Wonder if Merrill's guitar was always blue. Couldn't see that before color broadcasting.

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"Another day in paradise!"

I was going to make a smart $@! remark about him not being a "blues" player... But I probably shouldn't.

Art

Merrill played spanish, steel, banjo, mandolin for Welk. May not have had a 'blues' vibe in his bones, with all that 'one-a,two-a, three-a' polka party stuff, but he was certainly an accomplished musician.

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"Another day in paradise!"

Certainly was. As were most of Welk's orchestra.

Art

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I've seen them pass the melody solo's around to the guitars.

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"Another day in paradise!"

Close your eyes and pretend it's a Strat. Chet will play all of those songs for you.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRcgJYr1 ... re=related

Art

I recall a jam from a few years back when one the guys had what he called a 'Jazzocaster' - it looked very odd, but sounded pretty darn good through a BF Super!

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Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that's often taken for granted.

Don't leave home without it!

I could see that with a middle pup. Sort of like a Tele with three pups.

Art

Nothing like a creative genius combined with a little inspiration from Merle Travis. The rest is history.

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"Another day in paradise!"

There was certainly magic in that man's soul.

Art

The one I saw had the middle pup along with a control
pad of switches, knobs, decals and L.E.D.s - very odd!

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Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that's often taken for granted.

Don't leave home without it!

I closed my eyes and all I could hear is Chet playing a Gretsch! LOL! Regarding this topic at hand. I have been wanting to buy a Jazzmaster for the last few years but was uncertain if I would like it being mostly a Strat guy. Also I agree, Why did they call these Jazzmasters? I never saw them as a jazz guitar and never saw jazz performers using them. Back in the 1970s I remember seeing one...as someone else pointed out, with flat wound strings on it and it played terrible. Maybe flatwounds made it even more a "jazz" want-to-be guitar?

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Xhefri's Guitars
www.xhefriguitars.com

As a Strat player as well, I personally never came to care for the guitar, but I can remember the 'tongue hanging out of my mouth' period in my 'teens when that 'ferrari' of an instrument first appeared in music store windows. For it's time..1958...that sucker cost close to $400 w/o the case. A good $100 more than a Strat if memory serves.

In the excellent book 'Fender The Golden Age 1946-1970' by Kelly-Foster-Kelly there's a chapter on the development of the Jazzmaster which I absolutely cannot transcribe herein. The gist of it all was to break into the jazz guitar market and compete with Gibson's high end semi-acoustic guitars. Leo saw jazz guitarists as influencing guitarist's choice of instruments. The offset body design was developed to appeal to players who performed seated, offering them a more ergonomically balanced instrument. Then, the rosewood board for a more sophisticated look. The pickup design was intended for a more mellow tone and the circuitry to permit easy transition from a lead to a rhythm tone. The chapter goes on into more detail than can be offered here. I would seriously recommend this book be int the library of every Forum member with an interest in the Fender products of that period.

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"Another day in paradise!"

Doc, I have that book and you are correct. I think also that the Jazz players just loved their semi-hollow guitars. But the Jazzmaster can sound good with flat wound strings IF it is set up properly.

Art