Woods used for 50´s, 60´s, 70´s strats, tele´s and jazzmasters

[Guitarman555]

Hi, I am wondering about quality and type of wood fender and after cbs used in 50´s, 60´s, 70´s. Does anybody knows details? Neck, body, how many part of wood, I am just interested and never studied this stuff.

[Guitarman555]

Any ideas, experiences? Thanks!

[Rob]

My understanding was that US-made Jazzmasters are almost universally alder bodies with maple necks and rosewood fretboards (with some rare offerings sans rosewood, or with ash bodies). Though I think starting around 1975, they started using ash for all the sunburst and non-opaque finishes. Aside from alder and ash, I think the Japanese reissues in the 90s were primarily basswood bodies.

As for how many parts, CBS-era Jazzmasters transitioned away from the 1-piece and 2-piece bodies. By around 1968, pretty much every instrument was 3-piece or 4-piece.

[PorkyPrimeCut]

Ash was also used in the 50s, particularly for blonde finishes.

[jeff m.]

Guitarman555,

Mate, there is such a lot of ground to cover in such a question, & so many books ( remember them ) that cover everything & probably more that you wish to know. One I'd really recommend is "FENDER..The Sound Heard 'round the World" by Richard Smith. Goes back to the early days of Fender up to about the early '90s.

Great read..came out in the mid '90s, I think..full of great photos of prototypes, one-offs etc.

Good place to start, & best of all, you can probably pick it up pretty cheap these days secondhand.

Just a thought.

Best,
Jeff.

[Guitarman555]

My understanding was that US-made Jazzmasters are almost universally alder bodies with maple necks and rosewood fretboards (with some rare offerings sans rosewood, or with ash bodies). Though I think starting around 1975, they started using ash for all the sunburst and non-opaque finishes. Aside from alder and ash, I think the Japanese reissues in the 90s were primarily basswood bodies.

As for how many parts, CBS-era Jazzmasters transitioned away from the 1-piece and 2-piece bodies. By around 1968, pretty much every instrument was 3-piece or 4-piece.

Many thanks Rob! So 1959 will be probably one piece alder or ash? And 1963-64 will be 1 or two piece alder body?

[Guitarman555]

Ash was also used in the 50s, particularly for blonde finishes.

Do in 1958/1959 jazzmasters it was ash or alder? Sunburst perhaps more probable alder?

[Guitarman555]

Ash was also used in the 50s, particularly for blonde finishes.

Well, in 50´s there were only sunburst jazzmasters, so this should be all alder?

[Axolotl]

^^^ A few 59 suburst Jazzmasters are made of ash (my refin in trans red certainly looks like it). There were also blonde Jazzmasters in 59, those were most likely ash also.

[Guitarman555]

^^^ A few 59 suburst Jazzmasters are made of ash (my refin in trans red certainly looks like it). There were also blonde Jazzmasters in 59, those were most likely ash also.

It is an interesting information! How I recognize wheather 1959 body is ash or alder? By weight? Is alder hevier, so let´t say 9 pounds? I think alder should be around 8 pounds and something, don´t you think?

[PorkyPrimeCut]

^^^ A few 59 suburst Jazzmasters are made of ash (my refin in trans red certainly looks like it). There were also blonde Jazzmasters in 59, those were most likely ash also.

It is an interesting information! How I recognize wheather 1959 body is ash or alder?

I think, with blonde Jazzmasters, ash was used as the figuring in the wood was more prominent & showed up through the finish a little more. This is a '59...

[Guitarman555]

^^^ A few 59 suburst Jazzmasters are made of ash (my refin in trans red certainly looks like it). There were also blonde Jazzmasters in 59, those were most likely ash also.

It is an interesting information! How I recognize wheather 1959 body is ash or alder?

I think, with blonde Jazzmasters, ash was used as the figuring in the wood was more prominent & showed up through the finish a little more. This is a '59...

Wow this is beautiful! What is weight of your jazzy??

[PorkyPrimeCut]

Gorgeous, isn't it?

It's not mine unfortunately, (although I do have a '59 Jazzmaster).

[Guitarman555]

Gorgeous, isn't it?

It's not mine unfortunately, (although I do have a '59 Jazzmaster).

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.

[PorkyPrimeCut]

Gorgeous, isn't it?

It's not mine unfortunately, (although I do have a '59 Jazzmaster).

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.

It's arguably the most famous Jazzmaster on the forum.