Fender Blacktop Jaguar HH Electric Guitar  

Nothing fancy but everything I'd want.

The bridge sits a little lower than I would like (but not enough to effect sustain too bad) and the pickups are a little muddy but it's your typical Fender.

For a Jaguar with an actual Fender logo it's a great price.

Growing up a Nirvana fan I've always wanted a Jaguar. It's one of my favorite styles but I was never a big fan of all the switches, the tremolo and the fact they came with single coil pickups. When I first saw this guitar I fell in love with it's setup and had to have one. I've now had my all black Blacktop Jag for about 5 months. I also own a Schecter 006 Hellraiser and a Gibson Flying V and I'm sure they've fealt neglected since the little Jag came into the picture.

This is a sweet guitar. I like the small radius neck and short scale so it is perfect for my smaller hands. The finish on it and all the controls are really excellent. It sounds as sweet as it looks too, nice and mellow but can get nasty with my Mustang III.

Fender is really kicking butt in the lower price columns these days.     These Blacktops are incredible for the price as are the Classic Vibe series guitars for Squier.     For 20+ years I've wanted a Jazzblaster and I'm pleased that the Blacktop series puts that kind of guitar in my price range.

It's kind of bare bones for the offset body style.     It has none of the stuff that really makes a Jaguar unique.     It has humbuckers instead of single coils, it has no tremolo, it has a simple three-way switch instead of all the special switches and tone controls that the typical Jaguar has.     For me, this is actually a feature.     I don't use tremolo arms, I actually wanted my first humbucker guitar (I have three other single coil Fender guitars), and a simple switch is dandy for me.     It is like a budget Sonic Youth-styled Jazzblaster.

This guitar was far nicer out of the box than I expected.     The neck is SUPER NICE.     Like MIJ nice.     Word is on the guitar forums that the early run of Blacktop Jags and JM's used surplus American necks.     I'd believe it.     I recently picked up a new Blacktop Jazzmaster at a guitar store and it wasn't nearly as nice as mine.     The guitar feels solid, the switches are tough, the pots are solid, etc.     This guitar feels pro.     In a blind test I doubt you'd know you had an MIM Fender in your hands.     The pickups are where I felt the most letdown.     They are VERY dark, somewhat muffled.     I traded those out for Dimarzio SC Customs and now I've got a bright and hefty tone out of it.

At the price, a guitar of this quality is a steal.