap in parallel with the existing cap.
Click to expand...

Very good idea, I think I will since I prefer those types of output jacks anyways. I have several lying around, have you done this mod before?
 
#7
I have one of these coming tomorrow and I'm planning to do the same to mine - not only do I prefer passive, but I mod out every guitar or bass that I own. out of curiosity, what type of shaft do the pot knobs use? I'll probably end up replacing those as well. are they the split shaft that pop off with a shoelace? I have a ton of different knobs from various projects and would like to see which ones look best or if I should buy a new set
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