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Post subject: Largest gauge strings on your Jag or JM ... and mod's?
Posted: Sat Feb 28, 2015 10:18 pm
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I'd like to know what are the largest strings (brand and type) that you guys are using on your VM Jaguars and/or Jazzmasters (especially the J Mascis version).

Did you have to work the nut and/or saddle slots, and any other mods you may have done?

My main interest for these particular guitars is for playing surf music, running through a modified Fender '63 RI reverb tank with Gomez G-Spring boards, into the clean vintage channel 1 of an Egnater 4100 Tourmaster.


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Post subject: Re: Largest gauge strings on your Jag or JM ... and mod's?
Posted: Sun Mar 01, 2015 4:09 am
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There's one major difference in Jags and Jazzmasters; the scale length. Jags come with a 24" scale, so the string tension is significantly lower than in Jazzmasters with their 25.5" scale. That reads out that same gauge strings are more rigid on a JM, or that a Jag both needs and tolerates thicker gauge strings than a JM.

Each time you change the string gauge, you need to do a setup. When you go from lighter to heavier gauges, it's a good idea to go one step at a time (.010" set to .011, then to .012, then to .013 if needed). This gives you the chance to try what fits you best, and teaches you how the setup changes with gauges.

To me, a setup always includes checking that the nut slots handle the string gauge well; also that the slots are proper height, shape etc. Changes in string tension means you have to check the relief and adjust the truss rod accordingly.
Here's the Fender Setup Guide in case you need it.
And, it seems to me that the Jags and JMs need the neck shimmed more often than other Fender models (I've been fiddling with guitars since the original bridge versions, so that of course may affect my opinion on this).

The J.Mascis is a nice guitar, but remember the price class. The neck is flexible, so it needs proper support from the truss rod - I'd suggest you adjust the neck to "almost straight" or "very little relief" (.005"/0,125mm if you need numbers) and adjust your pick attack to that.

On heavier modding, I'd suggest you wait till you get the above done, and get to know your guitar. Most likely you then know what mods you need - if any. Mastering a guitar is often better than modding it :wink:


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Post subject: Re: Largest gauge strings on your Jag or JM ... and mod's?
Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2015 4:05 pm
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My Jag arrived yesterday, and although I do like it, it does not have as nice of a bridge as the TOM on my J Mascis Jazzmaster, and there is a lot of bridge noise on the bass strings.
It's not a buzz, but more of a resonance sound, like a muffled snare in a way ... that fortunately doesn't get through the amp.
The saddles are the cheap ones that have multiple ridges turned in them (as opposed to the drums with a single slot).
No biggie ...... I ordered a set of D'addario 12-52 chrome flats, and I'll see about replacing the bridge with the one from my Mascis and get a roller for the Mascis ....... or maybe just get two $20 eBay rollers for them both.

There is no fret buzz at all, and the relief is at about .008, with the the action at just under 2mm on the bass side, and a tad over 1.5mm on the treble side.
Intonation only needed a slight tweak on the bass E.
It is finished/built very well at the price point and is on par with any other guitars I have that are made in Indonesia (which in my experience, is a bit of a cut above the MIC guitars that I have).
The exception to that is the J. Mascis MIC, with is really on par with some of my MIK and MIM guitars.

I (now) have collected 25 different guitars over the years, and have been buying (in bulk, and using exclusively) Ernie Ball SS 9-42's since the mid '60's, but since I recently bought this '63 Fender Reverb Tank, and wanted to try some old surf music (Dick Dale, Ventures, Shadows and etc.) I also bought the two Squier offset bodies (the Mascis JM and the VM Jag) to basically add the '50/'60s ambiance (even though Dale played/s a Strat .... and I do have a couple of them in my stable).
So ... hence the question about the heavier than stock 9's that they come with, and if mods were needed to use them with the heavier strings.
I've found out the Jags pretty much do 'all' require the nut slots to be worked a bit for the larger strings, and a better bridge to keep the heavier strings from slipping about in the saddle groves ... which might also require the use of a neck shim, depending on which bridge you go to.

I got the J Mascis JM from Chicago Music (via Reverb.com) for the $350 delivered offer that I made , and the VM Jag from AMS for $280 delivered by calling them on the phone to get that price, so I have room to buy the bridge(s) and strings, and still be fairly close to the street price on these guys.

BTW: I'm very happy with the Mascis set up with the EB SS 9's, and I did ad some Big Bends Nut Sauce to the nut and saddles, which I'm sure helped with keeping it in tune as well as it does .... even when getting pretty frisky with the tremolo. :wink:
But .... the 9's are really a tad to light to cleanly handle the fast 'Dick Dale double pick' .... like in Misirlou, and etc.
So I'll leave it with the 9's for now, and set up the Jag up for 'just' surf music.

There is a very good 'string thread' on Surf 101.com, and some specific mods to the Squire JM and VM, along with a lot of other genre specific info there too.
You know ..... in case anyone else is inclined to give some 'reverb dripping' surf music a shot. :wink: ;)


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Post subject: Re: Largest gauge strings on your Jag or JM ... and mod's?
Posted: Tue Mar 10, 2015 6:40 am
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Flyer91 wrote:
My Jag arrived yesterday, and although I do like it, it does not have as nice of a bridge as the TOM on my J Mascis Jazzmaster, and there is a lot of bridge noise on the bass strings.
It's not a buzz, but more of a resonance sound, like a muffled snare in a way ... that fortunately doesn't get through the amp.

My 1st impression is, that sounds like a classical case of a guitar in need of
a) thicker gauge strings (the 24" scale...) and/or
b) a neck shim (to get the string break angle on the bridge a little steeper = more downforce).

Of course, as the 'non-buzz' is not audible through amps, some would do nothing.


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Post subject: Re: Largest gauge strings on your Jag or JM ... and mod's?
Posted: Sun Apr 05, 2015 8:28 pm
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I find I can barely play an electric guitar with .009s, because they feel like bungie cords to me.
Minimum of .011 round-wounds for Surf, on my Strat.
(But I do keep .010s on my Epi LP)
When I get my Squier VM Jag I'm gonna swap out the factory strings right away with .011s or .012s.

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Post subject: Re: Largest gauge strings on your Jag or JM ... and mod's?
Posted: Fri Jun 26, 2015 9:06 pm
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I've got my VM Jag now and I put Roto "Purples" (.012" to .052") on it.
I think though, that I might put .011's on the next time around. It should be a bit easier to bend notes, which I find myself doing more of lately.

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Post subject: Re: Largest gauge strings on your Jag or JM ... and mod's?
Posted: Thu Jul 09, 2015 12:29 pm
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Congrats on the Guitars!!!!! I have a Classic Player Jazzmaster that was one of the first ones out, I also bought a Vintage Modified Jag when they came out in 2012. I would try a few different things. I do NOT post my setup guides or string gauges i use anymore on forums. People try to correct you or make you look or feel stupid. I have quite a few instruments so i learned how to set them up and maintain them, because i couldn't afford to have it done. I read what other people use and have my own ideas. One of the groups I gig with is a Surf Band. I really am a Jazzmaster and Telecaster guy. I bought my Jag on a whim and 45 days to return it. Glad I bought it, with my setup it works well and has good tuning stability all using the stock parts. The only thing changed was the strings. I posted my setups on a Facebook Page and got skinned alive...LOL I posted a video of the guitar in action and it stopped the assaults of "You can't do that or that will not work" each guitar is different and think outside the box. When my bandmates inspected my Jazzmaster and jaguar they were pretty shocked, because they liked my sound and i already had a few gigs with them under my belt. I don't use super heavy strings and I can get a very 1963 surf sound. Good Luck and let us know how things are going


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Post subject: Re: Largest gauge strings on your Jag or JM ... and mod's?
Posted: Fri Aug 07, 2015 8:00 pm
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I did end up changing to a D'Addario EXL115 set (.011" to .049") a while ago because the A and E strings on the Roto Purples (.012" to .052") would not fit in the nut properly, which made intonation a bit more difficult. I could see a half-diameter space under the low E in the nut slot. I wasn't ready to have the slots enlarged.
Besides, I found the .011"s much easier to bend. It may be the brand too.

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Post subject: Re: Largest gauge strings on your Jag or JM ... and mod's?
Posted: Wed Feb 24, 2016 5:57 pm
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I bought my Jaguar used and it had a set of 9's on it. The strings kept jumping the saddles so I put on a set of Elixr 11's and have had no more problems. I use Elixrs on all my guitars. I just like the way that they feel


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Post subject: Re: Largest gauge strings on your Jag or JM ... and mod's?
Posted: Thu Feb 25, 2016 9:48 pm
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I have the very first Jazzmaster offering from Squier that came out In 2011 with the Hardtail bridge. Absolute zero issues with string slippage or anything else since this guitar uses a Hardtail bridge therefore, I use D'addario 9-42 strings. The only thing I have done to this guitar was to smooth out the somewhat sharp fret ends on either side of the neck. Of course playability and sound is purely subjective to each player but for me, this is a lovely guitar with a very addicting sound. The nut was properly cut ( thank God :lol: ) and I could never imagine changing these pick-ups for any others.

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