Fender Jaguar Bass - History

History

In 1960, Fender introduced the Jazz Bass, which was originally known as the "Deluxe Model" (in relation to the previously released Precision Bass). Fender marketed the Jazz Bass as a stablemate to the Jazzmaster electric guitar, as it featured a narrower neck which appealed to jazz musicians. The following year, Fender released the Bass VI, which featured six strings and a short-scale neck. The Bass VI also had a switch-based control layout, and was essentially a precursor to the Fender Jaguar released in 1962.

Fender produced the Jaguar electric guitar until 1975, when both the Bass VI and Jaguar lines were discontinued. However, the model was revived in 1999 due to the popularity of the Jaguar (and the similar Fender Jazzmaster) amongst indie rock musicians. From 2004 to 2006, Fender also produced the Jaguar Bass VI Custom, a cross between the Bass VI and the Jaguar.

Prior to the forthcoming discontinuation of the Jaguar Bass VI Custom, Fender unveiled the Jaguar Bass at the 2006 annual NAMM show. The Jaguar Bass was originally made available in the United States in Black and Hot Rod Red with a matching headstock. Although the Jaguar Bass was also manufactured in Olympic White and 3-color Sunburst, these finishes were only available in the Japanese domestic market. The full range of finish options was launched globally in 2008.