Jonathan Herrera

Fender is justly famous for its two most popular basses, the Precision and Jazz. After all, a significant portion of all the bass-guitar performances ever recorded were performed on these simple-but-effective axes. In spite of the dominance of the P and J, Fender has continued to pursue other bass designs for decades. Some have hit the mark, others haven’t—but often that’s just because some players have such a low tolerance for anything that says Fender but isn’t a P or J.

The Jaguar bass, released a few years ago as a relatively inexpensive import model, is another Fender bass design that’s gained a following. While evoking many classic Fullerton bass qualities, the Jaguar is also much like its 6-string cousin—the funky-looking, switch-laden Jaguar guitar. The import 4-string has proven popular enough for Fender to give it the full-on American Standard treatment. The new domestic Jags are built in Corona, California, and spec’d with an upgraded complement of hardware and a higher level of fit and finish.