(Untitled)

[didjagripweed]

hi, i'm somewhat new (30 seconds old and all) and i'm extremely keen on getting either a jagur or a jazzmaster before the year is through. Besides ebay, where would one look if one were a bit strapped for cash and was looking for jaguars/jazzmasters for under $800? thanks

Comments

[kingdoma]

Have you thought about buying direct from japan?
check this out:

http://www.excite.co.jp/world/english/web/body/?wb_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ishibashi.co.jp%2Fwebshop%2Fguitar%2Ffender-j%2Findex.htm&wb_lp=JAEN&wb_dis=2

Including shipping, they will sell you a brand new jaguar for Y 69,260, which is $656.30 at today's exchange rate.

I've read good things about them on the fender forum.

[kingdoma]

as far as preferences between the 2, that's a matter of taste, & i recommend playing both before deciding.

IMHO, i find jaguars to be brighter than jazzmasters, and have a shorter scale. THe pickup shielding can reduce hum however. The chrome on the body is certainly attractive.

Jazzmasters sound warmer & i prefer the longer scale - i'm a tom verlaine fan. I find my jazzmaster has one really good sound though whereas jaguars can be a little more versatile.

[scantron81]

I've owned both, and I prefer my jazzmaster over the jag I had. I like the scale of the neck and the sound I get. I do miss the sharp bite of the jaguar single coils, but all the switches and crap were always getting in the way. I prefer the toggle switch on the jazzmaster as opposed to all of the buttons on the jaguar.

I got my japanese jazz for $399 closeout on musiciansfriend, and my jaguar for $650 on http://www.gbase.com

[scopo]

re-fininshed block-neck (post-1966) JMs and Jags will sometimes come up for that sort of money - just make sure the neck is good and the electronics are (reasonably) original and - if you can live with 70s pooh-brown or hand-sprayed red or whatever - you're laughing.

The two are quite different beasts - I too have owned both (currently a JM) and I'd tend to say that the JM is more versatile, but the Jag more distictive. PLay as many of each as you can - oldies, US reissues, Japanese ones - before you decide. (Then buy one of each!)

[novamute]

i'd have to agree with everything scopo said above. he's wise beyond his years - this communities answer to yoda, or something.

i'll reiterate the advice about definately playing both though, as the scale length really is different. they feel to me like very, very different guitars.

also, if you're considering buying from japan, give don at bluzey.com an email and ask what he can do, even if the bluzey ebay auctions don't show anything in stock. i've bought from bluzey before - i asked him to find me a fernandes/burny les paul which wasn't listed as being in stock, which he did, no problems - and i can vouch for their service. i have a feeling they 're part of ishibashi though, as my invoice listed them as being the seller - but at least doing it through them might help on the japanese translation front, as the whole buisness is english customer oriented.

-m