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Fender Jaguar

Summary
Price New Fender Jaguar @ Musician's Friend
Manufacturer URL http://www.fender.com/
Features 9.0 (89 responses)
Sound 8.7 (92 responses)
Action, Fit, & Finish 7.9 (87 responses)
Reliability/Durability 8.6 (90 responses)
Customer Support 6.9 (14 responses)
Overall Rating 8.9 (87 responses)
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Product: Fender Jaguar
Price Paid: US $420.00 used
Submitted 04/30/2001 at 03:09pm by Mike

Features : 9
I bought this used.It was made in 1997 in Japan.It is candy apple red and has 22 frets. It has alot of selections as far as tone goes. 2 single coil pickups,stock.Neck is maple with rosewood fretboard and the body is basswood.The Jaguar body is the best looking of all my guitars and I should know I have 15. The tremolo system is not the best but if you work with it,it will do fine. Mine came with a guitar center gig bag,but I bought a fender hardshell case made for the Jaguar/Jazzmaster.

Sound : 10
I bought this guitar to play surf music like the Safaris,Challengers,Astronauts,Beach Boys,Chantays and it is perfect for that.I think the Jaguar was made only for this type of songs. At the present time I use a Fender Stage 100 for playing.I plan on getting a early 60's amp to get closer to the sound I want. The pickups are a little noisy but not that bad. The sound,what can I say no guitar sounds like the Jaguar. The tremolo system could be better.

Action, Fit, & Finish : 9
I did not find any flaws in this Jaguar other than the tremolo needed a little adjustment.The finish was great and the color was beautiful.Everything seems to be working fine.I plan on taking it to a good guitar tech and have it set up properly just to get it perfect.

Reliability/Durability : 9
I believe this guitar would withstand live playing.Everything on the guitar seems like it is well made and would last.Finish is made to last,strap buttons seem very solid.I feel I could depend on this to play for a long time. I would not use any guitar without a backup.By that I mean anything is capable of malfunctioning.

Customer Support : No Opinion
Have never had to deal with Fender.Which might say alot for the quality or it could mean I have been luckier than some with the products I have bought from them.

Overall Rating : 9
I have been playing for 35 years and I own 5 Danelectro's,2 Rickenbacker's,Fender Telecaster,Yamaha AEX502,Strat copy,Les Paul.You get the picture.If this guitar were lost or stolen I would hunt down who ever took it nail him/her to a post and go buy another one to replace it.What I love about the Jaguar is the sound.I dont really hate anything except the tremolo system is a little annoying.The different sounds I get are my favorite feature and second it would be the looks of the Jaguar.The name is perfect for this guitar.I would rate it right up there with my Rickenbackers and the Gibsoin Les Paul.The only thing I wish it had would be a better tremolo system.If your trying to make the Jaguar play music it was not designed for then you will not be satisfied with it.I believe Fender knew what they were doing when the came out with the Jaguar.


Product: Fender Jaguar
Price Paid: N/A used
Submitted 04/27/2001 at 07:37am by crispin

Features : 8
ok kids, here's the deal, i was buying these when i could get them for $200, i've owned three. a '64(miss that one) a '62(ok) and a '72(not bad at all). the weaknesses are #1 the dumbest idea Mr. Leo came up with..."the floating bridge" shared with the jazzmaster, and mustang..."you are the weakest link", #2 the short scale is lame for skinny assed lanky no ass rock stars like me with long fingers, once you get past the 9th fret it's easy to "slur" a note because the frets get closely spaced. the bodies on the jags and jazzm's are sexy, satisfying and sensual. a big plus is you don't get the "beer commercial sound" as you would with a strat, way overplayed. these were the top of the line for fender when originally sold. previous flaws mentioned...these are still high quality instruments. unfortunately not the steal they used to be.

some fixes though are to get a "buzzstop" or machine your own equivalent, they require no extra holes and provide more "angle of attack" before the strings hit the bridge, greatly adding sustain, tone and tuning stability(unless you are into the whammy thing). the best improvement though is to replace the stock bridge with a mustang bridge(not as easy to knock the low E off it's saddle when played "hard") also wrap the posts of the bridge with electical tape so it doesn't "float". this is the one part of your guitar you don't want to be unstable, robs all the sustain, tone and tuning stability. my current guitar, a jazzmaster(luckily bought as is) has the original bridge thrown away the holes filled and a gibson tune-o-matic retrofitted. NEVER goes out of tune, sustains and has tone like you would not believe. if you love the guitar and never want to part with it...go for it. these are the height of Fender quality so please don't butcher a pristine one, the pickups are great and sound unique...you don't want to sound like every commercial on tv(maybe you do, your choice).

Sound : 10
ok, single coils are noisy but i like the hum, remember you'll get much more high end and dynamic range from an alnico single coil live with it or buy a reissue and screw that up. humbuckers have more punch but not nearly the rsnge or dynamics of a classic fender pu. i mine with class A classic tube amps and some old ibanez "square button" pedals an overdrive II and compressor II, these help. all i really need though is a responsive amp a good guitar and the nuances of where to hit the string(by the neck, by the bridge) and which pickup setting to use. if you want to hear some of the virtuosos of this instrument think sonic youth, j. mascis(dinosaur jr.) john frusciante(chili pepper), eddie hazel(funkadelic). the jag can sound a bit "shrill" but just use it with a warm amp, many people find using a fender guitar with a fender amp(twin, bassman, any of the higher wattage 40 +) to be to bright, just use a class A amp or something darker sounding(many of the more powerful fender amps are too "bright" w/some fenders). dislikes...hmm, i can't afford them anymore because everyone else wants to be....

Action, Fit, & Finish : No Opinion
Caveat Emptor!

Reliability/Durability : 10
i wouldn't have nuttin to sweat.

Customer Support : No Opinion
my guitars are older than i am...so i am my own support network

Overall Rating : No Opinion
yawn...


Product: Fender Jaguar
Price Paid: N/A used
Submitted 04/03/2001 at 07:05pm by Bryce

Features : 8
1965, made in the last week of pre-CBS, but has sort of transitional features seen on earlier Jags such as clay dot position markers. I think that looks much better than the Jag necks with block position markers and binding. This guitar was already brutalized when I traded a weird '68 Gretsch for it in 1982. I made it beautiful again but also took it further into the world of customization. It seems all Jags I saw in the early 80's were weirdly and stupidly modified in some way, did no one like them the way they were? At least I did not change the pickups! It has a mustang whammy on it, (a very cool improvement and I think I was about ten years ahead of my time; see: JagStang) the original hole for the old trem filled with a block of wood. Those knobs up top were destroyed so they're gone, and the hole now houses a battery for a booster type mini switch thing. One volume knob. No tone knob. New custom pickgard B-W-B, on black refinish. The neck had been refinished, logo gone. Now it says "Hot Wheels", a decal from 1970! My tuners are Schallers, but the originals are on this bizarre Jap guitar that all my vintage leftovers went onto, and they work just fine.

Sound : 8
Kinda thin but totally Fender, my first Fender and I just laughed when I got it home and cranked it up, it sounded SO FENDER! I now play in a SURF band and also have a Strat, and a Mustang. I put the strato-blaster type battery thingie in it to make it louder but I was just a stupid teenager and it didn't really need it. If I could afford a Twin Reverb I would but it sounds awesome through my Sears Silvertone Twin Twelve I got for $10. What helps is my Fender Reverb unit that I nabbed for $50!

Action, Fit, & Finish : 5
It needs a fret job. The action is really low. It came with a brass nut. It has a nice black finish and is quite a looker, a head-turner to most Fender freaks. The headstock is a little rough, not shiny at all, dull varnish which I painted over in black by hand with Testor's, careful not to mess up the HotWheels logo.

Reliability/Durability : 8
It never breaks strings, but it is a backup guitar and usually just sits on the stand looking pretty. It did alot of gigs in my early days before the Mustang, and then the Strat came along, and was just great. In those days I used a Peavey Classic amp which suited the Jag just fine.

Customer Support : No Opinion
If I had known about retro parts by Fender, this poor baby might have had a chance, but it is so far gone now there is no return. This is a one of a kind custom Jaguar. Call it the first Jag-Stang ever, sans humbuckers, which seem like a bad idea to me anyway, Fenders have to have single coils, at least if you're a surf-picker!

Overall Rating : 7
Overall a neato axe that you gotta have if you are a Fender freak, it is nothing like a Strat or even a Mustang. Never had a Tele, don't know why! There's still time left! I have a mirror image Squier Super Sonic in all white (like an upside down Jag) so it's like good guitar vs. evil guitar. If this Jag got ripped off I would not need to replace it, it would find it's way home, it's too unique!


Product: Fender Jaguar
Price Paid: US $1500.00 with case
Submitted 03/07/2001 at 08:02am by Mike.J
Email: none

Features : 10
This guitar has been making me drool for months now. I intend to buy it when I get the money. The Fine Foxy Axe is a vintage 62', sunburst finish,tortishell pickgaurd, 2 STOCK single coil pickups, 2 pickup selectors, strangle switch, rhythym and lead circut's, and all the chrome hardware includng the floating tremelo as well as the whole guitar itself is in excellent playing condition. Even without the bridge cover and string mute, this guitar is loaded.

Sound : 9
I play metal and grunge and I have never seen a single-coil equipped guitar convince me it could sound fat, gain infested, and heavy, that is until I played this one. I first tried it out through a Mesa Boogie Heartbreaker. On the Heartbreaker, the clean brought out a nice bit of twang for soloing, not to mention with both pickups on it Emulates a Les Paul with the pickup selector in the middle position. Ditstorted through the Heartbreaker, this guitar turns into a savage beast worthy of the name JAGUAR, it sounds fat and heavy with that kind of punch that goes well with something like Metallica's "Master of Puppets". I think all of the Kurt heads should buy the Jaguar, save the money for the humbuckers you DON'T NEED, and buy a better amp. The key to Jaguars, and generally all single coil equipped guitars, is that if you want shred or metal, get something like a Mesa Triple Rectifier or a Peavy Bravo. The only bad thing on this guitar is the pickups hum, but I wonder if it might just be that I was too close to the speakers on the amp (I'm Probably Right).

Action, Fit, & Finish : 8
For a 38+ year old guitar, it has held up well as a performer instrument. Everything was adjusted so the action was fast, the trem had more travel than many a Floyd Rose I have encountered. The strap buttons even grabbed the strap like the guitar was holding on for dear life. I'm only taking off a few points because the guitar looks a little beat up (but thats just for all the people who don't like character).

Reliability/Durability : 10
For being a 35+ year old guitar, and having its only problems being pickup hum and having to have some scratchy pots cleaned, I' still give it a ten, and with that tremelo I almost always forget it's not a Kramer or a Jackson. Forget surf, this thing shreds, talk about one ironic guitar.

Customer Support : No Opinion

Overall Rating : 10
It does the job for me, right. If it gets sold to someone else i might hunt down another vintage Jaguar, or, buy a reissue (one of the American made ones) and equip it with a pair of strap locks (Fender just does not make strap buttons like they used to). I am a major Jaguar fanatic and have been for years.


Product: Fender Jaguar
Price Paid: 650 (CDN) used
Submitted 02/02/2001 at 09:55am by Lust For Jags
Email: frailnbedazzled at hotmail<dot>com

Features : No Opinion
First off, I'm writing this review mainly to get straight the design and operation features, and the sound features of the Jaguar. There seems to be a lot of confusion and misunderstanding(probably first, due to the lure of some people to the jaguar just because Kurt Cobain played one[though modifiied], and second, due to the sarcasm, frustration, and hyperboly directed to those Kurt-heads by others who were/are sick of the Kurt-heads doing the following:
1. Cutting up vintage jaguars just so they could put humbuckers in,
2)always asking obvious/stupid questions on various quitar forums-ie: "I just bought a jaguar last week It was either this or a mustang. what i wanna know is howcome my jaguar doesnt have that full distorted nirvana sound?my pick ups must be busted pleas help me-Kurdtdt #128394",
and 3. Driving up the prices of Jaguars due to the " I have to have one cuz Kurt did" problem that has occured.
ANYWAY, I will try to give an informative and un-biased(or at least more intelligent than other ppl who have reviewed this guitar) opinion of the Jaguar. READY?! OH-KAY!!
The guitar in question was made in japan in the mid-90's. It has a body of Alder(not basswood, like the late 90's "crafted in Japan" Jaguars)and a slim, 24" scale rosewood-on-maple neck. The finish is the limited edition"foto-flame"(basically a burnt amber to very dark brown burst with faux flame figuring). There are 22 frets, and the body has an offset waist body design. The guitar has 2 separate circuits-The lead circuit controls are found near the bottom horn and include 3 slider switches, the first and second are the on/off switches for the neck and bridge pickups, and the third one is the "thin switch"-it cuts many of the bassier frequencies. The Rhythm circuit's controls are found near the upper horn, and includes one slider switch(selects either the rhythm, or the lead circuit)and two roller knobs, one for volume and one for tone. The Rhythm circuit is different because through it only the neck pickup is in operation, plus the some of the highs are taken out of the signal regardless of the tone knob setting. The pickups (2) are single coils with metal "toothed" shielding around the pickup covers. The bridge is unique because it was designed to rock slightly on it's two posts with the string's movment during tremolo use. This is to prevent de-tuning. There is about 6" of string length behind the bridge, before the strings anchor to the guitar via the unique tailpiece. This bridge system is what gives the jaguar(and jazzmaster for that matter) much of it's character-generally less sustain than most guitars. Probably because the angle of the strings doesn't change more than say about 20 degrees when it comes over the south side of the bridge.
In any event, the jaguar is packed with features. Most don't like that, but some, like me, love it.

Sound : No Opinion
This particular jaguar has been played through a Mesa Boogie Studio .22 combo and a Fender Hot Rod Deville 212. The Sounds range from very bright and spiny (bridge pickup/thin switch in lead mode of course)to vibrant and percussive(neck pickup on lead mode) to surfy, bouncy, and plunky(lead mode, both pickups)to dull and mellow(rhythm circuit). This guitar has been misunderstood and misconceived in that some people think it will give you are very gainy sound(the kurt-heads think this) and others think you can only can a lfeless, thin, sustainless tone(people who mainly play les pauls will more likely agree to this statement, as well as ppl who have only plugged a jag into a low volume, small amp, with .09 gauage strings on the guitar). The truth is that The equipment you are playing the jag through does have an effect on the sound you get. Don't me wrong; the jaguar is more trebly and clangy and less sustainy than most guitars, but it's not like there aren't any useable, even great tones available. In fact, I'd say the jaguar has *rich* tone. Oh, it may not be gobs of chunky bass-sustain for 3 minutes bluesy tone, but it bis rich in it's own characteristic way, and I find that characteristic way to be chimey, very percussive, smooth, soft, clanky and all around not lacking tone.

Action, Fit, & Finish : No Opinion
Many people agree that jaguars do better with heavy strings(11's and up)- stronger tone and more sustain, less buzzing. If you use heavy strings, you'll have to adjust the trem spring to make it stronger by turning the middle screw on the tailpiece. On Japanese guitars the string might not even be strong enough for some of the bigger gauges of strings.
Many Peopl hate the bridge becuz of the rattling of the barrels some ppl experience. The lightest formula of Lock-tite applied to all buzzing parts on the bridge will fix the buzzing.
For some ppl, the problems never seems to end concerning the set up and maintenance of their jag. This could be due to bad parts, or just the wrong approach to the set up. The guitar I am reviewing(11'sfor strings) has never had any serious problems at all.

Reliability/Durability : No Opinion

Customer Support : No Opinion

Overall Rating : No Opinion
So there. I hope I pushed away some ppl's misconceptions without creating new ones.


Product: Fender Jaguar
Price Paid: From $400-$2000 (US)
Submitted 01/29/2001 at 03:21am by Jim Shine
Email: jimwshinejr at aol<dot>com

Features : 9
I have 4 pre-CBS Jaguars. All stock. All custom colors..

Sound : 7
The jaguar has its own sound in a world of faceless tone. Most Fenders of the 1950's and 60's had their own voice. It is easy to appreciate them all.

The Jaguar has a thin tone, not too much low wned at all. There are a few switches to come up with some alternate sounds, but these are surf machines. So if you want a Strat or Tele tone, walk away from the Jaguar.

The scale length is not comfortable for my hands, its too small. Gibson players would like it though, its the same scale.

The tremolo tailpiece is outdated. It basically functions similarly to a Bigsby. You only can bend a few steps with it. It also is not the best in the tuning reliability area.

Action, Fit, & Finish : 10
Pre-CBS perfection

Reliability/Durability : 8
They are great guitars. If you avoid a heavy hand with the tremolo arm, you will be all set. It will be there for ya.

Customer Support : No Opinion
Fender has just begun making the correct replacement parts for these. Made in Japan parts do not retrofit! If you have an old Jaguar, and need parts, Fender is doing them right once again! But warrenty repairs are out of the question.

Overall Rating : 10
I think anyone who plays a certain guitar consistantly would appreciate the Jaguar as a nice change of pace. It will have you playing differently!

I plan on owning more of these if possible. I may even try a Made in America reissue.
I love the feel of the body, and its the most comforatble guitar to sit and play. The looks are very nice too with the flashy chrome control panels and dial controls.


Product: Fender Jaguar
Price Paid: 500 (#)
Submitted 11/27/2000 at 12:13pm by Anonymous

Features : 10
1999 jap re-issue,,great syncronized floating tremlo,22frets.

Sound : 10
good for all styles,especialy for grunge.Good clean tones and heavily distorted fuzz.

Action, Fit, & Finish : 10
exellent finnish,good low and high action.

Reliability/Durability : 10
exellent,you can slam it down and it wont break.

Customer Support : No Opinion

Overall Rating : 10
Best guitar i've ever had,it will last a life time


Product: Fender Jaguar
Price Paid: US $200?????
Submitted 11/26/2000 at 05:26pm by Angel T
Email: popisdeaddead at aol<dot>com

Features : 10
Its a cool gitar but it has gibson pickups on it my dad put them on He Had it New since he was a teen. I souds great but Who knows what it really sounds like.The Body is great. Its curvacious and cady apple red It has a plastic and metal pickgaurd. Tons off Switches Unlike a regular guitar especially one with humbuckers.
Its original. 1970or 60 something or other.

Sound : 5
Read the other thing i wrote.

Action, Fit, & Finish : 10
Its great kept up great for 30 some odd yeaars.

Reliability/Durability : 10
As Dependable as Richard Simons is Homo.

Customer Support : No Opinion
No warrenty.

Overall Rating : No Opinion


Product: Fender Jaguar
Price Paid: #350 (pounds)
Submitted 11/14/2000 at 06:04pm by Rob
Email: none

Features : 8
I have a candy apple red re-issue jaguar. its was made in 1996 and is still pretty much all stock. I got it second hand with a hard case.

Sound : 9
Ive got wide range of style i play metal to jazz and blues. The jag cannot and should not play metal or harder rock. All you grunge people out there hoping to get a Kurt Cobain guitar will be sadly miffed at its poor efforts for hard rock. get a double fat strat or something if you want humbukers. Anyway, it is perfect however to play mellow jazz and blues. Its high end tight sound give is great for anyone hoping to pay softer stuff. I play with a multi effect pedal and any big amp i can find, other than that, my crappy fender front man amp (it may be small but size doesnt matter). This guitar gets super noisy on high distortion and squeels like a girl (crap feed back). I like to make weird sounds from a guitar like sonic youth or nirvana but this guitar just cant do it. Its floating tremelo is cool but other than that its basic sounds.

Action, Fit, & Finish : 7
When i got the guitar it wasnt the original set up, the one i got it in was good though. The pick ups are fine except the 6th string sometimes touches the neck pick up and buzzes. Every one says basswood is a crap wood for guitars, but i cant really tell the difference. Everything else was fine

Reliability/Durability : 7
Its now got a millon dings and stuff but nothing major as yet, ill probaly brake somehting though. Its plentey heavy so if you get into fight on stage you could brake a nose or two and not damage your guitar. finish is a bit weak but not as bad as some guitars. I play this guitar sometimes 4 hours a day and its never had a problem.

Customer Support : No Opinion
Never delt with fender but i'm sure they're nice people.

Overall Rating : 8
Ive been playing for about 5 years, its my favorite guitar. my freinds say it rubbish and cant understand why i like it so much, but hey.... if it was stolen i would probaby try and get a vintage one. i paticually love the shape, its such a good looking guitar, a real babe magnet (an extenable penis if you will). I hate the lack of a feed back sound and the fact it cant play grunge and hard rock. probably got a jag because kurt cobain had one and they looked good, then i got it because it play and sounded good. I wish it had humbukers, no i dont maybe i do, not sure. I used to be a blue person, now i'm a shade of yellow?


Product: Fender Jaguar
Price Paid: US $85 used
Submitted 10/18/2000 at 04:58pm by Jerry Chamberlain
Email: jec_nulm at hotmail<dot>com

Features : 10
Back in 1975 (when I was 17...) I answered a "for sale" ad in the local paper and found a 1963 Fender Jaguar (and a 15 watt dynochamp practice amp) for eighty-five ($85.00) dollars. It was collecting dust bunnies under a bed, three strings left on it, and the original sunburst finish was wasted beyond repair. I now know I should have left it alone, but I stripped it to its natural wood grain (which matched the neck perfectly!) and just gave it multiple coats of deft varnish. I removed the mute at the bridge (still have it in a shoebox), and use all the rest of the original pick-ups, tremelo, switches. I'd go into all the details, but just refer to other reviews or original early 60's Jags.

Sound : 10
I've been playing in Weekend bands for the last 25 years. All styles from Country Rock, 50's rock and roll, jazz, blues, old tyme polkas, and big band. The Jag has been my main guitar over Gibsons, Epiphones, Peaveys, and an assortment of other makes (a Gibson L6S with 24 frets and 5 position pick-ups was close, but didn't feel as natural in my hands. I've played this '63 Jaguar through many different amp set ups, and I use a minimum of stomp boxes for effects. (an Ibanez tube screamer for distortion, an MXR phase 90 cuz I'm a 70's kinda romantic, and a cry-baby wah just because...) Whether I'm playing clean or dirty, thin or full, its tones are clear and controlled. There is sometimes a little buzz, but that's part of playing live. Having shorter fingers, I really appreciate the smaller scale and the contours of the guitar itself make it the most comfortable electric I've worn for hour after hour. I agree with a lot of the likes and dislikes in other reviews. The strings sometimes slip out of the grooves in the bridge, It's hard to switch a lot of tones on the fly, that's why I set it for clean mostly and then use the stomp boxes, and then adjust for tone between songs.

Action, Fit, & Finish : 8
Since this was very used back in 1975, I was pleasently surprized, by how few adjustments I had to make after I refinished it. I did have to shim the neck when I rebolted it to better line up with the bridge. ( I didn't want to try and re-sink the bridge for a small fraction of an inch off...). Some of the chrome was showing its age, but I just left it as it was. Some of those details won't affect the sound of the instrament. The tuning pegs are still tight after 37 years, but the on/off switches do get a little hard to move at times.
The neck is straight and I keep the action at a comfortable distance.

Reliability/Durability : 10
I've played this guitar in more smoky bars and beer-soaked wedding dances than I can even try to remember. Many times it's the only guitar I've taken and other than the occasional broken string, there have been no problems. Very reliable. It's due for a refinishing and I haven't decided if I'll put on multiple coats of poly or have professionals re-apply the sunburst finish. It still has the tortous shell pickguard and all original decals on the headstock. Of course, I'd hate to admit that I put a multi-hundred dollar un-original sunburst finish on a guitar that I paid $85.00 bucks for!

Customer Support : No Opinion
Never needed repairing. Bought used back in 1975....Warranty????Warranty?????.....we don't need no stinkin' warranty!!!!!!!!!

Overall Rating : 10
I've been playing both full and part time for the past 25 years. (Now, it's more of a hobby.) I double on Bass and Saxaphone. I usually keep the instruments I've collected over the years including a 1963 Epiphone Coronet (double cutaway with the batwing fender headstock), a late 1970's Rickenbacher 4001 bass, and I just purchased a Fender 41 accoustic/electric with the fishman pickup system. The Jag and the Epiphone (I paid $65.00 for that including a matching Epiphone amp) would be hard to be replaced if anything happened to them. That doesn't mean that I wouldn't try replacing any of them. So, the history and emotional value makes those two '63s very important to me.


Product: Fender Jaguar
Price Paid: US $100 used
Submitted 06/22/2000 at 04:30pm by Karl Kawachi
Email: finforum<at>yahoo dot com

Features : 9
"L" series neck plate, Oct. 1963 stamped on neck. Purchased in 1969 used (and abused) from a music store (trade-in). Bridge was shot (height adjustment screw threads were stripped; fore and aft barrel adjustment - phillips cross-pattern on screw-head gouged-out) - replacement w/mute ordered. Both single-coil pick-ups worked fine, but ground wire had to be reset to stop buzzing. Hard case included.

Bad re-paint job (coral pink) with plastic stick-on flower on lower body (those were the psychedelic "flower power" days). Maple body and neck, rosewood fret board. 24" scale. Half the decal was gone and there was a crack in the headstock where the guitar had been dropped.

We didn't know better back then, so the entire finish was removed, including the remnants of the decal. The neck cavity revealed the original color to be a darker reddish-pink. The body was finished with a clear polyurethane coat over the natural wood and remained that way for three decades.

I got a replacement decal and sent the guitar out for a professional re-finish in Burgundy Mist Metallic, with matching headstock. This should be completed within two weeks. Saw another Jaguar "re-finned" in Candy Apple Red by the same guy - MAGNIFICENT! If mine comes out anywhere close, I'll be afraid to play it!

Other than the bridge, re-fin, and decal, everything else is original: pickups, controls, pickguard, tuners, vibrato tail, hardware, chrome plates, knobs, switches. I'm tempted to replace the tarnished screws, but will refrain for now.

The case, in black Tolex, needs to have the latches replaced and the leather bindings re-stitched.

Sound : 8
I'm a refugee from the '60s "garage band" era. The Jag has a bright sound suitable for my "surfing" instrumentals, yet the sound can be "shaped" because of the rhythm and lead circuits. I have a number of tube amplifiers: most are Fender models, black and silver face from the '60s and '70s (Twin Reverb; Bandmaster; Bassman; Quad Reverb; Dual Showman Reverb) and other manufacturers (Teisco; Silvertone).

I do not use "effects" devices or circuitry on any "modern" amps.

Action, Fit, & Finish : 7
It was not the factory's fault, but I had to make adjustments and replacements because of the abuse heaped on by the prior owner.
Fender sent a technician to Hawaii in 1995 for a set-up session with guitar owners: a free re-string and set-up for a donation to our local Food Bank. I took in the only Jaguar done at the clinic and a '72 Telecaster Thinline. The tech noted that a good "re-fin" would be beneficial as everything else was in great shape, including the cracked headstock which was repairable.

Reliability/Durability : 9
I've had this guitar for over 30 years and can't wait to get it back.

Customer Support : 7
The local authorized dealer was able to get me the replacement parts without difficulty. They do stock some replacement parts for guitars and amps. Other parts can be purchased over the internet.

Overall Rating : 9
Playing (sort-of) for 35 years. I also have a re-issue Japan-made Jazzmaster, which I find amazingly close in sound and play-ability to the "original" vintage Jazzmasters and Jaguars of the '60s. I also have a standard (Mexican) Strat, '72 Telecaster Thinline w/Humbuckers and Bigsby tail, '73 Fender Mustang (should have kept my '66), Mosrite Ventures "knock-off," and a Harmony-built Silvertone Jaguar-styled solid body electric.

I'd certainly buy another Jaguar, original '60s model if possible, though I doubt I'd get it for a "C-note." All told, my original cost was $100, plus $150 for various supplies, parts (bridge, mute, decal) and electronics work over the last 30 years, and $475 for the "re-fin" to be completed.


Product: Fender Jaguar
Price Paid: N/A
Submitted 06/16/2000 at 10:31pm by Jeremiah Brown
Email: jlbrown111 at hotmail<dot>com

Features : 10
My jag is an original '65 Fender Jaguar. My dad got the guitar in the late 60's and eventually gave me the guitar as my first. The jag is a sunburst with a tortise pick guard, two single coils, rosewood fretboard, and tremelo.

Sound : 6
Well, the guitar was made in the 60's so if you like twang then this guitar is for you. Don't get me wrong, the guitar has a vintage warm and mellow tone but if you want rock/punk/metal ect. then look elswhere. I do like the fact that it makes the cheapest guitar amp sound like a vintage tube amp. But however the sound doesn't fit my taste.

Action, Fit, & Finish : 6
I guess 35 years ago the action, fit, and finish might have been a little better but now that is one of the reasons why I don't like to play it. There is a lot of buzz in the frets and severly frets out around the 12th fret when a bend is made. One of the things that I do not like is the bridge. The strings lay over the bridge so when I pluck the strings on some Chili Peppers the strings move out of position. Also the guitar has bad intonation problems which causes the guitar to sound out of tune when played.

Reliability/Durability : 10
WOW, after 35 years the guitar is still in great condition. The neck is not warped, no bad scratches, and nothing broken. When they built them back then they built 'em good. Very dependable!!!

Customer Support : No Opinion
N/A

Overall Rating : 8
I've been playing for about 8 years but not much to show for it (laughs) and I own a Peavey Ultra 2X12. This amp will make any guitar sound good, especially cheap twangy pick ups like a '65 Jag. If my Jag was to be stolen I would be very upset because of the guitar's sentimental value. I would really like to try out an ESP MX-3 but no stores carry this guitar or at least none that I can find. Keep on sharing and caring!!! Peace I'm outta hear, Got Jesus?


Product: Fender Jaguar
Price Paid: US $525.00
Submitted 11/22/1999 at 11:40am by steve

Features : 9
I do not know the year my Jaguar was built, but it was made in Japan. This is my third Jaguar. I have an original 1962 model purchased new, and a 1966 that I ran across a few years ago. All of them in Olympic white with tortise shell pickguards.
The only difference between the reissue and the originals is the deletion of the bogus string mute found on the originals. I always removed this anyway and replaced the rattle prone standard bridge with a Fender Mustang bridge. Any of you out there who play Jaguars or Jazzmasters and are unhappy with the bridge, I whole-heartedly recommend this change.
The Jaguar has a lot of tonal variation. It has two thin single coil pickups with some sort of sawtooth metal shielding device on both sides of each pickup. I presume this is done to cut back on any noise and it seems to wrk as the Jaguar records very cleanly for a guitar with single coil pickups.
Like a Jazzmaster, the Jaguar has a separate rhythm circuit complete with independent volume and tone controls. This circuit gives a nice fat, mellow tone not just for rhythm use but for lead work also. It is especially nice in playing jazz or standards.
The normal lead circuit features a separste on/off switch for each pickup and a bright switch that rolls off nearly all of the midrange and bass. In live playing, I seldom if ever can find a place where the bright tone can be used, but in recording, the bright switch used in the on position with both pickups turned on gives a great thin rhythm sound especailly good for R&B or funk.
The guitar features one volume and one tone control, an excellent tremolo that feels very much like a Bigsby, and lots of chrome trim.
The most endearing feature to me is the ultra short 24" scale with 22 frets. I love some of the olng reach chords that can be played with ease on such a short scale. Even though I have very large hands, a 25 1/2" scale gives me terrible thumb cramps.
I have heard some carping about the Japanese Jaguars and Jazzmasters not being as good as their vintage siblings. This is a bunch of bunk! I will admit that I like the neck on my '62 a little better than the one on my reissue, but my '62 has thirty-seven years of break in on it. The reissue across the board is a better guitar than my '66. I cannot tell much difference in the sound of the reissue as opposed to the vintage axes. I play through a mid-sixties Fender Deluxe Reverb amp.
The tuners are copies of the old deluxe tuners found on my '62 & '66 and they work just fine. I won't change them until I need to. The guitar stays in tune beautifully.
I didn't opt for the hardshell case. Instead the dealer tossed in a very nice Fender gig bag at no additional cost.
I have found over the years that the best sounding string for the Jaguar are Darco light guage (.010 -.042). The Darcos have a nice dark un-twanggy tone even when new and they seem to last forever.
My other Jaguars have all turned the typical yellow over the years. I hope Fender has solved this annoyance with my new one.

Sound : 9
This guitar offers a very wide range of tonality from extremely bright to wonderfully dark and moody. I find it to be extremely versatile. I also play a big Epiphone jazz box and the contrast between the two guitars I find very enjoyable. As I said earlier, I use a mid-sixties Fender Deluxe Reverb and the only outboard effect I use is an Ibanez Echo Machine.
I really like the offset waist design of the body. I do a lot of recording and the guitar is very comfortable to play while seated.

Action, Fit, & Finish : 8
The initial set-up of the guitar was typical (read: awful)! The action was off, as was the intonation and pickup settings. These of course are easily remedied. I have never played a guitar set up at the factory that plays or sounds the way I want it to. You need to adjust the guitar to fit you and the way you play.
I have found no flaws in the guitar and the finish work is beautiful, the chrome pit and scratch free.

Reliability/Durability : 9
I have no doubt that this guitar will hold up just as well as my '62 has. I feel that the overall quality is every bit as good as the "62 or '66, but the pricing is a lot more appealing. I think the vintage thing is dramatically over blown.
I never gig without a couple of guitars, but if I were forced to, I wouldn't worry a bit about the reissue Jaguar.

Customer Support : 10
I must praise Fender Customer Service. The neck on my reissue developed a hump below the fifteent fret causing the strings to touch the upper frets and mute themselves out. I took it to the local Authorized Fender repair shop and within one week I had my guitar back with a brand new and perfect neck at absolutely no cost to me. Bravo and Thank you Fender!

Overall Rating : 9
I have been a player for over 40 years. In addition to the Jaguars, I also play an old Epiphone Emperor with a Benedetto floating pick-up, and an Alvarez classical with a piezo pick-up in the bridge. With these three guitars, I can accomplish about any sound I desire.
If ther was one feature I would add to the Jaguar, It would be a phase switch. I don't know how that would sound, but I'd love to try it and see.
If this guitar was stolen or lost would I replace it? Yes, I would. I think for the money it is a wonderful bargain and truly a different sound envelope than any other Fender guitar. Try one, you'll like it!


Product: Fender Jaguar
Price Paid: US $550
Submitted 09/10/1999 at 02:19pm by Jon Sciba
Email: sciba<at>voyager dot net

Features : 8
22 frets, vintage white, short scale, cool offset body shape, japanese made. Vintage-style(shudder) tuners, they are going to be replaced by something that actually works soon. Also, the best feature of all, all the cool switches and knobs- great looking guitar.

Sound : 8
i play rock music, and it suits my style perfectly, aside from a string slipping from the bridge, which doesnt happen too often. In the 'lead' circuit with both pickups on, the sound can get a bit too bright, and with the treble boost switch on, even more so. With a bit of experimenting you can get interesting sounds out of the guitar with all the switches on. Ive had some good fun palm-muting away with those settings. The rhythm circuit i use for chunky rhythm parts and most everything else, i utilize the lead for 'different' types of sounds. I play through an old sunn sceptre and a tube king, so its not like a guitar would sound bad out of the amp i play. The sunn definately boosts the bass of this guitar up a little. All you Kurt Cobain wanna-bes stay away and leave the router in the garage, this thing wasnt really meant for really heavy stuff. It sounds like a dream clean, and can get dirty when you want it to.

Action, Fit, & Finish : 7
When i bought this guitar, the set up was absolutely terrible. The strings buzzed very badly and the action was pretty strange. In the end, you sacrafice some height of the action to get rid of buzz. Pickups were adjusted well. I dont know why people think these things suck, they sounds really great to me. The finish looks absolutely great.

Reliability/Durability : 9
This guitar feels pretty solid, kinda heavy compared a strat, my other guitar. The finish on this guitar is really really thick, i think they went overboard. I gig with it, but not without a backup. never ever gig without a backup. I baby all the guitars i play, sometimes i baby them too much. Looks built to last.

Customer Support : 2
not friendly at all. The guys at the store were pretty much jerks to everyone. Fender hasnt been too cordial either. I would avoid dealing with them.

Overall Rating : 9
ive been playing a bit over a year, playing and learning all the time. This guitar is great for me and the styles i play, it looks great, and the 7.25 radius feels really good with my fingers. I had my eyes on a few strats, but in the end i wanted something a bit different. it just felt good. im not too happy with fender about their customer service, but im glad they re-issed the jaguar, or else i wouldnt be playing one, id be staring at a vintage one at a guitar shop.


Product: Fender Jaguar
Price Paid: US $270 used
Submitted 09/09/1999 at 06:52pm by Airk Alt
Email: PenCapChew007

Features : No Opinion
Well the neck date is 98 the body is dated 97 and the pickups were dated 96 and 95 this guitar took a long time to build. If you dont know its a jag body. 22 frets has all the jag switches that i dont need or use so they are tapped off i got rid of the shrill sounding pickups and put hummbuckers in seymore duncan PAF in the neck and seymore duncan JB in the bridge. I did the routing myself basswood is cool Ive dropped this guitar so many times and its still in one piece. Rosewood fretboard I wish it was slab but hey. Short neck wich I love. The bridge is a tune-o-matic that fender piece of shit was a joke i threw away the twang bar cuz im not hendrix and I havent met anyone who comes close stock tuners kluson? It had interesting controls already already on it two volume and one tone I think it kicks ass that way because the switches dont work so its hummbuckers all the time and i stuck a bunch of tape in the hole where the twang bar goes cuz it buzzed like hell but not anymore oh yeah I locked down the trem with washers this guitar wont come out of tune ever it was a ok guitar but with my mods it sounds alright now it works. if you dont know already this is a reisue so that means its made in japan

Sound : No Opinion
I love the sound of this thing now and it can give the most awsome feedback now and it has a nice growl to it I use this old ass peavey amp its like 60 some watts it sounds great but when i hooked it up to some marshall cabs I creamed my pants my style of music is from clean to distortion from slow to fast loud and heavy. this guitar needs heavy strings

Action, Fit, & Finish : No Opinion
the fender settings suck thats all i can say who ever set it up the way I got it was a dork

Reliability/Durability : No Opinion
man Ive been piss drunk and all i can do is fall on my face with this guitar under me and all it needs it to be tuned after a fall the finish is good I guess this guitar will last a long time as long as I dont smash it even then i have a '66 jag neck I want to put on it. I never had problems with strap buttons yea I can depend on it and back up thats a joke

Customer Support : No Opinion
Iam on my own man

Overall Rating : No Opinion
Ive been playing for about a year I own 2 mustangs (jap) a lefty jap strat strung righty i dont let people touch this guitar thisis the one I baby this guitar used to be a bitch now its just a brat. I think i dunno what i think if you like a jag buy one if you dont like it dont buy one simple as that


Product: Fender Jaguar
Price Paid: US $400 used
Submitted 08/30/1999 at 03:02pm by Anonymous

Features : 9
Made in 1962, Made in japan, 22 Frets, Left-handed!!! all those famous little knobs like tone and what not. Ash body with neck wood is maple with rosewood fretboard. Finish is three tone sunburst. Lot of sounds you can get out of it.

Sound : 7
I play mostly grunge. I use a DS-1 Distortion and sovtek big muff with it. Its very noisey with distortion. Great clean sound to it. alot of variety in it. I wish it could handle distiortion. Love the contures.

Action, Fit, & Finish : 10
It fits me very well it shapes me perfect. No finish flaws at all nothing wrong with this beast. Execpet there was a loose control. They used a pretty Good wood for it.

Reliability/Durability : 9
This I think will for sure with hold live playing. I would use this with out a back up but I am always prepared so I bring the back up. Strap buttons are solid replaced with scahller locking buttons.

Customer Support : 2

Overall Rating : 9
I got this left handed 1962 jaguar for only $400 its worth $3,000. The guy thought it was a Reissue but no the serial number tells it all. I have been playing for a year know. I love the looks and the clean sound you can get out of it. I choose it because the cool shape the clean sound and it was lefthanded.


Product: Fender Jaguar
Price Paid: US $500
Submitted 04/29/1999 at 04:36pm by Ray
Email: gitaurman at aol<dot>com

Features : 7
1998 or 99, Japanese, 22 frets. Basswood body, maple neck, rosewood fretboard. Two single-coil Jaguar-style. Rhythm/lead switch on the upper part, three switches on the lower bout for modifying the lead sound. Candy apple red finish with matching headstock.

Sound : 3
I play loud stuff, this guitar is not as loud as I would like. I run it through a Boss D-S1, a Big Muff (the second kind they made), ans some times a Boss Hyper Fuzz, and use a fender Rot Rod amp. The sound that comes out of this guitar is good but not loud enough, maybe I'll put some Humbuckers in it:)? any way I bought it because I play 2 Jagmasters and I think they are the greates guitars ever made, They don't make them any more so I bought this, and I am not very happy with it!

Action, Fit, & Finish : 2
Ok this is where it realy SUCKS!!! The factory set up was a joke!!! the string action was so low that when you play it, it just made like a *thwak* sound, I was the first person to see this guitar and the first to play it so it wasn't the stores fault. The pickups aren't loud enough. This Jag is candy apple red but I wanted a 3-tone burst, if any one wants to trade a 3-tone burst let me know....

Reliability/Durability : 4
Every time I play it I have to rais the string action, the strings keep getting knocked off the bridg every time I play. I wouln't take this one to a gig let alone use it with out a back up.

Customer Support : No Opinion
never dealed with them.

Overall Rating : 5
over all I think it's ok but not even close to what I had hoped for.


Product: Fender Jaguar
Price Paid: US $rather not say
Submitted 03/26/1999 at 11:39am by Olivier Strauch
Email: olivier<dot>strauch at lw<dot>com

Features : 9
Mine is a three-color burst, '64 (L-series) pre-CBS Jag with clay dots and transition logo. Other comments explain the features well, so I'll just try to add. I also have a suggestion as to how to beat bridge problems-see below.
'RHYTHM CIRCUIT': actually, I like this feature a lot. With one switch, you get a totally different sound (cut treble, off the neck pickup) with its own tone and volume. Makes the guitar more versatile live. This sound is actually nice-the pickups are bright to begin with, so the 'jazzy' (less treble) sound is still good and not muddy. A unique and useful sound for recording.
PICKUPS, PICKUP SELECTOR SWITCHES & CONTROLS: the pickups are quite bright, but not unbalanced. They sound very good if you use a wound G string (which is almost certainly what they were designed to pick up) and heavy strings, too. Pickups are not 'glassy' like Strats at all, and don't have that annoying lack of clear mids, but are well-defined over the whole range of strings and notes. Chords come out even and cut through. The pickups have more output than Strat or Tele ones, so you may get more bite out of your amp. Still, even with a fuzzbox or with the amp on ten, YOU CAN HEAR ALL THE NOTES. This guitar can not be made to sound muddy. It's the antithesis of the "Les Paul" sound. The switches let you turn on/off each PU, and cut bass. All the settings sound good, although switching from only one pickup to only the other is a bit tricky, and if you want to do this and also change the bass-cut setting you probably need an extra hand. One great thing about the volume and tone controls on the "lead" circuit: they are very smooth. The volume control is actually quite useful, unlike on many guitars where it seems to have three settings, "full-on," "quiet and muddy," and "off." Turning down the volume knob just a bit rolls off some of the brightness of the pickups, but they still sound great.
"FLOATING" TREMELO: simply the most awesome. Needs only a light touch, subtle; plus you just can't make it go out of tune. It doesn't go down very far, but if you want a guitar that does that you're looking in the wrong section entirely. If you play surf or rockabilly, you'll flip--it feels like a Bigsby that stopped eating pork rinds and limbered up with Tae Kwon Do lessons. If you like My Bloody Valentine, here it is!(actually, Kevin plays a Jazzmaster and Bilinda plays a Jag.)

Sound : 10
You can get lots of different sounds out of it, but I'd describe it basically as a clear, slightly bright, very classy 'Fender' sound. It is clean without being thin; put new strings on it and it's somewhere between a piano, a harp, and a pickup truck full of something somebody grew in their backyard in Mendocino. Easy to distinguish notes , good if you like to play interesting chords. I play all kind of music, and it just sounds great for everything (although it won't distort an amp like a LP, so forget it if that's your thing). Slight buzz from the pickups, but less than a Strat. I play it though a Fender Dual Showman and an Ampeg SB-12 (which I highly recommend!) and it sounds awesome either way. Adding effects is a shame, it sounds so good.

Action, Fit, & Finish : 10
The short scale makes it a breeze to play, although this can be a real problem if (unlike me) you have very big fingers. Above the 14th fret it can get a bit tight, but I generally don't get up there (I figure that's why mankind invented the violin). The action is so ridiculous it's hard to tell if you have strings on it or not. The neck is just wide and deep enough, and beautifully smooth and comfortable. (it also has great grain and looks pretty!) Tuning pegs never slip. The guitar betrays serious craftsmanship; I took the pickguard off to look inside, and it was clean and spiffy. Then I could barely get the pickguard back on because it was cut to fit so exactly! (note that there are three chome control panels and a nice tortoise-shell guard, and they all fit together, but snug.) The whole thing shouts "I was made by hand; please, Mr. CBS, buy my company and replace me with a machine!"
ABOUT THE BRIDGE: I've noticed that people complain about it. There are two solutions.
First, the bridge floats on two pointed screws which sit in little seats in the body. This lets it rock with the tremelo. However, the two screws must be adjusted to be even. They are adjustable with a very small hex key. If you hear major, odd-sounding buzzing from the bridge, tweak the screws and it will generally go away.
Second: I hereby plug the most brilliant piece of hardware I've ever seen. It's called the "Buzz-stop." It's a metal plate that fits over the tremelo plate, and has a roller on it. You pass the strings under the roller, and suddenly you have a set-up more like a Bigsby. The roller is closer to the bridge, so the string tension is increased over the bridge. You get much more sustain and harmonics this way, and no more buzzing at the bridge. (The thing goes on with two of the screws already there for the tremelo plate, so it does not alter the guitar; you can install it in about ten seconds.) This is well worth the $30 or so the thing costs. Ask your local guitar person or order it from Parts is Parts (with whom I am not affiliated).

Reliability/Durability : 10
It's a rock. It's like the mate of my dreams: takes no crap, sings like a bird, soft and smooth. Looks nice, too. Unfortunately can't cook or appreciate my cooking, or would be perfect.

Customer Support : No Opinion
Sure, if I could go back in time I'd have the warranty, but nothing has gone wrong for 35 years, so who cares?

Overall Rating : 10
This was definitely one of Fender's best designs. I have no idea why Strats cost so much when they generally sound weird and look so dorky. The Jag has chrome! It has a cooler shape! The pickups sound superb! Granted, it can't do everything; it doesn't sustain like a Les Paul or twang like a Rick.
If I lost this one I would get another in a second. Fairly soon I'll have a Jazzmaster to go along with it, and I figure then I'll be set for life. My only regret is that these are starting (have already started)to catch on, and are getting more expensive, especially the custom color ones. Fault of that Cobain fella, I guess.


Product: Fender Jaguar
Price Paid: US $455 used
Submitted 03/05/1999 at 10:25am by Bob
Email: Jaguar67<at>aol dot com

Features : 10
My jag was made in 1965,In the USA, Has 22 frets,I have took my jaguar into a shop to have two dimarzio super distortion humbuckers put in,because i like the sound that comes from the distortion. I use a boss overdrive/distortion. My jaguar is a weird color,,I think it is just faded,but its like 4 or 5 colors.from black to bright yellow? Maybe a antique burst? Has a floating tremolo,the body is made of alder,the jaguar also has a white binding around the neck?

Sound : 10
I like punk,surf,and blues. It fits perfectly. My guitar can make the weirdest feedback! It has alot of sound,from the ventures to SOnic youth,to Dead Kennedys. Likes-everything,Dislikes-None really.wish it was 3TONE suburst ,instead of like 4 or 5.

Action, Fit, & Finish : 10
No flaws.Set up really well.

Reliability/Durability : 10
I can depend on it,the finish is still their,but just faded/

Customer Support : No Opinion
Ive never had to call and get help

Overall Rating : 10
Have been playin for 9 years. I own Fender Re-issue strat,69 mustang original,Squier Jagmaster,66 jazzmaster-nice! 69 to 72 strat have no clue, original.Combo acoustic


Product: Fender Jaguar
Price Paid: Traded a silverface master-volume Pro Reverb amp for it. used
Submitted 12/06/1998 at 01:00pm by Zak Treblemaker
Email: zak dot treble<at>wid dot ca

Features : 10
This is a pre-CBS 1965 L-series Jaguar. Short-scale 22-fret neck with no binding, rosewood "cap" board on maple. Alder body, two pickups, tone and volume controls, individual on/off switches for each pickup, a "thin" switch that cuts out bass frequencies, plus a "rhythm" circuit with on/off switch and seperate volume & tone controls. The rhythm circuit turns on the neck pickup only (regardless of where your pickup on/off switches are) and passes the sound through a circuit that rolls off high frequencies in a failed attempt to make it sound like a hollowbody. The pickups are stock Jaguar pickups, the only other guitar Fender used them in is the Bass VI. When I got this guitar, it was spray-painted red and orange and had "Serge + Danielle" written on it. I refinished it black. Jaguars have a bridge that rocks back and forth (like a Jazzmaster or Mustang) and a great tremolo that doesn't go very low but feels springy and smooth. The tuners are standard 60's Klusons. This guitar stays in tune perfectly. I tune it BEFORE I put it in its case, take it to a gig, plug in and play all night, put it away, bring it home, take it out of its case, and it's STILL IN TUNE! The Jaguar has a little metal "string mute" with black rubber foam on top that pops up and mutes your strings. It's like palm muting, but it sounds a little different. When it came out in the early 60's, the Jaguar was Fender's top-of-the-line guitar.

Sound : 10
The Jaguar is my main guitar in my band The Treblemakers. I'm going for a Dick Dale-type surf sound, so when I plug it into my original '63 Fender reverb and my '62 brownface Super amp, I'm in bliss! The Jaguar can sound really thin, really full, or anything in between. With the seven basic pickup/tone circuit configurations (any or both pickups with or without the "thin" switch plus the "rhythm Circuit" setting) you get alot of different basic sounds to work with. I use the Jaguar for surf, garage, blues (real blues, not SRV/Clapton/Hendrix rock music) and rockabilly, and it sounds amazing. I've owned many different guitars but the Jaguar is the BEST for my needs.

Action, Fit, & Finish : 10
I got this guitar from someone who spraypainted it and wrote "Serge+Danielle" on it, so let's leave the initial setup/action/feel out of the equation. I refinished this guitar and I'm not a pro, but it looks good from the audience when I'm on stage, even though there's little flaws. The frets are original from 1965, so they are pretty worn. All the finish on the back of the neck is worn off, and the bare wood feels amazing. Much nicer than getting stuck to laquer when you're sweatin' and slidin' under stage lights. I have the pickups pretty high up and the action fairly low (but everyone tells me it's really high) at least by my standards. My strings are a set of .13 to .56 flatwounds. This guitar likes big strings.

Reliability/Durability : 10
This is a guitar from 1965 that's still playing and sounding great. I use it onstage as my main guitar. I always bring a spare guitar to gigs, but only because I'm paranoid...I've never broken strings (hey, they're .13s) and nothing's ever gone wrong with the Jaguar.

Customer Support : No Opinion
Never needed it.

Overall Rating : 10
I've been playing for about 14 years now (I started in '84 when I was 13) and I've owned ALOT of guitars. I'd go so far as to say an "embarassing amount" of guitars. I've had junk guitars, great guitars, Kays, Teiscos, Harmonys, Nationals, Supros, vintage Fenders, a Gretsch, you name it...the Jaguar is my favorite. If it was stolen, the thief would live out the rest of their days in mortal terror, as I would stalk them to the ends of the earth with murder on my mind. I love this guitar and it loves me back. When I play it on stage, my tone kisses me and I feel like God. This is the guitar of kings, my friends, the best you can find! I love everything about it from the way it looks to the way it plays, and the sound is so amazing, it's hard not to get sentimental and teary about it! I used to have a re-issue Jaguar before I got this, and it's not even close. It's like comparing a Hershey bar to Swiss chocolate, just totally different worlds!


Product: Fender Jaguar
Price Paid: US $850
Submitted 09/15/1998 at 10:35am by john
Email: jse at dave-edmunds<dot>dental<dot>nyu<dot>edu

Features : 10
This is a vintage 1963 model, not a reissue. I haven't seen any postings regarding the original Jaguars, so I thought that I'd fill in the gap with some information.
This model is an Oly White, with offset waist body (alder), 21 fret neck, 24" scale, medium sized fretwire, clay dots, 4-bolt neck, rosewood fingerboard, 6-on-a-side Kluson tuners, "B" neck, with two shielded single-coil pickups that have grounded retainer claws soldered to the ground lead of each pickup. The pickguard is tortoise shell celluloid with w/b/w layers underneath. On either side of the tortoise shell pickguard are chrome-plated pickguard extensions, one of which points towards the upper cutaway, the other, towards the lower bout. On the lower bout metal pickguard extension, you will find 1 vol, 1 tone control wired to both pickups. On the upper pickguard extension, you'll find a slide switch, and, next to it, two roller wheel pots which control a different tone/volume circuitry for both pickups. There is a chrome insert on the lower cutaway portion of the tortoise pickguard, and mounted to this are 3 slide switches; the first acts as an "on/off" switch for the neck pickup, the second acts as an "on/off" switch for the bridge pickup, and the third is a filter cut capacitor "on/off" switch wired to both pickups. The bridge is a floating-style, which rests in metal thimble posts mounted in the alder body. The bridge contains threaded rods which act as string saddles; the heights of these saddles are adjusted by threaded screws, and each saddle can be moved towards the neck or away for intonation by a different set of screws. The bridge is covered by a chrome-plated mute/foam rubber gizmo, which can be pressed down by the heel of your hand to mute all strings simultaneously. Lastly, the Fender floating tremolo is standard, and has a lock button which can lock the tremolo and prevent movement. The tremolo has a spring tension screw which can adjust the force required to rock the spring.
Overall, the instrument is very lightweight, comfortable to hold and play, and is balanced extremely well.

Sound : 9
The shielded single coils, due to the presence of the metal clips and extra coil windings, actually are pretty hot compared to a strat or tele pickup from this era. There's not a lot of hum coming from the pickups. The sound, depending on the settings you use, can really cover the surf to ska scene quite well, and take on pop rock and jazz with ease. It sounds really great with Fender amps, but I think that other Class "A" style amps, and Marshalls, can wring some additional tones from this axe. It's not metal, thrash, or speed; yes, it can punk out if you get the proper pedals/effects. No, it can't emulate humbucker sounds, unless you were to drop a pair in like Kurt did -- but that's in the past now. Let's just live with the instrument as it comes.
I have a lot of respect for this particular guitar model in terms of sound -- it may be that the alder + pickup combo is the reason behind this (have yet to see or play an ash Jaguar).

Action, Fit, & Finish : 10
The action on the "B" neck is narrower than the standard Fender necks of the '60's -- almost like a Rickenbacker width at the nut. However, the action is incredibly fast and comfortable -- I have standard-sized hands and fingers, but with a 24" scale, creeping christ on a cross! You can leapfrog all over the neck like Hendrix! I suspect that the Mustangs and other short-scale Fenders must have similar playability. The body contours are really cool and comfortable, and you forget sometimes that the guitar is strapped to your body. Really good balance.
The downside of the jaguar is the need to slide the switches -- these are not so easy to get to while you're playing, and it takes too much time to figure out which ones you need to move next to get the sound you want. I suppose that if you played on the jaguar every day, then this would become second nature.
Another problem with the jaguar design is the bridge. The strings rest in the threaded grooves of the saddles -- just like the grooves on a screw. The strings can and do slide off the saddles, particularly the lighter gauge strings (G, B, E). Mostly true is you try to do string bends. If you move to heavier gauges, this problem more or less disappears, but so does the playability (unless you want to drop string bending from your playing). There's a device made for the Jaguar which bolts onto the tremolo and acts as a tensioning device to force the strings down on the saddles. I haven't tried it, but I have heard that it does the job (at the cost of increased string tension, of course).
The tremolo, considering its simple design, does return to tension very well -- I've not had to fool around too much with retuning after using the unit. Considering that we've go Kluson tuners here (the worst ever made), that's pretty amazing.

Reliability/Durability : 10
The maple neck/alder body could be used by Mark McGuire for an entire season of home runs and would probably still be playable in the off-season.

Customer Support : No Opinion
Being a vintage instrument, don't expect any support. They want you to buy NEW instruments.

Overall Rating : 10
With 20 years of playing experience, I have to rank this guitar among the best Fender instruments ever made. Yeah, the circuitry is weird, it's not as tonally "cool" as the Tele or Strat, and the bridge/saddles are imperfect, but once you get the tones you want (and memorize how you got them), the rest becomes easy. I know that there are many people out there who have modified these vintage instruments to correct many of the problems that I and others have pointed out, but mother of babbling god, let's leave some of these instruments alone and live with them on their own terms. Sometimes, in music, it's more rewarding to learn how to charm the instrument. You'd be surprised at what you can get from the axe.


Product: Fender Jaguar
Price Paid: US $600
Submitted 06/08/1998 at 09:33pm by adam miller
Email: gride55618 at aol<dot>com

Features : 9
i got my jag in 1994 when i was unfortunately hyped about getting cobains tones. well, my tastes have changed and my jag remake from japan has come in great handy the past 4 years. the two single coil pickups are as cold as ice in the lead setting but put on the rythem setting can carry enough low end to not require a bass guitar. my guitar has a vintage white finish and a basswood body. its not too heavy but at teh same time not too lite. it has a locking trem which has worked against it due to the fact that its hard to play aggressively and still keep a good tune. i got the jag with a hard shell case although i was told by my local music store owner (a butt in his own right) said i should have gotten a tweed case with it. oh well, im happy. with a pick up config with all those buttons how could you go wrong

Sound : 10
if you cant get the sound you want from a jag, then you cant get it. im a rythem guitarist in a christian rock band and ive used the different settings from drop d progressions to high end ska rythems. the only problem is that with a stomp box it will pull quite a bit of feed back. the pickups are really hot. the sound is cold cold cold on the lead setting but attains tons of low end on teh rythem. it has proven to be extrememly versitle and useful for anything i need.

Action, Fit, & Finish : 4
the action is ok, i constantly have to mess with my bridge due to the fact that my strings will get so close to the neck that when im on the 15th fret i practically have no sustain. the pickups were adjusted fine although ive never tried to mess with em. the saddles really dissapointed me. they are barrel saddles with notches cut in them and the pressure of the smaller gauge strings would rub groves in them makeing them practically touch the neck again eliminating sustain.

Reliability/Durability : 10
this guitar is a power house. its been dropped, thrashed, pounded, and beat and still only has 3 niks in it. the hardware is still in perfect condition and the finish is super strong. i had a bit of trouble with the strap buttons coming out but a wood dowel fixed that. its my #2 guitar next to my 61 gibson les paul but i wouldnt trade it for anything. i would and have used it for gigs without a backup.

Customer Support : No Opinion
nada

Overall Rating : 8
ive been playing for 5 years and this guitar has always been there... i have no major bones about this guitar.....if fender would make the jag with a stacked humbucker it would be THE guitar. (im to lazy to do it myself.) but over all its a great versatile guitar. i love the tones, feel, vibe, and sound of teh guitar but it definatly lacks in the fat department. an ivestment well made.

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