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Post subject: Blacktop Jaguar 90 question
Posted: Sat Jul 13, 2013 10:44 am
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Hi there. Just got a Blacktop Jaguar, red with P90 pickups. Cool guitar. Noticed that the tone "knob" is really more of a switch. Spin it almost all the way around and no change, then bam, big change. I figure I would want a 500K audio taper pot? Worth replacing the volume at the same time?

Also, I'm getting a rattle from my B string. The rattle is coming from the string tree on the headstock. If I press down on the string so my finger takes the tension instead of the tree, no rattle. If I pull the string out from under the tree, no rattle. Is this just a simple screwdriver fix (assuming the tree is too high and not putting enough tension on the string) or is it more in depth?

Thanks. Otherwise it's a pretty cool guitar. Neck feels nice but I'm sure will feel nicer after some #0000 steel wool. Loving the contoured body and the quality of the finish.


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Post subject: Re: Blacktop Jaguar 90 question
Posted: Sat Jul 13, 2013 11:24 am
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Is the string tree loose? Cause they don't really seem to have any real adjustment. Tighten it down but don't go nuts.


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Post subject: Re: Blacktop Jaguar 90 question
Posted: Sun Jul 14, 2013 9:17 am
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Welcome aboard, thx! I'm interested in these guitars, so I look forward to hearing how this guitar works out for you. I couldn't find any demos of them on YT, only the HH's.

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Post subject: Re: Blacktop Jaguar 90 question
Posted: Sun Jul 14, 2013 6:32 pm
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Okay, a screwdriver has mostly fixed my string tree problem. I'm thinking of swapping the stock M-shaped piece of metal with one of the pretend roller style trees on newer Strats.

I'm struggling with getting the action down. The bridge is down as far as it will go. It's the TOM-style with two thumbwheels to adjust height for the whole assembly. The saddles look like they're adjustable for intonation only, not height. I tweaked the truss rod as far as I dared before the strings started buzzing down in the first few frets. Here's where it gets me - I had the truss rod adjusted so that the first four frets were buzzy, but the strings were still 6 or 8mm off the fretboard at the 24th fret.

I put the truss rod back so that the strings fretted cleanly, which brought the action up a good bit. Since I can't adjust the bridge any lower and the truss rod adjustment isn't getting what I want, what's my next step? Shim the neck?


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Post subject: Re: Blacktop Jaguar 90 question
Posted: Fri Aug 02, 2013 4:17 pm
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thx712517 wrote:
Since I can't adjust the bridge any lower and the truss rod adjustment isn't getting what I want, what's my next step? Shim the neck?
How is this going? Did you try shimming the neck? I played one of these in a store the other day, and I was surprised at how good it sounded. I'm seriously considering buying one eventually.

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Post subject: Re: Blacktop Jaguar 90 question
Posted: Fri Aug 02, 2013 4:52 pm
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I shimmed the neck substantially to get the action down to a decent level, fiddled with bridge height, and tweaked the truss rod quite a bit. It seemed to increase the resonance of the guitar, which was unexpected. However, it is still less than satisfactory.

I picked up a pair of CTS 500K audio taper pots, an Orange Drop 0.022uf capacitor, and a pair of Jason Lollar P90s (stock neck, 5% overwound bridge). The guitar's going to a tech in the next week or so to go under the knife, and I'll have them try setting it up to see if they can get it better.


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Post subject: Re: Blacktop Jaguar 90 question
Posted: Sat Aug 03, 2013 2:31 pm
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thx712517 wrote:
I picked up a pair of CTS 500K audio taper pots, an Orange Drop 0.022uf capacitor, and a pair of Jason Lollar P90s (stock neck, 5% overwound bridge). The guitar's going to a tech in the next week or so to go under the knife, and I'll have them try setting it up to see if they can get it better.
Wow, those are some serious mods. I can't wait to hear how it sounds when you get it back.

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Post subject: Re: Blacktop Jaguar 90 question
Posted: Fri Sep 06, 2013 5:12 pm
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Did you get it back yet? If so, what's the verdict, is it a keeper? You kind of left us hanging.

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Post subject: Re: Blacktop Jaguar 90 question
Posted: Fri Sep 06, 2013 5:57 pm
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Got it back a couple weeks ago actually, but shortly after I got it back from the shop I wound up getting a new job. I've been training like crazy so free time has been nonexistent. However, with the little playing I've been able to get in, here's the verdict.

Feel: After the setup the action is a bit lower than I had it, intonation is closer. This makes me happy, since low action is more my way of playing. Granted it's not as low as a few other instruments I've played in the store, but those cost about four times what this one did.

Tone pots: Two things come to mind. First off, there's a lot more range when it comes to dialing in tone. The new pot gets rid of the on-off nature of the stock one. There's a lot more room to play with, a lot more subtlety that was missing before. The volume pot is about the same, but I only had that replaced since I was having the other one done. Secondly, the pots have a smoother feel to them as you spin them, but I didn't dislike how they were before. They were fine, now they're, um, finer.

Pickups: Biggest improvement to the guitar. A lot more character, a lot more grunt. Previously the stock bridge pickup was pretty light. The 5% overwound Lollar pickup in the bridge position kicks out some serious oomph, has more clarity and more definition. Roll up on the volume enough and it overdrives the amp, gets you a great George Thorogood "Who do you love" sound without any pedals whatsoever.

Neck pickup, a stock Lollar, has the clarity and definition and a bit more warmth to it. Dial back on the tone and it gets warmer, more velvety almost. You could do blues, jazz, rock, whatever you like depending on tone and volume settings.

All in all I'd say it was worth it.


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Post subject: Re: Blacktop Jaguar 90 question
Posted: Sat Sep 07, 2013 12:07 pm
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thx712517 wrote:
Got it back a couple weeks ago actually, but shortly after I got it back from the shop I wound up getting a new job. I've been training like crazy so free time has been nonexistent. However, with the little playing I've been able to get in, here's the verdict.

Feel: After the setup the action is a bit lower than I had it, intonation is closer. This makes me happy, since low action is more my way of playing. Granted it's not as low as a few other instruments I've played in the store, but those cost about four times what this one did.

Tone pots: Two things come to mind. First off, there's a lot more range when it comes to dialing in tone. The new pot gets rid of the on-off nature of the stock one. There's a lot more room to play with, a lot more subtlety that was missing before. The volume pot is about the same, but I only had that replaced since I was having the other one done. Secondly, the pots have a smoother feel to them as you spin them, but I didn't dislike how they were before. They were fine, now they're, um, finer.

Pickups: Biggest improvement to the guitar. A lot more character, a lot more grunt. Previously the stock bridge pickup was pretty light. The 5% overwound Lollar pickup in the bridge position kicks out some serious oomph, has more clarity and more definition. Roll up on the volume enough and it overdrives the amp, gets you a great George Thorogood "Who do you love" sound without any pedals whatsoever.

Neck pickup, a stock Lollar, has the clarity and definition and a bit more warmth to it. Dial back on the tone and it gets warmer, more velvety almost. You could do blues, jazz, rock, whatever you like depending on tone and volume settings.

All in all I'd say it was worth it.
Thanks for taking the time to share this. I'm definitely GASing for one now.

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