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Hi everyone... am looking at a CIJ jaguar... possibly something like this -> http://somara.com/guitars/item/6169

Sorry did a search but the results of CIJ jaguar were too overwhelming so my bad if this has been covered before.

How's the dependability of CIJ jaguars? how's the build and workmanship? are the pickups any different? You think the matching Old Candy apple red headstock makes it hotter?

I think I once read that japanese jaguar bridge is not stable...

They are great guitars. I personally think the OCR with matching headstock and B&B are superb looking. I own one and I love it to bits. I dunno why they are marketing that one as a '66 re-issue, 'cause it would have had B&B and F-Tuners if it was a '66.

The Japanese bridges are fine, the build quality is good, the pickups sound quite thin and aren't as "full" sounding as the AV re-issues or the CPs and they can feedback a lot if you use a lot of gain, I like them, but I don't play at high volumes, like gig volumes.

From what I've heard vintage Jag p/ups are very thin sounding and so ironically the Japanese p/ups are probably closer to the sound you'd get with vintage p/ups.

i wouldn't trade mine for anything other than a real '66 and that would never happen, so this one isn't going anywhere.

only change i'll be making is putting a duncan SJAG-2 in the bridge for some more ballz (i only play the neck at this point).

love the neck, love the fit, and the sound was exactly what i was looking for.

EDIT: here it is before AVRI cream pickup covers

wow thanks for the very fast and excellent replies guys

Yeah it seems like this is the one http://www.fenderjapan.co.jp/fender/200 ... master.htm marketed as a 66 indeed on the official fender jap forum...

Gavin -> what does B&B mean though?

and everytime i hear others talk of feedback on certain guitars' pick-ups, I go thinking isn't that a good thing for me (for a sonic youthugish fiend like me?) Or is the feedback terrible squeals? (wait isn't that a good thing for a sonic youthugish fiend like me too?)

and here's a copy & paste of what I read about the bridge
Bridge
As mentioned by the others, main 'problematic' area is the bridge in which if set up improperly, it can produce buzz, loose screws, strings 'jumping' out of the slot, etc. One alternative to replace it with the Mustang bridge which has a deeper groove/less moving parts involved. Another useful mod is to install a 'buzzstop', which is also a good alternative to reduce the above-mentioned problems.

Would any of that be necessary on a jap?

hotrodperlmutter -> excellent pics and advice! now you're reallllly making me wanna run out and get the CIJ Jag! Good to see someone really love the Jap Jag! How's the SJAG2 different from the AVRI pickups then?

My friend just got one, and it needed the setup. There's all sorts of "how-to.." guides on the subject. As for is it any good? Yes. For the price, it kicks ass. As long as you do the set-up properly. But what's wrong with working on your guitar? Buzzstops probably help, but we can't get them here, because we live in a poor communist country. Either that or he's just broke.

i love my CIJ.

the bridge is fine really, mine spends most of it's time tuned to something close to open C so the low C would pop out of the saddle quite often since there's less tension. i replaced it with a mustang bridge but if you're staying in standard i can't see it being too much of a problem.

also B&B = blocked & bound, like this:

They are very reliable guitars, a pro instrument once you take time set it up. The only questionable area is the pickups- some like them, some dont. But its not uncommon to upgrade pickups on your main instrument these days, no matter what brand or model you buy.
The bridge can be a problem but its simple enough to set it up, buying a Mustang bridge really is not necessary.

great guitars, excellent built....as mentioned before pickups could be better...they sound good clean in my opinion...but it depends on what you want to do...