The Fender Jazzmaster's younger sibling, released by Fender in 1962 as an attempt to win Gibson customers over. Despite this, it ashamedly sold poorly during its initial run due to the higher prices compared to two other guitars in the Fender line-up, the Fender Stratocaster and Fender Telecaster. It gained traction in the 70's from the punk and post-punk scenes of the time. It's a common sight in shoegaze, indie and alternative rock. Nirvana's Kurt Cobain is most associated with the guitar, owning and using a modded version with DiMarzio humbucking pickups, a modified lower switch plate with a three-way toggle pickup switch and an Adjusto-Matic bridge with a floating tremolo tailpiece.
A more complex switch circuit system, often situated within chrome plates on the pickguard, the volume and tone knobs along with the cable input are also within a chrome plate (post #1269825).
A different bridge with a bar attached under the strings on early models.
