Jaguar advice please

SPECTRUM001

Hi - I bought a Player Jaguar in 2018 and ultimately moved it on. The overall body and neck were fine, though the fret ends were terrible. However the pickups were bland, and the bridge coil tap just does not really work conceptually (ie the humbucker sound was ok, however when tapped, the single coil was weak and ineffective - and a big drop in volume and texture). The only sound I liked was the neck single coil

I road tested a MIJ, and found the pickups to be too harsh.

I ended up with a MIM Classic Player HH, which to put it simply is - AMAZING. The fact that you can dial in between the humbucker and single coil gives a huge variety of tonal facility, with graduation of tone. It uses Enforcer humbuckers which certainly pack a punch, though can also give out clear single coil sounds when pulled back.

Personally, I would search out a pre-owned, which will probably be around £650 ?

The Classic Player regular single coil version is also great - and actually more faithfull to the original Jag brief - but the HH gets my vote.

Of course these are now superceded by the Vintera, which are pretty similar (different puck ups though).

sawyer

I always thought the Cobain signature a good option. Humbuckers and 3way switch mods.

Yasawas

I've never played a Vintera and I own the Classic 60s model so I'm clearly biased but I'd keep an eye out for a deal on a second hand example of the latter if you do decide to spend a bit more and go Fender over Squier. The earlier Classic 60s (the majority of them I think) were pre-CITES with rosewood boards, and they all feature AVRI pickups and nitro finishes which are worth the extra to me at least.

TADodger

UnclePsychosis said:

TADodger said:

I just bought a Squire Classic Vibe Jaguar to try the 24"scale 

Cheaper to buy a capo and put it on the first fret of a guitar you already own... 

... A lot less fun though. 

Yes, it was playing using a capo that started me thinking. 

impmann

I had a Classic Lacquer Mex Jag until very recently. Fab guitar - and I’d venture a far *better* guitar than any AVRI I’ve played. (Not a fan of the AVRI Offsets - not played a ‘great’ one... a few OK ones but...) it was also significantly cheaper and had nitro finish.

Worth checking out. 

althy

sawyer said:

I always thought the Cobain signature a good option. Humbuckers and 3way switch mods.

I agree with that. For me it is what Jaguars should have been to be a really unique fender guitar.
Classic jaguars often sound like a dull strat to me.