ON THE BENCH #6: Squier Classic Vibe '70s Jaguar Setup + Quick Demo

Or, you can buy me a coffee:

My buddy Ryan bought a cool Squier Classic Vibe '70s Jaguar, but it really didn't play all that great out of the box. In this week's On The Bench I'll be taking you along for the ride step-by-step as I turn a decent guitar into a great one.

Ryan is a great photographer and I would love it if you checked out his work:

For other Jaguar/Jazzmaster setup videos, click below:

Buying on Reverb? Support the channel with this affiliate link:

Loc Tite Blue Threadlocker:

00:00-00:30 Bad Demo
00:31-03:03 Intro/Gameplan
03:04-4:44 Evaluation
04:45-8:00 Bridge Maintenance
08:01-08:46 Cleaning
08:47-10:19 Vibrato Maintenance
10:20-11:57 Neck Shimming
11:58-13:10 Cleaning/Oiling the Neck
13:11-15:19 Nut Slots and Restring
15:20-17:30 Finalizing the Nut
17:31-19:24 Brief Intonation
19:25-21:34 Play Test
21:35-22:40 Final Thoughts
22:41-23:53 METAL DEMO

[ironmaiden]

You're like a Bob Ross for offset adjustments. Keep doing a great work Mike, love your vids!

[KeepAutismWeird]

who knew you could intonate a guitar with a Gameboy Advance SP

[flfreaks]

The fact that you willing to go extra mile to treat this budget Squier like it's a Fender Professional series and some more it belongs to your friend who just started to learn playing guitar makes you such a great and bigger man (no pun intended!)

[landonbailey]

I just assembled a Jaguar partscaster and was told this is the place to check out for setups!

[Updog]

I wish they made more jazzmasters with block inlays like this. I love the look!

[tabturn]

I just bought this same guitar new, and it has the same issues, almost exactly. As someone inexperienced with setups, esp. with this type of vibrato, having you go through this is very helpful, I appreciate the video!

[HarrisArt]

Ive learned more about Jazzmasters and offsets in the last few months than I have in the last 20+ years. All because of you. Thanks Mike! Keep up the great work.

[luisgramirez]

That slamming the vibrato arm with a hammer tip is killer! I can finally do the Kevin Shields strumming on my CV Mustang.

[alwaysevolving]

I have a shell pink one of these babies on the way! This video is literally EXACTLY what I need haha

[misterspookyman]

Followed this as closely as I could with my exact same model... it came out FANTASTIC. Thank you!!!

[mister]

Started playing when I was 13 and have had an MIJ Jaguar (ser# Exxx038) for the last 20 years. By watching as many of your videos as I can find, I have learned not only more about my specific guitar but also about the extended family from where it comes, including the philosophy of the people who designed and built it. You have settled the question of whether I should sell my guitar for something else, now I also want a Jazzmaster. At 75 years of age (played surf music before someone called it that), I'm not sure I shouldn't have let this sleeping dog lie.... But thanks very much just the same!

[Mr.Steve-O]

I love that Jag especially the block inlays. I own a Squier VM Jazzmaster and went through a year long series of string changes, bridge changes and finally threw a Stew Mac .50 shim and that cured all the ailments. Can't put the guitar down now. Oddly, when I took off the neck I too found a jimmy rigged piece of sandpaper in the heel pocket too. Thanks for all you do Mike !

[georgewarnell]

So glad I discovered your Guitar bar in Fremont. Can't wait to get my Jag back in a playable state!!! Keep up the good work!

[danc.]

I love that chord progression in your intro.

[gretchman]

Come for the Classic Vibes
Stay for the Gowron Eyes

[poetryofbeing]

My only problem with your videos is that i seem to have watched them all! Great content and amazing attitude as usual. I await your next transmission.

[obahrey]

You are talented enough to be a fender custom shop master builder. Specializing in offsets of course.

[davidmessana]

Awesome, Mike... I did many of the same things to my CV 70's Jag. Your earlier videos were extremely helpful in getting it closer to "fighting" shape. THIS video confirmed my suspicion that I need to file down the nut too. I was able to fix a lot of the noise in my vibrato just by pinching the collet closed a little more with some pliers. I also added a little bit of electrical tape to the bridge posts just to get rid of the metal on metal clang. I'm not sure if you would have recommended that since I've never seen you do it... but it works. Thanks again.

[BradleyHansonPhotography]

I can’t tell you how satisfying that was. Nicely done. I have the Jazzmaster version of the CV in the same color and love it. I got lucky with setup and new strings and paying someone to level the frets made a huge difference.

[marklepley]

Thanks for posting this. I bought one of the CV’s in daphne blue. I absolutely love it. I did a lot of what you did in the video, mainly oiled the board, polished the frets and did the pitch back on the neck. Just those things made a night and day difference. My guitar didn’t even have any kind of shim from the factory, I just used a small sliver from an expired gift card. 😂 but it still worked.