Squier Jaguar Short Scale Club Part 3

[jaguarette]

The string thing really depends on the type of music you're playing. Flats for old school thump, rounds for a more modern sound. The controls are Vol(neck)/Vol(bridge)/Tone. Usually the first mod folks do to a Jag SS is replace the pickup(s), at the very least it's the bridge pickup to try an match the power of the neck pickup.

This is a good bass to learn how to setup and modify your bass. What I've done to mine:

• Replace both pickups with a Dimarzio DP126 set
• Replace the bridge with a Schaller (personal preference)
• Replace the electronics with a Certainbass varitone circuit.
• Put a new set of D'Addarios rounds on it.
• Some cosmetic stuff like a Telecaster bass bridge cover.

Hope you get a pic up soon and good luck.

Thanks AltGrendel
I'm watching some Dimarzio pick-ups on eBay at the moment but thinking more of just putting some decent strings on first, then maybe replacing the jack with a Switchcraft, as i've been told the cheaper basses can often develop problems because of cheap jacks. Might also learn how to adjust the action so i can minimise the fret buzz & find something i feel comfortable with...i'm so new at this! Will see how things go

 

[AltGrendel]

BTW, when you go to get strings, make sure they're for a bass with 4 inline tuners. I picked up a set that was for a 2x2 bass, like a Hofner, and had problems with the length of the D and G strings (too short). If you check through the thread, you'll see lots of suggestions for strings, it's worth checking out.

 

[RedsFan75]

Anyone tried the Tru Bass 88 Tapes on it? How's the tension? Sound?

 

[Stranger Danger]

For those who have put the dimarzio pj set in this bass, did you use the stock pots and caps and did pole pieces line up pretty well? I'd love to see some pics.

 

[tornadobass]

Mine has the Dimarzio PJ set. Good fit, but pole pieces are black so it's hard to see them in a photo.

 

[Stranger Danger]

Mine has the Dimarzio PJ set. Good fit, but pole pieces are black so it's hard to see them in a photo.

Did you reuse the stock pots and cap etc?

 

[topo morto]

Did you reuse the stock pots and cap etc?

What, and lose the opportunity to throw them into the sea?

 

[Evil Undead]

I quite like the stock strings, and I also don't mind the stock pickups either.

Is anyone using one of these basses bone stock, not changing even the strings?

 

[RedsFan75]

I quite like the stock strings, and I also don't mind the stock pickups either.

Is anyone using one of these basses bone stock, not changing even the strings?

Stock except the strings, but I always change strings from the factory ones on basses.

 

[topo morto]

I've messed with mine a lot but am using the stock strings ATM.

 

[tornadobass]

Did you reuse the stock pots and cap etc?

Yes...but I changed to chrome knobs and added a Jazz ashtray. Strings are Chromes.

 

[jaguarette]

I quite like the stock strings, and I also don't mind the stock pickups either.

Is anyone using one of these basses bone stock, not changing even the strings?

Yes everything stock standard at the moment. Haven't gigged it yet but held up pretty good at band prac the other night.

I also like the stock pick-up sound although the J pick-up is a little weak but i've found a pretty good blend so its not completely over-powered by the P.

I'm going to leave as is for now but planning on mods once i wear it in & figure out what i really need. Let me say, this bass is super punchy as is, can imagine could be amazing with the correct mods...

 

[ddeloach]

The pole pieces line up pretty well but not perfectly. I spent a little time adjusting the poles to even out the volume from string to string for each pickup and the process was simple-- just plug it into an amp, pluck and listen, and adjust. The pickups include the allen wrench to adjust them. You should probably have it set up the way you like first though since string height is a factor.

For those who have put the dimarzio pj set in this bass, did you use the stock pots and caps and did pole pieces line up pretty well? I'd love to see some pics.

BTW -- New member to TalkBass. It was reading through all the SS Jag threads that led to me buy one last December. I have small hands and was having a lot of trouble learning to play faster riffs on my Schecter full scale bass (despite the thinner neck of the Stiletto model I own). I like tinkering with electronics so all the prior thread discussions led me want to swap out the electronics as a learning experience, which turned out to be great fun. The short scale has definitely improved my playing considerably and I've enjoyed the almost "kit" aspects of doing the various mods... I didn't just buy a bass, I got a project out of it too!

So thanks to everyone for all of the effort on the previous threads on the SS Jag. I read every line weighing my options and had a lot of fun both modifying it and playing it. The short scale is really helping me reach the next level of learning to play the instrument. My background is as a drummer/keyboard player, but had I known how much fun bass is I would have taken it up long ago!

Edit: Attaching photo for StrangerDanger showing pole positions on my Killer Bass

 

[jaguarette]

The pole pieces line up pretty well but not perfectly. I spent a little time adjusting the poles to even out the volume from string to string for each pickup and the process was simple-- just plug it into an amp, pluck and listen, and adjust. The pickups include the allen wrench to adjust them. You should probably have it set up the way you like first though since string height is a factor.



BTW -- New member to TalkBass. It was reading through all the SS Jag threads that led to me buy one last December. I have small hands and was having a lot of trouble learning to play faster riffs on my Schecter full scale bass (despite the thinner neck of the Stiletto model I own). I like tinkering with electronics so all the prior thread discussions led me want to swap out the electronics as a learning experience, which turned out to be great fun. The short scale has definitely improved my playing considerably and I've enjoyed the almost "kit" aspects of doing the various mods... I didn't just buy a bass, I got a project out of it too!

So thanks to everyone for all of the effort on the previous threads on the SS Jag. I read every line weighing my options and had a lot of fun both modifying it and playing it. The short scale is really helping me reach the next level of learning to play the instrument. My background is as a drummer/keyboard player, but had I known how much fun bass is I would have taken it up long ago!

Edit: Attaching photo for StrangerDanger showing pole positions on my Killer Bass

Those strings look quite fat in the photo - what strings are they? & how do u find they play compared to the stock strings the bass comes with? (Assuming they aren't the stock strings!)

 

[Stranger Danger]

The pole pieces line up pretty well but not perfectly. I spent a little time adjusting the poles to even out the volume from string to string for each pickup and the process was simple-- just plug it into an amp, pluck and listen, and adjust. The pickups include the allen wrench to adjust them. You should probably have it set up the way you like first though since string height is a factor.



BTW -- New member to TalkBass. It was reading through all the SS Jag threads that led to me buy one last December. I have small hands and was having a lot of trouble learning to play faster riffs on my Schecter full scale bass (despite the thinner neck of the Stiletto model I own). I like tinkering with electronics so all the prior thread discussions led me want to swap out the electronics as a learning experience, which turned out to be great fun. The short scale has definitely improved my playing considerably and I've enjoyed the almost "kit" aspects of doing the various mods... I didn't just buy a bass, I got a project out of it too!

So thanks to everyone for all of the effort on the previous threads on the SS Jag. I read every line weighing my options and had a lot of fun both modifying it and playing it. The short scale is really helping me reach the next level of learning to play the instrument. My background is as a drummer/keyboard player, but had I known how much fun bass is I would have taken it up long ago!

Edit: Attaching photo for StrangerDanger showing pole positions on my Killer Bass

Nice! Thanks!

 

[ddeloach]

Those strings look quite fat in the photo - what strings are they? & how do u find they play compared to the stock strings the bass comes with? (Assuming they aren't the stock strings!)

They are D'Addario ECB81S Short Scale Chromes, 45/65/80/100. They are fatter than the stock strings with I think I measured as 95 on the E string . I had to do some very slight filing of the nut to fit the wider strings.

Note I've only been playing bass for about 2 years now; I've been a drummer for almost 30 years. So take any opinion here with a lot more than a grain of salt

On my Schecter I originally had D'Addario rounds, but tried their half-rounds as a means to allow for longer practicing without getting the raw fingers the full rounds gave me. I found the half-round.... uummm... half-better. They have an odd texture to them that takes getting used to. But they did help with raw fingers so I left them on.

I do like these full flats on the Jag SS. These are the first full flat wounds I've used but after a short learning curve to get use to the feel, I found I could practice much longer without getting raw fingers, and on the shorter scale I think it gives back some of the potential lost low end of tone. I had read somewhere in my research that short scales basses can sometimes have a higher tonal range and I didn't want to lose any low end just because it was a short scale; flats seemed like a perfect solution to that problem. With the flats you can slide up and down the neck for a long time without killing your fingers, and the tension seems to be nice as well. I particularly like the rather meaty low E string for hammering on while playing metal!

Side note on not wanting to give up any low end-- when I went looking for an overdrive pedal, based on some talkbass threads I ended up getting the Digitech Hard Wire CM2. I can definitely say that 1. bass generally sounds fantastic through that pedal, the lows you often lose with overdrive you completely get back dialing up the low EQ, and 2. the Jag SS in particular also sounds fantastic with it!

So my feeling is the Jag SS is giving me an easier, smaller platform to match my small hands, but I've definitely not given up anything in the low end register to get that easier-to-play capability, using the strings/pedal I've chosen.

Again, I'm a relatively new player but those choices were made after quite a bit of slogging through old talkbass threads so I'm in good company, at least!

 

[Stranger Danger]

They are D'Addario ECB81S Short Scale Chromes, 45/65/80/100. They are fatter than the stock strings with I think I measured as 95 on the E string . I had to do some very slight filing of the nut to fit the wider strings.

Note I've only been playing bass for about 2 years now; I've been a drummer for almost 30 years. So take any opinion here with a lot more than a grain of salt

On my Schecter I originally had D'Addario rounds, but tried their half-rounds as a means to allow for longer practicing without getting the raw fingers the full rounds gave me. I found the half-round.... uummm... half-better. They have an odd texture to them that takes getting used to. But they did help with raw fingers so I left them on.

I do like these full flats on the Jag SS. These are the first full flat wounds I've used but after a short learning curve to get use to the feel, I found I could practice much longer without getting raw fingers, and on the shorter scale I think it gives back some of the potential lost low end of tone. I had read somewhere in my research that short scales basses can sometimes have a higher tonal range and I didn't want to lose any low end just because it was a short scale; flats seemed like a perfect solution to that problem. With the flats you can slide up and down the neck for a long time without killing your fingers, and the tension seems to be nice as well. I particularly like the rather meaty low E string for hammering on while playing metal!

Side note on not wanting to give up any low end-- when I went looking for an overdrive pedal, based on some talkbass threads I ended up getting the Digitech Hard Wire CM2. I can definitely say that 1. bass generally sounds fantastic through that pedal, the lows you often lose with overdrive you completely get back dialing up the low EQ, and 2. the Jag SS in particular also sounds fantastic with it!

So my feeling is the Jag SS is giving me an easier, smaller platform to match my small hands, but I've definitely not given up anything in the low end register to get that easier-to-play capability, using the strings/pedal I've chosen.

Again, I'm a relatively new player but those choices were made after quite a bit of slogging through old talkbass threads so I'm in good company, at least!

That's a really common but still inaccurate misconception. Short scale basses may lack highs of 34" scale basses but they certainly don't lack lows.

 

[topo morto]

That's a really common but still inaccurate misconception. Short scale basses may lack highs of 34" scale basses but they certainly don't lack lows.

My experience has been that they do lack lows to my ears... and I'd include my SS Jag in that... disclaimer would be that I have only really tried 3 or 4.

 

[RedsFan75]

Edit: Attaching photo for StrangerDanger showing pole positions on my Killer Bass

What bridge did you install on it?

 

[ddeloach]

What bridge did you install on it?

Gotoh 201, got it off ebay at a very good price. The screw holes are a little small but easy to expand slightly to accommodate the original screws.