Orbitolina
Joined: Mar 24, 2019
Posts: 16
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Posted on Mar 24 2019 02:59 PM
I own a telecaster that's been a family hand-down. I'm learning to play on it but it's not my favourite as my fingers/hands are rather small for it's huge, thick neck and the body has an uncomfortable shape/balance when sitting, which is what I usually do. Ehm.. and my boobs are a bit in the way to be honest. Short upper body length... Well, I'm overall rather small and look tiny when trying to hold this guitar.
I love surf, but also 60s garage, old-school punk, alternative pop, bit of jazz and finally want to have a guitar that I really love.
Well, I'm basically in the middle of nowhere here and will likely have to order online, which isn't ideal. That's why I need your help. I found a Squier Jaguar here and really loved the thin neck and the shape. So I guess I'm on to something. What really confuses me though is that the nut width is apparently bigger than of my monster Tele (just under 4cm).
So where do I go from here? Which guitars should I consider? I could probably spend up to 600 Euro new or second hand. Short scale, not too heavy and not too big/thick offset body. Neck shape suitable for bending. Also open to something very odd or a very cheap one that requires some work, like replacing pickups or pubs.
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Stoopy
Joined: Dec 27, 2012
Posts: 110
Ex SoCal -> Gainesville VA
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Posted on Mar 24 2019 03:19 PM
If you haven't already, you might want to take a good look at Fender Mustang and Squire Cyclone type models, they kinda sound like they could really fit the bill for ya.
There's a version with P90-style pickups even that could be quite good for styles/genres/whatevers besides, or in addition to, Surf:
Link to Sweetwater ad FYI
Also see DuoSonic HSS if so inclined
— Member in good standing, Mentone Beach Syncopation Reverberation Association
Last edited: Mar 24, 2019 15:42:12
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SilverFlash
Joined: Jul 14, 2015
Posts: 472
Near Atlanta, GA
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Posted on Mar 24 2019 03:48 PM
Welcome to the SurfGuitar101 forum, Orbitolina.
Along the same lines as the Mustang and Cyclone, I'll mention my new Fender Duo Sonic HS. I'm loving it, and the single-coil neck pickup and humbucking bridge pickup with coil-split capability makes it very versatile.
Here's my post about it:
https://surfguitar101.com/forums/topic/31780/?page=1#p425066
Click here for more information from the Fender Site.
— -Tim
MyYouTubeChannel
My Classic Instrumental Surf Music Timeline
SSS Agent #777
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Orbitolina
Joined: Mar 24, 2019
Posts: 16
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Posted on Mar 24 2019 03:55 PM
Hey, thanks a lot! I've never heard of Squier Cyclone guitars. Ah, they seem to be 24.75 inches, which I'm not sure is as useful to me as a 24 scale inch guitar.
I looked at the Mustangs earlier, but for some reason am not really feeling the love. At least the current models look bland, and don't have a trem (uncertain if I want one). Older Mustangs look great, but might be a bit above my budget. I'm also not convinced by the P90s. It depends on how they behave with clean tones. I think either SS, or HS, or HH with coil tap option might be more versatile.
Jags! There's certainly a lot of love there. I'm not sure if I can get a nice one within my budget, or alternatively if the Squiers are of good enough quality and 'small' enough in comparison to a Fender one (hey, you don't know what else is out there until you see it.. which is unlikely for me). And I know the shape fits my sitting position (plus looks really nice). I'd probably need to go up a bit in price though...
Last edited: Mar 24, 2019 15:56:53
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Stoopy
Joined: Dec 27, 2012
Posts: 110
Ex SoCal -> Gainesville VA
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Posted on Mar 24 2019 04:13 PM
My bad, first things first per SilverFlash... welcome to the forum!
You'll likely have no trouble finding conversations here extolling the virtues of Squire Jags vs. Fender Jags. All I can offer is, I own a vintage '63 Jag as well as a very recent Squire Jag. Although there are differences, they are things that take a while to notice as opposed to jumping right out at you. Some are good (9.5" fretboard radius, slightly hotter pickups and a truss rod adjustable at the headstock). Others may be things you'll never miss (no lock on the trem, no mute, modern frets vs. vintage). I'm very happy with mine and find it ultimately "surfable".
Same scale length, same size for both. My Squire is a bit heavier but that varies from guitar to guitar. Either one benefits just the same from a good setup.
— Member in good standing, Mentone Beach Syncopation Reverberation Association
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Orbitolina
Joined: Mar 24, 2019
Posts: 16
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Posted on Mar 24 2019 04:13 PM
SilverFlash wrote:
Welcome to the SurfGuitar101 forum, Orbitolina.
Along the same lines as the Mustang and Cyclone, I'll mention my new Fender Duo Sonic HS. I'm loving it, and the single-coil neck pickup and humbucking bridge pickup with coil-split capability makes it very versatile.
Here's my post about it:
https://surfguitar101.com/forums/topic/31780/?page=1#p425066
Click here for more information from the Fender Site.
Interesting! Thanks a lot for the review. As you also own a Tele can you tell me how it compares with regards to shape? One of the annoyances with my Tele is that I need to angle the neck upwards to play comfortably. But the shape makes it slip off my knee if I do so. The Jaguar felt much better in that respect, probably because the indentation is deeper. And, well.. it might have simply been a case of being able to sit better, but I felt my breasts weren't in the way as much, as if the guitar body was narrower.
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SilverFlash
Joined: Jul 14, 2015
Posts: 472
Near Atlanta, GA
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Posted on Mar 24 2019 05:17 PM
My Tele is a Squier Affinity, and honestly, the necks feel about the same to me, with the Duo-Sonic's being 42 mm vs the Tele at 40.6 mm. I notice more difference in feel from the Duo-Sonic's 24 inch scale, which makes string bending easier, and the much lighter body weight. The Duo-Sonic is also more comfortable, with it's narrower waist and more contoured edges. It's about one inch less wide at the waist, upper and lower body.
I'll offer this tip regarding holding the guitar. I nearly always use a strap, even when sitting. While sitting, I let the strap maintain the position of my guitar, instead of my thigh. I just turn my body slightly to let the guitar hang more along side my thigh than on it. Whether sitting or standing, my guitar is always relatively in the same position.
One last note, while the Duo-Sonic and Jaguar (which I've never owned, but would like to) are both offset guitars, the amount of offset, the distance between the narrowest points of the upper and lower waist, are different. The Jaguar has a greater offset. This may or may not be part of what makes the Jag feel more comfortable to you. (Isn't guitar shopping fun? There are a million small details that can drive you nuts, if you're OCD.)
I hope this helps, and good luck with your shopping.
— -Tim
MyYouTubeChannel
My Classic Instrumental Surf Music Timeline
SSS Agent #777
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shake_n_stomp
Joined: Jan 09, 2014
Posts: 600
Vancouver BC
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Posted on Mar 24 2019 07:43 PM
Regardless of gender, the most important things are tone and comfort/playability. I have seen lots of photos of ladies playing Jaguars so perhaps there is something to its ergonomics.
Just google "kathy marshall jaguar", or "sharon van etten jaguar" for starters.
Traditional Telecaster design does not have "comfort contours" so a lot of people - men and women alike - prefer other guitars or at least modern modified versions of the Tele with some contouring.
— Lorne
The Surf Shakers: https://www.facebook.com/TheSurfShakers
Vancouver BC Canada
Last edited: Mar 24, 2019 19:44:49
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h3dg3h0g
Joined: Jun 27, 2015
Posts: 223
San Francisco East Bay Area
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Posted on Mar 24 2019 11:06 PM
There’s also the Squier Mini Strat weighing in at 22.75” - I love short-scale everything!
— Jonathan the Reverbivore
The Reverbivores
Please check out our latest album The Reverbivores Watch TV!
www.thereverbivores.com
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Redfeather
Joined: Jul 30, 2016
Posts: 854
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Posted on Mar 24 2019 11:13 PM
There's also the Mini-strat as a good option. I was going to suggest the actual Fender one but discovered that it seems to come only as a hardtail.
So.. I think the better bet is Rondo Music. They actually offer a 3/4 size one and a 1/2 size, at 24" and 23" scale length, both with typical strat vibratos. Totally cheap, too! At least on the North America page I'm looking at. Sounds like you're elsewhere but I bet they offer them all over.
Every report on them I've read says that the Rondo strats are well made and a really good deal.
https://www.rondomusic.com/electricguitar.html
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Orbitolina
Joined: Mar 24, 2019
Posts: 16
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Posted on Mar 25 2019 03:05 AM
SilverFlash wrote:
My Tele is a Squier Affinity, and honestly, the necks feel about the same to me, with the Duo-Sonic's being 42 mm vs the Tele at 40.6 mm. I notice more difference in feel from the Duo-Sonic's 24 inch scale, which makes string bending easier, and the much lighter body weight. The Duo-Sonic is also more comfortable, with it's narrower waist and more contoured edges. It's about one inch less wide at the waist, upper and lower body.
I'll offer this tip regarding holding the guitar. I nearly always use a strap, even when sitting. While sitting, I let the strap maintain the position of my guitar, instead of my thigh. I just turn my body slightly to let the guitar hang more along side my thigh than on it. Whether sitting or standing, my guitar is always relatively in the same position.
One last note, while the Duo-Sonic and Jaguar (which I've never owned, but would like to) are both offset guitars, the amount of offset, the distance between the narrowest points of the upper and lower waist, are different. The Jaguar has a greater offset. This may or may not be part of what makes the Jag feel more comfortable to you. (Isn't guitar shopping fun? There are a million small details that can drive you nuts, if you're OCD.)
I hope this helps, and good luck with your shopping.
Hey guys, thanks a lot for all your answers. Catching up now.
thanks a lot for the comparison with the Tele. Mine has one of those early 50s superthick necks (no, not a 50s guitar :wink:) and for me it feels not comfortable at all. I'm sure just having a thinner neck will make a huge difference.
Why no strap.. well.. I've tried it. a normal strap is rather uncomfortable on my slim shoulders, and a thinner one cuts in. Being small sucks! Have to say that I'm in a country where guitars just aren't a thing, and the choice of kit here is rubbish. Think Middle Eastern country. The kind of guitars I like are just not of interest there 
btw, is the Duo-Sonic actually an offset guitar? It looks more like a strat body with different electronics and pickguard.
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Orbitolina
Joined: Mar 24, 2019
Posts: 16
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Posted on Mar 25 2019 03:08 AM
h3dg3h0g wrote:
There’s also the Squier Mini Strat weighing in at 22.75” - I love short-scale everything!
Thanks a lot. That's interesting! I'll have to think about it because.. well.. I don't like the look of strats at all and with the Tele being a hand-down that I'd never chosen I finally want to have a guitar that I love. It's unlikely that I'll find it here, thus I have to decide on ordering it on a whim, or decide on completely ignoring it.
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Orbitolina
Joined: Mar 24, 2019
Posts: 16
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Posted on Mar 25 2019 03:16 AM
Right, I've been surfing the net a bit more after going to bed yesterday. What about a Jag-Stang (love it, but I think it's a 7.25” radius fingerboard, right?). Did Squier build something somewhat similar? Or a cheap Squier Jagmaster as a building project for coil tap, and maybe other pickups for nicer clean sounds if necessary? I adore the looks of the Jazzmaster, but am really looking for a smaller guitar, not another full-scale one.
Other than that I think I really need to search for a Jag, either spend more and go for Fender, or a Squier one. I don't mind what name is on the headstock as long as the guitar plays and sounds great.
Last edited: Mar 25, 2019 03:19:45
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Orbitolina
Joined: Mar 24, 2019
Posts: 16
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Posted on Mar 25 2019 03:18 AM
tripple
Last edited: Mar 25, 2019 03:19:16
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Orbitolina
Joined: Mar 24, 2019
Posts: 16
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Posted on Mar 25 2019 03:18 AM
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edwardsand
Joined: Jun 29, 2018
Posts: 660
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Posted on Mar 25 2019 07:58 AM
Nobody has really mentioned the Squier Vintage Modified Mustang, which I think would be a great option - better than the Squier Bullet HH and cheaper than a Fender model. The Squier VM has the tremolo, which I find works just fine, and you could change it out for a better Fender version without much trouble. The neck has the bigger radius and medium jumbo frets, though I prefer the 7.25" radius and vintage size frets - if you don't like the neck, you can change it out. The stock pickups are fine as well, but you can also change those out. The rest of the components - hardware, electronics, body, etc. - all work fine and I've had no problems with mine.
For the styles of music you like, a Jag would be perfect - I'm also into garage and punk and have played a lot of that type music on my vintage Fender Jaguar (the Mustang works for those genres as well). From what people here have said, the Squier VM Jaguar is a really good instrument - the same things I said about the VM Mustang would apply as well regarding the neck and components. Either Squier you could modify and not worry about impacting its value.
Finally, I don't think a Cyclone would be right for you. I had a Squier Cyclone, which was well-built, but very heavy. It's Mustang shaped, but the body is actually bigger. Plus it has a strat type tremolo, which I am not a fan of.
The Squier Mustang is quite light, the Squier Jaguar would be a bit heavier.
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Orbitolina
Joined: Mar 24, 2019
Posts: 16
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Posted on Mar 25 2019 09:14 AM
Thanks a lot edwardsand for the headsup on the Squier VM Jags and Mustangs. Not too sure about the current colours, but at least the Jags do look nice in black or white.
Yes, I think a Jag would be a very versatile choice for the kind of music I like. I'll have a look at the Squire VM Jaguar that I'd tried in that shop again, and also play it this time (they had no amp set up and panicked when I asked about it  ) to really get a good idea. That one was a sunburst one. I remember how cheap the pickguard looked (like a concrete column painted with a marble pattern  ), but that's something to change.
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Orbitolina
Joined: Mar 24, 2019
Posts: 16
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Posted on Mar 25 2019 02:00 PM
Ok, after some more thinking I might be tending a bit more towards a Squier VM Jag. Provided I find one in a great colour.
What I'm wondering: what's the difference between the VM and the classic vibe Jaguar? I'm not sure if the Fender site is acting up on me, but I always just see either of them, not together 
I kind of have the feeling that what's on offer second-hand might be labeled as a VM, but might as well be another model. Plus of course different vintages. So how do they differ throughout the years?
I think my preferred colour would be Fiesta Red (with red textured pickguard. I think I am that strange), white/red or black/red. Maybe some kind of surf blue/red (notice I like red?)
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horax
Joined: Mar 23, 2011
Posts: 518
colorado springs
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Posted on Mar 25 2019 03:25 PM
the CV jag has a bone nut and different pickups, different body wood (poplar as opposed to basswood), nickel hardware instead of chrome, different inlays (blocks compared to clay dots), has a mustang style bridge instead of the standard jaguar bridge.
Both similar. I have the VM squier and think it's great. Very vintage feeling. Pickups are hotter, though. Needs a real good setup to work correctly. If you are not sure about doing the setup, get the CV. They both go for exactly the same price when the CV becomes avialable in April.
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edwardsand
Joined: Jun 29, 2018
Posts: 660
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Posted on Mar 25 2019 09:22 PM
The Classic Vibe Jaguar seems to have been just recently announced. Other differences are that it has an Indian laurel fretboard and "narrow tall" frets. The pickups are "Fender Designed" instead of "Duncan Designed".
It seems from the Fender site that the CV series may be replacing the VM, so it may be the last chance to buy a new VM model. I'd expect they both would feel and sound very similar.
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