Cheap vs. Expensive: Fender Jaguar Edition | Player II vs. Custom Shop

[@Tomekkplk]

Love this channel, found it recently and coops playing always tickles my fancy

[@monmixer]

The trick to the jazz and jag trem is how close the vibrato is to the bridge. If you are going to work horse this type of tremolo playing or any thing aggressive you need the steeper break angle on the strings from the tail piece to the bridge.

[@SB-ht6kf]

Forgot to mention the Vintera II Jag, which is a better "pro" tweener, because it has the full switch config. Always love the vids guys

[@explorervango880]

I have an American Original 1960s Jaguar. It is fantastic. Mine is probably the heaviest one they made, but it is so good. I would be up for buying another one that was lighter, but I’m not willing to give up any of the switches, tone circuit, or the mute.

[@anthonymcgill8035]

Cool video…Have a Vintera I Jag, and I think it’s a good compromise for someone looking for the vintage specs, but at a more reasonable price point.

[@alistairwallace77]

Correct me if I’m wrong, but the player II jags and j’masters are not routed for the rhythm circuit, right? I get why they’d remove that for the lower price point, but it’d be cool if they did the routing so people could mod to the more trad wiring if they wanted.

[@tiagopeggau6256]

This coral red is beautiful. Why the Player II Tele one doesn't have a white pickguard?????

[@splashgodrandy]

Loved Cooper's demo on these

[@JTB--]

I'm waiting for the Cooper Beard vs. Chris Beard video!! 🧔🏻‍♂

[@CliveBarnesMusic]

Cooper's correction of the Jaguar pronunciation was ace. It's Jag-U-Ar, not jag-wire..!

[@Mr.-J-2024]

Great point about neck scale length. So true. Great video. Thanks guys.

[@runwin3]

I would like an Alamo video on scale length, string gauge, etc. if you don’t have one already! I’m lining up!!!

[@martinclayton7260]

For years I never got the Jaguar, or Jazzmaster, I thought that they were a bit fussy, and I only liked humbuckers, but for the last few years , I've really got into them. I have two Jaguar's, one if those American uktra lux's, and a vintera 60's modified HH, yes they both have humbuckers, but I use the neck pickup in single coil mode. I really want one of the vintera 11 70's Jaguar's, they look beautiful, and i need one in my collection.

[@RobONeill-b5e]

Got a vintera and they're great. My only thing about them is they don't have the rosewood board. And now that the vintera 2 series has brought back rosewood, you can only get the Jag with a maple board. Strange

[@jimiwills]

I always think that rhythm circuit sounds better for lead

[@Patrick-pv9pe]

I have a Johnny Marr Jaguar. imo it's the ultimate Jaguar.

[@mikeyJstiffler]

I, personally, don’t think a jag or jazzmaster is a REAL jag or jazzmaster without the rhythm circuit toggle and what not. Probably a dumb way to look at it but that’s just me 😂

[@fettuccinealraver]

Sold 4 guitars to buy a custom shop and I regret nothing

[@chairsoutside]

What color pickguard is on the Custom Shop Jaguar? Is that mint green?

[@frankhughes5702]

The custom shop is way above my reach but I would go for a classic vibe Jag instead of the player 2. The classic vibe has the traditional switching and the pickups are decent.

[@jonathankersting6645]

The Johnny Marr Jag is right in the middle of the price point. Wonder how that stacks up to the Custom Shop Jag?

[@Patrick-pv9pe]

It's the best Jaguar imo

[@georgdieling8777]

2 !!! gently clean vintage ... I WANT IT

[@charlottesimonin2551]

There is a very different sound between the to guitars. It sounds like the expensive custom shop takes better advantage of the amp.

[@shaunrobitaille3780]

I can definitely hear a difference in tone, however until I get rockstar type money I cannot justify spending almost 8 grand (that’s how much the shops near me are selling the customs for). I love my player 2 and if I ever got the money I’d get a custom, but it might be a tele because those are my first love guitar wise.

[@chris5375]

The jaguar is the first go guitar when it comes to shoegaze style 👌👏🙏

[@mcdee56]

...and the guitar solo kills off the zombies!

[@swissanthony]

Does the neck need to be shimmed to get the right angle ?

[@Lomoholga2]

Scale length is such an obvious but ‘secret’ factor that can make a gigantic difference. I can play my Mustang at a 5 hour stretch like a degenerate lol but my left hand gets fatigued after 2 hours with a 25.5 scale Lower register chords are marginally easier, but on the other hand upper register cluster chords are very difficult

[@waynedoherty7758]

Worth jumping up to the Johnny Marr? Or is the player 2 good enough now?

[@boudibla4011]

Can't wait to get my jag. I got it hardtail as the trem was bugging me.

[@glennpacker8161]

In my recent entry into the short scale world, I actually did the same test at my local music shop, ie I played a custom shop and a Player II. I am only an intermediate player that does so only for fun and I won’t ever be in the custom shop market, but wow the difference was light years apart … custom shop was great, feeling wise, playing wise and sound wise … the Player was crap through the same amp, settings, etc it felt okay but the pickups were so ‘tinny’ it sounded awful, although some boost and amp adjustments would help it just felt cheap. As a result, I bought a 2013 Classic Player which is far superior to the modern version, and I’m also in the market for an American Professional.

[@globalnova]

what is that bridge on the CS?

[@pacemw]

What piece is he playing for the play test ?

[@skateborg]

Q: What's missing here? A: Squier (by Fender) FSR Classic Vibe '70s Jaguar Shell Pink

[@astrofire68]

Not a channel for those suffering from Pogonophobia. 🧔🏻‍♂️ 🧔🏻‍♂️ Having said that, great playing Cooper and I do love the fullness and depth of sound of that Custom Shop.

[@John-cw4no]

Jeff Beck thought the Jag/Jazzmaster was a mistake by Leo Fender. I Love em tho

[@danielrispoli9464]

hoping that when Pro III comes out there is a Jag and its actually good. Pro 1 underwhelmed and it was totally ignored in Pro II.

[@alafenetre81]

The price difference is simply unjustifiable.

[@josecubanosantiago4724]

You should shoot out the vintera 2 vs the custom shop

[@briansmith8950]

The custom Jag is certainly more versatile, and its playability somewhat better, but that price is a big ask. Your average weekend player like me should, I think, be happy with a cheaper version but if you've got money to burn, why not the custom. It'll probably spend its life hanging on a wall but make a splendid topic for conversation. It would need to be in the hands of a highly competent player to really shine and not be wasted.

[@ZionForman]

which one weight less than the other?

[@honnaconna7312]

That player series ain’t a jag

[@seanzinger]

The bearded duo

[@tonray9395]

Player II Pretend Jaguar

[@andrewrigney5888]

I’d be all over that custom shop if it was $4k. Anything priced above that that’s not a master built is just too expensive

[@jecoboost7775]

I’d like to add there are vintera jags so there are affordable fender jags before the player

[@CountScotula]

I spend too much time daily thinking about why I have to go to Japan to get a decent Jaguar that isn't a custom shop. The player II sounds great but it's missing too much chrome to be a proper Jaguar. Playing jaguar is just as much about the vibe as it is the sound. I have a Vintera II Jaguar and it's great, but I really want a 60s with matching headstock, rosewood, with all the switches and chrome, available in reasonable amount of colors with decent pricing (sherwood green please). Is that too much to ask Fender?

[@globalnova]

reverb. just bought one like you described in shell pink.

[@nieko3038]

Is a jaguar with humbuckers a real Jag? Still has the body, scale length and trem. I for one like the fact it doesn’t have the on off switches. The guitar is bright enough without the strangle switch. One can always mod it to get the rhythm circuit. If you are brave enough to use a router on it (Or a fostner drill bit and a sharp chisel) I bought the Squier version. It is routed for humbuckers. Don’t get the discussion. A flat top Les Paul is still a Les Paul.

[@randydean23]

That was one of the biggest differences in sound and tone I have ever heard. Dramatically different. Especially if they're supposed to be the same model.

[@runwin3]

Custom Shop made the Player II sound like a toy 😳

[@fettuccinealraver]

That’s the custom shop difference. I went from a vintera to a custom shop Jazzmaster. Night and day.

[@robf.7404]

On the Player 2 Jaguar I'd drop in "Free-Way" 3B3-01 6 Position Free-Way Blade switch onto a Jag hexagon angled switch plate, jag pickguard, and chrome upper blank. From their web site: "The lower bank of 3 positions delivers the familiar neck/both/bridge pickup combinations just as normal - but the upper bank configures the two pickups: in series; in series reverse phase; in parallel reverse phase, thereby providing every possible tonal combination from a two pickup guitar. "

[@majunior1944]

Only players who can’t play use “6-way switching” lmao come on.

[@paulgilligan1535]

cant put my finger on it exactly, but the custom shop is just much more 'musical'.......

[@martinsundland7614]

I'll admit right off that i'm old. I've been playing guitar for about 60 years and what i'm seeing is marketing run amok. There are as many guitar variants as there are (nearly) folks to buy them. This is absolute silliness.

[@pepmasters-999]

A wide choice is a bad thing?

[@martinsundland7614]

@@pepmasters-999 Do you think ~ 100 variations of a Strat is necessary? Marketing overkill.

[@mariodriessen9740]

I didn’t know there were so few choices for Jaguars. I have a number of different guitars. Probably a couple too many. But two years ago (and I’m not a rich guy, I swear!) I saw a 50’s style Telecaster in Sonic Blue in a roadworn nitro finish. I fell in love with it immediately and even though I didn’t have any money to spend on anything, I knew I was willing to sell one of my amps and one of my guitars. The guys at the music store (in the Netherlands) knew me well enough to even already start to set it up the way I like my guitars and they were totally fine with me asking to put on a set of compensated saddles (which they did). I told them that I was going to pay for that guitar anyway. Most probably somewhere within 1 or two months, but if anything unexpected might happen, it could also be half a year, although that would be highly unlikely. Anyway, I digress…. What was important is the fact that this guitar (my beautiful Telecaster) was in a perfect price point and absolutely good enough for me to know that it would be a perfect instrument. It might need a pickup swap at some point (which I did, 8 months later - not because the original was bad, but just to make an already good guitar perfect), but the point is that even though I wasn’t searching for any instrument at the time and even while I didn’t have the money at the time, I felt I needed this guitar and I knew it wasn’t unobtainable! This guitar was approximately $1,200.00 Now the REAL POINT of this somewhat longer story than I hoped it would be is the fact that this guitar could have been a Jaguar! In fact, I already had 4 Stratocasters left (after having had at least 8 or 9 of them over the years) and I already had 3 or 4 Telecasters too. I don’t think I would ever buy a cheap Jaguar and I certainly wouldn’t feel tempted to buy a Player II Series Jaguar (because it lacks too much to BE a Jaguar imo) and I don’t think I would ever even consider buying a Custom Shop Jaguar if I never even really had a good and fair chance to play or try out a good medium priced version of it. But THAT DAY when I saw that beautiful roadworn Sonic Blue Tele that I HAD TO HAVE, it might just as well have been an equally beautiful roadworn Sonic Blue Jaguar and I would absolutely have bought it. In fact, I would have gone CRAZY, because it was something I didn’t already have (for obvious reasons). And I do understand that the production of a good functioning Jaguar is most probably a little more difficult compared to the production of a Telecaster of a similar quality. And thus it would be fair to assume the price would be a little higher, but it would be totally worth it. In all honesty, my Telecaster was also available for a much lower price, but without the nitro finish and feel (which is important to me) and if I’m not mistaken there were a small number of details that made this guitar just a little more special. Having said that, thousands of people, if not tens of thousands or even more people bought this cheaper version that was approximately somewhere between 800 and 900 dollars brand new. I can’t believe that at least 10% would have wanted to buy a Jaguar for just a little more than that. The people at Fender aren’t stupid. Ever since Bill Schultz and Dan Smith joined Fender in the early eighties they turned a company that was basically dying into a successful business that is hardly ever wrong when it comes to decision making, campaigning, progress, supporting upcoming talents, having a large number of brands that operate under their flag, some with a little more autonomy (like Gretsch) than others, but it seems like everything they do they do right, even though there will always be a group of individuals who can’t or refuse to understand why there are relatively simple products coming from the Custom Shop that will cost them a fortune if they wanted one (which they usually don’t, because according to them everything Fender makes is just crap and too expensive by definition). Anyway, what I’m trying to say is if Fender doesn’t make affordable mid priced Jaguars, like I suggested, they probably have a very good reason not to do it. I expect them to keep track of their consumer’s needs and willingness to purchase certain instruments in certain price points. I trust them to offer a really nice Jaguar for people like me when they know the time is right. In the meantime, people like me might want to focus on other cool guitars we don’t have, but always wanted to. Like a Gibson SG Special for instance…….., although… I bought one last year and even though most everything was perfect about it, I tried everything I could to keep it from going out of tune constantly, except changing parts and filing the nuts, because otherwise I couldn’t return it and so I returned it. This is not to banter Gibson by the way. I own several Gibsons and maybe I was lucky, but apart from that SG everything I ever played was brilliant. I know they had some very bad years. I’ve seen pictures of some of their guitar models I was interested in and it was so extremely bad in some cases from some specific years. Sorry, I digress again. Really sorry. Can’t help myself. I could talk about guitars for days on just one subject. 😶🧡

[@ericmills9839]

There's just way less demand for the shorter scale length guitars, which is likely why they are not offering as many options for the jaguar. I had a '65 Mustang, and the 1.5" difference is a big deal, love it or hate it.

[@ghetto_yeti]

Player 2 jag isn’t a jag. It’s trash. Wtf w all this hype? I’m in San Antonio and since when does Alamo music sell jags? In 1992 I bought a 62 jag for $250 it’s the best guitar I’ve ever owned and nothing compares. No custom shop jags ever played like rebut they also cost like 20 times more than my 1962. Honestly, a Squier CV is a way better guitar especially with a bit of love. Too bad fender absolutely misses the point w the entire player series. The mustang is completely daft as well. Why can’t the cool switching be seen as vitally important. 2channel guitars are amazing. Just because it’s an offset doesn’t make it sound good. At least it’s got a mustang bridge. Just don’t let the damn thing rock.

[@TommySG1]

Hey Gents, I'm glad you guys decided to do this one here. I only own S and T style Fender style guitars and I've been entertaining the thought of purchasing one of these hah! I love smaller and lighter body styles and also shorter scale lengths too so this model is really giving me some GAS 🤣 I'd certainly buy a cheaper one first to see if the body style grown on me for an American one ( Or just something higher end unless the Squire blows me away obviously ). Thanks for doing this gentleman 👍

[@kevinmurtagh4996]

Just fyi- the Jaguar body is huge. The Jag and Jazzmaster bodies are probably the largest body size in the Fender lineup. You’re right that the shorter scale length will make it feel shorter, but in terms of pure mass, they still bulky guitars.

[@brianrollins7275]

@@kevinmurtagh4996agree. Small body I’d go for Mustang.

[@TheChristafershawn]

Vintera

[@jonathanoakley88]

put better pickups in the player and it will be near identical sounding.

[@randallhaney7909]

Yeah Imagine a "Custom Shop '64 Jaguar" That was made this year. I guess that's why it's not a "Custom Shop 1964 Jaguar". (might get sued) This way you can "Guitar Cos-Play" and pretend it is. It may be a shocker But "64 Jag's were made in 64. Geezz for the price of it? You could probably build a time machine and get all Marty McFly with it. And go back to the day; and pick up a real 64 Jag. upfor a couple hundred bucks. And drag it on home. Also the "Carl Red", (your pronunciation not mine) Poser is not as labeled either. Without the Jag. correct controls? It may be Jag'ish but it ain't a Jag. Just Say'n

[@jimmy5634]

It’s not jagwire.

[@thesimulations8900]

I don't hear $4000+ better. Weird🙄

[@nicokarsen6131]

The red one is missing too many switches to be a Jaguar

[@ruffryder13]

They're both jags? Mmmm. Not really.

[@jecoboost7775]

Wdym? Same body, pickups, scale, neck shape… yeah it’s the same guitar?

[@stevenvandemsky7290]

@@jecoboost7775The Player ll is sort of like a Jaguar, but not really…

[@jecoboost7775]

@@stevenvandemsky7290”not really” is not an answer sorry guys

[@purrpocalypse]

@@stevenvandemsky7290 The rhythm circuit is just a tone knob, and you don't need the strangle since the bridge pickup is so bright. I guess if you require all the chrome...

[@ShidavTheVedmak]

I think there is a difference in the bridge position in relation to the saddles and the point for the rhythm circuit is to put the pickups out of phase or in series as well as be able to immediately switch into that rather than attempting to dial it in with the knob.

[@gothgurlfriend]

The player 2 in this vid sounds out of tune / badly intonated. Something's off with its tuning.

[@twigy7979]

New fender jaguar sucks....