Refinished my 65 Jazzmaster to Daphne Blue

[Axolotl]

This was long on the works, and it has finally happened!. My very dear 65 Jazzy -my first vintage jazzy- came to me about 3 years ago. While initially I had a strong case of keep-it-as-it-is I eventually missed the single coil sound on the neck, so I had the barbaric HB routing fixed and slapped a 65AV pickup. I also refretted her last year. I found the natural/dirty/premiersih? color dull, and I agonized over which refin color for about a year. Today here she is! I went for Daphne Blue (I guess some of you will argue it loos a bit like sonic?). I always loved the daphne+tort combo. In any case, I love how red the guard looks now. Matching headstock was a must, since the original decal was long gone.

I went to the best/pretty much only guy down here in Buenos Aires who works with nitro and I think the job came out quite well!. I asked for a very thin finish that will bruise easily . Thought about relicing it but decided to hold on for now.

So here it's a brief evolution of this long term restoration. Plays and sounds awesome like the day I've got it.

[zhivago]

Wow that looks great!!

[StevenO]

Looks fantastic! Excellent job.

[zip73]

You made the right choice. Looks fantastic!

[mcjt]

muy bien! congrats!

i did my 59 in sonic because blue was so nice!
This vintage daphne was my inspiration:

[Fenderguy]

Love it

[PJazzmaster]

niiiice great choice!

[JKR]

A friend of mine is refinishing his JM.
I sent him your pics as inspiration - looks great!

[bterry]

Looks amazing, great choice!

Is that lalaland's Daphne above? That guitar is so

[Ursa Minor]

Daphne looks great!

It's pretty agonizing stuff coming up with a refin color. Classy choice. Extra props for not going relic'd.

[Pacafeliz]

sorry no, it doesn't do it for me..

maybe with a mint guard?
but it, well, seems like it has lost its unique-ness. mojo?

but you know me, so don't worry...

[rhythmjones]

Much better.

It's not like you covered over the original finish. You're just fixing the "bad" 1970s mods. JMs should be JMs, IMHO.

Very very hawt!

[Axolotl]

It's pretty agonizing stuff coming up with a refin color. Classy choice. Extra props for not going relic'd.

Agonizing indeed. My first choice would have been lake placid blue but I already have my 66 in that color. I dabbed on ice blue metallic but then the paint guy told me that it involved some kind of thin poly coating so I decided to go for Daphne. I know a tort + daphne combo is not historically accurate, but damn I was always a sucker for it.

re: relicing, I actually did want to go with a light relic a la Danocaster, but the painter and my luthier talked me out of it. Paint guy told me the finish will dull, bruise and change color rather fast (I asked him explicitly to do a (very) thin skin type of refin.

Paca how dare you!! This baby went from the ugly duckling to stunning just like that. IMHO It would have been a shame not to do it. The previous "natural"finish was a mess of varnish and drippings and I think I've seen far more stripped jazzies than daphnes -refins or not- I do know you and where you coming from though .

She's been getting so much more playtime. Haven't looked back for a second

[andy_tchp]

Oh man, I remember that guitar from the original picture!

Stunning refin and great choice of colour (and not relic-ing!), congrats.

[teensupertiger]

where that tort pickguard is from?