Fender unveiled the original Jazzmaster guitar in 1958 to appeal to professional jazz guitarists. The offset-waist body made the guitar more playable and balanced while seated, as jazz guitarists often were. But in an unlikely turn of events, the distinctive Jazzmaster instead became a surf guitar staple in the 1960s, later landing in the rock hands of Pete Townsend (The Who).
It then alternatively shifted to the 1970s punk and new wave scene with Tom Verlaine (Television), Robert Smith (The Cure), Lee Renaldo (Sonic Youth), and rapidly segued into the late 1980s and 1990s with sonic heavyweights Bilinda Butcher (My Bloody Valentine), J Mascis (Dinosaur Jr), and Johnny Marr (The Smiths). Today, it is the prominent instrument of contemporary performers like Chelsea Wolfe, Kurt Vile, Lindsay Jorden (Snail Mail), and AJ Haynes (Seratones).
Ahead of its time, the cult-classic Jazzmaster is back again, now encapsulating the best of both the acoustic and electric guitar worlds with the Fender American Acoustasonic Jazzmaster Acoustic Guitar series. The new series, designed with Acoustasonic technology, allows Jazzmaster players to further optimize the guitar’s legendary feel while blending pristine acoustic and electric tones. Here are some of the highlights you can expect with the new Jazzmaster series, which is available for order now.
An acoustic guitar for the modern age
The sleek, minimal design has just three controls: volume, mod knob, and a five-way toggle. The combined effect allows for dramatic switches between rich acoustic tones to raucous feedback, but with the precision to find just the right balance anywhere in between. It’s complete with a slim ebony fingerboard, contoured mahogany body, and generous cutaway at the bottom, giving easy access to the upper frets.
New hybrid guitars offer versatility
The Jazzmaster silhouette joins the Stratocaster and Telecaster family in a range of new hybrid guitars built with the Fender and Fishman-designed Acoustic Engine. A proprietary blend of classic analog and future technologies optimizes the guitar’s natural sound, then modifies the resonance to deliver a curated collection of voices. The series, built for all volume levels, enables creativity without any unwanted hollow-body feedback issues.
A seamless playing experience
Effortlessly flip between an assortment of rich large-bodied acoustic warmth, or full-on electric Jazzmaster tone as you please, without ever having to switch guitars. And the Jazzmaster model has an extra punch the others don’t possess: the Tim Shaw electric humbucker, designed for extra grit and the thickest sound of the series.
More Fender American Acoustasonic Jazzmaster Acoustic Guitar Highlights
- While sticking to the classic Jazzmaster silhouette, the acoustic body is no thicker than the standard electric, allowing for easy playability.
- Toggle between five unique voice pairs—a total of 10 acoustic and electric tones—that can be played solo or blended
- Blend (Mod) Dial for further tone sculpting
- Three pickup systems: the Fender Acoustasonic “Shawbucker”; Fishman Under-Saddle Transducer, and Fishman Acoustasonic Enhancer
- The Jazzmaster style boasts the most intense electric sound to date within the Acoustasonic series driven by a powerful Tim Shaw-Designed Humbucking pickup
- Mahogany body, ebony fingerboard, and a satin-matte finish
- Patented Stringed Instrument Resonance System (SIRS)
- Five eye-popping finishes to choose from: Ocean Turquoise, Natural, Tungsten, Tobacco Sunburst, and Arctic White
The new American Acoustasonic Jazzmaster Acoustic Guitar is available now through Adorama.
Feature image provided by Fender
