Which Jaguar should I get?

[GreenKnee]

I've had a lot of Jags, currently own 4. I've never played a Marr Jag, I'd be up for trying one out but I'm just not a fan of Marr and couldn't get along with his signature on the front of the headstock.

My favourite I have ever owned (still own it) is the American Original. It wasn't perfect from the factory, still isn't perfect now after all the mods, but the chunky neck, narrow tall frets and 9.5" radius just works for me better than anything else. Dots and binding is just the best too

I have never played a AVRI '62 that I ever fell in love with. They're good guitars, but just never blew me away. It's probably because they've all been a long way off replicating my actual '62 Jag.

The recent Japanese Jaguar's have blown me away, if you can find one with the nut width you like then I don't think you'll have any qualms at all!

[OffYourFace]

So this is my current Jaguar

It's the main guitar I use in my band atm. I just played and recorded with it for several hours last night. Man, I love it so much. The only reason I want another jaguar is to have a standard model with proper jag pickups. Anyway, the neck is a standard MIJ Jaguar neck. I REALLY like the profile on it. It's 7.25" ( i checked with my gauge) but feels flatter like 9.5". It's probably because the Gotoh TOM bridge is set to 9.5" (According to my gauge). It plays so effortlessly with what I consider low action. The nut width is 41mm but I can play it. Another 1mm would be nice but I'm not struggling. I use 12-52 strings with a plain steel G (.019 or .020 depending on what I have) and it's straight as can be.

I bought the neck used at Caveman Vintage in LA and it's the first time I can remember in a decade where I didn't have to level and dress the frets on a neck to make it play its best. I haven't even had to adjust the truss rod. It's a perfect neck and it's gonna be hard to beat. I really do love the thinner profile.

I now have the opportunity to borrow two Marr jags and see how they are. One is the limited black version (it's for sale but way out of my range) and the other is white and more recent. If I don't like them then I will consider the AO model with the 9.5" radius.

[B.T.]

So this is my current Jaguar

That’s quite a looker you have there.

[OffYourFace]

So this is my current Jaguar

That’s quite a looker you have there.

Thanks! Yeah it looks great but these days I like to do finger picking direct into my interface and doing that with humbuckers isn't giving me the sound I want. That's why I want to go with a standard Jaguar. The HBs do better with amps of course but that's not an option at home, especially in the evenings.

[javier-san]

So this is my current Jaguar

It's the main guitar I use in my band atm. I just played and recorded with it for several hours last night. Man, I love it so much. The only reason I want another jaguar is to have a standard model with proper jag pickups. Anyway, the neck is a standard MIJ Jaguar neck. I REALLY like the profile on it. It's 7.25" ( i checked with my gauge) but feels flatter like 9.5". It's probably because the Gotoh TOM bridge is set to 9.5" (According to my gauge). It plays so effortlessly with what I consider low action. The nut width is 41mm but I can play it. Another 1mm would be nice but I'm not struggling. I use 12-52 strings with a plain steel G (.019 or .020 depending on what I have) and it's straight as can be.

I bought the neck used at Caveman Vintage in LA and it's the first time I can remember in a decade where I didn't have to level and dress the frets on a neck to make it play its best. I haven't even had to adjust the truss rod. It's a perfect neck and it's gonna be hard to beat. I really do love the thinner profile.

I now have the opportunity to borrow two Marr jags and see how they are. One is the limited black version (it's for sale but way out of my range) and the other is white and more recent. If I don't like them then I will consider the AO model with the 9.5" radius.

Was this the neck that they posted on IG in January-ish?
I was in LA area visiting my parents and I was very tempted to purchase that, but it was gone...
Glad it went to a good home!

[OffYourFace]

Was this the neck that they posted on IG in January-ish?
I was in LA area visiting my parents and I was very tempted to purchase that, but it was gone...
Glad it went to a good home!

Yes! They actually posted it pre xmas and I didn't have the funds for it. Then a friend was able to pick it up for me (i'm kind far from them). I was shocked how effortless it was to just bolt it on and go. Best neck I've bought in the last 10 years.

[OffYourFace]

quick update. I didn't like the J Marr neck as much as my MIJ neck
But it is a great guitar.

THis looks cool but not sure I want to spend the money right now.
2018 AO Jag

[GreenKnee]

quick update. I didn't like the J Marr neck as much as my MIJ neck
But it is a great guitar.

THis looks cool but not sure I want to spend the money right now.
2018 AO Jag

The mute is gone, can't see it listed or in the photos. Makes me wonder if it's been tinkered with more than seller is letting on.
AOs are my favourite Jags. There's a Sonic Blue one for sale here in UK, but £1800 is a bit rich for my blood. Also, the AO neck is gonna be a fair bit fatter than the MIJ neck you currently like. AVRI '62 is gonna be a lot closer to the neck you have reference to

[OffYourFace]

quick update. I didn't like the J Marr neck as much as my MIJ neck
But it is a great guitar.

THis looks cool but not sure I want to spend the money right now.
2018 AO Jag

The mute is gone, can't see it listed or in the photos. Makes me wonder if it's been tinkered with more than seller is letting on.
AOs are my favourite Jags. There's a Sonic Blue one for sale here in UK, but £1800 is a bit rich for my blood. Also, the AO neck is gonna be a fair bit fatter than the MIJ neck you currently like. AVRI '62 is gonna be a lot closer to the neck you have reference to

good to know thanks! I generally don't care about mutes but it would be nice to have it if it's supposed to have one.

[B.T.]

quick update. I didn't like the J Marr neck as much as my MIJ neck
But it is a great guitar.

I was playing one over the weekend. The way they’re advertised you’d think it would be fairly large. And when I first took a look I thought it would be, but in hand I was pleasantly surprised. It felt like a smaller neck but there was mass, and I feel like stability as a result. I almost wrote it off because I really haven’t got along with the thicker neck CBS era homage reissues.

[GilmourD]

quick update. I didn't like the J Marr neck as much as my MIJ neck
But it is a great guitar.

I was playing one over the weekend. The way they’re advertised you’d think it would be fairly large. And when I first took a look I thought it would be, but in hand I was pleasantly surprised. It felt like a smaller neck but there was mass, and I feel like stability as a result. I almost wrote it off because I really haven’t got along with the thicker neck CBS era homage reissues.

I've come to realize that neck feel is more complicated than just size. I've got a couple fairly thick necks (going by fretboard to back at the 1st and 12th) that don't feel huge due to a lack of shoulder. They're C-shaped, not V, but they feel full without feeling like I'm holding onto a Louisville Slugger.

Then I've got Musikraft's version of the EVH profile (.81 to .91) and that thing feels CHONKY, but on paper it's thinner than some other necks I have.

It's probably a good thing the Ibanez Wizard profile makes my hand cramp... I'd play some bright neon RGs but that probably wouldn't match up well with my style otherwise since I look like the IT guy that I am.

[sunburster]

My Marr neck took some time to get used to. It has a more pronounced shoulder, more like a D shape, compared to the AV65. Feels slightly asymmetrical too. It's thicker than an AVRI62, but I think the AV65 is thicker from nut to 12th. I find the AV65 neck slightly easier to play on overall, and it's my preference among the two, but I can play the Marr fine now that my hands have gotten used to it.

[OffYourFace]

The Marr neck is great and I could play that guitar for most things. It's just where I'm at now, playing what I'm playing these days, the slimmer C shape of the MIJ just works better.

I wish I kept my '86 MIJ Jaguar... oh well. It's so crazy that I liked that one better than the 5-6 vintage ones I had.