OGD: Fender Jag-Stang : help dating?

drew199321 · Post by **drew199321** » Sat Jan 12, 2013 1:00 pm

I've been on the forum for a while now and thought I would start showing off my guitars. Here's my main squeeze, my Jag-stang. I found her in a shithole pawn shop in the bad neighborhood of San Diego for about 500 bucks. I can't figure out a proper date for her, considering almost every serial number lookup says she's a '93. I know for a fact that the series started three years later, so consider me puzzled. I started taping over the pickup switches live, so pardon the residue.

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James · Post by **James** » Sat Jan 12, 2013 1:20 pm

What is OGD? O... G... Dating?

Thom · Post by **Thom** » Sat Jan 12, 2013 2:08 pm

What is the serial no.? And does it say Made or Crafted in Japan?
I would hazard a guess at it starting with O, P or Q, followed by a zero and being Crafted In Japan...?

HNB · Post by **HNB** » Sat Jan 12, 2013 2:42 pm

Need the serial to date it correctly, but here is the decoder.

DATING JAPANESE-MADE FENDER INSTRUMENTS

Records on early Japanese-made Fender instruments are not complete and are therefore not completely definitive for dating purposes. As always, serial numbers should only be used as a guide for dating and should be used in combination with known age-related specifications to help identify the production year of an instrument.

SERIAL NUMBERS CIRCA
JV + 5 digits 1982-1984
SQ + 5 digits 1983-1984
E + 6 digits 1984-1987
A + 6 digits 1985-1986
B + 6 digits 1985-1986
C + 6 digits 1985-1986
F + 6 digits 1986-1987
G + 6 digits 1987-1988
H + 6 digits 1988-1989
I + 6 digits 1989-1990
J + 6 digits 1989-1990
K + 6 digits 1990-1991
L + 6 digits 1991-1992
M + 6 digits 1992-1993
N + 6 digits 1993-1994
O + 6 digits 1993-1994
P + 6 digits 1993-1994
Q + 6 digits 1993-1994
S + 6 digits 1994-1995
T + 6 digits 1994-1995
U + 6 digits 1995-1996
N + 5 digits 1995-1996
V + 6 digits 1996-1997
In 1997, Fender transitioned to a serial number decal that included the words â€œCrafted in Japanâ€� above the serial number.

Crafted in Japan A + 6 digits
1997-1998
Crafted in Japan O + 6 digits 1997-2000
Crafted in Japan P + 6 digits 1999-2002
Crafted in Japan Q + 6 digits 2002-2004
Crafted in Japan R + 6 digits 2004-2005
Crafted in Japan S + 6 digits 2006-2008
Crafted in Japan T + 6 digits 2007-2008
2007 was another transitional year for Japanese-made Fender instruments, with the return to the â€œMade in Japanâ€� country-of-origin identifier on the serial number decal. This was a running change, and both â€œMade in Japanâ€� and â€œCrafted in Japanâ€� decals appear on instruments from 2007 and 2008.

Made in Japan T + 6 digits 2007-2010
Made in Japan U + 6 digits 2010-2011

drew199321 · Post by **drew199321** » Sat Jan 12, 2013 5:01 pm

OGD = Old Guitar Day

James · Post by **James** » Sat Jan 12, 2013 6:10 pm

Is that a day when you get an unused guitar out of the case and it feels like having a new guitar? I don't understand what makes it a special day.

I do like red Jag-stangs, though I can't see one without thinking of the French crack-stang.

mkt3000 · Post by **mkt3000** » Sat Jan 12, 2013 11:22 pm

James wrote:Is that a day when you get an unused guitar out of the case and it feels like having a new guitar? I don't understand what makes it a special day.

I do like red Jag-stangs, though I can't see one without thinking of the French crack-stang.

The fuck is that?

robroe · Post by **robroe** » Sat Jan 12, 2013 11:34 pm

im guessing you have a crafted in japan P or Q series. which puts it as an early reissue around 2002

cant tell shit if you don't post a photo of the back of the neck

drew199321 · Post by **drew199321** » Mon Jan 14, 2013 1:47 pm

you're right robroe, it's a CIJ from 2002. slight vintage bonerkill but still the best guitar I've got. Thanks!

theshadowofseattle · Post by **theshadowofseattle** » Mon Jan 14, 2013 10:21 pm

mkt3000 wrote:The fuck is that?

Proof that all Jagstangs should have Jag plates.

Post by **dots** » Tue Jan 15, 2013 12:26 am

theshadowofseattle wrote:
mkt3000 wrote:The fuck is that?
Proof that all Jagstangs should have Jag plates.

qftrewth

mixtape · Post by **mixtape** » Tue Jan 15, 2013 1:31 am

drew199321 wrote:you're right robroe, it's a CIJ from 2002. slight vintage bonerkill but still the best guitar I've got. Thanks!

Hang onto it long enough, and it'll be vintage eventually.

Awstin · Post by **Awstin** » Tue Jan 15, 2013 2:33 am

Simple way of telling if a Jag-Stang is from the first wave or a reissue...

FIRST WAVE:
- Made in Japan
- 50th Anniversary and Kurt Sticker
- Thin paint

REISSUE:
- Crafted in Japan
- Kurt Sticker
- Thick polly paint

It's the easiest way to tell without looking up a serial number.

Just my $0.02

paul_ · Post by **paul_** » Tue Jan 15, 2013 3:19 am

drew199321 wrote:CIJ from 2002. slight vintage bonerkill

If it makes you feel a bit more sturdy, there were only two virtually identical runs of JS and they came out of the same factories with about a two year gap. I have a '98 and certainly don't consider it "vintage," there is no real discrepancy in terms of spec/quality.

Also Punkacc9, most of the first wave ones didn't have the '50th anniversary' sticker, that was a sticker they put on a bunch of Fenders in 1996 I think. The real difference is the "Designed by Kurt Cobain" being a sticker on the first phase ones and a decal/stamp of some sort on the second ones.
There were also two "phases" of Jag-Stang during the first run, they changed the wiring scheme from the Mustang diagram at some point and it remained that way for the second run, it's also the diagram they used for the KC sig Mustangs. My '98 also has the super thick poly.

Awstin · Post by **Awstin** » Tue Jan 15, 2013 3:23 am

Well then lol. Anyway.. I rather have a reissue if I'm gonna play it because the thin paint sucks and chips so easily and the body wood was changed to alder wasn't it?

paul_ · Post by **paul_** » Tue Jan 15, 2013 3:41 am

Punkacc9 wrote:the body wood was changed to alder wasn't it?

Ah yes, had heard this too. Anyway I don't mean to argue which is better, merely that while one is a 'reissue' it doesn't make the previous one 'vintage'. They only came out in the first place like 18 years ago and they were like 80% existing reissue Mustang parts anyway.

othomas2 · Post by **othomas2** » Tue Jan 15, 2013 1:20 pm

Allegedly the 'Q' series CIJ jags from '02 are deemed to be some of the best going...

... so assuming yours is built in the same factory then it's good news.

Thom · Post by **Thom** » Tue Jan 15, 2013 1:50 pm

I can attest to that, my Q series Jag is great.

othomas2 · Post by **othomas2** » Tue Jan 15, 2013 4:25 pm

I have one too...

and it's great.

... but it just sounds like hype and chinese whispers:

http://www.offsetguitars.com/forums/vie ... f=6&t=9279

There's no evidence as to why / how etc...

Joey · Post by **Joey** » Tue Jan 15, 2013 7:23 pm

What? Nobody ever just loosen up the neck plate and peek at the neck butt anymore?

Rob has the "most-est vintage" JS on the board. He's got us all beat