The Surf Classic Returns!
The Fender American Vintage '62 Jaguar is the offspring of the Jazzmaster. It paired brighter pickups with a mellow, short 24" scale length. A trio of sliding pickup selector switches, rotary volume wheels on the upper bout, and chrome hardware and tremolo lock, are distinctive Jaguar traits. The '62 Jaguar also sports a wacky and removable Fender Mute built-in string-damping device created with surf bands in mind. If you're looking for a Fender guitar with all the quality of a Strat or Tele, but with its own unique blend of sounds and features, the American Vintage '62 Jaguar might be just what the doctor ordered!
Fender Jaguar at a Glance:- Distinctive offset-waist body shape with separate bridge and floating vibrato
- Two single coil pickups with special "Lead" and "Rhythm" Circuitry
- 24-inch "short scale" maple neck with rosewood fingerboard and larger headstock
- Nitro-cellulose lacquer finish in sunburst and original custom colors
Unique Fender Style
Fender guitars of the late '50s and early '60s borrowed a lot from the automobile designs of the times, which meant lots of chrome and lines that were anything but "traditional." The Jaguar used the same offset-waist body shape as the Jazzmaster (first introduced in about 1958) and added even more chrome across the face of the instrument, including a plethora of switch and control plates, as well as a separate bridge and "floating" vibrato system. Another "upgrade" was a removable mute - which most players immediately removed.
Dial Jaguar For Colorful Tone
Keeping with Fender trends, the Jaguar sported two single coil pickups with special metal shielding to reduce noise, plus unique circuitry that allowed guitar players to "dial in" the perfect lead and rhythm sound. While this added versatility, it put off some guitarists who were used to more traditional switching. However, its versatility is appreciated by today's tone-conscious guitar players.
While certainly under-appreciated by guitar players when initially introduced, the Jaguar's special "Lead" and "Rhythm" circuitry are capable of producing a superb array of tone colors from crisp and clear to warm and chunky. The single coil pickups are specially designed to duplicate the unique sound of the original 1960s units, including the distinctive metal shielding.
The "Lead" circuit includes a two-position tone switch along with both volume and tone controls, while the "Rhythm" circuit had volume and tone controls along with its own circuit selector switch (first seen in the Fender Jazzmaster of the late 1950s). By tweaking these controls, a wider range of sounds was available than from your "typical" dual pickup guitar.
Short Scale Neck With Rosewood Fingerboard
Yet another change found in the original Jaguar was a shorter (and somewhat mellower) 24-inch scale, as opposed to the standard 25 1/2-inch scale made popular by the Stratocaster. The rosewood fingerboard was another shift to attract players who might find the blond Fender necks too radical. Interestingly, the larger headstock was eventually adopted across the entire Fender line during the mid-1960s.
Vintage Vibe
This particular reissue is a dead-on replica of your basic 1962 Jaguar with the rosewood capped maple neck and yes, even that whacky removable mute. In keeping with its vintage, it features a nitro-cellulose lacquer finish.
- Series: American Vintage Series
- Colors: Olympic White
- Body: Alder
- Neck: Maple, "C" Shape, (Nitro-Cellulose Lacquer Finish)
- Fingerboard: Rosewood, 7.25" Radius
- No. of Frets: 22 Vintage Style Frets
- Pickups: 2 Special Design American Vintage Jaguar Single- Coil Pickups (Neck & Bridge)
- "Lead" Circuit: 2-Position Tone Switch, Volume, Tone,
- "Rhythm" Circuit: Volume, Tone, Circuit Selector Switch
- Pickup Switching: 2-On/Off Slide Switches, One for Each Pickup
- Bridge: Vintage Style "Floating" Tremolo with Tremolo Lock Button
- Machine Heads: Fender/Gotoh Vintage Style Tuning Machines
- Hardware: Chrome
- Pickguard: 4-Ply Brown Shell
- Scale Length: 24"
- Width at Nut 1.650"
- Strap, Cable, Meguiar's Mist and Wipe Kit
- Deluxe Brown Hardshell Case included
A Note on Fender Guitars From Sweetwater
You could easily make the case that Fender electric guitars were responsible - at least in great part - for the birth of modern rock 'n' roll. Originally designed to be easier to build, and thus more affordable, Leo Fender's masterpieces, which include classics like the Stratocaster (is there a more distinctive guitar shape in the world?), the Telecaster and the original Precision Bass, were at the core of a musical revolution that spawned everything from surf to country to punk!
In the 1960s, when Fender guitars first hit bandstands and stages all around the country, it was astonishing to see that trademark Fender maple neck and fingerboard. Though the company eventually offered rosewood fingerboards as standard or optional on its entire line of instruments, those first"blond" necks really shook things up. Others have picked up on the maple neck theme, but it's clearly yet another of Leo Fender's "firsts."
Today, no other manufacturer can match Fender for the sheer number of options available throughout its entire line. While vintage Fenders can command astronomic prices, the company now has the widest range of quality instruments in the world, along with the highest profile players like Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan, all of whom are legendary.
