Jazzmaster in 1966 LIFE magazine

[RedOrangeMorning]

I could be wrong, but I don't think those are actual photos of the guitars. They look like artist renderings to me, which might explain why the JM isn't correct to the year...

[zhivago]

I could be wrong, but I don't think those are actual photos of the guitars. They look like artist renderings to me, which might explain why the JM isn't correct to the year...

you might be right....now that I look at the tremolo shine on the JM...and the shine on it's body...it could well be a drawing....

[spacecadet]

Those are definitely photos.  These days in the Photoshop age, it's easy to forget how time-consuming and difficult it was to get a drawing with this level of realism in those days - it would have been hideously expensive for a large and detailed spread like this, and only a few people in the country would have been able to do it.  It would have taken quite a while also.

It may be a composite photo - that was possible in the 1960's.  So was "analog" retouching with an airbrush, which often gives old promotional photos that pasty look.  This could have had both things done to it.  But it's definitely a photo, not a painting or a drawing.

Also don't forget that it's LIFE magazine - they were particularly known for their photography.

[Soiouz]

Those are definitely photos.  These days in the Photoshop age, it's easy to forget how time-consuming and difficult it was to get a drawing with this level of realism in those days - it would have been hideously expensive for a large and detailed spread like this, and only a few people in the country would have been able to do it.  It would have taken quite a while also.

It may be a composite photo - that was possible in the 1960's.  So was "analog" retouching with an airbrush, which often gives old promotional photos that pasty look.  This could have had both things done to it.  But it's definitely a photo, not a painting or a drawing.

Also don't forget that it's LIFE magazine - they were particularly known for their photography.

Well said! I couldn't agree more!

Having the original magazine in my hands right now, it's 150% sure it's a photo. Airbrushed on some small spots? Maybe, but a photo for sure.

[fuzzking]

Yep it looks like airbrushing on the chrome parts (as far as I can tell), they often did that in the olden days.

[chrisjedijane]

Yeah, you can tell from the reflection of the Gretsch's gold binding on the Jazzmaster's tremolo also.

[spacecadet]

Yep it looks like airbrushing on the chrome parts (as far as I can tell), they often did that in the olden days.

The chrome looks a little duller than it would in real life, so they may have airbrushed some sort of neutral density spray over those parts (I'm not an expert in airbrushing, but I know such a thing exists).  You can really see it compared to the Gretsch in the photo I posted later, with its shiny, shiny gold.

The part of the photo that looks most airbrushed to me, though, is the whole of the National guitar.  That one guitar does look painted, and maybe that's throwing the whole thing off for other people.  But I'm still sure even that is a photo, just with maybe some heavier airbrushing.  I honestly don't remember ever having seen one of these guitars before, but in the photos I've found on the net, they do also seem to have more of a matte finish than other guitars of the day... so that could be part of it too:



The other guitars in the photo all look pretty normal to me, though... and I'll also bet that they just went to a store and either borrowed or bought whatever they had in stock, which would explain the JM neck.

[mcatano]

I find it interesting that the Jazzmaster doesn't have blocks and binding, or at least binding, in an article from June 1966.  I wonder where they got the guitar for the photo?  You'd think that Fender would have provided them with the latest and greatest, ie blocks and binding, for such a high profile article.  Wouldn't that non-binding neck put that JM at least mid 1965 or earlier?  Maybe they got it from an area music store that had an oldie in stock?  I'm assuming it's not a stock photo since the National Jazzmaster and Gretsch look posed together, and besides, that isn't an angle that's common in commercial guitar photography from that time.

Your guess about getting the guitars from a single retailer is almost certainly correct.  From the POV of an art director, it would be much easier to coordinate a shoot if all the guitars were coming from one place rather than contacting 7 or 8 different companies for loaners and trying to get them all to arrive at the same time.

Also, Epiphone Crestwoods are friggin' gorgeous guitars.  Where is the love for Sonic Smith??