Up for sale is a fabulous piece of FENDER history! Its also featured in the book “FENDER: The Golden Age” by Martin KELLY, Terry Foster, and Paul KELLY (see photos).
The most unique thing about this instrument is that it has features and parts that span the beginning and the ending of pre-CBS FENDER production for the model.
The 1958 origins of the guitar are evident in the hardware and the electronics. The pots date to 1958, and the pickups are from the same year. The tremolo unit is the earlier "Pat. Pending" version (the "patent number" was placed on these beginning sometime in 1962). The bridge is also the late 1950s variety, with the narrower threads on the high B and E strings. The guitar retains its late 1950s single line KLUSON tuners, and has a 1958 serial-numbered neck plate and screws.
The typical practice for new factory finishes on older instruments was to retain the old hardware and electronics. Sometimes they would strip and refinish the whole guitar. Other times they would actually replace the body with a new body from the year it was sent back, but retain the old neck. I have seen a factory refinished 1954 STRATOCASTER that had a replaced Lake Placid Blue body, but with the original 54 neck and electronics. Other times they would keep the hardware and electronics and actually replace the body and neck with custom color finishes from the year it was sent back.
That is what happened with this guitar. The hardware and electronics are from 1958, but the body and neck are from 1964/65. Rather than repainting the 1958 body and neck, the FENDER factory replaced then with corresponding parts then current in the factory. The neck clearly has the veneer Brazilian rosewood fretboard introduced in late 1962, and it also has the "thicker" headstock (measured from the front of the headstock with the logo to the back). Again, this is distinguished from the "larger" headstocks introduced in 1966. It still has the "smaller" headstock of the pre-CBS era, it is just a few mm thicker as per the transition period begun in 1964. The body has no date, but the routes also indicate the same time frame.
Interestingly they used a spaghetti FENDER logo on the headstock, while most guitars at this time had transitioned to the bolder logo first introduced on the JAZZ BASS and Jaguar. The logo is definitely original and it makes sense it would be used on guitar sent back for a new factory finish.
The guitar is still housed in its late 50s “Knucklebuster” case. Typically early Jazzmasters came in tweed cases, but its not inconceivable that a dealer originally sold it with a brown case from a few months later.
I have more photos showing all the factory markings if you are interested.
I am also included an era correct polish cloth and hang tag that you see in the photos.
Cosmetically the guitar is in very good vintage condition. It did see some play, but no abuse. Partswise the guitar is all original, although one pickup developed an open coil after sitting in the case for many years. The decay of time meant that it needed to be rewound in order to be functional.
It sounds great and is a really cool example of FENDER history. Its inclusion in the “Golden Age” book is an added bonus (book is not included in the sale.
| Series | Fender Jazzmaster |
| Brand | Fender |
| Body Color | White |
| Type | Electric Guitar |
| Model | Jazzmaster |