Fender Johnny Marr Jaguar Olympic White Electric Guitar

Quick Product Summary

The Fender Johnny Marr Jaguar in Olympic White takes one of Fender's most distinctive offset electric guitars and intelligently reworks it around the needs of a player known for layered parts, melodic chord work and highly individual guitar textures.

Developed around Johnny Marr's own 1965 Jaguar, this Artist Signature model retains the short 24-inch scale, alder body, rosewood fingerboard and floating tremolo associated with the classic Jaguar, but replaces the traditional switching arrangement with a much more intuitive four-position blade selector. You get bridge, bridge and neck in parallel, neck, and both pickups in series – giving the guitar everything from crisp single-coil definition to a noticeably fuller dual-pickup voice.

Two custom-wound Bare Knuckle Johnny Marr single-coil pickups, twin bright switches, a custom neck profile, modified Jaguar bridge with Mustang saddles and carefully developed tremolo hardware make this much more than a cosmetic signature model.

Finished in timeless Olympic White with a three-ply white pickguard and chrome hardware, and supplied with a vintage-style hardshell case, the Johnny Marr Jaguar is a premium choice for players who want genuine Jaguar character with a more practical and musically flexible control system.

At A Glance

Feature	Details
Brand	Fender
Series	Artist Signature
Model	Johnny Marr Jaguar
Model Number	0116400705
Finish	Olympic White
Condition	New
Body	Alder
Fingerboard	Rosewood
Scale Length	24"
Pickups	Dual Custom-Wound Bare Knuckle Johnny Marr Single Coils
Switching	4-Way Series / Parallel Blade Switching
Main Appeal	Refined Jaguar design with exceptionally useful custom switching
Best For	Indie, alternative, post-punk, pop, rock, ambient and effects-based playing
Included	Vintage-Style Hardshell Case

What's Included?

• Fender Johnny Marr Jaguar – Olympic White

• Vintage-Style Hardshell Case

• Chrome Bridge Cover

• Tall Jaguar Tremolo Arm with Nylon Sleeve System

• ✘ Gig bag not included

Fair Deal Quality Control Assessment

Every new guitar is checked by the Fair Deal Music team before leaving our Birmingham store.

With the Johnny Marr Jaguar, particular attention is given to the areas that distinguish it from a conventional Jaguar. We check the operation of both custom-wound Bare Knuckle pickups, all four positions of the blade selector, both upper-horn bright switches, Master Volume and Master Tone controls.

The bridge, Mustang saddles, floating tremolo, nylon bridge-post inserts and tremolo arm are also checked alongside the tuners, frets and general playing condition.

The guitar is set up and checked before leaving us. As with any wooden instrument, neck relief and action can shift slightly during delivery as the guitar responds to changes in temperature and humidity.

Why Choose The Fender Johnny Marr Jaguar?

Custom Bare Knuckle Johnny Marr Pickups

Two custom-wound Bare Knuckle Johnny Marr single coils give this Jaguar its own voice. They retain the clarity and fast response that make Jaguar pickups so useful for detailed chord work while providing the definition needed for layered pedals, modulation and driven sounds.

Four-Way Switching That Makes Sense On Stage

Traditional Jaguar switching is part of the instrument's character, but it can be unnecessarily complicated for some players. Marr's four-way blade system puts the main sounds directly under your hand: bridge, both pickups in parallel, neck, and both pickups in series.

A Powerful Series Pickup Setting

Position four connects the bridge and neck pickups in series rather than parallel. The result is a fuller, stronger sound with increased body, making it particularly useful when moving from intricate rhythm parts into bigger chords or lead work.

Neck Profile Based On Marr's 1965 Jaguar

Fender based the custom maple neck profile directly on Marr's own 1965 Jaguar. Combined with the 7.25-inch rosewood fingerboard and vintage-style frets, it keeps the broken-in, traditional character that Marr wanted rather than modernising the instrument with a flatter contemporary neck.

Improved Jaguar Bridge Stability

The bridge uses Mustang saddles and nylon bridge-post inserts, helping address some of the movement associated with traditional floating Jaguar bridges while preserving the feel and response of the original offset design.

Refined Floating Tremolo

The vintage-style floating tremolo is paired with a taller arm and a nylon sleeve insert designed to prevent the arm from swinging around loosely. It is a small detail that makes a noticeable difference if vibrato forms an important part of your playing.

Fender Johnny Marr Jaguar vs Popular Alternatives

Fender Player II Jaguar

The Player II Jaguar is the more accessible choice for players wanting a modern everyday Jaguar. It uses a 9.5-inch radius, Modern “C” neck, medium-jumbo frets and straightforward three-way pickup switching. The Johnny Marr Jaguar is the stronger option if you specifically want vintage-style feel, the custom Bare Knuckle pickups, series switching and Marr's carefully developed tremolo and bridge refinements.

Fender Vintera II '70s Jaguar

The Vintera II '70s Jaguar retains much more of the traditional Jaguar control philosophy, including separate lead and rhythm circuits, individual pickup switches and the bass-cut circuit. Choose the Vintera II if traditional Jaguar electronics are part of the attraction. Choose the Johnny Marr if you want classic Jaguar character with a considerably more intuitive switching system.

Fender Limited Edition Johnny Marr Signature Special Jaguar

The later Signature Special Jaguar develops Marr's ideas in another direction with a different pickup and fingerboard specification. The standard Johnny Marr Jaguar remains the key choice for players looking for the established Bare Knuckle-equipped design based around his 1965 Jaguar and the original four-way switching concept.

Squier Classic Vibe Jaguar

The Squier route makes sense for players who want the Jaguar shape, short scale and traditional offset character at a more accessible price. The Johnny Marr model represents a substantial step up for players specifically looking for a professional signature instrument with carefully developed electronics, hardware and neck feel.

Who Is The Fender Johnny Marr Jaguar For?

The Johnny Marr Jaguar is particularly well suited to:

• Indie and alternative guitarists

• Post-punk players

• Shoegaze and dream-pop musicians

• Ambient and effects-heavy guitarists

• Players who build layered rhythm parts

• Guitarists who use delay, modulation and reverb extensively

• Players who prefer short-scale electric guitars

• Musicians who like vintage Fender neck geometry

• Jaguar players wanting simpler controls

• Working musicians who value series and parallel pickup combinations

• Johnny Marr and The Smiths fans

• Collectors of Fender Artist Signature instruments

• Players who want something genuinely different from a Stratocaster or Telecaster

Looking for advice on choosing the right Fender Jaguar, offset electric guitar or effects-based guitar setup? Our experienced team of musicians can help by phone, online or in-store at our Birmingham showroom.

Suitable Genres And Playing Styles

The Johnny Marr Jaguar naturally lends itself to styles where clarity, texture and rhythmic definition matter.

The individual pickup positions provide the brighter attack needed for arpeggios, chord extensions, jangly rhythm parts and detailed melodic lines. This makes the guitar particularly effective for indie, alternative, post-punk and cleaner pop arrangements where individual notes need to remain distinct.

The parallel two-pickup setting adds the familiar openness associated with combining two Fender-style single coils, while the series position offers a noticeably bigger response for overdrive, heavier rhythm parts and lead playing.

The short 24-inch scale also reduces string tension compared with Fender's traditional 25.5-inch scale, contributing to the Jaguar's distinctive response and making bends, vibrato and expressive chord work particularly comfortable.

Why Does The Johnny Marr Jaguar Have A Four-Way Switch?

A conventional Jaguar uses a collection of slide switches and separate lead/rhythm controls that provide considerable flexibility but can take time to master. Marr's version reorganises the core pickup sounds around a four-way blade selector, allowing the most useful combinations to be accessed quickly without losing the instrument's identity.

The series position is the key addition. Traditional two-pickup Fender sounds normally combine pickups in parallel; connecting them in series creates a stronger, fuller response that gives the Johnny Marr Jaguar another gear when a single pickup sounds too lean. The two separate bright switches then provide additional high-frequency shaping without overcomplicating the main controls.

Compatibility & Recommended Pairings

The Johnny Marr Jaguar is an excellent platform for pedals and works with standard guitar amplifiers, modelling systems and recording equipment.

Particularly useful pairings include:

Compression – ideal for bringing additional consistency to clean arpeggios and detailed rhythm playing.

Chorus and modulation – a natural partner for the Jaguar's articulate single-coil response.

Delay – excellent for rhythmic repeats, layered lead parts and atmospheric textures.

Reverb – works particularly well for indie, ambient, surf-influenced and cinematic sounds.

Overdrive – the series pickup position provides a particularly strong foundation for driven rhythm and lead tones.

Fuzz – useful for alternative, shoegaze and more aggressive textural playing.

Loopers – the four pickup combinations make it easy to layer contrasting guitar parts without changing instruments.

The guitar uses a standard 1/4-inch output and can connect directly to conventional guitar amplifiers, pedalboards, amp modellers and instrument-level audio interfaces.

Story & Context

Fender introduced the Johnny Marr Signature Jaguar in 2012, developing the instrument closely around Marr's personal preferences and his own 1965 Fender Jaguar.

Marr is best known for his work with The Smiths, where his layered chord voicings, melodic accompaniment and carefully constructed guitar arrangements became central to the band's sound. His later career has included work with The The, Modest Mouse, The Cribs and an extensive solo catalogue.

What makes the signature Jaguar particularly interesting is that Fender did not simply reproduce the cosmetic appearance of Marr's vintage guitar. Its pickup switching, bright controls, bridge modifications and tremolo refinements reflect practical changes developed around the way Marr actually uses the instrument.

More than a decade after its introduction, the core Johnny Marr Jaguar remains in Fender's Artist Signature range – a strong indication of how successfully its modifications translate beyond the needs of one artist.

Technical Specifications

Specification	Details
Manufacturer	Fender
Series	Artist Signature
Model	Johnny Marr Jaguar
Model Number	0116400705
Orientation	Right-Handed
Colour	Olympic White
Body Shape	Jaguar
Body Style	Solid Body
Body Material	Alder
Body Finish	Gloss Lacquer
Neck Material	Maple
Neck Shape	Custom Shape Based On Johnny Marr's 1965 Jaguar
Neck Finish	Gloss Nitrocellulose Lacquer
Fingerboard Material	Rosewood
Fingerboard Radius	7.25" / 184.1 mm
Scale Length	24" / 610 mm
Number Of Frets	22
Fret Size	Vintage-Style
Position Inlays	Ivory Dot
Nut Material	Synthetic Bone
Nut Width	1.650" / 42 mm
Truss Rod	Vintage-Style Butt Adjust
Bridge Pickup	Custom-Wound Bare Knuckle Johnny Marr Single Coil
Neck Pickup	Custom-Wound Bare Knuckle Johnny Marr Single Coil
Pickup Configuration	SS
Controls	Master Volume, Master Tone
Main Switching	4-Position Blade
Position 1	Bridge Pickup
Position 2	Bridge + Neck Pickups in Parallel
Position 3	Neck Pickup
Position 4	Neck + Bridge Pickups in Series
Auxiliary Switching	Universal Bright Switch; Position 4 Bright Switch
Bridge	Jaguar Bridge with Mustang Saddles
Bridge Stabilisation	Nylon Bridge-Post Inserts
Tailpiece	Vintage-Style Floating Tremolo
Tremolo Arm	Taller Arm with Nylon Sleeve Insert
Bridge Cover	Chrome Bridge Cover
Tuning Machines	6-In-Line American Vintage
Hardware Finish	Chrome
Pickguard	3-Ply White
Control Knobs	Black Plastic
Neck Plate	4-Bolt Vintage-Style
Strap Buttons	Vintage-Style
Factory Strings	Fender USA 250R Nickel-Plated Steel .010-.046
Case	Vintage-Style Hardshell Case

Specification Note

An exact individual guitar weight has not been supplied, so no estimated weight has been added to this listing.

This model deliberately retains a 7.25-inch fingerboard radius, vintage-style fretwire and heel-adjust truss rod as part of its vintage-influenced design.

Power Requirements

The Fender Johnny Marr Jaguar uses passive electronics, so no battery or external power supply is required.

The four-way pickup selector and both bright switches operate passively.

Connect the guitar to your amplifier, pedalboard, modeller or suitable audio interface using a standard 1/4-inch instrument cable.

Fair Deal Music Expert Verdict

★★★★★ 5/5

The Fender Johnny Marr Jaguar is an excellent example of what an artist-signature guitar should be: familiar enough to retain the identity of the original instrument, but modified intelligently enough to offer genuine benefits to players who have no intention of copying the artist whose name appears on it.

The four-way switching is arguably the star feature. It removes much of the complexity associated with a traditional Jaguar while adding the extremely useful series setting. The Bare Knuckle pickups, improved bridge stability and refined tremolo hardware make the package even more convincing.

Best suited for: Indie, alternative and effects-oriented players who want a premium short-scale offset.

Main benefit: Classic Jaguar character with a significantly more intuitive and flexible electronics layout.

Value proposition: A mature, professional artist-signature design in which the modifications offer genuine practical advantages rather than cosmetic differences.

Standout feature: The four-way series/parallel pickup switching.

Customers usually upgrade from: Squier Jaguars, Player Series offsets, standard Mexican-made Jaguars and other mid-range Fender electric guitars.

Most commonly paired with: Compression, chorus, overdrive, fuzz, delay and reverb.

Our tip: Don't overlook position four. The series setting provides enough additional weight to make the Jaguar work in situations where a conventional single-coil sound might feel too lean, particularly with drive pedals or when moving into a lead part.

Showroom feedback: The Johnny Marr switching layout is far easier to navigate quickly than a traditional Jaguar circuit. The short scale and curved vintage-style fingerboard also give it a very particular playing feel that immediately separates it from a Strat or Tele.

Why Buy From Fair Deal Music?

When you buy from Fair Deal Music, you're choosing one of the UK's most established, independent family run music retailers since 1987.

Our Birmingham showroom is backed by a knowledgeable musician-led team who understand how details such as scale length, fingerboard radius, pickup wiring and tremolo setup affect the way an instrument actually feels and performs.

Whether you're choosing your first offset guitar, upgrading an existing Jaguar or looking for a premium Fender Artist Signature model, we're here to provide friendly, practical advice before and after your purchase.

When you shop with Fair Deal Music, you can buy with confidence thanks to:

• Expert advice from knowledgeable musicians

• Carefully checked new, used, pre-owned and ex-display equipment

• Competitive prices on leading music brands

• Secure online ordering

• UK delivery options

• Friendly support before and after your purchase

• A large Birmingham showroom

• Decades of experience with new and pre-owned guitars and music equipment

For a premium instrument such as the Johnny Marr Jaguar, you can also request a video demo if you would like a closer look at the individual guitar.

Trade In. Trade Up. Save More.

Thinking about upgrading? Your next piece of gear could cost less than you think.

We're always happy to consider part exchanges and trade-ins on a wide range of musical instruments and equipment. Whether you're looking to upgrade your guitar, keyboard, amplifier, drum kit or studio gear, your existing equipment could help reduce the cost of your next purchase.

Simply get in touch with our team for a no-obligation valuation, and we'll be happy to discuss the options available.

It's an easy way to unlock the value of the gear you no longer use while making your next instrument even more affordable.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is different about the Johnny Marr Jaguar compared with a standard Jaguar?

The biggest differences are its custom Bare Knuckle pickups, simplified four-way pickup selector, series pickup option, twin bright switches, custom neck profile and modified bridge and tremolo hardware. It retains Jaguar character while changing several of the elements Marr wanted to improve for practical use.

What does the series pickup position sound like?

Running both pickups in series creates a fuller and stronger response than the normal parallel two-pickup sound. It is particularly useful for driven rhythm parts and leads when you want additional body without changing guitars.

Is the 24-inch scale easier to play?

The shorter scale produces less string tension than Fender's 25.5-inch scale when comparable strings and tuning are used. Many players find bends and vibrato easier, although the closer fret spacing and softer feel are also simply a matter of personal preference.

Is a 7.25-inch radius suitable for string bending?

Yes, provided the guitar is set up appropriately. The more curved fingerboard gives the Johnny Marr Jaguar its traditional Fender feel. Players demanding extremely low action and very large bends may prefer a flatter modern radius.

Are the Bare Knuckle pickups hum-cancelling?

They are traditional-style single-coil pickups rather than noiseless humbuckers, so some single-coil hum can occur depending on gain levels and the electrical environment.

Is the Johnny Marr Jaguar good with pedals?

Very much so. Its clear single-coil response makes modulation, delay and reverb particularly effective, while the series pickup position provides a stronger signal for overdrive and fuzz.

Can the floating tremolo be used for subtle vibrato?

Yes. That is one of the Jaguar system's strengths. It works particularly well for gentle chord movement, shimmering textures and expressive pitch modulation rather than only dramatic dive-bomb effects.

Why does the bridge use Mustang saddles?

Mustang-style saddles provide a different string seating arrangement from traditional threaded Jaguar saddles. On the Johnny Marr model they form part of a modified bridge system designed for improved practicality and stability.

Is the Johnny Marr Jaguar only suitable for indie music?

No. Its associations make indie and alternative music obvious applications, but the four pickup settings allow it to cover pop, rock, blues, post-punk, ambient, surf-influenced music and many other styles.

Johnny Marr Jaguar or Player II Jaguar?

Choose the Player II if you want modern playability, simpler three-way switching and a more accessible route into the Fender Jaguar. Choose the Johnny Marr Jaguar if you value its vintage-style neck feel, custom Bare Knuckle pickups, four-way series/parallel switching and specialised bridge and tremolo refinements.

The Fender Johnny Marr Jaguar in Olympic White is one of Fender's most thoughtfully developed signature guitars. Rather than simply reproducing an artist's favourite instrument, it takes the qualities that make the Jaguar distinctive and refines the controls and hardware into a genuinely practical professional guitar.

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