So... what's the overall consensus on the Fender Blacktop Jaguars?

[notjonahbutnoah]

Grrr! I find myself gassing and am in a situation where I could probably attain one with little to no money in, just trading.

 

Personally, I would wanna paint it, and perhaps get new pickups, but that aside... how are they?

 

Anyone have one? Issues?

 

What's the deal?

[kayd_mon]

If you're planning on replacing the pickups, then I'd say go for it. My complaint was that it sounded muddy. I guess you need fairly bright pickups for the short scale. The guitar looked well-built.

[Grantus]

I have one and like it. I don't find the pickups particularly muddy, but that's a personal preference. There has been some concern from people (honeyiscool) about the action on these -- the bridge design makes it tough to lower the action from the factory setting.

 

I'd say mine is fairly similar to many other Fender MIMs in terms of build quality.

[kayd_mon]

 

I have one and like it. I don't find the pickups particularly muddy, but that's a personal preference. There has been some concern from people (honeyiscool) about the action on these -- the bridge design makes it tough to lower the action from the factory setting. I'd say mine is fairly similar to many other Fender MIMs in terms of build quality.

 

 

Do you prefer dark tones? When I played it, I was plugged into an AC15 at the store, and even boosting treble, it was still off. Maybe I was playing a dud?

[Grantus]

 

Do you prefer dark tones? When I played it, I was plugged into an AC15 at the store, and even boosting treble, it was still off. Maybe I was playing a dud?

 

 

I do prefer fairly dark tones, yes.

[kayd_mon]

Ah, I see. I used to like the super-dark tones a lot. For whatever reason, my tastes changed.

[notjonahbutnoah]

Hmmm, so far it seems about as expected. In my experience, MIMs are tanks.

 

I like dark and bright tones. I like a darker, oomphy bridge with a very bright neck pickup. Depends on how well they work with my amp.

 

I might be giving one a try sometime soon.

[honeyiscool]

I hate the bridge, as has been mentioned. There is no way to get the bridge all the way against the body, you can make do with a shim but it was still disappointing. I'm also a bit of a Jaguar purist who thinks these are far from Jaguars and are little more than souped up Jagmasters. I would rather get a Jagmaster (or a Squier Jag), save the money, and have a functional bridge as well. The CP Jaguar isn't perfect either, but neither are vintage Jags, and the CP line gets the vibe right, Blacktop doesn't. For the same price as CP, the MIJ Jaguar HH is super nice as well, now that's a hardtail Jag done right.

[Fab4ever]

I just scored one with pretty extensive mods from a fellow forum member. He had the pickups replaced with TV Jones Classic/Classic Plus. Also a genuine Bigsby and upgraded electronics and parts. Plays like a dream, sounds heavenly to me.... it has instantly become my favorite guitar!

 

I played it through a nice Top Hat at church and it gets some great chime/kerrang depending on amp settings. I love it!

[notjonahbutnoah]

Word, hmmm. I'd be bummed if I couldn't get the action where I wanted it, but at the same time, I've not found a guitar I couldn't make comfortable for me.

 

As far as the Jag vibe goes, that's actually a selling point. Basically, I want a Les Paul that looks like a Jaguar. I will go through painstaking efforts, should I pick one up, to make it sound as much like my LP as possible.

[honeyiscool]

In that case, get a newish Chinese Jagmaster and slap a 24.75" conversion neck on it. These are 24" scales but are fine with Strat necks.

[BIGD]

 

In that case, get a newish Chinese Jagmaster and slap a 24.75" conversion neck on it. These are 24" scales but are fine with Strat necks.

 

 

Doesn't the 24.75 only work for moving down in scale from a 25.5? I didn't think it work work for upping a 24 to a 24.75.

[honeyiscool]

 

Doesn't the 24.75 only work for moving down in scale from a 25.5? I didn't think it work work for upping a 24 to a 24.75.

 

 

Jagmaster doesn't have the Jaguar neck dimensions, it has a 21-fret neck and is pretty much compatible with Strat necks, so you can use a 25.5" scale neck or a 24.75" conversion neck that is compatible with Strats.

[EllenGtrGrl]

Wow! A fair amount of hate for the Blacktop Jag. Frankly, I think they're great guitars (and I used to have a traditional Jaguar). It's a different guitar. Don't expect it to be like an old school Jag. I have no problem with the pickups, but then again, I like my cleans dark and jazzy sounding, and the pickups sound good for the high gain tones I like. As it is, like many Jags, most of the gripes can be eliminated by going to heavy gauge strings - 11s or better yet, 12s. With 12s, my Jag sounds nice and punchy, and the feel isn't loose and sloppy like it was with the 9s it was shipped with. IMO, the Blacktop Jag (and probably the Blacktop Jazzmaster, Strat, and Tele), are geared more towards heavier sounds - not blooze, not klassic rawk, not ratty sounding garage rawk. View it with that in mind, and you'll be fine with the guitar.

[A-20]

My opinion? Get a MIJ Jaguar HH special. It is one of my TOP guitars for sure. (needed shielded, did treble bleed to help keep it sparkly as the volume turns down, filed out the bridge string slots a little because I had string-flip-out problems a few times finger styling.) Now Perfect.

[honeyiscool]

 

As it is, like many Jags, most of the gripes can be eliminated by going to heavy gauge strings - 11s or better yet, 12s. With 12s, my Jag sounds nice and punchy, and the feel isn't loose and sloppy like it was with the 9s it was shipped with.

That gets repeated a lot, but that's simply not true in my opinion. I've strung Mustangs and a vintage-style Jag (w/ a Mustang bridge) with 9s in the past, and they can definitely take it and be no worse for it. Duo-Sonics can also take 9s just fine. A guitar with a Tune-o-matic bridge should be fine with light strings.

 

I really think that the neck angle on these Blacktop Jags is a bit off.

[notjonahbutnoah]

Imma play one today I think, and decide for myself.

 

Ellen, weather you know it or not, that's just what I wanted to hear.

 

I mean I've got virtually no Jaguar knowledge. My frame of reference is Strats, Teles, and LPs. I want the tone of an LP, with the more fun feel of a Strat, with a swankier body style.

 

Honey sounds like he knows what's up with Jags though.

[honeyiscool]

Just so you know, Jaguars have nothing like the feel of a Strat. They're much bigger and heavier affairs.

 

I think you should think about customizing an HH Strat.

[Grantus]

 

My opinion? Get a MIJ Jaguar HH special. It is one of my TOP guitars for sure. (needed shielded, did treble bleed to help keep it sparkly as the volume turns down, filed out the bridge string slots a little because I had string-flip-out problems a few times finger styling.) Now Perfect.

 

 

If I pay $800 for a guitar, I may expect it needs a setup. That is all.

[honeyiscool]

 

If I pay $800 for a guitar, I may expect it needs a setup. That is all.

You've never played a vintage Jag, have you?

 

I really don't think the MIJ needs anything to make it worthwhile.

[EllenGtrGrl]

 

Those geets are so awesome. Definitely a big hell yeah for the Jaguar HH Special. That gets repeated a lot, but that's simply not true in my opinion. I've strung Mustangs and a vintage-style Jag (w/ a Mustang bridge) with 9s in the past, and they can definitely take it and be no worse for it. Duo-Sonics can also take 9s just fine. A guitar with a Tune-o-matic bridge should be fine with light strings. I really think that the neck angle on these Blacktop Jags is a bit off.

 

 

I respectfully disagree with you. Yeah, if you barely hit the strings, and don't do much lead guitar work, you can get way with 9s, but if you're going to dig in, and rip out the notes, forget it. I had 10s on my first Jag back in 1990, andeven with 10s, it was a p.i.t.a. to say the least. The strings kept on jumping off of the saddles, and it felt sloppy feelwise, to say the least (and no, it wasn't due to a lack of playing ability on my part IMO - back then, I had a bit of a rep locally, as a hotshot lead guitarist [back in those days, playing sloppy, wimpy, indie guitar {this was before Nels Cline, so indie players who could shred, were basically non-existent}, got you no respect]). Like I said, I have no issues with mine. It's actually become a favorite of mine, since I put 12s on it. Your hands aren't going to fall off if you put 11s or 12s on it. With 11s, the string tension will be comparable to 9s or 10s on a 25.5" scale guitar. With 12s, it will be comparable to to 11s on a 25.5" scale guitar. Also, I disagree about the neck angle. Very few guitars are made nowadays, with screwed up neck angles.

[honeyiscool]

Well the traditional Jag/Jazz way is that you raise the bridge, shim the neck, providing greater downward force on the saddles. Also, there's buzz-stops (I wouldn't use one), and string skipping can easily be stopped with a Mustang bridge. Anyway, I have to think that it must mostly be your playing style that contributes to requiring heavy strings. I'm not saying it's a matter of being good or bad at guitar, I'm saying it's a matter of playing style. I think 9s can work on a slightly modified Jag (some combination of buzz stop, Mustang bridge/filed saddles, and a neck shim), 10s definitely do work and I never once had issues with it. I always thought that the string skipping was more of a rhythm than a lead issue anyway.

 

Anyway I don't even like Jags anymore. I had a Blacktop for a short while, a Japanese one for much longer. The Japanese one was awesome, the nicest guitar I've ever had, but yeah, I find Jaguars kind of overrated nowadays. They are the best looking guitars in the world, but what's the point of an oversized, heavy-bodied short-scale bolt-on? I really don't know. They don't really have enough of a unique sound IMO, and they don't provide any of the ergonomic advantages of Fender's other short scales. What Fender needs is to bring back the '69 Mustang at around the $700 price range.

[Grantus]

 

You've never played a vintage Jag, have you? I really don't think the MIJ needs anything to make it worthwhile.

 

 

No, I've never played a vintage Jag. Yes, you're much, much, much more of a Jag expert than I am.

 

I *still* like the Blacktop.

[notjonahbutnoah]

Word word, lots of good info here.

 

Honeyiscool, I've done the strat thing. I've got a modded out strat that I love.

 

I like the larger body of a Jag and guitar wight isn't a huge deal to me, especially with a such an ergonomic body style. Again... a really heavy, dual humbucking, 24" scale guitar... when I'm used to an LP should be just right.

 

Didn't get a chance to sample one at a store today, but it's on the to-do list.

[A-20]

Well, my Jag HH Special is not what I would call really heavy. Under 8 1/2 lbs if I remember right. But less is better... so never held a "light" Jag, that's for sure. On the bridges, I just did some careful work with a fine file and cut out the notches a bit deeper on each saddle, keeping the same angles. Result is perfection. Don't know if this is "bad mojo" for jags, but works for me. I use 10's for strings and never have any problems any more. Tuning is fine too.