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Why Joe Bonamassa collects Fender Jaguars

Guitar World

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Joe Bonamassa picks up something you don't often see him play: a 1967 Fender Jaguar in Olympic White, bought new at Manny's Music in New York for $265. It came from the original owner with everything intact, including the receipt, the tags and a 1967 custom Fender color chart. Joe walks through the Jaguar's switches and tremolo, explains why it sounds so different from a Strat, and shows you can rock harder on one than you'd think.

The tabs for this performance are available in the current issue of Guitar World (Dec-26), out now. Buy direct here: https://www.magazinesdirect.com/us/gu...

Find Joe on socials:
Instagram: joebonamassa
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0:00 Intro Performance
0:40 Joe's 1967 Fender Jaguar
1:05 The switches and controls
2:10 The original Manny's receipt
2:45 Custom colors and the 1967 chart
3:13 Why Joe collects Jaguars
4:07 Fender's 1960s lineup
4:43 The Jaguar tremolo
5:36 Surf's up

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20 Comments

@TheDrunkenScoundrel 2 days ago

Favorite and most underrated single coil pickup.

@bif3578 1 day ago

When set up correctly, a Jaguar produces a sound that is so deep and complex...but that good setup, including shimming the perfect neck angle, is absolutely key. You have to live with it a while, and commit to it, to get the proper touch with the short scale. Clean or dirty, the sound is so rich--and I LOVE that trem!

@davidsummerville351 2 days ago

Thank you for taking the time to do this episode.

@rcameron4091 2 days ago

Recently discovered what you can do with a Jag and I am loving it for certain recordings

@Briarpipeandcoffee 1 day ago

I think of Rowland S. Howard. To me The Birthday Party shows you how it's done.

@jensenhealey08 2 hours ago

Bought my 65 Jaguar from Manny's in 1973 for $100. It was in a state, basically a pawn shop condition. Over the next few years I renovated myself returning to original as best I could, and I still have it.

@rjrguitar 2 days ago (edited)

Of the Fender solid bodies per 1967, I believe the Jaguar was the top-of-the line as far as price (three metal control plates, metal pickup shields, as well as that snazzy mute), then the Jazzmaster, Stratocaster, Telecaster, etc.

@scaredypicker 1 day ago

I’ve got an American one that took me a long time to save for. It’s the best guitar I own

@billmccormack3048 2 days ago (edited)

I had a very old white one in about 1970, got it second hand from a muso who had it heavily modified the same as Lobby Loyd’s Jaguar. Lobby used to play with Billy Thorpe very loud. They were into heavier music. Underneath the pick guard it had had earthed thin copper plate shielding installed in all the crevices and copper shielding under the pick guard, all wiring was also shielded, the switch functions rewired. It did not feed back at high volume, except it was capable of controlled feedback as a result. Interestingly it mostly stayed very much in tune

@Johngonefishin 1 day ago

Carl Wilson in the Beach Boys set the bar high for Jaguar tone.

@Ethos_AB763 2 days ago

I love the jangle of my 2008 62’ Jaguar RI! If only I had a blond Dual Showman and reverb tank to go with it!

@mensch45 13 hours ago

and the ARCH floor lamp -- both classics!

@stephennew140 1 day ago (edited)

That sound (particularly towards the end of the video) is a sound that I've chased as a guitar player. (Primarily a Strat/Tele player). Rest in peace James Calvin Wilsey and thank you Joe Bonamassa.

@Tonetwisters 2 days ago

GREAT tones! I know these are capable of big sounds, but no body ever seems to know how to get them!!

@davidpggarrett 1 day ago

Strats and Teles are all well and good, but where would we be without the Jaguar and the beautiful tones of the Jazzmaster?

@rob_t_june24 12 hours ago

The controls always seemed complicated. Thanks for sharing Joe! 😎

@DrewLindholm 15 hours ago

My absolute dream guitar. Take good care of her Joe, you always have the coolest stuff

@kennywilkinson9270 19 hours ago

Hearing Joe play clean with lush verbs is soooooo lovely. Enough of the distortion in vidz. We all know that high gain heavy mid range sound. It’s great. Clean tones are like the guitar being naked. Distortions are like Halloween costumes!