Introduced in 1959, the Jazzmaster was intended to be Fender's new deluxe model as the company entered in to the 1960s, and would go on to be an iconic guitar in both the '60s California scene and later with alternative guitar bands of the '80s. This 1965 Fender Jazzmaster is a fantastic example of an early CBS era Jazzmaster, finished in a rare factory custom colour Fiesta Red with matching headstock.
This guitar features a FEB 65 neck stamp, and as such incorporates some pre-CBS specifications found on these transitional models. Constructed from and Alder body with a maple neck and round laminated veneer fingerboard, the neck features the pearl dot inlays that were standard from '64 to '66, along with an unbound neck, as opposed to the white binding introduced at the tail end of 1965. The body is fitted with the original Jazzmaster overwound single coil pickups that when paired with the lead & rhythm circuitry can cover a wealth of tonal options.
This guitar is in very good condition, with the original Fiesta Red finish showing just the right amount of play wear and patina. The electronics and switches are original with the pots dating to the 8th week of 1965 (304 6508) and solder joints appearing undisturbed. The pickguard, bridge and tremolo are original and in working order, and one of the original Stratocaster style control knobs has been replaced. At some point, it would appear that this guitar has been modified to accommodate 10 strings, with evidence of 4 additional tuning peg holes to the front and rear of the headstock. As can be seen in the pictures, there has been finish touch up around where these holes have been plugged, with the a slight contrast to the shade of the original matching headstock finish. There is also a small portion of the original thick gold transition logo that has been replaced with a newer decal covering the 'N' and part of the 'D,' although the rest of the original decal remains intact. Apart from this, the guitar is modification and repair free.
This guitar has been given a full service & setup by our luthiers at the Vintage Instrument Workshop, and includes a 3 year warranty.
