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Post subject: Looking for Feedback on Classic Player Jaguar Speciall HH
Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2012 10:06 am
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All,

I'm interested in getting some feedback from folks who own the Classic Player Jaguar Special HH. I'm thinking about getting one, but unfortunately none of the guitar stores in my area carry them, so I can't demo it before I buy it. As a result, I've only been able to watch the few demos on this guitar that are available on YouTube. I like the fact that you have the option of switching from humbucker pickups to single coils, so it seems like a very versatile guitar. In the videos I've seen, the humbuckers sound like they really growl, but the single coils sound a bit muddy to me (could be poor audio quality from the reviewers' video cameras, though). I'm a big Johnny Marr fan, so I'd like to be able to get the clean, jangly tones that he gets from his signature jaguar without actually having to spend the money on one. At the same time, I'd like to have the option of getting heavier tones from the humbuckers for some of the heavier tunes that I like to play. Would this guitar give me the best of both worlds, from a humbucker/single coil pickup standpoint?


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Post subject: Re: Looking for Feedback on Classic Player Jaguar Speciall H
Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2012 4:37 pm
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Wow, 17 views and no one has any feedback on this guitar?


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Post subject: Re: Looking for Feedback on Classic Player Jaguar Speciall H
Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2012 2:39 pm
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You asked for it, buddy.

I bought this guitar a few months ago. It's a nice quick, low action guitar, decent sustain, solid, very nice feeling - slick, I'd call it.

This guitar gives you a pretty wide range of pickup sounds.

With the pickups fully split, you get a nice, bright articulate chime, as good as a dedicated typical single coil pickup. Roll the coil split wheels towards the neck, and you begin to dial in a humbucking tone, which becomes louder and more mid-heavy, less clear - but of course with less noise and hum. To my ear, it's the humbuckers that could be called muddy, but that's just how Humbuckers sound compared to single coils. I'd say the single splits on the Jag are as good as your average single coil, but I'm sure someone will say I'm wrong.

I like to have HB's when I'm distorting more than a medium crunch, but I stay with the things 100$ single most of the time. Split or HB, the neck pickup has more body, and the bridge cuts through with more of a twang tone.

I've found as soon as you have more than a hint of Humbucker mixed in, the single coil character goes away fast, and rolling it the rest of the way towards 100% humbucker will just increase the volume and decrease hum - it's not a linear morph. The mids seem to dominate at anything less than 100% single coil.

Since you can have bridge, neck, or bridge and neck pickups on, and also mix and match coil splits/HB or a percent of HB, plus have the low-cut switch in play, I don't think there's a lot of ground left uncovered by the Jag Classic Player HH's pickups.

Having said that, I'm kind of baffled by a few details. The bridge on these classic players are tunomatics, with adjustable saddles. Right out of the box, with the stock strings tuned to standard, two or 3 of the strings buzz against the saddles, like you'd expect on something much cheaper.

I can't tell if the guage (10) is too light for the grooves in the saddles, or if the saddle screws have too much play, or what. But a quick Google search shows that many if not most Jags have this problem.

It's not the break angle like on older vintage Jags - there's something wrong with the stock bridge, and it's never been addressed or fixed despite years of bellyaching on the internet by fans of this otherwise perfect guitar. Why a guitar by a major manufacturer that has a MSRP over $1,000 would have such a problematic bridge design is anyone's guess. The web is full of suggestions like Mastery bridges, using Mustang bridges, using glue, aftermarket upgrades, etc.

Also, after a few months of play, one of my pickup switches is a little loose, a wiggle cuts the pickup in and out. Great finish, great pickups, good craftsmanship, but a few cheap elements. Overall worth it, but you might want to test drive before buying.


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Post subject: Re: Looking for Feedback on Classic Player Jaguar Speciall H
Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2012 5:33 pm
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Wow, thanks for the reply! That definitely answers my question -- and then some! Unfortunately, I'd have to order the Classic Player Jaguar Special HH "sight unseen," as none of the music stores in my area keep them in stock. Most retailers have a 30 day return policy, so I could always order one, try it out, and return it if I don't like it.

Ted3000 wrote:
You asked for it, buddy.

I bought this guitar a few months ago. It's a nice quick, low action guitar, decent sustain, solid, very nice feeling - slick, I'd call it.

This guitar gives you a pretty wide range of pickup sounds.

With the pickups fully split, you get a nice, bright articulate chime, as good as a dedicated typical single coil pickup. Roll the coil split wheels towards the neck, and you begin to dial in a humbucking tone, which becomes louder and more mid-heavy, less clear - but of course with less noise and hum. To my ear, it's the humbuckers that could be called muddy, but that's just how Humbuckers sound compared to single coils. I'd say the single splits on the Jag are as good as your average single coil, but I'm sure someone will say I'm wrong.

I like to have HB's when I'm distorting more than a medium crunch, but I stay with the things 100$ single most of the time. Split or HB, the neck pickup has more body, and the bridge cuts through with more of a twang tone.

I've found as soon as you have more than a hint of Humbucker mixed in, the single coil character goes away fast, and rolling it the rest of the way towards 100% humbucker will just increase the volume and decrease hum - it's not a linear morph. The mids seem to dominate at anything less than 100% single coil.

Since you can have bridge, neck, or bridge and neck pickups on, and also mix and match coil splits/HB or a percent of HB, plus have the low-cut switch in play, I don't think there's a lot of ground left uncovered by the Jag Classic Player HH's pickups.

Having said that, I'm kind of baffled by a few details. The bridge on these classic players are tunomatics, with adjustable saddles. Right out of the box, with the stock strings tuned to standard, two or 3 of the strings buzz against the saddles, like you'd expect on something much cheaper.

I can't tell if the guage (10) is too light for the grooves in the saddles, or if the saddle screws have too much play, or what. But a quick Google search shows that many if not most Jags have this problem.

It's not the break angle like on older vintage Jags - there's something wrong with the stock bridge, and it's never been addressed or fixed despite years of bellyaching on the internet by fans of this otherwise perfect guitar. Why a guitar by a major manufacturer that has a MSRP over $1,000 would have such a problematic bridge design is anyone's guess. The web is full of suggestions like Mastery bridges, using Mustang bridges, using glue, aftermarket upgrades, etc.

Also, after a few months of play, one of my pickup switches is a little loose, a wiggle cuts the pickup in and out. Great finish, great pickups, good craftsmanship, but a few cheap elements. Overall worth it, but you might want to test drive before buying.


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Post subject: Re: Looking for Feedback on Classic Player Jaguar Speciall H
Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2012 7:33 pm
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I'd have gone for the Marr version, some good modifications on it. But it is priced way out of my range, and the humbuckers on the CP HH make it versatile. I'm very happy with mine, best guitar I've owned, despite the bridge buzz. I ordered without trying one out. No regrets! Good luck!

rjames1973 wrote:
Wow, thanks for the reply! That definitely answers my question -- and then some! Unfortunately, I'd have to order the Classic Player Jaguar Special HH "sight unseen," as none of the music stores in my area keep them in stock. Most retailers have a 30 day return policy, so I could always order one, try it out, and return it if I don't like it.


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Post subject: Re: Looking for Feedback on Classic Player Jaguar Speciall H
Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2012 7:58 pm
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Thanks, Ted3000. I've been obsessing over the Johnny Marr Jaguar for months, but it's also way out of my price range. I agree that the CP HH seems really versatile, with all of the different pickup configurations. I figure I should be able to achieve the "Johnny Marr tone" in that configuration somewhere, combined with my amp and some effects thrown in for good measure. I'll probably end up doing what you did and just order one. That Olympic White with the tortoise pickguard is beautiful!

Ted3000 wrote:
I'd have gone for the Marr version, some good modifications on it. But it is priced way out of my range, and the humbuckers on the CP HH make it versatile. I'm very happy with mine, best guitar I've owned, despite the bridge buzz. I ordered without trying one out. No regrets! Good luck!

rjames1973 wrote:
Wow, thanks for the reply! That definitely answers my question -- and then some! Unfortunately, I'd have to order the Classic Player Jaguar Special HH "sight unseen," as none of the music stores in my area keep them in stock. Most retailers have a 30 day return policy, so I could always order one, try it out, and return it if I don't like it.


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Post subject: Re: Looking for Feedback on Classic Player Jaguar Speciall H
Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2012 5:59 pm
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I have one. I have had it for several years. I REALLY love it. For me it is a great guitar. I do not have a real good picture. It is a work horse for me. I use it with my AC15, 5e3, Bassman LTD, Tweaker 15, Jet City, etc. The spit bucker thing works fine, and it is one of only a few of the guitars that still has the stock pickups. I roll the coil tap back about 1/4 turn from full bucker for neck and bridge. I usually play 9's on mine. I play more clean country/blues to classic rock. I am not a trem guy so I do not really use it.

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Post subject: Re: Looking for Feedback on Classic Player Jaguar Speciall H
Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2012 8:08 pm
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I just got mine this past Friday. The first thing I did upon opening it was to carefully look it over flaws. There was a smudge mark where it looked like it was handled before the paint dried, a second spot that wasn't shiny, but the big one was... on the top edge of the body near the rear, there's a bit of a groove that appears to be there by design and there was this sinkhole effect going on where it appears the paint had caved in leaving it cracked in different directions like when a stone hits a windshield. I immediately remembered that a guy on Ebay was selling his with this same exact problem, in the same exact spot.

I went to Sweetwater and looked at the photos of what they have in stock, and it's hard to tell for sure, but it appears a couple of them may have the same problem as well.

This happen to anyone else?


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Post subject: Re: Looking for Feedback on Classic Player Jaguar Speciall H
Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2012 9:40 am
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lurineener,

Sorry to read about the issues you had with your CP Jaguar HH. That makes me feel a little cautious about ordering one "sign unseen" now. Did you order it from Sweetwater or another merchant? If it was through Sweetwater, that would be a really rare issue to have with an instrument from them, as they're usually really good at inspecting their guitars before they ship them. I'm hoping that I can find one in a guitar store and actually demo it, but none of the guitar stores in my area keep them in stock. It irritates me that Guitar Center doesn't keep guitars like this in stock on a regular basis.


lurineener wrote:
I just got mine this past Friday. The first thing I did upon opening it was to carefully look it over flaws. There was a smudge mark where it looked like it was handled before the paint dried, a second spot that wasn't shiny, but the big one was... on the top edge of the body near the rear, there's a bit of a groove that appears to be there by design and there was this sinkhole effect going on where it appears the paint had caved in leaving it cracked in different directions like when a stone hits a windshield. I immediately remembered that a guy on Ebay was selling his with this same exact problem, in the same exact spot.

I went to Sweetwater and looked at the photos of what they have in stock, and it's hard to tell for sure, but it appears a couple of them may have the same problem as well.

This happen to anyone else?


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Post subject: Re: Looking for Feedback on Classic Player Jaguar Speciall H
Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2012 11:23 am
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I ordered mine from an in-state company, Geartree. I was surprised to hear about Sweetwater shipping out something with such an obvious flaw seeing how they do their 55 point inspection, or whatever they call it. I have a new one being shipped to me, and I'm hoping the second one doesn't have this problem.

Here's the link to the Ebay listing, and if you look at the second row of photos, you can see the problem I'm talking about. I'll never understand why someone would spend that much on a guitar with such an obvious flaw and not sending it back demanding an undamaged product.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Fender-Jaguar-C ... 123wt_1344


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Post subject: Re: Looking for Feedback on Classic Player Jaguar Speciall H
Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2012 4:25 pm
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You local Guitar Center manager should order it in for you. If you don't like it someone else will still want it. It's not like he is going to be "stuck" with it. Of course, some of those managers are not concerned with customer service.

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