Fender Jaguar Solid Body Electric Guitar (1965)

Fender  Jaguar Solid Body Electric Guitar  (1965)
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Item # 9896
Prices subject to change without notice.
Fender Jaguar Model Solid Body Electric Guitar (1965), made in Fullerton, California, serial # L64680, sunburst lacquer finish, alder body, maple neck with rosewood fingerboard, original black tolex hard shell case.

This is a very nice example of an early CBS-era Jaguar, showing some general wear but in fine playing condition. It was built just months after the Fender sell-out to CBS in January 1965; the stamped neck date is August '65, and the pots date to the 19th week of that year. Typical early 1965 features include an unbound fingerboard with pearloid dot inlay, bright "target" 3-color sunburst lacquer finish on the body and the gold transition logo headstock decal. The pickguard is the new-for-65 ABS laminated tortoise pattern plastic that had just replaced the older Nitrocellulose piece.

Even having recently undergone a revival of sorts, the Jaguar remains one of the more under-appreciated of vintage guitars with several interesting features. The scale length is shorter than other professional-grade Fender guitars at 24", designed to enhance playability. The two-circuit wiring and floating vibrato are shared with the Jaguar's ancestor, the Jazzmaster, but the guitar actually feels quite different. While the tremolo unit itself is the same as the Jazzmaster, the lower string tension of the shorter scale gives it even more flexibility.

The unique Jaguar pickups with the chrome-plated "claw" baseplate are optimized for punch, clarity and crispness, factors that led to the Jaguar losing popularity in the late '60s as twang went out and heavy distortion came in! Nevertheless, these are top-of-the line '60s Fenders and very high quality guitars, still a relative bargain in a 1960s Fender instrument. The once-ignored Jaguar has found an appreciative new audience in the last decade or so, and the Twang of the ages lives on!
 
Overall length is 40 in. (101.6 cm.), 14 in. (35.6 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 5/8 in. (4.1 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 24 in. (610 mm.). Width of nut is 1 5/8 in. (41 mm.).

This is a lovely guitar overall, all original but for a recent refret and showing some typical wear but nothing too serious. The body finish shows moderate checking but not too much in the way of play wear, just small dings and dents with just one deep rubbed away spot on the lower edge. There is also some wear along the back of the neck, giving it that glorious "worn-in Fender" feel. All hardware is original and complete, including the trem arm, bridge cover and mute, which is functional but the original foam has hardened to resemble 55 year old chewing gum. This can be replaced if desired.

The new frets are somewhat taller than the originals, but not so large as to be out of character for the guitar. The fingerboard has some noticeable divoting in the first position, so it is no surprise a refret was required. The guitar is an excellent player, another great-sounding transitional Jaguar, still housed in the original black Tolex red-lined "no-logo" Fender case. The guitar also includes a Mastery bridge and can also be supplied set up that way if required. Overall Excellent - Condition.