Fender USA VINTAGE Jazzmaster '68 Sunburst/R

The Jazzmaster debuted in 1958. During its original release period until the late 1970s, it didn't enjoy consistently stable popularity or sales. However, advancements in replacement parts broadened its versatility, leading to a resurgence in popularity. Today, it's a guitar widely seen in professional settings and enjoys widespread popularity across all ages and genders as a practical instrument. It has truly become a major model in the guitar world.

This particular guitar, shipped around 1968, features neck binding and block position markers. Only a limited number were produced, making it surprisingly difficult to find one from this period.

【body】
The overall weight is approximately 3.6 kg. The body is made of alder. The color is a subdued sunburst with a brownish tint that has faded nicely with a hint of red. The finish used during this period was "Fender Thick-Skin High-Gloss," which uses polyester as a base coat, and is characterized by paint chipping accompanied by distinctive weather checking. Overall, there is heavy paint chipping, shrinkage and cracks in the pickguard (repaired), paint chipping on the back due to a belt buckle, and rust and tarnish on the parts, resulting in a powerful look that cannot be replicated by relicing. The tremolo arm and several screws have been replaced.

【neck】
The neck is made of maple, and the fingerboard is made of rosewood. It features popular and rare specifications such as neck binding, block position markers, and a lacquer finish. The back of the neck has a smooth, vintage feel due to paint wear from use. Weather checking, dents, and tarnishing on the metal parts are visible, giving it a similarly atmospheric condition to the body. The tuners function well, although there is some inconsistency in the winding tension. The frets and nut have been replaced once, and the fingerboard radius was changed (to 10 inches), resulting in good playability. The headstock thickness is 15.6mm, and the nut width is 42.0mm. It features a wide and clean neck shape. The addition of a string tree (Mastery Bridge), which evokes an alternative rock feel, is another noteworthy feature.

[Electrical System]
The controls consist of two sections, the familiar Jazzmaster configuration: a 3-way pickup selector, master volume, and master tone, and a neck (front) pickup preset mode switch, preset volume, and preset tone. The main control potentiometers and tone capacitors have been replaced. The pickups retain their original gray bobbins.

Based on its excellent responsiveness, it boasts a well-defined, solid low end and a wide-range, airy high end characteristic of the Jazzmaster. The front (neck) position delivers a sweet, warm tone with depth, while the rear (bridge) position provides a bright, edgy sound. The preset mode also allows you to enjoy dark, smoky nuances by rolling back the tone, offering a rich variety of expressive sounds unique to this era.

Included case: Fender black Tolex hard case

Weight: 3.6kg
Body Material: Alder (3 pieces)
Neck Material/Scale: Maple 1 piece/648mm (25-1/2inch)
Fingerboard/Fret Marker/Radius: Rosewood round laminate/Pearloid block/184.15mm (7.25inch)
Nut Width/Fret Size (width): 42.0mm (replaced)/2.0mm (replaced), 21F
Neck Thickness (1F/7F/12F): 20.6mm/21.6mm/22.4mm
Pickup (Neck/Bridge): Fender Jazzmaster Gray Bobbin (6.2kΩ/6.2kΩ)
*The DC resistance value of the pickup is measured through the control section.

Heartman Vintage Guitars is a specialty store for vintage guitars and basses operated by Ikebe Musical Instruments.