Review: Fender Player II Jaguar

Fender are back with the new iteration of their beloved Player series, a collection of instruments featuring classic looks, tremendous feel and plenty of modern upgrades under the hood. With an array of classy new features at the same accessible price point, the Player II series retains everything that made the original collection so popular, whilst making some notable improvements. 

The Fender Jaguar was introduced in 1962 as a top-of-the-line evolution of the Jazzmaster. Laden with features, the Jaguar was intended as a premium instrument designed for professional musicians and thanks to its uniquely bright sound, found a home amongst the emerging surf scene of the day. Whilst it initially didn’t reach the popularity of the Telecaster or Stratocaster, it eventually had a massive resurgence in the alternative scene of the 1990s, finding its way into the hands of players such as John Squire, Kurt Cobain, Kevin Shields and J Mascis.

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The key reason as to why the Jaguar is so beloved by indie rock artists is the wide ranging sonic options created by its bridge construction. The bridge and vibrato arm of the Jaguar produces a large amount of sympathetic resonance due to the long length of string between the bridge and the tailpiece. By strumming or plucking the strings behind the bridge, a unique and highly recognisable chiming effect can be utilised, something that artists like Sonic Youth incorporated into their sound. 

Fender Jaguar

The Player II Fender Jaguar embodies everything we have come to love about the guitar that defined the surf and indie genres. With its iconic offset body, dual single-coil pickups, long vibrato arm and highly versatile tone, the Jaguar oozes 60s cool and this new model is no exception. Like all the Player II series, the Player II Jaguar is available in a suite of brand new, never-before-seen colours inspired by vintage automobiles, with the Jaguar specifically being available in Aquatone Blue, Hialeah Yellow, Polar White, Coral Red and old favourite 3-Colour Sunburst.

Fender have gone above and beyond to ensure the Player II series exhibits the timeless look we all know and love. Compared to the original Player collection, the Player II series features a darker tint on the neck and headstock and a warmer aged-white colour for the pickups and controls, giving these instruments a more upmarket, lived-in look that guitarists will love. Other notable improvements to the Player II series include real rosewood fretboards, vintage, Kluson-style machine heads (with improved modern gear ratios) and upgraded Mustang bridge saddles. 

The Player II Jaguar feels unbelievably comfortable in the hands. Its short 24” scale length gives it a super slinky feel and provides a plethora of benefits. Short scale lengths produce lower string tension, are more elastic, easier to fret and require less arm extension, freeing you up to play with gloriously unrestricted ferocity. Another factor lending itself to the Player II Jaguar’s incredibly smooth feel is that its beautiful rosewood fretboard has rolled edges, an ultra-comfortable premium feature that really elevates this guitar and the whole Player II collection. 

Rosewood fretboard

Rolled edges aren’t the only exciting thing about this fretboard however, not only is Fender’s beloved dark rosewood tonewood back, but it’s a slab-board, not a veneer. For those uninitiated, Fender’s original rosewood fretboards introduced in 1959 were a thick, solid piece of rosewood. This lasted until 1962 when Fender shifted to a thinner, curved veneer style for their rosewood boards that die-hards claim has a less impressive look and perhaps a slightly less meaty sound. Whether this change did in fact have any tonal impact is up for debate but what is undeniable is that the slab has a certain luxurious vintage charm that is exciting to have access to at this price-point. 

The maple neck on this model is a thick, full modern C-shape that Fender fans will feel very at home with and is finished in an ultra-smooth satin urethane. With a modern 9.5” radius, 1.650” nut width and 22 medium-jumbo frets, this Jag has all the contemporary ergonomic features of a current Fender despite its retro aesthetic. Compared to the original Jaguar’s multitude of somewhat convoluted switching options, the Player II Jaguar has a stripped back circuit that working musicians who favour ease of use will appreciate. Featuring simply a master tone, master volume and a three-way selector for its dual pickups, this delightfully straightforward guitar has everything it needs and nothing it doesn’t. 

As compared to its predecessor, the Jazzmaster, Jaguar pickups are taller, narrower and have a much hotter sound. Uniquely, Jaguar pickups are surrounded by their signature notched metal claws that reduce hum and concentrate the magnetic field under the strings, giving the Jaguar its singular surfy tone. The Player II Jaguar features an Alnico V pickup in the bridge and an Alnico II pickup in the neck for maximum tonal versatility, creating a wealth of sonic possibilities firmly rooted in its historically unique timbre. 

In the bridge position, the Player II Jag has a bright, plucky sound with a tight, controlled bottom end and an aggressive edge. Set clean with a little compression and you’ve got Frusciante’s classic “Under The Bridge” sound. Set dirty with a generous amount of reverb and you’re riding the wave of 60s surf in all its glory. In the neck position, the Alnico II magnet provides a full, warm tone whilst retaining a glassy top end, perfect for a myriad of uses from jazzy cleans to warm, sustaining leads. The middle position provides a fantastic balance between the bright, edgy bridge and smooth neck sounds with plenty of midrange growl. 

Whether you’re ready to upgrade to a stage-worthy instrument for the first time, expand your sonic palette or are already a rabid Jaguar collector, the Player II Jaguar is an excellent choice. With timeless retro looks, modern functionality and endless mojo, this iteration of the Jaguar perfectly encapsulates why this unique guitar is so beloved across so many genres and why despite its slow rise to prominence, it’s not going anywhere.

For local enquiries, visit Fender Music Australia.