Decent Jazzmaster and Jaguar Copies

Whale_Lover

Joined: May 14, 2010
Posts: 34
Wilmington, DE

Posted on May 14 2010 02:03 PM

Hey

I was wondering if anybody knows of or played any good Jazzmaster and/or jaguar copies. Don't have the bills to buy a real fender just yet and im looking for something to get me by. price range is 350 or below.

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Staredge

Joined: Sep 27, 2008
Posts: 1149
Damascus, Maryland
2 Calendar Pins

Posted on May 14 2010 02:05 PM

Guitar Fetish has Xaviere copies. Not sure of the quality. Heard ok things about them over on Harmony Central though. I've considered trying one.

—

Will

"You're done, once you're a surfer you're done. You're in. It's like the mob or something. You're not getting out." - Kelly Slater

The Luau Cinders

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Whale_Lover

Joined: May 14, 2010
Posts: 34
Wilmington, DE

Posted on May 14 2010 02:15 PM

wow they look promising!

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Icetech

Joined: Dec 16, 2006
Posts: 892
Macomb Mich

Posted on May 14 2010 10:35 PM

man.. for 209 is hard to not just get one to try.. i have to just break down and get a JM.. looking at cheap copies is always just gonna disappoint in the end:(

—

I wanna play just like him when i grow up...

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LHR

Joined: Aug 23, 2006
Posts: 2123
The jungle
Costa Rica

Posted on May 15 2010 01:12 AM

Icetech
man.. for 209 is hard to not just get one to try.. i have to just break down and get a JM.. looking at cheap copies is always just gonna disappoint in the end:(

Man, I don't know about that. The XAVIERE trem is good. The body is alder. It accepts a Fender neck. The pickups are standard sized P-90 clones. And initial reports have been quite favorable.

Anyhow, I have a cheap Indian-made Strat copy that has changed my opinion of just how good a cheapo can be: the Squier Classic Vibe '60s Stratocaster.

—

SSIV

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Whale_Lover

Joined: May 14, 2010
Posts: 34
Wilmington, DE

Posted on May 17 2010 11:57 PM

I actually owned a squier classic vibe at one point and it was indeed awesome. yet i eventually traded it for an epi les paul.

But now i want a strat again and these xaviere copies look great (and half the price of the squier!)

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Whale_Lover

Joined: May 14, 2010
Posts: 34
Wilmington, DE

Posted on May 19 2010 07:10 PM

In addition, many people are saying that the xavieres are better then most MiM fender strats.

i want a surf green strat with a maple neck, should i get an xaviere or spend more on the MiM classic 50's strat?

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Richard

Joined: Mar 02, 2006
Posts: 1683
Georgia
United States

Posted on May 19 2010 07:42 PM

The Classic Series Strats are nice and a cut above the standard MIM's in my opinion. They are not cheap though.

—

The Mystery Men?
El Capitan and The Reluctant Sadists
SSS Agent #31

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surfgtrnut

Joined: Dec 26, 2008
Posts: 122
Binghamton, NY
5 Download Pins

Posted on May 19 2010 09:46 PM

I have a Stagg jag copy that is great guitar, less than $200. It is not a jag even through it looks like one. It plays more like a Strat, it had 3 Strat copy pickups. 5 way switch, & 25 & 1/2 scale. I did put real custom shop 66 jaguar pickups in it. Not really a jag but it does have the look.You can see a video of me playing it on You Tube under the Twang Twisters. Another good jag copy is the Aria 1532t it really does have the jag tone, and jag scale, cheap to buy, but hard to find.

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ozboomer

Joined: Sep 27, 2006
Posts: 80
Blackburn, Australia

Posted on Jul 03 2010 09:29 AM

I've been going through this exercise for the last few months and there are (almost) hundreds of copies in the Jazzmaster/Jaguar style about.

If you want to do your own/additional research, I found a couple of useful references that gave me some good pointers:
* The Strat Monger - has a good listing of guitar manufacturers (as well as amplifiers, etc)

The 'Official' list of offset guitars and basses (old list) and the topic Add to our OSG List of Offsets (current updated list) from the Offset Guitar Forums - has an ever-growing list of 'all'(?) offset-waist guitars, both current and historicalFor me, I've narrowed things down to the following (but purely for a Jazzmaster style of thing - I find the short scale length on the Jaguars too awkward to play):

Agile (where?)
Argus

Alden (Korea)
Jazz Caster

Alden (Korea)
Surf Master

Jay Turser (USA?)
SurfMaster

Hodson (UK)
Jazzcat

Hodson (UK)
Jazzcat Deluxe

J&D (Taiwan)
JM-40 Junglemaster

Malden (USA)
Liquid

Tuscany (Italy)
Surf

Xaviere (USA)
XV-JT40

Now, some of these are not available, the manufacturers will not distribute in/ship to Australia, the prices are not much better than a MIJ Jazzmaster (which we can buy down here), etc, etc.

So, the status of each of these, in summary:

Agile Argus: US$399 @ Rondo
Alden Guitars: Can't find anyone stocking them
Jay Turser SurfMaster
:
US$250
@ Music Land Central
Hodson Jazzcat (or Deluxe): ~GBP315 = US$460 (used)
J&D Junglemaster: Not available... but maybe US$169 @ FretCity, Canada
Malden Liquid: US$370 from Malden
Tuscany Surf: 459 Euros = US$555 from Tuscany
Xaviere XV-JT40: US$209 from Guitar Fetish
I'm still working-out what to do... but it's tending to look like the highlighted items will be my only choices, with the Xaviere being the most likely, as they'll also ship in a hard case (extra minor $$$). So, I'm pushing all my spare change into the "Guitar Fund Money Box"....!

HTH...

—

I'm as free from money as a frog is from feathers

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andreuthegiant

Joined: May 27, 2007
Posts: 254
Madrid, Spain

Posted on Jul 04 2010 11:32 AM

Why do all these copies have such a horrible headstock?

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morphball

Joined: Dec 23, 2008
Posts: 3324
Pittsboro, NC
United States

Posted on Jul 04 2010 06:30 PM

andreuthegiant
Why do all these copies have such a horrible headstock?

Cloning the body is usually okay, but start cloning the headstocks and you've got lawsuits.

—

Mike
http://www.youtube.com/morphballio

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estreet

Joined: Mar 17, 2007
Posts: 839
United Kingdom
1 POTD Pin

Posted on Jul 04 2010 09:03 PM

My 80s CIJ Fender Jag only cost me second-hand about what you say your budget is. It's great . Have they shot up in price in the US?.

Just checked your e-bay .... wow they really have haven't they? Bought mine a couple of years ago for about 300GBP - which isn't far off 350$ these days.

—

http://www.myspace.com/thepashuns

Youth and enthusiasm are no match for age and treachery.

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garyb

Joined: Feb 07, 2010
Posts: 43
Minnesota- Nordic Surf land

Posted on Jul 11 2010 04:04 AM

How about a Squier Jagmaster???

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Icetech

Joined: Dec 16, 2006
Posts: 892
Macomb Mich

Posted on Jul 11 2010 09:58 AM

I think the headstock looks find on those.. The fender headstock is butt ugly for sure.. nothing special in its own right;)

—

I wanna play just like him when i grow up...

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surfin_bird

Joined: Jun 09, 2009
Posts: 267
Amstelveen [The Netherlands]

Posted on Jul 11 2010 11:25 AM

I own a 50's MIM daphne blue strat, and when I bought it beat all the USA strats I played !

—

Member of the league of banana yamaha's !

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Whale_Lover Joined: May 14, 2010 Posts: 34 Wilmington, DE	Posted on May 14 2010 02:03 PM Hey I was wondering if anybody knows of or played any good Jazzmaster and/or jaguar copies. Don't have the bills to buy a real fender just yet and im looking for something to get me by. price range is 350 or below. Top
Staredge Joined: Sep 27, 2008 Posts: 1149 Damascus, Maryland	Posted on May 14 2010 02:05 PM Guitar Fetish has Xaviere copies. Not sure of the quality. Heard ok things about them over on Harmony Central though. I've considered trying one. — Will "You're done, once you're a surfer you're done. You're in. It's like the mob or something. You're not getting out." - Kelly Slater The Luau Cinders Top
Whale_Lover Joined: May 14, 2010 Posts: 34 Wilmington, DE	Posted on May 14 2010 02:15 PM wow they look promising! Top
Icetech Joined: Dec 16, 2006 Posts: 892 Macomb Mich	Posted on May 14 2010 10:35 PM man.. for 209 is hard to not just get one to try.. i have to just break down and get a JM.. looking at cheap copies is always just gonna disappoint in the end:( — I wanna play just like him when i grow up... Top
LHR Joined: Aug 23, 2006 Posts: 2123 The jungle	Posted on May 15 2010 01:12 AM Icetech man.. for 209 is hard to not just get one to try.. i have to just break down and get a JM.. looking at cheap copies is always just gonna disappoint in the end:( Man, I don't know about that. The XAVIERE trem is good. The body is alder. It accepts a Fender neck. The pickups are standard sized P-90 clones. And initial reports have been quite favorable. Anyhow, I have a cheap Indian-made Strat copy that has changed my opinion of just how good a cheapo can be: the Squier Classic Vibe '60s Stratocaster. — SSIV Top
Whale_Lover Joined: May 14, 2010 Posts: 34 Wilmington, DE	Posted on May 17 2010 11:57 PM I actually owned a squier classic vibe at one point and it was indeed awesome. yet i eventually traded it for an epi les paul. But now i want a strat again and these xaviere copies look great (and half the price of the squier!) Top
Whale_Lover Joined: May 14, 2010 Posts: 34 Wilmington, DE	Posted on May 19 2010 07:10 PM In addition, many people are saying that the xavieres are better then most MiM fender strats. i want a surf green strat with a maple neck, should i get an xaviere or spend more on the MiM classic 50's strat? Top
Richard Joined: Mar 02, 2006 Posts: 1683 Georgia	Posted on May 19 2010 07:42 PM The Classic Series Strats are nice and a cut above the standard MIM's in my opinion. They are not cheap though. — The Mystery Men? El Capitan and The Reluctant Sadists SSS Agent #31 Top
surfgtrnut Joined: Dec 26, 2008 Posts: 122 Binghamton, NY	Posted on May 19 2010 09:46 PM I have a Stagg jag copy that is great guitar, less than $200. It is not a jag even through it looks like one. It plays more like a Strat, it had 3 Strat copy pickups. 5 way switch, & 25 & 1/2 scale. I did put real custom shop 66 jaguar pickups in it. Not really a jag but it does have the look.You can see a video of me playing it on You Tube under the Twang Twisters. Another good jag copy is the Aria 1532t it really does have the jag tone, and jag scale, cheap to buy, but hard to find. Top
ozboomer Joined: Sep 27, 2006 Posts: 80 Blackburn, Australia	Posted on Jul 03 2010 09:29 AM I've been going through this exercise for the last few months and there are (almost) hundreds of copies in the Jazzmaster/Jaguar style about. If you want to do your own/additional research, I found a couple of useful references that gave me some good pointers: * The Strat Monger - has a good listing of guitar manufacturers (as well as amplifiers, etc) The 'Official' list of offset guitars and basses (old list) and the topic Add to our OSG List of Offsets (current updated list) from the Offset Guitar Forums - has an ever-growing list of 'all'(?) offset-waist guitars, both current and historicalFor me, I've narrowed things down to the following (but purely for a Jazzmaster style of thing - I find the short scale length on the Jaguars too awkward to play): Agile (where?) Argus Alden (Korea) Jazz Caster Alden (Korea) Surf Master Jay Turser (USA?) SurfMaster Hodson (UK) Jazzcat Hodson (UK) Jazzcat Deluxe J&D (Taiwan) JM-40 Junglemaster Malden (USA) Liquid Tuscany (Italy) Surf Xaviere (USA) XV-JT40 Now, some of these are not available, the manufacturers will not distribute in/ship to Australia, the prices are not much better than a MIJ Jazzmaster (which we can buy down here), etc, etc. So, the status of each of these, in summary: Agile Argus: US$399 @ Rondo Alden Guitars: Can't find anyone stocking them Jay Turser SurfMaster : US$250 @ Music Land Central Hodson Jazzcat (or Deluxe): ~GBP315 = US$460 (used) J&D Junglemaster: Not available... but maybe US$169 @ FretCity, Canada Malden Liquid: US$370 from Malden Tuscany Surf: 459 Euros = US$555 from Tuscany Xaviere XV-JT40: US$209 from Guitar Fetish I'm still working-out what to do... but it's tending to look like the highlighted items will be my only choices, with the Xaviere being the most likely, as they'll also ship in a hard case (extra minor $$$). So, I'm pushing all my spare change into the "Guitar Fund Money Box"....! HTH... — I'm as free from money as a frog is from feathers Top
andreuthegiant Joined: May 27, 2007 Posts: 254 Madrid, Spain	Posted on Jul 04 2010 11:32 AM Why do all these copies have such a horrible headstock? Top
morphball Joined: Dec 23, 2008 Posts: 3324 Pittsboro, NC	Posted on Jul 04 2010 06:30 PM andreuthegiant Why do all these copies have such a horrible headstock? Cloning the body is usually okay, but start cloning the headstocks and you've got lawsuits. — Mike http://www.youtube.com/morphballio Top
estreet Joined: Mar 17, 2007 Posts: 839 United Kingdom	Posted on Jul 04 2010 09:03 PM My 80s CIJ Fender Jag only cost me second-hand about what you say your budget is. It's great . Have they shot up in price in the US?. Just checked your e-bay .... wow they really have haven't they? Bought mine a couple of years ago for about 300GBP - which isn't far off 350$ these days. — http://www.myspace.com/thepashuns Youth and enthusiasm are no match for age and treachery. Top
garyb Joined: Feb 07, 2010 Posts: 43 Minnesota- Nordic Surf land	Posted on Jul 11 2010 04:04 AM How about a Squier Jagmaster??? Top
Icetech Joined: Dec 16, 2006 Posts: 892 Macomb Mich	Posted on Jul 11 2010 09:58 AM I think the headstock looks find on those.. The fender headstock is butt ugly for sure.. nothing special in its own right;) — I wanna play just like him when i grow up... Top
surfin_bird Joined: Jun 09, 2009 Posts: 267 Amstelveen [The Netherlands]	Posted on Jul 11 2010 11:25 AM I own a 50's MIM daphne blue strat, and when I bought it beat all the USA strats I played ! — Member of the league of banana yamaha's ! Top

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Decent Jazzmaster and Jaguar Copies