1964 Fender Jaguar Candy Apple Red - History, Authentication, and Value
1964 Fender Jaguar Candy Apple Red Custom Color in New York City
I love to buy vintage Fender Jaguars. I currently have six! Do you have a Fender Jaguar from the 1960s you’re looking to sell? Contact me
A few months ago, I got in contact with the second owner of this 1964 Fender Jaguar, who had owned it since the early 80’s. He bought it for just $190 while he was in high school. It is safe to say I paid a lot more than that! I was happy to make the trip from New Hampshire to New York City to do the transaction in person. I regularly travel throughout New England and the Northeast to buy vintage guitars. This Fender Jaguar is a great example of the kind of guitar I love to buy, and I am very excited to have it.
Fender Jaguar History
The Jaguar was introduced by Fender in 1962 as their new flagship model. The earliest ones had slab Brazilian rosewood fretboards for just a few months until the veneer fretboard was introduced in mid 1962. This makes Jaguars with slab boards, especially custom color ones, very rare. I have yet to have the chance to buy a slab board Jaguar.
The Jaguar did not see many changes in the 1960s, at least during the pre-CBS era. The early ones in 1962 and 1963 had 5-digit serial numbers located on the neck plate. In mid-to-late 1963, L-series serial numbers were introduced, a 5-digit serial number with an L prefix on the neck plate. Wondering how to date your Fender Jaguar from its serial number? Click here for Vintage Fender Serial Number Lookup. In 1964, they went from having single-line Kluson tuners to double-line.
Once CBS purchased Fender in early 1965, is when things started to change for the Fender Jaguar. Serial numbers became 6 digits with a large F stamped on the neck plate. Fender added binding to Jaguar necks, then increased the size of the headstock, and introduced block inlays shortly after these changes happened during late 1965 and early 1966.
In 1966, Fender changed the tuner style to be F stamped. In 1968, the paint was switched from nitro to poly, and the logo was changed to the later style.
I have found that all of the 1960s Fender Jaguars I have owned and played have been great instruments, regardless of the era they were from.
Custom Color Pre-CBS Fender Jaguar
During the majority of the 1960s the Fender Jaguar was Fender’s most expensive electric guitar. Because of this a relatively large number of Jaguars are in custom colors, although they are still rare.
Customers who were willing to buy the most expensive Fender guitar were less likely to mind the 5% up charge for a custom color. It is much easier to find a custom color Jaguar than a model that was cheaper at the time, such as the Esquire for that reason. I am interested in all Fender custom color guitars, regardless of model. Please let me know if you have one you are interested in selling. You can reach me at 603-921-7449 or rainydayvintageguitars@gmail.com.
Candy Apple Red Factory Finish Authentication
Custom colors can be much trickier to authenticate than sunburst, but many indicators can be used to determine if a custom color finish is original or if the guitar has been refinished.
The first thing I check is if I can see what is under the red finish in any nicks or dings. In early 1965 and before, Candy Apple Red was sprayed with white and silver undercoats with a transparent red on top of it to achieve the metallic red color. In mid-1965, Fender switched to a gold undercoat. See this 1966 Stratocaster in Candy Apple Red with a gold undercoat I had last year.
Next, I disassemble the guitar to examine the finish further. I check the neck pocket for the paint stick mark, which is correct for 1964. Fender attached a pipe to the neck pocket to hold the body when it was being sprayed. This creates the classic paint stick mark in the neck pocket. Before mid 1963, all Fender guitars had a fully painted neck pocket.
The most important thing when authenticating a Pre-CBS Fender custom color is checking the body for nail holes. Fender stuck small nail holes in the body to support them during the finishing process. Most Stratocasters and Telecasters did not have nail holes by late 1964, but offsets such as the Jazzmaster and Jaguar often continued having nail holes until close to the end of 1965.
This Jaguar has 3 nail holes, one by the neck pocket, one under the control plate, and one under the tremolo. I expect to see no finish inside these holes, since the nails were not removed until after the finish had been sprayed. It is often the easiest way to tell if a custom color is original. Here you can see all three clean nail holes.
On custom color Jazzmasters and Jaguars, I also look for the staple underneath the tremolo, which is what grounds the guitar, and was not installed until after the finish is done.
Vintage Fender Nut Widths
This Jaguar features a rare A-width neck, which is quite rare, although not necessarily more desirable. Most Fender guitars from the 1960s have a B-width neck, which is significantly wider than the A-width neck.
The Fender Jazz Bass has the A neck width as standard, and the C neck width is the standard for Precision Bass necks.
How much is a 1964 Fender Jaguar Worth?
The value of a Fender Jaguar varies significantly based on originality, finish color, and condition. Original custom color finishes can be worth several times more than their sunburst counterparts. The originality of the hardware and electronics also has a large impact on the value.
Vintage Fender Jaguar Buyer
The Fender Jaguar has always been one of my favorite Fender models. I am always a vintage Fender Jaguar buyer, especially custom color examples. If you have one you are looking to sell, please contact me to sell a vintage Fender guitar to a passionate buyer.
