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Colors of vintage Jazzmasters that came stock with tortoise guards
Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2019 7:16 am
by takeittothemall
It seems that conventional wisdom is that the only colors of vintage Jazzmasters that came from the Fender factory with tortoise guards were sunburst, olympic white, blonde, and maybe black.
I’ve found a couple exceptions. Below are two CAR JMs reportedly in their original finish and tortoise guards.
https://www.frettedamericana.com/produc ... zzmaster-5
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LBk0mao5eIo
Does anyone know of any other examples or other colors of JM that came from the factory with tortoise guards?
Thanks.
Re: Colors of vintage Jazzmasters that came stock with tortoise guards
Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2019 9:28 am
by bterry
Yes, it’s a misconception that all Fender custom color JMs shipped with white guards post gold guard era.
In fact, many had tort - I’ve personally seen LPB, Black, Daphne Blue, Fiesta Red, Dakota Red, CAR (custom order paint jobs pre 1963) and Sherwood Green with tort. I’ve also seen Oly White and Sunburst JMs with white guards from that era - it is all possible and if you can think of a combo it probably happened
The one thing I have seen that is BS IMO is pics of a gold guard JM in mid 1962 - with a mix of early 1958 features and 1962 features - that’s a parts guitar
Re: Colors of vintage Jazzmasters that came stock with tortoise guards
Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2019 9:41 am
by Sauerkraut
Here's a third CAR+tort JM that I suspect came out of the factory looking the same as it does now, just shinier:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYF4wbyrNyY
Re: Colors of vintage Jazzmasters that came stock with tortoise guards
Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2019 10:50 am
by takeittothemall
I'm just excited that Yo La Tengo made their way onto this thread. (My son is named Ira--definitely not
not after Ira Kaplan.)
Given how much Ira has modded his amps and that he has a stripped 63 Strat, it seems very possible that his JM is a refin. Do you have a reason to think otherwise?
Re: Colors of vintage Jazzmasters that came stock with tortoise guards
Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2019 11:25 am
by marqueemoon
The sound on that YLT video is pretty great. I wish the song was a little more interesting though.
Ira’s controlled abandon with his vintage guitars always makes me chuckle.
Re: Colors of vintage Jazzmasters that came stock with tortoise guards
Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2019 1:08 pm
by takeittothemall
bterry wrote: ↑Tue Feb 05, 2019 9:28 am
Yes, it’s a misconception that all Fender custom color JMs shipped with white guards post gold guard era.
In fact, many had tort - I’ve personally seen LPB, Black, Daphne Blue, Fiesta Red, Dakota Red, CAR (custom order paint jobs pre 1963) and Sherwood Green with tort. I’ve also seen Oly White and Sunburst JMs with white guards from that era - it is all possible and if you can think of a combo it probably happened
The one thing I have seen that is BS IMO is pics of a gold guard JM in mid 1962 - with a mix of early 1958 features and 1962 features - that’s a parts guitar
Thanks, bterry! I really want the color that I refinish my new 59 to be era-correct with the tort guard. I had myself convinced that my only options were thus sunburst (which I wasn't going to do given that I already have a keeper 65 JM in sunburst) and olympic white (since its alder and not ash and therefore wouldn't be blonde). But now I have so many more options to consider. Still probably down to olympic white, shoreline gold, yellowed lake placid blue, and maybe a green.
Re: Colors of vintage Jazzmasters that came stock with tortoise guards
Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2019 1:10 pm
by Maggieo
And hey, how about that Champagne sparkle tom and kick drum?
Re: Colors of vintage Jazzmasters that came stock with tortoise guards
Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2019 1:27 pm
by bterry
^^ speaking of which, there is even a blue ‘surf’ sparkle burst gold guard that exists!!
Sky is the limit
Re: Colors of vintage Jazzmasters that came stock with tortoise guards
Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2019 2:20 pm
by zhivago
Re: Colors of vintage Jazzmasters that came stock with tortoise guards
Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2019 2:23 pm
by lalalandstudios
takeittothemall wrote: ↑Tue Feb 05, 2019 1:08 pm
bterry wrote: ↑Tue Feb 05, 2019 9:28 am
Yes, it’s a misconception that all Fender custom color JMs shipped with white guards post gold guard era.
In fact, many had tort - I’ve personally seen LPB, Black, Daphne Blue, Fiesta Red, Dakota Red, CAR (custom order paint jobs pre 1963) and Sherwood Green with tort. I’ve also seen Oly White and Sunburst JMs with white guards from that era - it is all possible and if you can think of a combo it probably happened
The one thing I have seen that is BS IMO is pics of a gold guard JM in mid 1962 - with a mix of early 1958 features and 1962 features - that’s a parts guitar
Thanks, bterry! I really want the color that I refinish my new 59 to be era-correct with the tort guard. I had myself convinced that my only options were thus sunburst (which I wasn't going to do given that I already have a keeper 65 JM in sunburst) and olympic white (since its alder and not ash and therefore wouldn't be blonde). But now I have so many more options to consider. Still probably down to olympic white, shoreline gold, yellowed lake placid blue, and maybe a green.
Bterry is 100% spot on (as usual) on this description of all the possible permutations.
I know takeittothemall already has a Fiesta red guitar that he plans to keep but Fiesta with tort is mighty nice! I would also consider Sherwood Green which is pretty amazing with the right tort. There is definitely a 59 in Sherwood (with a mint guard and non matching HS) that was at Songbirds in Chattanooga. Gold could be interesting too. These are good decision problems to have - good luck painting that Craig's list score!
Re: Colors of vintage Jazzmasters that came stock with tortoise guards
Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2019 2:37 pm
by blackbox
bterry wrote: ↑Tue Feb 05, 2019 9:28 am
Yes, it’s a misconception that all Fender custom color JMs shipped with white guards post gold guard era.
In fact, many had tort - I’ve personally seen LPB, Black, Daphne Blue, Fiesta Red, Dakota Red, CAR (custom order paint jobs pre 1963) and Sherwood Green with tort. I’ve also seen Oly White and Sunburst JMs with white guards from that era - it is all possible and if you can think of a combo it probably happened
The one thing I have seen that is BS IMO is pics of a gold guard JM in mid 1962 - with a mix of early 1958 features and 1962 features - that’s a parts guitar
Interesting stuff, didn't know that. Thanks for the knowledge.
Re: Colors of vintage Jazzmasters that came stock with tortoise guards
Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2019 7:39 pm
by offsets4life
Seen a couple of Sonic Blue guitars with tort.
No idea if they were "stock" , or not.
I like the idea of that combo.
Re: Colors of vintage Jazzmasters that came stock with tortoise guards
Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2019 1:27 am
by Sauerkraut
takeittothemall wrote: ↑Tue Feb 05, 2019 10:50 am
Given how much Ira has modded his amps and that he has a stripped 63 Strat, it seems very possible that his JM is a refin. Do you have a reason to think otherwise?
Not really. I'd be very surprised if it was a refin, just from the looks of it, but my assumption that the tort guard came with it is based on thin air. He could've easily gotten it back when vintage guards didn't cost a fortune yet. I just couldn't resist posting that video.
Re: Colors of vintage Jazzmasters that came stock with tortoise guards
Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2019 1:35 am
by Sauerkraut
Kevin Shields' famous red JM, on the other hand, is definitely a refin:
Re: Colors of vintage Jazzmasters that came stock with tortoise guards
Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2019 6:10 pm
by fuzzjunkie
I have a friend that owns a 1961 Sherwood Green JM with a tort guard and plain headstock.
photo credit Tommy Moore
I have seen a handful of JM and Jags in Fiesta Red with tort, but the rest were either Oly or Black.
