I’ve heard so many good comments from you guys, I went in to Glasgow today with the intention of buying a Jaguar. I played both of these:
Classic player,
Reissue 62,
I preferred the 62 reissue but I didn’t get on with either one and I’m well pissed off. As I think they are really classy looking, and both sounded good. I just didn’t enjoy playing them. I’ll have to go back in at the weekend to see if I was just having an off day or if a Jag isn’t the guitar for me....FUCK IT!
playing one in a guitar store might not be the best way to determine if you like them or not, most guitar shops put zero effort into cleaning and setting up their instruments. my local shop has a classic player and the trem is completely set up wrong, which is weird because the other they have has it set up properly.
I found there was a lot of rattling coming from both of them, which I think might be because of the amount of space between the trem and the bridge, I found the same problem with the Frequensator tailpiece on my Epiphone Riviera which allowed a lot of string vibration behind the bridge.
My Jag doesn't rattle or buzz whatsoever. The hardware is completely stock, 94 MIJ. Not a sound out of it apart from strings and the occasional fret buzz (I have pretty low action). If you use an Allen key and just "snug" the saddle adjustment screws it helps a lot - although probably the biggest factor is getting some heavy gauge strings on it - that's what they were designed for.
You can't escape those sounds behind the bridge unless you use a buzzstop, and if you hit them hard, the bridge saddles are going to buzz. I don't consider it to be a pain, more a flaw in something I adore which actually endears it to me more.
I have a Vintage Jaguar with the "better" bridge, it does these things occasionally if you have low action but they're not dealbreakers.
Oh mine rings behind the bridge for sure! Didn't claim otherwise. But the saddles and bridge do not buzz on mine. And I hit plenty hard. No string jumping either. Honest!
Visually I think a slightly stripped down Jazzmaster (no roller stuff, less pickguard screws) would be my ideal Fender, and I think they sound great too. For some reason I don't quite get on with them to play. I feel your pain.
if the absolute sex coming from the sound and look of a jag doesn't make it FEEL right, then it's your problem, not the jag's. other than a strat (because i learned to play on them), no other guitar feels quite right. jags 4evar
My Jag has the noise from behind the bridge, but it doesn't rattle or buzz. It can do when it's not set up right. It can also be a fucking dire chore of a pain setting it up right sometimes, but when you do it's worth it. I like the noise from behind the bridge.
My Classic Player Jaguar does not "rattle or buzz" at all, it makes audible sounds behind the bridge only when I pick there for that purpose. The strings probably ring sympathetically back there at other times, but i can't tell that they are doing it.
I had a proper setup done on it, maybe that made a difference, don't know. But it plays and feels great, with no rattles or buzz.
It is possible not to not enjoy playing a Jaguar if one does not prefer short scale guitars. Certainly most people are used to long scale guitars.
The only thing that surprised me was was that the neck had a bit more shoulder than I expected. I like the sound. I'm not sure I'll like the CP as much, because of the 12" radius, but I'll give one a go.
BacchusPaul wrote:The only thing that surprised me was was that the neck had a bit more shoulder than I expected. I like the sound. I'm not sure I'll like the CP as much, because of the 12" radius, but I'll give one a go.
It's only 9.5". It's not really that flat. I prefer the normal radius on a Jag, but it doesn't feel too flat on the CP.
