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No photos but my much-missed '64 Jazzmaster wiring was the work of 'Esper' and a '63 I owned briefly (which came back with the most disappointing restoration I'd ever commissioned) was a "Mel".

I don't recall what was on the '65 JM or XIIs I owned? Perhaps they had stopped doing it by then and it was just a number stamped designating an assembly worker? I don't remember seeing anything.

Side note: A well-known repair guy here in Bristol recently mentioned that he had repaired vintage Jazzmasters that were buzzing or not working because the large shielding plate under the pickguard had been made out of two pieces of aluminum which had come apart and broken the ground. He reckoned that he had seen shields that had been made of surplus oil cans (still flat metal prior to being pressed but with the printing done for the oil). I find this hard to believe - has anyone seen one of these? I think it might just have been someone made up their own as a replacement and he only saw it once or the same guitar came back in some years later and things get blurred. The repair guy does great work but likes an urban myth or two... for example: he told me that someone is making brand new Vox AC30s from NOS parts out of a garage in Devon because the factory inventory was removed the day before the factory burnt down in the sixties (that bit - the fire is true. I just smiled.

Its possible the shields we're made form recycled or unused overstock aluminum. I'd say its more likely that was a one-off diy.

I will say this - The shields I've seen have mostly had a company name printed on them. I forget the name at the moment - will have to go through photos to be sure exactly. I always just assumed that that was the aluminum manufacturer and left it at that.

Perhaps they also made oil cans?

kosmonautmayhem wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 18, 2018 6:45 am

Its possible the shields we're made form recycled or unused overstock aluminum. I'd say its more likely that was a one-off diy.

I will say this - The shields I've seen have mostly had a company name printed on them. I forget the name at the moment - will have to go through photos to be sure exactly. I always just assumed that that was the aluminum manufacturer and left it at that.

Perhaps they also made oil cans?

Yeah I know the red writing stamped on the shielding. The repair guy described it as literally being like STP or Castrol. I don't believe it because if you were gonna do it you would at least use something that would be one piece. He's a likeable guy but eccentric.

I see.

This is under Pickguard on a '65 Mustang. There is some type of conductive sprayed material with that greenish hue on here. And initials over it?
I'm suspecting there was a factory refinish on this from Blue to a Candy Apple Red.

Here's the marking under the pickguard of my 1962 JM.

Here is a picture of the often seen "E" - on my 1959 JM pickguard. E = Esper, as far as I know.



Though this is not a Fender offset guitar, how about this "Beck" marking on a 1954/1955 Strat (body date 12-54, neck date TG-1-55)?



Who is "Beck"? What is strange is that the marking says "1-28-54" - this is a "4", isn't it - though it should be "... -55", referring to 28 January 1955.

Tzurby wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 01, 2019 7:57 am

Who is "Beck"? What is strange is that the marking says "1-28-54" - this is a "4", isn't it - though it should be "... -55", referring to 28 January 1955.

Well, tat’s that old turn of the year still writing the old year, right? Or you may have some prototypey goodness. ...but probably the prior.

It seems Mell made the pickups in my 1964 Jazzmaster!

Cpe4spd wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 09, 2019 12:01 pm

This is under Pickguard on a '65 Mustang. There is some type of conductive sprayed material with that greenish hue on here. And initials over it?
I'm suspecting there was a factory refinish on this from Blue to a Candy Apple Red.

Same initials on the masking tape of my '64 Jazzmaster:


Other examples:

The markings on my 71 Musicmaster Bass


L. Crawford in the neck pocket. Also no primer used on these models.


Neck heel stamp.


Possibly a 4 and some kind of QA stamp on the neck.


An L and another L or a 4 on the pickguard

I have the initials SR inside the tremolo cavity of my 1966 Jaguar.

Jazzmaster body -I believe '73 per the neck plate. The original neck was not part of this when I got the guitar. Looks like the "E" is in the neck pocket. Could be a 3, but seems like there was someone making an "E" on other guitars.

Recently acquired a ‘59 ad a ‘62 Jazzmaster. The 62 has a couple of “R”‘s in pencil, one in the neck pocket. The 59 has been refinished but has “Mell” on the shielding:

Here are a couple from my refinished 1959. Just a big curvy line in the neck pocket, and a neck date that I understand shouldn't be there (b/c they weren't writing neck dates in late 1959).