1958/1961 Fender Jazzmaster Employee Build Vintage Pre-CBS Offset Guitar Sunburst 100% Original w/ Case, Hangtag
$16,999.99
$16,999.99
Shipping calculated at checkout.
Up for sale, a 1958/1961 Fender employee Jazzmaster in excellent, 100% original condition and in perfect working order, complete with the original hardshell case, hangtag, and “hootenanny” strap. Without question one of the more unique and intriguing early Jazzmasters we’ve had in the shop in some time, this particular example was built by a Fender employee as their own personal instrument, combining a leftover “Gold Guard” body from late 1958 with a neck, electronics and hardware from 1961 into one instrument.
All evidence points to this particular instrument being the work of an employee named Bill, and we at the Guitar Bar take the “EB” factory marking in the neck pocket (applied with a soldering iron, similarly to the “RR” used to denote Restore and Refinish factory work) to indicate “Employee Build” status (or “Employee Bill?”). The alder body dates to 1958, as ID’d by the 11/58 grease pencil date in the bridge pickup cavity, and as such this Jazzmaster sports the early control cavity route and shielding tubs circa 1958-59. Because the body was originally designed for a 9-hole anodized gold pickguard, Bill had to get creative when fitting the body with a 13-hole tortoise pickguard; his solution was to mount the pickguard screws adjacent to the Lead Circuit pots that didn’t fit the early route with grommets custom-built from Fender factory materials (namely bobbin fiberboard and rubber). Bill’s name is written on the pickguard between the pickups, and the masking tape on the underside of the guard reading “2nd” (re: factory 2nd of some sort for employee use).
As to why the body was not approved for production usage, it was very likely related to the finish: this guitar has two sets of nail holes (mounting points used while finishing the instrument), with one set that has very clearly been filled while spraying an additional layer of lacquer atop the burst on the body edges.
The black bobbin pickup pair retain their stock windings, and both pickups have ample output. The bridge pickup has a great upper midrange aggression, sparkle, and cut, with a sweet harmonic bloom when notes ring out. Engaging both pickups in parallel yields a bell-like, chorusing quality, and the neck pickup has a bold, woody bark, clear and round. The Rhythm Circuit is dark and smooth, providing terrific counterpoint and greatly broadening the tonal range of the instrument. This employee-built Jazzmaster weighs 8lbs 1oz, professionally setup here at Mike & Mike’s Guitar Bar, where we specialize in Fender Offset instruments, with 11-49 strings, low action, and accurate intonation.
Neck Specs:
-Wood: Maple
-Shape: Slender-to-chunky C, measuring .800” 1st fret, .970” 12th fret
-Fretboard: Brazilian rosewood slab, 7 1/4” radius, clay dot inlay
-Frets: Slender, leveled/crowned, faint wear on frets 1-4
-Scale Length: 25 1/2”
-Nut: 1 5/8”
-Tuners: Kluson Deluxe single-line
-Headstock: Spaghetti waterslide decal
-Serialization: Five-digit stamp (neck plate)
-Factory Markings: 4-61 pencil date on neck heel (April, 1961), “EB” marking in neck pocket
Body Specs:
-Wood: Alder (dated 11/58, drilled for 9-hole gold guard)
-Pickups: Single coil x2, neck meters 8.2k ohms, bridge 7.95k
-Harness: Stackpole pots date to ‘61, untouched solder, ‘58-style shielding tubs and route
-Controls: Volume x2, Tone x2 (Rhythm and Lead circuits) Three-way pickup selector
-Hardware: Bridge with threaded saddles, “Pat. Pend.” vibrato
-Plastics: 13-hole nitrate tortoise pickguard (“2nd” tape and “Bill” on underside), white pickup covers, knobs
The gloss three-tone Sunburst nitro lacquer finish is 100% original with no touch-up or overspray, with the richer, darker burst (more black/red) sometimes seen on early Pre-CBS examples. The finish exhibits a bit of buckle wear on the back and some dings and finish chips from modest use. The ambered lacquer on the neck profile has a worn-in, silky smooth feel and is virtually flawless with a bit of palm wear along the shoulders behind frets 1-7.
The original brown tolex hardshell case is included, along with the hangtag and “hootenanny” strap; all of the latches are functional, and the handle is intact.
All evidence points to this particular instrument being the work of an employee named Bill, and we at the Guitar Bar take the “EB” factory marking in the neck pocket (applied with a soldering iron, similarly to the “RR” used to denote Restore and Refinish factory work) to indicate “Employee Build” status (or “Employee Bill?”). The alder body dates to 1958, as ID’d by the 11/58 grease pencil date in the bridge pickup cavity, and as such this Jazzmaster sports the early control cavity route and shielding tubs circa 1958-59. Because the body was originally designed for a 9-hole anodized gold pickguard, Bill had to get creative when fitting the body with a 13-hole tortoise pickguard; his solution was to mount the pickguard screws adjacent to the Lead Circuit pots that didn’t fit the early route with grommets custom-built from Fender factory materials (namely bobbin fiberboard and rubber). Bill’s name is written on the pickguard between the pickups, and the masking tape on the underside of the guard reading “2nd” (re: factory 2nd of some sort for employee use).
As to why the body was not approved for production usage, it was very likely related to the finish: this guitar has two sets of nail holes (mounting points used while finishing the instrument), with one set that has very clearly been filled while spraying an additional layer of lacquer atop the burst on the body edges.
The black bobbin pickup pair retain their stock windings, and both pickups have ample output. The bridge pickup has a great upper midrange aggression, sparkle, and cut, with a sweet harmonic bloom when notes ring out. Engaging both pickups in parallel yields a bell-like, chorusing quality, and the neck pickup has a bold, woody bark, clear and round. The Rhythm Circuit is dark and smooth, providing terrific counterpoint and greatly broadening the tonal range of the instrument. This employee-built Jazzmaster weighs 8lbs 1oz, professionally setup here at Mike & Mike’s Guitar Bar, where we specialize in Fender Offset instruments, with 11-49 strings, low action, and accurate intonation.
Neck Specs:
-Wood: Maple
-Shape: Slender-to-chunky C, measuring .800” 1st fret, .970” 12th fret
-Fretboard: Brazilian rosewood slab, 7 1/4” radius, clay dot inlay
-Frets: Slender, leveled/crowned, faint wear on frets 1-4
-Scale Length: 25 1/2”
-Nut: 1 5/8”
-Tuners: Kluson Deluxe single-line
-Headstock: Spaghetti waterslide decal
-Serialization: Five-digit stamp (neck plate)
-Factory Markings: 4-61 pencil date on neck heel (April, 1961), “EB” marking in neck pocket
Body Specs:
-Wood: Alder (dated 11/58, drilled for 9-hole gold guard)
-Pickups: Single coil x2, neck meters 8.2k ohms, bridge 7.95k
-Harness: Stackpole pots date to ‘61, untouched solder, ‘58-style shielding tubs and route
-Controls: Volume x2, Tone x2 (Rhythm and Lead circuits) Three-way pickup selector
-Hardware: Bridge with threaded saddles, “Pat. Pend.” vibrato
-Plastics: 13-hole nitrate tortoise pickguard (“2nd” tape and “Bill” on underside), white pickup covers, knobs
The gloss three-tone Sunburst nitro lacquer finish is 100% original with no touch-up or overspray, with the richer, darker burst (more black/red) sometimes seen on early Pre-CBS examples. The finish exhibits a bit of buckle wear on the back and some dings and finish chips from modest use. The ambered lacquer on the neck profile has a worn-in, silky smooth feel and is virtually flawless with a bit of palm wear along the shoulders behind frets 1-7.
The original brown tolex hardshell case is included, along with the hangtag and “hootenanny” strap; all of the latches are functional, and the handle is intact.
