super_rad
06-14-2005, 07:07 PM
Fender reintroduced one of it's rarest models, the Bass VI, in the form of the Jaguar Baritone Custom. Don't be fooled by the name "Baritone", this guitar is not tuned like one...it's a six string bass! Instead of your average six-string bass tuning, though, this one is tuned like a guitar. Sound strange? It is, and it's not for everybody. But for some, the Jag Bari is the perfect bass.
The Jaguar Baritone's controls allow for so much tone shaping, you're gonna flip out! Volume and tone for each pickup, and on and off switches for each and mids. You can coax all sorts of tone from this, and what's great is that a simple flick between pickups allows you to change from a growl to a smooth tone mid-song. This guitar does not, however, have that THUDDD low end that so many bassists (myself not included) love so much. It's a short scale, so it's always going to be a little behind in the low end. If this suits your musical style, then great! If not, steer clear!
The high B and E can add a lot to a surf and indie rock sound. Basically, this guitar is great for genre that would sound akward with that thudddd bass. I play in a surf rock band, and I used to use a Fender Musicmaster because it complemented our sound. With the Jaguar Baritone, I get that, but I can also have a much more vertisile sound.
As far as looks, this guitar is beautiful. The sunburst really looks good (and it'd better, because it's your only choice!), and the hardware complements the retro styling.
My only bone to pick with this guitar is the string situation. I don't like Fender's strings for this; I prefer Jazz strings (that's what I set up my Musicmaster with). If you want to get strings other than the Fender ones, you're in for a bit of a project. You'll probably have to buy a set of bass strings as well as a set of guitar strings, and fiddle around with them until you like it. Leo Fender designed this guitar to be unique, but you'll pay for that uniqueness when it's time to change your strings.
Overall, this is a beautiful bass that is great for some, horrible for others. This guitar does not have the balls for the low end that metalheads (or many others) might desire. The strings are very close together, and they take some time getting used to (and finding!). But the tone of this bass is perfect for those who aren't looking for thud, and the Jaguar design allows for plenty of tone shaping. I love this bass, so check it out.
One last word:
PLEASE DON'T THINK THIS IS A GUITAR! (Guitar) chords sound interesting on this, but this is far from your average strat. The Jag Bari is too muddy to really play as a guitar IMO, so play it as a six string bass.
The Jaguar Baritone's controls allow for so much tone shaping, you're gonna flip out! Volume and tone for each pickup, and on and off switches for each and mids. You can coax all sorts of tone from this, and what's great is that a simple flick between pickups allows you to change from a growl to a smooth tone mid-song. This guitar does not, however, have that THUDDD low end that so many bassists (myself not included) love so much. It's a short scale, so it's always going to be a little behind in the low end. If this suits your musical style, then great! If not, steer clear!
The high B and E can add a lot to a surf and indie rock sound. Basically, this guitar is great for genre that would sound akward with that thudddd bass. I play in a surf rock band, and I used to use a Fender Musicmaster because it complemented our sound. With the Jaguar Baritone, I get that, but I can also have a much more vertisile sound.
As far as looks, this guitar is beautiful. The sunburst really looks good (and it'd better, because it's your only choice!), and the hardware complements the retro styling.
My only bone to pick with this guitar is the string situation. I don't like Fender's strings for this; I prefer Jazz strings (that's what I set up my Musicmaster with). If you want to get strings other than the Fender ones, you're in for a bit of a project. You'll probably have to buy a set of bass strings as well as a set of guitar strings, and fiddle around with them until you like it. Leo Fender designed this guitar to be unique, but you'll pay for that uniqueness when it's time to change your strings.
Overall, this is a beautiful bass that is great for some, horrible for others. This guitar does not have the balls for the low end that metalheads (or many others) might desire. The strings are very close together, and they take some time getting used to (and finding!). But the tone of this bass is perfect for those who aren't looking for thud, and the Jaguar design allows for plenty of tone shaping. I love this bass, so check it out.
One last word:
PLEASE DON'T THINK THIS IS A GUITAR! (Guitar) chords sound interesting on this, but this is far from your average strat. The Jag Bari is too muddy to really play as a guitar IMO, so play it as a six string bass.