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Post subject: Kurt Cobain Jaguar - Terrible setup
Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2012 10:10 am
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I recently purchased on of these Jaguars from andertons.co.uk and although I actually think the guitar itself is great I've been quite shocked at how badly it's been setup. Now I must say that I've not owned a Jaguar before so some of these issues may be generic to the model, let me know if that's the case.

Terrible Intonation = damaged guitar
During the first couple of weeks usage I was getting some terrible buzzing from the guitar, not fret buzzing but buzzing from the bridge area. I've had guitars with tune-o-matic bridges before and know that the saddles can rattle a bit when new so I wasn't overly concerned to begin with. It soon started noticing that my fretted notes were not consistently tuning so checked the intonation of the guitar and found it to be way out. All of the saddles were towards the front of the bridge and almost in a straight line which should have been a giveaway.

As well as causing the fretted notes to be very sharp this also resulted in the buzz I was hearing and actually damaged the guitar. Due to the saddles being so far forward the G, B & E strings were all touching the back of the bridge and by the point I noticed the problem they had eaten into it by about 1mm. I intonated the guitar properly and then the saddles were back far enough that the strings then cleared the bridge. The damage still exists albeit minor, but it's annoying that this happened due to the guitar not being intonated before delivery.

Image

Very low string retainer
I'm not sure if this is normal on a Jaguar but the part of the trem where the strings are inserted sits very low causing the Low E to hit the screw head that's in front of it. This causes another buzz from time to time. I've tried using Fender Bullets (10 - 52) as they don't have the additional wraps but even they still hit the screw head (see pic). Even the bullet part of the fender bullets hits the plate as they are mounted so low. Does this look normal for a Jag?

Image

Loose tuners
When I changed the strings to the Fender bullets I noticed that the nuts on the tops of the tuners were freely rotating, they hadn't been tightened at all. This was an easy fix but surely things like that should be checked before these things get delivered!

Anyway, as I said I do love the guitar, dings n all but some of this is disappointing on a guitar that cost £1000.

Paul.

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Post subject: Re: Kurt Cobain Jaguar - Terrible setup
Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2012 5:32 pm
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Yep, I've posted previously on the bad set-up as shipped on a MIM Jag classic player. Intonation was horrible (especially since it shipped with extra light strings on a short scale guitar), the nut slots were cut unevenly and way too high, the trem system was completely screwed down almost stripping the screw (nice boing when I finally pried the tremlock button loose), the trem bar retainer spring was missing and the volume pot went bad after a few weeks. I think there were a couple of other things I can't remember. Suppose I could have taken it back to the dealer, but I prefer to handle it myself. Did a complete tear down and action job (which necessitated a couple of rounds of neck removal to tweak the truss rod), put on some quality pots and properly adjusted, it's pretty sweet. But it should have been much closer on shipment. I think if you are doing mail order, you need to be prepared for a lot of tweaking on receipt. If working with a local dealer, then I'd sure bundle a standard action job as a condition of sale.

I suspect this isn't unique to Fender, especially for anything not coming from a custom shop.


Paul_UK wrote:
I recently purchased on of these Jaguars from andertons.co.uk and although I actually think the guitar itself is great I've been quite shocked at how badly it's been setup. Now I must say that I've not owned a Jaguar before so some of these issues may be generic to the model, let me know if that's the case. Anyway, as I said I do love the guitar, dings n all but some of this is disappointing on a guitar that cost £1000.

Paul.


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Post subject: Re: Kurt Cobain Jaguar - Terrible setup
Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2012 10:32 am
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brucefulton wrote:
the trem bar retainer spring was missing and the volume pot went bad after a few weeks


I forgot about that one! Using the term bar in this guitar is useless, the bar screws in to the receiver on the trem unit with so much play that it's a joke. There's no way to lock the term bar at a specific angle and even when you hold it there's so much play between the bar itself and the threaded part it fits in that it's impossible to get decent results. I did a bit of research and found out that Jaguars usually come with a spring of some kind (there wasn't anything with mine) so I emailed Fender UK support who told me that there is no spring supplied with the Jaguar and that I need to remove the cover from the back of the guitar and tighten the retainer screw!

There's obviously no cover on the back of a Jag so I didn't even bother trying to argue with the support person, it's not up to me to educate Fender about their guitars.

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Guitars: PRS Custom 24 / Gibson Les Paul 25/50 / Fender Jag-stang / Fender Cobain Sig Jaguar
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Post subject: Re: Kurt Cobain Jaguar - Terrible setup
Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2012 11:24 am
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You need Fender part # 0994931000 for a pak of 12, about $6.00 USD

Google or Look it up from dealers in your area. I would also call back Fender UK support and report whoever you talked to to their supervisor.


Paul_UK wrote:
brucefulton wrote:
the trem bar retainer spring was missing and the volume pot went bad after a few weeks


I forgot about that one! Using the term bar in this guitar is useless, the bar screws in to the receiver on the trem unit with so much play that it's a joke. There's no way to lock the term bar at a specific angle and even when you hold it there's so much play between the bar itself and the threaded part it fits in that it's impossible to get decent results. I did a bit of research and found out that Jaguars usually come with a spring of some kind (there wasn't anything with mine) so I emailed Fender UK support who told me that there is no spring supplied with the Jaguar and that I need to remove the cover from the back of the guitar and tighten the retainer screw!

There's obviously no cover on the back of a Jag so I didn't even bother trying to argue with the support person, it's not up to me to educate Fender about their guitars.


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Post subject: Re: Kurt Cobain Jaguar - Terrible setup
Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2012 1:41 pm
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It came with a set up like Kurt's! :wink:

Joking aside I have been disappointed with Fender this past year. Every guitar I ordered from them needed a set up, re-wiring, and/or a new nut. For a guitar over a thousand dollars I would expect more from Fender. :x


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Post subject: Re: Kurt Cobain Jaguar - Terrible setup
Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2012 5:35 pm
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In the "good old days," many more guitars were sold from f2f dealers out of display stock, which were given at least basic tune-ups. Today, many more are sold either at retail new in box from a store sample demo, or new in box direct from dealer mailorder.

Companies like Fender and other old school brands are used to the old system whereby dealers would take care of these things prior to sale as part of customer service. But competition means much more selling new in box at low margin. The problem is, the old school companies haven't kept up with the trends and still push out product with set-up issues on the assumption that the dealers are taking care of it.

Fender, here's a wakeup call: They aren't. You need to do a much better job of making sure that factory setup out of the box is as good as it can be.
somethingelse11 wrote:
It came with a set up like Kurt's! :wink:

Joking aside I have been disappointed with Fender this past year. Every guitar I ordered from them needed a set up, re-wiring, and/or a new nut. For a guitar over a thousand dollars I would expect more from Fender. :x


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Post subject: Re: Kurt Cobain Jaguar - Terrible setup
Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2012 1:04 pm
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Had no problem with a MIM Classic Player Jag built in Aug 2010. Perfect setup through mail order. Electronics have been holding up well also.

Have a Epi Les Paul (set up in Nashville it says) that still will not intonate low E properly.


Art


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Post subject: Re: Kurt Cobain Jaguar - Terrible setup
Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2012 4:30 pm
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In answer to your other question, the low E touching the screw. I have seen that on every Jag that I can remember. Jazz as well.

Art


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Post subject: Re: Kurt Cobain Jaguar - Terrible setup
Posted: Sun Aug 19, 2012 5:17 pm
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Paul, I feel your pain!

I got mine yesterday from andertons. In their defense this guitar was shipped in its original packing (as if it had come straight from the factory).

Firstly the high E string was broken. It didnt have an end to it at all, i checked all through the case and nothing. So the string had never been fitted correctly before the guitar was packed. Luckily i had a spare set laying around. A little too authentic!

So I plug it in and start playing. Eveything sounds fine but I was confused... The pickup selector switch (on the lower horn) needed to be facing upwards if I wanted to select the bridge pick up. It was then that I noticed the whole plate that the switch was attached to had been installed up side down!

See here...
Image

For those not sure what I mean, compare it with the pic from fenders catalog/ website.

I unscrewed it and spun it round.. now much better. But still... thats just a stupid mistake to make for the manufacturer of such an expensive guitar.

Now im left with terrible intonation on the G string, which i cant determine if its: A. The string guage, B. The height of the nut, C. My playing style or D. A poor set up or, E! Some (or all) of the above.

Also experiencing an annoying harmonic behind the bridge. But only on the the A string and only on the 5th and 17th fret. I know this is a common jaguar problem. Maybe i'll look at installing a buzz stop.

On occasion there has been some buzz from the tail piece too which seems to be a rattle from the trem lock switch/button. It seems quite loose.

I must admit I have not had the bridge damage/trouble you have had - string clearance seems fine there. The tailpiece does seem a little recessed though. Im planning on using up this stock set of strings and trying some 11s on it. If that fails then i'll have to find a pro to set it up for me.

As you say, all in all its a great guitar, one which i love. But for the price Fender really should deliver on factory set-up. This is my first mexican built fender (and maybe my last!)

Apart from that it rocks heavier than a land slide! Rock on my fellow fender fans!!


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Post subject: Re: Kurt Cobain Jaguar - Terrible setup
Posted: Sun Aug 19, 2012 7:10 pm
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Hey, one thing you can do instead of buying the retainer spring is to just get some plumbers tape, wrap it around the threads on the trem arm, and then thread it back into the guitar.... not a perm. fix , but it will hold decently for some time... and you can always re-do it anytime. i keep a roll of plumbers tape in my fix it box just for this... had a strat a few years ago that had the same problem. found this trick on some surf website.

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Post subject: Re: Kurt Cobain Jaguar - Terrible setup
Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2012 2:16 am
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utddvl wrote:
Paul, I feel your pain!

I got mine yesterday from andertons. In their defense this guitar was shipped in its original packing (as if it had come straight from the factory).

Firstly the high E string was broken. It didnt have an end to it at all, i checked all through the case and nothing. So the string had never been fitted correctly before the guitar was packed. Luckily i had a spare set laying around. A little too authentic!

So I plug it in and start playing. Eveything sounds fine but I was confused... The pickup selector switch (on the lower horn) needed to be facing upwards if I wanted to select the bridge pick up. It was then that I noticed the whole plate that the switch was attached to had been installed up side down!

See here...
Image

For those not sure what I mean, compare it with the pic from fenders catalog/ website.

I unscrewed it and spun it round.. now much better. But still... thats just a stupid mistake to make for the manufacturer of such an expensive guitar.

Now im left with terrible intonation on the G string, which i cant determine if its: A. The string guage, B. The height of the nut, C. My playing style or D. A poor set up or, E! Some (or all) of the above.

Also experiencing an annoying harmonic behind the bridge. But only on the the A string and only on the 5th and 17th fret. I know this is a common jaguar problem. Maybe i'll look at installing a buzz stop.

On occasion there has been some buzz from the tail piece too which seems to be a rattle from the trem lock switch/button. It seems quite loose.

I must admit I have not had the bridge damage/trouble you have had - string clearance seems fine there. The tailpiece does seem a little recessed though. Im planning on using up this stock set of strings and trying some 11s on it. If that fails then i'll have to find a pro to set it up for me.

As you say, all in all its a great guitar, one which i love. But for the price Fender really should deliver on factory set-up. This is my first mexican built fender (and maybe my last!)

Apart from that it rocks heavier than a land slide! Rock on my fellow fender fans!!

Hey i got the same quitar,and when i play A chord (x02220) it sounds so bad.i feel like its because of g string. do you know how can i fix that ?


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