Fender has made a lot of interesting electric guitars over the years, especially in their Vintage Modified series. But now Fender has released a guitar that will appeal to Guitarist’s who are fans of none other than Kurt Cobain! On December 13th, 2013, Fender introduced the new Kurt Cobain Jaguar guitar. Just how similar is this instrument to the one used by Kurt? Let’s take a closer look and find out if this is something you should pick up or pass on.
Starting with the body shape, it’s easy to see that there are some obvious similarities between this guitar and the one used by Kurt Cobain. The body style is undoubtedly based on the famous “JagStang” created by car designer Ford and was actually given to Kurt by Fender. The Kurt Cobain Jaguar has a double-cutaway body made from Alder, just like the JagStang, and it also features a 25.5″ scale length (compared to 24″) and 21 frets.
The neck is where we see the biggest departure from the original JagStang guitar. Kurt’s had a Mustang-shaped Rosewood neck, while this new Kurt Cobain Jaguar has a Maple “C” shape neck with 22 Medium Jumbo frets. This could be seen as a good or bad thing, depending on your preferences. I don’t have any issue with it myself, but some people might the feel of the original neck. The neck is also bolted on, which gives it a bit more sustain than a set neck.
The Kurt Cobain Jaguar comes complete with two American Vintage ’65 Single-Coil Jaguar pickups. These are similar to the pickups found in early Fender Jaguars and offer a wide range of tones, from bright and jangly to warm and mellow. The controls consist of a Master Volume, Tone 1 (neck), and Tone 2 (bridge) control knobs, as well as a pickup selector switch. This setup gives you plenty of options for dialing in your sound.
One thing that’s worth mentioning is the finish options. The Kurt Cobain Jaguar is available in three different finishes: Black, 3-Tone Sunburst, and White. All of them look great, but I’m particularly partial to the Black finish.
So, is the Kurt Cobain Jaguar a good guitar? In my opinion, absolutely! It’s based on a classic design, has a comfortable neck, and comes loaded with some great sounding pickups. It’s also reasonably priced, which is always a plus. If you’re a fan of Kurt Cobain or just looking for a great all-around guitar, then the Kurt Cobain Jaguar should definitely be at the top of your list.
