Jazzmaster

[russd1978]

Hello, it was recommended that I post here by a Reddit user after I asked about my late father's "Jazzmaster" a few months ago. I would be very interested for any further opinions on this guitar. As I'm new I don't seem to be able to embed images but I have uploaded them here photos here.

A neighbour of ours agreed to take a closer look at the guitar and took some more detailed photos with it taken apart before he put it back together again. He had this say about it:

Firstly, it’s probably not a Jazzmaster️ as the Jazz and Jaguar had a second set of switches and tone controls on the top of the pickguard, to give the jazz sound. These are all missing on this guitar. When I get time I will pop off the pickguard to see if the wiring is hidden in there or if the body has been routed out to take it but not used... The rectangular steel plate which fixes the neck has a serial number giving a 1971 year code but the headstock decal is not period Fender. The nearest is 1958 to 1962 (the earliest) but it’s not quite right. The tuning pegs are German so that doesn’t help. Note the strips of Formica under the neck join. Seems like a custom built hybrid perhaps.

He also mentioned that the transfer logo on the head of the guitar seems to be straight whereas on genuine Jazzmasters its curved slightly. However, on Reddit I did have some further opinions:

So, as best I can tell, this looks like a legit '61 Jazzmaster, both body and neck refinished and a reproduction decal put on it. Also possible the neck is aftermarket, and somebody just added the pencil date at the heel. The neck plate is from a later Fender guitar. They body has been chiseled away between the pickups (which look original) the rhythm circuit has been removed and an aftermarket pickguard placed. It looks to me like the body was pretty heavily/irregularly oversanded (the sides of the neck block should be nice and square and there should be an even-radius round-over around the perimeter of the body, with the sides nice and perpendicular to the top/back). That can make it tough to ever professionally refinish this, as those waves and wobbles will stick out and building corners back out with wood filler/epoxy is tricky.

And also:

I agree with the other comment it would be best to get appraised at a place where they are knowledgeable about vintage guitars. To me this looks like a ‘61 (as per the neck date) that has been heavily played and modified to suit the player. Nothing about the body and neck itself immediately raises concern about it NOT being from that year. The plug-hole in the back is there that often is missing on newer jm’s or replicas and even that neck shim (the piece of plastic that was sandwiched between the neck and the body) looks original. What looks modded: the pickguard and wiring are def not original, the guitar looks like it was stripped of its original finish and refinished in clear. The frets are not original ‘61 frets as those were much thinner. The logo on the headstock looks off but that could mean the headstock was just sanded and refinished as well and they put a new decal on there. The body has received a ‘swimming pool’ route, meaning the wood between the pickups was removed to accommodate for easier placement of different kinds of pickups or even an added middle pickup. All these modifications are not that uncommon.

I have not been able to take it for appraisal yet but I guess that's the next step.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts!

[sal paradise]

Did you remove the neck? Would be helpful to see photos of any markings on the neck or body.

[russd1978]

Thank you for embedding the pictures Sal!

[Biloxide]

It suffered of a fire house ? Burning marks are where the previous pickguard was melted... nice guitar in natural, i like it.

[russd1978]

It suffered of a fire house ? Burning marks are where the previous pickguard was melted... nice guitar in natural, i like it.

That's a possibility, I thought it was more likely that they had tried to improve the look after stripping the paint but maybe that's why.

[russd1978]

Did you remove the neck? Would be helpful to see photos of any markings on the neck or body.

Yes, there were more photos in the folder... some with neck removed:
https://app.box.com/s/94a41h2p1p2uy793onu3snoudlvl01e4

[sal paradise]

Did you remove the neck? Would be helpful to see photos of any markings on the neck or body.

Yes, there were more photos in the folder... some with neck removed:
https://app.box.com/s/94a41h2p1p2uy793onu3snoudlvl01e4

Ah sorry, missed those when I was looking on my phone. If you right-click the photo & copy image address, you can paste it in to your reply here. The site will recognise its a link, choose 'photo' in the pop up, then insert, it should display for you.

[ainm]

Can’t offer you any expertise, but I just wanted to say that I love the vibe I get from your father’s guitar. Looks like an instrument that was played and loved.

[Highnumbers]

I have not been able to take it for appraisal yet but I guess that's the next step.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts!

Neat guitar and that your dad kept it all those years!

Personally I wouldn't recommend spending money to get an appraisal on a guitar like this. It's a nice player, but with all the modifications and changed parts, its value will be well below the value of a same-year intact Jazzmaster. Just to help brace you for the reality of it.

This group could do a better job of appraising this guitar and assessing the value than any sort of "official" service that you could get (and pay for).

[windmill]

There doesn't look to be much of the original left about this.

Possible original parts

The body
the tremolo

Possibly the pickups but the picture showing the aluminium foil over the pickup bobbin raises doubts about these also.

The neck may have been refretted but the pencil marking at the end of the neck, although in the original style, doesn't look original.

HTH

[level3]

I would add that the bridge is probably original to the guitar as it still has two saddles with finer threads (albeit in the wrong place) and the more dome-shaped openings for the height screws.
The taller thimbles are also pre 62.
Note sure about the pickups, as the pole pieces stick out too far, in my opinion.

Great guitar with a lot of character though!

[RumorsOFsurF]

I am not a vintage expert, but as others have pointed out, there are definitely some parts that look original that could place it as an early 62 or older. Pat. Pend. Trem, vintage bridge, tall bridge thimbles, slab board.


That said, those definitely don't look like correct pickups. If you look under the foil the bobbins look gray, which in those years should have been black I believe.

Tuners, pickguard, neck plate definitely are not original, either.

[eternal learner]

It's obviously not an all original vintage, more "grandfathers axe" item or perhaps a bitser. It's sale value would be nothing special that's for sure, considering it's lowish monetary value and the fact that it was your father's guitar...KEEP IT!!!! Worth far more to you in good vibes value than a wad of dollars in your pocket, besides all that it's a cool looking axe! This is a no brainer my man.

[caples]

Hey man any chance you would be interested in selling? Ive been looking for a good player grade Jazzmaster forever. Love the natural finish

[UlricvonCatalyst]

Hey man any chance you would be interested in selling? Ive been looking for a good player grade Jazzmaster forever. Love the natural finish

"7. No selling or trading outside the Guitar Shop section."

Rule-breaking or not, trying to hash out a deal on someone's late father's guitar before he even mentioned any desire to part with it is in pretty poor taste.