J Mascis is one of the first guitarists to come to mind when talking about Fender Jazzmasters. The Jazzmaster will often opt for soapbar style pickups whereas the Jaguar will have exposed humbucking or single coil pickups. Again Kurt Cobain is on the top of the list as he is famous for his Jaguars and Mustangs. More expensive Fender Jaguar models are available than Fender Mustang models. Comment * document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a3c8a62944c87c91c78c49d102ef62cb" );document.getElementById("f08fed1552").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Save my name and email in this browser for the next time I comment. The way the Jaguars electronics are set up, makes it a pretty versatile guitar. Fender American Professional II Jazzmaster, guitar perfect for small bodies and hands, Jazzmaster/Jaguar Bridge with Panorama Tremolo, 6-saddle Vintage-style Adjustable bridge with Floating Tremolo, American Performer Mustang Bridge with Tremolo, Dual Fender V-Mod II Jazzmaster Single-coil, Player Series Alnico II Jaguar Single-coil, 2-way slide switch (rhythm/lead)3-way toggle switch, 2-way slide coil-split switch,3-way blade pickup switch, 1 x master volume, 1 x master tone,2 x thumbwheels (neck volume, tone. Punk players like Tom Verlaine and Richard Lloyd, along with Elvis Costello, were among these guitarists. The improved electronics allow the single coils to be switched off and run in parallel and out of phase. It is somewhere between an offset and a Strat-style body. The neck has a bolt-on design made of classic Fender maple with a Rosewood fretboard. Well, the fact is that both guitars are great - and even though they don't sound the same, many players who like one model also like the other (as was the case with Sonic Youth and My Bloody Valentine). For his distinctive Nirvana tone, Cobain sometimes used a Fender Mustang. Most Jaguars have a rhythm/ lead switch. The new Fender Mustang from the popular, budget friendly Offset Series allows players of all levels to get hold of a classic guitar for less. However, both guitars are comfortable for play and will be suitable for new guitarists if budget is less of a concern. Like the Jazzmaster, the Jaguar featured an unusual floating vibrato mechanism which caused many problems among users as the bridge tended to move a lot and strings slipped out of alignment when they were strummed hard. TheFender Player Jazzmaster PF Buttercreamhails from the all new Made In Mexico series, offering the Fender sound to those who want a performance quality guitar without a massive price tag. TheFender Vintera 60s Jazzmaster Ice Blue Metallicis from the all new Vintera series. Now lets take a bit more of an in-depth look at the main components of each guitar, and how this impacts the tone and playability of each instrument. The main difference is that the Mustang has a smaller body so is much lighter than the Jaguar which does have a reasonably large body design. Fender Jazzmaster has a traditional deep C neck profile that feels chunky and big in hand like vintage Stratocasters. The songwriting and producing master Todd Rundgren liked to play a black modified Fender Mustang on almost all of his live performances in the 70s. The upgraded bridge holds the tuning better than the old versions, but the strings are still susceptible to going out of alignment. With the DiMarzio pickups, Cobain created the iconic gain-heavy Nirvana tones. It is made of alder, and the guitar weighs around 7.68 lbs (3.48 kg), making it the lightest among the three models. Because they have a lot of common ground in terms of their use and fanbase, along with their similar designs, there is often confusion about the differences between these three guitars features. This is a great way to get that classicSquier Jazzmastersound without having to spend too much. Most guitarists who are interested in more conventional styles tend to gravitate towards classic designs like the Les Paul, Stratocaster and Telecaster - or, in the case of metal players, guitars specifically designed for the style, by brands such as Ibanez or Schecter. Both Pickups On & Out Of Phase (strangled sound), Both Pickups Off (both switches in centre position). For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. But, the modern reissues often come with Mustang Dual Yosemite Mustang Single-coil pickups. The Jaguar sounds warmer compared to the Mustang which has a brighter and thinner tone. Mustangs have a similar sound to Jaguars, but their sound is slightly brighter with a thinner tone. Soundwise, Jazzmasters is the most versatile of the three and features a little more body and warmth along with a wider frequency range and a hotter output. The Jaguar works in a similar way: Top switch selects between Rhythm (neck pickup only) andLead (neck/bridge/both) circuit. The mustang introduced the Fender Dynamic Vibrato tailpiece - different to the Jag/Jazzmaster guitars. The design was created with jazz players in mind to give them a more comfortable playing experience while in a seated position as they mainly played their guitars seated. The Jazzmaster has the panorama tremolo, which is a great modernized vintage-style bridge that is responsive, stable, and musical. That is why Fender created the Fender Player Series Jaguar, which comes with a humbucker in the bridge position and a single-coil in the neck position. However, while seated, the guitar is highly balanced and feels very good. In this article, Ill compare the Mustang and Jaguars classic tones and designs, as well as take an in-depth look at the ranges produced by both Squier and Fender. Most Mustangs have a 3-way pickup selector, 1 tone control and 1 volume control. You'll find amp controls guides, tips to improve your tone, and answers to loads of specific issues. It's also from the highly respected Squier Classic Vibe series which utilises vintage, period correct design features but offers modern reliability. Heres a video so you can listen to these two guitars being played back-to-back and hear the differences. Also, the neck of the Jaguar and Mustang have modern C shapes with a thinner profile. The Mustang and Jaguar electric guitars are two very popular options if youre looking for an offset body design by either Fender or Squier. Today, budget-friendly Squier Jaguaroptions are available. If you're looking for a high output Gibson bridge pickup then the 498T and 500T are your best options, but what's the difference between them? Still not sure how to tell the difference between Jaguars and Jazzmasters? An incredible guitar that won't break the bank, but might break the sound barrier thanks to its awesome Hot 60s Pickups. Your email address will not be published. All guitars have great balance and are quite comfortable to play with bodies, allowing you to reach higher frets easily. The most famous Fender Jaguar player is Kurt Cobain, without a doubt. Before we jump into some more detail on the design differences, I wanted to take a look at the Fender and Squier ranges. I now own an acoustic guitar and several electric guitars including my personal favourite, a PRS SE Custom 24. So, this way, the versatility of the guitar is increased as it can provide some great gain tones from 90s grunge scene as well as harmonically rich bass-heavy clean tones that Jaguars are associated with. Nothing to complain about here. And that was precisely the problem with Fender's innovative offset guitars when they were first released in the Sixties - the musical styles that would eventually make them popular didn't exist yet! For more budget friendly options you can check out theSquier Mustangrange. There are rhythm and lead circuits, separate volume and tone knobs for both circuits, as well as master volume, tone knobs, and a 3-way toggle switch. Prosoundhq.com is also a member of other affiliate programmes. The neck profile is a deep C, which is close to a classic Strat-style neck. TheFender American Performer Jazzmaster 3-Colour Sunburstfeatures a streamlined design. The bands unique tone in the studio and on the stage is thanks to these offset guitars. Vintage Fender Jazzmasters typically feature soap bar-style humbucker pickups. Thanks to those artists, it's no wonder that today the Jazzmaster and Jaguar are synonymous with noisy, alternative rock, shoegaze, andgrunge. TheSquier Classic Vibe 60s Jazzmaster IL Olympic Whiteis a great option for those on a budget. Most Mustangs have a 3-way pickup selector, allowing you to activate either the bridge pickup or neck pickup in isolation, or both together. As the scales and neck profiles are shorter and thinner, Jaguar and Mustang have more comfortable necks and fretboards, in my opinion. It is not designed for dive bombs but rather for a Bigsby-style response. Guitar Center are always the first place I look at when Im interested in a new electric guitar because have a huge range of models for sale and always have some excellent deals on. With the Jazzmaster, the dual circuit is fairly simple: Just a simple up-or-down switch. The Jaguar has a Jaguar style solid body made of alder wood. The overall guitar is also slightly smaller than Jazzmaster due to the shorter scale length. I started playing an electric guitar when I was given a Squier Strat for my birthday around 15 years ago. The original Mustang (1964-90s) did not have a pickup selector - you had to use the on-off switches. Well-known for their sound, they were and still are one of the most recognizable models out there. The Jaguar also features a 2-way slide coil-split switch and 3-way blade pickup switch, which add to the versatility, but the coil-split utility does not give the greatest performance. When it's down, it means you're using the Lead Circuit, with the traditional controls on the lower bout of the guitar: master volume, master tone, and 3-way switch to select the pickups, just like in a Telecaster. You have to be subtle again and master the touch to unlock the full potential of the vibrato. This way, the Jaguar has a versatile tonal range that can go from great cleans to Kurt Cobain style heavy humbucker tones. Fender Jazzmaster has the iconic vintage look with the elegant offset-waist body. This guitar was equipped with double humbuckers, a Pearloid pickguard, an alder body, maple neck, and rosewood fingerboard. Instead, they have a mellow chime tone which is great for jazzy tones and playing with lots of effects. One of the first guitarists to use and popularize Fender Jazzmasters was Elvis Costello. The pickups look truly vintage with the soap bar style, and the floating bridge adds to the vintage look. Of course by the end of the decade the surf-music craze was over, and so the sales of both the Jazzmaster and Jaguar guitars declined. This is why it can be a great choice for alternative and indie rock as well as pop genres. Which one is better for surf music?" However, most modern reissue models have single coils with some lines offering dual humbucker configurations. And I also wanted a guitar that had 22 frets, and a standard Stratocaster only had 21 frets, and a Mustang had 22. But, as Mustangs are almost a student guitar, he replaced the pickups, the switches, and everything except the tailpiece, the body, and the neck. Fender Mustang is considered a great guitar for rhythm-playing but not as great for lead guitar playing. The frontman of The Talking Heads, David Byrne, mainly used a white Fender Mustang in the early years of his career. The guitar provides great playability for chords and rhythm playing, but the big frets also make it kind of okay for lead guitar playing, too at least compared to older Mustang generations. Whereas Fender guitar bridges in general have multiple slots so you can slightly adjust the string placement. Jaguar Dual CircuitExplained - What do the switches on the Fender Jaguar do? So check out my article explaining the controls on a Jaguar to learn more. Many players found practical solutions like replacing saddles that have deeper slots or grooves to hold the strings or changing the bridge completely. Again, the guitar comes in many colors, and the choices are more pastel, which adds to the vintage look. Rhythm circuit: activates only the neck pickup, and the rhythm tone and volume controls on the upper horn. The lead guitarist of the famous band Dinosaur Jr. creates great and immensely distorted guitar tones with the Jazzmasters, which is actually not the main goal of the guitar. The Mustang is the cheapest guitar available so will likely be the most suitable for beginners. Across the pond,My Bloody Valentinewere the most influential UK band who'd almost exclusively use Jaguars and Jazzmasters. When the flicker switch is "up", however, you select the darker Rhythm Circuit with separate volume and tone controls on the upper bout. Lead circuit: activates either the neck pickup, middle pickup, or both together and the master tone and volume controls. But, without the humbuckers, they are not the best for high-gain tones. So he started using Jazzmasters. In any of their shows or recordings, Jaguars can be clearly heard. ThisFender Player Jaguar PF 3-Color Sunburstis a highlight from the range. When you select the Rhythm Circuit, the bridge pickup is inactive, and only the neck pickup works - but with a different sound than if you selected just the same pickup on Lead Circuit, because both circuits use different potentiometers and different electrical values. The Jaguar also has a shorter scale neck, which some people prefer, and others don't. With a slight overdrive, a bit of delay, reverb, modulation, or any effect combination you like, the guitar gives great sounds. The father of the grunge and the iconic Nirvana frontman was a fan of Jaguars and had several left-handed Jaguar models. Both the Mustang and Jaguar have a 22 fret neck, usually with a C-profile. The guitar has the tones of the surf rock and 90s indie and alternative rock scenes, which are lean in the low-end with complex and shimmery overtones. Two years later, Fender came up with a new offset design called Mustang to solve the problems Jaguar had. The tonal range is great for alternative and indie rock, jazz, blues, fusion, and classic rock. Today, there are a wide variety of offset guitars available in different price ranges. The Jaguar bridge is the slightly upgraded version of the vintage floating bridges of Jaguars. Here is a link to the article. They have a chimy sound with more body and warmth, along with a wider frequency range and a hotter output. When you purchase through those links, I'll earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The access to higher frets is easy thanks to the body shape, and the fretboard feels quite smooth with a Super Natural satin-finished neck. It is great for shoegazer pitch wobbling and understated tremolo actions. They did not get popular among players, and nobody was using them as Surf Rock was disappearing from the music world. But, it feels very balanced and is highly comfortable to play with, especially seated. Whilst both guitars are offset, they are not the exact same shape, as the Jaguar has a more dramatic waist in comparison to the Mustang. In summary, you can have these combinations on a classic Fender Mustang: Here's a selection of our favourites Fender Mustang Guitars. Here's how the dual-circuit works. The Mustang angles both pickups so the treble frequencies of the higher strings, and the bass frequencies of the lower strings are enhanced, causing the higher strings to sound bright and the lower strings to sound warmer. You can find out more about this in myarticle on pickup angling. They influenced many alt-rock bands who followed, such as Dinosaur Jr. and Nirvana, and thanks to Kurt Cobain, a much wider audience discovered the Fender Jaguar. His favorite one was a modified 1965 Sunburst model loaded with DiMarzio humbuckers and a trusty Tune-o-Matic bridge. Where Mustang shines is its playability with a chunky yet lean neck for rhythm playing styles. The design was a bit different than the offset Fender models with a slightly offset waist, dual angled single-coil pickups, each with an adjacent on-off-on switch without pickup selector, Fender Dynamic Vibrato tailpiece with the floating bridge, and only one string slot on the saddles. The Jaguar has three pickup switches at the bottom of the guitar. It weighs around 7.9 lbs (3.58 kg), half a pound lighter than Jazzmaster as it features a shorter neck. Ive made two tables to show the key features and the current Guitar Centre price (at the time of writing) of pretty much every standard model in the range. As these are the modern reissues of the vintage guitars, they are slightly upgraded with modern features. And by the late 70s and early 80s, Fender decded to discontinue the production of all three models one by one. It was his favourite guitar, alongside the Jaguar, and when Fender approached him to design a new signature model, he decided to blend both models in a single instrument.. the Fender Jag-Stang: The Fender Jag-Stang was recently relaunched in 2021, meaning a whole new generation of players get to experience this unique instrument in all of its glory! He was often seen with a Mustang on the stage strumming chords, but he used the guitar also in the studio during the recordings of the first two albums of the band, Talking Heads 77 and More Songs About Buildings and Food. Some models such as the Squier Classic Vibe and Fender Vintera Mustang, also have a phase switch for each pickup. Jazzmasters have 3-way pickups selectors, while Jaguars and Mustangs have two-way on-off switches. On the other hand, Mustangs have a slightly offset design and are meant for more rhythm playing. When necks are compared, the comfort and playability of Mustang are one step forward compared to Jaguar and Jazzmaster. The Fender Player series is the new Made in Mexico range of Fender guitars. Need some extra help with finding the right offset guitar for you? For this same reason, Elvis Costello acquired a Jazzmaster back in the seventies, which would eventually became his main guitar for many years. Rather than high-gain tones, Jazzmasters are better choices for slight overdrive and clean tones. Since there are more expensive versions of the Jaguar available, you can usually find more premium finishes on this model compared to the Mustang, which comes in pretty basic colour and finish choices. Fender Jazzmasters are heavy guitars as they are designed for playing while seated. The top rollers are tone and volume controls for the rhythm circuit, just like the Jazzmaster. The lower bout controls don't work in this mode. Fender American Professional II Jazzmaster comes with the second-generation V-Mod II single-coil Jazzmaster pickups, which feature high articulation, clarity, and great chime. Mustang was inspired both by the Jaguar-Jazzmaster lien as well as the Musicmaster and Duo-Sonic line, which were the existing student models. The store will not work correctly in the case when cookies are disabled. They have a similar tone to Jaguars, but they do not have a percussive, bell-like attack. As cash-strapped punk musicians, Tom Verlaine and Richard Lloyd bought those models simply because they were cheaper back then. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. But, with few effects and some tweaks, he manages to get great high-gain tones of the guitar. As I said, it depends on the model youre looking at, and things can get pretty complicated. Lat but not least we have theFender American Performer Mustangpictured here in Sonic Blue. I created this website to share everything I've learnt over the past 15 years of playing guitar. Fender Jazzmaster was the first offset waist model Fender released in the late 50s. As they have a shorter scale, they are lighter and more suited to smaller players than Jazzmasters. So, next we should probably answer one of the major questions we get asked all the time! All three models have unique bridge styles, which are a topic of discussion. The Jaguars sound brighter, more focused, and twangier with percussive, bell-like tones. But the greatest advocates of Jazzmasters and Jaguars were another New York band,Sonic Youth, who used these models from 1980 up until their split in 2013. The Mustang has a smaller body than the Jaguar, The Jaguar is around 1.5 pounds (0.7 kg) heavier than the Mustang, Tremolo is located further back on the body of the Jaguar than the Mustang. The Vintera Mustang utilises this pickup switching functionality, whereas the American Performer and Offset series utilises a 3 way toggle switch. There are many controls on the body to shape the sound, such as a 2-way slide switch (rhythm/lead), double thumbwheels for neck volume and tone, and a 3-way toggle switch for pickup configuration as well as a master volume and master tone knob. Jazzmasters often come with soap bar-style pickups, while Jaguars come both with single coils and humbuckers. More About Me, Your email address will not be published. The major difference comes in the form of the angled single-coil pickups. In addition to that, it also has the coil-split function to use the humbucker as a single-coil, but in my opinion, the guitar sounds too thin that way. However, with the modern line, problems are solved, and the floating bridges perform truly great. Some have a phase switch for each pickup as well. With that being said, these offset guitars are not for everyone. But, the best is to have them both on the same guitar, which takes us to the modern Fender Player Jaguar. Newly voiced Jaguar Single Coil pickups offer awesome tone that you can manipulate easily whilst the Mid-60s "C"-profiled Maple neck, capped with a 7.25" Radius Pau Ferro fingerboard with 22 Vintage Style frets makes solos, chords and the big riffs a breeze. This makes the pickup sound warmer and thicker in Gibson 498T vs 500T: Bridge Pickup Comparison. However, things did not go as planned, and Jazzmaster was a failure in the jazz world. The lead switch allows you to activate either or both pickups, and sounds brighter. The cool thing about these guitars is that their dual-circuit designs means it's almost like you get 2 guitars for the price of one, giving you more tonal versatility than most other guitar designs such as Les Pauls or Strats. The Jazzmaster has a fuller and warmer tone, but the Jaguar can sound more crisp and punchier(andalso quite darker when you use itsrhythm circuit.) He says, I wanted a guitar with a Fender-style tremolo bar. When the switches are facing the same direction, whether towards the bridge or neck, both pickups are on in parallel and in phase. He used the guitar on Nevermind and In Utero tours as well as in the studio. This hard-working instrument forgoes the on-off-on switches for a simpler toggle switch but keeps the angled single-coil pickups to provide that bell-like sound the Mustang is famous for. The iconic offset guitar models, Fender Jazzmaster, Fender Jaguar, and Fender Mustang are highly popular guitars that became synonymous with alternative rock, indie rock, and shoegaze genres. The lighter weight of the Mustang can mean its a bit more comfortable to play if youre standing up for long periods of time. The Jazzmaster often features a 25.5 scale neck while the Jaguars and Mustangs have smaller 24 necks. Admin. link to The 25 Best Electric Guitars under $1000 In 2022. link to Les Paul Vs Sg - What Is The Best Option For You? When the switches are facing opposite ways the pickups are then out of phase. The Jaguars sound brighter, more focused, and twangier with percussive, bell-like tones. For beginners, the Squier Mustang is usually a better option than any of the Jaguar models, because it is available at a much lower price. You'll notice that the three toggle switches have been removed and replaced with a 3 way pickup selector - this make s it a little easier for players to get the sound they want quickly. While the prodigal guitarist of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, John Frusciante, is mainly known for his Stratocaster-Marshall combination, he used Fender Jaguars at different points in his career. So, the Jaguar was created in 1962 with those players in mind, and even the promotional pictures had beach themes. Their unique look, sound, and versatility make these guitars stand out from the more conventional guitars as powerful musical tools. For me, Jazzmasters are highly playable guitars and have great necks along with the greatly improved bridge system, which allows for better sustain and can dive greatly. But, still, the strings go out of alignment, which does decrease the playability of the guitar. That is why today, you can find Jaguars equipped with humbuckers as well as single coils. The body weighs around 8.5 lbs (3.9 kg) and is the heaviest of the three offset models. The fretboards of Jazzmaster and Mustang are Rosewood, while Jaguar has Pau Ferro fretboard. The Mustang has two angled single coil pickups with adjacent on-off-on switches. Mustangs were a bit different with their dual angled single-coil pickups in the good old days. This means you can isolate the pickups, blend them or turn them both off. My Bloody Valentine is heavily associated with Fender Jaguars as both Kevin Shields and Belinda Butcher make extensive use of the Jazzmaster, Mustang, and Jaguar, but especially the Jaguar. For this reason, when Fender releasedtheJaguar - which was designed as an "improved" Jazzmaster - the promotional images were all beach-themed! The shorter neck with the modern C profile, jumbo frets, satin polyurethane finish on the necks, and the 9.5 fretboard radius feel great and make the guitar highly playable. The Jazzmaster has a 25.5 scale length which is different from Jaguar and Mustang style necks. In the end, all three offset guitars were, well, failures. On the other side, Mustangs have two angled single-coil pickups. One of the most famous guitar models is Gibson Les Paul and SG models. Fender Jaguars often featured dual single-coil pickups, but that started to change when Kurt Cobain started using them with humbuckers. Fender Jazzmaster has the classic Jazzmaster contoured offset-waist body made of alder wood. However, the Jaguar has a warmer and more mellow tone than the Mustang which sounds brighter and twangy by comparison. Georgia Maq, the lead guitarist of Camp Cope, follows the steps of J Mascis and plays a Fender J Mascis Signature Jazzmaster. Jaguars are more gain friendly as the modern version comes with a humbucker and a single-coil. "Which one is better? However, as the prices went down of these guitars before they were discontinued, some new generation guitarists purchased them to play. You have a 3-way switch, so its not too complicated to operate, but you also have the Greasebucket Tone Circuitry which allows you to shape your high frequencies without boosting your lows. If you found this article useful you may want to save this pin below to your Guitar board, I have been playing guitar since 2004. link to Dog Ear vs Soapbar P90 Pickups: Is There a Difference? He has a vintage 62 Candy Apple Red Jaguar, which he also used on Californication, along with an old Sherwood Green Jaguar for overdubs across the bands 1991 opus Blood Sugar Sex Magik. The Mustang was originally designed as a student guitar so is usually a bit cheaper than the Jaguar. This circuit sounds brighter. I created this website so I can help as many as possible on their guitar journey. Players include David Byrne, Andrew Bellew, Sonic Youth, My Bloody Valentine and Kurt Cobain. It has a fast pitch-shift taper which is less flexible than Strat or Jazzmaster vibrato. It allows for a greater range of bending than a Strat, and, after using, it immediately gets back to the tune. The Jaguar and Mustang electric guitar models sound fairly similar due to their single coil pickups and alder bodies. The shorter scale gives some fluffiness to the lowends, which increases the warmth of the guitar. However, the Jazzmasterwas quickly adopted by some surf-rock bands like The Ventures, and even The Beach Boys. Both guitars usually have single coil pickups which sound quite bright and crisp. These pickups have adjacent on-off-on switches allows you to turn the pickups on or off allowing you to use them in isolation or in parallel. The Mustang model comes with American Performer Mustang Bridge with Tremolo, which is the improved vintage Mustang tremolo system. Most have a rhythm/ lead switch which activates different circuits and controls on the guitar. Pictured:Olive Greenalso available inOlympic White. We love thisSquier Classic Vibe 70s Jaguar IL Surf Green. The first thing you notice when you hold the Fender Jaguar is the short-scale neck.