Fender Jag-Stang

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Fender Jag-Stang

Manufacturer	Fender
Period	1994-2001, 2003-2005
Construction
Body type	Solid
Neck joint	Bolt-on
Woods
Body	Basswood
Neck	Maple
Fretboard	Rosewood
Hardware
Bridge	"Floating" Tremolo
Pickup(s)	2 "vintage style" single coil, "special design" humbucker
Colors available
Sonic Blue, Fiesta Red

The Jag-Stang is a hybrid of two Fender electric guitars: a Jaguar and a Mustang. Kurt Cobain, of the grunge band, Nirvana, put his idea for an instrument with combined aspects of both instruments into Fender's hands, resulting in two left-handed prototypes, only one of which was ever played by Kurt himself. It has been said that the instrument needed much tweaking before Kurt was satisfied with it, and it was shipped back to Fender for repairs before Cobain brought it with him on the European leg of Nirvana's In Utero tour in 1994. The guitar was seldom played live. Many believe that Kurt was ultimately unhappy with the result and hence never completed revisions for the instrument before his death in April 1994.

The Jag-Stang includes a "vintage style" single coil pickup and one "special design" humbucker, each with its own toggle switch which a player can use to switch from "on," "off," or "out-of-phase" settings. It employs the Mustang's "Dynamic Vibrato" bridge and like both of its predecessors, it has a 24" short scale neck (an exact replica of Kurt's favorite neck, from a Fender Mustang).

Originally produced in the fall of 1995, after the death of Cobain, Fender Japan reissued the Jag-Stang two years after its 2001 cancellation due to popular demand. Fender once again discontinued importing the Jag-Stang as of 2005. Fender Japan still produces the Jag-Stang today.

Kurt's Sonic Blue Jag-Stang was given to R.E.M.'s Peter Buck from Courtney Love after Kurt died. He is seen playing it on "What's the Frequency, Kenneth?" music video. Mike Mills, also from R.E.M., plays this same guitar in concert during the song "Let Me In", which itself is a tribute to Kurt Cobain. An example of this can be seen on the "Road Movie" DVD.