Jazzmaster Prototype info

[die Bullen]

Hi- first time poster but I believe I am in the right place for this kind of info.

I had a '65 Fender Jazzmaster that I really liked but sold about 20 years ago, much to my chagrin.

I've been seriously considering commissioning Fender to make me a truly one-of-a-kind Jazzmaster and I am leaning towards a 1957 prototype model. Problem is that I have only seen very spotty photos of what look like a prototype Jazzmaster with a maple fretboard, black soapbar covers, inset strat style jack plate and a gold anodized pickguard- the photo was B/W so I have no idea what colour it was. Frankly I am not even sure if Fender CS would make something this specific as the headstock shape would have to be the old style and I believe that the shape differed somewhat on the lower bout with what appears to be a less dramatic curve at the top of the fretboard.

Does anyone have any information on prototype Jazzmasters at all?

Call it snobbery but having something like this would truly be awesome IMO.

[Stereordinary]

Call it snobbery but having something like this would truly be awesome IMO.

Not snobbery at all, that would be cool. I've often thought about building a replica Patentmaster.

[djetz]

I've never seen any pictures of the first JM prototype other than the one here:
http://www.jimshine.com/jazzmaster/intr ... jazzma.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
which is the picture I assume you're talking about.

It's sunburst.

[die Bullen]

yes that is the best picture I have seen- I think I saw another one somewhere but can't remember where. You are right- this does appear to be sunburst- don't know why I didn't see that myself...

[Jay]

Since you miss having a vintage Jazzmaster, might I suggest that given the cost to have the CS make one you'll be much better off looking for a good vintage piece? A nice slab board ('59–early '62) would fall in a similar same price range and you'll have a piece of history that also happens to be an asset. A CS guitar isn't likely to hold its value as well and IMO isn't nearly as cool even if it is a prototype clone. If after getting a nice vintage piece you still wanted a JM of that style, I would consider commissioning one from one of the many parts suppliers/builders/assemblers for much less money. USACG, Guitar Mill, Musikraft and even Paul/Stereodinary (who posted above) do a nice job on necks and bodies for a fraction of what the CS will charge for pretty much the same service.

[the older brother]

+1 on what Jay said.

[IPLAYLOUD]

If you are going for the one leaning against the wall in the B&W shot, note:

- It only has a Volume and Tone mounted high on the guard. Regular pots, and not rollers.
- Strat Vibrato with different bending of the arm
- The neck pickup has 7 polepieces. You can see it on a Patent Drawing. These were not new to Leo
as he did multiple pole-piece pickups on Pedal Steels.

The Tele to the right seems to have production JM pickups in it.

There were a few Maple Boards made at the beginning. There was one on EBay a while back with just "Fender" on the headstock. It did have a headstock contour somewhere between a Strat and the later JM shape.

[BoringPostcards]

I think it would be neat to get one made. It would be rather costly though.

die Bullen, eh? isn't that german for 'the cops' or 'the police'??

[die Bullen]

I've been kicking around buying a vintage one- in some ways it is my preference but finding a truly original one is not so easy. Everyone purports that his/ hers is all original and I'm not sure if I really have the time to invest in traveling all over to and taking off necks and pickguards.

I'm not dead set on the one in the photo- I guess if I were to really go for a one of a kind I could include or exclude whatever components I chose. IN fact I like a rosewood fretboard more on a Jazzmaster but the maple one really looks one of a kind. Not a bad idea to construct one from parts- I will have to look into that one.

Whatever I do I would either have one made or buy a vintage one- for my personal needs I probably wouldn't do both. I want to play it not just have it sit under the bed.

Yes "die Bullen" does mean "the Bulls" in English which could mean the police. Of course you could also read the Wall Street reference into that name too...

[Pepe Silvia]

Shit that is awesome. Seems it would be easy to make a Jagmaster into one for fun. I might do it.

[terminalvertigo]

Shit that is awesome. Seems it would be easy to make a Jagmaster into one for fun. I might do it.

ha i wanted to mention the jagmaster idea nice

[die Bullen]

You know the more I think about it the more I think I am coming to the conclusion that I should just look for a real '62 in sunburst. Money really isn't my concern with the vintage JM's hovering between $2000-$5000 and I think I would indeed spend north of $4000 for a custom shop. If I made it myself I probably would not prize the guitar- I know the way I am. I have the feeling that I somehow would feel cheated if I didn't get the "real" thing.

[Pepe Silvia]

Shit that is awesome. Seems it would be easy to make a Jagmaster into one for fun. I might do it.

ha i wanted to mention the jagmaster idea nice

I think I might do it this summer.

Jagmaster
Maple neck
prob a MIM trem and block it... or maybe just get a callaham trem for my MIM Strat (already have a callaham block) and use the stock trem for this.
custom pickguard for sharp concepts or a plexi guard from pickguardian.
Staple P90s (or at least in the neck)
Add a strat jack.

Anyone have better pics of one of these? Is there a pickup selector switch? Where is that at?

[Jay]

You know the more I think about it the more I think I am coming to the conclusion that I should just look for a real '62 in sunburst. Money really isn't my concern with the vintage JM's hovering between $2000-$5000 and I think I would indeed spend north of $4000 for a custom shop. If I made it myself I probably would not prize the guitar- I know the way I am. I have the feeling that I somehow would feel cheated if I didn't get the "real" thing.

I think so too. I also don't think you should be quite so concerned about being able to tell if one is totally original or not. Anyone that's hoping to take 5k out of your pocket better be willing to do a little legwork and provide some detailed photos for your approval. From there it's usually not that hard to tell. And if you had any questions folks here are always more then willing to help as well.

[die Bullen]

Jay- points noted.

I think you are right. Quite honestly maybe being concerned if a pot was changed out in the 1970's isn't probably something I should be worrying about right now unless the pot was a different spec and fundamentally changed the sound of the guitar. Frankly I don't buy guitars for investment value because I plan to play them and then will them to my kids anyway when I am gone in (hopefully!) 50 years. You picked up on my fondness of my '65 JM way back when- I am sure CS, AVRI's and DIY JM's satisfy lots of people with different requirements. I think I do agree that a vintage instrument is probably going to satisfy my personal requirements more in this case.

I have other new guitars and have nothing against them- in fact there are many advantages to them. I think this is one case that if I didn't love the guitar, I would simply not play it which would defeat the purpose of getting it at all.

This all said I must say that a prototype spec CS JM would be quite "dishy"- albeit expensive (bordering overpriced)