Anyone ever seen a Jaguar prototype?

Discussion of vintage Jazzmasters, Jaguars, Bass VIs, Electric XIIs and any other offset-waist instruments.
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interceptör
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Anyone ever seen a Jaguar prototype?

Post by interceptör » Mon May 13, 2024 5:00 am

The 1966 Thinline prototype is of course well-known, but has anyone here seen (or even heard of) a pre-1962 prototype?

Or maybe seen one of these pre-production examples without the "Jaguar" decal anywhere?

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Re: Anyone ever seen a Jaguar prototype?

Post by GilmourD » Sun May 26, 2024 6:38 pm

interceptör wrote:
Mon May 13, 2024 5:00 am
The 1966 Thinline prototype is of course well-known, but has anyone here seen (or even heard of) a pre-1962 prototype?

Or maybe seen one of these pre-production examples without the "Jaguar" decal anywhere?

Image
I have to admit, I am curious about this. There've been prototypes of the Esquire, Strat, Jazzmaster, Precision Bass, Marauder, and all sorts of other fun things, but I also haven't seen any pre-release Jaguars photographed.

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Re: Anyone ever seen a Jaguar prototype?

Post by 46346 » Sun May 26, 2024 7:44 pm

great question. i haven't. only thing like that i've seen with my own eyeballs is one of those '60s proto-Marauders that looked jaguar based.
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Re: Anyone ever seen a Jaguar prototype?

Post by MayTheFuzzBeWithYou » Mon May 27, 2024 12:41 pm

Wasn‘t the Jazzmaster basically the „prototype“ and people (surf musicians and others) came to Leo with suggestions (like give it a faster neck, more chrome, more bite etc.) and so they took it to the next level - the main features (two pickups, rhythm and lead circuit, bridge and vibrato and most of the body shape are basically the same - with small differences in the electronics, pickup selector and the obvious one: the scale lenght.)

Side note: I absolutely love that Thinline Topbound prototype - I based a build on it… but somehow missed the Thinline part! 😅
It‘s a solidbody top bound Burgundy Mist Jag with a swimming pool route.

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Re: Anyone ever seen a Jaguar prototype?

Post by interceptör » Thu May 30, 2024 12:32 am

MayTheFuzzBeWithYou wrote:
Mon May 27, 2024 12:41 pm
Wasn‘t the Jazzmaster basically the „prototype“...
Well yeah, that's true, but you'd think they didn't get to the final version of the Jag at the first attempt.

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Re: Anyone ever seen a Jaguar prototype?

Post by BeardedRainbow » Mon Jun 17, 2024 1:20 pm

Beautiful. I would love a reissue of something like this. The pickups with adjustable polepieces are interesting.

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Re: Anyone ever seen a Jaguar prototype?

Post by MrSparkle » Thu Jul 11, 2024 4:23 am

interceptör wrote:
Thu May 30, 2024 12:32 am
Well yeah, that's true, but you'd think they didn't get to the final version of the Jag at the first attempt.
Hm. Now I'm thinking about what was "new" on the Jaguar compared to earlier guitars.

The rhythm plate, jack/pot plate and pickguard were all new, but more or less follow the existing Jazzmaster and could easily be worked out on paper first. First attempt is likely.

Body upper horn - again, minor change. I could easily see that being finalised before anyone ever routed a cavity.

The four remaining components are the 22-fret neck, the ashtray, the mute and the pickups. Of these; the pickups could be mounted in a strat or duosonic for testing, that wouldn't need a Jaguar prototype. The ashtray and mute fit the Jazzmaster too, so those could easily be tested on existing guitars before the Jaguar was finalised. The only part which is completely unique to the Jaguar and can't be easily pre-tested is the neck and ... it's one extra fret and a subtle headstock tweak.

This is all thought experiment, not a historical record - but I could easily see there only being a single finished prototype before mass production. And it might explain why the ashtray and mute were so unpopular if the guitar wasn't extensively market-trialled. :fp:

Not that I agree of course. My truck is in the shop, and I'm hype for being able to get to Andertons and get some holes drilled in my body!

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Re: Anyone ever seen a Jaguar prototype?

Post by Marc » Fri Aug 09, 2024 8:05 am

BeardedRainbow wrote:
Mon Jun 17, 2024 1:20 pm
Beautiful. I would love a reissue of something like this. The pickups with adjustable polepieces are interesting.
Fender Japan made a thinline Jag - I saw a sunburst one in a store a few years ago and it was beautifully made.

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Re: Anyone ever seen a Jaguar prototype?

Post by BornToHula » Fri Aug 23, 2024 1:45 am

I found this article over a jaguar prototype

https://www.guitarplayer.com/gear/vinta ... -prototype

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Re: Anyone ever seen a Jaguar prototype?

Post by Pacafeliz » Fri Aug 23, 2024 6:04 am

BornToHula wrote:
Fri Aug 23, 2024 1:45 am
I found this article over a jaguar prototype

https://www.guitarplayer.com/gear/vinta ... -prototype
THAT'S INSANE!!! :wtf:
i love delay SO much ...that i procrastinate all the time.

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Re: Anyone ever seen a Jaguar prototype?

Post by JSett » Fri Aug 23, 2024 6:21 am

Pacafeliz wrote:
Fri Aug 23, 2024 6:04 am
BornToHula wrote:
Fri Aug 23, 2024 1:45 am
I found this article over a jaguar prototype

https://www.guitarplayer.com/gear/vinta ... -prototype
THAT'S INSANE!!! :wtf:
Agreed! This is cool as hell
Silly Rabbit, don't you know scooped mids are for kids?

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Re: Anyone ever seen a Jaguar prototype?

Post by MattK » Fri Aug 23, 2024 6:34 am

If we’re talking predecessors of the original Jag, the one everyone forgets is the Bass VI, which was available in 1961. A Jag is basically the VI running gear on a Jazzmaster body with a shortscale neck. It’s more likely these things were tested on VI prototypes.
Someone needs to do a history of Fender mutes, they used a lot of different approaches.

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Re: Anyone ever seen a Jaguar prototype?

Post by JSett » Fri Aug 23, 2024 12:54 pm

MattK wrote:
Fri Aug 23, 2024 6:34 am
Someone needs to do a history of Fender mutes, they used a lot of different approaches.
I can only think of two, the Bass VI/Jaguar (which are basically the same) and the Mustang Bass
Silly Rabbit, don't you know scooped mids are for kids?

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Re: Anyone ever seen a Jaguar prototype?

Post by MattK » Fri Aug 23, 2024 2:04 pm

Also Jazz Bass, the trem cover Strat mute, bridge cover on the original P bass … eh, that’s probably about it.

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Re: Anyone ever seen a Jaguar prototype?

Post by GilmourD » Fri Aug 23, 2024 3:37 pm

But weren't pre-Jaguar Bass VI's loaded with pickups that were more like a Tele bridge pickup in a metal rectangular mount?

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