Fender Jazzmaster Ventures Model

[Bill Bowley]

Item number: 130647361897 on EBay UK.

For those 'Ventures' fans amongst us who have the 'readies'................

[Bill Bowley]

The Ventures Bob Bogle recalled discussions with Fender about his Jazzmaster model, "When asked for our input on the Jazzmaster, we presented Fender with some changes that we had always wished for. There had always been a pickup switch mounted up high on the body for which we never had any use, so we had that removed. They also obliged when we asked for the volume and tone controls to be mounted further away from the strings. the pickups were Seymour Duncans special JM units designed to produce the tones of the original Jazzmaster."




Fender announced these Japanese made limited edition Ventures models in their glossy Frontline magazine, distributed to dealers. US dealers could only stock the guitars in complete sets (Stratocaster, Jazzmaster and Jazz bass). Several Ventures fans bought the entire sets for around $4275. The Ventures promoted the guitars at the January 1996 NAMM show in Los Angeles, playing at Fenders fiftieth anniversary concert. Fender reportedly only manufactured about 500 of these guitars and exported 147 of those to the USA. So this is quite a rare guitar and definitely an investment for the future.

[David Martin]

I had one of these having imported it direct from Ishibashi in Japan... (Does Paul day still have it? I traded it to Coda in Stevenage...)

One for the completists... not a great guitar and the sound is no different from the standard Japanese Jazzmaster...

[abstamaria]

I wanted a Jazzmaster with the sound of the very early Ventures, specifically on Bob Bogle’s “Walk Don’t Run.” I decided to order one to the same specification as Bogles first guitar, which was probably a ’58 or a ’59. Anyway, Fender’s Customshop attended to the specification and after several months delivered this sunburst Jazzmaster, built by masterbuilder Dennis Galuzca. It is fitted with fat flatwounds. They said the guitar sounds more like the Ventures than they do now.



The difference from Bogle’s first guitar are that this one is better made, with more attention to detail (finishing of cavities, intonation, action, etc.) and the grade AAA maple neck. It is a lovely guitar.



When I was 14 or 15, this was most my desired object. It took me almost 50 years to save up for it. It is a gorgeous guitar and such a pleasure to play.

Andy

[Bill Bowley]

Andy,

What a beatiful guitar! I can appreciate the pride and satisfaction it must afford you after such a long waiting time!

Regards

[abstamaria]

Dear Bill,

Thank you. It is a beautiful guitar and reminds me so much of the first Jazzmasters I saw when they were so out of my reach. I have also just realized the thread is specific to the "Ventures Model" Jazzmaster and so apologize for this off-topic excursion.

Best,

andy

[Bill Bowley]

Andy,

I wouldn't worry about it being 'off topic' mate, after all the one you have shown us is just as much a 'Ventures' model in my opinion, and I for one am glad that you have shown it to us!

Regards

[cockroach]

I always wondered whether that whole extra circuit on Jazzmasters and Jaguars was of much practical use.

I think it enabled you to have two completely different switchable pre-set tone and volume settings for the front pickup only. So I suppose you could have a solo jazz tone, then switch to a softer treble sound when changing to comping for rhythm?

Either way, it seems very fiddly and of limited use.

(Bill, years ago there was a Hungarian solo guitarist here in Adelaide called Anatol Lowas- he was a fine player but sadly now passed away, and he used to have a solo guitar act, playing sort of fast tricky Les Paul / electric gypsy jazz style material in clubs, cabaret etc. I saw him once on local TV here backed by the local Channel 9 orchestra, and the poor chap had a bit of trouble changing the setting with those fiddly switches in the middle of his blazing solo guitar version of 'Czardas' on his Jaguar! )

[Bill Bowley]

'Roach,

I think I saw him live at the Nowra Bowling Club back in '72 - he had a single pickup semi-acoustic of some brand or other. Fine guitarist but the sound of his equipment left 'room for improvement', if it was the same bloke?

[cockroach]

Hi Bill

As I recall , he was a tall fair haired bloke, quite slim, although he would have been in his '40's or '50's back then- a sort of Hungarian /Aussie Bert Weedon or Dave Bridge! But he may have used a electric acoustic later on in the 1970's.

When he died , his widow sold his Jag and Fender amp on consignment through my mate's guitar shop..could have picked up that lovely sunburst Jag for about $1,200 back then but no spare cash as usual...