Fender Jazzmaster Solid Body Electric Guitar (1962)

Fender  Jazzmaster Solid Body Electric Guitar  (1962)
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Item # 9645
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Fender Jazzmaster Model Solid Body Electric Guitar (1962), made in Fullerton, California, serial # 92998, sunburst lacquer finish, alder body, maple neck with rosewood fingerboard, original brown tolex hard shell case.

This beautifully preserved early 1960s Jazzmaster is loaded with a bevy of classic pre-CBS Fender features. These include the medium-thickness unbound rosewood fingerboard with "clay" dot inlay, beautifully blended 3-color sunburst lacquer finish on the body and gold "Spaghetti" logo headstock decal. The pickguard is the dark nitrocellulose tortoiseshell style which was a Fender trademark at the time. This one has an ink-stamped neck date of December 1962 and pots dated the 18th week of that year, so it was likely assembled and sold early in 1963.

This guitar remains original and complete except the neck pickup has been perfectly rewound to the original spec by NY Fender guru Norio Imai. This was done without disturbing the solder joints beyond the coil itself so the work is virtually undetectable, and all attendant wiring remains original. The guitar sounds exactly as it should, with the bright but slightly deeper tone character specific to the Jazzmaster.

These early '60s Jazzmasters are often exceptionally fine instruments, then sitting below the newly-introduced Jaguar in the Fender line but with a still-unique feel and sound. While they never did catch on with the jazz artists Leo intended them for this was a radically new and quite successful guitar at the time, seen with many period players across a variety of musical genres.

After a long period in the shadows the Jazzmaster has been increasingly popular over the last couple of decades with new generations of performers re-discovering its particular charms. This prime Pre-CBS example has survived in exceptionally fine condition, in its original brown Tolex hardshell case, looking more like a couple of years old than nearly 60!
 
Overall length is 41 in. (104.1 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.).

Overall this is a super clean guitar, showing only some VERY light wear overall. It is not perfect, but as close as we've seen in a while! The lacquer still has a showroom shiny look about it, not dulled down or checked like many from this period. There are a few very small dings and dents in the body finish, but no really notable wear. A small line in the finish on the face behind the trem assembly by the rear edge looks to have been a reaction to something left in contact there. The back has a few noticeable scratches and some very light buckle wear into but not through the finish. The color in the sunburst is very strong with virtually no fade.

The lovely tortoise celluloid pickguard shows comparatively little shrinkage, which is a common issue on early Jazzmaster guards. All hardware is original and complete except as noted above the rewound neck pickup, which is virtually undetectable. The metal parts are still shiny, the plastic bits undamaged. The original small frets show hardly any wear, and the neck finish is also barely worn at all. The original factory shims are still in the neck pocket.

It simply looks like this guitar has seen very little play time since new. The original brown Tolex case is also very clean, with the original grey Fender cord along with a period spare and a 1960s brown leather strap in the pocket. This is pretty close to a time capsule guitar, apparently waiting since 1963 for the right home! Excellent + Condition.