Fender Jazzmaster Owned and Used By Elvis Costello Solid Body Electric Guitar (1966)
LOADING IMAGES
Just Arrived!
This item is currently on hold.
Item # 12561
Prices subject to change without notice.
Fender Jazzmaster Owned and Used By Elvis Costello Model Solid Body Electric Guitar (1966), made in Fullerton, California, serial # 140486, Charcoal Frost Lacquer finish, alder body, maple neck with rosewood fingerboard, brown tolex hard shell case.
This is a super vibey early CBS-era Fender Jazzmaster finished in one of the rarest of the company's 1960s Custom Colors, Charcoal Frost. This guitar also has a very cool provenance, having just lately been in the working collection of master songster/Jazzmaster avatar Elvis Costello. This guitar was used as a primary stage instrument on Elvis' summer 2024 gigs; it has some minor reversible modifications for stage use but remains a lovely original piece and a superb player.
The neck heel is date-stamped JAN 1966, exactly a year after Leo's company was sold into CBS corporate slavery. The Charcoal Frost lacquer finish is one of Fender's odder (and coolest, if subtle looking) Custom Colors, a deep metallic black-grey with a lacquer clear coat on top. This dark and rather sedate finish is a far cry from the flashy reds, whites and blues that most teen players wanted in the '60s so was only VERY rarely ordered making for a quite collectible look today. This shade was introduced with the new revised 1965 color chart, so this first-quarter 1966 Jazzmaster would be a fairly early instrument carrying this finish!
The guitar's other appointments show features specific to the period. The neckplate has the CBS "F" stamp and a 6-digit 100,000 series number typical of 1966. The bound rosewood fingerboard has the pearloid dots adopted in early '65 with the binding that came in at the end of the year, but not the large blocks adopted later in spring '66. Other features include the gold transition logo decal on the matching Charcoal Frost headstock, older style Kluson tuners and pickguard made of 3-layer white ABS plastic instead of the greenish nitrocellulose used earlier. The knobs are the white amp-style pieces specific to the Jazzmaster in this period.
We have seen many Custom Color Jazzmasters over the years, but never one in this particular finish. It is almost but not quite black, with a subtle metallic sheen that is hard to photograph but in person makes for a striking looking guitar, if in a subtle way. All Charcoal Frost Fender instruments are rare; along with Burgundy Mist this is one of the absolutely hardest shades to find on any model. Even many major collections do not have an example; we think this guitar is special not just for its finish, but it is a really superb working instrument as well!
Overall length is 41 1/16 in. (104.3 cm.), 14 in. (35.6 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 5/8 in. (4.1 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 25 1/2 in. (648 mm.). Width of nut is 1 5/8 in. (41 mm.)., 8.5 lbs.
This fine sounding and playing Jazzmaster, showing some general wear from nearly 60 years of use but nothing too severe. The original Custom Color body finish has light checking and play wear including a fairly random collection of dings, scrapes and dents overall, with one large spot of belt buckle wear on the back. The back also has some slightly rough spots on the surface possible from contact with a vinyl strap or foam in a case; this is only noticeable on fairly close inspection.
As is typical the lacquer clearcoat has yellowed over the decades, giving the guitar a slightly more greenish hue than it had originally. There is an area of clearcoat rubbed away in the armwear area, not too noticeable on this dark finish. The matching headstock has only minor chipping along the front edge. The gold "Fender" logo has darkened considerably, rendering it almost invisible but the decal is intact except the bottom part of the "MASTER" logo has flaked off. The lacquer on the back of the neck is worn to the wood over some of its length with that classic "played-in" Fender vibe and feels great. There is a cool old store sticker on the back of the headstock.
This guitar shows some easily reversible parts substitutions done for Elvis' stage use: A Mastery Bridge and Trem unit are fitted along with straplok strap buttons; the original parts are not included but could be sourced if desired to restore the guitar to fully original condition. The upper rhythm circuit switch has been disconnected but all the parts are intact and this can also be restored without major effort. All else on the guitar remains original.
The original frets have been crowned down a bit showing some light wear since, playability is not impaired. As set up with the Mastery hardware this Jazzmaster is an easy handling, extremely fine-playing and sounding guitar with a somewhat unusual sleek, dark look imparted by the Charcoal Frost livery. This is simply a great stage instrument, super distinctive and a cool part of History, both for what it is and where it has been. Overall Very Good + Condition.
This is a super vibey early CBS-era Fender Jazzmaster finished in one of the rarest of the company's 1960s Custom Colors, Charcoal Frost. This guitar also has a very cool provenance, having just lately been in the working collection of master songster/Jazzmaster avatar Elvis Costello. This guitar was used as a primary stage instrument on Elvis' summer 2024 gigs; it has some minor reversible modifications for stage use but remains a lovely original piece and a superb player.
The neck heel is date-stamped JAN 1966, exactly a year after Leo's company was sold into CBS corporate slavery. The Charcoal Frost lacquer finish is one of Fender's odder (and coolest, if subtle looking) Custom Colors, a deep metallic black-grey with a lacquer clear coat on top. This dark and rather sedate finish is a far cry from the flashy reds, whites and blues that most teen players wanted in the '60s so was only VERY rarely ordered making for a quite collectible look today. This shade was introduced with the new revised 1965 color chart, so this first-quarter 1966 Jazzmaster would be a fairly early instrument carrying this finish!
The guitar's other appointments show features specific to the period. The neckplate has the CBS "F" stamp and a 6-digit 100,000 series number typical of 1966. The bound rosewood fingerboard has the pearloid dots adopted in early '65 with the binding that came in at the end of the year, but not the large blocks adopted later in spring '66. Other features include the gold transition logo decal on the matching Charcoal Frost headstock, older style Kluson tuners and pickguard made of 3-layer white ABS plastic instead of the greenish nitrocellulose used earlier. The knobs are the white amp-style pieces specific to the Jazzmaster in this period.
We have seen many Custom Color Jazzmasters over the years, but never one in this particular finish. It is almost but not quite black, with a subtle metallic sheen that is hard to photograph but in person makes for a striking looking guitar, if in a subtle way. All Charcoal Frost Fender instruments are rare; along with Burgundy Mist this is one of the absolutely hardest shades to find on any model. Even many major collections do not have an example; we think this guitar is special not just for its finish, but it is a really superb working instrument as well!
Overall length is 41 1/16 in. (104.3 cm.), 14 in. (35.6 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 5/8 in. (4.1 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 25 1/2 in. (648 mm.). Width of nut is 1 5/8 in. (41 mm.)., 8.5 lbs.
This fine sounding and playing Jazzmaster, showing some general wear from nearly 60 years of use but nothing too severe. The original Custom Color body finish has light checking and play wear including a fairly random collection of dings, scrapes and dents overall, with one large spot of belt buckle wear on the back. The back also has some slightly rough spots on the surface possible from contact with a vinyl strap or foam in a case; this is only noticeable on fairly close inspection.
As is typical the lacquer clearcoat has yellowed over the decades, giving the guitar a slightly more greenish hue than it had originally. There is an area of clearcoat rubbed away in the armwear area, not too noticeable on this dark finish. The matching headstock has only minor chipping along the front edge. The gold "Fender" logo has darkened considerably, rendering it almost invisible but the decal is intact except the bottom part of the "MASTER" logo has flaked off. The lacquer on the back of the neck is worn to the wood over some of its length with that classic "played-in" Fender vibe and feels great. There is a cool old store sticker on the back of the headstock.
This guitar shows some easily reversible parts substitutions done for Elvis' stage use: A Mastery Bridge and Trem unit are fitted along with straplok strap buttons; the original parts are not included but could be sourced if desired to restore the guitar to fully original condition. The upper rhythm circuit switch has been disconnected but all the parts are intact and this can also be restored without major effort. All else on the guitar remains original.
The original frets have been crowned down a bit showing some light wear since, playability is not impaired. As set up with the Mastery hardware this Jazzmaster is an easy handling, extremely fine-playing and sounding guitar with a somewhat unusual sleek, dark look imparted by the Charcoal Frost livery. This is simply a great stage instrument, super distinctive and a cool part of History, both for what it is and where it has been. Overall Very Good + Condition.