Squier Jagmasters... how are they?

Phil O'Keefe · Post by **Phil O'Keefe** » Tue Mar 23, 2010 2:05 pm

They seem dirt cheap - near "impulse buy" prices at under $300 new. But are they any good? How do they play / sound?

Pens · Post by **Pens** » Tue Mar 23, 2010 2:12 pm

The Japanese Vista series are apparently amazing, I've not played those exactly as I'm lefty, but I do have a Vista series SuperSonic which is the same basic design and build, and I can attest to them being awesome.

The cheap ones you are seeing are the later Chinese versions, which supposedly aren't as great. Expect to pay at least $400 for the Japanese versions.

hotrodperlmutter · Post by **hotrodperlmutter** » Tue Mar 23, 2010 4:10 pm

the new ones aren't worth the prices. save for a vista one. (i think it's about time for a jagmaster sticky?)

japanese vista: (24" scale, jazzmaster knob placement, vintage style truss rod access & tuners, and gloss neck tint - similar to jaguars of the same era)

there are later vistas with a bullet style truss rod, and more colors.

chinese standard (25.5" scale, jaguar knob placement, single ply pickguard, satin strat style neck, squier top nut tuners):

Post by **Mike** » Tue Mar 23, 2010 4:16 pm

Actually hotrod, these ones - the current CIC reissues have 24" conversion necks.

My bandmate from history crow, MikeG just got one and he really likes it but says the pickups are a bit junky.

hotrodperlmutter · Post by **hotrodperlmutter** » Tue Mar 23, 2010 4:19 pm

blast. i always forget that. so they're just necks that convert 24" scale guitars to smaller, and 25.5" guitars to 24"? or it's all relative to bridge spacing? i guess i've never cared enough to finger it out.

Post by **Mike** » Tue Mar 23, 2010 4:24 pm

A 24" conversion neck converts a guitar that has a 25.5" scale bridge placement into a 24" scale guitar.

Billy3000 · Post by **Billy3000** » Tue Mar 23, 2010 4:29 pm

Yea, basically everyone else is right, if you're looking for one save a bit longer and get a vista, those are really nice. I had one of the newer chinese ones and it was definitely an impulse buy. I regretted it pretty quickly. It felt cheap, the pickups sucked, I liked the shape and everything, but it just did not feel like a guitar that should cost as much as it does. I could seriously chip the finish with my fingernail. Luckily I got it on a labor day sale at musicians friend, so I saved $25 and was able to sell it for just about what I paid.

endsjustifymeans · Post by **endsjustifymeans** » Tue Mar 23, 2010 4:58 pm

had one of the new chinese. They're a bit shit. The neck tapers too much for my liking and the pickups are junk. Save for vista or look at other instruments.

Freddy V-C · Post by **Freddy V-C** » Tue Mar 23, 2010 5:00 pm

I actually really love my Chinese Jagmaster! I guess that's just what happens with Squier though, bad quality control...

mickie08 · Post by **mickie08** » Tue Mar 23, 2010 5:01 pm

I had a newer one and it had a nice glossy neck. The pups were trash though. I replaced them with the GFS wide ranger knock offs.

robroe · Post by **robroe** » Tue Mar 23, 2010 5:36 pm

1996-1997(8ish) Vista Jamasters came in Sonic Blue, Olympic White, 3TS, Black, CAR

they all came with the same tort pickguard.

the necks on them were jaguar necks from the fender factory. the exact same thing with a squier decal.

exact same Ping vintage fender tuners they used on jaguars, jagstangs, and mustangs of the day.

i would have to guess that the strat vibrato unit on the thing is the exact same spec as a japan strat of the day as well since all the other parts are pulled off of quality fender products. this would explain why the vista series gutiars carried a retail of 699.99 when they hit the market back in 1996. more than twice as much as a mexican strat or tele

hotrodperlmutter · Post by **hotrodperlmutter** » Tue Mar 23, 2010 6:03 pm

robroe wrote:they all came with the same tort pickguard.

ORLY?

Pens · Post by **Pens** » Tue Mar 23, 2010 6:06 pm

Wait wait wait.

So, these new cheap as fuck Chinese Jagmasters have CONVERSION NECKS on them?! As in I could buy one of these fuckers for like $150 and slap it on a 25.5" scale guitar and it's a 24"?!?!?!

serfx · Post by **serfx** » Tue Mar 23, 2010 6:12 pm

yes.

this is why i used the neck from my new breed jagmaster to convert my affinity telecaster to a 24"

robroe · Post by **robroe** » Tue Mar 23, 2010 6:25 pm

yup. fender should mass produce the shit out of this neck and make 24" everything

not really, the neck sucks

serfx · Post by **serfx** » Tue Mar 23, 2010 6:36 pm

i find the neck chunky.. kind of like a strat neck.. i think that is why i really dig it on the tele.. the 25.5" neck is the same but not as glossy of a finish (at least mine isn't..) and i've never played a vista neck.

Pens · Post by **Pens** » Tue Mar 23, 2010 6:51 pm

Okay, now I have to go to Guitar Center and test out this neck. If it is playable I have a guitar I am slapping it on STAT.

hotrodperlmutter · Post by **hotrodperlmutter** » Tue Mar 23, 2010 8:00 pm

they're playable. i'm with serfx in the feeling that they're basically like strat necks. squier affinity strat necks. love em.

MikeG · Post by **MikeG** » Tue Mar 23, 2010 8:55 pm

Yeah, I like the neck on mine. See pics in the other thread.

As Mike said, I've changed the pickups and pots on mine. There seem to be quite a lot of these guitars floating about second hand (mainly the 2002-2005 model).

Phil O'Keefe · Post by **Phil O'Keefe** » Tue Mar 23, 2010 9:21 pm

Very interesting stuff - thanks everyone.

I guess if they're playable, they would be worth it for some people just to be able to swap the conversion neck onto another guitar body and create a 24" scale instrument out of that... the main thing I'd be worried about in that regard would be the neck heel - Teles have a square end, Strats are curved, and what works on one body doesn't always work correctly on the other.

Still, I wouldn't mind having, say, a 24" scale Strat - that would be pretty sweet.

The MIJ Vista series models sound like they would be more likely to be to my taste than the current models. I didn't know that about the Jag necks on them - thanks for the details robroe.