Fender Jaguar Baritone Custom

Overview

The Fender Jaguar Baritone Custom is a baritone version of the classic Fender Jaguar, built on the same offset waist body but with a longer scale length. The longer neck and heavier strings allow it to be tuned a fourth or a fifth below standard guitar pitch, giving the instrument a deep, fluid voice that sits between a guitar and a bass guitar.

Origin & History

The standard Jaguar was introduced in 1962 as Fender’s top-of-the-line offset model, with a short scale and a complex switching system aimed at jazz and surf players. After languishing in the late 1970s and 1980s, the Jaguar was revived through reissues and variants, particularly in Japan, where Fender Japan produced the Jaguar Baritone Custom in the early 2000s. It catered to musicians in alternative, post-rock, and shoegaze scenes who wanted Jaguar aesthetics with extended low-end range.

How It’s Played

The instrument is played like a guitar but tuned lower — common tunings include B-to-B and A-to-A. Its longer scale (typically around 27 inches) keeps the heavier strings at workable tension, and its single-coil pickups maintain the bright, glassy character associated with the Jaguar. Players use the baritone for atmospheric textures, doubled “dropped” guitar parts, and lead lines that sit naturally below standard guitar registers without entering bass territory.

Cultural Significance

Baritone guitars have a small but persistent place in popular music, from Duane Eddy and Glen Campbell’s twangy 1960s recordings to film-score uses by Ennio Morricone, and into the modern alternative-rock and indie scenes. The Jaguar Baritone Custom became one of the more recognisable late-period baritone instruments thanks to its distinctive offset body and Fender pedigree.

Related Instruments

• Fender Jaguar – the original short-scale Jaguar
• Fender Bass VI – Fender’s six-string bass-tuned offset
• Baritone guitar – the broader instrument category
• Fender Jazzmaster – the related Fender offset
• Fender Telecaster Baritone – Fender’s other production baritone

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it a guitar or a bass?
A guitar — six strings tuned lower than standard, but higher than a bass.

What tuning is standard?
Most players use B-to-B (a fourth below standard) or A-to-A (a fifth below).

Where was it made?
Production was based at Fender Japan.

Image: Fender Jaguar Baritone Custom (2005) in the case, photo derived from work by Andrewa, derivative work by Clusternote, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons).