1963 Fender Jazzmaster
Vintage 1963 Fender Jazzmaster electric guitar
This 1963 Fender Jazzmaster came through the shop recently. I'm always looking for vintage 1950s and 1960s Fender Jazzmaster guitars. You can contact me here to sell a Fender guitar.
Get help with Fender guitar dating here: How to date Fender Jazzmaster guitars.
Fender's Jazzmaster model electric guitar debuted in 1958 with the new patented offset waist body style. It was loaded with cool new features like the floating bridge and tremolo unit, switchable rhythm/lead circuit, and special wide/flat coil pickup. The Jazzmaster model helped shape the sound of the early 1960s surf scene but but remains a popular choice for today's players.
Make and Model: Fender Jazzmaster
Year: early 1963. Serial 931xx, bridge pickup cavity pencil date stamp 11/62, neck stamp "4DEC62B" (4 = Jazzmaster model, DEC = December, 62 = 1962, B = standard neck width 1 5/8")
Specifications: Weight = 8lbs 1oz, nut width = 1 5/8", neck depth at the first fret = .84", 12th fret = .98"
Originality: All parts are original to the guitar except the bridge pickup coil (original pickup rewound by Tom Brantley), pickup height foam, and replaced Switchcraft output jack.
Condition: Very good! The finish on the body shows wear and checking but sunburst remains nice and bright. The finish on the back of the neck is worn in places.
Playability: Very good! It's a joy to play after a thorough set up with new foam under the pickups and a 1 degree taper neck shim from Stew Mac (originals in the case). The truss rod works as intended. I've cleaned all the electronics and they function like new. There is fret wear in the first 5 frets but it's not ready for a refret in my opinion.
Notes: This killer late '62/early '63 Fender Jazzmaster has just come from a local collector in as found condition. He bought it from a church nearly 20 years ago after it was found while cleaning out storage. He never set it up to play so I was the first to replace the original foam and install a proper neck shim. The "Mary" signed masking tape was still there holding the wiring to the pickguard shielding under the guard.
These pre-CBS era Jazzmasters are light, resonant, and have perfect neck profiles. This one is a fantastic example of the model. I'm confident you'll love this killer '63 Fender Jazzmaster!