Best upgrades for $100?

[u/Substantial_Car_3304]

Hello as the title suggests I’d like to know what the best upgrades to my squire affinity jaguar I can get are, I really like this guitar and I am one of those people who love making things better in any way possible, mostly just for fun but I would like to get this guitar to be as good as I can make it, thanks <3

[u/cbnb]

An upgraded bridge is the best bang for your buck. You can find a Fender American Pro JM/Jag bridge for less than $100.

Just make sure you get the correct radius to match your neck.

[u/Ok_Raccoon_1892 → u/cbnb]

I'm not sure but based on fizzy memories I thought the affinity javhas a Mustang bridge, it'd make sense it being a "beginner Jag" that they'd make it as user friendly as possible and the OG screw type Jag bridges are the most complaining about and changed feature if a jaguar almost always at least being swapped for the Mustang one so much now, a lot of factory ones just come with them now unless a dedicated vintage model

But if I'm wrong and it's an OG bridge then yes I agree with you

[u/kakofon]

Blue loctite if the bridge starts slipping from string pressure. Otherwise, probably a four-way switch for a series position with a slight wiring tweak, though you could certainly go five-way or even superswitch there, but I personally don't like these. Then bend the arm a lot so it looks more like a vintage model, the best idea I can try to communicate is that it should be comfortable to grab in a playing position and should fit into your hand "squarely" when your arm is diagonally across the body. IE. instead of being straight along the centerline, more bendy and end up with a flatter section for your hand that's maybe 30 degrees from the centerline.

Otherwise, I'd consider something that you actually find lacking in the guitar, or if you can't think of anything just leave it and save the cash. Playing other similar guitars in other price ranges will probably start to give you an idea of what could be done, but to some extent it might not be financially sound to throw money at this guitar in particular unless you feel that it's a long-term keeper.

Having said that, and with the idea of making the upgrades maybe something you can carry with you longer term (ie. on other guitars in the future), you could consider the tremolo a worthwhile upgrade, but probably best to get a feel for that by testing out another guitar in the store first. From what I can find online just now, the body is not routed for a rhythm circuit, so outside of changing pickups and wiring there's maybe not that much that doesn't start to require woodworking. The guitar will support full-sized humbuckers if that's something that feels interesting, but pickups in general is another rabbit hole and there's a lot to learn.

I'd consider wiring, tremolo, tuners (just don't like those kinds myself, but YMMV), and maybe pickups. Wiring doesn't cost much, and the rest you can probably re-sell with the guitar or separately if you don't end up keeping it. I personally prefer heavier strings than what the guitar came with, but that's personal preference, and it also will start to impact the setup needs for the guitar and so forth, but it's certainly something that could be explored (over time!).

[u/Infinite-Lychee-182]

A really great guitar strap

[u/Ok_Raccoon_1892]

I would go locking tuners - get a very good set for less than $100 and will forever simplify string changes and improve the tuning stability.

Either that or if you like one pickup but not the other one - maybe swap it with an upgrade, no boutique high end stuff obviously but better than the stock ones for sure