ShortScale.org

Hey guys-- sorry my first post is a question, but I'm desperate for info from some guys who might know more than me

Would it be worth it to install new pickups and a TOM bridge on the squier jag or should I pay the extra 200 for the fender jag?

I'm leaning toward paying the extra money for better parts, but both colors (silver and black) of the Fender version are pretty conservative and I have a boner for that fiesta red.

Thanks in advance,
Brian

you probably woulod not need new pu's on the Squier... the duncan designs that are in it are better than the Blacktop pu's.... the DD are Korean made Jazz in the neck and JB in the Bridge..... they should be 4 wire too so that u could do coil splitting for more normal Jag tones...the Blacktops pu's are only 2 wire

Blacktop Jaguar is kinda wack IMO. I had one and hated it.

Is it just the body shape and scale length that makes the Jag appeal? If it's sound, neither of these is gonna hit the mark... at all.

If it's just the scale length and body shape... I dunno it's a tough call. Both instruments have their down sides, while having similar basic features (humbuckers, hardtail, single 3-way switch).

The Squire is cheaper, which is nice, and the colour options are better... the bridge is kinda weaksauce. The pickups, I really don't have anything to say there, though SGJarrod says they're decent. You'll have to be a bit careful with the basswood body, as it will dent and mark up super easily.

The Blacktop, ASAIK is fairly sturdily built, with a better bridge/tail, but, it's suggested that you might want to swap out the pickups... maybe you wouldn't.

I'm sure this has been no help at all, as I have no idea which way I'd go... I'd probably go for a Blacktop Jazzmaster

Classic Player in red?

Ankhanu wrote: I'm sure this has been no help at all, as I have no idea which way I'd go...

this is pretty much how I feel about it too..... if it was not for the wiggity wack bridge on the Squier I would go Squier all the way

Well, I'm glad y'all are validating my confusion on this topic...

I definitely like the stability of a hardtail, the short scale, and the body shape, etc. Basically an alternative to all the sg/lp clones. My current electric is a squier tele custom w/ p90s and I'm lookin for somethin a little different.

I have played both, and the fender didn't feel like it was worth 200 more bucks, but the bridge is a lot nicer.

But is adding a tune o matic an option for the squier? I assume I will have to just ignore the holes from the crappy bridge and drill all new ones? I haven't done any guitar surgery before but I'm not scared of trying it if y'all think its doable...

brainfur wrote:But is adding a tune o matic an option for the squier? I assume I will have to just ignore the holes from the crappy bridge and drill all new ones? I haven't done any guitar surgery before but I'm not scared of trying it if y'all think its doable...

Absolutely an option. Yeah, you'll have to do some drilling and such, taking extra care to place it correctly, but it will certainly work.
There's even a thread over on... offsetguitars(?) of someone replacing the bridge of the Squire Jazzmaster with a proper Jag/Jazz bridge+vibrato. It looks pretty good. Compared to that, a TOM style hardtail is a piece of cake.

Don't forget the Japanese HH Jags which are all over the place. TOM/stop tail, double humbucker, black and chrome but with an overall nicer look than the Blacktop (e.g. matching headstock). They only run about $500 if you look around.

Ankhanu wrote:

brainfur wrote:But is adding a tune o matic an option for the squier? I assume I will have to just ignore the holes from the crappy bridge and drill all new ones? I haven't done any guitar surgery before but I'm not scared of trying it if y'all think its doable...

Absolutely an option. Yeah, you'll have to do some drilling and such, taking extra care to place it correctly, but it will certainly work.
There's even a thread over on... offsetguitars(?) of someone replacing the bridge of the Squire Jazzmaster with a proper Jag/Jazz bridge+vibrato. It looks pretty good. Compared to that, a TOM style hardtail is a piece of cake.

this ^

and put a fender adjust-o-matic on it.... they are from the CP series and are for a 9.5 radius neck so it will work perfectly...the adjust-o-matic is $40 and a stoptail would be $10.... so it would only be $50 plus some sweat..

All of the Squier jags I've tried have had horrible frets. I think the Blacktop is worth the extra money.
I'm saving up for a CP Sunburst, but I want the trem and single coils.

The Japanese HH with matching black headstock is pretty sweet though. Can't justify a third HH guitar with a hardtail.

I should also point out that the CP has a tune-o-matic bridge as well, and the single coils are supposed to be somewhat hotter than the AVRI and MIJ pickups.

I have played both the Squier Jaguar and the Blacktop Jaguar. Neither one was worth it. The Blacktop JM was way better than the BT Jag and the Squier JM sounded way better than Squier Jag.

Save your money and definitely get CP Jaguar, CIJ Black Jaguar HH or the Pawnshop Mustang Special.

MatthewK wrote:Don't forget the Japanese HH Jags which are all over the place. TOM/stop tail, double humbucker, black and chrome but with an overall nicer look than the Blacktop (e.g. matching headstock). They only run about $500 if you look around.

StevePirates wrote:The Japanese HH with matching black headstock is pretty sweet though.

Yeah, these are, at least aesthetically, gorgeous guitars.

There was a gunmetal blue Japanese Jaguar a bit back, I'd see it on eBay from time to time... not sure if it was a baritone or HH, though. It had, I think, a black guard and aged chrome hardware. It was freakin' gorgeous.

Wouldn't mind grabbing one of these either, gunmetal redburst...

Ankhanu wrote:

never have I seen this.... the most BEAUTIFULL JAGUAR HH EVER!!!!!!!

ha ha, al from Empires Verse Metrics has a MENSTRUALBURST jagboner as well.

HH is definitly one of the overwhelming factors to take into account.



+



=

see, you're wrong.

and i have exhibit A to prove it:



there's simply no et-270 anywhere in the equation.

Ah but on Bleach kurt Cobain played an ET 270 with chrome covers. No pictures of it but i have the Record sleeve sitting right in front of me if you want me to take a pic and load it up. Its got the same layout as the Blacktop, with the chrome covers. pickup switch and black pickguard, Gotoh Epiphone parts are even on the Blacktop, The tailpiece. Tuno/Adjustoma-tic bridge. black skirted amp knobs.

The Classic Player Jags and Blacktop jaguars are meant to be Kurt Cobain style guitars and all.

HH Jaguars

''Classic Player Jaguar Special HH/SC- A Jaguar modeled after the guitars of players such as Kurt Cobain. This Jaguar has two Fender Enforcer humbuckers which are able to be coil-tapped, a Gibson-style "adjust-o-matic" bridge, and the whammy-bar tailpiece has been moved closer to the bridge. It is made in Mexico''

''Fender Blacktop
A Jaguar with high-output humbuckers, alder body, maple neck with rosewood fretboard, 9,5" radius, T.O.M./STP style bridge, volume and tone pots and a 3-way Gibson style pick-up switch.''

''Fender Jaguar Special HH
Has the same body shape as the standard Jaguar, but is equipped with two low-output Fender designed Dragster humbucking pickups, a fixed adjusto-matic bridge (similar to a Gibson Tune-O-Matic), a 24" scale length, and chrome knobs. It is made in Japan.''

''Squier Jaguar
A Jaguar, with two Duncan Designed humbuckers, basswood body, a Duo-Sonic style hard tail bridge, and stacked controls. A Jazzmaster is also offered with similar styling. The only difference is the Jazzmaster has two single coil pickups, instead of humbuckers''
-Wikipedia.org

Have to admit given the HH special having been around for a while and being a great guitar for the second hand money neither the Blacktop nor the squier seem worthwhile to me and in my eyes both are too compromised on the Jag aesthetic IMHO. Even a CP can be had for decent cash if one saves a little longer an looks around.