A Lifetime Companion
 
Some guitars are more than just instruments. They become companions, storytellers, and links to an era of music history that shaped entire generations. This 1962 Fender Jazzmaster is one such guitar.
 
Originally purchased in early 1963 at Muziekhandel B. HERMANS in Amsterdam, it remained in the hands of its first and only owner for nearly sixty years. He played it in a local amateur band, not as a rock star chasing the spotlight, but as a devoted musician who loved the sound and feel of this offset Fender. From the day he walked out of that Dutch shop until 2022, this Jazzmaster was a faithful partner in music. Only then did he finally decide it was time to let it go.
 
The Jazzmaster itself has a fascinating place in Fender’s history. When it debuted in 1958, Leo Fender envisioned it as the company’s new top-of-the-line model, even above the Stratocaster. With its distinctive offset waist, it was designed to rest more comfortably when played seated — perfect for the jazz players it was aimed at. The electronics were equally forward-thinking: a unique dual-circuit system allowed guitarists to switch between a mellow rhythm tone and a brighter lead setting at the flick of a switch. Add to that the newly developed floating tremolo system, and the Jazzmaster was unlike anything else on the market.
 
Yet jazz musicians never truly embraced it. Instead, the Jazzmaster found its home with an entirely different crowd. By the early 1960s, surf rock players discovered that its wide, flat single-coil pickups delivered the shimmering tones that defined the genre. Bands like The Ventures and The Surfaris made it a staple of the surf sound. Decades later, alternative and indie rock musicians — from Elvis Costello to Sonic Youth — would revive the Jazzmaster, drawn to the very quirks that once kept it in the shadows of the Strat and Telecaster.
 
This particular 1962 Jazzmaster has survived remarkably intact, a true time capsule from Fender’s golden era. It has it's original european case, original hangtag and original Fender strap wonderfully customized with leopard pattern.
 
Its specifications confirm its authenticity:
 
Neck stamp: 4 NOV 62B.
Pots: original CTS 137 916 & Stackpole 3046245.
Serial: 94562.
Tuners: original single-line Kluson.
Case: original European case with the shop name plate still affixed.
 
Aside from the pickup foam — replaced due to natural deterioration — the electronics remain untouched. Every screw, knob, and piece of hardware reflects the careful craftsmanship of Fender’s Fullerton factory in late 1962. Even the case, with its shop badge, adds a layer of provenance that ties this guitar firmly to its European roots.
 
For nearly sixty years, this Jazzmaster wasn’t just stored away — it was played, cherished, and cared for. That kind of continuous ownership is rare, and it gives the instrument a soul that can’t be replicated. Today, it stands not only as a collectible piece for connoisseurs, but as a living reminder of Fender’s ambition, the unpredictability of musical history, and the bond between a player and his guitar.