Fender Pawn Shop Reverse Jaguar

[thegom]

Hi

Has anyone played one of these? Looks like the perfect heavy rock bass and I'd love the medium scale. However I am not so sure about the limited upper register access. If you have played the Jag - which fret can you realistically reach and play half way easily? Any comments and opinions welcome.

Regards
C.A.

[Cosmo Valdemar]

Saw one hanging on the wall at Guitar Guitar but didn't try it - it looks like a complete design disaster to me.

[thegom]

Yeah, design is certainly a bit special. Unfortunately there are not a lot decent quality mid price 32'' basses out there so can't be too picky about the design...

[cocco]

[quote name='thegom' timestamp='1353421180' post='1874767']
Yeah, design is certainly a bit special. Unfortunately there are not a lot decent quality mid price 32'' basses out there so can't be too picky about the design...
[/quote]

I doubt it's particularly well put together. Why 32" out of curiosity?

[thegom]

[quote name='cocco' timestamp='1353425664' post='1874811']
I doubt it's particularly well put together. Why 32" out of curiosity?
[/quote]

I consider to move to 32'' or even 30''. Mainly because short/medium scale is so nice and easy to play.

[Cosmo Valdemar]

[quote name='thegom' timestamp='1353421180' post='1874767']
Yeah, design is certainly a bit special. Unfortunately there are not a lot decent quality mid price 32'' basses out there so can't be too picky about the design...
[/quote]

'Special' is putting it mildly...
Didn't realise it was a 32" scale though.

[ahpook]

special ?

should be called 'porn shop', it's that f**ked up.

[mckendrick]

[quote name='thegom' timestamp='1353426592' post='1874821']
I consider to move to 32'' or even 30''. Mainly because short/medium scale is so nice and easy to play.
[/quote]
Have you considered the MIJ 'Smart Size' Jazz Bass....?

[url="http://www.fenderjapan.co.jp/jb62ss.html"]http://www.fenderjapan.co.jp/jb62ss.html[/url]

[thegom]

[quote name='ahpook' timestamp='1353501602' post='1875223']
special ?

should be called 'porn shop', it's that f**ked up.
[/quote]

The design obviously does not get a lot of luv...

[thegom]

[quote name='mckendrick' timestamp='1353504897' post='1875299']
Have you considered the MIJ 'Smart Size' Jazz Bass....?

[url="http://www.fenderjapan.co.jp/jb62ss.html"]http://www.fenderjap....jp/jb62ss.html[/url]

[/quote]

These are beautiful, but seems quite difficult to get one in the UK...

[Wooks79]

One on the for sale forum here if I'm not mistaken?

[Lfalex v1.1]

I'd just like to thank everyone for NOT posting pictures of this monstrosity.
I Googled it, and.... OH! My eyes!

Meanwhile, in the Fender/Squier HQ:
[i]"What do you mean we've got 100,000 too many lefty precision body blanks?!"[/i]

[i]"'S alright boss! We'll just make some backwards scratchplates, move the controls to the other side and.... BINGO! Precision Reverse Special FSR non-closet-classic BBOT editions will reign supreme!"[/i]

[Steve G]

so this is basically a lefty body fitted out for a right hander?

[JimD]

I think it'd be an ace bass (if you were a lefty).

[mckendrick]

[quote name='Steve G' timestamp='1353510418' post='1875405']
so this is basically a lefty body fitted out for a right hander?
[/quote]
Not if you consider the routing has been done from the top - it's exactly what it says on the tin: a right hander, but cut in reverse.

[joegarcia]

As someone who can only play on top of the fretboard I think it looks awesome. Bet it has terrible neck dive though.

[thegom]

The bass looks a bit strange when you see it just on its own, but for whatever reason it looks quite cool when played, have a look : http://youtube.com/watch?v=ZtwRIPulbKQ

[Wylie]

I'm trying to imagine tuning it ... the left hand goes over, under ... around??

[rednose200]

Another bullshit bass from Fender. They seem determined to put as many existing shapes into every format possible to try and sell a few more basses: the not insignificantly priced 'Dusty Hill' to mention one. Cant see the resale price of one of these amounting to much. Not a snowflakes chance in hell of me ever getting something like this, but its your hard earned folding stuff at the end of the day man.

[Delberthot]

The guy in the vid is hardly selling it to me with the crappy plectrum tone

[razze06]

I've tried one of these in a shop today, and it's not half bad to play! The neck is really slim and fast and makes you want to play it. The tone is rather aggressive and high-middy, with a satisfying clang and honk (if you're into that kind of thing). I find it quite responsive to different levels of attack with your fingers, but it's not terribly good for subtle stuff. I think it works very well for a lot of rock and punk and new wave stuff, and with the tone rolled off, a lot of softer stuff becomes possible again. Regarding upper register access, I can only sparsely comment, as that's not my usual fare. I tried a bit crappy soloing, and I could get to the 14/15th fret on the G quite easily, but not much more than that.

In short, I like it and I'm considering getting one. I don't have a bass with that bright attack and rock tone, and I like "different looking" basses

[Wil]

I actually think it doesnt look bad at all, although I think it'd look way better with the headstock the right way up. It's a bit thunderbirdy.

[neepheid]

I tried one in a shop a few weeks back. Not impressed. Anything above about the 15th fret is completely off limits (some might say that's a good point ) - there's no attempt to contour the cutaway - it is literally an upside down body, so your hand is presented with a wall of wood beyond which you can't even stretch over. Even on the Thunderbird the wings are thinner than the central block of the body so there's a bit less wood to get your hand to stretch/lean over. Sound was meh, heard it before, it was merely perfunctory, didn't grab me at all. I wasn't put through the best of amps to be fair, but when the input signal is good, the character will show through. My Gibson Victory Artist managed to sound authoritative and meaty through my old 30W Laney practice amp, so there you go. I thought the reverse Jag sounded ordinary, very little character to the sound. Basically, it's a lefty Jaguar bass ruined as far as I'm concerned. The Cabronita P I bought later that day absolutely destroyed it for sound and playability.

[razze06]

Fair enough, I'm going to try it again through one of my amps to see if it actually is any good. I find the shape and upper fret access to be completely irrelevant to my style of playing, as I don't like to play up there. I still think the neck is really nice and makes you want to play it

[uncle psychosis]

[quote name='Wil' timestamp='1376494415' post='2174869']
I actually think it doesnt look bad at all, although I think it'd look way better with the headstock the right way up. It's a bit thunderbirdy.
[/quote]

My thoughts too. Turn the headstock the right way up and I'd really like it.