Reg18 wrote:Figure this is good thread to get people’s opinions on the Jag on TM.
Are the CIJ pickups ok?
Does anyone know what radius the necks are on those?
https://www.trademe.co.nz/1572845263
Shame about the chip in the neck binding on that one. Otherwise it looks like a nice guitar.
As for specs/features: 7.25" radius, vintage-size frets. Pickups are OK, but not wax-potted and thus are microphonic (that doesn't bother me, but it does bother a lot of people). The electronics are noisy, with phantom buzzes and crackles when you touch certain parts of the guitar (happens on every CIJ jag I've tried, because they aren't properly shielded and grounded from the factory). Tremolo unit is junk, plan to swap that out with an American one if you ever want to use the trem.
Japanese jags have very cheap-looking, thin chrome plates that are not the same size as the American ones, and thus you can't swap American ones in without drilling new screw holes.
If I bought one I'd pay a luthier to re-wire and properly shield the whole thing, with better pickups. And a new tremolo unit. Maybe a new bridge too. But after you spend all the money on that you could have just bought an American Jag in the first place (with a nice nitro finish and G&G hardcase), so it's not really worth it.
I've owned several Japanese jags, but sold them all. The American ones are so much better for not a whole lot more money. Among all the Japanese Fenders, I think the Jags are the worst in comparison to their American counterparts.