Fender Jazzmaster story

Discover the incredible story of the Fender JazzMaster, the guitar that failed at jazz but conquered surf rock, alternative, and shoegaze. From The Ventures to My Bloody Valentine, learn why this offset legend became the anti-cool icon. In 1958, Fender launched their most ambitious guitar yet: the JazzMaster. Designed as a premium instrument for jazz virtuosos, it featured an innovative offset waist, complex rhythm/lead circuits, and wide flat pickups. But jazz players rejected it completely. Instead, this "failed" guitar found its true calling with The Ventures' "Walk Don't Run" in 1960, becoming the sound of surf rock. Decades later, it was rediscovered by Tom Verlaine, Elvis Costello, and Kevin Shields of My Bloody Valentine, who used its floating tremolo to create the hypnotic sound of shoegaze on the legendary album "Loveless." Subscribe.