Fender '62 Reissue Jaguar

Mine is an older crafted in Japan model. White, red tort guard. Normal Jag set up. Honestly Jags have more features than most guiars. Using all the variations in tone that the controls allow gives one seven (7) different basic tone settings - before you even touch the tone knobs. Pretty cool. I find all of the settings useful, myself.

I'd guess that my jag, which I got used, still had the Japanese pckups installed. I thought they were going to suck, and ordered a duncan replacment at the same time I bought the guiar, but honestly the Jap pickups aren't bad at all. I did some recording with them, and they really sound great. Fascinatingly edgy and aggressive overdriven and disorted tones - clear and thick clean sounds - bright cutting tones. The Jag is not quite as rich in the upper frequencies - the range that gives an instrument sparkle,as a strat or tele, but it makes up for it in personality. Althouh many of the Jag's features are weird - like the very cool low cut switch - which I adore, and are not for everyone, the jag does produce a broader range of sounds even than my strat. In that sense it is a very feature rich guitar.

I play in an indie/emo band that is relatively successful. We've opened for some big groups including Piebald, Coheed and Cambria, and The jealous sound.
I have wanted a Jag for years, but finaly got one only recently. I have read so many negative things about them that I was very apprehensive. As it turns out I think I was born to play this guitar. Not only is it visually attractive, comfortable and fun, but it sounds exactly the way I have always wished my strat would sound. The jag has this great, odd, chuncky sound that is appealing because it seems tailor made for quirky weird indie stuff. It's terrible for blues and hopeless for metal. This makes me happy. I can't even pretend to play metal on this thing. It's like the guitar it self has a sense of taste.

One of my favorite things about the jag is that you can really push the pickups. They respond better to picking dynamics than my American strats, producing this wonderful aggressive and saturated sound when picked hard. This effect is great with overdrive.

Contrary to what some people claim, the Jag, in my opinion,has a great distorted sound - with a unique aggressive bite that just rocks. The pickups are cleaner/ weaker and don't push overdrive the way my strat pups do, meaning to achieve similar levels of distortion I have to set the pedal's overdrive / distortion levels higher (I use a Full Drive II and a Big Muff). Even so, the jag loves overdrive and sounds fantastic with a Big Muff. It's not going to give you a slick classic rock/ metal whatever type distortion, but instead produces something interesting and odd, though I find the sound quite pleasing. And don't discredit the low cut switch. Although it does make the sound thiner, it can be great for things like lo fi guitar parts, unmuddying a distortion/ fuzz box, or creating sharp and shimery over dubs. In many ways the Jaguar is a recording guitarists dream, since it does so much on its own. Normally I might have to agressively eq a guitar to obtain an effect that the jag produces naturally. It's very handy that way.

Every one hates the bridge, and for a couple of reasons.
1. The strings behind the bridge buzz: While this is true, the buzzing is not noticable while playing amplified, so I don't really care. Even when playing clean the buzzing isn't noticable. To fix it get a buzz stop. Personaly I have learned to live with it, and it really isn't a big deal.

2. The strings slip in the saddles when played hard: In truth this doesn't happen to me, and I play in a loud band. Perhaps it's playing style, but I just don't have this problem. One needs to really slam the strings in order to make them skip, so I guess a lot of people play really hard. On the other hand, I, unlike most other people, like to set my jag up with lite guage strings. These may fit better in the bridge grooves, and so perhaps are less likely to slip. Don't believe the people who say that you have to put heavey strings on a jag. You can, and it's a cool thing, but you don't have to. I don't, and the sound makes me happy, plus it's really smooth playing.

3. The grub screws fall out of the bridge: This does happen. Solution - get lock tite, or put in some mustang saddles. That's what I did (put in the saddles I mean), mainly because so many people recommended it, but also because my used Jag had a slightly damaged/ neglected bridge. I could have used it as is though, with few issues.

4. The vibrato system puts the strings out of tune: Well, this is only true if you wank it. The vibrato in my opinion is great. So touch sensitive, and so capable of subtlety. Much more so than my Strat, which is noisy when you jiggle the bar. If you are putting the strings out of tune then you should play a different guitar - one with a floyd rose.

5. Iv'e never heard anyone have this problem before, but the strap on my jag makes noise which is audible through the amp. You can only hear it while you're not playing but it sounds as if the strap button where connected to the pickups. Perhaps this is part of the unsheilded nature of cheap jap pickups, or perhaps the previous owner did something weird to the guitar. Don't know.

The neck on this thing is where the guitar really shines. So comfortable, and it makes manuevers possible that I never thought I could do - having small hands.

This guitar holds tune better than my strat! Once it is set up well, it's like a rock, even when one uses the vibro bar.

The jag has lots of parts: sliders, knobs, little screws and lots of solder joints. It stands to reason that it has many vulnerabilites, yet mine has held its ground just fine. I wouldn't be surprised if the switches break some day, or if I loose a screw or two, but over all its very solid.

Here's the skiny. The jag is not for every one. Only buy one if you genuinely find it appealing, and if you try it out and then still like it. Read up on them, and be prepared for their ideosyncracies.

Do not buy a jag because you like curt cobain. His jag, which had a gibson bridge and a pair of cheap humbuckers was not a jag. Once you replace the pickups and the bridge, and disable the vibrato as some do, what you have left is just a cheap crapy guitar. It still looks cool, and has a nice neck, but basically you should have bought a les paul or an ibanez for that matter. The jag is not a power rocking, punk guitar. Cobain played one becase he liked the neck and because at the time they were the cheapest thing one could find. WAY TOO MANY pimply high school kids go out and buy jags only because they want to emulate cobain (which has ludacrously inflated the price). Don't be one of those. You won't like the guitar, or you'll have to spend three hundred dollars modifying it so that it is mutated into a pale representation of the guitar you should have bought - a les paul, or an SG, or some cheap ibanez humbucker thing. That's what you really want. Only buy a Jag if you love single coils, plan on making only functional modifications, and try the guitar out and still like it. Other-wise buy a tele - they sound great, are very cool, and will give single coil fans what they are after right off the bat.

The truth is that Jags are freakish, require a lot of love, and at best sound strange and unusual. Please, only buy one because you love it for what it is - a freak. They deserve an owner who can appreciate and not mar their uniqueness. For the right person the Jag feels like coming home - if this is you, then go fr it.

I got this one used, so I don't know what year it is, but its one of those Crafted in Japan '62 Reissues. I love teh body shape, it is so balanced and comfortable. I bought it without ever having played a Jaguar (though I had played a Jazzmaster). The pickups sound correct and the finish is what you would expect of a Fender guitar. I hated the Jaguar bridge, so I swapped it out with a Mustang bridge. I also added a Buzz Stop which was a massive improvement. The neck feels pretty small to me, but I have huge hands. Mine came with a wonderful black reissue tolex case.

I play blues, rock, and alternative. This is not a blues guitar, but playing blues on it has a pretty funky sound. Playing Chili Peppers songs on it is awesome. Strings do buzz a bit, but if you didn't want that, you should have bought a Strat.

Adjustment was all out of whack by the time I got it, but I got it used, so who knows what kind of hell it had been through. The nut has come loose on mine and needs to be reglued. You need some heavy strings on this guitar, too. I understand they were shipped with .010's, but unless you are girly, go for at least .011's!

Its a Fender, so you know the quality is there. This is a rock solid guitar I woul dbe proud to gig with. I don't gig without a backup guitar because I am a chronic string-breaker.

Oddly enough, I have owned many Fender guitars and have never needed any support.

If this guitar was stolen, I might consider getting another one if I didn't aleady own too many guitars. Other than that, it is a keeper!!

my jaguar is a 2003-2004 limited edition sonic blue reissue.it was made in japan but i love it anyway i don't see a difference between it and an american one. it has a lead circuit and a rythm circuit with a volume and tone knob for each.and the lead circuit has aboost selector which gives you amazing tone.i also love the 24 inch scale and offset body.best looking and sounding guitar i have played........seriously.

jesus, this guitar can go from a bassy rumble to a bright lead with the flick of a few knobs.it sounds like one thing, and that is a jaguar.i play allot of nirvana,sonic youth,mudhoney and white stripes.it suits all of them perfectly with a few flicks and twists.
my effects are a cool as hell electro harmonix polychorus and a big muff pi.

it is a known fact that jaguars are originally set up like shit.you must have it set up.now mine is smooth and fast.no flawsother than that minor offence.

shit yeah ,it is like a rock i have thrown mine and done thurston moore tricks with it and it didn't give a shit.my finish is fine no problem there.and no,i wouldn't gig without a backup because i use allot of wierd tunings.

a jaguar is a jaguar,dude.they rock all of the people who say it can't distort are being assholes,just hook it up to a big muff .it is the best.

Japanese (CIJ) reissue, made in about 1998, I think. It's sunburst with a red tortoishell pickguard. A couple of the switches were snapped off when I got it. I made a fuss and got the guitar for a steal.

These are very faithful remakes of the 60s American classics, and are comparable in every way to the American Vintage reissues (AVRI) - except in one well noted respect: the electronics. I'll come onto that later.

Features-wise: the (in)famous floating bridge, the locking trem, the MILLIONS of switches and knobs, the beautiful offset-waist body shape, the cool big headstock. So much to admire, so much to play with!

In short, there are VERY few guitars that offer the multitude of unique features that you get on a Jag.

I play noisy alt rock, and a little lo-fi country. The Jag is perfect for that. For a start, nothing sounds like a Jaguar! By using the "strangle" circuit (low-pass/high-pass filter, the switch for which is the one nearest the volume and tone controls), you can get a really jangly, bright tone, or alternatively a bassy plunk, and pretty much everything in between. You can also use both pickups at the same time, which I love.

I like to get an angular, edgy, cutting sound from my Jag. The high-pass filter is handy for the mellower country stuff, but I generally have it set to cut the bass out. It sounds like a panic attack. Gotta love that.

What this guitar isn't, is a Les Paul or a Strat. You want RAWK? Buy one of those, I say. You want humbuckers and sustain? Buy a guitar that has those as standard - don't mod a Jaguar! No matter what pickups you use (and I've even heard of some numbnuts putting a Seymour Duncan HotRails on a Jaguar - missing the point or what!?), you WON'T get long sustain out of a Jag. End of story.

I think a lot of people were deceived by the fact that Kurt Cobain often used a Jaguar. Well, I'm a huge Nirvana fan, so don't flame me for this, but Kurt didn't know a whole hell of a lot about guitars. He's not really the person to trust! The Nirvana sound is far more likely to be acheivable through a Mustang, which he also used (and used a lot more than a Jag).

One bitch: if you're buying a Japanese Jag, change the pickups - the Jap ones are weak and aren't wax-dipped, so they're horribly microphonic and WILL feedback with anything more than the most gentle distortion. Get AVRI Fenders from Angela.com if you can, or alternatively get Seymour Duncans. I've had my CIJ pups replaced with an SD Quarter Pound for Jaguar (bridge position) and an SD Vintage for Jaguar (neck position). I may change the capacitors and pots too, as the CIJ ones aren't as good as the AVRIs.

So, much as I love the sound of the Jag now it's been modded, I have to take marks off for the poor quality CIJ pickups.

This guitar was second hand, and the previous owner knew as much about how to look after his guitar as George W. Bush does about particle physics. The setup when I bought it was appalling, so I took it to my tech and he turned it into the best guitar I own (I own 5).

It also had a couple of dings. I don't care about dings - I'm a player, not a collector.

You'll hear a lot of bitching about the Jag bridge, and a lot of it's valid. However, you don't need to rip the thing out and replace it with a 'Stang bridge, like so many people - just get a Buzz Stop ($40 ish) and have the saddle screws treated with LocTite (a non-permanent glue which solves the problem of slippage). Those measures, together with a PRO setup will make this the guitar of your dreams.

A well set up Jag feels wonderful - none of that top-heaviness you get with a Gibson. It sits just right, and my fingers just glide over the fretboard.

One thing - get it strung with heavier gauge strings than normal. Use 11s at least, as the Jag's shorter scale will make anything lighter feel floppy and weird.

Anyway, I'm taking one mark off for the state the action was in when I got it, but otherwise it's perfect.

Lovely heavy beasts, Jaguars. They'll take all manner of shit, except for one thing: if you use the trem arm, TAKE IT OFF before storing the guitar in a hard case!

Can't comment on the strap buttons, as I immediately replaced them with Schaller strap locks.

The finish is hard as nails - polyurethane, rather than nitrocellulose - so you have to hit it pretty hard to ding it. Nitro's more "authentic", poly's harder.

Hardware's very reliable, but not high-quality as the AVRI stuff.

Second hand. Fender owe me nothing.

I love this guitar. The fact that the Les Paul brigade wouldn't like it is a badge of honour, as far as I'm concerned. It's for musicians who want to make a more individual sound, not just plug and chug.

I've invested nearly #200 over and above what I paid for it, just to do it up so the plugged-in sound does justice to how the thing plays. It's now my perfect instrument.

Japanese re-issue, 1994. 22 fret 24" shortscale neck, thin contour - suits more delicate playing. NOW! to sort out the controls... It seems that nobody but me knows how to work this baby!

1. the upper chrome bit...

This is the tone and volume control (in order from left to right looking at the guitar) for the neck pickup. The switch next to them selects the rhythm circuit (just neck pickup)when flicked up, and the secondary circuit (lead mainly) when flicked down. More of that later. (NOTE: when the switch is flicked down, playing with the rhythm controls will make no difference to the sound, as it is running through the lower controls)


The 3 switches...

again, in order from left to right looking at the guitar:
1) flicking this switch up will engage treble boost, and flicking it down will engage bass boost. Mine spends nearly all of its time up, because if I want bass I will just flick to the rhythm circuit with the upper switch.

2) Flicking this switch up will enable the bridge pickup. Again, I keep this switch up nearly all the time for the same reasons as before.

3)This switch is the only one I ever play with: It controls whether the neck pickup is enabled. Enabling the neck pickup and the bridge pickup gives a lovely punchy-midrangy sound which you can only imagine if you have heard it. (NOTE: On the stock Jap reissue, the two pickups do not hum cancel like on the american version - you can fix this with 8 inches of wiring and some skill with a soldering iron)

The 2 knobs left over are the volume and tone controls for the lead circuit. Got that?

All in all, this guitar is packed with features: 3-tone burst, tortoise guard, rosewood board, large headstock... and it just glistens with retro charm.

The Jaguar is a unique sounding instument. the neck pickup is inspired at reproducing retro, driving rhythm work, and at the flick of a switch it can turn into a beautiful, jangly lead machine (the reason for which is that the bridge pickup is not angled to pick up lower pitch harmonics further up the bass strings, like a strat). I play in a garage rock band and it suits me perfectly with its retro vibe both in its sound and in its appearance. I would say though, that if you want to play loud distortion and are not prepared to do a hum-cancel conversion, then DO NOT BUY THIS GUITAR. I have read peoples reviews about how great this guitar is overdriven: IT ISN'T, and if that is what you want out of an axe then buy an LP or BC Rich. This beauty does surf retro vibe, not metallica. That would be like marrying a beautiful woman to do the cleaning! It's just not right... having said that, if you plug it through an ORANGE amp on hum-cancel, you get an instrument with attitude and character. A class act.

Fit and finish were perfect, but the action was a little too high for me. I lowered the action and took to using a hard pick to regain the tone i had lost in doing so. But that is not fender's fault, simply personal preferance.

this guitar has withstood countless live performances without any suggestion of anything going wrong. I don't even bother with a backup any more, it is so dependable. I don't know if the finish is easy to wear off, I've always taken such good care of it... but I suppose it is if it's a mint condition ten year old guitar.

never needed to ask, but I've heard the stories.

don't think I am being proud or naive and giving it a 10 in everything because i would feel impolite insulting my guitar (?), it really is that good at what i want it to do AND I STRESS "AT WHAT I WANT IT TO DO". Because it is an acquired taste; and that it does what it does, and what it does is indescribeable; i would strongly reccomend that you do not buy this guitar over the internet, or without properly playing it first. In all my years as a guitar player I have never come across an instrument so unique. And I love it.

I am reviewing a 1998 Fender Jaguar '62 Reissue, Made in Japan. I actually just got it two days ago, but it was never played (still had the tags and protective sheeting). Came with OHSC (also with tags and plastic), which included Tremelo Arm, Documentation. As everyone else's '62 Jag reissue, this has 24 Frets. Mine is Sunburst w/ Red tortoise shell pickguard and Rosewood Neck. Aesthetically, this is gorgeous.

I had a '91 Mustang Reissue (Japanese) that was, for all intents and purposes, a giant piece of shit. The body might as well have been made of styrofoam. Since it was functionally retarded (but great looking), I kept it in beautiful shape (because I never used it). I was reluctant to trade one Japanese Re-ish for the other. But, it turns out, this Jag re-ish is a different story. Nice Alder body, great woodworking under the pickguard. Solid as they come.

I actually have a 1966 Jaguar, and this competes. Same body weight. Furthermore, The two blocks of wood the body's made from are joined in exactly the same spot. Aside from the color (my '66 is white), and a few accoutrements (such as the neck binding on the '66), these guitars are almost identical.

Plays great.

Sounds like a Jaguar. Let me say this to those who feel like the Jag is a twangy, weaker sounding guitar: Try playing the Mustang reissue. This thing sounds like a Les Paul in comaprison.

But, the type stuff that my band plays is a very loud and aggressive and noisy rock (think Big Black, old Engine Down, Slint). I don't exactly need a lot of versatility in tone, which the jaguar offers TONS of. what i do need is something that can punish people's ears. my primary guitar for the past year has been a solidbody Gretsch SparkleJet.

But, I have to admit: I am partial to Fenders. And since we have a lot of shows now, I feel kind of like an unfaithful husband when I play the Gretsch. That's why I got the Jaguar.

But, it needs some help to compete with the Gretsch, which I decided to give it. I'm going to rip out the bridge position pick up, route out some wood and drop in a giant humbucker. Then, I'm going to install a microphonic pickup between the tremelo and the bridge.*

*the last review i read for this gat was from a kid who seemed to love the guitar, but was a bit perplexed from some clanking or ringing he heard when his hand hit a few places. both of my jags make these weird ethereal, haunted house type noises when you play them unplugged. or when you knock them a certain way. my theory is that the generous amount of string between the trem and bridge (and the trem hardware itself) is responsible. problem is, it gets covered up when you amplify it. so, like i said, a nice and dirty microphonic job ought to do the trick.

i'm giving it a 9 for its versatility. when people see how i transform this thing, they'll think i did it because i'm not happy with the sound. but that's really not the case. this jaguar sounds like a dream (now to make it sound like a nightmare!).

Perfect Finish. Action and Intonation was spot on. But then, the neck position pickup was sunk absurdly low. it took all of 8 seconds to fix that. but it was still weird. why did they do that?

Will this guitar withstand live playing? Great question. I am very confident I can assault the guitar pretty regularly and it will take it. The only thing I am very concerned about are the saddles. I had previously used my '66 Jag at a few shows, and tried to be tame. Still, the strings don't like staying on those saddles. (I strum laughably hard - technique is something I lack completely.) I predict I may have a similar issue. But, then, the '66 has had almost 40 years of wear. These saddles' grooves may be deeper and hold better.

The strap knobs are fine.

I can't play a show without a backup. But, that's no indication of mistrust.

it has a limited lifetime warranty. the last kid said it perfectly: if you break it, you're screwed. if it falls apart, they'll pay.

here's my problem with Fender support, and this has nothing to do with the Jag: Ever try to find stuff out by going to FenderUSA.com? it's like chasing your shadow: you always remain one link away! i just went there and in 4 clicks, their site popped 4 DIFFERENT sites, the last two saying "we are in no way related to the Fender corporation." Well then why the hell is Fender linking to you? Quite honestly, aside from warranty issues (which my modifications are going to complicate), just find a good, small shop with someone you trust, and have them work on it. or learn it yourself.

I'm confident that this guitar can become my primary guitar...at least for shows. When I record, I like to bring out the thinline for one track, and the switch over to the Gretsch, or even the old Jag, just to get a real full range. But with the mods, you never know.

If this guitar were stolen, I'd be pissed because I traded and paid cash for it AND i invested in mods. but, at least i'll devalue the thing so much that if some jag-off (get it?) stole it, they wouldn't get much money for it. what was the question? oh yeah...i'd replace it.

i just want to say that the jaguar is one of the most visually beautiful guitars ever made. this re-issue is really faithful to everything about it.

2003 made in the US reissue '62 Jaguar. A pretty acurate reproduction of the original Jaguar. 22 frets on a short 24" scale neck makes this guitar playability a dream. I've heard alot of people say that short scale guitars are only good for people with small hands, and let me tell you, I have large hands and the smaller scale isn't that much of a deal until you realise you can reach an extra fret up then with a regular scale guitar. Short scale means less tension, less tension means thicker gauge strings, thicker gauge means fatter sound. I like that.

The pickups are vintage single coils, so they do have that Fender twang, and hum is a problem, but they are wraped in that weird claw thing which brings the hum down a bit but not completley.

Here's where the guitar gets weird, the pickup switching. Four switches and four knobs. There's two sections, a rhythm section and a lead section, this is controled by the switch on top. When the rythm section is engaged, only the neck pickup is activated and the tone and volume knob on the bottom become inactive and roller knobs on top become the volume and tone knob. When the lead circuit is on, the three switches on the bottom horn of the guitar become active and the volume and tone are controlled by the knobs on the bottom. I use this all the time because it's more configurable. I leave the volume of on the rhythm circuit and use it as a cut of switch.

My one complaint is that switching pickups in the middle of a song can be annoying, definetly not as easy as flicking a toggle switch.

I play mostly rock, Weezer, Green Day, a lot punk stuff, some Metallica (badly). I like surf music when I'm bored, and as we know, this a THEE surf guitar.

Curently I have it setup through a Boss tu-2, Boss os-2, Crybaby and a Boss ch-1 into a Marshall Jcm 900. It sounds amazing. Luckily my amp has built-in reverb so I can get some pretty warm and shimmering clean tones out of it.

Since it is a single coil guitar, the distortion isn't insane, but it's decent. Enough to get some good chunky palm mutes and some distorted chords, but there's no way Pantera's gonna come out of this guitar with out some pedals or a change in pickups.

Is it noisy? Well, it's a single coil, so there's something to be said about that, but it's not as noisy as a standard single coil. But, it's there.

Like I said, Weezer is probably my favorite band, and I can get there clean tone pretty spot on, but I'm really not trying to copy any type of tone, just something that I like.

The action was a little high when I got if so I had to lower it just a smidge, which is not easy. First you have remove all the strings from the guitar, take out the bridge (which is setup somewhat similar to a Tune-o-Matic) and on the bridge post are two tiny screws which you loosen or tighten depending if you want it higher or lower, which sucks because you're pretty much guessing if it's even, right height and what not.

The finish on the guitar is absolutley incredible. Shine, shine, shine! Not a scratch on it.

The only odd thing about it is that when I touch the strings or a chrome part on the guitar it makes a clicking sound through the amp. I'm gonna take it in to see whats up with that.

In my opinion, this guitar was built to last. This is a guitar that I could give to my kids and they could give to theirs. It's all quality parts so I'm really worried about anything falling off.

I replaced the standard strap buttons with Dunlop Straplocks, but the standars one were just fine.

I could definetly depend on it, although it does scare me sometimes when I have a switch turned off and I don't realise it, that always leads to looks of confusion and thought. I don't think I'd need a backup because I can't picture anything going wrong with it except a string breaking.

I've never head to deal with Fender so I couldn't tell you. The warranty is a limited lifetime, which means if you break it, tough luck. But if it just falls apart or something that's Fender's fault then they'll fix.

I've been playing for over 8 years and own some fairly crappy to high quality guitars and this one is definetly my favorite. I've got a Fender 50's Strat. An Epiphone Les Paul and a couple acoustic guitars. And since getting the Jag it's been my main guitar. I love it. I would definetly try to get it back if it were stolen, if not then I'd buy a new one.

I love the neck, it's small, fast and just feels good in my hand, and it's sounds nice too. I could really live with out the bridge vibrato system. Because of the distance from the tail piece to the bridge is so far, that the section between the two actually rings sometimes. It's sort of like picking behind the nut. But it's not that big of a deal.

I don't believe in being perfect so I'll give it a 9. Highly worth the price.

This si a 62' Jaguar re-issue (american) that i got around 94
24 frets. Has a really nice body and just overall feels nice.
The only thin i still cant figure out (yeah i know.. 10 years and i still dont know) are wtf allt he switches are for haha. Like.. It has 2 tone knobs, 2 volume sliders, a pickup selector, and then... 3 magical switches that do random shit when hit.

The neck on this guitar tho is what really really drew me to it. It has the best nech i have ever played on. I have a 2000 Gibson SG standard, 1990 American Fender Strat, a 98 parker fly classic and out of all of them.. the jaguars nech out plays them all.
I cant stress how good the nech of this guitar is.. so fast, so comfortable oh... ohh... so... good...

it gets a 9 overal cause well.. no knows wtf those switches are for.

It has a really really good tone, its a little on the twangy sound but then again, its a fender.
you go from a really twangy surf guitar sound to a nice rich blend of bass and treble
only thing i dont like is the amount of feedback you can get from this guitar on its treble pickup.

When i got the guitar the floating bridge well.. wasnt floating haha. so i had to fix it myself but not too big of a deal. The problem was that if you put too much pressure on the bridge, she would sing and then youd have to stop and re-adjust the fucker. well... its because they left too much room in the area where the bridge screws down. IT ran me 30 to fix it but ever since iv never had to touch it agian and that was 4 years ago.
Treble pickups are a little npoisey with the feedback but other than that no problem.
it gets a 8 because the bridge ordeal pissed me off.

Iv beat the shit out of this guitar and it still sounds and plays great. My friend offered me a gibson les paul standard for it and his chello and yeah.. i still got it. This guitar (in its current state) wont let me down.
gets a 8 cause i fear if the bridge would somehow go down again.

Umm.. fender hasnt really given me a problem.
it was really easy to repair the bridge, ran 30
no shake.

Im going to keep this guitar forever. She will be burred with me.
If you get the chance to get a jaguar, jump on it.

This is a 2003 CIJ Three-Tone Sunburst Jaguar. And I want to sex it up.
Twenty-two frets (the short scale neck is hardly noticeable to look at and play with at first, but you'll soon see the difference). I'm sure you all know the controls, so I won't bother with that here.

Pickups are pretty damn good. The only gripe here is the lack of sustain. The power's fine, you want muddy overdrive, just sort out your amp. The guitar's fine, just leave it!

I'm pretty sure its Alder body, rosewood neck, dot-inlay. Annoys me that i saw the trapezoid inlay neck just after i bought this, Gah! Still pretty, though.

In my opinion, only three-tone sunburst, and custom colours work on the Jag. Red makes it look cheap, and white just puts me off.

This, however is beautiful

Ooooh, the sound. When you want trebly, fuck, you GET trebly. Same with bassy, and mid-tone. The amount of tonal capability this guitar has is unbelievable.

'62 Jag >>> Digitech Whammy >>> Dan-O-Wah >>> Danelectro French Toast >>> Marshall G80RCD.

Since the amp I've got is for more moderny things, i don't think it TOTALLY does it justice, but hell, it's good enough! typically, it's a janglyish guitar, nice for Smiths, Joy Division possibly, but if you twiddle and alter the tones and pickups, you can get boomy bass. I've heard people moan that you can't get distortion from the Jaguar.

Agh! Shut up! are you deaf?!

Well...when i got it, it was pretty poorly set up. the action was awful, and a tiny screw for the bridge popped out. I don't really get along with the bridge at all. If you're playing something with particular force, chances are the low E will pop out. All you've gotta do is pop it back, but it's a little annoying. Pickups were fine.

Finish is ab fab, but sorta delicate. Took it out 2 days after i had it, slight ding with the Whammy pedal i own and viola! big crack in the finish, dented the wood. GAHHH.

Looks beautiful, and the dent was my own fault, so i'll give it high high high marks.

Will it withstand live playing? Hell, yes.

Look at it. Out of the guitars I own, this looks the most durable, and, looks aside, it probably is. If i were to thrash it about, it would probably dent a lot, but the electrics, neck, tuners et cetera seem fine.

(One thing, on mine, the volume on the rhythm circuit is dodgy. If you leave it on one position, it just plays static. Touch the volume dial, and it works fine again. Odd)

Not a clue. Never dealt with em.

Do you own one? Good, good.

Do you NOT own one? Why? Go out, get one now. The sound is so versatile, its amazing. I could get Mudhoney and Sonic Youth out of it in the morning, and Radiohead and New Order in the afternoon!

More powerful than my strat,
More tones than my Jagmaster

its the perfect balance between!!!

It looks amazing, it's definitely an eye-catcher, and you feel so great just holding the damn thing!

I own a 2002, 1962 reissue fender jaguar, in candy apple red. There are a hell of a lot of features on this thing.. Most strikingly the way it looks. It has the looks that kill. When i bring it out to an audience you can see the pure adoration, it wins them over. And it always will. Definitely my choice for photo/video shoots and other promotional activity.

It's packed with so many features, endless supplies of tone, you got a switch to change pickups between the bridge and neck, both single coils, on the bridge you have three switches to change that tone and a volume and tone knob, and you have two dials to edit volume and tone.
So you get a big choice of tone, and them some...

Everyone knows the body style of the jaguar. It's famous for its looks. It's got one of those regular fender necks, so well glossed, smooth and thin. Plays like a dream.

Quite heavy but is no disadvantage to me.

Now let me get one thing straight. This thing has its own sound. If you want the sound of a fender jaguar, you buy this guitar. If you don't want the sound of a fender jaguar, you don't want this guitar.

Now I have got that straight, I can explain exactly what the sound is. It has the fender twang, it's got a low sustain, it's got low output single coil pickups, and the action buzzes in a lot of positions so you will have to find one that is right for you.

In other words, this guitar has a weak sound, that sounds terrible for riffs. But where this guitar shines, is in its use for arpeggio's, and clean sounding precise note picking. It's got its own sound and to be honest, arpeggio's don't sound better on any other guitar in the world. If you want a guitar that does this, then there we go... you got it.

If you want to use it for riffs, your going to have to put a lot of overdrive into it because of its low output pickups, but it has a brilliant clean tone, great for surf guitar riffs, And its got a distinct sound. But if you want a guitar with a similar sound, that sounds heavier for rock and metal, I would advise you look at Fender Telecaster or Stratocaster. This doesn't have the output for metal. It is not a metal guitar, that isn't what it was built for. If you know what it was built for and know its what you want, then this is your perfect guitar.

If you are really desperate for a heavier sound with this guitar, fit it with heavier pickups, possibly humbuckers (to fit single coil size). But warning, nothing you do can replace the lack of sustain that this thing has.

I love this guitar personally, its got more character than any other guitar i've ever played.

You'll want to replace the bridge, The strings don't stay in place in the saddle when you play them, and will move around and end up going out of tune. I advise you replace it with a mustang bridge, which has a much better saddle for the strings to rest in, which means they are 100 times less likely to pop out!

I never played the factory set up much but i know that you will need to set the action for whichever string guage you want to use! All of them have a buzzing on different actions, and have to be moved to make it sound better.. no one wants a guitar that sounds like a sitar do they? (or do they huh?).

The tremolo arm is magnetised into the body, and can be taken out easily. Maybe too easily for my liking, it seems to pop out and the magnet isn't strong enough but maybe its just the one off with my guitar? I'd definitely reccomend to fender to Make that magnet stronger!

Okay, this is a 1962 reissue, so you get everything that was on the 62 model (bar the bridge cover but who wants that?)... Along with the reissue you get the flawed 60's technology.... Of applying the strings.. Oh dear it is a nightmare, and can take a whole day depending on how much patience you have. the machineheads are replacable yeah, but apart from that, it stays in tune a lot.

I needn't say a thing about the finish, its the best I've ever seen. Candy apple red is beautiful, and the shine of the metal... ooooh lovely.

Well it suffers the whole 'action expanding with heat' thing you get with all guitars to some extent, but due to being a jaguar it tends to move around a bit, The action dropped down to the string during a gig once when i was playing it, and the string hit the fret and made no sound, so you can imagine the disadvantage of that... But other than that, and the tremolo arm popping out all the time.. Its very reliable and great.

(Of course you'll have to deal with the saddle too if you don't replace the bridge)

I deal with the dealer that sold me it (sound control UK) so i've had no problems here.

One of my fave guitars, fits perfectly in my collection as the antithesis of a gibson les paul, You got a great variation of tones in this thign and its perfect for when you want some new and different sounds in a song, and to break the cycle of high output humbucker METAL sound that every band seems to have right now.

Dave
http://www.thechaossociety.com