1965 Fender Jaguar (Lake Placid Blue)

Lake Placid Blue is one of Fender's most endearing custom colors, and stylistically it is quintessentially '60's. While the color was introduced as a paint option for Cadillac cars in 1958, many a household furnishing (and outfit) was made in a similar color to Lake Placid blue (such as this couch).

 Thanks to a lacquer clear coat over the painted finish, often times Lake Placid blue turns green, due to cigarette smoke exposure or too much UV light; thankfully this guitar retains its original hue very well. In guitars that have seen discoloration, the area under the pickguard will typically tell the tale of the original color, and as we see here the unexposed area "under the 'guard" is nearly the same as the exposed areas. It's relatively unusual to see a guitar of this age that has been played this much that still retains the original color, as we must remember that, previous to the last 20 years, smoking was allowed practically EVERYWHERE that music was played.

 Of course as the Jaguar was Fender's highest level model of the era, it was given a matching headstock when built with a custom color finish.

Pearloid dot inlays were introduced sometime in 1964, and for many this signifies the end of the pre-CBS era. Sure, clay dots (those dark inlays that we see on 1964 and previous Fenders) look cool and have never been duplicated properly, BUT, I once had a harrowing experience on stage in a very dark club where the non-reflective clay dots all but from view, giving me no idea where I was on the fretboard other than muscle memory. Give me pearl dots ANY day.

 Also, this guitar has no buckle rash. Who played this thing?

 As we see from the back of the neck, it was played often, as the finish is worn away in several spots.

 The light lacquer checking that's seen on Fender guitars of the era is some of the most delicate and pretty patina fodder out there.

 Notice the yellow area- this is where the so-called 'paint stick' was screwed onto the body to suspend it and allow handling during finishing. The yellow color is the sealer that was applied first, then the color coat, then the clear coat.

"1" designates Jaguar, Mar 65 is self explanatory, and the "B" is the width of the neck at the nut (1 5/8", the most common Fender nut width, up until the 1980's).