Fender's Jaguar model electric guitar debuted in 1962 and changed gradually throughout the 1960s. I'm a fan of pretty much all Fender Jaguars made in the original Fullerton, California factory before it was shuttered in 1984. However, Fender made a lot of gradual adjustments in the production method and features just like their other guitar models.
Here are two Fender Jaguars from just after the CBS buyout of the Fender company in 1965. While the post-CBS Fenders are certainly different than the pre-CBS guitars, my opinion is that it's a huge mistake to write off post-CBS guitars as inferior. They're different, but loads of fun to play and very much worth the time and effort to get them.
I'm always a vintage Fender guitar buyer but I'm especially looking for Fender Jaguar guitars made in the 1960s and 1970s. You can contact me here to sell a vintage Fender guitar.
Or if you're looking for help dating a Fender Jaguar, check out How to date a Fender Jaguar.
Previous posts:
1966
The CBS era Jaguars are easily spotted by the large block style pearloid fretboard markers which replaced the small dot shaped markers. They're quite striking and I actually dig them. I have room in my collection for clay dots, pearl dots, and large blocks! I hope you do too.
Other changes include an enlarged headstock, thinner layered and sometimes darker colored pickguard, and gradual decline of the nail holes seen in previous guitars. The tuners also changed in late 1965 from Kluson to the F stamped tuners seen throughout the rest of the 1960s and 1970s. Pickup flatwork is often grey colored with a hand signed date of when they were wound. The neck plates are now all the large stylized F plates with no L prefix.
This fabulous example of a 1966 Fender Jaguar is still in amazing original condition. It even has the nail holes in the body which is a pretty rare feature by then. I loved this guitar! But it has since moved on to a better home.
1967
Not much changed between 1966 and 1967. The surge in demand for electric guitars seen in 1965 seemed to tail off a bit by '67, so Fender decreased its output slight to meet demand. 1967 Fender Jaguars are very much the same as the ones from 1966, but there seem to be a bit fewer of them. So few, it seems that I've never had one from 1967! So here's a cool Jaguar with an October of 1966 neck heel date stamp, which means it probably left the factory in 1967. Check out this late 1966 Fender Jaguar in original custom color Black with matching headstock!
