Fender Vintera Jaguar

Discussion of newer designs, copies and reissue offset-waist instruments.
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operandx
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Re: Fender Vintera Jaguar

Post by operandx » Sun Aug 18, 2019 9:56 pm

Yes, that's the stock tort, I'd only opened the box six hours previous and it still had the film on. Looks even better now I've taken that off LOL. It is definitely NOT like recent stuff, as I said better than stuff on AVRIs that I've seen. Even if I had money to burn, I wouldn't be buying Spitfire to replace it.

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Re: Fender Vintera Jaguar

Post by JPCordingley » Tue Sep 03, 2019 3:37 am

What's the neck like? I've been eyeing these up since they were announced. It looks like it fits the bill for Jag, cool colour, 7.25 radius. My issue is that I like thin 'modern c' neck profiles so I can play my beloved thumb over the top chords - the specs I've seen suggest it's a little chunkier towards than a modern c (I know a lot of people like their baseball bats, but I hate 'em). How comfortable/possible are thumb over chords?

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Re: Fender Vintera Jaguar

Post by operandx » Tue Sep 03, 2019 9:07 am

Whilst I'd always recommend trying out the neck yourself, I would say that I find it very comfortable. Preferable to my 1968 Jag which has a neck I've never really gelled with.

I have quite small hands and could easily use thumb to fret E and likely A string all the way up the neck. I'm pretty blown away by the quality of this guitar for the money.

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Re: Fender Vintera Jaguar

Post by Spitfire7 » Tue Sep 17, 2019 1:06 am

Mechanical Birds wrote:
Sun Aug 18, 2019 7:29 pm
operandx wrote:
Sat Aug 17, 2019 11:16 am
ImageDSC02654-a by operandX, on Flickr

Just a quickie in very poor light this overcast evening. More turquoise to my eye in real life.
WOAH WOAH WOAH HOLD ON A MINUTE! Am I looking at stock Fender tort that looks like the real deal is and a definite l, like on par with Spitfire? Because this picture makes that seem like that’s the case.

Or, is it an old camera/phone/the lighting was bad/etc. so it’s just the same stuff they’ve been using for years anyway? Either way it looks INSANE - very jealous.
That is really cool to see Fender doing a LPB Jag. I love that. Good on you Fender and I love the matching headstock. Still no vintage or Spitfire tort though.

My personal Spitfire tort Jag.
ImageIMG_20181008_035540_118 by ssnovass396, on Flickr
ImageIMG_20190612_010835_875 by ssnovass396, on Flickr
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Re: Fender Vintera Jaguar

Post by TheVelvetUnderpants » Mon Dec 16, 2019 3:47 pm

Hi, this is my first post, First off I just wanted to say thanks and keep up the great forum! I’ve learned so much about offsets, setup, mods etc from the posters on here.

On topic: I’m surprised there hasn’t been more excitement and discussion about the Vintera Jaguars on here. I have no idea how well they are selling but maybe the fact that in the USA they are priced the same or higher than the old ’60’s Lacquer models has put a lot of people off? Here in Europe it’s a good EUR 200 cheaper than the old ‘60s Lacquer model, so I think maybe the option of an ‘affordable’ Fender Jag with vintage(ish) spec (or the HH version) in custom colours seems a lot more tempting.

In any case, I caved and got me a ‘60s Ocean Turquoise model back in October for a little under EUR 800, and I’m pretty much in love with it. For context: I’ve had a Squier VM since 2015 (which I upgraded with an AVRI tremolo and Staytrem arm & bridge) but aside from that the only other Jaguar I’ve really played is my bandmate's c.2004 CIJ. So it’s not like I have tons to compare the Vintera to, but here goes:

My first impression was that it plays and sounds like a ‘grown-up’ instrument. Although the body seems a tiny fraction lighter and thinner than my Squier, the neck has a little more heft and feels really nice. I find it easier to chord with the 7.25” radius (I have long fingers and I think the extra curvature and the slight extra thickness of the neck allows me to wrap my hand around it better). I also find the glossy finish on the neck to by smooth enough to be unnoticeable, unlike the much more sticky necks I’ve played on both VMs and lacquer-finish Fenders, plus I don’t have to worry about using a nitro-safe stand or what have you.

The pickups sound terrific to my ears, The fist thing I noticed was that they seem very nicely balanced across the 6 strings. The bridge in particular has all the bite I could want but isn’t shrill or microphonic. The neck pickup is smooth as can be. As for the rhythm circuit: I don’t use this an awful lot, and to me it sounds a fair bit darker and more muffled than the (very loud and punchy) rhythm setting on my VM, but in that respect it’s probably more fit for the purpose of playing rhythm, and it’s a lovely tone in and of itself. Overall the sound is loud, even and clear (even acoustically) with all of the twang, growl and lovely harmonics that Jaguars are known for,

The action and intonation were set up perfectly out of the box. The one thing I didn’t like was the (floppy) screw-in trem arm, and the fact that the trem seemed to have much more ‘travel’ before kicking in compared to the AVRI, or even the stock Squier versions. This is possibly something that could be helped by tweaking the spring tension but it already seemed correct in relation to the lock button. In the end I decided to just swap in the AVRI tremolo and Staytrem arm from my VM, and it works like a dream.

No complaints about the stock bridge. It was perfectly intonated and rattle-free out of the box. After a week or two I got a bit tired of the high E falling off the fretboard because I wasn’t used to the wider string spacing, but rather than adjust the spacing with the stock bridge saddles (something which has never worked well for me) I got hold of a 7.25” Staytrem bridge and am back to the narrower fixed spacing I’m used to.

In terms of fit and finish, this thing was flawless. I’d always dreamed of getting an OT jaguar and the colour does not disappoint. Very hard to photograph, as others have mentioned. I usually hate tortoise shell pickguards and had planned on immediately changing the one on the Vintera to parchment or mint, but within a day I had completely changed my mind and came to the conclusion that this thing looks better as is. Never thought I’d be a tort fan, but there you go.

Anyway, I reckon this is a terrific guitar. Being able to get hold of a Fender Jaguar that looks and sounds this good at a semi-decent price was very difficult just a few short years ago. Yes, I added some fancier parts but that’s only because I was spoiled from having gotten used to the same on my Squier VM. This was a great instrument out of the box and if you’re not fussy about the same things there’s really no need to swap out the parts in my opinion. If you’re in the market for a Jag, it’s worth trying one out. If you’re a VM or Classic Vibe owner and thinking of upgrading, I’d say it’s worth it.

Anyone else out there playing one of these? Or the Modified HH model? What do you think!?!?

Anyway, sorry for the long post. I’ll leave you with a photo of my new pride & joy :)

Image

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Re: Fender Vintera Jaguar

Post by Maggieo » Mon Dec 16, 2019 4:09 pm

That looks great!! Congrats!
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Re: Fender Vintera Jaguar

Post by CRWolf » Thu Dec 19, 2019 9:40 am

Congratulations on that beautiful Jag! Good to hear positive reviews as these Vinteras are really intriguing to me.

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Re: Fender Vintera Jaguar

Post by MrLambyLamb » Sun Dec 29, 2019 9:18 am

Does anyone know if the Vintera has a standard strangle switch? I’ve seen Fender promoting it as a mid tone cut.

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Re: Fender Vintera Jaguar

Post by timtam » Sun Dec 29, 2019 4:09 pm

MrLambyLamb wrote:
Sun Dec 29, 2019 9:18 am
Does anyone know if the Vintera has a standard strangle switch? I’ve seen Fender promoting it as a mid tone cut.
It's a stock low cut / strangle according to the wiring diagram ..
https://www.fmicassets.com/Damroot/Orig ... master.pdf

The HH 60s modified has a capacitor and parallel resistor across the switch (not just a cap) as on some previous HH jags ....
https://www.fmicassets.com/Damroot/Orig ... ar_Mod.pdf
"I just knew I wanted to make a sound that was the complete opposite of a Les Paul, and that’s pretty much a Jaguar." Rowland S. Howard.

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Re: Fender Vintera Jaguar

Post by jakeisjake » Tue Dec 31, 2019 7:50 am

This is such a gorgeous guitar.

I have a great Jaguar...but, this is really tempting.

There's an open box one on Ebay...I put a low offer on it. He countered with a very reasonable offer...the decision is difficult.

I've grown more fond of Jazzmasters, tho. I wish the Vintera Jm came in this color.
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Re: Fender Vintera Jaguar

Post by Fendereedo » Tue Dec 31, 2019 9:19 am

Really nice Jag, I was very tempted to get one , but couldn't resist the Vintera 60s JM in ice blue metallic (below). Maybe this new year will see one coming my way.

Image

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Re: Fender Vintera Jaguar

Post by MrLambyLamb » Tue Dec 31, 2019 3:19 pm

timtam wrote:
Sun Dec 29, 2019 4:09 pm
MrLambyLamb wrote:
Sun Dec 29, 2019 9:18 am
Does anyone know if the Vintera has a standard strangle switch? I’ve seen Fender promoting it as a mid tone cut.
It's a stock low cut / strangle according to the wiring diagram ..
https://www.fmicassets.com/Damroot/Orig ... master.pdf

The HH 60s modified has a capacitor and parallel resistor across the switch (not just a cap) as on some previous HH jags ....
https://www.fmicassets.com/Damroot/Orig ... ar_Mod.pdf
Thanks. That’s what I figured.

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