OffsetGuitars.com

Hi All,

Thinking to purchase a 1964 Jazzmaster.
The only issue is that the headstock is completely missing anything except "Fender".
Otherwise, the guitar looks to be completely original.
How does it devalue the guitar and what would be the reasonable price?

How do we even know this is a Jazzmaster?

sal paradise wrote: ↑

Mon Feb 26, 2024 9:22 am

How do we even know this is a Jazzmaster?

The prefix "4" in the neck stamp indicates so. Also the headstock curvature looks legit.

IMHO the guitar looks checks out. About the decal, maybe it's got a neck refin or they decided to replace the original JM decal for some reason?

I‘d ask for a blacklight picture
However, that missing decal pieces would bother me far less than additional routings or so.
It looks cool

Sorry, don't fully understand what a blacklight picture should say here?

SashaB wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 27, 2024 7:58 am

Sorry, don't fully understand what a blacklight picture should say here?

I’d expect that UV light is showing the outlines of the original decal and should help finding out whether the remaining „Fender“ is the remaining piece of the original decal or got applied later

I’m no expert, but is that decal is anywhere near the location needed to be able to fit the missing piece? Seems both too high and too far right.

That aside, lovely looking guitar. The logo wouldn’t bother me at all. Kind of like it, tbh.

ainm wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 27, 2024 1:05 pm

I’m no expert, but is that decal is anywhere near the location needed to be able to fit the missing piece? Seems both too high and too far right.

Actually it‘s more or less totally in the right spot for that era. Check: 1965 JM

PJazzmaster wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 27, 2024 1:22 pm

ainm wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 27, 2024 1:05 pm

I’m no expert, but is that decal is anywhere near the location needed to be able to fit the missing piece? Seems both too high and too far right.

Actually it‘s more or less totally in the right spot for that era. Check: 1965 JM

So it is! My eyes were probably filling it in at the angle I think I’ve seen them sitting at when lower down, which isn’t the angle it’s at at all.

Definitely get why you suggested blacklight now.

PJazzmaster wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 27, 2024 1:22 pm

ainm wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 27, 2024 1:05 pm

I’m no expert, but is that decal is anywhere near the location needed to be able to fit the missing piece? Seems both too high and too far right.

Actually it‘s more or less totally in the right spot for that era. Check: 1965 JM

Yep, it just looks weirdly out of place with the rest of it worn off

The sunburst looks sus to me. The red band should be wider and less pronounced.

If the body has been refinished the neck could have been too.

Hey mate, decal is tha last thing that you should be interested in. If other parts are original, go for it!

I would ask the seller for pics from inside, I means pickups, they should inlcude yellow ink stamps with date. What is beginning of serial number? If all this sits together with the neck stamp, it should be fine.

It has that cool 1964 blond case, another prove that dating should be right.

Hi all,
got some further photos of the guitar's inside.
So the pots are marked with 6419 (May),
one pickup has a proper yellow stamp from November
another has a pencil writing (suspicious?)
And the body I was told has no date (no photo under the bridge provided), but the neck pocket coloring looks consistent?
serial number starts with L43...

To me the span of the dates look too large, isn't it?
Too many red-flags for me in total... Or persuade me in the opposite