Johnny Marr Jag

ttshinykit · Post by **ttshinykit** » Fri Jul 05, 2013 5:56 pm

Hi all, new to this forum having come across it whilst researching Jaguars. I've got a hankering for a Jag, having had a tele and currently a 95 MIM strat as my regular player amongst others but now want to play with the big boys.

Clearly there's a great deal of owner experience on here so wanted to have some opinions on the Johnny Marr sig Jaguar. I love the sound of all the revisions and having never owned one, won't be missing the original bits that have been changed and issues that have been ironed out.

But I would appreciate some feedback on whether anyone has one, has played one or wouldn't touch it with your mates dick.

Wish they had some cooler colours rather than the faded candy apple or Olympic white but that's what he's chosen so that's all there is, but if it's pants then there's always an ice blue avri begging to be owned! Although a very nice one went far too cheap on eBay today that I've been close to pulling the trigger on.

Advice and comments please,

Thanks in advance
Steve

mastermorya · Post by **mastermorya** » Fri Jul 05, 2013 8:00 pm

The Jagumarr is great. I have an OW one and really like it.

Pros:

Really nice sounding pickups. The fourth position with the two PUs in series is fantastic, really useful. You can definitely get a wide range of sounds from this.

Excellent neck. Very comfortable. Perfect. If you are into chunky but not too chunky, 7.25 radius, and vintage frets, this neck is perfect.

Short scale is fine. Was my first but doesn't cause me any problems at all. I like not having to reach as far sometimes.

Good bridge and trem system. I think the Mastery is a bit better, but for a Jag you really want attack, not sustain (Mastery adds sustain). The Staytrem is a good balance between defined attack and sustain.

Midling things:

The bass cut switches, I don't use them much, but I'm not in band that I'm trying to "cut through"

No rhythm circuit. Eh.

Pickups have a fair amount of 60 cycle hum, and are not humbucking when they are in parallel. Some people get super worked up about this but I haven't been bothered.

Pickups are pretty low output.

Negative things:

Guitar looks good, but the finish is thin, checks easily.

Signature on the front of the headstock looks dumb, but is easily removed because it is a decal.

It's pretty heavy.

Sobriquet · Post by **Sobriquet** » Fri Jul 05, 2013 9:31 pm

mastermorya pretty much covered everything. I don't use the strangle switches either, so I kinda wish it had a rhythm circuit. Mine is the KO, and still looks factory fresh aside from a ding. It sounds amazing, it is pretty heavy, and I love the neck. It was my first short scale as well, and I had no problem adjusting.

It seems like some people got ones with lower output pickups. I didn't notice a difference in output between it and my MIM Tele. I suppose that's an issue because the pickups are hand-wound.

Mastermorya, did you remove the sig?

mastermorya · Post by **mastermorya** » Fri Jul 05, 2013 9:58 pm

I don't think the pickups are super low output, maybe it is just that the lace sensors on the Tele plus I just got are just shockingly high output! Jagumarr's pickups are also significantly lower output than an AVRI JM; then again, only in the single coil position and I tend to keep the pickups in series on the Jagumarr quite a lot.

I did remove the logo with that orange goo stuff. Was easy peasey. I had absent-mindedly started scratching it off with my fingernail and then I decided to just commit.

Ankhanu · Post by **Ankhanu** » Sat Jul 06, 2013 1:11 am

Don't have and the store here has never had one in, but, as a Jag player, I would LOVE to try one. It's a beautifully designed/altered instrument, and appears to be well crafted.

taylornutt · Post by **taylornutt** » Sat Jul 06, 2013 4:21 am

I have a Sunburst AVRI that I love. I was very interested in playing a Johnny Marr Jaguar.

I think all the improvements were very positive. I also have a Baja Tele, so the pickup configuration on his Jag is the same and very useful.

I wish it had an out-of-phase switch.

ttshinykit · Post by **ttshinykit** » Sat Jul 06, 2013 6:52 am

This is getting exciting then, I think I can cope with those down sides so far. The thin finish is a but of a concern, I try to be so careful with my guitars but they do seem to pick up annoying dinks occasionally, I blame the mrs but then don't we all! My brother recently stripped a US strat poly finish down and resprayed with nitro and laqcuer and the thinner skin has a remarkably clearer ringing tone than before, very noticeable

I read on one review about the low E being very close to the edge of the fret board on higher notes, is this common to all or did that reviewer have a dodgy set up?

mastermorya · Post by **mastermorya** » Sat Jul 06, 2013 5:45 pm

Yes, the low E does seem a bit close to the edge of the fret board and will slip occassionally if you aren't paying attention. But I've not found it to be a problem and haven't tried to fix it in terms of any adjustment to the guitar.

Sobriquet · Post by **Sobriquet** » Sun Jul 07, 2013 4:11 am

ttshinykit wrote:I read on one review about the low E being very close to the edge of the fret board on higher notes, is this common to all or did that reviewer have a dodgy set up?

My high e was too close to the edge, but a neck adjustment corrected it.

ttshinykit · Post by **ttshinykit** » Sun Jul 07, 2013 7:47 pm

Thanks guys, I'm delighted there's no major down sides, apart from the price!! But I should be able to get an interest free deal for 18months which would be nice, and free up some funds for something else.....Ice blue jaguarIllo or a Chris Shiflett tele deluxe??!

mastermorya · Post by **mastermorya** » Mon Jul 08, 2013 6:03 am

I don't know what the market is like in the UK for used stuff but I'd hesitate to pay full freight on these. They depreciate considerably after purchase so you might get a better deal and not get reamed by some credit bullshit.

StevePirates · Post by **StevePirates** » Tue Jul 09, 2013 1:57 am

As someone who grew up listening to NUFAN and Me First, the fact that there's a Chris Shiflett signature guitar....

ttshinykit · Post by **ttshinykit** » Tue Jul 09, 2013 6:45 am

Well it might have to be the Shiflett telecaster this year...wife wanted to go for a picnic Sunday, I drive over a pot hole and yesterday noticed a split in the sidewall of both front and rear n/s tyres on my old 911, both having only done about 5k miles since being changed. Being a Porsche it's all 4 to change so I'm now Â£750 lighter, typical. Bloody expensive picnic.

gusman2x · Post by **gusman2x** » Tue Jul 09, 2013 7:50 am

Go back and take a picture of the pothole. If you think it was to blame, then most councils will pay for the damage.

When I played a jm jag I liked it very much indeed. I didn't notice the high e string issue at all. In which case I'm sure if you find one that has that issue, loosening the neck and giving it a tweak would easily fix it.

ttshinykit · Post by **ttshinykit** » Mon Aug 12, 2013 9:02 pm

My apologies for bringing this tread back up but I just had to say that I've pulled the trigger and ordered a johnny marr jag in olympic white!

Just have to wait a month now before it arrives but as I have a wedding and honeymoon within that time, it should pass pretty quick!

Just have to hide the credit agreement from the wife......

BobArsecake · Post by **BobArsecake** » Mon Aug 12, 2013 9:04 pm

ttshinykit wrote:My apologies for bringing this tread back up but I just had to say that I've pulled the trigger and ordered a johnny marr jag in olympic white!

Just have to wait a month now before it arrives but as I have a wedding and honeymoon within that time, it should pass pretty quick!

Just have to hide the credit agreement from the wife......

Lovely stuff! Tell her it was a wedding present

robert(original) · Post by **robert(original)** » Mon Aug 12, 2013 9:16 pm

ttshinykit wrote:This is getting exciting then, I think I can cope with those down sides so far. The thin finish is a but of a concern, I try to be so careful with my guitars but they do seem to pick up annoying dinks occasionally, I blame the mrs but then don't we all! My brother recently stripped a US strat poly finish down and resprayed with nitro and laqcuer and the thinner skin has a remarkably clearer ringing tone than before, very noticeable

I read on one review about the low E being very close to the edge of the fret board on higher notes, is this common to all or did that reviewer have a dodgy set up?

really, tonal difference betwen poly and lacquer on a solid body bolt on electric guitar. nope sorry sir, i declare shenanigans

paul_ · Post by **paul_** » Tue Aug 13, 2013 12:55 am

The clearer sound might have more to do with getting the hard, thick poly shell off than putting the nitro finish on (poly is really thick and hard nowadays and could theoretically deaden resonant woods as a result), though in my experience finish and even body wood matters very little with Stratocasters. Taking them apart and putting them back together can have pleasant side effects though, just down to random little things that occur during (hardware mounting, neck joint snugness, restringing, etc)

Remulak · Post by **Remulak** » Tue Aug 13, 2013 6:39 pm

Sobriquet wrote:My high e was too close to the edge, but a neck adjustment corrected it.

What do you mean a neck adjustment?

NickS · Post by **NickS** » Tue Aug 13, 2013 9:54 pm

Slacken the strings off, slacken the neck screws slightly and apply sideways pressure on the neck. It's surprising how much slop there can be.