Jazzmaster or Jaguar ?

[Bojan]

Here in Belgrade you can only buy the Jazzmaster or Jaguar by ordering them, which means that I cannot try them out first. Could someone who has had experience with both of these models please shed some light on their pros and cons, with special emphasis on how Jaguar's short scale affects its playability.

Cheers,
Bojan

[dave robinson]

Hi Bojan, I tried both of them and preferred the Jazzmaster , one of which I eventually bought from my friend Stuart Bailey. It's a great sounding guitar and can sound similar to the Strat, but the Strat never can sound like the Jazzmaster. I found the Jaguar OK but not as versitile as the Jazzer.

[JimTidmarsh]

If looks count, I'd always go for a Jaguar !!!

[des mcneill]

Hi Bojan,
I am a bass player but also play guitar. I have a Jazzmaster which I love but have never been able to feel the same about the Jaguar even though I have tried and really like it's looks. For me the short scale is definitely an issue,but it is more than that,I prefer the Jazzmaster's sound. All down to personal preference of course.
Des.

[Bojan]

Well, that is my main problem. I sense that the Jazzmaster is a better sounding and more vesratile guitar, but I love the way the Jaguar looks!! Isn't there a full scale Jaguar, or would it be possible to get a Jaguar body and a Jazzmester neck? Now I'm really messing it up!!

[JimN]

I agree with those who support the Jazzmaster. Jag-owners hate it when it is pointed out, but the Jaguar is like a toy by comparison.

I have a Jazzmaster (thank you, David!), and a 24" scale Squier Jagmaster (which has a Jag body and neck). I have access to a Jaguar (without owning it) and I did have a Jaguar from 1980 to 1982. The Jagmaster - with its Strat type bridge - is a fine guitar (with even more response than a Jaguar), but still not as good as a Jazzmaster.

You can get a Warmoth neck which extends the Jaguar to a 25.5" scale length (it's a specialised replacement because the bridges are in different places on the Jg and the Jz), but... why bother?

Go for the Jazzmaster!

JN

PS: loads of knowledgeable diuscussion about those two guitars (and the Mustang, Bass VI, Electric XII and all the other offset-waist guitars) at:

http://www.offsetguitars.com

[chas]

Well, that is my main problem. I sense that the Jazzmaster is a better sounding and more vesratile guitar, but I love the way the Jaguar looks!! Isn't there a full scale Jaguar, or would it be possible to get a Jaguar body and a Jazzmester neck? Now I'm really messing it up!!

Like a lot of people I prefer the look of the Jaguar, but prefer the normal 25.5" scale of the Jazzmaster - if you were to put a Jazzmaster neck on a Jaguar you would have to move the bridge, which apart from new holes for the bridge posts, there would also be the issue of the holes in the scratchplate which the bridge posts pass through. I never quite understood the reasoning for making the Jag a short scale - it wouldn't have been for younger players as it was the most expensive guitar in the range when it came out.

Chas.

[David Martin]

I have both, and prefer the Jaguar!! I get a real bargain by choosing a colour that no one wanted but I liked... sea foam green.

Because I play guitars with several different scales, the Jag has never caused my a problem and the strings are even easier to bend...

Both of these models really need a little extra work to make them super good... I left my Jazzmaster as is, but customising the Jag was too tempting so...

1) Although the guitar had a good dose of shielding paint already, I found that the shielded cavities were unconnected to the chrome plates and to earth, so I fixed that with copper shielding tape (Stewart-Macdonald tape is conductive on the adhesive side too...)

2) The so called "strangle" switch is pretty hopeless on all models, but with ten minutes work can be made into a phase reversal switch giving an additional - useful - sound.

3) I replaced the bridge with a Mustang bridge (£20 on Ebay)...

Magic!

[Bojan]

Thanks for your responses.

Perhaps getting both models, like David, is the best solution

Cheers,
Bojan

[ecca]

Bloody hell Boing your profile pickie's a bit sombre ennit ?