Fender 1959 11 hole body jazzmaster

[Fender96]

Hey!

Just a quick question about a Jazzmaster 59’ that I just bought here in Denmark. I can see, that it has a 13 Hole pick guard, but only 11 holes in the body. 2 of the screws down by the tone and volume control screws directly into the empty cavity, but it has little small pieces of wood that it screws into, that are situated in the cavity,. Since all the wiring and pot dates looks original, can this be a fake pick guard, or can it be made in a transition period in fender, where they used the new 13 hole on the 11 hole bodies?
I hope that you can help me clarify this

[PorkyPrimeCut]

It just sounds like you have a slightly newer (1959-60) pickguard - tortoiseshell, right?
They made 11-hole guards, also tort, for a fairly limited, trasintional period.

[Fender96]

Yeah, that could be. I just can't seem to get my head around, if it can be right that the guitar is born from fender with 11 holes in the body ands 13 holes In the Guard. It has little small pieces of wood in the cavity that it screws into. Could this be a ultra short period where they did this?

[PorkyPrimeCut]

Can you post a photograph?

The cavity around the volume & tone pots was originally straight. Then, during 1959, it became wavy along the lower edge to accommodate another screw. I'm guessing your body, probably the earlier style, has been modified by a previous owner, adding wood so the additional screws have something to hold on to.

Another trick would've been to glue a screw head onto the hole, making it look like a real working screw was in place.

I've a feeling the seller in Denmark may actually be a member of this forum.

[Fender96]

I can't seem to get the image up on the site. But the body has the straight cavity, but the pick guard has 13 holes. I just can't find any information if this is original, since it has been bought as an all original

[StevenO]

It's probably just a non-original pickguard for the guitar.

[PorkyPrimeCut]

I can't seem to get the image up on the site. But the body has the straight cavity, but the pick guard has 13 holes. I just can't find any information if this is original, since it has been bought as an all original

You can use a website like www.imgur.com.

Upload your images there & copy the short code onto a new post here

[Fender96]

https://imgur.com/tFnIF8K
https://imgur.com/9qvx3jj
https://imgur.com/c5fRHqq

Here you can see it. I just want to know if the pick guard is original, since the electronics looks completely original.

[Fender96]

Could this be an original fender guard t they put Blocks in to fit it with the Body during the transistion Period, or is it a newer guard? When it has 11 holes, i guess that it cant be born with anodized guard?

[PorkyPrimeCut]

Sorry, I thought I'd replied but I must've forgotten to click "Submit"

A couple of things...

Firstly, a picture of the front of the guard would help Original tort is very easy to spot & very hard to replicate.

Secondly, can you check the cut-outs on the aluminium guard around the 2 control wheels?
Are they tight rectangles or larger, more spacious & rounded oblongs?

I have to say, those added blocks are weird. I was expecting something glued to the inside edge of the route, not the centre.
Does this mean that there's an added screw hole in the middle of that part of the guard? Maybe between the 2 pots?

[Fender96]

https://i.imgur.com/VDmJ9KY.jpg

Here you Can see the guard. The Blocks are loose an Can be moved when not screwed in

[Bronco Billy]

Hi!

I’m from Copenhagen, but not related to that guitar!

Add’ me on fb if You want. Rasmus Skov

Send me some pics, that might be easier.

[PorkyPrimeCut]

Yep, that guard's legit. The minty colour of the back is as expected.

Also, I'd guess that the guard didn't see much sunlight. They fade over time to a much more orangey red. Yours is still really deep red. Very nice!

The body wear & guard are also strangely mismatched, what with the guard looking so new. That's not taking anything away from the whole guitar though. It's gorgeous!

I have an 11-hole guard Jazzmaster, something of a PartsMaster actually, but I know someone who may still have a spare 11-hole guard. I sold it to him on this forum years ago but, if you want, I could PM him and ask if he still has it.

One more thing, is your 5-digit serial number at the top or bottom of the neckplate?

[Fender96]

At the top of the plate. So the guard is not original?

[PorkyPrimeCut]

At the top of the plate. So the guard is not original?

The guard isn't original to your guitar body but it's an original Fender guard from between 1959 and the early 70s.

I'm not that up to scratch on narrowing the years down but I'd imagine there's a chance you'll find markings on the back of the pickguard that could help. I'm guessing but, as the aluminium shielding has printed numbers on it, I'd imagine it was a later version. In the early days Fender tended to freehand serial numbers (like your neck heel).

Hopefully someone else can chime in with more info, or with corrections to my slight flakey knowledge. It's been a while.