Years of Production: 1958 - 1980

Unique to this Year: Fender switched from an anodized aluminum pickguard to a 3-layer celluloid tortoise pickguard partway through 1959. Examples with the earlier pickguard are more valuable. 

Body Style: Offset solidbody 

Wood Composition: Alder body, Maple neck with slab Rosewood fingerboard

Design Elements: Bolt-on neck, dot inlays, 2 single-coil soapbox pickups, 3-way pickup selector, 25 1/2-inch scale length, treble and bass roll knobs, floating tremolo system, lead/rhythm circuit switch,  anodized aluminum pickguard

Finish Specifications: Sunburst was the standard finish for the Jazzmaster in 1959. Custom colors were available and are more prized by collectable. 

Notable Players:  Nels Cline, J Mascis, Elvis Costello, Lee Ranaldo, Kevin Shields