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Early JM round string tree?
Posted: Sat Apr 27, 2024 8:36 am
by swiveltung
Hi all. I'm new here. Been playing off and on for over 60 years. My first electric was a Duo Sonic and at 15 years or so I had a Jazzmaster which I loved.
I was looking at an old pic of me and the JM and realized the guitar had a large round string tree.....?
I didn't mess with anything on guitars back then and as I remember the guitar was new or pretty new....... this was about 1962.
I'm wondering, was this a feature of a particular year or ......?
I dont see how to post a pic here.
Re: Early JM round string tree?
Posted: Sat Apr 27, 2024 8:40 am
by swiveltung
Re: Early JM round string tree?
Posted: Sat Apr 27, 2024 2:28 pm
by Nudger
When I read the title I immediately thought oh right! telecaster type round tree, but the size of the disc looks like nothing ive seen before on a fender?
Hope you get a definitive answer, loads of folks here know a lot more then me..
Thanks for posting such a cool pic
Re: Early JM round string tree?
Posted: Sat Apr 27, 2024 2:42 pm
by Chippertheripper
Looks like the size of the ones they use on fender basses, but the grooves would be off by quite a bit of that was the case.
Re: Early JM round string tree?
Posted: Sun Apr 28, 2024 7:09 am
by swiveltung
It does look like the Fender bass style. When I noticed it in the pic I thought maybe I had stuck a pick in the strings or something, but it's clearly not pick shaped. It's been 60 years so I don't remember much about that JM other than I took it everywhere I could! But no mods were done by me and the guitar was supposedly new when purchased. I was suggested to buy it by my guitar instructor back then. He was really into the JM and later Jags.
Re: Early JM round string tree?
Posted: Sun Apr 28, 2024 7:11 am
by swiveltung
... or possibly it was "near new". Been too long.
Re: Early JM round string tree?
Posted: Sun Apr 28, 2024 6:35 pm
by Highnumbers
Cool photo!
There’s no chance that string tree is original to the guitar. It’s possible (and even likely) that the dealer installed that prior to selling it to you. As for why….I have no idea
That’s assuming you bought it from a music store.
Re: Early JM round string tree?
Posted: Sun Apr 28, 2024 8:42 pm
by JSett
Looks like someone drilled a hole through a nickel and screwed in on there
Re: Early JM round string tree?
Posted: Mon Apr 29, 2024 12:11 pm
by Caddy65
I bought a new a Jazzmaster in 1964 and it came with two of the small typical wing-like string trees.
Don’t have a hosting site for photos so can’t post a pic here.
Re: Early JM round string tree?
Posted: Mon Apr 29, 2024 12:28 pm
by JSett
Caddy65 wrote: ↑Mon Apr 29, 2024 12:11 pm
I bought a new a Jazzmaster in 1964 and it came with two of the small typical wing-like string trees.
Don’t have a hosting site for photos so can’t post a pic here.
I've never seen a factory pre-CBS with two factory trees, how interesting.
Re: Early JM round string tree?
Posted: Mon Apr 29, 2024 2:49 pm
by Caddy65
JSett wrote: ↑Mon Apr 29, 2024 12:28 pm
Caddy65 wrote: ↑Mon Apr 29, 2024 12:11 pm
I bought a new a Jazzmaster in 1964 and it came with two of the small typical wing-like string trees.
Don’t have a hosting site for photos so can’t post a pic here.
I've never seen a factory pre-CBS with two factory trees, how interesting.
Well, it sure had two and I know I didn’t add one. Back then we wouldn’t have even known where to get one or why it would be needed. I was surprised when I zoomed in on the photo and saw two.
Re: Early JM round string tree?
Posted: Tue Apr 30, 2024 12:38 am
by JSett
Caddy65 wrote: ↑Mon Apr 29, 2024 2:49 pm
JSett wrote: ↑Mon Apr 29, 2024 12:28 pm
Caddy65 wrote: ↑Mon Apr 29, 2024 12:11 pm
I bought a new a Jazzmaster in 1964 and it came with two of the small typical wing-like string trees.
Don’t have a hosting site for photos so can’t post a pic here.
I've never seen a factory pre-CBS with two factory trees, how interesting.
Well, it sure had two and I know I didn’t add one. Back then we wouldn’t have even known where to get one or why it would be needed. I was surprised when I zoomed in on the photo and saw two.
I don't disbelieve you, just that I've never seen it before. Do you have a copy of the picture? I'd love to see it
Re: Early JM round string tree?
Posted: Tue Apr 30, 2024 7:56 am
by Caddy65
JSett wrote: ↑Tue Apr 30, 2024 12:38 am
Caddy65 wrote: ↑Mon Apr 29, 2024 2:49 pm
JSett wrote: ↑Mon Apr 29, 2024 12:28 pm
I don't disbelieve you, just that I've never seen it before. Do you have a copy of the picture? I'd love to see it
I do have one but as I said earlier, I don’t have a hosting site for pictures so don’t know how i could post it.
Re: Early JM round string tree?
Posted: Tue Apr 30, 2024 8:27 am
by JSett
Caddy65 wrote: ↑Tue Apr 30, 2024 7:56 am
I do have one but as I said earlier, I don’t have a hosting site for pictures so don’t know how i could post it.
Email me at
johnnysomersett@gmail.com and I can post it for you
Re: Early JM round string tree?
Posted: Tue Apr 30, 2024 12:01 pm
by JSett
Caddy65 wrote: ↑Tue Apr 30, 2024 7:56 am
Here you go. I think I only see one there (and a shadow)...
