I'm Oda, in charge of electric guitars!
We’ve just received several vintage Fender Jaguars!
What’s more, we’ve miraculously managed to gather three models from the same period (1965–66) that feature different specifications.
These vintage guitars are already extremely rare, and opportunities to compare them side-by-side like this are few and far between, so I’d like to introduce them while highlighting their differences.
First, let’s start with the history of the Fender Jaguar.
In the 1950s, Fender introduced the Telecaster, followed by the Stratocaster. Having gained status and fame with these two models despite being a newcomer to the instrument industry, Fender developed a new product to break into the jazz market, which was dominated at the time by Gibson and Epiphone.
In 1958, the Jazzmaster was released, as its name suggests, targeting jazz guitarists. While it ultimately failed to win over the conservative jazz guitar community, it spread worldwide in the early 1960s alongside the surf music boom and became Fender’s most popular model at the time.
The Jaguar was developed in response to the Jazzmaster’s success.
The Jaguar was developed in response to requests from surf music guitarists who used the Jazzmaster, such as “the neck scale is too long” and “we want a brighter sound.”
Features inherited from the Jazzmaster include the offset contoured body and floating tremolo unit.
The scale length was changed from the 25 1/2 inches of the Stratocaster and Jazzmaster to 24 inches. Additionally, yokes (metal covers) were added to the pickups to produce a high-output, bright tone, and the pickup selector featured on/off switches for each pickup along with a low-cut switch. Packed with the Jaguar’s unique character, these features were designed to deliver a sharper sound tailored for surf musicians.
From the late 1960s onward, hard rock became a global phenomenon. However, due to its short sustain and other characteristics, the Jaguar was ill-suited for high-gain, distorted guitar solos, and sales gradually declined. Production was ultimately discontinued in 1975.
Later, in the 1990s, the Jaguar returned to the spotlight after being played by artists such as Kurt Cobain of Nirvana and John Frusciante of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Despite having been discontinued once, it continues to enjoy enduring popularity today.
We’ve just received several examples from the Jaguar’s heyday—the 1960s—and we’d like to introduce them to you!
1960s Fender JAGUAR Blonde
This is a 1960s Jaguar with an ash body and an extremely rare Blonde finish.
It is from the final production run before the specification change that introduced binding on the sides of the fingerboard. Although the “
” logo is a re-applied decal, it features Black Bobbin pickups and 1962-era pots.
1966 Fender JAGUAR Olympic White
This is a “Bind-Dot” period model, featuring binding on the sides of the fingerboard and dot position markers.
Although the tuning machines, bridge, and the capacitor for the front preset tone control have been replaced, the “Bind Dot” period—which lasted only from late 1965 through mid-1966—is extremely short, making this a highly sought-after and rare specification.
1966 Fender JAGUAR 3-Tone Sunburst
Starting in mid-1966, the model was updated to feature block position marks, and production continued with this specification until 1974.
This particular guitar dates from immediately after the specification change and strongly retains the characteristics of the mid-1960s sunburst finish, with its reddish hue having faded.
For Fender, the years 1965–66 marked a transitional period following the company’s acquisition by CBS, during which specifications were revised across various models.
The Jaguar was no exception.
Now, let’s take a look at this miraculous collection of Jaguars and compare them part by part!
[Binding/Fret Markers]
[60s Blonde Ash]
No binding, dot position markers (final period before specification changes)
['66 Olympic White]
A model from the period known as the “bind-dot” era, spanning from late 1965 to mid-1966
['66 3TS]
The dot position markings were changed to block position markings starting in mid-'66, and production continued with this specification until manufacturing was discontinued in '74.
[Neck Plate]
[60s Blonde Ash]
Features a 5-digit serial number stamp with no “F” stamp.
['66 Olympic White]
6-digit serial number with an "F" stamp.
['66 3TS]
Likewise, the 6-digit serial number has an “F” stamp.
[Tuners]
[60s Blonde Ash]
It’s hard to make out due to rust, but these are the single-line Kluson tuners used until 1963.
['66 3TS]
F-key 1st ver. These tuners were used from mid-'66 through '71.
[Pickguard]
['60s Blonde Ash]
Tortoiseshell/White/Black/White
4-ply celluloid
['66 Olympic White]
Tortoiseshell/White/Black/White
4-ply; black layer only is celluloid, other layers are vinyl chloride
['66 3TS]
Tortoiseshell/White/Black/White
4-ply; only the black layer is celluloid, the other layers are vinyl chloride
[Hard Case]
[60s BlondeAsh]
A brown Tolex case used from around 1962.
This is the 2nd version, as the central metal fitting is located outside the handle.
The interior lining is a slightly reddish-orange color.
['66 OlympicWhite]
A black Tolex case featuring the Fender logo.
The case was changed to black Tolex around 1964.
What did you think?
It’s typical of the 1965–66 period to see such significant differences based on just a one-year variation in production dates.
Which Jaguar is your favorite?
Oda