Signature Fender Circuits
With its comfort-contoured offset body, this futuristic electric guitar is about as far from a boxy archtop as can be imagined. Yet, the design was originally intended to provide a luxury playing experience and tempt jazz guitarists into playing solid-body electric guitars.
First advertised as a guitar that contained ‘all the well-known Fender developments, where ‘every convenience is provided, the Jazzmaster model introduced in 1958 was seen as a top-of-the-line-instrument in the Fender catalog. It was also the first Fender model to feature the innovative rhythm and lead circuit dreamed up by Plant Manager Forrest White, which was added to expand the tones of Jazzmaster.
While it may have failed to catch on with the jazz crowd, the American Vintage II 1966 Jazzmasters featured a more dolled-up look’ including bound necks with pearloid block fingerboard inlays, as well as matching painted headstocks’ all of which appealed to surf players in the ’60s, and later, indie-rock, alternative, and even country players.