To Jag-Stang or Not To Jag-Stang?

singlepup · Post by **singlepup** » Sun Dec 28, 2014 9:08 am

Don't oppress the Jag-Stang with your Eurocentric standards of beauty.

singlepup · Post by **singlepup** » Sun Dec 28, 2014 10:46 am

Nah, just playin. I appreciate everyone's feedback.

So right now I'm going to focus on returning the Jazzmaster to stock in preparation for its imminent departure.

As for the Jag-Stang, I used to think it was quite ugly but have developed a taste for it over the years. The look is sort of intriguing now. I'm open to possibilities. I'm cool with ditching the bucker or just not using it. I am called singlepickup, after all. As for the "Kurt didn't even like it" comment, well that's OK. Kurt used guitars designed for surf music to play grunge. He used them because he liked them and they were accessible. I'm sure I can use a guitar designed for grunge to play ambient future rock. The cycle is complete.

The price on the Jag-Stang isn't great, but it has been reduced from ridiculous. Guitar prices here are akin to those in the UK, which means I might be able to make a profit on my JM (which I bought in the States). It will all balance out.

Gotta say, the pro arguments are a bit stronger than the con arguments. Part of me thinks it would be best to just hold off until I get back to America, but it's hard to wait when you're unhappy with your gear.

Thanks again guys... If anyone else has an opinion, I'd love to hear it.

James · Post by **James** » Sun Dec 28, 2014 12:42 pm

As long as you're paying a price pretty close to what you could sell it for and you don't immediately need the money, go for it. If you have it for six months and lose $50 in buying and selling it works out as a cheap rental.

From this forum there is a group of people who love them, but typically they had one as their main guitar for their formative years. There's also a group who struggled for years to try and make it the guitar it could never quite be before giving up and getting something else. My guess is you'll fall into the latter but the only way you'll know is to get one and try it.

robroe · Post by **robroe** » Sun Dec 28, 2014 2:11 pm

if i could bring myself to taking the neck off it and putting on my jaguar I would. but I cant

singlepup · Post by **singlepup** » Sun Dec 28, 2014 2:14 pm

^Your AVRI? Won't quite fit in the neck pocket, I don't think.

James wrote:From this forum there is a group of people who love them, but typically they had one as their main guitar for their formative years. There's also a group who struggled for years to try and make it the guitar it could never quite be before giving up and getting something else. My guess is you'll fall into the latter but the only way you'll know is to get one and try it.

That's my fear as well... Too old... Too old to begin the training.

serfx · Post by **serfx** » Mon Dec 29, 2014 1:25 am

it'd fit the neck pocket just fine.

i always find myself drawn to the jag-stang, never managed to get a proper one (ie, building them myself, putting from random parts, never had the stock pickups) but i've always loved the neck(s) even still trying to hunt down a decent priced "new" jag-stang. "ugly" is really a perspective, it all coems down to function, and if it functions as you want it to, then its the guitar to play.

wadeaminute · Post by **wadeaminute** » Mon Dec 29, 2014 2:30 am

My memory is that the Japanese-made Squier Super-Sonics and the original Japanese Jag-Stangs had the same neck profile / feel. Am I wrong?

robroe · Post by **robroe** » Mon Dec 29, 2014 5:46 am

no. i have owned both at the same time. jagstang is wayyyy thinner at the nut and more roundy all the way down the neck

NickD · Post by **NickD** » Mon Dec 29, 2014 8:18 am

serfx wrote:it'd fit the neck pocket just fine.

Japanese Fenders tend to be about 1mm wider at the nut, so while a US neck will go on a Japanese body, the opposite usually won't - manufacturing tolerances can mean it works on occasion though.

Fran · Post by **Fran** » Mon Dec 29, 2014 7:08 pm

Another yes from me.
Based on playability and rarity, if it at a decent price its an opportunity that won't come up often.

Always owned one myself and built one as well.

Ankhanu · Post by **Ankhanu** » Mon Dec 29, 2014 7:19 pm

Yeah, if it's a good price, bite. VM Jazzmasters will come up again

I fall in the camp of people who've had limited experience with Jag-Stangs, but absolutely loved how they played on the few instances I've had to hold one. I thought the neck on the ones I've played were fantastic, with only a couple hours of total play time. If nothing else, if you don't get on with it, you can likely sell it for at least as much as you bought it for.

singlepup · Post by **singlepup** » Tue Dec 30, 2014 1:40 am

I'm feeling the Jag-Stang love. Have sourced a stock bridge for the VM JM. Am excite!

Post by **dots** » Wed Dec 31, 2014 8:20 pm

late to the party here, but i will throw in a vote of support for it. since you are already unhappy with the jm, the worst thing that would happen is you discover you don't like the j-stang and have to shop for another guitar. SUCKS TO BE YOU, BRO.

i liked mine but didn't care for the humbucker, so i eventually dropped a duncan jb -- problems solved, t0n3z 4 dayz. it was the sonic blue version circa 1997 my ex got me as a wedding present ("i'm at guitar center and i want this" "k"), and i proceeded to put stickers my baby daughter gave me all over the damn thing. it was never my real, REAL main guitar, but i used it quite a bit, always was in the rotation or brought along to shows as a backup. then some fucker stole it when our house got broken into around 2009. shit sucks. i'd get one again, but prolly fiesta red.

here's a shot of it w/ teh stickaz (cat club on sunset, circa 2003)

► Show Spoiler

Fran · Post by **Fran** » Thu Jan 01, 2015 9:13 pm

Aye, like dots said, if you want it to be your main guitar it will need some electronics mods.
Swapping the tone cap for starters, a bucker upgrade and I even upgraded the pots on one model.

They are a neat little guitar though with a superb neck, well worth the hassle imo.

singlepup · Post by **singlepup** » Fri Jan 02, 2015 11:41 am

Damn, Jag-Stangs look cool in concert! Sorry to hear yours was ripped off, dots

Fran, could you tell me more about your electronics swap? Which value did you use for the cap? How about pots?

I'm on board with the JB.

Fran · Post by **Fran** » Fri Jan 02, 2015 11:24 pm

singlepickup24 wrote:Damn, Jag-Stangs look cool in concert! Sorry to hear yours was ripped off, dots

Fran, could you tell me more about your electronics swap? Which value did you use for the cap? How about pots?

I'm on board with the JB.

It's all going back some years but I remember the cap being a crappy green ceramic lifeless thing, I swapped it for an orange drop .047. The same value I think but far better quality.
I changed the pots for 500k alpha pots. Again, same value, if memory serves right but a big improvement.

robroe · Post by **robroe** » Fri Jan 02, 2015 11:37 pm

you guys and your endless opinions on caps, pots, wires,

Fran · Post by **Fran** » Sat Jan 03, 2015 12:15 am

Many a happy evening spent arguing about caps and pots, back in the day

paul_ · Post by **paul_** » Sat Jan 03, 2015 4:39 am

Jag-Stangs came with 250ks stock, part of the reason the bridge bucker sounds so flappy stock (and the vintage Strat reissue pickup sounds great).

Fran · Post by **Fran** » Sat Jan 03, 2015 12:06 pm

I wasn't sure but I thought something was mismatched. Well remembered Paul.