A Jazzy, Alternative, Surf-Machine
Looking like it was delivered via time machine, The Fender Custom Shop 1962 Jazzmaster solidbody electric guitar is here with us in the present. The first time you play the 1962 Jazzmaster, you'll be astounded by its remarkable resonance, which remains consistent all over this highly-playable guitar's rosewood fingerboard. And that classic tone - you'll love what the combination of an alder body and Jazzmaster pickups brings to your electric guitar sound. Separate "lead" and "rhythm" circuits, each with their own controls, adds to the versatility of this spectacular instrument. Here at Sweetwater, we've been blown away by the Fender Custom Shop 1962 Jazzmaster, and so will you!
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- The Jazzmaster is all about great tone, playability, and individuality
- Off-set waist body provides balance and comfort
- Locking "floating" tremolo bridge keeps you in tune
- Distinctive pickups produce a broad, classic tone
- Dual tone circuits provide tonal versatility
The Fender Custom Shop 1962 Jazzmaster has a colorful back story. By the late '50s, Leo Fender had some new tricks up his sleeve, and a number of design refinements were infused into the Jazzmaster when it was introduced as an upscale alternative to the Stratocaster and Telecaster in 1958. The Jazzmaster featured a radical-for-the-time (but incredibly comfortable) contoured offset-waist body, dual lead and rhythm circuits, and single-coil pickups that produced a richer, warmer sound than its stablemates. The Jazzmaster was originally aimed at, you guessed it, jazz guitarists, but it found a home in the burgeoning Surf Music scene of the early '60s. Today, the Jazzmaster is celebrated as one of the two "alternative" Fenders (the short-scale Jaguar being the other) and is making music in the hands of artists as diverse as Elvis Costello, J. Mascis, and Thurston Moore.
Off-set waist body provides balance and comfortCurvaceous, distinctive, and cool, the Jazzmaster's off-set waist body isn't just stylish, it's also well-balanced and remarkably comfortable. Although stable and balanced when played in a standing position utilizing a guitar strap, you'll quickly discover that the Jazzmaster feels especially comfortable when you play it in a seated position, as many jazz and blues artists prefer to do.
Locking "floating" tremolo bridge keeps you in tuneWhen Fender fitted the Jazzmaster with a "floating" tremolo bridge and tailpiece, their design was ahead of its time. The Jazzmaster's tremolo lock can be manually activated to keep you in tune - even if you break a string. The bridge and tremolo construction on the Jazzmaster is very different from that of the Stratocaster, which is part of what gives the Jazzmaster its unique resonant tone.
Distinctive pickups produce a broad, classic toneThe Jazzmaster's wide, "soapbar" pickups produce a broad, resonant tone. In contrast to the Stratocaster's tall, thin coils, the flatter Jazzmaster pickups provide a mellower, jazzier tone with less bite than most single-coil pickups. Of course, resonant tone with a subtle attack is the key to the Jazzmaster's legendary sound!
Dual tone circuits provide tonal versatilityWith separate "lead" and "rhythm" circuits, the Jazzmaster's tonal versatility is worthy of attention. Each circuit has independent tone and volume controls, further enhancing the guitar's flexibility. When employing the "lead" circuit, the Jazzmaster's tone is controlled by the conventional tone and volume knobs and the pickup selector switch. When utilizing the "rhythm" circuit, only the neck pickup is selected, the guitar's conventional knobs are bypassed, and tone and volume are controlled by two unique thumbwheel controls. Because the Jazzmaster utilizes separate controls for each circuit, you can quickly switch to a "preset" volume and tone setting for rhythm playing.
Fender Custom Shop 1962 Jazzmaster Solidbody Electric Guitar Features:- Off-set waist body provides balance and comfort
- Locking "floating" tremolo bridge maintains intonation
- Jazzmaster pickups produce a broad, classic tone
- Separate "Lead" and "Rhythm" circuits provide tonal versatility
- Fender/Gotoh tuning machines and 3-ply pickguard for accurate vintage appearance