NGD! 1963 Fender Jazzmaster

[Surfysonic]

I've been hunting for a '63 guitar for a while. '63 is my birth year. Happily, I was able to buy this lovely refinished '63 Fender Jazzmaster in Candy Apple Red with matching headstock (bit of sparkle on the finish as well). Here is the seller's description:

Up for sale is a vintage 1963 Fender Jazzmaster in Candy Apple Red with blonde case. This guitar features clay dots, black bobbin pickups, and a slightly chunkier neck like the early 60's Jazzmasters were known for. The tone overall is a bit darker than the mid to late 60's Jazzmasters. The neck stamp is Sep 63. This guitar is original with a few exceptions. The body and head stock face have been professionally refinished in Candy Apple Red. This is the most beautiful Candy Apple Red paint job I have ever seen. It's arguably superior to any original Fender C.A.R - it's that good. The neck features it's original finish other than the head stock face. The original nitro finish on the back of the neck is smooth and pristine and is NOT worn through anywhere. The frets are original, and in excellent shape. They have not been dressed and show only the slightest grooves on the first few frets. The Brazilian Rosewood slab fingerboard is pristine and shows no finger wear whatsoever.
The main volume and tone pots are original and dated 304 6237 or Stackpole 37th week of 1962. The roller pots are original as is the enitre wiring harness complete with original masking tape. The nitrate mint pick guard is original as is the shield. The pickups are original, as are the bridge, trem block, trem bar, pickup covers, pickup switch and switch tip, strap buttons, and single line Kluson tuners. The guitar features its original bridge cover. Neck plate is L23XXX and the chrome is pristine on the neck plate with hardly any scratching. The volume and tone knobs are not original. The guitar plays great and sounds killer.

I opened up the guitar and took as many photos as I could. I brought it into my guitar tech to give it the once over as well. Plays great! I safely stored away the stock bridge and put on a Fender Mustang bridge. On to the photos!

[HH1978]

Congrats! The neck looks absolutely awesome!

[Surfysonic]

Thanks! It's really a wonderful neck - guitar stays in tune forever with the new D'Addario 11s on it!

[otis]

What a sweet colour!
A '63 should have a silver undercoat to be period-correct.
I'm not sure if this one has a gold or silver one/can't tell from the pics (and it doesn't really matter anyway).
just splendid!
And that neck is beautifull; how do your other Jazzmasters compare with this one?
It must be nice to have a Jazzmaster of your birthyear (I just lucked out on a '71 competition blue mustang myself).

[Surfysonic]

What a sweet colour!
A '63 should have a silver undercoat to be period-correct.
I'm not sure if this one has a gold or silver one/can't tell from the pics (and it doesn't really matter anyway).
just splendid!
And that neck is beautifull; how do your other Jazzmasters compare with this one?
It must be nice to have a Jazzmaster of your birthyear (I just lucked out on a '71 competition blue mustang myself).

For Jazzmasters, I am thankful to have (now) 3 really great guitars. I've always said that the Squier J Mascis Signature JM (refinished in Shell Pink and has Pure Vintage '65 pickups) even when stock is an amazing guitar. My mods for it was to make it more of a surf guitar since that's what I like to play (old school and modern). It's always my go to to take out for gigging as either main guitar or backup (for when using my Fender Johnny Marr Jaguar as my main). That said, the two US-made guitars (vintage and modern) are superior in quality but if I were to never have the other two, I'd be quite satisfied with the J Mascis JM.

The Fender American Vintage '65 JM (Ocean Turquoise) was until recently my most expensive purchase and it truly is a high quality guitar - since it was a special run from Wildwood, the neck isn't a vintage style 7.25" radius, but a modern 9.5" radius which is cool (I'm fine with either, really). Super comfortable and wonderful to play.

This is my first vintage Jazzmaster so I didn't have first hand knowledge of how comfortable the neck would be. After reading other folks' experiences on here and elsewhere, I learned that the '63 JM necks are not as slim as the late '50s / earlier '60s JM necks. I'm happy to report the neck is very comfortable for my big old hands and the guitar plays and sounds awesome. I will likely post a youtube demo soon with my '60 Fender Vibrasonic and '64 Fender Reverb Unit tomorrow.

Super congrats on your '71 Competition Blue Mustang - that's awesome. I'm also a big Mustang fan here, too!

[Embenny]

Fantastic refinish, fantastic guitar, fantastic collection. I adore the look of the mint guard on CAR.

I'm glad you found this guitar for multiple reasons

[Surfysonic]

Fantastic refinish, fantastic guitar, fantastic collection. I adore the look of the mint guard on CAR.

I'm glad you found this guitar for multiple reasons

Thanks, Mike! Since it's an original '63 mint pickguard, I can't begin to tell you what a bear it was getting it back onto the guitar due to its shrinkage over the years. Realizing I now have 3 JMs with mint guards (and they all look great with them), I can't help wanting to change it up on one of them with a Spitfire tort (likely the Shell Pink JM).

Looking forward to chatting about vintage guitars when you get back from your trip !

[otis]

Super congrats on your '71 Competition Blue Mustang - that's awesome. I'm also a big Mustang fan here, too!

Actually, I ment to say the opposite but my English wasn't sufficient enough.
I had to let that guitar pass.
Mainly the seller wanted to get payed immediately without giving me the chance to try it first(he had to wait a week for this because of the distance).
Buying without being able to play and see a guitar first is something I wouldn't ever do.

The neck on a '63 Jazzmaster I played was indeed a very full profile.
Not my preferred profile, but I think I could adjust to it easy enough.
My '64 has the thinnest neck I ever played on a Jazzmaster, but it has obviously been sanded at least once.

[Surfysonic]

Super congrats on your '71 Competition Blue Mustang - that's awesome. I'm also a big Mustang fan here, too!

Actually, I ment to say the opposite but my English wasn't sufficient enough.
I had to let that guitar pass.
Mainly the seller wanted to get payed immediately without giving me the chance to try it first(he had to wait a week for this because of the distance).
Buying without being able to play and see a guitar first is something I wouldn't ever do.

The neck on a '63 Jazzmaster I played was indeed a very full profile.
Not my preferred profile, but I think I could adjust to it easy enough.
My '64 has the thinnest neck I ever played on a Jazzmaster, but it has obviously been sanded at least once.

Ah, I understand - over here, when we say "lucked out", it means we were fortunate (I have no idea how that expression came about). Better luck next time! I bet your '64 is awesome! Do you have photos of it on the OSG?

[Maggieo]

What a beauty! And a birth year baby, no less!!! Congrats!!!

My birth year baby isn't a guitar, it's a camera:


Leica M2, April, 2010 by Maggie Osterberg, on Flickr

She was made in August of 1964.

[Surfysonic]

What a beauty! And a birth year baby, no less!!! Congrats!!!

My birth year baby isn't a guitar, it's a camera:


Leica M2, April, 2010 by Maggie Osterberg, on Flickr

She was made in August of 1964.

Thanks! That's a beautiful camera! Vintage camera's rock!

[Chew]

That thing is a stunner.

[Surfysonic]

Thanks!

[derekstudt]

Beautiful guitar!

[Surfysonic]

Beautiful guitar!

Thanks, much appreciated!