ksdaddy Posted April 20, 2016 Share Posted April 20, 2016 Very much NON Gibson but hey, you guys might be more objective because of it! I'm contemplating a fairly major purchase. I've always dug surf instrumental stuff. I grew up on it. I know it's all in the hands and the tool (guitar) is secondary, but if you were a Jimi Hendrix fan and wanted to emulate him, you probably wouldn't go shopping for an ES-347. I do have one Strat that I like very much, as much as I can possibly like a Strat. it's a very early Corona made (Feb 87) American Standard in Torino Red with semi-chunky but nicely rounded and heavily glossed maple neck and pickups that can shatter glass. I've owned several dozen and "as far as Strats go", it is my favorite of all time. But Strats being Strats, I don't like the inability to use the front and back pickups together (easy enough to fix with a little soldering I suppose) and that *%^# vibrato arm always seems to be in the way. It "works", but it's not 100% where I want to be, and life is too short. Years ago I had a '62 Jaguar and also a '65 Jazzmaster and even a '65 Mustang. The prices are enough to make me weep openly but there's no news here. i bought the '62 Jaguar in 1985 for $100 for a friend (he was short that week) and he destroyed it by painting it green and ultimately putting the neck on some other body. I think I ended up selling the neck in 1987 for $40 and was happy to get it. The Jazzmaster was a pawn shop purchase and I ended up going to court, as a local drunk claimed it had been stolen from his house. Truth was, he did have a Jazzmaster at one time and decided to lay a claim against mine because....well, because I had a Jazzmaster and he was missing one. The police didn't act on it because they didn't feel it had merit so he took me to small claims court, which drug out over a solid year, rescheduling and what not. I ultimately won the case and promptly sold it for $800 to get it out of my face. That was 1997 and I was happy to get that much out of it. The Mustang was all original, red with silver case. I sold it on consignment in 1989 for $200. Times have changed. I'm looking at a 1972 Mustang for $1000 and seriously considering it. My brother had a sky blue one in the 60s, bought used for $60. He could make that thing SMOKE. It's difficult to find a 60s Jazzmaster under $3000. I'm still shaking my head on that one. I have found several circa 1965 Jaguars in unmolested original condition in the $2500-3000 range. Still tough to swallow. However I have another Strat I never use, a 1982 hardtail in a nice ambered clear finish over a beautiful ash body. Lovely to look at but does nothing for me otherwise. Could bring $1000 I suppose. or close to it. I also have a 1946 K&F lap steel that was on the bucket list. Okay, check that one off. I bought it, looked at it, put it back in the case. Could bring $1000. I also have a pretty cool old Gibson that I may get rid of, doesn't have the original finish and what not, might bring $500-700, I don't know. Whatever the whim is on ebay I guess. So I could be driving an original old Jaguar soon, without putting anything on the plastic, other than possibly short term while the aforementioned guitars sell. I don't really know what my dilemna is here, other than just being a little skittish about spending close to 3K on a Fender and that would largely put me back to Square One with my L-5 quest. Might as well toss THAT idea out anyway, as I have yet to connect with any archtop other than visually. At least with a Jag, I would USE it. I think a big part of my dilemna is whether to score the Mustang, which has a lower price, lower market value, and lower desirability, being a '72 and not a mid 60s 'almost pre-CBS' model. If the Mustang would fill the surf niche for $1000 then maybe I'll forego spending the big bucks on it's classier big brother. Sometimes I feel bad whining about things like this...it's like trying to decide whether to buy Red Wings or Carolinas while other people who work a lot harder than me are buying crap boots from WalMart. So I present to you....get rid of some unused stuff and blow the wad on a Jaguar with snob appeal or get the Mustang and pocket the rest? I know there are many American Vintage reissues out there that could be bought for $1200 on the used market...that's a consideration too, I suppose, but I'm not one for reissues of any kind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rct Posted April 20, 2016 Share Posted April 20, 2016 I'm contemplating a fairly major purchase. I've always dug surf instrumental stuff... I am lucky to be in a band again with my old partner who is one of the local big time Surf guys, a long time band called Tidal Wave, they did all that stuff when we weren't in our band doing the other old stuff. He is like, the best at that stuff I've ever seen or heard. To be fair, I don't do the surf thing, we have one or two instrumentals in the book that we sometimes do and I play along and do my part for his sake, but it isn't my thing. We have, however, had a little too much to drink once in a while and dug into some surf stuff pretty hard. I suck at it. He would tell you you are overthinking it, period. Decent Strat, decent amp that does decent cleans, and a glob of reverb. Delay? Whichever. That's what he'd tell you. He already borrowed my EJ for some surf stuff he's recording, and he has a great early 90's Strat of his own. It's more the amp to him I would say. To go a step further with your post, if you want **** Dale you get what he uses and you use it like he does, which is not at all gently. That's the only part I can get right! That's all I got. rct Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rct Posted April 20, 2016 Share Posted April 20, 2016 And while yer at it, perhaps you could flex yer moddah8r muscles and get the dicking dicks that **** this dicking thing to **** all day to figure out that **** doesn't have to mean **** like most dicks think **** means. Hey! Dicks Dale! woo hoo! Nevermind. rct Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hall Posted April 20, 2016 Share Posted April 20, 2016 Jeez! You're (we're) gettin old, Scott. You waft on a guitar decision, me on an amp. Trust your gut. They, tell me the answer is there. What you would play is what matters, no? Old Jags are nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted April 20, 2016 Author Share Posted April 20, 2016 And while yer at it, perhaps you could flex yer moddah8r muscles and get the dicking dicks that **** this dicking thing to **** all day to figure out that **** doesn't have to mean **** like most dicks think **** means. Hey! Dicks Dale! woo hoo! Nevermind. rct Yeah, that whole Richard thing is a pain in the nads, yeah? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retired Posted April 20, 2016 Share Posted April 20, 2016 So, we're talking cars here right? Jags and stangs? Or shoes? Red Wings and Coronas? Lol. Actually I see where your coming from. I never played either of what your liking, but my suggestion is to go after what your heart desires and it sounds like you really like the jaguar. Good luck with your decision. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retired Posted April 20, 2016 Share Posted April 20, 2016 RCT also has a nice point! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted April 20, 2016 Author Share Posted April 20, 2016 Gotta make Momma happy first. I agree. There are a gazillion guitars out there but it's more important to keep the wife happy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L5Larry Posted April 20, 2016 Share Posted April 20, 2016 So, we're talking cars here right? Jags and stangs? Or shoes? Red Wings and Coronas? Well, let's see.... Cars: Mustang Boots: Red Wing Guitar:....... Jaguar Or, of course, and you'd expect to hear this from me.... KEEP SAVING FOR THE L-5! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Versatile Posted April 20, 2016 Share Posted April 20, 2016 This post may not help, but here it is anyway.... :blink: I will probably never own a Jaguar...not sure why.... I got a MIJ Jazzmaster a few years ago and I love it to bits(non surf)...mistakenly thought the fat S/C's were Fender's answer to the P90... I got a Mustang because John McLaughlin plays one and it happens to be IMO one of the most under-rated guitars on the planet....masquerading as a Student model.... :blink: So there you go...IMO Fender seems to have created future classics over the years almost by accident.... And for moi it is particularly appealing to move sideways from the Strat/Tele ubiquity... V Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merciful-evans Posted April 20, 2016 Share Posted April 20, 2016 It does seem as rct says that you are over-thinking this. If you std strat has std s/coil pickups, you dont need another guitar to do the surf stuff. Maybe another amp? I dont know what what you use, but a US (Fender) style amp with plate reverb will do it. Give the strat another try. What have you got to lose? You might save a few dollars after all. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted April 20, 2016 Author Share Posted April 20, 2016 Oh, the Strat will DO it, heck, I've played tons of surf on the Telecaster, I just have to fake the vibrato thing. It's probably not so much the functionality/utility as it is 'playing dress up'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stein Posted April 21, 2016 Share Posted April 21, 2016 I kinda got into the jazz/jaguar thing some years back...didn't buy though, but tried a lot. Couldn't really find "the one". Here's what I got: As for "vintage" prices, I think these days they are around where they should be, which is maybe a good thing. But beyond that, the Japanese ones ARE the best ones I've played by a long way, not including the electronics, which is 100% the pups. The real "vintage" Fender pups in the real vintage Fender JM's sound way, WAY better, although, still fairly flat sounding. The JM naturally has a flat, dull sound. It's due to the boring pickups and the gobs of cheap switches. The newer Mexican ones are authentic in that finding one that doesn't rattle or have issues with the hardware is rare. The American "reissues" are in between the Japanese ones and the "original" ones in quality/authentic-ness I think. The JAG is mostly the same, but I can't comment on the pups/sound as I just haven't played them much, or "evaluated" them that way. So in short, if you find a Japanese one you really like, it would be worth getting IF you want to mess with finding good sounding pups. The hardware almost always works, too. If you go American real deal, you are good to go, and making sure they don't rattle or the strings don't keep falling off is "genuine Fender". Oh...'72 Mustang? 1000 bucks? really? I'm not seeing the savings there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldCowboy Posted April 21, 2016 Share Posted April 21, 2016 Buy the Red Wings and the Mustang 'cause that's what I'd do - help me live vicariously, OK? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zigzag Posted April 21, 2016 Share Posted April 21, 2016 I realize you said you are considering a major Fender purchase, but I made this purchase a couple of months ago, and this little guitar is rapidly becoming my favorite Fender. It's a Modern Player Jaguar made in China. I paid around $400 for it. Those are Fender (M)P-90s, and they sound fabulous, esp. on the bridge pickup. It does surf very well, but it really doesn't do Dickie Dale like Dickie does. MP Jag on Lead Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted April 22, 2016 Author Share Posted April 22, 2016 I was able to score the '72 Mustang at the very bottom end of the current market price ($860) so I will give it a whirl. If I find I don't like the 24" scale, I can dump it and likely get my money back. If I DO like it and decide it's worth it to spend 3K for the better pickups, tremolo, and bragging rights of a pre-CBS Jaguar, then I can STILL dump it and have a good down payment. If it's "all good" except for the shorter Jag/Mustang scale length, maybe I'll search a Jazzmaster. I was quite skittish about spending the 3K on an unknown. Unless I find someone really stupid or a stolen guitar, Jags are scary money. I remember when George Gruhn lamented that Jags and Jazzmasters were unappreciated, unloved, and underpriced. Good news, George! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dub-T-123 Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 Nice Mustang!! I had this '65 for a few fun weeks Overall it is definitely the best sounding Fender I've ever played. The pickups are incredible, sounds like a 60s Strat without the 2nd and 4th switch positions. The neck is the one thing I don't like about it. The scale length is easy enough to get used to, but the nut width is unbelievably small. Almost feels like a mandolin or violin at the nut, so it's really difficult to fit all 4 fingers on the neck when it gets close to the nut Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted April 22, 2016 Author Share Posted April 22, 2016 You may have had an "A" width neck, which is like 1-1/2". Most Fenders are "B" width, which...well, I don't exactly know the dimensions but it would be a 'normal' Fender width, often 1-5/8 or so. They made some of their Musicmaster, Bronco, Duo-Sonics, Mustangs and Jazz Basses with an A width as part of regular production and did offer a "C' width (wider) by special order. The finish on that '65 is lickable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dub-T-123 Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 You may have had an "A" width neck, which is like 1-1/2". Most Fenders are "B" width, which...well, I don't exactly know the dimensions but it would be a 'normal' Fender width, often 1-5/8 or so. They made some of their Musicmaster, Bronco, Duo-Sonics, Mustangs and Jazz Basses with an A width as part of regular production and did offer a "C' width (wider) by special order. The finish on that '65 is lickable. Thanks for the info I never knew that but I bet you're right. 1 1/2" sounds about right The finish is a little more damaged than those photos show. The guitar was probably used by a left-handed player at some point because the strap button was moved to the "other" horn. The side of the body that would sit on a left-handed player's leg if they play seated had the finish completely worn off Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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