On this edition of the Guitar Bucket List, I present my Squier Classic Vibe 60’s Jaguar in silver sparkle. This guitar caught my eye when I saw it as an exclusive to CME (Chicago Music Exchange). Something about that matching sparkle headstock just sold me…until I saw the price tag. I just couldn’t allow myself to spend over $500 on a Squier. That’s when the Fender website had their holiday sale…so I bought it for almost half that price!

Then, as always, something got in the way of this being the perfect deal…a small neck pocket crack in the lacquer. Happens all the time with these types of guitars. So I contacted Fender about it and they sent me some awesome Pure Vintage ’65 Jaguar pickups to put in the guitar! That MORE than made up for that little lacquer crack. And after the addition of my favorite pearloid cream pick guard (with some minor modifications), this turned into the Jaguar of my dreams… Well, I still wish it played a bit better. But now that I’ve polished the frets, sanded down the rough edges and gave it a good setup, it’s the best it can be. Will it ever be a Fender Custom Shop guitar? Nope. But I got it pretty darn close. Watch the video to find out more!

The Demo

The Verdict

The verdict? This turned into the Jaguar of my dreams. The Pure Vintage ’65 pickups were worth the lacquer crack, and a good setup got it playing its best. It’ll never be a Fender Custom Shop guitar, but for the price, I got it pretty darn close.

More Guitars Like This

Watch the full Squier Jaguar demo on YouTube, and keep exploring with two more offset-style reviews: the Gretsch Sparkle Jet in Ocean Blue Turquoise and the Fender 60th Anniversary Jazzmaster review. You can also browse every review in the Guitar Reviews hub.