Why did Fender stop making Jaguar basses?!

[Bongolation]

Fender has stopped shipping the Jaguar Bass. Tried to call in and get a price quote and was told it was discontinued.

Yep. Welcome to 2009!

Unfortunatly the pickups and the preamp just didn't do anything for the tone.

While I'm no fan of active electronics on a bass in the first place, it kills me to hear people rag on the Jaguar pickups, which are the identical ones as on the GL, which are prevalently rated "awesum."

 

[Bongolation]

It's better to buy these used, once experienced players have made the necessary mods.

Have you seen what happens when typical owners try to work on their basses?

I have for over forty years, up close and personal, professionally.

Forget it. Not only are used instruments hugely, insanely overpriced in nearly every case (almost always more than I can get the thing new for), but roughly half the time there are hidden defects/damage, much of which is due to users trying to correct stuff that isn't broken until they break it.

I will buy used from my local GC as they don't pay anything for used gear and just want to get rid of it for little more than they paid for it just to free up store footprint for more profitable merchandise, and when I bench it I know that if it's defective I can return it for a full no-hassle refund. Try that with some dirty little grifter on CraigsList.

 

[countrybass007]

I got my Jaguar Bass for $300, and you would be hard put to find anything "used" about it. It's foolish not to at least look at the used options.

 

[Bongolation]

I got my Jaguar Bass for $300, and you would be hard put to find anything "used" about it. It's foolish not to at least look at the used options.

Yeah, but...

CAVEAT EMPTOR!!!

It's sometimes OK, but you really have to know what to look for and even then you need to figure-in worse-case outcomes on your offer -- half of new street at most (dealer, half of wholesale).

But really, there are a lot of people who go through gear they get on sale and never bond with and offload when they get in a money scrape. I've got a house full of gear like that (see profile).

Even if the goods are still in decent shape, the prices are usually pretty nuts, at least around here -- where prices reflect what these CL grifters actually paid for the stuff new two years ago at everyday street, and figure it's still worth that because new street price has gone up $100 in the meantime.

EVERY AXE IS A GREAT BUY AT THE RIGHT PRICE...but "the right price" might realistically be $20 and the fool wants $400.

 

[chump stain]

There's a used red one at my local GC with a Badass bridge, and flatwounds. For like $399. I would pick it up if I had the cash, it played nice unplugged.

 

[Bongolation]

with a Badass bridge, and flatwounds.

Wow. Talk about "unclear on the concept"!

Maybe he just couldn't make up his mind about what sound he was after.

But...that's an OK price, I guess.

 

[johnk_10]

on mine, i think that when they're completely stock, they sound dead, and the pickups and preamp are less than desireable. i replaced the pickups and the neck on mine, and now it sounds and plays ALOT better.

i bought mine used, and loved the look, but hated its sound, so i just decided to make into it what i wanted and i'm thrilled with now. i just need to install a string retainer and decal on it and it'll be good to go.

 

[chump stain]

Could be because the flatwounds may be hard on a flimsy bridge. The flatwounds on my Dean bent my bridge from the extra tension. I'm thinking of throwing a Badass on there, just because it's beefy.

But yeah, those flats on that Jag would be gone with me!

 

[johnnycat42]

i have a jag bass, and i think that the reason that they discontinued it (at least in the states anyway, if japan is indeed still making them) is because, for me, its tone falls short of a jazz or p bass. to me, the stock the pickups are mediocre at best, the preamp crude, (to boomy and bright), IMO, the bridge pickup is unusable alone, and having a routing hole right in the middle of the body under the pickguard for the preamp. it even could partially be that the actual body shape also makes it not sound as good as the other two. the problem is, i love the look of it, so i'm currently doing a few mods on mine to make it sound the way that i want it, since i intend to keep it.

another completely different reason, and probably more accurate, is it may be that it just didn't sell as well as expected, and with the new squier jag bass coming out, they possibly felt it to be somewhat redundant.

I had a Jaguar and couldn't agree more with this analysis. For the regular price of $949 (b4 the close out), that is too much cash for a bass that needs mods. $499 is about what they were worth. IMHO

 

[Bongolation]

Could be because the flatwounds may be hard on a flimsy bridge.

I could see why someone might think that, but I'm unconvinced. I have 9050Ms on my '72 P (the stock bridge of which looks like an early MIM's) and there's no problem. Unless the metal is really junk -- which of course it could be on some import -- I would have to see the problem before proactively "remedying" it.

BTW, if you want to see bridges fail under string pull, look at most Danelectros. Bent straight out of the box.

 

[johnk_10]

IMO, the stock jag bridge is absolutely fine. it's a clone of the 60's fender bass bridge (ribbed steel saddles on a steel plate), and those bridges will last 60 years easily. plus, i don't care for the sound of a higher mass bridge at all.

 

[P. Bass]

IMO, the stock jag bridge is absolutely fine. it's a clone of the 60's fender bass bridge (ribbed steel saddles on a steel plate), and those bridges will last 60 years easily. plus, i don't care for the sound of a higher mass bridge at all.

I also agree. IMO the high mass bridge may have even too much solidity, resulting in a sterile tone - on a Fender. There's no character left in the tone.

 

[Pilgrim]

NO NO NO! I will not buy used! I want me to be the first owner of my main instrument, and I want to be in perfect condish. Not dented, dinged, or scratched.

IMO you might as well write "I like wasting money." There are many used basses out there without a nick or scratch.

Now that reality has intruded on your new-buying habit, accept it and go get a nice used one.

 

[Ric5]

They discontinued them because they didn't sell!

Why did you think they discontinued them?

FMIC doesn't drop successful product, and the Jaguar was a huge failure, at least initially.

They didn't even begin to catch on until they had ceased importation for a couple of years and the old stock was being dumped at long discount after sitting in the warehouse since 2007-2008.

If FMIC had kept the Jaguar, they would have had to price it comparably to the GL, and it flat wouldn't sell at that price. They had huge problems unloading them at $499 street.

+1

 

[P. Bass]

Sometimes a model will be produced & sent to the street for a test drive. I suspect this is one reason there was little quality control on this one. I've seen 2 Jags in the same store - both having issues. I wouldn't touch this one, based on what I've seen. Then again Pino used one on tour.Go figure.

 

[Spleenface92]

Honestly, I like buying used. Buying used made it possible for me to get a triple pickup GIBSON SG. And a Fender P bass (mexi, but still).

 

[t0t0m]

It must be because there is no enough demand, that made fender decided to stop making the jag.

 

[mr_goodbomb]

Cheaper than Ebay is Guitar Center Used online.

 

[GregC]

Forget it. Not only are used instruments hugely, insanely overpriced in nearly every case (almost always more than I can get the thing new for), but roughly half the time there are hidden defects/damage, much of which is due to users trying to correct stuff that isn't broken until they break it.

I will buy used from my local GC as they don't pay anything for used gear and just want to get rid of it for little more than they paid for it just to free up store footprint for more profitable merchandise, and when I bench it I know that if it's defective I can return it for a full no-hassle refund. Try that with some dirty little grifter on CraigsList.

Really? Either you live in another universe, or you're turning the hyperbole dial waaaaay up (again). In my experience, buying used on TB (I can't vouch for Craigslist) has allowed me to get basses at prices well below what anyone could buy them new for, I don't care how good of a negotiator you are.

Conversely, I've found that GC tags its used gear at top dollar. For example, my local store recently had a mid-80s fireglo Ric at $2300. I'm sure they would come down some on that, but I doubt one could get it out the door for close to what they paid for it.

 

[JimmyM]

you know, fender wastes a lot of time with models that aren't the precision and jazz, and they never seem to work. if i was fender, i'd make nothing but precisions and jazz basses. why bother with other stuff? they can't do it. they always have some fatal flaw that dooms them. but the precision and jazz bass thing they've got going on. nothing wrong with sticking with what you know. but i guess everyone wants to be the designer of the next big fender. oh well...can't blame them for trying.