Guitar of the Week

1962 Fender Jaguar

Introduced in mid 1962, this short scale (24") guitar was (at the time) considered a high-end instrument. Actually, it was considered Fender's top-of-the-line model until 1967 when Hendrix changed everything, with his usage of the Stratocaster. Because of the shorter scale length, Jaguar values today are lower compared to other full scale models. The Jaguar’s pickups are more powerful and better shielded, which eliminated some of the hum problems associated with the Jazzmaster. The shorter (24 inch) scale was favored by some guitarists at that time, especially the surf music players. However, the slide switches on the Jaguar and Jazzmaster are not easy to use while playing. They also make a lot of noise when switching settings.