Johnny Marr Sig Jaguar

[hiwatt357]

Greetings, all.

New member here, primarily due to my recent acquisition of a Fender Johnny Marr Jaguar in Metallic KO:









I absolutely love the feel and the tone of this thing. Due to my schedule lately, I haven't had a chance to play it through anything larger than my '74 Princeton Reverb, but it sounded fantastic through it.

However, unfortunately, it has an issue.

I tried to fit the vibrato arm in the collet, and it wouldn't go in. I saw the little flyer amongst the case candy stating that you had to push with some force to fit it in the collet, but it just wasn't working. So I took a little precision screwdriver and tapped and scraped around the inside of the collet.

Metal against metal. No bushing.

It appears that perhaps my Johnny Marr Jaguar was fitted with a AVRI vibrato (or at least the collet):









There's a pretty good photo of a white JM Jaguar that you can enlarge on Sweetwater's site, and it appears that the black nylon bushing is pretty visible. I don't see the same thing on mine.

I read about one other instance of this issue on the Fender Lounge page (this guy is in the UK), but I don't think his issue has been resolved, either. He did indicate that a AVRI arm would fit in the collet on his guitar, though.

Needless to say, I'm bummed, verging on pissed. For as much as these things cost, something like this shouldn't be happening (IMHO).

I emailed Fender customer service Sunday night, but I have yet to receive a reply.

I was so excited to get this guitar, and I am still thrilled to have it...but the wrong collet or vibrato is definitely a let-down. I am hoping that I hear something from Fender soon.

Anyway, I look forward to learning more about this and other offsets on here!

[mekhem]

bummer...

I would be a little shocked if Fender sent out one of these without the trem or bridge bushings since those are a couple of the 'key' features. I wonder if it would be possible for the bushing to come loose under the trem plate?

It's a fantastic guitar. Hopefully this is a simple thing and they can fix it quick.

[hiwatt357]

bummer...

I would be a little shocked if Fender sent out one of these without the trem or bridge bushings since those are a couple of the 'key' features. I wonder if it would be possible for the bushing to come loose under the trem plate?

It's a fantastic guitar. Hopefully this is a simple thing and they can fix it quick.

I would think that Quality Control on a guitar that sells for $1,650.00 USD would be higher than to allow such, but things like this, I suppose, can and do happen.

If the bushing had come loose or fallen out or something like that, then the vibrato arm would certainly have not problem fitting inside the collet. In fact, I would think that it would be loose in there. But the arm won't even go inside the hole, no matter how hard you press. The collet (and possibly the entire tailpiece) is just incorrect. As I mentioned, there was one other instance of a guy in the UK who has posted on the Fender Lounge about this same issue with his JM Jag, so mine isn't the only one.

I still had not heard back from Fender's Customer Service via email yet today, so I called them. They say that whatever the issue is, it will be covered under the warranty. I just have to take it to a Fender Service shop, and let them call Fender to discuss the issue(s), etc. Luckily, there is a Gold Level Service shop about a mile and a half from my house. I will just have to take it up there and let them take care of it. Although, I must say that I'm not thrilled with the prospect of someone having to take apart various parts of my brand new guitar, but the guy from Fender said that this shop was actually the best place in my state to have the work done, so I suppose that gives me some level of comfort. If it's just the collet, then that's quite minor. A pain in the ass, but minor.

There's still a small part of me that wonders, though...OK, if that part is wrong, what else might be wrong?

[saturday]

A review on amazon also mentions trouble with the tremolo arm
"'ve hit a snag with the tremolo arm not functioning properly (it doesn't hold in place after only a few uses).
I called a service shop and they said it sounds like a set up issue"

[saturday]

http://www.databasesonline.com/guitar/J ... Manual.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Diagram if it is of any help to anyone.

[hiwatt357]

http://www.databasesonline.com/guitar/J ... Manual.pdf

Diagram if it is of any help to anyone.

Thanks for the diagram, saturday.

If I am reading that parts list correctly, it looks like the only part in the tremolo assembly that is specific to the Johnny Marr Jaguar is Part #0091912010, which is the "Tremolo Arm Sleeve/Insert Johnny Marr Jaguar".

If that is the case, then perhaps the rest of the tremolo is correct, just the wrong sleeve insert. That would certainly be good news, as that seems like it would be pretty easy to change out with the correct part.

[saturday]

I hope so because I have one on hold when the distributor gets them in - I am hoping the place I am ordering from isn't bsing when they check it before sending it. I specifically requested the trem and the arm be checked.

I know you are ticked - but you still are ecstatic with every other other aspect of the guitar. Same with the review on amazon.

12 and counting. I hope.

And I hope this works out for you.

[mekhem]

Thanks for the diagram, saturday.

If I am reading that parts list correctly, it looks like the only part in the tremolo assembly that is specific to the Johnny Marr Jaguar is Part #0091912010, which is the "Tremolo Arm Sleeve/Insert Johnny Marr Jaguar".

If that is the case, then perhaps the rest of the tremolo is correct, just the wrong sleeve insert. That would certainly be good news, as that seems like it would be pretty easy to change out with the correct part.

I havent taken the trem off of the JM yet, so i cant truly describe how the bushing fits in/on the collet, but i was wondering of it just fell off and is blocking the arm insertion, but its also possible that they put in the wrong collet.

You are correct, other than the sleeve its a standard AVRI trem. Having replaced the trem sleeve on a different Jaguar, its an easy fix.

I hope it doesn't turn into a big run-around, that would put a sour taste in my mouth as well.

[JMFan]

I saw the beach boys last night at Jones Beach and it was fantastic...as mentioned in another thread, as many as 3 offsets on stage at certain points, maybe more if you count the bass(es)

and al jardine played a johhny marr jaguar for roughly half the show and he played it well:



(photo for reference)

Thanks for the great photo of Al Jardine with a Johnny Marr Jag. Al Jardine is a big fan of The Smiths and Johnny Marr if you didn't know it ... just kidding, I really don't know if he is but I am so it's cool that Al Jardine is playing the same guitar that Johnny Marr is playing. That must mean something really. Must mean something about how good the guitar is. I'm a Beach Boys and Al Jardine fan as well as Marr fan so this is a great pairing of the two through a guitar. They need to do some songs together. Or maybe Marr on a Beach Boys album. He's played on so many others so why not The Beach Boys. He can play on a song or two.

[saturday]

I notice he doesn't have his tremolo bar.

[saturday]

http://staytrem.com/Page-/-Category" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This may be of help for those with a tremolo issue or wishing to get the tremolo used on the JM Jag

Jaguar / Jazzmaster tremolo upgrade
Originally developed by us for Johnny Marr and now used on his signature Jaguar.

This replacement for the standard tremolo arm and socket overcomes the problems normally

associated with this model, this is a slightly modified design based on the original concept.


No more loose and rattling tremolo arm.


Free play eliminated so no lost motion.



Designed to stay in place when realeased.


No modification to the guitar required so can be put back to original at any time.


Externally looks exactly like the original fitment.


Precision made in the UK, all metal parts stainless steel.



Will fit Jaguar and Jazzmaster - US, Japanese and Mexican sizes available.


Choice of White, Black or Ivory plastic tip on the arm.


Also available in Gold Plated finish.

[saturday]

Well it arrived.
It is only one day but here are my first impressions:
It really is a different kind of guitar. I am no guitar gear head - but I am pleased that it sounds nothing like my Gibson ES-125, Fender American Strat with a Seymour Duncan Humbucker Bridge or PRS with Barden HB Two Tones.
Even without distortion it has a growl to it and it is brighter than my other guitars - the pick ups he had made for it and having a deeper body and thicker neck it has some sustain which Jaguars are said to lack.
Tremolo is good.

Only quip is like many have said the E string is almost off the fret board but an adjustment to the mustang saddle must be able to remedy that.

A unique guitar. I got it for hundreds under the website price thanks to prior purchases- but I believe Fender and Gibson overprice their guitars anyways.

When I told my excellent yet strongly opinionated guitar teacher (that caused a tempest in a teapot here when I brought up his complaints about Jags) about all the modifications on this Jag he said, "Doesn't that tell you something when a guitarist feels that many mods need to be made?" Well, they were made. It is a Jaguar in name.
However, it is quite different from all the other Jags I have played over and over and my local shops.
So far, so good.

[mekhem]

Well it arrived.
It is only one day but here are my first impressions:
It really is a different kind of guitar. I am no guitar gear head - but I am pleased that it sounds nothing like my Gibson ES-125, Fender American Strat with a Seymour Duncan Humbucker Bridge or PRS with Barden HB Two Tones.
Even without distortion it has a growl to it and it is brighter than my other guitars - the pick ups he had made for it and having a deeper body and thicker neck it has some sustain which Jaguars are said to lack.
Tremolo is good.

Only quip is like many have said the E string is almost off the fret board but an adjustment to the mustang saddle must be able to remedy that.

A unique guitar. I got it for hundreds under the website price thanks to prior purchases- but I believe Fender and Gibson overprice their guitars anyways.

When I told my excellent yet strongly opinionated guitar teacher (that caused a tempest in a teapot here when I brought up his complaints about Jags) about all the modifications on this Jag he said, "Doesn't that tell you something when a guitarist feels that many mods need to be made?" Well, they were made. It is a Jaguar in name.
However, it is quite different from all the other Jags I have played over and over and my local shops.
So far, so good.

Yeah, it is a different kind of beast. Glad you like it, it gets better the more you get in tune with it...

in other news.... get a new guitar teacher. That guy reeks of Gibson "tone woods" and cork sniffing.....

[croatan]

yeah i'd say it tells me if you're too scared to modify a mass produced product to better fulfill your needs, you might as well put all your guitars in mylar bags and let em sit on the shelf and just... watch them. you certainly don't care about finding your own sound.

ask your guitar teacher if he'd say the same thing to eddie van halen about the strat. (frankenstrat didn't come from nowhere)
ask your guitar teacher if he'd say the same thing to slash about the les paul. (that les paul he played on appetite was not a gibson, it was a custom build)
ask your guitar teacher if he'd say the same thing to les paul about the ES series (after all, the man invented the damn les paul, after all)

[saturday]

Now that I have a Jag and like it, do I also have to become uber defensive when anyone criticizes it?