1964 Fender Jaguar
The 1964 Jaguar — Fender's most complex offset design. Short scale, chrome control plates, individual pickup switching. The guitar Kurt Cobain and Johnny Marr brought back to prominence.
Current Market Value
* Prices are estimates based on recent market data. Actual value depends on originality, condition, and provenance. Pricing methodology
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Specifications
| Body Wood | Alder (offset contour body) |
| Neck Wood | Maple |
| Fingerboard | Brazilian Rosewood |
| Scale Length | 24.000" |
| Frets | 22 |
| Pickup Config | SS |
| Bridge | Floating tremolo with separate bridge (similar to Jazzmaster) |
| Tuners | Kluson Deluxe |
| Finish Options | Sunburst, Custom colors |
| Est. Production | 2,500 |
Pickups & Electronics
Two Jaguar single-coil pickups with individual on/off and tone switches. Mute pad. Short 24-inch scale.
What Changed in 1964
Final pre-CBS Jaguar year. Peak quality.
Notable Examples
Kurt Cobain, Johnny Marr, John Frusciante — the Jaguar defines alternative guitar tone.
Collector's Notes
Pre-CBS Jaguars are premium. Chrome control plates should be original. Mute pad foam often needs replacement.
How to Authenticate a 1964 Fender Jaguar
The 1964 Jaguar is a pre-CBS model — a pre-CBS Jaguar. The most feature-rich Fender guitar: short 24-inch scale, individual pickup on/off and tone switches on chrome control plates, mute pad, and the Jazzmaster-derived floating tremolo. Brazilian rosewood fingerboard. Offset alder body. Serial numbers on the neck plate, typically five digits beginning with L (the L-series began in 1963). For 1964, L-series numbers should match documented ranges. Neck date stamps (pencil or ink on the heel) and body cavity stamps remain the most reliable dating method. Some guitars also have pencil dates on pickups and potentiometers with source-date codes. Chrome control plates with individual pickup switches and tone roller wheels should be original — check for correct screw patterns. Floating tremolo assembly must be complete. Two Jaguar-specific single-coil pickups (with sawtooth metal shielding). Kluson Deluxe tuners. Brazilian rosewood fingerboard. Mute pad assembly (foam often deteriorated — this is normal). Pot codes corresponding to 1964. Serial number on neck plate. The finish should be nitrocellulose lacquer. Nitro finishes check (develop fine cracks) and wear naturally over decades, showing wood underneath at contact points. The aging pattern should be consistent — even checking across the body, not localized. Refinished guitars often have a 'too perfect' look or inconsistent wear. Under UV/blacklight, original nitro fluoresces differently than modern polyester or polyurethane. Original custom color finishes are verified by examining the color in the pickup cavities and under the pickguard where it has been protected from light. The complex switching system creates many points of modification. Verify all switches, roller knobs, and chrome plates are original. The mute pad foam deteriorates — replacement foam is acceptable, but the metal mechanism should be original. Missing tremolo parts reduce value. Jaguar pickups with sawtooth metal shielding are specific to this model — substitution with Strat or other pickups is common. Pre-CBS Jaguars share the core design. The 1964 shares specifications with adjacent pre-CBS years. The CBS acquisition in 1965 creates the next value boundary. Short scale and complex switching distinguish the Jaguar from other Fender models.