Fender Custom Shop Masterbuilt Andy Hicks 60's Jazzmaster Closet Classic Satin Black
SKU 00FCS395
by Fender
Sold out
Original price
$ 10,500.00
-
Original price
$ 10,500.00
Original price
$ 10,500.00
$ 10,500.00
-
$ 10,500.00
Current price
$ 10,500.00
Masterbuilt Andy Hicks 60's Jazzmaster
Truetone Music is proud to have a long and close relationship with Fender, especially with the Custom Shop. Every so often, a new Masterbuilder joins the ranks - when that happens, we jump right into it with them to forge a new partnership. When we got word that Andy Hicks had joined the Fender Custom Shop as a Masterbuilder, we immediately set up a meeting to cook up a batch of very special guitars. We always like to ask the builders what they would like to build, colors they want to use, etc., in an effort to truly collaborate on guitars that they are excited to build. That was the start of the relationship that led to this amazing 60's Jazzmaster.We asked Andy what a tricked out Jazzmaster to build would be, and the outcome was this. The idea is to have everything you'd expect in a vintage Jazzmaster from the early 60's, modern playability, an improved upon bridge, an amazing set of pickups and custom wiring. The full story follows....
We chose to do this one as a Closet Classic with a Satin Black lacquer finish. So, you get an aged, vintage vibe, but without the wear that you'd see on a Relic. The finish is stunning in person. To make it a bit more custom, we went with a matching headstock, and at Andy's suggestion, a black anodized pickguard. Simply put, it's a killer look.
The alder body is lightweight (this is a Jazzmaster that comes in at just 7.7 lbs) and super resonant - we noticed that on the first strum out of the case. We agreed that it should not have a vintage neck shape, as it's not a vintage Jazzmaster. We went with the Modern "C". It's a great, slim neck that is easy to play. The next modernized tweak we added is that this guitar has a compound radius (9.5 - 12") and Narrow Tall (6105) frets. This makes it great for playing high on the neck when bending notes and digging in.
It's not just about looks and feel - the third element - the sound - is where this guitar really shines. For the pickups, Andy suggested the Sonic Pickups The Cult Leader - one of his all-time favorite humbuckers. Built on PAF platforms but tweaked, these hit the amp hard, with classic humbucker tone without harsh highs. As soon as we plugged the guitar, we realized why Andy suggested this - it's an amazing sounding! The guitar also has special custom "Coil Attenuator" wiring. We asked Andy about this, and here's the great insight he provided.
It's not just about looks and feel - the third element - the sound - is where this guitar really shines. For the pickups, Andy suggested the Sonic Pickups The Cult Leader - one of his all-time favorite humbuckers. Built on PAF platforms but tweaked, these hit the amp hard, with classic humbucker tone without harsh highs. As soon as we plugged the guitar, we realized why Andy suggested this - it's an amazing sounding! The guitar also has special custom "Coil Attenuator" wiring. We asked Andy about this, and here's the great insight he provided.
The wiring is a circuit that looks like a normal jazzmaster setup; it is sort of like a coil tap but when activated you control with the dial knobs how much of the coil you want to cut out. This gives you a wide range of sounds. The pickups are made by Sonic Pickups. They are made specifically for me and my personal guitars and now he offered them for my builds as well. The neck has an alnico 4 magnet and the bridge is alnico 8. An awesome combination. Clean sounds are nice and delicate and when gain is turned on the pickup screams. My absolute favorite set.
Another main feature is that it's equipped with the RSD J-Bridge. This is Fender's proprietary take on a new & improved bridge for offset guitars, it's there for better stability, with brass saddles for extra warmth. This bridge is only available on Custom Shop guitars. Due to the extremely positive reaction, we've started requesting it on nearly every Jazzmaster we do.
We stayed period correct for the rest of the hardware, going with vintage tuners, string retainer, etc. The guitar comes with a Custom Shop case, strap and Certificate of Authenticity.
A Masterbuilt instrument is like no other, and this is truly one of a kind, the only to exist. Come to Truetone Music to experience this unique Jazzmaster today, or make it yours right here.
ABOUT THE MASTERBUILDER: ANDY HICKS
Andy Hicks grew up in a household filled with music lovers. He received his first guitar on his 11th birthday – a gorgeous 3-tone burst Fender Stratocaster. Andy spent his teenage years playing along with his favorite Nirvana, Black Sabbath and Metallica records. He played in local rock bands and by his early 20s he became increasingly interested in experimenting with guitars by modifying pickups and wiring.
In 2009, Andy decided to take this passion for guitar building seriously by enrolling in the Guitar Craft Academy in Hollywood, a 6-month program focused on electric guitars. Within a week of graduating, he started working at Fender in the Jackson Custom Shop dressing frets. From 2013 to 2018, he worked as an assistant to Gretsch Custom Shop Senior Master Builder, Steve Stern. Andy worked with various artists during this period and is very proud of his involvement with the Malcolm Young “Salute” Jet. In 2018, Andy seized the opportunity to become the lead builder and production manager for a high-end boutique guitar company and was subsequently recruited by James Tyler to oversee production for his shop in the San Fernando Valley.
On his return to Fender, Hicks said, “coming back to Fender, becoming part of the most prestigious custom shop in the industry, and being around so many talented builders is incredibly exciting and humbling. It also feels like I have returned home.”
When it comes to guitars, Andy incorporates his two passions: playing and building guitars. He firmly believes that these two passions are deeply connected, uniting Andy’s core approach to creating guitars. “I love interacting with guitarists,” Hicks said. “Bridging the gap between builder and player, listening to their desires and implementing them into my builds is incredibly rewarding,” and to create such guitars in the Fender Custom Shop, “nothing could be better,” he added.
When not building guitars, Andy plays in an epic doom metal band, Stygian Crown, enjoys playing Dungeons and Dragons and goes on incredible Disneyland trips with his wife and 3 boys.
ABOUT THE MASTERBUILDER: ANDY HICKS
Andy Hicks grew up in a household filled with music lovers. He received his first guitar on his 11th birthday – a gorgeous 3-tone burst Fender Stratocaster. Andy spent his teenage years playing along with his favorite Nirvana, Black Sabbath and Metallica records. He played in local rock bands and by his early 20s he became increasingly interested in experimenting with guitars by modifying pickups and wiring.
In 2009, Andy decided to take this passion for guitar building seriously by enrolling in the Guitar Craft Academy in Hollywood, a 6-month program focused on electric guitars. Within a week of graduating, he started working at Fender in the Jackson Custom Shop dressing frets. From 2013 to 2018, he worked as an assistant to Gretsch Custom Shop Senior Master Builder, Steve Stern. Andy worked with various artists during this period and is very proud of his involvement with the Malcolm Young “Salute” Jet. In 2018, Andy seized the opportunity to become the lead builder and production manager for a high-end boutique guitar company and was subsequently recruited by James Tyler to oversee production for his shop in the San Fernando Valley.
On his return to Fender, Hicks said, “coming back to Fender, becoming part of the most prestigious custom shop in the industry, and being around so many talented builders is incredibly exciting and humbling. It also feels like I have returned home.”
When it comes to guitars, Andy incorporates his two passions: playing and building guitars. He firmly believes that these two passions are deeply connected, uniting Andy’s core approach to creating guitars. “I love interacting with guitarists,” Hicks said. “Bridging the gap between builder and player, listening to their desires and implementing them into my builds is incredibly rewarding,” and to create such guitars in the Fender Custom Shop, “nothing could be better,” he added.
When not building guitars, Andy plays in an epic doom metal band, Stygian Crown, enjoys playing Dungeons and Dragons and goes on incredible Disneyland trips with his wife and 3 boys.
- Serial # R137861
- Model# 9216088305
- Weight: 7.7 lbs
- Finish Package: Closet Classic
- Finish: Nitro Lacquer
- Color: Satin Black with Matching Headstock
- Body: Alder
- Neck: Quartersawn Maple
- Tint: Medium
- Neck Shape: Modern "C"
- Fretboard: AAA Rosewood Flat Lam
- Frets: 21
- Fretwire: 6105 Narrow Tall
- Radius: Compound 9.5 - 12"
- Dots: Micarta White
- Neck Nut Width: 1.650"
- Neck Thickness at 1st Fret: .820"
- Neck Thickness at 12th Fret: .870"
- Neck Butt Width: 2.200"
- Pickguard: Black Anodized
- Neck Pickup: Sonic Pickups The Cult Leader Alnico 4
- Bridge Pickup: Sonic Pickups The Cult Leader Alnico 8
- Coil Attenuator Wiring
- Nut: Black Tusq
- Tuners: Vintage
- String Guide: Vintage
- Bridge: RSD Jazzmaster
- Neck Plate: Vintage
- Case: Custom Shop Brown
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