Any Jaguar mute users?

[dots]

this could've gone in the playing technique section, but i figure more jaggists check this forum.

like most jag owners i've come across, the mute on my '62 AVRI Jaguar was removed shortly after i bought it new in '05 (many folks get them secondhand with them already pulled off). the hardware (minus the plunger and spring which are still intact in the hole) has sat in the case ever since.

i've been invited to play guitar for local theatre production of Hadestown, and the guitar charts call for "modifications" to the instrument to create that mutey, sizzly sound with suggestions ranging from weaving a wire or strip of paper through the strings to a FOAM MUTE! eureka! finally, a purpose for it. since i have to do a full setup to re-intonate for standard tuning anyway, i'll just re-install the device in the next few days.

any playing/performance tips for using this thing? charts don't call for it the whole time (and, sorry roober, they call for a capo on about half the tunes), but i've never used it beyond the first week or so i had the guitar and then only for a few seconds at a stretch before saying "TOO WEIRD, I'll JUST USE MY HAND" (which i say a lot anyway).

[plopswagon]

Our pal Mike (Puisheen on the socials is an avid user of the Jag mute.

[benecol]

I loved it when I used to have my AVRI! I found I fitted it cranked up too high/tight: you don't need to wring its neck, there's a big sweet spot in the middle of its adjustment where it sounds just fine, and engages and disengages nicely (mine was a bit like a beartrap). I only took it back off because a) I'm a fusspot and b) I tend to rest my hand on the bridge when Im playing (which is a terrible habit and I'm not as bad as I was).

[dots]

that's helpful, Tim, thank you. i was afraid there wouldn't be a dialing in available and that it would just be on or off.

plops, good idea, i'll reach out to Mike.

[sunshiner]

I believe Hurb has it on one of his Jags

[Hurb]

Yeah I have them on all my jags. I have a video on fitting one on destroying amps YouTube.

I don't really use them if I am honest. But I like the aesthetic.

[dots]

Nice! I'll have to check that out and see what improvements I can make.

Did this yesterday...

► Show Spoiler

PXL_20250125_191406740.jpg (3.35 MiB) Viewed 2243 times

PXL_20250125_191512196.jpg (1.11 MiB) Viewed 2243 times

PXL_20250125_192344520.jpg (1.03 MiB) Viewed 2243 times

6ba2586d-5c31-48fc-88c1-0e64f73393bd.jpg (824.76 KiB) Viewed 2243 times

PXL_20250125_193902498.jpg (3.91 MiB) Viewed 2243 times

PXL_20250125_192321148.jpg (2.03 MiB) Viewed 2243 times

Went OK, but I had a heckuva time getting it to intonate and stabilize. At some point as i was having it worked on many years ago, someone (I think it might have been Aug) wrapped the bridge posts in tape to keep it snug, but the mute wouldn't rest right until I removed that.

Will take another round or 2 futzing with it to get it right, but this should be a good point from which to jump off. Heading to the MD's place this afternoon to jam on this stuff and come up with a game plan for tones. Already told him I don't sight read, so there's that to contend with, too.

Checking the vid shortly...

[paul_]

Haha, I remember the taped posts as a general JS forum recommendation.

[NickS]

“That's what Jagulars always do," said Pooh, much interested. "They call 'Help! Help!' and then when you look up, they drop on you."

[dots]

^tr00 words there

Haha, I remember the taped posts as a general JS forum recommendation.

Even though haven't yet found my groove or completely functional setup with it, I think leaving the mute on turns out to help with stability. Just need to dial that in more. May need to shim the neck a bit.

[Pacafeliz]

I don't really use them if I am honest. But I like the aesthetic.

Same here. I screw them down.
But more bling is better. The offkey burp sound is kinda useless. I also have an old Hagström and a Höfner with mutes that i can't "deactivate" and hit them all the time... urgh

[ROBERT(OG)]

I did use the mute on my OTM AVRI Jaguar. but I noticed it made the strings slightly sharp if it wasn't set "just right"
as a few already said... it just looks cool. I made a new guard for one of those squier 70's cv jag's and threw a mute on it for shits-n-gigs.

[dots]

I did use the mute on my OTM AVRI Jaguar. but I noticed it made the strings slightly sharp if it wasn't set "just right"
as a few already said... it just looks cool. I made a new guard for one of those squier 70's cv jag's and threw a mute on it for shits-n-gigs.

ROB OG!!!

how you been, man?

[ROBERT(OG)]

DOTS!
been good man. pretty sure we are friends on Fakebook.
been doing the guitar thing. I'm off for the summer from the college(chef gig) so that's cool.
hopefully here before too long I will have some stuff to show off. like a 65 jag that I bought(in pieces) in a cvs parking lot!
I mean. really not a whole lot, still haven't (and won't) pro-create. I still live in Indiana, got a little house on the retired side of town. still play music, still go to shows. still smoking crack and giving it up to the dark lord.
actually I have been sober (California sober*) for 3 years and some change now.

[dots]

right on, man. i'd heard you'd gone pro on the culinary arts, so glad you're getting some down time for the important things, too -- like guitars!! i haven't gotten anything "new" since i scored a '76 Bronco from Pens a couple years ago. before that, i had an orange comp stang built out by Warmoth. work's been pretty fierce, and i have a granddaughter now, so time is a precious thing. i'm hoping to saddle back up soon, though, once i finish my conquest of retro PC's, a rabbit hole i burrowed into a little over a year ago after getting back from Japan.

i don't FB very much at all anymore. it was already bad enough with the rage-algos, but AI driving literally everything on it makes social media a waste of time for me. i've tried a few times in the last couple weeks to saddle up on IG again but just can't do it for more than a minute or two. all that to say, i'll look you up when i'm on the book next time, just don't know when that'll be. very glad to see you, though, and i hope you stick around.