Buying a vintage jazzmaster (any recommendations)

[riscado]

I'm looking to buy a 63-65 jazzmaster, not a lot of stores seem to have these though... any places I should look.

I'm located in europe, but importing from the US, is definitely an option.

regards

 

[jerns]

Reverb has a few nice ones right now.

https://reverb.com/marketplace?query=fender+jazzmaster&sort=price|desc

 

[riscado]

Reverb has a few nice ones right now.

https://reverb.com/marketplace?query=fender+jazzmaster&sort=price|desc

I haven't explored reverb properly, is it safe buying over there from individual/particular sellers?

 

[j45]

Any reason not a 61 or 62? My favorite JM's have been those years but they are all usually superb guitars.

 

[j45]

I haven't explored reverb properly, is it safe buying over there from individual/particular sellers?

I think that 59 anodized guard JM on reverb for $7800 is from a LPF member . That's a great price for an anodized guard JM. Lots of reliable dealers there. I would rather have a 59 than any...just make sure its not an A neck, some of them from 58/59 are.

 

[jerns]

I haven't explored reverb properly, is it safe buying over there from individual/particular sellers?

I've actually bought a jazzmaster off reverb, but a modern one brand new. I had zero issues. Just bought a set of duncan pups off another dealer on there but haven't received them yet. And come to think of it, I bought some tusq saddles off there too.. Again no issues.

I believe they charge sellers a fair bit less than ebay so it looks like a lot of guys are migrating over to reverb.

 

[jerns]

I think that 59 anodized guard JM on reverb for $7800 is from a LPF member . That's a great price for an anodized guard JM. Lots of reliable dealers there. I would rather have a 59 than any...just make sure its not an A neck, some of them from 58/59 are.

That's a cool one.

https://reverb.com/item/468591-fender-jazzmaster-1959-sunburst

Are there issues with the A necks? or just a bitch to play?

 

[riscado]

Thanks for the tips... I like the early jazzmaster with the anodized pickguard, but I simply can't afford it.

The reason I mentioned 63-65s is mostly due to the veneer board which I tend to like (or at least I think I do, in reality I could never tell it apart from a slabboard). But anything older or even a 66, is fine.

The late 60s ones I've tried though, I didn't bonded with the neck shape.

 

[j45]

That's a cool one.

https://reverb.com/item/468591-fender-jazzmaster-1959-sunburst

Are there issues with the A necks? or just a bitch to play?

A necks are very tiny, painfully tiny. I can't imagine anyone playing one seriously...and I actually like the mid 60's narrow nut width Gibson's.. An A neck is way smaller in the feel.

 

[jerns]

A necks are very tiny, painfully tiny. I can't imagine anyone playing one seriously...and I actually like the mid 60's narrow nut width Gibson's.. An A neck is way smaller in the feel.

Interesting... So the nut on an A neck would be narrower then?

I tried to find an A neck profile without any luck, is it close to any of these shapes?

 

[mingus]

I highly recommend that you play any of these guitars before purchasing.

I bought this '58 at auction in 2005, but sold it (for a nice profit!) within a few months because it was a dog. Very cool guitar, but this particular one just couldn't give up the goods, so it had to go.

 

[j45]

Interesting... So the nut on an A neck would be narrower then?

I tried to find an A neck profile without any luck, is it close to any of these shapes?

It's not the shape and the profiles shown in that chart are modern Fenders...not vintage PRE CBS....much like Gibson's supposed 58 59 60 profiles, the chart is completely bogus in reference to the original years it says it represents... I don't think Pre CBS Fenders had the A,B.C neck width stamps on the end of the neck until 61 or so but they did make very small A necks in the late 50's... the only ones I've ever seen were on '58/'59 Jazzmasters and I've seen about half dozen or so...nothing to do with the profile....the nut is much more narrow. The C neck width is like a typical very wide classical guitar width...I've only seen one Fender in my life with a C neck and it was a Stratocaster. Almost all PRE - CBS Fenders are B necks. Meaning the nut width , not profile. The small A neck I had was no bigger than maybe 1 1/4" wide, extremely tiny width at the nut that I found unplayable. Never seen or heard of an A neck stamp on Strat or Tele but I would bet it has happened. I'm a big fan od Jazzmasters and never had a bad one, always seemed very consistent to me but like anything, I'm sure there is a dog to be found. I've loved every one that I owned. (except the a neck model).

 

[jerns]

It's not the shape and the profiles shown in that chart are modern Fenders...not vintage PRE CBS....much like Gibson's supposed 58 59 60 profiles, the chart is completely bogus in reference to the original years it says it represents... I don't think Pre CBS Fenders had the A,B.C neck width stamps on the end of the neck until 61 or so but they did make very small A necks in the late 50's... the only ones I've ever seen were on '58/'59 Jazzmasters and I've seen about half dozen or so...nothing to do with the profile....the nut is much more narrow. The C neck width is like a typical very wide classical guitar width...I've only seen one Fender in my life with a C neck and it was a Stratocaster. Almost all PRE - CBS Fenders are B necks. Meaning the nut width , not profile. The small A neck I had was no bigger than maybe 1 1/4" wide, extremely tiny width at the nut that I found unplayable. Never seen or heard of an A neck stamp on Strat or Tele but I would bet it has happened. I'm a big fan od Jazzmasters and never had a bad one, always seemed very consistent to me but like anything, I'm sure there is a dog to be found. I've loved every one that I owned. (except the a neck model).

Ahhhh OK that makes sense with the A,B,C widths, not shapes. That nut width is insane! 1 1/4" doesn't even seem like a usable nut when I look at a ruler... seems like the size of a ukelele nut!

 

[j45]

Ahhhh OK that makes sense with the A,B,C widths, not shapes. That nut width is insane! 1 1/4" doesn't even seem like a usable nut when I look at a ruler... seems like the size of a ukelele nut!

Lol. that's exactly what it felt like. I never understood why Fender took the time to stamp necks "B" width. I believe 99.999% of them are. Has anyone ever seen an "A" neck from the 1960's?? In all my years I've seen one "C" neck from the 1960's but never an "A". stamp.

 

[mingus]

Lol. that's exactly what it felt like. I never understood why Fender took the time to stamp necks "B" width. I believe 99.999% of them are. Has anyone ever seen an "A" neck from the 1960's?? In all my years I've seen one "C" neck from the 1960's but never an "A". stamp.

About 10 years ago, I came across two early '60s Strats with "A" necks. One at a guitar show (Orange County IIRC) and the other on eBay. I'd never seen one before and haven't seen any since! They are really small at the nut. My guess is that these were made for players with really small hands, most likely women and small children. I can understand why they didn't make many as they are pretty much unplayable for anyone (male or female) with average-size hands.