Fender Jazzmaster 1962, Sunburst

By 1962, the Fender Jazzmaster had settled into the form that would become one of the company's most distinctive electric guitar designs. Introduced as Fender's top-of-the-line model just a few years earlier, the Jazzmaster combined an offset-waist body, floating vibrato system, and wide single-coil pickups into a package unlike anything else in the catalog. While originally marketed to jazz musicians, the model found its way into surf music, garage rock, alternative rock, and countless other corners of popular music in the decades that followed.

This 1962 example comes from a particularly desirable period of Jazzmaster production, featuring the appointments and construction details that enthusiasts often seek out in pre-CBS Fender instruments, most notably the slab Brazilian rosewood fretboard. The broad, articulate voice of the original pickups pairs naturally with the resonance of the offset platform, offering a tonal character that remains distinct among vintage Fender models. Cosmetically, this example remains in solid player grade shape with typical finish dings and checking along with some more notable wear on the back. More than sixty years after its introduction, the Jazzmaster continues to occupy a unique place in the electric guitar landscape, and an early example like this serves as a reminder of why the model's appeal has endured for generations.

Includes OHSC (Brown Fender tolex).