LEARN about the standard features and qualities of Fender Jazzmaster and Jaguar Guitars.
FENDER JAZZMASTER
Two years after the launch of the Duo-Sonic model, Fender introduced the Jazzmaster in 1958. With this guitar, Fender abandoned the simplicity of the Duo-Sonic and added new features and more controls to the new design, allowing for its dual-circuit construction. One circuit was dedicated to rhythm playing styles, and the other circuit was dedicated to lead playing.
The Jazzmaster model, as its name suggests, was designed with the intention of offering a new instrument to jazz musicians, although it wouldn’t become a generally accepted guitar within the genre. Instead, it was a model used by rock musicians, primarily in alternative rock bands such as Sonic Youth, The Cure, Radiohead, and My Bloody Valentine.
In this model, Fender returns to the long 25.5-inch scale of its early designs. The Jazzmaster’s pickups are aesthetically very similar to P90s, but with lower output. We could say that this type of pickup would fall somewhere between a traditional single coil and a P90 in terms of output.
Circuit Selector on Fender Jazzmaster
The Jazzmaster’s classic pickup magnet is the alnico V, and its sound is crystal-clear and bright, a signature characteristic of most Fender models. With the circuit selector down, this model behaves like any other guitar, featuring the typical master volume and tone controls, and its pickups can be activated via a three-position pickup selector.
With the control up, the rhythm circuit is activated, which has its own individual tone and volume controls, and only the neck pickup is activated.
Squier Jazzmaster Classic Vibe Series
Squier’s most affordable models of this type of guitar are available, while the Classic Vibe series offers its most notable models, priced between $400 and $500.
Like the Squier Classic Vibe Late 50S Jazzmaster with a nato body, 9.5-inch fingerboard radius, and alnico magnet pickups. We can also opt for the Classic Vibe 60S with similar features, but with a poplar body. Or the Classic Vibe 70S, also with a poplar body and square mother-of-pearl fingerboard inlays.
One of the more affordable classic Fender Jazzmaster models is the Fender Vintera 60s, which costs around $1,000. This model features a curved 7.25-inch fingerboard radius and features an alder body with ’60s-style Fender Jazzmaster pickups.
FENDER JAGUAR
Four years after the Fender Jazzmaster was released, the Fender Jaguar was introduced, with some similar features to the Jazzmaster. Among the features that both models shared were the same bridge type and dual circuitry. One of the differences between the Fender Jaguar and its sister model is its individual pickup selector switches.
How the Pickup Selector on Fender Jaguar Works
The first two controls are for connecting and disconnecting the pickups (up is on, down is off), and the third activates a capacitor that provides a strange treble sound. This control is known as strangle, due to its distinctive sound.
The classic pickups are vintage-style with alnico V magnets, but these pickups deliver more output than traditional single-coil pickups. The Jaguar’s sound continues Fender’s tradition of twang, but with the added punch of its pickups.
Fender Jaguar Bridge
The saddles have several screw-like grooves to accommodate the strings. But because they’re very subtle, the string can slip out of the groove and become off-center when playing hard. Those who experience this problem can add a Fender Mustang bridge to the Jaguar, and the problem is solved.
Squier Jaguar Classic Vibe Series
The Jaguar model is also available at a more affordable price from Squier, such as the Classic Vibe ’60s Jaguar with a poplar body and alnico magnet pickups for around $450. Or the Classic Vibe ’70s Jaguar with square fretboard inlays.
To eliminate the typical noise of single-coil pickups when using heavy distortion, Squier offers the Squier Contemporary Jaguar with two double-coil humbuckers. This model features a flatter 12-inch fingerboard radius and offers two coil-split switches and series/parallel connections, for a fairly affordable price of around $400.
Fender Jaguar Series
From the Fender brand, we have the Vintera 60s Jaguar with an alder body, Fender Jaguar Alnico pickups, and a curved 7.25-inch fingerboard radius, for a price of around 1000 dollars.
The Fender Vintera 60s Jaguar Modified HH features two humbuckers and a flatter 9.5-inch fingerboard radius, for approximately $1150.
Fender Jazzmaster and Jaguar Scale
Another unique feature I haven’t mentioned about the Jaguar model compared to the Jazzmaster is that the Jaguar has a short 24-inch scale, as opposed to the Jazzmaster’s 25.5 inches.
Many might think it’s not that big of a difference, but you can try it if you have a 25.5-inch long-scale guitar like a Telecaster, Stratocaster, or Superstrat.
Tune it a semitone lower than standard tuning (Eb – Ab – Db – Gb – Bb – Eb), and add a capo on the first fret to achieve a 24-inch scale, and you’ll see how things change quite a bit.
The strings are softer to the touch, and the frets are closer together. This makes the guitar more comfortable, especially for players with smaller hands. Furthermore, the guitar’s tone will also change with a shorter scale, as the same set of strings will always be less taut due to the shorter string length.
Fender Guitars Scale Length
Finally, I’ll give you a quick rundown of Fender guitar scales to make things a little clearer. The Telecaster, Stratocaster, and Jazzmaster have a long scale of 25.5 inches, and the Duo Sonic, Mustang, and Jaguar have a short scale of 24 inches.
