This guitar is a commission sale. If you have a high-end or vintage guitar you are interested in selling please contact us.
Mainland UK buyers ONLY. Delivery by specialist courier only. Prices start from £75 depending on location - please inquire.
MORE PHOTOS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST.
Here for sale we have a stunning vintage 1965 Fender Jazzmaster in 3-Color Sunburst finish. Fender's Jazzmaster was introduced in 1958, and at the time was the most expensive guitar available from the manufacturer. It was intended for jazz players, and as such had several features intended to ingratiate itself with them. This included the offset waist, which made the guitar sit more comfortably on the leg when playing in a seated position as jazz guitarists often do. The Jazzmaster was the first Fender instrument to feature a Rosewood fingerboard, emulating the more traditional jazz guitars. The new 'rhythm circuit' produced a dark, mellow tone that Leo Fender thought would be perfect for smooth jazz lines. The instrument even had a completely new floating 'tremolo' design- which of course produces a vibrato effect- that had a locking mechanism to improve tuning stability when the tremolo wasn't in use. The Jazzmaster was ultimately discontinued in 1980 after years of dwindling sales. The instrument never caught on with its target market of Jazz players, but was very successful amongst surf rockers. In later years the instruments gained popularity in alternative scenes such as new wave, shoegaze & grunge.
The serial number & specification of this guitar indicate that it was manufactured in 1965, with several indicating factors that point towards its completion in early/mid 1965. These include the neck stamp '4FEB65B' which indicates the neck was style 4 (Jazzmaster), stamped in Feb '65 & was of standard profile (B). It's widely accepted that 'L' serial numbers left the factory between '63 & '65. In the neck pocket we can see evidence of the 'paint stick' method of finishing that was in use by Fender from around '63. The lack of nail or clamping holes indicates the guitar was finished after 1964 when the holes were no longer required due to the use of a drying tree. The pot codes are easily legible, and read the 50th week of '63 & 08th week of '65. Fender kept their parts in large batches so it's quite reasonable for a guitar to have pots from different years. The headstock logo is the transitional logo rather than the 'Spaghetti Logo' that was in use until around '64. The fingerboard is inlaid with clay dots, rather than the pearloid dots which were introduced around late '64. There were always crossovers with some of these features, and this, amongst the other factors outlined above are strong signs that this instrument was produced right around the transition to the commonly accepted '65 spec.
The Maple neck plays fantastically well, with a profile that feels somewhat like an even 'C' shape. This encourages ergonomic thumb positioning in all registers & ensures comfortable playability across the neck. The Gloss finish to the rear assists with smooth navigation of the 25.5" scale. The wear to the rear of the neck, as well as the light fingerboard wear and gentle battle scarring to the body add to the vintage feel & vibe of the instrument, and make it very inspiring in the hands. The offset body with generous cutaways enhances access to the upper frets, whilst also feeling very comfortable in the arms and balanced on a strap. Ergonomic control placement provides easy access to the rhythm circuit whilst playing, with the usual 3-way toggle switch, master volume and tone controls also comfortably within reach.
The pair of Jazzmaster single-coil pickups installed in this guitar work in conjunction with the switch and controls to deliver a very versatile set of tones. When the lead circuit is engaged the tone is bright and glistening, providing the kind of jangly, sparkly tone that the Jazzmaster is well known for. The neck pickup is full-bodied and round for solo tones, whilst the bridge pickup provides the brightness and clarity required to catapult you to the front of the mix. When switching to the rhythm circuit, a much darker and warmer tone is heard, well suited to Jazz styles, shoegaze and even grunge genres. An incredibly well preserved & outstandingly original example of one of Fender's most celebrated models, with its very own story to tell. This is your opportunity to be the next chapter.
This guitar is a commission sale. If you have a high-end or vintage guitar you are interested in selling please contact us.
Mainland UK buyers ONLY. Delivery by specialist courier only. Prices start from £75 depending on location - please inquire.
Please be aware that for international buyers import fees are not included in our postage and packaging cost, this only covers the cost of the guitar being sent to you. Import fees will be charged by Customs upon the guitar's arrival in the recipient country. Due to Brexit, this also applies to EU buyers. We advise checking the total import cost with Customs as this is not information we are able to accurately provide.
Fender Jazzmaster 3-Color Sunburst 1965 Vintage Electric Guitar
Brand- Fender
Model- Jazzmaster
Finish- 3-Color Sunburst
Year- 1965
Made In- USA
Body- Alder
Neck- Maple
Fingerboard- Rosewood (Likely Brazilian)
Fingerboard Radius- 7.25"
Frets- 21
Scale Length- 25.5"
Nut Width- 1.67"
Pickups- 2x Fender Jazzmaster Single-Coils
Controls- Lead Circuit: 3-Way Toggle Switch, Master Volume, Master Tone. Rhythm Circuit: 2-Position Rhythm/Lead Slide Switch, Master Volume Thumbwheel, Master Tone Thumbwheel
Our ID: 1290326195850
Weight: lbs
Serial: L69011
Aesthetic Condition:
Headstock: Overall very good condition. All aspects of the headstock demonstrate consistent scratching, indentation and occasional chipping of the finish, as can be expected with an instrument of this age. This is most apparent to the top edges, where indentation has chipped the finish revealing the wood beneath. Circular scratching is apparent surrounding the tuning posts and tuning buttons to a lesser extent. The Fender Jazzmaster Decal has worn away slightly in places.
Neck: Overall very good condition. The fingerboard demonstrates some light playwear throughout the register which is difficult to discern from the natural grain. There are some slight tooling marks beside the frets, indicative of a level and re-crown previously being performed. Light scratching is apparent throughout the register, visible only under close inspection and not felt beneath the string. The finish to the rear of the neck has worn away slightly on the treble side of the profile. Discoloration to the exposed maple is apparent throughout. Light to moderate indentations chipping the finish can be identified around the heel, not affecting the playing area. Light indentations and scratching are apparent throughout, but are only lightly felt beneath the thumb and do not impact playability.
Body: Overall very good condition. All aspects of the body demonstrate consistent scratching, indentation and occasional chipping of the finish. This is most apparent to the lower bout edges, where indentation has chipped the finish revealing the wood beneath.The rear face demonstrates moderate buckle rash, and beside this some patches of finish which have chipped away. Nitro checking is apparent throughout as can be expected with an instrument of this age.
Condition of Frets:
The frets appear to be original, and demonstrate moderate signs of use, with light indentation and moderate flattening of the crowns throughout the register. There is a small amount of material remaining for future fret work.
Current Set Up:
Truss Rod: Fully functional. Truss rod tool (flathead driver) not included.
Hardware: Fully functional with moderate signs of wear. The 1st E string post is slightly bent, but functions as expected. The switch tip has been replaced, as have the strap buttons. None of these original parts are included. One pickguard screw and a screw to mount the rhythm circuit switch are missing. The pickguard & rhythm circuit remain secure.
Structural: No concerns or issues to note.
Height of the string from the 12th Fret-1.5mm - Bass 2mm
Please be aware that the action on a guitar may move slightly in transit and this measurement is the current height.
Strings on Guitar - 10-46
Electrics:
Fully functional. The volume & tone pots in the lead circuit crackle very slightly when operated despite having been cleaned. We have opted to retain the original pots to maintain the originality of the wiring.
Case & Accessories:
Original Fender hard case
The case demonstrates notable signs of use, as is expected with case of this age. There is tearing and peeling of the tolex, notable oxidation of metal hardware and light damage to the wooden frame. The interior pocket has collapsed, leaving exposed nails. The case latches shut, transports & protects the guitar safely as intended Truss rod tool & tremolo arm not included.