Fender’s American Vintage II Series is a meticulously designed collection of period-correct electric guitars and basses. Each model is carefully chosen and recreated based on its contribution to the Fender story of that year. All models feature year specific bodies, necks, hardware, finishes, and pickups. American Vintage II is the most accurate production series of legacy instruments across the timeline of Fender history.
The Jazzmaster was originally a heavily feature laden guitar designed to lure jazz players away from archtops to the solid-body dark side. Instead, those same bells and whistles created for the jazz crowd quickly gained it a following amongst the surf rock crowd. Decades later, while prices of vintage Telecasters and Stratocasters soared, the still affordable Jazzmaster again found its home amongst the freaks and geeks in the indie-rock world.
The American Vintage II 1966 Jazzmaster is based on a pinnacle year in Jazzmaster history, when form, function, and look-at-me ornamentation joined forces. Perhaps the first thing you’ll notice are the big pearloid block fingerboard inlays set into a now bound (circa ‘65) round-lam rosewood fingerboard. Custom color options have a matching painted headcap, while the burst option has a natural gloss headcap. The 1966 “C” profile neck retains the 7.25” fingerboard radius at this point.
Pure Vintage ’66 Single Coil Jazzmaster pickups are controlled by a series of knobs and switches meant to deliver every sonic option under the sun. The 2-position slide switch allows the player to select between Rhythm and Lead circuits. In the Rhythm circuit, the two upper thumbwheels control the neck volume and tone. In Lead mode, you have a traditional master volume, master tone, 3-way selector control. White “Witch Hat” knobs control the master volume and tone pots.
The lockable Jazzmaster floating tremolo works with the Pure Vintage Jazzmaster bridge to provide that signature Jazzmaster wobble. Slide the lock into place to keep it sturdy while you dig in.
The Fender American Vintage II 1966 Jazzmaster comes complete with a vintage style black hardshell case with orange interior.