"Offsets"

[ZiggyZipgun]

I see lots of companies offering an "offset" model in some form or another, but they all seem to miss one key detail. Even the wave of copycats from Europe and Asia in the early '60s missed it, even though it's mentioned in Fender's patent.

The center of lower recess ... is disposed generally ... below the bridge of the instrument

It goes into considerable detail about preferred ratios between different points, optimizing playing positions on either leg, but the fundamental design change between the Stratocaster and the Jazzmaster was to align the lower recess with the bridge, while the upper recess remained in the same position. This is more ergonomic because no matter where you choose to strum or pick, your elbow is at less of a sharp angle.

The SG and Firebird seem to be the only competitors that picked up on this feature, though they both lack many of the other ergonomic features of Fender's offset patent. The Jaguar, Mustang, and XII stuck with it, but later "offsets" like the Starcaster and Meteora missed the point.

[Firecat]

[interceptör]

Dude, this shit ain't that serious.

[ZiggyZipgun]

Just odd to overlook that these were the only guitars ever designed to not be held like a lute or a banjo. It's a difference that in other historical instruments would classify it as a different instrument altogether. And since I tune my Jaguar in perfect 5ths from .008 to .080, it really is!