Who's arguing?PorkyPrimeCut wrote: ↑Wed Mar 21, 2018 7:54 amIt's arguably the most famous Jazzmaster on the forum.Guitarman555 wrote: ↑Wed Mar 21, 2018 7:51 amYeaah, looks so cool, it is really obvious how the wood appears under the finish. So this is the legendary ash jazzmaster! I am wondering weather ash jazzmasters are heavier than the alder ones..it would be interesting to know.PorkyPrimeCut wrote: ↑Wed Mar 21, 2018 7:41 amGorgeous, isn't it?
It's not mine unfortunately, (although I do have a '59 Jazzmaster).
Woods used for 50´s, 60´s, 70´s strats, tele´s and jazzmasters
- lalalandstudios
- Expat
- Posts: 532
- Joined: Sat Sep 16, 2006 6:41 am
- Location: The City of Brotherly Love
- Contact:
Re: Woods used for 50´s, 60´s, 70´s strats, tele´s and jazzmasters
- PorkyPrimeCut
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 24472
- Joined: Tue Nov 28, 2006 7:46 am
- Location: Leipzig
- Contact:
Re: Woods used for 50´s, 60´s, 70´s strats, tele´s and jazzmasters
lalalandstudios wrote: ↑Wed Mar 21, 2018 9:11 amWho's arguing?PorkyPrimeCut wrote: ↑Wed Mar 21, 2018 7:54 amIt's arguably the most famous Jazzmaster on the forum.Guitarman555 wrote: ↑Wed Mar 21, 2018 7:51 am
Yeaah, looks so cool, it is really obvious how the wood appears under the finish. So this is the legendary ash jazzmaster! I am wondering weather ash jazzmasters are heavier than the alder ones..it would be interesting to know.
Guitarman555, meet the owner.
You think you can't, you wish you could, I know you can, I wish you would. Slip inside this house as you pass by.
- Axolotl
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 1272
- Joined: Sun Mar 10, 2013 9:06 am
Re: Woods used for 50´s, 60´s, 70´s strats, tele´s and jazzmasters
FWIW, here are a few shots of my 59. A couple of luthiers and some knowledgeable people told me they thought the body is ash due to the grain pattern which is more figured than alder. It is also a heavier than my 65 and 66 Jazzmasters which are surely made of alder. It was originally a sunburst. I'm pretty convinced it's ash but I wouldn't mind if some of our own experts chiming in (I've been wanting to do a thread about this but I keep forgetting about it)
- Guitarman555
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 268
- Joined: Sun Jan 14, 2018 2:36 pm
Re: Woods used for 50´s, 60´s, 70´s strats, tele´s and jazzmasters
Wow, looks so cool within this red refinish! If I compare it with the previous picture of ash blond jazzy from 1959, I think you are right, it is ash! Please can you tell me exact weight? Many thanks!Axolotl wrote: ↑Wed Mar 21, 2018 10:09 amFWIW, here are a few shots of my 59. A couple of luthiers and some knowledgeable people told me they thought the body is ash due to the grain pattern which is more figured than alder. It is also a heavier than my 65 and 66 Jazzmasters which are surely made of alder. It was originally a sunburst. I'm pretty convinced it's ash but I wouldn't mind if some of our own experts chiming in (I've been wanting to do a thread about this but I keep forgetting about it)
- Axolotl
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 1272
- Joined: Sun Mar 10, 2013 9:06 am
Re: Woods used for 50´s, 60´s, 70´s strats, tele´s and jazzmasters
^^^ By sheer luck I found my scale so I can oblige: My 59 weights 3.54 kgs / 7.8 lb
- Guitarman555
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 268
- Joined: Sun Jan 14, 2018 2:36 pm
- Axolotl
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 1272
- Joined: Sun Mar 10, 2013 9:06 am
Re: Woods used for 50´s, 60´s, 70´s strats, tele´s and jazzmasters
Well, as I told you above, I'm inclined to think it's ash
- Guitarman555
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 268
- Joined: Sun Jan 14, 2018 2:36 pm
- Axolotl
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 1272
- Joined: Sun Mar 10, 2013 9:06 am
Re: Woods used for 50´s, 60´s, 70´s strats, tele´s and jazzmasters
As far as I know, ash it's heavier.
- Guitarman555
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 268
- Joined: Sun Jan 14, 2018 2:36 pm
- Axolotl
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 1272
- Joined: Sun Mar 10, 2013 9:06 am
Re: Woods used for 50´s, 60´s, 70´s strats, tele´s and jazzmasters
And by the fact that is heavier than my other, alder Jazzmasters. But as I said before, I don't really know for sure.
- Guitarman555
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 268
- Joined: Sun Jan 14, 2018 2:36 pm
- Guitarman555
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 268
- Joined: Sun Jan 14, 2018 2:36 pm
Re: Woods used for 50´s, 60´s, 70´s strats, tele´s and jazzmasters
Do you know if in 1959 they made in ash only blond, or also sunburst jazzy´s?
- Jellyfishin'Musician
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 58
- Joined: Fri Feb 17, 2012 2:15 pm
- Location: Topographic Oceanfront
Re: Woods used for 50´s, 60´s, 70´s strats, tele´s and jazzmasters
That looks more like alder to me.
Its grain is no more pronounced than most other alder bodies, and very subdued, compared to most ash bodies.
It would probably more obvious, if some of the wood in the neck pocket has remained unfinished; ash has a much, much coarser grain - requiring significant grain filling to allow for a smooth finish. Alder is a lot easier to finish.
The ash that Fender used in the seventies and early-eighties, Northern ash, is usually significantly heavier than alder, but earlier Fenders used swamp ash, which could be extremely lightweight. If you've picked up many fifties blonde Telecasters, then you know that some are practically featherweights, so -in that era- weight is not a reliable indicator of the wood used.
Its grain is no more pronounced than most other alder bodies, and very subdued, compared to most ash bodies.
It would probably more obvious, if some of the wood in the neck pocket has remained unfinished; ash has a much, much coarser grain - requiring significant grain filling to allow for a smooth finish. Alder is a lot easier to finish.
The ash that Fender used in the seventies and early-eighties, Northern ash, is usually significantly heavier than alder, but earlier Fenders used swamp ash, which could be extremely lightweight. If you've picked up many fifties blonde Telecasters, then you know that some are practically featherweights, so -in that era- weight is not a reliable indicator of the wood used.
- Jellyfishin'Musician
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 58
- Joined: Fri Feb 17, 2012 2:15 pm
- Location: Topographic Oceanfront
Re: Woods used for 50´s, 60´s, 70´s strats, tele´s and jazzmasters
Also, sunbursts were alder in 1959.
Beautiful Jazzmaster, by the way!
Beautiful Jazzmaster, by the way!